Being exposed ( edited)

As dusk settled, Chen Yang began practicing his unity flame technique. With a flick of his wrist,

Puff!

A crimson flame emerged from his fingernail.

Chen Yang extended his right hand, waved it in the air, and whoosh!, a large flame appeared before him.

As he focus and making numerous spell in an instant.

Whoosh!

A small snake emerged quickly from a twisting flame. With a wave of his hand, the snake flew through the air and dove into his bed.

It came to a halt right before it was about to strike.

Chen Yang felt a cold sweat prickle his brow. If he burned his bed, where would he sleep? And the fiery explosion of a snake-shaped projectile might just earn him a murder attempt from Uncle Tao.

With a heavy sigh, he tapped his fingers, and with a puff! The snake transformed into a small firework, fizzling harmlessly.

Manipulating fire felt as natural as breathing, like an innate ability he'd possessed since childhood.

A satisfied smile spread across his face at having the ability to protect his life.

"Time to try that 'sky tier' cultivation technique," Chen Yang muttered.

Settling into bed, he began circulating his energy throughout his body using the Five Elements Divine Harmony Technique. Faint glimmers of green, white, and blue light swirled within him. He felt like a famished beast, devouring the ambient energy around him.

He became so engrossed in circulating the flow of energy using this technique that he didn't realize he'd been up all night.

Despite the lack of sleep, he felt more energized than ever. He threw punches in the air, mimicking a juggler's movements, a satisfied grin on his face.

As he about to do do some more excercise.

He realized he was late for work. He scrambled out of bed and bolted towards the pavilion. As he hurried, he picked up the presence of five figures trailing him..

"Why are these people following me? Did I do something to expose myself?" He wracked his brain but couldn't think of anything that might have revealed his secret identity. "Well, forget it. I'm just starting my journey as a cultivator, and I don't know their motives yet. Maybe they're just headed in the same direction."

He abruptly changed course to confirm his suspicions.

After several changes of direction, he confirmed that they were following him and he headed toward to the forest outside the city.

"Zhang Ding is he really that man with the chicken mask?"

"Yes, elder Wu "

"I saw with my own eyes ,him putting on that chicken mask," manager Zhang said respectfully to elder Wu, a flicker of hatred in his eyes as he glanced at Chen Yang.

"Elder Jiangxin," another figure spoke, a second -stageQi cultivator, "according to the investigation, our clan has been tracking him. Reports say he's been stuck at the third level of Body Tempering for years, but the masked man appears to be at the Qi Condensation realm."

"That's impossible," another man chimed in, his voice laced with greed. "No Qi Condensation cultivator would work at the pavilion for a measly two silvers a month. He must have gotten his hands on some powerful inheritance or treasure to boost his cultivation so quickly."

Elder Wu, his face grim, spoke, "He seems to be heading deeper into the forest. Let's follow him, but be cautious."

They quickened their pace, wary of losing sight of Chen Yang. After an hour of pursuit, Chen Yang emerged into a clearing by the riverbank. There were no signs of anyone else around.

"Seems like a good spot to bury a body," Elder Wu said with a chilling smile.

Chen Yang's eyes narrowed. "More like a good spot to bury yours," he countered, a smirk playing on his lips.

With a burst of speed, he launched a surprise attack on Elder Wu, the most powerful among them, a high Qi Condensation Six cultivator. Using his Unity Six Flame technique, Chen Yang conjured a fiery kunai, a throwing dagger shaped like a crescent moon and aimed it straight for Elder Wu's heart.

Elder Wu, caught off guard, attempted to shove Chen Yang away, but the flaming projectile was too fast. It engulfed his chest, killing him instantly. A stunned expression remained etched on his face even in death.

After dealing with Elder Wu Chen Yang threw fire kunai at the second strongest cultivation in the group, who was in the fourth qi condensation realm.

Facing Chen Yang's fiery assault, Wei Lin wasn't about to be intimidated by a flashy trick. He scoffed at the incoming kunai, a confident smirk playing on his lips.

Years of experience had honed his reflexes, and deflecting such attacks was second nature to him.

But underestimating Chen Yang proved to be a fatal mistake. Just as Wei Lin raised his arm to swat the projectile aside, the flaming kunai did something unexpected. In a seemingly impossible maneuver, it defied its trajectory, curving sharply mid-air.

Wei Lin's smirk vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of raw terror as he realized the kunai was no longer aimed at his arm, but at the exposed flesh of his neck. The maneuver was so swift, so unexpected, that he had no time to react.

The searing kunai pierced his neck with a sickening thud. Wei Lin's eyes widened in shock, his hand reaching up to clutch at the flaming wound. A choked gasp escaped his lips before his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Despite the swift demise, Chen Yang couldn't help but acknowledge the deadliness of the attack. He knew, with a chilling certainty, that if not for the element of surprise and the flaming projectile's speed, he would be the one lying dead.

With that, the second one died, only three remained: one first and another second Qi Condensation second Realm cultivators and Manager Zhang.

"You cannot kill us because we are from the Wu clan; if anything happens to us, the Wu clan will not let you and anyone close to you off," said one of the first qi condensation realm cultivators.

Another of the second qi condensation realm cultivators quietly took out a talisman from his storage bag and crushed it.

" Killing one or two won't make any difference when you chased after me , me and your Wu clan are already enemy "

With a surge of defiance, Chen Yang launched himself at the remaining Wu Clan members.

Their coordinated assault, honed through years of training together, proved formidable. One, a wiry man named Wu Kang, danced around Chen Yang like a flickering serpent, his twin daggers flashing with deadly grace.

The other, a hulking brute named Wu Tong, was a wall of unyielding muscle, absorbing Chen Yang's blows with his forearms and retaliating with bone-shattering swings.

The battle became a whirlwind of movement and desperate attacks. Chen Yang, fueled by his newfound power, countered Wu Kang's strikes with fiery fists, the searing heat singeing the edges of the daggers.

He landed blows on Wu Tong's chest, only to be met with thunderous counters that sent him staggering back.

Despite his strength, Chen Yang wasn't invincible. He began to feel the strain, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Meanwhile, Manager Zhang, a man more accustomed to administrative tasks than combat, saw an opportunity in the chaos. With a furtive glance around, he discreetly slipped away from the fight, hoping to escape the unfolding carnage.

The fight raged on for a grueling hour. Chen Yang, though powerful, was pushed to his limits. He knew he couldn't sustain this pace for much longer. He needed to find an opening, a way to turn the tide before his newfound strength waned.

Spotting a momentary lapse in Wu Kang's defense, Chen Yang seized the opportunity. With a well-placed side-step and a fiery uppercut, he connected with Wu Kang's jaw with a sickening crunch. The blow sent the Wu Clan cultivator flying backward, unconscious.

Capitalizing on his advantage, Chen Yang focused on the hulking Wu Tong. He knew a direct attack wouldn't work. Using his agility, he feigned a right hook before darting to Wu Tong's left side.

The brute fell for the bait, swinging his massive arm in empty space. Chen Yang, with a surge of adrenaline, leaped onto Wu Tong's back and wrapped his legs around the man's neck.

Using all his strength, Chen Yang squeezed, aiming to restrict Wu Tong's air supply.

Wu Tong roared in fury, his body flailing wildly. He stumbled forward, crashing through trees and undergrowth in a desperate attempt to dislodge Chen Yang.

Chen Yang held on grimly, his vision beginning to blur at the edges from the lack of oxygen. Just as he thought he might lose consciousness, he felt Wu Tong's struggles weaken.

With a final, desperate heave, Chen Yang tightened his grip. Wu Tong let out a choked gurgle, his thrashing slowing. A moment later, he went limp.

Chen Yang slumped off Wu Tong's back, gasping for air. His body ached from head to toe, his muscles screaming in protest.

He lay there for a moment, catching his breath, the taste of blood metallic on his tongue. He had won, but at a heavy cost.

He had slain four cultivators, forever altering the course of his life. Looking around at the carnage, a wave of nausea washed over him. He knew then, with a chilling certainty, that his life as an ordinary pavilion worker was over.

"It appears I was exposed and cannot return to the city," Chen Yang muttered, dazed.