Killing From the Shadows

Rumble rumble...

The sky was getting darker and lightning filled clouds rumbled periodically, a prelude to the impending storm.

Four persons stopped in front of the jungle as the youngest was put on the ground.

Liu Shanhe was 11 years old and didn't learn a movement oriented battle skill yet so Liu Guan Tao had to carry him all the way.

At this moment two figures quickly approached the group. One was high in the air jumping back up continuously while the other was on the ground surrounded by wind currents.

Soon they arrived at Liu Guan Tao's level.

"Brother Hong what are you doing here?" Liu Guan Tao asked but he knew the answer already.

"Brother Tao how could i leave you brave all the dangers by yourself? Once i heard you went ahead to chase after this hooded person i immediately departed with junior Deng to lend a helping hand and left the others to watch out for Ye Mo." Liu Hong explained calmly.

He seemed perfectly fine while on the contrary Liu Deng was perspiring and took some time to catch his breath.

Liu Hong used the Skybound Leaping battle skill to catch up with Liu Guan Tao's team which was of the mid-tier Yellow class while Liu Deng only had the usual Wind Flow battle skill, it was easy to understand who was faster.

Liu Hong reduced his speed purposefully but Liu Deng still had to go all out to not be left behind.

"Lending a helping hand? Hmph, you scum just want to reap all the merits for yourself!"

On the outside, Liu Guan Tao expressed a joyous smile but inside he cursed at this greedy bastard.

"Let's hurry and catch this person, the board of elders are already discussing who will go see this through. We should bring him back quickly and not waste their time with an idiot who thinks he can fool the Liu clan."

Liu Hong said as he engulfed himself in the woods followed by Liu Deng while in his heart he snickered, "How could i leave you get all the benefits when i was the one who was sent to investigate this case?"

"The elders are reacting quickly already preparing to send a Foundation Establishment realm expert, they really take this matter to heart which means greater rewards if i catch this person first!"

Liu Guan Tao thought quickly and went forth along his team, regrouping with Liu Hong and Liu Deng.

During night time the jungle was covered in darkness and the group could barely see the end of their hand.

Liu Yujia raised her palm and was about to invok a ball of light but she was stopped at the last moment by Liu Guan Tao who muttered, "If you do it here, you will attract blood beasts and we will be in greater danger instead."

Liu Yujia nodded silently and lowered her hand.

Ordinarily, this would have been a sensible warning but Liu Guan Tao didn't know that only ordinary animals lived in this part of the jungle.

Due to the low visibility and their cautiousness the group advanced slowly and covered little ground as they silently walked for more than an hour.

Liu Shanhe would look around him nervously and jump out at every little sound. He was too young and lacked experience furthermore his battle skill increased his vision but in this place surrounded by darkness it was completely useless and he felt all the more helpless.

"Its too dark here, surrounded by the trees how can we orient ourselves without any map and what is this person doing in this jungle in the first place? Honestly i wouldn't be able to think of a better location if i wanted to hide." Liu Jiali's rambling resounded in the jungle, making the quietness of the surroundings even more prominent.

After an hour walking randomly and sighting nothing, the group grew discouraged and started to ask themselves if they should keep going or turn back.

Only Liu Hong and Liu Guan Tao were bent on catching this cloaked person, just thinking of the differencial treatment when they would return with the suspect was enough to wash away all their doubts.

Liu Hong left markings on the ground and the bark of trees on the path as to find their way out if needed.

At this moment, a shadow surged and a fist was aimed.

Splash!

Liu Shanhe felt some droplets splashing on his face.

"Rain?" He washed it with his hands then looked at his palm but this rain was different, it was dark red in color.

When he looked at his side, Liu Jiali's body was reduced to a pulp.

"Ah!" Liu Shanhe screamed in shock, stumbling back and falling on his butt.

The shadow left as fast as it came and vanished in the obscurity.

"We're under attack!" Liu Guan Tao and Liu Hong heard the splashing sound and both reacted immediately.

Shouting, one positioned himself on the rear watching out for the slightest of movement while Liu Hong took the front.

Because it was dark, they focused mainly on their hearing, if someone attacked them he was bound to make some noise.

Liu Hong and Liu Guan Tao were veterans and without panicking they instinctively displayed all their experience.

Liu Deng between these two leaders quickly calmed down and clapped with both hands as he closed his eyes.

Yellow Class mid tier battle skill - Chasing Soundwave!

From his clapped hands a soundwave was created and traveled quickly in the surroundings. Through it, Liu Deng could locate and identify elements of the environment in a radius of 60 meters.

"Here!" Liu Deng yelled pointing to his left.

Liu Yujia reacted and with a movement of her wrist she sent a windblade in this direction.

The windblade slashed four trees in a straight line and stopped at the 5th leaving a cutting mark on the trunk.

The trees fell down, their shadows dissipated and the sky became visible increasing the luminosity.

Behind the second log, the group watched a shirtless teen crouched down slowly standing up.

The sky roared and lightning fell sporadically, illuminating the surroundings and highlighting the youth's features.

He had tanned skin from long exposures to the sun and short spiky hair like each strands wanted to pierce the heavens.

They had seen his face even more than their mother during the last six months and now he was standing right in front of them.

The only difference was that his face was covered in strange claw scars like old wounds from a beast's laceration.

"Ye Mo!" The group was taken aback not only because he was their assailant but also of what it implied.

All of them knew he had a concealment battle skill since he just used it to kill Liu Jiali and hid back.

After that it was easy to piece everything together.

How he left the institute under their guard and killed Liu Zhan Lie or purposefuly attracted them to this place.

Liu Hong and Liu Guan Tao looked at him with shining eyes.

Everyone knew how much the patriarch and his entourage wanted this little demon. If catching the culprit behind Liu Zhan Lie's disappearance would cause a surge in their reputation, seizing Ye Mo would directly incur favors from Liu Hao and his family.

They would be nurtured greatly and won't have to go to the frontlines again. They could focus solely on their cultivation and the ressources needed would be layed in front of them at their call.

Now if they handed both of them in just one person the rewards would simply be astronomical. They would assuredly live a good life and their name will be left in the history of the clan.

"You thought you could kill us all after leading us to this jungle but you overestimated your abilities. You didn't expect we would have a battle skill that countered your concealment right?!" Saying so Liu Guan Tao throwed himself at Ye Mo.

Using the Black Earth Heavy Palm, his palm turned to a dark brown color and a light brown aura circled around it.

As the palm neared Ye Mo he felt his body being five times heavier obstructing his movements.

He was unable to dodge and had no defensive battle skill so instead he chose to use offense against offense.

Forming a fist with his hand Ye Mo whipped the air putting his mastery of the Stone Breaking Punch to use.

Bam!

The palm and the fist connected violently and both fighters were sent moving back.

Ye Mo retreated two steps while Liu Guan Tao retreated seven steps.

"He's stronger than me? How could it be, im at the seventh layer while he's only at the fifth but even the mid-tier Black Earth Heavy Palm is not enough!?" Liu Guan Tao was incredulous.

From his shadow, Liu Hong left and attacked Ye Mo drawing a saber out of his spatial pouch.

If Liu Guan Tao could think of benefits, Liu Hong could as well.

"I won't let this chance slip by!" Liu Hong came before Ye Mo and slashed with his blade.

Mid tier Yellow Class - Demon's Horn saber art!

Five sharp red blade lights were sent flying at great speed towards Ye Mo.

They looked like spiraling horns and held much penetrative force.

"If i meet this attack head-on my body will be pierced." Thinking so Ye Mo used Cyclone Kick.

He didn't directly kick them but slightly tapped their sides with his foot deflecting the blade lights in the surroundings. The blade lights went through the trees and wrecked the earth raising a small cloud of dust.

Followed by Liu Hong's attack, Liu Yujia jumped from the rear and rushed at Ye Mo.

"I will avenge sister Jiali!" Her eyes were spitting fire as she looked at her foe while on her arms multiple bone blades protruded out.

Ye Mo watched coldly.

When Liu Yujia was close enough she waved her arms trying to cut his body in pieces but Ye Mo was much faster and avoided the strikes then reached out with his hand.

"Ah!" Liu Yujia suddenly shrieked.

Ye Mo's hand firmly grabbed her chest and for a fraction of second she lost focus. She wasn't a novice thus her reaction was very brief but Ye Mo expected no less and before she collected herself, he sent his fist with the other hand.

It must be known that even before Liu Yujia dropped her guard, Ye Mo was already punching. At this distance, if she reacted she was done for but if she didn't she would still be significantly injured.

Connecting with the middle of the torso, her chest caved in and she was sent flying head first in a nearby tree.

With only a cultivation of the 6th layer how could she be Ye Mo's match in close combat as a body refining cultivator?

What occured seemed long but from the first kill till now it actually happened in an instant.

As a young girl, to be unfazed as someone groped your chest it would require a vast amount of experience and being extremely cold blooded or in another case, someone who was used to be touched this way.

But Liu Yujia was only 21 years old and although she fought many times, she never met this kind of situation.

She couldn't predict such a young boy would be vicious enough to grab her private areas during their confrontation.

However Ye Mo came here with clear intentions and had his own objectives. The way to attain them never mattered.

In short, he was unscrupulous in his actions.

"Shameless scum!" Liu Guan Tao howled fiercely seeing such a despicable act as another of his teammate died in this conflict.

Lightnings fell casting fleeting shadows across the landscape below followed by the resounding growl of thunder. At last the first drops of rain wet the earth quickly escalating into a torrential symphony.

Ye Mo kept mum as a ghost facing the remaining Liu clan members.