After gathering information through various taverns, it seems that the disciples of the Tiger Peak Sect are infamous around these parts.
The sect regularly sends them down to the forests to clear various missions and gather materials, with many of them resorting to stealing or violence while in town.
'Perfect target, if you'd ask me.'
Most disciples are sent to the lake near the city, a place with abundant Qi, herbs, and various beasts that managed to evolve into higher lifeforms due to extended exposure to the Qi.
These beasts are quite rare, but in places rich in Qi, they can be encountered on a semi-daily basis.
'Perfect place to test my theory...'
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As the night falls, I make my way towards the lake. The distance is negligible. In less than an hour, an expansive lake appears in my field of vision.
The closer I get, the higher the concentration of Qi in my surroundings. To my surprise, I haven't encountered a single demonic beast during my travels, but I did hear some howls from a distance.
I jump from one tree to another, skillfully navigating through the forest before stopping in front of an old tree. Jumping from one branch to another, I quickly reach the crown of the tree where I settle down.
As I sit there, I expand my senses to cover as much distance as possible, quietly listening for any semblance of movement, anything. Be it a demonic beast or a human, I have something in mind with both.
Hours pass, yet there's nothing. Not a single movement, not a single voice, just silence and rustling leaves from beneath me.
'Do they not go on missions at night?'
Shaking my head, I stand up and fix my robe, my gaze landing on the mountain peak where the Tiger Sect is supposed to reside.
'The distance is perhaps half an hour if I hurry.'
Should I come closer? I'm still not in a condition where I can risk a meeting with a golden core cultivator. I'm not even certain what all they are capable of. If a disciple alerts the sect leader, I might land myself in hot water.
My thoughts are interrupted by distant chatter. My eyes snap open in that direction as I make my way closer to them. The cloak made of Fear Qi envelops my figure, I quietly draw nearer and nearer to the nighttime adventurers.
''We shouldn't be here this late at night...''
''Oh, shut up. The strongest beasts within this forest are at most in Qi gathering, not higher than middle stages...''
''Now now, calm down you two. There is much less competition during the night. It has its benefits.''
Moments later, I have them within my sights. Three cultivators, all of them at Qi gathering. One is at late stage while the other two are in middle stages.
Are they from the Tiger Peak Sect? I don't know, but it doesn't matter. I simply need to scare them half to death and repeat the process for a few days. If my infamy goes up, my theory is basically confirmed.
'Well, no point wasting time.'
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Female cultivator POV
'These guys are pathetic. I can't believe my sister forced me to go on a mission with them.'
Looking to my right side, there's scaredy-cat Guo. He's been complaining about the dangers of the night the whole way here.
'Fucking pathetic. You'd think at this age, he'd have grown some balls.'
Looking at my left side, my eyes can't help but roll in annoyance. The reason why we are all here.
'The all-important Sun Jian. The so-called celebrity of outer disciples. His family is quite rich, and my sister wants me to get closer to him.'
Sigh.
I'm tired, annoyed, and these two idiots just make it worse. Not only is their cultivation worse than mine, they have no experience navigating through the forest.
'Despite being here for hours, we have achieved nothing...'
Tap!
''What are such tasty-looking things doing this deep within my forest?''
An old, guttural voice echoes from behind us, but something's wrong. Dread seized me, I try to turn around, but... I can't move. An invisible force is gripping my body, holding it firmly in place.
The temperature feels like it dropped by a dozen degrees, making me feel like I'm breathing in cold air.
My eyes dart to the side, only to see the two idiots paralyzed, just like me.
'T-tasty looking?'
Gulp...
I try to scream, but my mouth won't open. Something's utterly wrong, and there's nothing any of us can do against it. The person behind us... has us in the palm of its hands...
''Did cat get your tongue? I asked, what are you doing in MY forest?!''
It speaks again, but this time, there's impatience in its voice. Its grip on my shoulder is tighter, almost tearing my shoulder apart. The pain is overbearing, but my body won't move despite all this.
''I see... You do not wish to talk. In that case, who should I take...''
T-take? Take where? Why? For what? Wait... it said tasty before. Does it... want to consume us? Is it a demonic cultivator? Does it feed on flesh?!
''Perhaps the girl in the middle...''
G-god... no... please. Anyone but me...! Fuck, of course i-it's me, why would it choose these two idiots?!
''No... She's too thin... too thin I say... Meat, this stomach of mine needs a good mouthful~''
T-the hand is gone. It let go of me because I'm too thin? I-it really wants to eat someone?
''Yes... this one is perfect~''
It's moving to my left side... is it after Sun Jian? My eyes drift towards him, only to regret it immediately.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
A pale hand covered in fresh blood bursts straight through his chest, fingers curled tight around something wet and pulsing. His heart.
Blood runs down his chin in thin streams, his mouth opening and closing as if trying to scream, but no sound comes. His lungs are crushed before he can even beg. His eyes stay wide, trapped in a moment of death.
Thump… thump…
The heart twitches in that hand, still beating, slick with crimson streams streaking oout of it. With a sickening tug, it's ripped free, strings of torn flesh snapping as it's wrenched back through his chest cavity.
''So fresh~ So fresh~''
The voice reverberates from nowhere, playful, almost delighted with its spoils.
Swoosh!
The pressure that was choking my body vanishes without a trace. My body obeys me once more as I quickly spin around. The monster is gone. Without a trace. There's nothing. No sound, no shadow. Just the darkness of the night.
Whatever it was... it claimed a life and vanished before the heart even stopped beating...
.
.
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[STATUS]
[Name: Han Ye]
[Age: 18]
[Cultivation: Terror Manifestation Realm - Late Stage ▸ Qi Condensation - Early Stage]
[Fear Points: 3 676]
[Trauma: +521/day]
[Infamy: +24/day]
[Fear Points needed for the next stage: 6 000]
[Techniques: Shadowless Step, Thousand Faces Arts (incomplete), Silent Pulse Breathing, Crow Shroud Technique]