Chapter 16 : Father Passes on Secret Techniques (The Old Hunter's Last Stand)

The night was deep, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the forest.

Chen Ye sat on a wooden bench in the courtyard, his shoulders still trembling slightly.

His sister's contracted power had just gone berserk, temporarily suppressing the black market forces, but its aftershocks still echoed through the mountains.

His father, Chen Jianguo, stood in front, hunting knife in hand, his shadow long in the moonlight.

His gaze was steady, yet held an undeniable authority.

"Brother Ye, Xue," his father spoke slowly, his voice deep and powerful, "From today onward, you must learn to coexist with power, not be led by the nose by it."

Chen Ye nodded, his gaze resolute.

His sister, Chen Xue, though exhausted, still shone with the light of awakening in her eyes.

"You've all seen how I hunted when I was young," his father said, crouching down and pointing to the terrain of the surrounding forest.

"Prey isn't just about guns and bows, but also about observation, judgment, and anticipation."

He slowly swung his knife, tracing an arc: "Space, domain, and contract power are essentially the same as hunting—observation, judgment, and control of rhythm. If you lose your rhythm, even the strongest power will backfire."

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat.

This time, he realized his father wasn't just teaching tactics, but how to coexist with inhuman power.

His father had Chen Ye and his sister stand in the center of the courtyard.

"I'm teaching you secret techniques not to turn you into tools, but to give you the right to choose in the face of power."

He first demonstrated a method of breathing and mental control:

Observe your surroundings, keep your mind calm as still water

Sensing the subtle changes in the air, soil, and trees

Synchronizing your mind with the domain energy, but not forcibly suppressing it

Chen Ye followed along, each breath feeling like a pull and coordination with space.

His sister, Chen Xue, also tried to imitate him. Her fingers lightly touched the ground, causing a slight fluctuation in contract power, but under her father's guidance, it didn't go berserk.

“Remember,” his father said in a low voice, “a true hunter makes his prey follow his rhythm, not let the prey control his rhythm. Space, contractual power, inhuman power—they are your prey, and also your partners. Master the rhythm, and you will be safe; lose control, and you won't even be able to protect yourselves.”

A warmth welled up in Chen Ye's heart, his gaze resolute: “I understand, Dad.” His sister nodded as well, her eyes shining with a newfound determination.

His father took an old hunting knife from his pocket and handed it to Chen Ye: “This is the knife I used when I was young. Like your contractual power, it's not the sharpest, but the most suitable tool for controlling the rhythm. Learn to work with it, and you will survive the threats of the black market and space.”

Chen Ye took the knife, his fingers lightly touching the blade, feeling his father's power and will.

His sister quietly approached, also touching the hilt, as if absorbing a portion of her father's spiritual power.

The night wind blew through the locust tree, scattering dappled shadows of leaves.

His father slowly retreated into the house, his gaze still fixed on the two siblings in the yard.

Chen Ye and Chen Xue exchanged a glance, both sharing the same thought—their power had awakened, but mastering it required wisdom, rhythm, and courage.

That night, the mountains and forests were unusually quiet, as if silently observing the newborn hunters—they faced not only the black market, but also the ultimate tests of the system, the domain, and inhuman power.