Outside his shack, the faint, alien aura blossomed in the night air, thick and cloying. It was not the pure Qi of the sect, nor the dark energy of the Shadow Wolves. It was a cold, sharp presence that felt like a hidden blade, waiting. Li Chen stood up, his hand unconsciously reaching for the stone-cutting knife at his belt. His eyes, now burning with the hidden silver-gold light, focused on the unseen presence outside his humble dwelling.
A crash of splintering wood ripped through the quiet night. The door to his shack burst inward, torn from its hinges. Moonlight spilled into the cramped space, illuminating three figures. Elder Wei stood in the lead, his mud-brown robes disheveled, his eyes wide with a feverish triumph. Behind him, Zhao Feng, his face a mask of malicious glee, held a fl
