Ethan walked aimlessly through the quiet night, his hands tucked into his robes. The sect grounds were vast. Jarin had told him to wait for the right day to enter the library, so here he was, wandering while enjoying the cool breeze that gently slapped his face.
Ethan walked down the street, gathering his thoughts and kicking a small rock as he went. It was late, and most people were asleep.
As he turned a corner near the outer sect dormitories, he suddenly spotted movement, which made him stop right in his tracks.
A man, who was in black, was making his way to the side of the female dormitory. Ethan's heart jumped as he watched the man move carefully. He instinctively pressed himself against the nearest wall. With the way the man moved, he knew he was up to no good.
His fingers twitched, itching to summon his Qi in other to stop the man. But his level and energy were far below what he sensed from the man in black. The man was at least at the ....Formation realm, while Ethan was merely at ... A direct confrontation was suicide.
He needed to be smart.
Ethan watched as the man picked the lock and slipped into the dormitory. Ethan moved silently as he crept closer to get a closer view as he peeked through the window to see that the two girls were asleep and oblivious to the impending danger.
The intruder stopped beside one of the beds. He reached for a girl's robes—the girl was Lin Mei. She was an outer sect disciple, talented in Qi manipulation, and well-liked among by everyone. The man hesitated, then undid the top button of her robe.
Ethan's jaw tightened. Just as he thought, the man was up to no good, as soon as he was about to intervene, the man stopped, his head tiltied as if he sensed something. Instead of going further, he grabbed Lin Mei's arm and lifted her effortlessly, and she didn't stir.
Ethan's breath quickened. This wasn't just an intruder—it was a kidnapping.
Ethan's heart raced as he watched the man in black. He was holding Lin Mei, but for a brief moment, he paused, his head turned slightly, and his gaze swept over the bedroom and outside the window and For the first time, Ethan caught a glimpse of the man's face.
Ethan's breath caught in his throat. His hair was tied back in a simple knot, but it was the scar running down his left cheek that made Ethan's blood run cold. He had seen that face before.
It was one of the men who had beaten the other him into a coma weeks ago. His name was Matt
And now, he was here again, in the middle of the night, about to make another move on someone innocent.
Ethan stayed hidden, watching from the dark as the man in black carried Lin Mei effortlessly out of the dormitory. Ethan carefully followed, keeping a safe distance, careful not to make a sound. The man's steps were deliberate, and Ethan couldn't afford to make a mistake.
They moved through the sect grounds and empty buildings. Matt. seemed to know exactly where he was going, like a planned location, heading toward an isolated, rundown structure near the edge of the grounds—one that Ethan had never noticed before.
As soon as Matt stopped in front of the door, his gaze scanned the area for any signs of pursuit from anyone. Satisfied that no one was around, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, carrying Lin Mei over the threshold.
Ethan's heart pounded as he waited behind, watching the door intently. Inside, matt placed Lin Mei gently on a cot in the corner of the room, a cold, stone chamber with little to no light. Ethan could just make out the figure of the man as he moved around, preparing for whatever sinister plans he had in store.
Ethan clenched his fists. He couldn't let this happen. With or without his core energy, he needed to do something. Without a second thought, he crouched low and began to gather small stones from the ground.
Taking a deep breath, Ethan aimed carefully, then tossed one of the stones toward the door, letting it hit the stone wall with a sharp crack.
The man instantly froze, his head snapped toward the noise.
Ethan didn't hesitate. He tossed more stones, one after another, making sure they hit different spots and bounced off the walls.
The man immediately stepped out, his gaze darted in every direction as he clenched his fists, with a furrowed brow, clearly alert. His hand went to the hilt of a blade strapped to his side.
"Who the heck is that?" he barked with anger and suspicion.
And slowly Ethan stepped out from where he was hiding, his expression remained calm despite the rapid beat of his heart. He met the man's gaze and smirked.
"Stop right there"