The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 38: Encountering a Spy at Night

Walking through the pitch-black dense forest, Han Li remained highly vigilant, his senses fully alert. The mountain path, which would appear blurry to ordinary people, was as clear as daylight to him.

His caution was not due to fear of wild beasts in the forest but rather a cultivated instinctive response.

Since the Seven Mysteries Sect had relocated to the Rainbow Haze Mountains, the already scarce animals in the forest had gradually been cleared out. Not only were there no fierce beasts, but even the various venomous snakes in the wild had mostly ended up in the stomachs of the numerous disciples.

This habit of being cautious and maintaining sharp senses in unfamiliar environments was not something he was born with. It was a trait he had deliberately cultivated after escaping from Doctor Mo. This good habit would help him avoid many unexpected dangers in future actions, minimizing the risk to the lowest possible level.

The mountain wind seemed to grow stronger, howling one gust after another, sending chills down one's spine.

From a distance, Han Li could sense that he was nearing the edge of the forest.

He let out a soft sigh. Walking alone in this dark, dense forest had weighed heavily on his mind.

Han Li quickened his pace, taking larger steps than before, as if eager to leave the forest as soon as possible.

Suddenly, a fierce mountain wind blew directly toward him.

After the wind passed, Han Li abruptly stopped in his tracks, as if he had noticed something unusual. He frowned, tilted his head, and listened intently.

After a moment, his expression gradually turned serious. Faint footsteps reached his ears. Although the steps were light and the person was still far away, it was indeed two people walking toward him, getting closer and closer.

With a swift movement, Han Li, as agile as a cat, slipped into the dense forest beside the path, moving silently and nimbly.

He stopped behind a large tree about a dozen feet away from the path, curling his body into a small ball and hiding behind the trunk. From the front of the tree, not a trace of Han Li could be seen.

After finding a good hiding spot, Han Li felt slightly more at ease.

It wasn’t that he was overly sensitive, but in such a remote place, at such a dark and windy hour, the presence of two people here was highly unusual. It was most likely that they were up to something shady.

He had no desire to stumble upon someone’s secret and risk being hunted down and silenced.

However, if he could listen in on some secrets without putting himself in danger, Han Li was more than willing to do so. He was not a rigid hypocrite and wouldn’t turn away such an opportunity.

"...down the mountain...arrange...time...person...leader..."

Whispers, intermittently and in hushed tones, drifted over from the distance. The strong mountain wind scattered most of the words, leaving only fragments to reach his ears.

Han Li was startled. He hadn’t expected to overhear such a significant secret. In this area spanning hundreds of miles, the only person who could be referred to as "leader" was Jia Tianlong, the "Golden Wolf," the leader of the Wild Wolf Gang. Hearing about such a formidable enemy of his sect here was indeed intriguing.In the eyes of the disciples of the Seven Mysteries Sect, Jia Tianlong was an out-and-out bloodthirsty Devil Head. Rumors had it that he was burly and round-faced, with a ghastly visage and ferocious fangs. His temperament was brutal, and he was said to consume human flesh three times a day and drink fresh blood, making him seem like a non-human entity. This had indeed terrified many of the younger disciples within the sect.

However, according to Li Feiyu, the reality was quite different. Jia Tianlong was not tall or intimidating at all. In fact, he was rather thin and handsome, and not very old either, just in his early thirties—completely the opposite of the rumors. But his ruthless nature, which led him to kill without hesitation, was just as terrifying as the legends suggested. Otherwise, with his appearance, how could he have intimidated the other gang members, who were originally bandits?

Han Li recalled the memories he had of Jia Tianlong and couldn’t help but take a sharp breath, quickly curling his body even tighter and slowing his breathing.

"...This time... steal... the list... target..."

Another series of whispers drifted over, much clearer than before. The two people must have moved closer to Han Li.

Han Li dared not breathe loudly, knowing that if he were discovered, he would surely meet his end. These two were undoubtedly spies sent by the Wild Wolf Gang, and they would never allow a third person to live and learn their secrets.

"...Plan... must... hurry..."

Gradually, the voices of the two conversing grew even softer, as if they had reached the core of their discussion.

After a short while, the voices grew louder again, but then they became indistinct once more. Only the sound of the wind whistling past his ears remained as they walked past the section of the mountain path in front of Han Li, their figures gradually fading into the distance.

For a while, Han Li remained crouched behind the tree, not daring to move. It wasn’t until he used the Eternal Spring Art to confirm that there was indeed no one else within a few dozen feet that he slowly stood up.

This time, he had narrowly escaped death. Fortunately, he had detected the movements of the two spies in advance; otherwise, he would have run straight into them. Given their identities, he would have undoubtedly been silenced. What was even more tragic was that, given his skills, there was not the slightest hope of escaping.

Han Li stood still, gently rubbing his chin with his fingers, gazing in the direction where the two had disappeared, his expression thoughtful.

From the fragmented conversation he had overheard, it seemed that the other party was planning to take some action against the Seven Mysteries Sect in the near future, and this action was closely related to a certain list.

What surprised Han Li even more was that, even though he hadn’t seen the specific figures or appearances of the two, he had recognized the voice of one of them.

Although he had only interacted with this person once or twice, thanks to his extraordinary memory, which was far beyond that of an ordinary person, he had connected the voice of one of the speakers to the unassuming manager of the sect’s main kitchen.

This person, who had sold rabbits to him and left an impression of being petty and shrewd, with a mustache and a very mercenary demeanor, turned out to be a spy sent by the Wild Wolf Gang. This was truly a test for Han Li’s nerves.

However, upon reflection, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Only someone with such a position could frequently travel up and down the mountain, delivering messages without arousing suspicion.

(End of Chapter)