The main hall remained silent after Sect Leader Yuan's declaration.
No elder spoke immediately.
Because despite the confidence displayed outwardly, everyone present understood the danger involved.
This was no ordinary beast hunt anymore.
The atmosphere beneath the pale spiritual flames grew heavier, almost suffocating.
Then finally—
one of the elders spoke carefully.
"…Sect Leader."
"What if the creature attempts to flee again?"
Several gazes shifted subtly afterward.
Because that was the true problem.
Not killing the beast.
But finding it.
Cornering it.
And preventing its escape.
Elder Han's death had already proven that the creature possessed a terrifying concealment ability.
And if Elder Qiu's investigation regarding the White Scale Demon was correct—
then the beast had already escaped a Golden Core cultivator once before.
Sect Leader Yuan remained calm upon the elevated platform.
"It will not escape this time."
His voice carried quiet, unwavering certainty.
Another elder frowned slightly.
"Are we informing the neighboring sects?"
A brief silence followed.
Then Elder Qiu answered before the Sect Leader could.
"No."
Several elders glanced toward him.
Elder Qiu folded his sleeves calmly.
"The fewer who are aware of this situation…"
"…the better."
One elder immediately understood, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"You believe outside sects may interfere?"
Elder Qiu nodded once.
"If word spreads that a Core Formation spirit beast possesses concealment abilities, and multiple elemental affinities beyond any ordinary beast…"
He paused faintly.
"…then this matter may escalate beyond our control."
Another elder's expression darkened.
"Especially the demonic sects."
Several elders visibly frowned at that.
Because whether Elder Qiu's theory regarding the White Scale Demon's connection to demonic cultivators was true or not—
the mere possibility was already troublesome enough.
Sect Leader Yuan finally spoke again.
"We will handle this matter internally."
His gaze swept across the hall below.
"Tomorrow."
"All Golden Core elders will depart together toward the Azure Root Forest."
A faint pressure settled across the chamber afterward.
Not spiritual pressure.
But resolve.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unshakable.
The Sect Leader's voice continued calmly.
"We will locate the beast."
"Confirm its abilities."
"And eliminate it."
Silence followed.
Then one elder slowly nodded.
"…Agreed."
Another followed shortly afterward.
One by one, the elders voiced their agreement throughout the hall.
Because regardless of uncertainty, the situation could no longer be ignored.
Too many disciples had already vanished.
Too much fear had already spread through the sect.
And perhaps most importantly—
none of them were willing to allow a Core Formation beast to continue hunting Azure Sky Sect disciples unchecked.
Eventually, the hall fell silent once more.
Sect Leader Yuan slowly rose from his seat.
That simple movement alone caused every elder below to straighten slightly.
"We depart at dawn."
Then—
without another word—
his figure vanished from the platform like drifting mist.
The remaining elders gradually stood afterward as well.
Some looked grim.
Others thoughtful.
A few still carried traces of doubt beneath their expressions.
But regardless of personal thoughts—
they all understood something clearly now.
Tomorrow—
the Azure Sky Sect would enter the Azure Root Forest personally.
And somewhere deep within that endless wilderness—
something unnatural waited quietly beneath the trees.
—
Far above the endless canopy of the Azure Root Forest, a small invisible figure drifted silently through the night sky.
The moon hung cold overhead while waves of forest stretched endlessly beneath the clouds like a dark green ocean.
No sound followed him.
No spiritual fluctuation leaked outward.
Only faint currents of wind shifted around the tiny unseen body moving through the heavens.
Lizarius floated calmly higher and higher above the forest.
Below—
mountains, rivers, and ancient trees gradually shrank into insignificance.
Distant.
Diminished.
Almost unreal from this height.
His golden eyes gazed downward through the darkness in quiet thought.
Inside his mind—
cold calculation continued without pause.
*I have already killed enough Foundation Establishment cultivators.*
The humans would not continue sending weak disciples forever.
Not after losses of this scale.
Not after fear had already begun spreading through the sect.
No—
the next ones sent would certainly be stronger.
Golden Core cultivators.
Likely multiple.
And honestly—
that outcome had been expected from the very beginning.
The white lizard's tail swayed lazily behind him as invisible currents carried him across the night sky.
*But there is a problem.*
Golden Core cultivators possessed far greater spiritual perception than Foundation Establishment disciples.
If they entered the Azure Root Forest and began sweeping it carefully—
eventually, one of them might discover something.
The valley.
The hidden cave.
Or—
the village.
And the child.
Lizarius's eyes narrowed faintly.
*Unacceptable.*
Not because he particularly cared about the humans themselves.
But because the valley—
the fox remained there.
His thoughts paused briefly at that point.
Then continued calmly.
*The fox remains useful.*
Which meant outside interference was troublesome.
No—
the Golden Core cultivators could not be allowed to roam freely through the forest.
They needed to be intercepted immediately upon arrival.
Forced into direct confrontation before they had time to investigate the deeper regions.
The invisible lizard continued ascending silently through the cold night air.
Higher.
Higher still.
Until even the forest below resembled a vast, dark mass stretching endlessly beneath layers of moonlit mist.
The wind currents grew sharper here.
Colder.
But Lizarius merely floated within them undisturbed.
Thinking.
*Golden Core cultivators…*
How many would come? What was the maximum strength a sect could deploy while still maintaining control over its own territory?
The Sect Leader included.
A faint flicker of anticipation passed through his eyes.
Not fear.
Interest.
Because compared to Foundation Establishment cultivators—
Golden Core cultivators were vastly more useful.
And perhaps most importantly—
they possessed greater knowledge regarding the sects beyond this forest.
The storage ring wrapped around his tail glimmered faintly beneath the moonlight.
Inside rested everything he had taken from the cultivators so far.
Storage pouches.
Talismans.
Weapons.
Human cultivation clearly relied heavily on external resources.
Interesting creatures.
Fragile—
yet endlessly inventive.
High above the endless sea of clouds—
a tiny invisible figure floated motionless beneath the cold moonlight.
No sound.
No movement.
Only silence stretched across the heavens.
Lizarius waited.
His golden eyes remained half-narrowed while distant winds drifted endlessly around his hidden form.
Below—
the Azure Root Forest spread outward like a vast black ocean beneath the night.
Mountains.
Rivers.
Everything looked small from this height.
Insignificant.
Time passed slowly.
The moon drifted across the sky.
Stars dimmed one by one.
Then—
far beyond the horizon—
faint spiritual fluctuations finally appeared.
Lizarius's eyes sharpened slightly.
There.
Several presences.
Strong.
Golden Core.
The invisible lizard remained perfectly still as the distant figures approached through the night sky.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
The fluctuations moved swiftly across the heavens, each carrying heavy spiritual pressure that rolled through the clouds like invisible storms.
At the center—
one aura stood slightly above the others.
Stable.
Sharp.
Sect Leader Yuan.
The seven Golden Core cultivators traveled together in formation toward the Azure Root Forest beneath the dark sky.
None of them fully concealed their presence.
There was no need.
Golden Core cultivators already stood near the peak of power within this region.
Ordinary beasts would flee long before they could approach them.
But high above—
hidden beyond their perception—
Lizarius watched quietly.
Observing.
Studying.
The white lizard's tail swayed once, slowly.
Human cultivators truly preferred traveling in groups when facing uncertainty.
Cautious creatures.
Wise.
But also predictable.
Seven Golden Core cultivators at once would be troublesome even for him if handled carelessly.
Especially with the Sect Leader present.
Still—
Lizarius did not feel fear.
Only analysis.
Cold calculation flowed quietly through his mind as he observed their formation from above.
Eventually, the seven figures slowed near the outer edge of the Azure Root Forest.
Sect Leader Yuan raised one hand slightly.
The others stopped immediately beside him.
They hovered silently above the endless treetops.
One elder frowned while extending his divine sense outward.
"…The forest feels strange."
Another spoke quietly.
"There is too little beast activity."
Elder Qiu narrowed his eyes into the darkness below.
"…Because something stronger has already driven them away."
Silence followed briefly.
Then Sect Leader Yuan spoke calmly.
"Spread out."
"But remain within communication range."
"If the creature is found, do not pursue it alone."
The elders nodded immediately.
Caution remained clear in their expressions despite their cultivation.
Elder Han's death was still fresh in everyone's memory.
Then—
the seven Golden Core cultivators dispersed.
Divine senses expanded across the forest like invisible waves, sweeping outward.
Searching.
Scanning.
Reaching across mountains, caves, and rivers below.
Above them all—
Lizarius remained still.
Watching silently.
Then—
very slowly—
the invisible white lizard began drifting downward through the clouds.
Toward the forest.
Toward the searching Golden Core cultivators below.
And within his golden eyes—
a faint glimmer of anticipation slowly surfaced.