Midnight draped the Black Rain Mountains in silence. But within the shadows, murder stirred.
In a hidden underground chamber beneath the sect, four men knelt in formation, their breaths synchronized, their presence almost undetectable.
"You are the Sect Master's Fangs," a cold voice said.
"You kill silently. You leave no corpses. And tonight, you hunt Lin Fan."
The speaker tossed down a black scroll.
On it, Lin Fan's image burned faintly with spiritual trace—a Soul Sigil, allowing them to lock onto his presence.
"Orders?" one of the assassins asked.
"Don't wait for his power to grow. Kill him now—before he dies again."
Atop a cliff beyond the outer sect, Lin Fan sat cross-legged beneath the stars. The Shadowfang Leopard lay beside him, but its ears twitched—uneasy.
He opened his eyes slowly. The system's voice rang in his head.
System Notification:
[Hostile intent detected — multiple sources approaching — Rank: Foundation Stage+]
A faint smile curled his lips.
"Finally."
The four assassins moved like phantoms—through wind, branch, and shadow. But as they closed in, they felt something… wrong.
The air grew heavy. Their Soul Sigils pulsed erratically.
"This isn't a normal outer disciple…" one whispered.
Too late.
The ground beneath them exploded, and Lin Fan rose from the smoke, eyes glowing cold silver.
"Looking for me?"
The battle erupted instantly.
One assassin struck first with a blade laced in soul poison—but Lin Fan let it cut him, absorbing the pain.
The second assassin launched a binding technique—but Lin Fan ripped free using brute force, his power far beyond a typical Foundation disciple.
The third used illusion arts—but Lin Fan's Predator's Sense tore through deception like wind through fog.
Only the fourth assassin, the leader, posed a true threat. His cultivation was late Foundation Stage—strong enough to kill Lin Fan.
And Lin Fan… knew it.
"Perfect," Lin Fan whispered.
"I need to die."
The assassin hesitated. "What?"
Lin Fan didn't dodge the killing blow. He walked right into it—his heart pierced by a spirit-forged dagger.
System Notification: Death Confirmed
Rebirth Initiating… Amplification: x10 + Skill Copy: Shadow Step (from Assassin Captain)
—Rebirth Complete—
Lin Fan awoke mid-air, catching his body before it fell. His wounds were gone.
His aura?
Explosively powerful. The cliff shook beneath him.
The three remaining assassins turned to flee.
He raised a hand.
New Skill: Shadow Step — Activated
He vanished.
By the time the assassins looked around, he was already behind them.
"Too late."
Three strikes. Three deaths.
No sound.
Only blood on the wind.
Lin Fan looked down at the body of the captain who had killed him.
"Thank you," he whispered.
"You've made me stronger."
He turned toward the sect.
"That was your first move, Zhao Tian."
"Now it's my turn."