Chapter 2: The Predator's Patience
The exile was a blessing.
In the Jade Capital, there were too many eyes. Too many "Ancestors" with their divine senses sweeping the streets. At the border, Xuan Ye would be alone.
He spent the next two days preparing. He didn't try to cultivate. Instead, he practiced moving his body. If he couldn't use Qi, he would use physics. If he couldn't use magic, he would use poison and steel.
The Book of Fate... He sat in his room, looking at the shadow-book. It didn't give him a "Quest." It didn't give him "Rewards." It was a tool.
"Show me," he commanded.
The book flipped to a page. It showed a map of the manor. One dot was glowing a brilliant gold. Xuan Feng.
Next to the dot, a line of text appeared:
[System: Sign-In. Current Rank: Low. Authority: Heavenly Dao.]
Xuan Ye's eyes narrowed. "He's using the family's luck to feed a parasite. And the Elders call him a genius."
A knock came at the door.
"Young Master Ye?" It was a servant girl, Mei. She was one of the few who still showed him kindness, mostly because her own family had been saved by Xuan Ye's father years ago. "The carriage is ready. The Elders... they didn't come to say goodbye."
Xuan Ye opened the door. He gave her a small, gentle smile. "It's fine, Mei. It's better this way. Why would a lion say goodbye to the dust on his paws?"
Mei blinked. "What did you say?"
"Nothing at all" Xuan Ye replied, his smile widening.
He walked past her, carrying a single small bag. He looked like a weak, discarded boy. But inside, the Unwritten ink was already beginning to flow.
The Royal Hunt was only five days away. The borderlands weren't his graveyard. They were his hunting grounds