The black Chi blade moved closer to the spy's neck, until the man felt a coldness piercing his skin before the dark iron itself even touched him.
The forest fell silent.
Even the wind… seemed to stop to witness the ending.
The spy stood frozen on the branch, sweat pouring from his forehead, his eyes trembling between the blade and the young man standing behind him.
Faiser was smiling.
A calm smile, slightly wide… yet it carried no warmth.
The spy spoke in a hoarse voice:
"W-Who the hell are you?!"
Faiser tilted his head slightly, as though the question had genuinely interested him.
Then he said in a kindly, terrifying tone:
"Unfortunate."
He paused for a moment.
"It is unnecessary… for the dead to know the name of their killer."
The man's whole body trembled.
In the next instant, the spy hurled himself forward madly, leaping from the branch toward the ground, then sprinted between the trees with every ounce of speed he possessed.
Branches snapped beneath his feet, and his shoulder slammed into a tree trunk, but he did not stop.
Fear was faster than pain.
Inside Faiser's mind, the book burst out shouting:
"Hah?! What?! He escaped! Why did you let him go?! Don't tell me you suddenly became merciful—I'll lose all respect for you!"
Faiser descended from the tree lightly, then began walking calmly between the trees.
"Merciful?"
He smiled.
"Who told you… that I let him go?"
Silence reigned for a second, then the book said in an excited voice:
"Oooh… I do not like that tone."
Deep in the forest, the spy was running as if death itself was panting behind him. His breathing was broken, his chest burning, and his feet barely touched the ground.
"What is that person?! How… how can someone at the Pulsing Seed level make me run like this?!"
He leapt over a rock, then dashed between two narrow trees.
"No… I just need to reach the sect, reach the guards, reach the Elder, reach—"
He suddenly raised his head and stopped. His feet stopped. His breath stopped. The world stopped for a moment.
Faiser was standing before him in the middle of the path, calm and motionless, his arms relaxed at his sides, his eyes looking at him the way a hunter looks at an animal exhausted by running.
Faiser said with a faint smile:
"Hahaha, what happened? Why did you stop? Don't tell me you're afraid of someone weak like me!?"
Then he opened his arms slightly and said:
"Continue your path toward me."
The spy stepped back, eyes widened.
"How…?! When did you get ahead of me?! I was running at full—"
At that moment… he saw something strange. He saw a body standing before him without a head, motionless… blood spraying from its neck. It took his mind a moment to understand that body… was his own.
Then he saw Faiser lifting something by the hair.
It was his head.
Its eyes were still moving for one final moment.
The spy spoke in a fading voice:
"I… did… not… know…"
Darkness fell upon him forever, and the body collapsed to the ground a moment later, while the head rolled from Faiser's hand and came to rest near the roots.
Silence fell.
Then the book said within him in an impressed tone:
"Hahahaha… what a psychopath. You let the man run… only so he would think he escaped, then turned the line of salvation itself into his execution ground. This is art… art… in a terrifying way."
Then the book said directly to Faiser:
"You are truly frightening… do you know that?"
Faiser looked at the corpse without interest.
"Hmm… I do not think to that extent… I was only testing something."
The book replied:
"What was it?"
"My speed."
The book fell silent for two seconds, then said:
"Haaah, how boring… I hate you a little."
After a few moments, the book's voice changed. It became deeper and more serious.
"Now then, enough entertainment. Listen carefully, Faiser."
Faiser looked at the head lying near his feet.
"What? Speak!"
The book replied:
"The power of Azmil Eyes. Use the left eye."
Faiser raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
The book said in a stronger tone:
"The left eye of Azmil Eyes… copies martial arts from corpses."
A brief silence followed. Even Faiser did not answer immediately.
Then he said:
"A horrifying ability."
The book laughed.
"Compared to you? I find it very polite."
Faiser said with interest:
"And the right eye?"
The book replied immediately, as if prepared for the question:
"You will know later. I do not spoil surprises."
Faiser looked at the corpse.
"And how is it activated?"
The book replied:
"Drink from its blood. The closer the blood is to the remnants of Chi, the better the effect."
Faiser lowered his gaze to the head, then kicked it aside.
He said coldly:
"I do not like head blood… then…"
Immediately, Faiser grabbed the corpse's arm, placed his foot on the shoulder, and pulled.
A harsh tearing sound rang out.
The arm tore free from its place.
Even the book fell silent for a moment.
Then it said:
"Was the blood from the head not enough for you?!"
Faiser replied while looking at the arm:
"It might give me its owner's stupidity."
The book fell silent, then said with admiration:
"Hmm… fair point."
Faiser raised the arm, then sank his teeth near the wrist. Blood flowed, and he drank from it without hesitation.
After two seconds—
His body suddenly stiffened.
The arm fell from his hand.
"AAAAAH!"
Pain exploded through every nerve inside him. He dropped to one knee, his hand pressing the ground. Veins bulged on his neck and arms. Black veins began crawling beneath his skin, and his eyes gradually lost their color until they became completely dark.
"W-What… is this…?! What… is happening…?!"
The book laughed lightly.
"These are only the drawbacks. Every gift has fangs, hahaha. This is the price of the left eye. Endure it… either overcome the pain… or become a second useful corpse."
Faiser shouted through gritted teeth:
"You bastard…!"
Minutes passed heavily like hours.
Then the pain began to recede.
The veins calmed, and color slowly returned to his eyes.
Faiser breathed deeply, then sat on the ground in the lotus position, closed his eyes, and entered a short meditation.
After several minutes, he opened them slowly and said:
"I feel a slight change, but this change is not worth all that pain."
The book said:
"Hmmm... do not look at yourself... look at the corpse, Faiser!"
Faiser looked.
Then his eyes narrowed.
The corpse… was empty.
There was no trace of Chi flow, no remaining energetic warmth… nothing.
The book said slowly:
"Even after death… something of Chi remains within the body. A few final particles so the mark of its owner can still appear... but look before you. Nothing remains."
It paused for a moment.
Then it said:
"You did not only copy his martial arts and experience... you also absorbed the remaining dead Chi from him in great quantity... The Chi that lost its master found a stronger one... This is the law of your broken vessel, Faiser."
Faiser remained silent for a few moments.
Then he said:
"Hahahaha, this is a gift from heaven. Then… I can gather different types of Chi inside me, can I not?... But if it increases too much… I may explode, or they may clash within me."
The book said:
"Or perhaps nothing happens. Look on the bright side. Your broken vessel does not work like the vessels of others. It mixes, grinds, reshapes. It may be your blessing… or your catastrophe."
Faiser said calmly:
"I will discover that later then."
Silence fell between them for a moment.
Then the book suddenly said in a cheerful tone:
"So… what shall we do with the corpse?"
Faiser slowly stood and looked toward the direction of the sect.
Then a wide smile appeared on his face.
A smile that hid more than it showed.
The book froze.
"Oh no!! No, no, no!!! That smile... I know that smile. Someone is about to suffer psychologically again, hahahahahaha."
At the gate of the Heavenly Phoenix Sect—
One of the guards leaned on his spear, yawning in boredom.
"What a dull day. When will the first and second generation disciples return… at least then trouble would happen."
He looked outside, then noticed a small box placed near the gate with a note on top that read:
"To the Sixth Elder."
The guard raised his eyebrows.
"Oh… even Elders receive gifts. Some people are truly lucky."
He picked up the box and entered the sect.
Inside the Sixth Elder's wing—
The Elder was seated reading a report when knocking was heard at the door.
"Enter."
The guard stepped in and bowed.
"Elder sir, this box was found in front of the gate. It is addressed to you."
The Elder looked at it strangely.
"A box? Who sent it?!"
He waved his hand.
"Leave it and go."
The guard left, and the Elder remained alone.
He looked at the box for a moment.
Then opened it.
…
He froze.
His eyes widened.
Veins bulged on his forehead.
Inside the box…
was the spy's head.
Its eyes were still open in their final terror, the tongue hanging slightly out.
Above the head was a small note.
Written on it:
Your spy was slow. Send a better one.
Chi pressure exploded from the Elder's body, shaking the entire room.
The table beside him shattered.
"FAISER…!!!"
He screamed the name as though chewing it.
"You dare kill my men… and send me his head?!"
"Good… very good."
He slowly rose, his eyes blazing.
"I only wanted to humiliate you. But now… I will break your body, your dignity, and your spirit… before everyone. In the tournament… you will learn your true place, purple-haired boy."
Outside the sect, atop a distant hill—
Faiser stood with his hands behind his back, looking toward the walls.
He said calmly:
"I think the gift has arrived."
The book burst into laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
"You are funny and terrifying at the same time!"
Then its laughter softened, and it said excitedly:
"Now the war has truly begun."
Faiser turned his back to the sect and began walking toward the deeper forest.
Without looking back, he said:
"Good. I was getting bored."