Death on the Moonless Night

At sunset, the three of them spotted a hundred-meter-high cliff ahead, its face thick with forest growth. They decided to scale it after nightfall and rest there.

Dinner done, the last trace of sunlight faded, and darkness swept in fast. On this island teeming with ancient ferocious beasts, night brought dangers beyond count.

Taking refuge on the cliff was a wise choice. As darkness swallowed the earth, countless primordial beasts stirred among the forests, their roars echoing without end.

It was a stiflingly hot night. Thunderclouds gathered over the island, yet no rain fell. In the deep hours, the darkness became absolute—the vast forests vanished into the black, nothing discernible.

In the latter half of the night, a tremendous roar shook the very cliff. A gale swept through the woods, carrying the stench of blood and savage aura.

Prince Wind and Liu Yue sealed their hearing at once. The sound, powerful enough to drown thunder, sent violent currents rushing past their ears. Had they not protected their eardrums in time, the drums would have been shattered.

The earth-shaking beast roar was simply terrifying.

Far off in the forests, a colossal silhouette cloaked in faint cyan light raised its head and roared at the sky. Too distant to make out its true form, but one could barely discern that it stood as tall as a small mountain.

Boom... boom... boom...

The massive beast advanced through the forest, roaring with each step. Even from the cliff, faint tremors could be felt—a scene of overwhelming power.

This must be the ancient ferocious beast that once battled the Eight-Armed Malignant Dragon.

Beasts fled in chaos; the forest descended into turmoil.

At that moment, Xiao Chen struck.

The colossal roar filled heaven and earth, the air churning violently, sound waves drowning out everything. Xiao Chen’s left hand flashed like a blade and plunged into Liu Yue’s back. At the same time, his right hand snatched the long sword from her waist.

A sweep of the sword, and blood sprayed into the night.

With his back to Xiao Chen, Prince Wind had been gazing at the distant beast. A scream tore from his throat as his right arm flew from his shoulder, tumbling down the cliff.

Swift and merciless—a killer’s resolve.

It all happened in an instant, with no hesitation.

Liu Yue was struck in a fatal point. Prince Wind was far more perceptive. Though his five senses caught nothing, a sharp instinct warned him of danger. A reflexive dodge saved his life—but cost him his arm forever.

Xiao Chen had been waiting for this chance. The terrifying roar blanketed heaven and earth, robbing Prince Wind and Liu Yue of their senses and fixing their attention on the monstrous beast. The instant they were distracted, Xiao Chen struck.

Liu Yue’s scream was swallowed by the deafening roar, but she did not die immediately. Staggering, she lunged toward Xiao Chen. Meanwhile, Prince Wind, one arm gone and covered in blood, howled in fury. Gripping his sword with his left hand, he charged.

Regret and rage filled them both. Never had they imagined that the man they had already condemned to death would seize such a fleeting opportunity to strike.

In the darkness, Xiao Chen was ice-cold. His sword blazed like a rainbow, bursting with brilliant light. Without a moment’s hesitation, he cleaved through Liu Yue’s throat.

In the gleaming sword light, Liu Yue’s severed head flew upward, her face twisted in disbelief and resentment. Her beautiful features were etched with infinite regret as the head fell toward the foot of the cliff. The headless corpse gushed blood.

Even if she had been the most beautiful woman under heaven, Xiao Chen would not have wavered. An enemy was an enemy—no reason could sway him.

High above, roiling thunderclouds split open with bolts of lightning. In the absolute darkness, each flash of electric light seemed eerily unnatural.

Xiao Chen and Prince Wind fought fiercely on the stone cliff. The sword cut through the dark like a ribbon of light, seeming to merge with the descending lightning.

Prince Wind was an outstanding disciple of the Evil King’s lineage, exceptionally skilled. But with one arm severed and blood still surging, he grew weaker by the moment. Finally, he abandoned his sword, hurling it with all his might toward Xiao Chen. The blade-light seemed to tear the void itself.

Xiao Chen dodged the terrible strike. At the same moment, Prince Wind threw something else—what appeared to be a scroll. A wave of terrifying energy surged forth. Xiao Chen’s keen instincts screamed that mortal danger was upon him.

The scroll unfurled like a painting. In that instant, Xiao Chen felt the presence of death more acutely than ever before. It was as if the Grim Reaper was closing in, an iron chain of doom already looped around his neck.

Without hesitation, Xiao Chen leaped from the cliff. It was the only way to break free of the death aura enveloping him.

Wind whistled past his ears. Behind him, the cliff top erupted in a baleful red light, then brilliant radiance flooded the summit. One-armed Prince Wind did not hesitate either—he jumped after him. The terrible light engulfed the cliff top, and the stench of death spread through the upper air.

Below lay an endless forest, many of the ancient trees rising dozens of meters tall. As Xiao Chen plunged into the canopy, his hands and feet worked furiously, grabbing every vine to break his fall. Each tendril became a lifeline.

He tumbled all the way down. By the time he landed, his blood was surging and he had suffered mild internal injuries, but nothing severe. The moment he touched ground, Prince Wind also landed—narrowly, barely safe. He was drenched in blood, hair in disarray, utterly disheveled.

Xiao Chen grabbed the fallen sword and charged. Against an enemy, one could not afford foolish mercy.

Prince Wind rushed forward with bare hands. He struck out with one palm, and a divine light shot from his center, like a rainbow touching the blade. Xiao Chen felt as if his right arm had been struck by thunder. An awful force traveled along the sword. The cold, gleaming blade trembled violently, then snapped with a sharp crack, breaking inch by inch.

The meter-long steel sword was reduced to a hilt. Unable to retreat, Xiao Chen cast aside the broken grip and thrust both palms forward. A brilliant radiance lit up the night sky, and the sound of wind and thunder echoed through the forest as a multicolored glow drowned the woods.