My Journey to Immortality Begins with Hunting-Chapter 049 – Ominous Signs

Seven days later.

In the afternoon, Li Yuan stood on the training platform wearing specially weighted armor, his entire body curled up like a frog about to pounce. Only the tips of his toes touched the black stone floor. [1]

His heavy breaths came through his nose, and now and then, a low rumble sounded in his abdomen, almost like a wild beast growling.

He could feel the air in his belly becoming more and more compressed. The sensation stirred heat and restlessness through his body.

Time ticked by. It was nearly dusk when Li Yuan finally stopped his training. After returning the manual to Senior Li, he hurried toward the boat mooring area in the south market.

As he walked briskly through the chilly breeze, hands clenched into fists, a hint of excitement glimmered in his eyes. He felt he had finally grasped a crucial insight and was on the verge of a breakthrough.

Just as he was about to board a small boat with a black awning, he noticed another boat pulling in nearby. Standing at the bow was a figure he recognized at once.

“Cai Ze!” Li Yuan called, walking closer.

But Cai Ze didn’t react. He seemed distracted, nothing like the man Li Yuan had seen a few days before. Dark circles clouded his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept in days. It was only when Li Yuan raised his voice that Cai Ze finally noticed him.

“Oh...Li Yuan,” he muttered.

“Hey, you really don’t look well,” Li Yuan said. “Maybe you should rest first. Another day won’t hurt, right?”

“I’m almost there...almost,” Cai Ze mumbled. “This business is nearly wrapped up. Once it’s done, I can rest.”

His voice was a raspy whisper.

Li Yuan hesitated, then asked carefully, “Is this about the Wei Family and the Sun Family?”

Cai Ze’s pupils dilated, bloodshot lines twisting like red worms across his eyeballs. “Maybe...maybe not,” he rasped. “Heh, they’re about to take the bait, almost there...”

Seeing how off-balance he was, Li Yuan wondered whether to say more. Suddenly, Cai Ze stepped off the boat, leaping onto the pier with a single motion.

Right behind him, a man and a woman emerged from under the boat’s awning. They both wore dark robes trimmed with the Blood Blade Sect’s distinctive crimson, and each displayed a combat power of around 20, clearly ninth rank martial artists, likely here to assist Cai Ze.

The man gave Li Yuan a cold, dismissive glance, while the woman regarded him with a faintly curious look.

Cai Ze didn’t introduce the two newcomers, and neither did they say a word. Without pausing, they headed off into the distance.

Li Yuan watched their backs as they disappeared, a strange sense of heaviness and unease creeping into his heart. A cold, desolate evening wind swept past. Snapping out of it, he looked at the boatman on the black-awning boat and called from afar, “Headed back?”

“I’m waiting for Mister Cai,” the boatman replied.

Li Yuan merely nodded and boarded a different boat. As it pushed off from the shore, the sky was already a muted indigo, with streaks of sickly crimson lingering along the horizon.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Returning home, Li Yuan felt much lighter after bathing, changing clothes, and having dinner. Instead of going to bed, he took Yan Yu by the hand and said with a smile, “Yan Yu, let’s take a walk around town.”

She frowned slightly. “What’s there to see? That’d be a waste of money.”

“I want to buy you some clothes.”

“My clothes aren’t pretty enough?” She spun in place, the blue-and-white patterned blouse hugging her shapely figure while dark fitted pants showed off her long legs. She had the fresh, lively look of a pretty country girl, very appealing indeed.

Ever since she’d had enough to eat, a chance to rest, and felt safe, Yan Yu’s natural beauty seemed to be blooming more each day.

“Then I’ll buy clothes for myself,” Li Yuan said, taking her hand. “Come on, let’s go.”

A hint of blush crept across Yan Yu’s cheeks. It was one thing to get intimate in the dark at home, but being so close in public made her shy.

“Auntie Wang is still here...” she mumbled softly, embarrassed.

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“She won’t mind,” Li Yuan assured her.

Sure enough, Auntie Wang was in the corner of the courtyard, busy washing dishes from dinner. The two little ones were helping her. As they passed by, Yan Yu called out, “Auntie Wang, I’m going out with Li Yuan for a bit.”

Auntie Wang hurried to set her dishes aside and wipe her hands on her apron. Bowing her head respectfully, she said, “Yes, Master and Madam, off you go...”

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Out on the street, the contrast with Little Ink Village was enormous—Silver Creek’s night market was lively in every sense. Strings of crimson lanterns illuminated the long thoroughfare, highlighting the bustle of people going back and forth between shops. Hawkers pushed carts and peddlers carried their wares, shouting to drum up business.

Spotting a fabric shop called Brocade & Grace, Li Yuan noticed it was doing brisk trade with a steady flow of customers. He looked at the bolts of cloth inside and nodded in approval. “Yan Yu, let’s buy you some silk to make a dress. It’ll be warm soon.”

“No way!”

“Come on—”

“Ugh, no! There are so many people around...” Yan Yu gave a soft protest but still let Li Yuan pull her into the fabric shop.

A shop clerk glanced at them—both dressed in simple, homespun countryside clothes—and promptly pretended they didn’t exist, rushing over instead to greet a customer in fine robes.

Stepping inside, Yan Yu felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. Everyone bustling about, men and women in splendid attire, reminded her of the lofty young lords and ladies she’d once only seen from afar.

Even standing here made her feel out of place, as though they lived in separate worlds.

Uneasy, she tugged Li Yuan’s sleeve and whispered, “Husband, maybe we should just go home.”

Li Yuan threw a glance at the shop clerk, who acted as if they weren’t there. He found it galling, but before he could react, a voice suddenly spoke up.

“Well, if it isn’t Junior Brother Li!”

Li Yuan turned to see a slender young man in luxurious robes pushing his way through the crowd, smiling broadly. A moment later, Li Yuan recognized him. It was the very same disciple who’d delivered his Blood Blade Sect uniform and saber a few days earliee—Yu Mao.

Li Yuan cupped his hands politely. “Senior Brother Yu! What a coincidence.”

Approaching warmly, Yu Mao patted Li Yuan’s shoulder. “No need to call me senior brother,” he laughed. “I’ll be the one calling you that soon enough.”

Li Yuan blinked. “Why’s that?”

“Because you’re Senior Li’s direct disciple,” Yu Mao explained. “That puts you straight into the inner sect. I’m still in the outer sect, so that makes you my senior.”

Li Yuan murmured in surprise, “I see...”

Before he could say more, Yu Mao took in the scene, the way Li Yuan and Yan Yu were being snubbed, and snorted, “I see business is booming here at Brocade & Grace, eh? My senior brother walks in, and you ignore him completely?”

Yu Mao was clearly a regular. At his outburst, the clerk paled, and the shop owner, who’d been showing off the season’s new arrivals in the distance, hurried over. Once she learned who Li Yuan was and what had happened, she apologized profusely, then berated the clerk before personally helping Li Yuan and Yan Yu pick out bolts of silk.

She chose a peach-blossom brocade in a creamy hue for Yan Yu and a length of deep-hued silk for Li Yuan, calling over a tailor to take their measurements, promising to have two fine outfits made. No matter what Li Yuan said, she refused any payment.

Yet Li Yuan, having noted the usual prices, quietly left seven taels of silver on the counter as they departed. By the time the shop owner noticed, they were already long gone.

Yu Mao trailed behind them from a distance. With Yan Yu on Li Yuan’s left arm and Yu Mao chatting away on his right, the three strolled together until Yu Mao eventually departed with a cheerful goodbye.

Once they were alone again, Yan Yu gazed up at Li Yuan in admiration. “Husband, your status in the Blood Blade Sect seems pretty high. Everyone’s trying to curry favor with you.”

Li Yuan just shook his head without replying.

Arm in arm, they walked through the seemingly tranquil streets in this chaotic era. Yan Yu murmured softly, “It all feels like a dream...”

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The next day, Li Yuan went to the island as usual.

He arrived to find it in an uproar. The menial workers were dashing about in a hurry. Off in the distance, a grand vessel with four protruding prows cut through the waves before mooring at the pier. Standing tall at the bow was a brawny man in a black robe trimmed with white, arms folded behind him. His muscles were massive, and he exuded a powerful aura.

Behind him stood several Blood Blade Sect disciples dressed in black robes with crimson trim. Judging by their attire and posture, it was obvious this man was a high-ranking figure within the sect.

Li Yuan stopped one of the menial workers, who was running by, and asked, “What’s going on?”

The menial worker tried to pull away at first, but upon recognizing Li Yuan, he bowed respectfully. “Young Master Li, the three Blood Blade Sect members who arrived on the island last night have all gone missing! Everyone is searching for them in the black market. Even the Dark Visage Elder has come in person because of this.”

“The Dark Visage Elder...” Li Yuan’s pupils contracted. Then, as if a terrible possibility dawned on him, he asked, “Is Cai Ze among the missing?”

The menial worker nodded emphatically. “Yes... Mister Cai is missing as well. If there’s nothing else, Young Master Li, I must go help with the search.”

“Alright...” Li Yuan let go of the menial worker’s sleeve and watched him run off.

For a moment, Li Yuan stood there in a daze, until reality sank in. All at once, an icy wave of dread washed over him, as if a blade were scraping across his skin. Deep in his heart, he felt like he’d been plunged into a bottomless chasm.

He had just been talking with Cai Ze about grabbing a drink and chatting about life’s joys and sorrows. Before they could even share that cup, Cai Ze had vanished.

This definitely wasn’t just about corpses turning up in the water. It was something far more sinister...

“Hah, hah, hah...” Taking several deep breaths, Li Yuan forced down his terror and that sense of suffocating oppression. Then he headed toward the north gate of the black market.

He had to get stronger fast. He needed a breakthrough soon for his own survival.

1. Basically this, but on tippy-toes...? ☜