Chapter Three: Clash Beneath the Moon

Shen Chang’an pursued the man in black all the way. Both were skilled cultivators; the city walls of Nanshan City could not restrain them in the slightest. With just a few leaps, they had already vaulted over and were gone. The man in black deliberately led Shen Chang’an in circles, and before long, he guided Shen Chang’an deep into the mountain forests.

Sensing trouble, Shen Chang’an furrowed his brow. He suspected the man had further tricks up his sleeve, yet he remained undaunted. He brandished the Jade Dragon Talisman, inhaled the scents around him, and closed in swiftly.

The two, one ahead and one behind, ran for about a quarter of an hour before someone appeared at the edge of the forest. The man in black’s face lit up with joy, about to speak, when a sudden gust behind him heralded a pebble whizzing through the air. It struck his back with such force that it pierced straight through his body, flinging him forward to crash hard against the ground.

“Well, your body’s tough enough. Didn’t even split open,” Shen Chang’an remarked coldly, not a trace of emotion flickering in his eyes.

At the edge of the forest, the one waiting turned around—revealing herself as a young woman in her prime. She was clad in white, strikingly beautiful; her eyes flashed, sharp as blades, slashing toward Shen Chang’an.

“How dare you!”

Shen Chang’an shouted, scooping up a stone with his foot and hurling it toward the woman. Her expression shifted minutely; her gaze sharpened, and as her eyes crossed paths with the flying stone, the razor edge of her sight cleaved the stone cleanly in two.

“A fine technique,” the woman’s voice was like an orchid blooming in a secluded valley, and paired with her exquisite beauty, no man’s heart would fail to stir.

Yet she was unlucky to have crossed paths with Shen Chang’an, a Taoist from Azureleaf Palace. Although Shen Chang’an had not yet mastered the Supreme Purity Sensing Art, he had previously summoned the ancestral sword and now his killer instinct was fully awakened. Once battle was joined, all emotions were banished—only the urge to slay remained.

Seeing her charms had no effect, the woman snorted coldly. A flexible sword appeared in her hand, snaking toward Shen Chang’an like a venomous serpent. Shen Chang’an recognized her extraordinary skills, far superior to the man before. As she drew her blade and attacked, he dared not be careless. A talisman dropped into his palm, and with a thunderous crash, as if lightning had struck the ground, the woman recoiled in alarm.

Yet the thunder was all that came of it; beyond the deafening sound, there was no further effect.

In truth, this talisman was called "Thunderclap." Apart from its thunderous noise, it did nothing else. Against ghosts and monsters, the sound might intimidate or even injure them to some degree. But against humans, it was nothing more than a loud burst.

Shen Chang’an used the talisman partly to force her back—he had no time for a protracted melee, especially against a flexible sword that could slip past his guard and slice his throat. Secondly, he wanted to test her origin. If she used demonic arts, the talisman would draw some reaction—maybe not injury, but certainly pain.

Now, seeing no such reaction, he concluded she must be a true orthodox cultivator.

“So, really orthodox? Forsaking the path of righteousness to turn bandit? Damn, it seems even the righteous sects in this world are hardly as upright as they claim.”

Shen Chang’an shook his head. Orthodox or not, they stood opposed; even if she were the Jade Emperor himself, he would not hesitate to strike.

The woman, realizing the Thunderclap Talisman was only noise, grew visibly irritated, eyes flashing like knives as she swept her fierce gaze once more toward Shen Chang’an. Before, he hadn’t known of this trick, defending only with flying stones. Now, aware of her ability, he immediately hurled another talisman as her eyes moved.

Buzz—

The talisman ignited without flame, exploding in a blinding flash that made it impossible to keep one’s eyes open.

It was a Brightness Curse Talisman.

Her eyes might be sharp as blades, but no matter how keen, could a blade cut light? The fierce glare nearly blinded her. If she didn’t shut her eyes at once, she’d be permanently blinded—and once her eyes closed, her eye-blade technique was sealed away.

Shen Chang’an, eyes tightly shut in advance, used the Jade Dragon Talisman to sense her location. Without hesitation, he thrust out his alloy staff toward her.

Strike while the iron is hot—Shen Chang’an never left his enemies a way out. Once battle was joined, only their death could bring him peace of mind.

His staff, wielded with great force, whistled through the air—but struck only empty cloth.

Opening his eyes, he saw he’d pierced only her white robe; the woman herself had vanished.

Just as Shen Chang’an was questioning what had happened, a faint fragrance wafted from behind. Realizing she was now at his back, he reacted instantly, rolling clumsily along the ground.

Her blade missed, slicing through empty air. The woman, now clad only in her undergarments, her outer robe discarded, glared at Shen Chang’an in rage, large swathes of snowy skin exposed, enchanting in the moonlight.

But Shen Chang’an paid it no heed; his killing intent only intensified. Someone with such skill and backing was bound to come from a powerful house—and by the looks of it, not one that played by the rules of the righteous sects.

If he let her escape, she would surely seek revenge. As the saying goes, a thousand days for a thief, but never a thousand days to guard against one. Shen Chang’an had no wish to lose his head in his sleep.

He spun his staff, abandoning all technique or form. Wherever the staff swept, death followed. The woman had no choice but to dodge.

Seeing Shen Chang’an’s relentless assault, she scowled coldly and muttered, “Next time, I’ll kill you.”

With that, she produced a black pellet in her palm and tossed it to the ground. Colored smoke billowed up, enveloping her, and in a flash, she vanished.

Shen Chang’an quickly activated the Jade Dragon Talisman and sensed her presence speeding away. In mere seconds, her aura faded beyond his reach.

Helpless, Shen Chang’an rose to prepare for his return to the city.

But as he stood, he noticed not far away a refined scholar in white, standing amidst the trees, gazing up at the sky.

A bright full moon hung overhead, casting its light upon the scholar’s white-clad figure.