Blood still stained my fingertips as I leapt from the last tree, watching the corpses of Guyue and Xiang clan Gu Masters being torn apart by frenzied lightning wolves.

“Hmph. Useless things. They screamed, they begged—meaningless noise.

I am a Rank 3 Gu Master, mid-stage. Between us lies an entire realm. Their lives were never worth consideration.

“Even in death, they serve some value. Their Gu worms will not be wasted—I will return them to the clan. Merit will naturally follow. Hehe.”

I moved higher through the trees, searching for more prey, more entertainment. That’s when I saw you—draped entirely in black, face hidden, standing untouched by the wolves. Strange. The wolves did not dare approach you. It's as if they deliberately avoided you.

My eyes narrowed. Something about you was… wrong. Interesting.

I dropped down from a branch silently, landing lightly in front of you, frost swirling around my feet.

A slow, sharp smile curved my lips.

“Hey. You.” My gaze locked onto you, cold and probing.

“Why do those beasts avoid you? What are you concealing beneath that cloth?” I tilted my head, blue eyes narrowing with predatory curiosity.

“Don't disappoint me like the others… dying without even a shred of resistance.”