Shen Yue's sharp ears caught the sound of footsteps—fast, yet steady.
The cave was pitch black, but his hyper senses told him these were human steps. Then, faintly, he heard a curse:
"Shit! Shit!"
"My plan's failed… Now I have to at least collect his corpse… if it's still intact."
His voice was bitter, full of frustration.
"My plan failed because of those damn wolves. But I must retrieve his body and give it to his family… If I can't succeed by plan, then I'll be forceful."
Rage flared in Shen Yue's eyes as he recognized the voice—his uncle, Peng Lei.
That voice—the very sound of betrayal—was something he would never forgive.
Though Shen Yue understood Peng Lei's intent from the words, he did not yet know the full plan.
He silently melted into the shadows, using his hyper senses to mask his presence, hiding deep inside the cave.
Seconds passed, then suddenly the footsteps stopped.
He held his breath. He could sense that Peng Lei had surely caught the scent of blood — that was why he halted.
Shen Yue waited, barely daring to breathe.
A shadow cautiously approached the cave entrance.
Alert, Shen Yue's instincts sharpened; he became like a predator stalking his prey.
Peng Lei stepped inside.
Still hidden, Shen Yue remained motionless.
Then, without warning, when Peng Lei's guard dropped for just a moment, Shen Yue's speed doubled, his steps silent as the wind.
In an instant, he was behind Peng Lei—one hand gripping a sword, the other clasping Peng Lei's wrists from behind.
With a sharp, sickening *crack*, he twisted and pushed Peng Lei to the ground.
"Crack!"
Peng Lei barely had time to react before the cave seemed to collapse around him.
Pain exploded in his arms as Shen Yue forced his wrists behind him.
"Ahhh… My hand! My hand!" Peng Lei screamed in agony, panic thick in his voice. "Who are you? Why are you attacking me?"
No answer came.
Then, suddenly, a strong grip seized his leg, sending another wave of unbearable pain through his body.
Peng Lei screamed again and again, finally collapsing on the cold stone floor.
Shen Yue twisted his leg, astonished.
Peng Lei was a 9th-grade Blood Qi Realm body cultivator—renowned for exceptional pain tolerance.
Yet, here he was, broken and defeated by pain alone.
Shen Yue released him and dragged his limp body aside like a discarded puppet.
Lighting a fire, Shen Yue settled down, calming his breath and mind to plan his next move.
Hours passed.
Peng Lei's eyes fluttered open, swollen and haunted.
His body screamed with pain—his arms and left leg shattered.
Sorrow crept into his heart.
He knew this was a death sentence.
Anyone brutal enough to break him like this had no intention of letting him live.
Suddenly, a cold voice broke the silence.
"Oh, you're awake."
Peng Lei weakly turned his head.
Before him stood someone he never expected to see alive.
"Shen Yue… how are you alive?" he gasped, struggling for breath.
Quickly correcting himself, he added, "Are you able to survive? Thank God. I feared you were dead… I can face your mother now, who entrusted me with your care."
Despite his words, confusion clouded Peng Lei's eyes.
He could not understand how Shen Yue had survived.
Watching his tone, Peng Lei sensed the answer: it must have been Shen Yue who dealt this cruel blow.
Yet, he had no clue how Shen Yue could possess such power — especially without even beginning cultivation.
Seeing the dark look in Peng Lei's face, Shen Yue spoke coldly, "You don't have to pretend. I heard everything you said before."
The mask of the "good uncle" was ripped away in an instant.
Peng Lei's face paled. He knew he was caught red-handed.
"Why did you put beast attracting powder on me?" Shen Yue demanded.
Peng Lei stammered, "I—It was to save my own life!"
Shen Yue narrowed his eyes, voice sharper.
"Then why were you always so 'good' to me?"
Peng Lei struggled for words. "That was all an act. A lie. A mask."
Shen Yue's gaze pierced him.
"Why did you risk your life on the battlefield to save me?"
Peng Lei's eyes flickered with cold calculation.
"Who said I was trying to save you? I was just saving myself. Where else could I go? I have to fight to survive. I planned to start there... but two barbarians came unexpectedly."
Hearing this, a cold chill ran through Shen Yue's heart.
He forced himself to remain calm and asked, "What is your plan?"
Peng Lei smirked.
"You already know. I came to collect your corpse."
Shen Yue's voice dropped, deadly calm. "Why do you want my corpse?"
Peng Lei's expression twisted with dark resentment.
"At least deliver your last remains. Give you a proper funeral through your mother."
Shen Yue shook his head. "Do you even know how she'll react?"
Rage burned in Peng Lei's eyes, but he said nothing.
Without warning, Shen Yue grabbed a wolf bone lying nearby and plunged it deep into Peng Lei's right leg.
A scream echoed through the cave.
"Ahhh!"
Shen Yue's voice was ice cold.
"Answer me. Why?"
Peng Lei hissed through clenched teeth, "You devil! How can you be so cruel?"
Shen Yue drove the bone deeper.
Another scream tore from Peng Lei's throat.
Finally, he spat out the shocking truth.
"Because of your mother… you son of a bitch."
Peng Lei's voice cracked as he recalled memories.
"When she came to the Outer City, I was the first to discover her. We quickly became friends, but she treated me like a little brother. Always bickering, quarreling like siblings."
He sneered, bitter.
"One day, I came with your father to Lan Xue's home to celebrate my breakthrough."
He paused, eyes filled with venom.
"But who'd have thought? That bitch Lan Xue and your father became so close… so close they couldn't be separated."
Peng Lei's voice grew darker, almost trembling.
"I proposed to her once… but what did I find?"
He spat again.
"She was screaming… screaming with pleasure… in her home."
His rage boiled over.
"My blood froze when I secretly checked… It was your father with that bitch Lan Xue."
He clenched his fists.
"I left without a word. I was angry… your father knew I liked her, yet he still did this."
Peng Lei's voice softened into a twisted whisper.
"I was weak then. But I swore, when I grew stronger, I would take my revenge and claim Lan Xue."
He laughed bitterly.
"She married your father and bore you and your sibling."
He paused, voice heavy.
"But I was still not strong enough… so I waited."
He grinned cruelly.
"One day, I planned everything. Executed my plan…"
Shen Yue listened, eyes burning.
He already knew the truth — but hearing it spoken aloud twisted the knife deeper.
Peng Lei chuckled like a madman, a sinister aura rising from his broken body.
"Hahaha… haaa… haaa…"
The aura shimmered, his wounds knitting together at an unnatural speed—visible even to the naked eye.
Suddenly, a sword slashed toward him.
Shen Yue barely dodged; a faint mark appeared on his chest.
Sweat dripped from his forehead.
If he'd been 0.001 seconds slower, he might have been dead or severely injured.
A calm but sinister voice spoke, full of dark amusement.
"Huh! You dodged my attack."
"Interesting… truly interesting."