A Test of Blood
Master Hei wasn't the type to give praise.
So when he said I was learning faster than expected, it meant one thing.....
I was ready for the next step.
Or rather…
The real test.
"Your body is faster. Your steps are lighter," Master Hei said, tossing me a small dagger. "But techniques mean nothing without blood."
I caught the blade instinctively. "Blood?"
Master Hei's eyes gleamed in the dim light.
"There's a man hiding in the sect's outer mountains," he said. "A rogue cultivator. He's been stealing from the sect, killing disciples, and evading capture."
I frowned. "If he's that dangerous, why hasn't the sect dealt with him?"
"They've tried. He's too slippery."
Master Hei smirked.
"Your task? Kill him."
....
The Marked Man
I stood at the edge of the outer mountains, gripping the dagger in my palm.
The wind was cold, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth.
An actual kill mission?
I exhaled slowly.
I wasn't a murderer. I had no killing intent.
But I also knew this....the world of Murim wasn't kind.
And if I hesitated?
I'd be the one dying.
.....
Tracking the Prey
The rogue cultivator's hideout wasn't hard to find.
The Shadow Pavilion's intelligence was terrifyingly accurate.
A small cave, hidden beneath the roots of a twisted oak tree.
Faint footprints in the mud.
I moved silently, suppressing my breath.
And then...
A flicker of movement inside.
I pressed against the cold stone, dagger ready.
...
The First Kill
The rogue cultivator wasn't old.
Maybe in his mid thirties, dressed in tattered robes.
But the moment I stepped inside, his eyes snapped to me.
Sharp. Predatory.
"You're not a sect enforcer," he said, standing slowly. His aura flared. "Who sent you?"
I didn't answer.
I moved.
Phantom Steps.
A burst of speed... My dagger flashed toward his throat.
But...
Too slow!
His foot lashed out.
I barely dodged, twisting mid-air.
The moment my feet touched the ground, I felt it..
his killing intent.
"Assassin?" He sneered. "Then die like one."
His hand darted forward.
A thin, curved blade slipped from his sleeve.
I had no time to react... the tip sliced toward my neck.
Shit!
....
The Edge of Death
Instinct took over.
Clouded Steps... Reverse Flow!
I leaned back, the blade grazing my throat.
The rogue cultivator's eyes widened in shock.
Before he could react...
I struck.
Straight for the heart.
The dagger slid into his chest.
His breath hitched.
He staggered, gripping my wrist weakly.
Then.. he fell.
Blood pooled beneath him.
His lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something.
But in seconds.....
He was gone.
Dead.
My first kill.
...
A Cold Truth
I stood there, watching the still body at my feet.
My hands trembled slightly.
Not from regret.
But from the realization.
This is the world I live in now.
Hesitation meant death.
Weakness meant extinction.
I wasn't a killer by nature.
But if I wanted to survive, I had to become one.
....
Return to the Shadows
I wiped the blood off my dagger and slipped away.
The mission was over.
But something deep inside me had changed.
When I returned to Master Hei, he simply nodded.
"You've taken your first step into the dark," he said. "Now, let's see if you can walk deeper."
His lips curled into a smirk.
"Because this was just the beginning."