A storm is brewing

The night was cold and dark, the only light was from the full moon, it was like the night was matching the atmosphere of the neutral zone of the valley.

The smell of blood was being carried by the breeze, deep in the neutral zone dozens of teams made by 4 cultivators could've been seen from time to time, some from the Evil Cloud Sect and others from the Blossom Lotus Evil Sect.

The entire neutral zone was in complete chaos. Yu Cuifen was prohibited from getting out of the sect, it was not the first prohibition she suffered from the elders, the usage of a veil for female disciples was also one, made 1 year ago, it was all Young Master Yun fault, in the last evil sects assembly he told he was going to do everything he could to put his hand on her.

Sadly for her elders it only made her even more fierce, not only would she go out, but she also put herself in fights against the Evil Cloud Sect.

After getting out, she started roaming the neutral zone in search of beasts and disciples of the Evil Cloud Sect, but she didn't know, the one who helped her, also sold her out to the enemy.

She was standing in the dark forest, the moon barely could light the place where she was, her fiery pinky eyes would look carefully at the surroundings.

It wasn't a normal day, she was feeling a tingling sensation on the top of her forehead, it started sometime after leaving the sect, she wasn't a newbie like Shi, she understood, a disaster was coming for her.

She shot a look at her right, she heard some noise, narrowing her eyes, she took the opposite direction and disappeared in the dark forest.

-

Shi was standing not too far from his cave, he was looking at the crown of the towering trees, they would swing with the night wind, his black clothes looked like a sail pushing him backward.

Every time he inhaled, the smell of blood and the taste of metal would linger in his nose and mouth, he would feel a little affliction in his heart, like he was trying to say something but couldn't.

"This is your sixth sense telling you that something is happening in this forest, normally it would take time to form a good sixth sense, gladly for you the primordial breath and the vipassana technique would help you to feel the dark winds" Long Shin said in a rare serious tone, he was also looking at the dark scenario, for him, a storm was brewing.

"Is it reliable?" asked the young man, putting his hand on his chest as he closed his eyes to feel his heart.

He knew his heart wasn't the same after the breakthrough, Long Shin didn't say anything, because it was not necessary, if your heart suddenly became stronger your disposition would change, even an idiot would notice it.

"inhale" Shi started to use the primordial breath to calm his heart and mind, he first emptied his mind, when all was gone he started to imagine the primordial chaos diagram, he was seating in the middle in a lotus pose, but this time only the Yin fish was swimming.

Opening his eyes, it was like he took out a dark lens off, his sight was normal again, but the smell and taste of blood were still there.

He put on a black cloth mask hiding half of his face, it had the 'seal' rune on the middle written in beast blood, activating the rune it was like all his energy was gone, he was just another tree in the forest.

Shooting forward he entered the neutral zone, his objective was to get a map and a basic understanding of the real situation in the valley.

For at least an hour Shi didn't find anything, not even a single bird, getting on top of a tree, and using the moonlight he took a big dry bamboo paper and made some markings on it, it was the 'project' of a map.

Being his first map, it had a lot of wrong scales, but what he wanted was to get an approximation of the valley so he could plan things out, without knowing about his enemy resources how he could cause any problems.

Putting his crude map on his ring, he shot again deeper in the neutral zone, this time however he found a team from the Evil Cloud Sect, they had 4 members made out of inner disciples, seeing their energy with his celestial eyes he knew all of them were at the 4th layer.

One of them was carrying an old lamp, shining the forest in orange light, that was how Shi found them, getting on a high branch he was watching them, they walked in a rhombus formation.

Following them for some time they finally stopped and Shi could hear the man carrying the lamp saying: "Brother Yu can you take a look at the lamp for a breath? I really need to pee" he said in a low tone like he was trying to hide it from the trees.

Shi's eyes shined in a dangerous way, taking a look at the 3 men making a new formation putting the lantern on the grass floor he decided to take on the other man, making a crescent moon-like path he shot hiding his figure on the giant trees.

The young man from the Evil Cloud sect was taking his piss, finishing his business, and putting his toy in his pants. He turned around and what welcomed him was two round purple lights.

Seeing the enemy turn around, Shi started to panic, he was about to stab his enemy heart, but in the end, he needed to do something out of the blue.

"SLASH" a stone knife slashed the night wind.

"Wh-" The young man tried to speak but no sound came from his mouth. "Why am I seeing my body?" It was the last thought the young man had.

The young man's head was flying, Shi jumped as fast he could, to get it, after getting the young man's head he shot at the body who was almost touching the floor, sadly his speed was capped by the sealing mask.

"Thud" the young man's body fell on the floor making noise.

He was well aware it wasn't the perfect assassination, putting the head on the floor, he hid behind a tree as hundreds of thoughts flashed in his mind.

The other three inner disciples hearing the sound looked at each other and making a nod they started to walk in the direction where their brother was pissing.

"BROTHER LI ARE YOU OKAY?" yelled the one with the lamp in a low tone, making it look more like he was blowing wind out his mouth the other two behind him guarding their sides he was clutching the lantern hard, making his knuckles become white.

Seeing the orange light passing by the tree he was hidden. Shi froze like a statue, he even stopped his breathing, after a breath the young man holding a lamp could see the body on the floor.

Fastening his steps he got near the body seeing it without his head he was about to say something when he saw a black-clothed young man slash a sword at his companion.

Shi knew he hadn't too many opportunities so he attacked the two men, slashing his spirit sword at them from left to right. Seeing the purple-eyed young man they picked their weapons, the left young man carried a heavy saber and the other one a sword, they were about to encircle Shi so he couldn't take the two at the same time.

But he wasn't a kid, he was already with his mask off, turning his wrist to the left he stepped on the floor and appeared in front of the saber user. He was an arm of distance from the man, his sword slashing taking the entire enemy body on its length.

The man sent a slash to parry Shi sword, but he ignored it, he knew his sword was way sharper, his sword started to shine in a sky-blue color.

"SLASH" it cut the young man and his saber in two. spinning his wrist again he made a high arch with his sword, the other young man was already stabbing his sword at him, so Shi decided to trade a wound for life.

With all his might he slashed from above, his left hand near his right elbow waiting for his opponent's sword.

Seeing the sword coming at the top of his head the man wanted to bring himself back, but he was on a stabbing motion, so he put even more strength trying to throw himself in Shi direction, Shi grasped the other man sword with his bare hand and clutched it hard with all the strength he had left.

"SLASH" "Pshht" the swords touched each other at the same time.

Shi could feel his hand being cut apart, the enemy cold steel cutting his meat and touching his bones, his sword, however, found the man's shoulder and cut him like he was peeling a banana, killing it on the spot.

Taking a look at his hand it was dripping with blood, he didn't have the time so he shot a throwing knife at the leg of the paralyzed young man who was carrying the lamp.

Never in his mind, his two brothers would fall so easily, one didn't have any chance and the other caused only a wound on the opponent's hand.

Shi didn't leave any room for the young man, he shot another throwing knife at his stomach, those two knives found their target, after all the young man was in shock.

Seeing this a smile born on Shi's face, it was time to get some information.