Three days later—
the Azure Root Forest lay in an eerie, suffocating silence.
What had once been a dense and thriving wilderness had been reduced to a scarred expanse of devastation. Blackened trees stood like the charred skeletons of giants. Entire valleys had collapsed inward, as though the earth itself had been crushed. Faint remnants of spiritual lightning still flickered in the air, drifting like dying embers that refused to fade.
High above the ruined forest—
four figures descended slowly through the clouds.
Elder Mo was among them.
His complexion was pale, still bearing faint traces of injury. But more than physical wounds, exhaustion weighed heavily in his eyes—the kind born from witnessing something that should not exist, something beyond comprehension.
Beside him stood three Supreme Elders.
Even without releasing their full pressure, their mere presence caused the surrounding air to subtly distort. The world itself seemed to acknowledge them, bending faintly around their existence.
They hovered in silence for a moment, scanning the devastated landscape below.
The black-robed Supreme Elder frowned slightly.
"…No traces."
His voice was low, sharp.
"Not even remnants of Foundation-level energy signatures."
The female Supreme Elder closed her eyes briefly. Her divine sense extended outward like an invisible tide, sweeping across the shattered terrain below.
After a long moment—
she withdrew it.
"…Nothing above Foundation Establishment remains," she said calmly.
The elderly Supreme Elder slowly turned his gaze across the horizon.
"This level of destruction…"
"…and yet not a single trace left behind."
His tone deepened slightly.
"Either it fled…"
"…or it has learned how to erase its presence completely."
Silence followed.
The wind moved through the broken canyons below, carrying ash and dust upward in slow, mournful spirals.
Then—
the black-robed Supreme Elder turned toward Elder Mo.
"Use the talisman."
Elder Mo immediately bowed his head.
"Yes, Supreme Elder."
His hand moved to his chest, retrieving a faintly glowing tracking talisman.
It pulsed weakly.
Faint.
Unstable.
Like a thread stretched across an unimaginable distance, barely holding together.
Elder Mo closed his eyes.
Divine sense flowed into the talisman.
The glow shifted—
then stabilized briefly.
His brows tightened.
"…I can sense it."
All three Supreme Elders turned toward him at once.
Elder Mo continued carefully.
"But…"
"…only a direction."
A pause.
"It is extremely faint."
His voice lowered further.
"…Far."
The female Supreme Elder narrowed her eyes.
"How far?"
Elder Mo hesitated for a brief moment before answering honestly.
"…Beyond this forest. Very far."
A heavy silence fell.
Even the air seemed to still.
The elderly Supreme Elder spoke slowly.
"…So it did not remain here."
The black-robed elder's expression darkened.
"Then we are already behind it."
Elder Mo opened his eyes.
The talisman's glow flickered again, pointing toward a distant horizon beyond the shattered forest—beyond the territory of the Azure Sky Sect.
The elderly Supreme Elder remained silent for a moment.
Then spoke calmly.
"Lead the way."
Elder Mo immediately bowed again.
"Yes."
Without hesitation, the four figures moved.
The Supreme Elders followed the faint pull of the talisman through the broken sky, passing over the ruined Azure Root Forest like shadows drifting across a grave.
And far beyond—
somewhere deep within the unknown wilderness—
a single thread of connection stretched quietly through space itself.
Unseen.
Unbroken.
And now—
it was being followed.
---
The four figures continued across the heavens.
Mountains passed beneath them in blurred succession.
Forests stretched and faded into distant green smears. Rivers twisted across the earth like silver veins threading through the world.
Hours passed.
Yet Elder Mo did not slow even once.
The faint connection within the talisman remained stable.
Weak.
Distant.
But unmistakable.
The target was still alive.
Still ahead.
The female Supreme Elder glanced down at the passing landscape.
"…We have already crossed three mountain ranges," she said calmly.
Elder Mo nodded.
"Yes, Supreme Elder."
The black-robed Supreme Elder frowned.
"It fled farther than expected."
The elderly Supreme Elder said nothing, his gaze fixed steadily on the horizon.
They continued onward.
Gradually, the terrain below began to change.
The familiar mountainous regions under the Azure Sky Sect's influence slowly disappeared behind them. In their place rose vast plains and towering stone peaks, shaped by time and wind rather than cultivation alone.
Several great rivers wound through the land, their waters glimmering faintly with dense spiritual energy.
The atmosphere itself felt richer.
Heavier.
More vibrant.
After another stretch of travel—
the female Supreme Elder's eyes narrowed slightly.
"We are approaching the sect border."
Elder Mo immediately understood her meaning.
He lowered his gaze briefly to the talisman before responding.
"…Yes."
A pause.
Then he added,
"If we continue following this direction…"
"…we will leave Azure Sky Sect territory entirely."
The black-robed Supreme Elder's expression darkened.
"And enter whose domain?"
Elder Mo answered without hesitation.
"…The Dao Unity Sect."
Silence fell once more.
A cold wind swept through the high skies.
The Dao Unity Sect.
One of the most powerful sects in the region.
Not an enemy.
But not an ally either.
Cultivators rarely welcomed powerful outsiders wandering unannounced through their territory.
The female Supreme Elder folded her arms.
"So the beast crossed sect boundaries."
The black-robed elder let out a cold snort.
"Or it fled blindly."
The elderly Supreme Elder finally spoke.
"No."
His gaze remained locked on the distant horizon.
"I do not believe so."
The others turned toward him.
He continued calmly.
"Based on Elder Mo's description…"
"…that creature calculates every move carefully."
A brief pause.
"If it possesses intelligence beyond what we assumed…"
"…then crossing into another sect's territory may have been intentional."
The female Supreme Elder nodded faintly.
"By entering another domain…"
"…it complicates our pursuit."
Elder Mo felt a subtle tightening in his chest.
Because the more they spoke—
the more terrifying the creature became.
Not because of its strength.
But because of its intelligence.
The black-robed Supreme Elder narrowed his eyes.
"Then it understands more than we first believed."
The elderly man replied only,
"Perhaps."
His gaze shifted toward the talisman in Elder Mo's hand.
The faint glow still pointed forward.
Still guiding them.
Still pulling them onward.
The elderly Supreme Elder's expression grew colder.
"Regardless."
"It may run."
"But eventually…"
A faint ripple of pressure spread through the surrounding air.
"…it will stop."
The four figures continued without slowing.
Behind them, Azure Sky Sect territory faded into the distance.
Ahead of them—
the lands governed by the Dao Unity Sect stretched endlessly beneath the heavens.
And somewhere within those boundless territories—
the creature they pursued continued sleeping within the depths of a hidden mountain.
Completely unaware.
That three Nascent Soul cultivators were closing in along its very trail.
---
They crossed deeper into Dao Unity Sect territory.
Towering spirit mountains pierced the clouds like ancient spears.
Rivers of dense spiritual energy flowed through vast valleys below, illuminating the land with a faint, otherworldly glow.
The spiritual pressure here was noticeably stronger than in surrounding regions.
Yet none of the four slowed.
Elder Mo continued guiding them by the faint pull of the talisman.
Then—
suddenly—
two presences appeared ahead.
The air rippled.
Space subtly distorted.
And two figures stepped into their path.
A man and a woman.
Both stood calmly upon the void itself, as though the sky beneath their feet was solid ground.
Neither released pressure.
Yet their effortless levitation alone spoke volumes.
Nascent Soul.
The four from the Azure Sky Sect immediately slowed.
Both sides came to a halt several hundred meters apart.
Cold wind drifted between them.
For a brief moment—
silence reigned.
Then the male cultivator smiled faintly.
His white robes fluttered gently in the wind.
"If I may ask…"
His gaze swept across the four newcomers.
"…what brings fellow Daoists into Dao Unity Sect territory?"
The female beside him remained silent, observing carefully.
The black-robed Supreme Elder remained expressionless.
Elder Mo stepped forward and cupped his fists.
"This junior is Elder Mo of the Azure Sky Sect."
A flicker of surprise appeared in the Dao Unity cultivators' expressions.
The male cultivator nodded politely.
"Azure Sky Sect…"
His gaze briefly shifted toward the three Nascent Soul elders.
Then returned to Elder Mo.
"A rare visit indeed."
The elderly Supreme Elder finally spoke.
Calm.
Measured.
"We have no hostile intentions."
"We are pursuing a dangerous demonic beast."
The male cultivator raised his brows slightly.
"A demonic beast?"
The female cultivator spoke for the first time.
"A beast significant enough to warrant three Nascent Soul cultivators in pursuit?"
A brief silence followed.
The black-robed Supreme Elder answered coldly.
"It slaughtered seven Core Formation cultivators of our sect."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Both Dao Unity cultivators grew serious.
"Seven?" the female repeated.
Elder Mo nodded gravely.
"Including our Sect Leader."
The male cultivator's faint smile disappeared entirely.
Now he understood.
This was no ordinary pursuit.
The female cultivator glanced toward Elder Mo.
"You are tracking it?"
Elder Mo raised the talisman.
Its faint crimson glow flickered weakly.
"Yes."
"It is still ahead."
The male cultivator exchanged a glance with his companion.
A silent exchange passed between them through divine sense.
The wind drifted quietly between both groups.
Clouds rolled beneath distant peaks while rivers shimmered below.
Then—
the female Supreme Elder's gaze shifted slightly.
A faint trace of recognition appeared in her eyes.
"…Tell me."
She paused.
"How is Daoist Shen?"
The name caused both Dao Unity cultivators to stiffen slightly.
The male cultivator's expression softened.
The female cultivator lowered her gaze.
A moment of silence passed.
Then the male cultivator sighed.
"…Senior still remembers him."
The female Supreme Elder frowned faintly.
She said nothing, waiting.
The man continued quietly.
"Master Shen passed away."
The wind seemed to quiet further.
"…a little over two centuries ago."
Silence.
The female Supreme Elder stood motionless.
For a moment, her gaze drifted far beyond the horizon—as if searching through time itself.
"…Two centuries…"
Her voice was soft.
Almost absent.
The male cultivator nodded.
"His lifespan had already reached its limit."
"He entered secluded meditation one final time…"
A faint, distant smile touched his lips.
"…and passed peacefully."
The female Supreme Elder remained silent.
The elderly Supreme Elder beside her glanced over, a subtle understanding passing through his eyes.
The black-robed elder simply folded his arms, waiting.
After a long moment—
the female Supreme Elder finally nodded.
"…I see."
No further emotion appeared on her face.
Yet her gaze had grown distant.
The male cultivator smiled faintly.
"Master often spoke of a woman from the Azure Sky Sect."
"An old friend who defeated him three times in a single year."
For the first time—
a faint curve appeared at the corner of the woman's lips.
"…Only three?"
The male cultivator blinked.
Then laughed.
The female Dao Unity cultivator beside him covered her mouth lightly.
Even Elder Mo looked slightly surprised.
The male cultivator shook his head.
"It seems Master was generous in his storytelling."
The atmosphere eased slightly.
The tension softened.
For a brief moment.
Then—
the elderly Supreme Elder brought the discussion back.
"The beast."
His voice was calm, but absolute.
Instantly, the mood shifted again.
The male cultivator's smile faded.
"Yes."
His gaze returned to the talisman in Elder Mo's hand.
"You say it remains ahead."
Elder Mo nodded.
"The connection is weak."
"But it strengthens the closer we get."
The female Dao Unity cultivator frowned.
"Then it has already gone deep into Dao Unity territory."
The black-robed Supreme Elder narrowed his eyes.
"Which is why we sought to avoid misunderstanding."
The male cultivator exchanged another glance with his companion.
This time the silent exchange lasted longer.
After several breaths—
he looked back at them.
"If what you say is true…"
His expression turned grave.
"…then this matter concerns more than your sect alone."
The female cultivator nodded.
"A beast capable of killing seven Core Formation cultivators cannot be ignored."
The male cultivator folded his sleeves.
"We will escort you."
Elder Mo blinked.
The black-robed Supreme Elder raised a brow.
The man continued calmly.
"After all…"
His gaze turned toward the distant wilderness.
"…if such a creature is hiding within Dao Unity territory…"
"…we would like to meet it ourselves."
---
Far away.
Deep beneath the earth, within a hidden chamber carved into the heart of a canyon—
a white lizard slept soundly.
Golden energy flowed through its body in steady pulses.
And with each breath—
the faint pressure leaking from its slumber grew ever so slightly stronger.