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Chapter 84: Shadows in Pursuit

The innkeeper at his lodging was visibly nervous when he entered, and Li Tian could feel something amiss. She approached him cautiously, her hands trembling.

"Young Master Li," she whispered, glancing around. "There were... visitors asking about you. Men dressed in black robes, faces hidden in shadows. They didn\'t seem like ordinary folk."

Li Tian gave her a reassuring nod, slipping a small coin into her hand. "Thank you for the warning," he replied. "If anyone else comes, direct them elsewhere."

The innkeeper nodded, clearly relieved, and Li Tian moved up to his room. As he closed the door behind him, the system\'s familiar tone chimed.

[System Alert: Cult Enforcers in Pursuit. Escape or Confront?]

[New Quest: Eliminate Cult Enforcers]

[Objective: Confront the enforcers tracking you and learn the cult\'s next move. Reward: Shadow Step Technique - allows instant movement within a limited range, cloaked in shadows.]

Li Tian smiled; the system seemed as ready for action as he was. With the reward of the Shadow Step Technique, he could strike from unexpected angles, a skill perfectly suited to the fast-paced, high-stakes encounters ahead. Yet, it wasn\'t a moment he could savor—he sensed movement outside his window.

The enforcers moved in seamlessly, their figures barely visible, like wraiths gliding across the rooftops. Li Tian watched them from his window, their dark cloaks blending into the dim morning light. He counted four—each radiating potent, hostile energy, their movements calculated and synchronized. They were skilled, likely elites within the cult\'s ranks, sent specifically to eliminate him.

Without hesitation, Li Tian leaped through the window, landing soundlessly in the narrow alleyway below. The enforcers followed, spreading out to encircle him, each wielding a unique weapon—daggers, a chain whip, and dual short swords that glinted ominously in the dim light.

The leader of the group stepped forward, his face obscured by a shadowy mask. "Li Tian," he intoned coldly, "you\'ve meddled in affairs beyond your reach. The Awakening is inevitable, and those who stand against it will perish."

Li Tian\'s smirk only widened as he drew his sword, the moonlit energy lingering in its gleam. "If you think four of you are enough to stop me, then by all means, show me what this cult is capable of."

Without another word, the first enforcer lunged, his daggers flashing as he aimed for Li Tian\'s vitals. With swift precision, Li Tian parried, his blade meeting the enforcer\'s daggers in a flurry of sparks. But even as he engaged one, the others closed in, forcing him to dodge and counter in rapid succession.

The second enforcer\'s chain whip cracked through the air, its bladed tip slashing toward him. Li Tian sidestepped, avoiding the strike by a hair\'s breadth, and retaliated with a sweeping slash of his sword, forcing the enforcer back. But the third and fourth fighters joined the fray, their attacks synchronized, forcing him to tap into every ounce of his speed and precision.

The pressure mounted, their coordinated assault relentless. But Li Tian was no novice in combat. Drawing on the Moonlit Storm Technique, he unleashed a surge of moonlight energy, his movements becoming a blur as he wove between his opponents, striking faster than they could anticipate. His sword sliced through their defenses, each strike calculated, chipping away at their formation.

Finally, a well-timed counter left the first enforcer vulnerable. With a decisive slash, Li Tian cut through him, his body crumpling to the ground as the others hesitated. Their fury was evident, but so was the crack in their confidence.

"You\'re nothing more than tools," Li Tian taunted. "And I\'m here to break each of you."

The second enforcer, enraged, charged with the chain whip, launching it with deadly force. But this time, Li Tian activated the Moonlit Storm, his blade radiating as he dodged the attack and delivered a powerful blow, sending the enforcer staggering. The chain whip clattered to the ground, and with one final strike, Li Tian dispatched him as well.

Only two remained, both wary yet unwilling to flee. The leader\'s eyes gleamed with a new intensity as he spoke. "You\'ve underestimated our resolve."

He unleashed a dark aura, his power surging as he drew on forbidden techniques. Shadows coalesced around him, forming tendrils that snaked through the air. The final enforcer joined him, their combined energy amplifying, creating a vortex of darkness.

Li Tian knew he needed to act quickly. He focused on the system\'s reward: the Shadow Step Technique, which he\'d unlocked during the fight. Without hesitation, he activated it, feeling his body meld into the shadows around him. In an instant, he moved, reappearing behind the leader.

Before the enforcer could react, Li Tian\'s blade was at his throat. "I\'d suggest you tell me everything you know."

The enforcer stilled, his eyes narrowing. "It won\'t matter. The Awakening will happen with or without us."

Li Tian\'s grip tightened. "And where is it happening?"

The enforcer remained silent, his eyes defiant. But as Li Tian\'s blade pressed against him, he whispered a single word: "The Temple... south of the valley..."

Before Li Tian could question further, the enforcer bit down, his body convulsing as he took his own life to protect the cult\'s secrets. His remaining ally followed suit, leaving only Li Tian standing amidst the bodies of his pursuers.

With the information he had, Li Tian\'s path became clear. The cult\'s Awakening ritual would take place at the ancient temple hidden in the valley. If he could reach it in time, he might just stop the ritual from being completed—and perhaps uncover the cult\'s true purpose in Yunhai.

[System Alert: Quest Updated. New Objective: Disrupt the Awakening Ritual in the Temple of the Valley.]

[Reward: Arcane Rift Technique - summons a portal of pure energy that disrupts enemy techniques and enhances one\'s own strength temporarily.]