The chaos in the "Serpentine Mist Valley" had reached its zenith. The sounds of clashing weapons, multi-colored "Qi" explosions, cries of anger and pain, and the roars of spiritual beasts attracted by the scent of blood and concentrated spiritual energy all blended into a bloody symphony playing a melody of greed and death.
From his hiding place in the rock crevice, Wei Shen watched all of this with a coldness that belied his body's age. His senses were no longer mere tools for passive observation; they were a complex network of sensors, analyzing every movement, every change in the flow of Qi, every fleeting opportunity that might appear in the midst of this melee. The "Blood Qi" of peak sixth-level Qi Condensation circulated in his pathways like a vortex of dark energy, ready to explode at any moment—not as a blind volcano, but as a precisely directed, merciless force.
"The wolves have tired themselves out enough," Wei Shen thought, a hint of a cold smile playing on his lips as he saw the "Crimson Flame Palace" elder, who appeared to be the strongest among them, take a treacherous blow from behind by one of the "Grass Blade Sect" elders while he was busy parrying an attack from the "Jade Cloud School's" genius. "It's time for the fox to appear… and reap the fruits."
The "Spirit Dragon Fruit" still glowed on the branches of the black crystal tree in the center of the valley, like the eye of a mythical dragon sarcastically watching this bloody play. Its golden aura protected it from most of the random attacks, but Wei Shen noticed that this energy barrier had begun to weaken slightly with every powerful "Qi" explosion that occurred near it.
He began to move slowly from his hiding place, a shadow gliding between shadows, his eyes never leaving that precious fruit which was the axis of this bloody conflict. His path wasn't a direct line to the tree, but more like the movement of a cunning serpent, twisting and dodging, using the billowing clouds of mist, the corpses of fallen cultivators, and the scattered rocks as natural cover.
Chaos was the best cloak for concealment. The sects being preoccupied with fighting each other, and with trying to fend off the spiritual beasts that had begun to attack the edges of the valley, was his golden opportunity.
He noticed a group of "Fallen Leaf Sect" disciples desperately trying to defend themselves against an attack from three formidable "Grass Blade Sect" disciples. Their elder was trying to protect them, but he was injured and exhausted.
"Trivial obstacles," Wei Shen thought as he passed near them, without drawing their attention. He had no intention of helping them, or even of taking revenge on them at this time. They were merely part of the background, noise in the theater of his main operation.
He drew closer to the crystal tree. The fighting around it was at its fiercest. The injured "Crimson Flame Palace" elder was still fighting savagely, fireballs flying from his hands in every direction. The "Jade Cloud School" genius was using his thin sword with incredible agility, every strike aimed at pushing rivals away from the tree.
Suddenly, amidst this violent clash, the Flame Elder unleashed a powerful technique, a wave of fire that swept the area around the tree, forcing everyone to retreat for moments to avoid the burns.
This was the moment Wei Shen had been waiting for.
In that second of relative vacuum, while everyone was still trying to regain their balance or extinguish the flames that had caught on their clothes, Wei Shen shot forward like a black arrow.
Almost no one saw him. His speed, enhanced by his sixth-level "Blood Qi," surpassed that of most present. He passed like a phantom between the stunned fighters, his ivory daggers in his hands, ready for any resistance.
Two disciples from the "Grass Blade Sect," who were closest to his path, tried to intercept him, believing he was from a rival sect trying to exploit the opportunity. They never knew what hit them. With two swift, harsh movements, Wei Shen passed between them, leaving behind deep wounds in their necks. They fell to the ground, blood fountaining from the gashes.
He didn't stop. He didn't look back. His goal was clear.
He reached the crystal tree. The "Spirit Dragon Fruit" was glowing directly before him, its potent, fragrant aroma almost intoxicating. He felt the pure, rich spiritual energy emanating from it, an energy that made the "Blood Qi" in his body tremble with excitement and hunger.
He quickly reached out his hand and plucked the fruit from its branch. It was smooth and warm to the touch, as if a small dragon's heart were beating with life between his fingers. He didn't admire it for long. Instantly, he placed it in the shabby "storage bag" he had taken from the inner sect disciple he had killed earlier.
The moment the fruit disappeared, a strange, sudden silence fell over the battlefield. It was as if everyone had suddenly felt that void, that change.
"The fruit!" roared the "Crimson Flame Palace" elder, his voice trembling with rage and disbelief as he looked at the empty branch. "Where is the fruit?! Who dared to take it?!"
All eyes, filled with greed, fury, and killing intent, turned towards the spot where the tree stood. And then, they saw Wei Shen.
He stood there for a moment, a lone phantom amidst this chaos, his ragged clothes stained with blood and dust. No one knew him; no one had expected his presence.
"You!" roared the Flame Elder, his red eyes burning with rage. "You insect! How dare you steal our treasure?!"
The young genius from the "Jade Cloud School" let out a cry of anger and lunged towards him, his thin sword cleaving the air.
Wei Shen didn't wait to see what would happen. The moment he had snatched the fruit, his mind had already formulated an escape plan.
He let out a cold, muffled laugh, then, with a sudden movement, he threw a small, dark object towards a group of flaming oil barrels that the "Crimson Flame Palace" disciples had prepared as part of their offensive formations.
"Chaos is my best friend now," he thought, watching the dark object fall into the heart of the flames.
It was a large poison gland he had preserved from one of the venomous beasts he had killed earlier.
The moment the poison gland touched the flames, it exploded, releasing a dense cloud of black, toxic, suffocating smoke that spread rapidly in the area around the tree, causing more coughing, chaos, and screaming among the stunned cultivators.
Wei Shen exploited this moment of absolute confusion and dashed away at top speed, not towards the valley exit, but towards a denser, mistier part of the forest—a path he had predetermined as a possible escape route.
Some of the stronger cultivators pursued him, launching random, angry attacks in his direction, but the mist and smoke obscured their vision, and Wei Shen's speed, enhanced by his sixth-level power, surpassed their expectations.
He dodged, leaped, and slipped between trees and rocks as if he were a part of the forest itself. He used everything he had learned about stealth and maneuvering, and all the tactical intellect inherited from Arthur. He led his pursuers on winding paths, causing them to clash with some of the spiritual beasts attracted by the sounds of battle, or even with each other in the confusion.
After what felt like hours of desperate chase and cunning escape, he finally managed to shake off his last pursuers and disappeared completely into the depths of the "Forest of Lost Souls," leaving the "Serpentine Mist Valley" seething with anger, blood, and mutual accusations among the sects.
After several more hours of cautious travel in random directions to ensure he was not being followed, Wei Shen finally found a small, secluded cave, much deeper in the forest than his old one. He was utterly exhausted, his body covered in wounds, bruises, and mud, but there was a glint of cold triumph in his eyes.
He sat on the cold stone floor and took the legendary fruit from his storage bag.
"Spirit Dragon Fruit," he whispered, contemplating its ruby-red glow and feeling the pure, potent spiritual energy emanating from it. "It cost me much, and it cost others more. Now… let's see if you are worth all this trouble… and all this blood."
A demonic smile stretched across his lips as he looked at this celestial treasure.