Crimson Cloud Sect – The Broken Silence
Once, Crimson Cloud Sect stood like a fiery beacon above the land. Its crimson halls blazed under the sun, and its disciples wore flowing scarlet robes that seemed to burn like fire in the wind. But now—ashes and silence. What had once been lively was nothing more than broken rubble, a graveyard where even the echoes of laughter had been swallowed by dust.
Stone pavilions lay shattered, ancient walls crumbled into heaps, and broken spiritual formations flickered faintly before sputtering out like dying candles. The crimson banners, once proud, were now torn rags hanging weakly in the cold breeze. No disciples walked these paths, no elders guarded these gates. Only ghosts of memory clung stubbornly to the ruins.
Through the empty sky, a solitary figure descended, wrapped in a black robe that drank the moonlight. His boots landed silently on cracked stone, his presence both sharp and heavy, as though the very ruin bowed under the weight of his aura.
This was Bai Xuan. No disguise, no mask—his true face beneath the heavens.
He walked slowly, each step deliberate, his eyes scanning the rubble as if searching for lingering traces of blood and hatred. At every five steps, he bent slightly, setting down a glowing spiritual stone. Pale light shimmered faintly, forming invisible threads that connected one to another, weaving a hidden array.
His lips curved faintly.
"Tomorrow Yang Kai will come," he thought, "so I must prepare enough to defeat him."
The silence of the ruins deepened as his stones hummed with spiritual power, sinking into the earth like sleeping beasts.
---
Time passed.
The moon grew full, waned, and grew again. Yet no figure came walking through the shattered gates. No shadow of Yang Kai appeared beneath the stars.
Bai Xuan stood on the central platform, hands clasped behind his back, his expression calm but eyes growing colder. Dust gathered on the stones he had laid.
"What's wrong?" he finally thought, his brows knitting. "Why hasn't he come? Has he given up on his master's old demon soul? Or… has he faced some dangerous situation that prevents him from coming? Should I go to check?"
His hesitation gnawed at him. The plan had been perfect—draw Yang Kai here, trap him in the ruins, then force him into a desperate battle. But plans meant nothing if the prey refused to step into the net.
Bai Xuan finally sighed, turning his gaze to the distant horizon. "Very well," he murmured, "since he does not come, I shall go to him."
Spreading his robe, his figure rose like a black hawk into the skies.
---
Capital City
Days of flight carried him to the Capital City, its sprawling streets lit with lantern fire, though the air was heavy with tension. Everywhere, whispers traveled faster than the wind.
Bai Xuan entered a tea house, covering his aura, listening quietly as merchants and cultivators spoke in hushed voices. What he learned froze even his calm heart.
Days ago, the Yang Family's ninth son, Yang Kai, had been investigated under suspicion of being a demonic cultivator. The investigation had not proven anything. Yet only yesterday, he had added disciples and even an elder of High Heaven Pavilion to his force.
That act had sparked the fury of the Eight Great Families, including his own Yang Family. They joined hands to strike him down.
But the result—unbelievable.
The Eight Great Families had been defeated.
The city was in chaos. Some claimed Yang Kai was a genius without equal, others swore he had sold his soul to demons. Regardless of belief, one truth echoed through every alley:
Yang Kai was now declared a demonic cultivator.
Bai Xuan left the tea house, his robe fluttering under the night wind. He walked silently along the dim street, though his mind churned like a storm.
"So this is why he did not come," Bai Xuan thought grimly. "He is surrounded by storms, accused on all sides. How could he have spared attention for the old demon? And… he has already gathered High Heaven Pavilion disciples faster than even the original story recorded. That means… I have even less time than I thought."
His hand clenched tightly within his sleeve.
"Should I change my plan? Or accelerate it?"
For a long while, he did not answer himself. Then, a cold light flashed in his eyes.
"No matter. Whatever storms he faces, my own strength must be sharpened. If the final battle approaches, I can only rely on myself. No array, no poison, no scheme will matter if I am too weak to stand."
With that, Bai Xuan turned away from the Capital and flew once more into the wilderness.
---
Dark Forest
Far from the city, under a silver moon, a vast forest spread like a sea of black waves. Trees older than dynasties towered high, their branches clawing at the sky. The cries of beasts echoed faintly, chilling the air.
Here, six figures stumbled through the undergrowth: five young women, and one anxious young man. Their robes were torn, faces pale from exhaustion.
They had wandered for days, unable to escape. The deeper they walked, the more twisted the paths became, as if the forest itself was alive and mocking them.
Qiu Ming, the young man, spoke through trembling lips, "We… we are walking in circles. Every tree looks the same. No matter how far we go, we return to the same place."
His words made the women halt, their tired eyes flashing with anger.
Jiu Lang snapped coldly, "Ming, why say this now? Wasn't it you who led us here, boasting you knew the way? And now you admit we are lost?"
Ruo Shi's face twisted with bitterness. "Lost? We are not just lost—we are prey. Did you not see the Azureblue Tiger earlier? It hunts a full mile during the day and only sleeps at night. That is why we can only move after dusk. But every night, we risk walking straight into its jaws."
Her eyes grew sharp as she pointed at Qiu Ming. "Perhaps… if we sacrifice him, the forest will release us. Beasts always follow the smell of blood. His blood may lead the tiger away, giving us a chance."
Qiu Ming stumbled backward, face ashen. "N-no! You can't! I am of the Qiu Family! If you abandon me, if I die here, none of you will escape the Qiu Family's wrath!"
Tai Shi Qi, the calmest among them, sighed. "Ruo Shi, do not forget—if we leave him behind, we may indeed escape the forest, but once outside, the Qiu Family will hunt us. Do you wish to exchange one death for another?"
The group fell silent. The night pressed heavier around them, and the wind carried faint roars of beasts far away. Their exhaustion was carved into their movements, their eyes shadowed by fear. By day, they could not rest, for the beasts prowled. By night, they dared not stop walking.
They were trapped in a cycle of exhaustion and despair.
From the Sky
Unbeknownst to them, a gaze followed from above. Hidden among drifting clouds, Bai Xuan floated silently, arms folded, watching them with the calm cruelty of a hawk eyeing rabbits.
"Five beautiful women, each a seven-star gem in their prime," he thought with a thin smile. "If I take them as my concubines, together with Gu Siyin, that will make six."
Without hesitation, Bai Xuan descended like a falling shadow. His palm flicked out casually—Qiu Ming had no chance to scream before his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The five women froze in horror.
A figure in black stood before them, his aura pressing like a mountain. The moonlight caught his eyes, cold and sharp as blades.
One woman's voice trembled. "Who… who are you? Why did you kill him?"
Bai Xuan did not answer. He only curved his lips into a cold smile, silent and terrifying.
At that moment, the women realized the truth. This was no savior. This was a predator, one far more dangerous than the forest itself.
Their hearts pounded, breath quickening, fear and dread clawing into their bones.