"It's best we get out of here—quickly," Bai Long whispered, his eyes never leaving the treeline.
The faint sound of leaves rustling in the distance sent a chill down Xue He's spine. "Why do you say so, Brother Li?" he asked, scanning the dense forest.
Bai Long's gaze sharpened, his voice low and steady. "I've sensed a gaze on us for a while now."
"A gaze?" Xue He's brow furrowed. "Huh… who would watch us out here?"
"I don't know," Bai Long admitted. "But what I do know is that we're no match for them. Let's go."
Without another word, he leapt onto his thunder eagle, motioning for Xue He to do the same. The two spirit beasts let out a sharp cry as their wings unfurled, and with a powerful thrust, they shot into the sky, leaving the forest far below.
As they climbed higher into the air, the landscape blurred beneath them. The once serene woods now looked ominous — shadows shifting between the trees, as though something was watching their every move.
And within that forest, long after the two had vanished from sight, a soft, melodic voice drifted through the trees.
"They'll be back," it murmured. Though the tone was gentle, even beautiful, the killing intent laced within it was unmistakable. "They always come back."
The sound of a faint giggle followed, and then… silence. Only the wind stirred the leaves.
The flight back felt much longer than the journey there.
Xue He tried to keep his composure, but the tension refused to leave his body. Every gust of wind felt like an unseen hand brushing his neck, every shadow beneath the clouds like a predator waiting to strike. Normally, he would have enjoyed the feeling of soaring freely through the sky — but this time, fear dulled all sense of wonder.
It took nearly four hours before the looming silhouette of Beast Mountain reappeared in the distance, marking the edge of Sword Manor's territory. As they descended toward the sect stables, Bai Long exhaled quietly, though his expression remained unreadable.
"Give the mounts back," he instructed. "I'll take the tokens and hand them in at the Missionary Hall. I'll also report the presence I felt."
Xue He nodded quickly, eager to return to safety. "Understood, Brother Li."
Bai Long handed over the reins to a stable disciple and turned to leave. But as he walked away, his mind lingered on that haunting feeling in the forest.
'That aura… it felt both familiar and unfamiliar,' he thought, his brows furrowing slightly. 'It wasn't demonic, nor purely spiritual. What was it?'
The question gnawed at him. For someone like Bai Long — who had once walked among the heavens and faced ancient beings of unimaginable power — very few things in this lower realm could unnerve him. But that presence had been… different. Mythical yet fake.
When he arrived at the Missionary Hall, the same scrawny disciple from before was manning the counter. Upon seeing Bai Long, his eyes went wide with recognition — and, perhaps, a little disbelief that the young man had returned alive.
"You're back already?" the disciple blurted, his surprise plain.
"Yes," Bai Long replied, placing a small cloth bag on the counter. "Thirteen black scales from stage six Black Scaled Wolves. We encountered more on the way back."
The boy opened the bag, counted quickly, and nearly dropped it in shock. "Thirteen…? You even killed more than required?"
Bai Long ignored the awe in his tone. "I also need to speak with an elder. There's something I discovered in Beast Mountain that requires attention."
"O–of course, senior brother. Please wait a moment."
The boy darted off and disappeared into the back hall. A few minutes later, he returned — this time accompanied by a man in green robes, whose expression carried the calm assurance of someone accustomed to authority.
"This is Elder Qian," the boy said, bowing slightly. "He oversees the Missionary Hall."
Elder Qian looked to be in his early forties, though his cultivation likely kept him from appearing older. He had brown hair neatly tied behind his head and eyes the colour of oaken wood — calm, observant, yet faintly dismissive as they landed on Bai Long. His presence was subdued, but the faint ripples of spiritual pressure around him revealed his strength.
"Disciple," Elder Qian began, his tone cool. "You said you discovered something in the mountains?"
"Yes, Elder." Bai Long bowed respectfully. "While completing our mission, I sensed a strong gaze watching us. It was unlike anything I've encountered in this realm — ancient and oppressive. Even with my cultivation, I couldn't discern its source. I believe it was from someone, or something, far beyond the stage of the beasts we faced."
Elder Qian's brows rose slightly. "Your cultivation, you say?"
"Spirit Severing," Bai Long said evenly.
For a brief moment, the air went still. The scrawny disciple standing nearby almost dropped his ledger. Elder Qian, too, blinked in surprise, his composure slipping.
'Spirit Severing? At his age?'
He studied Bai Long again, this time with genuine curiosity. The youth's calm bearing, steady tone, and clear gaze didn't fit the arrogance or fear of a typical outer disciple.
"How old are you?" the elder finally asked.
"Sixteen, Elder."
The silence that followed was almost palpable.
"Sixteen?" Elder Qian repeated, his voice softer now. "Such talent…" He paused, then straightened.
"Very well. I'll report this to the Sect Master myself. You did well to bring this to our attention."
"Thank you, Elder Qian." Bai Long bowed again before turning to leave.
As the youth's crimson hair disappeared through the doorway, Elder Qian found himself standing motionless for a long time.
'Sixteen years old… Spirit Severing realm… and composure like that.' He exhaled slowly, an almost wistful smile crossing his face. 'The younger generation truly are monstrous.'
His thoughts drifted, unbidden, to his own past.
'I only reached Spirit Severing when I turned forty. Now, nearly two hundred years later, and I've only scratched the surface of the Great Ascendance realm. To think there was a time I was considered a genius…'
A faint sigh escaped his lips. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the Missionary Hall, his robe fluttering softly behind him as he made his way toward the tallest peak in the sect — the Sect Master's Peak.