Thud, thud, thud, thud.
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed as a group ran across the forest. They were four— a beautiful woman who looked to be in her late thirties or early forties, a younger but equally stunning version of her carrying a girl of about four years old, and the only man among them, who seemed to be in his late twenties. Even covered in mud, blood, and sweat, the man still radiated a regal aura, hinting that he was, or had once been, someone of nobility.
Their exhaustion was obvious—panting heavily, sweat trickling down their faces. They had likely been running for hours. When they turned and hid among the branches of a tall tree, they knew it would not save them. It was only a chance to recuperate before they were forced to fight or flee once more.
"Damn that senior! Did he think he was the only one in this forest? He didn't even care about the rest of us—just killed the pregnant mate of that bloodfang tiger and left like nothing happened." The man, Chi Jung, complained bitterly, powerless to protect his family against such a powerful foe. Even if they fought together, they could have only battled it to a draw—that was before it entered rampage mode, driven by the pain of losing its mate and offspring. Now, if they fought, they would be at a disadvantage. And since the beast had more stamina than they did, it would eventually wear them down.
"Chi Jung, shut up! If that old fool hears you, the beast will be the least of our problems." The older woman scolded sharply, ignoring the fact that she had just insulted the expert herself.
"How are we supposed to get out of this?" the younger woman asked. After a long silence, in which everyone searched desperately for an answer, Hua Ya and Chi Jung exchanged a look and nodded in grim understanding.
The older woman suddenly sensed the shift in mood. Her eyes narrowed on the younger woman. "Ya'er… why do I have a bad feeling about what you're about to say?" she said half-jokingly, but when she saw her daughter's expression, her face hardened. Something bad was coming.
"Mother, can you use the movement technique?" Hua Ya asked quietly.
"You know what would happen if I used it. Hua Shiming—" she bit her lip at her brother's name, then sighed, "—he would sense my location. And it would only be a matter of time before they came. And even if I could… I wouldn't be able to take all of you. At most, one." Hua Zhenlan, the older woman, admitted.
"Yes, we know. That's why we want you to take Xianyan out of here. As for your brother, the Chi family should be able to protect you when the time comes," Chi Jung said solemnly.
"You must be joking. We need a plan and fast. That beast is catching up. Tsk, tsk… you really don't know when to be serious," Hua Zhenlan muttered in denial.
"Please, Mother. You know this is the only way. The beast already has our scent and will track us as long as we remain in this forest. I want Xianyan to have a life… I've already lived mine." Hua Ya said sadly.
"Since I don't want my brother tracking me, I haven't used the technique since the extermination of the sect. If I use it over such a long distance, the repercussions will be severe. If I die… who will take care of Xianyan?" Hua Zhenlan asked bitterly.
"I'm not even sure I can make it out of the forest. After all this running, we're nearly at its center, and the distance to the other side may be too great." She trailed off as a pill appeared in Chi Jung's hand.
"This is the Origin Nourishment Pill. Even in the upper echelon of my family, it is rare. But as the patriarch's son and with my talent, I was able to obtain one. Its purpose is an all-around boost—canceling or reducing backlash, though still limited by this realm's restrictions. It has side effects, but it should be enough to get you out alive. A dead man has no need for such treasures." Chi Jung smiled sadly as he pressed the pill into her hand.
"The bloodfang tiger is almost here. And since I haven't used the technique in so long, it will take time to activate. By then… we'll all be dead." Hua Zhenlan tried to resist.
"We know. That's why we're staying behind—to buy you time." Hua Ya replied softly.
"Why can't one of you do it instead?" Hua Zhenlan asked with tears in her eyes, her usual fierceness gone. Deep down, she already knew the answer.
"Mother, you know better than I do. We never learned the movement technique, precisely so we wouldn't alert your brother." Hua Ya squeezed her mother's hand. "You can do this."
Now both women were crying openly. Hua Ya held Chi Xianyan close to her chest, kissing her face as if she might vanish. The child giggled happily at the attention but soon began to cry as well, confused by her mother's tears. The only one who did not cry was Chi Jung. To him, shedding tears now would be weakness. Though he had failed to protect his family, he had to remain strong until the end.
"I can't… I really can't." Hua Zhenlan shook her head, trying to pass the pill back. "Learning the technique is simple, I can teach you—"
She knew it was impossible. A movement technique learned in years could not be mastered in mere minutes. Still, desperation made her cling to the thought.
"We only have one chance. We can't rely on chance or weaker odds. You also have the highest cultivation, which gives you the best chance of survival." Chi Jung's voice softened as he embraced Hua Ya. "Besides… we wanted to go together."
"No… no… no! Nooo!" Hua Zhenlan screamed, not caring if the beast heard her.
"Mother, do this… and I will only ever ask one other thing of you." Hua Ya's voice broke as growls echoed in the distance.
"It's almost here," Chi Jung said, standing to face the beast.
"Mother, it's time. We must do this now," Hua Ya urged, snapping Hua Zhenlan out of her daze.
Hua Zhenlan rose, hollow-eyed, and took the now-asleep Chi Xianyan from her daughter's arms.
Hua Ya unsheathed her sword and moved to stand at her husband's side. In Hua Zhenlan's hand, an ancient scroll appeared. She glanced through its content, her expression filled with grim determination. She had suffered tragedy before, and though her heart longed to die with them, she could not. Not now. She had to live—for the child's sake.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
Heavy footsteps shook the ground as the Bloodfang tiger finally appeared. It halted fifty meters away, eyes locked on the couple. Its body resembled a tiger's, but nearly 1.7 meters tall, covered in black scales, its legs thick and bear-like, its tail long and scaled with a spiked tip. Two massive tusks jutted from its jaws, and its eyes glowed crimson with rage, almost completely in the rampage mode.
As it prepared to charge, Hua Zhenlan's fingers glowed with blinding white light, spreading slowly along her arm.
---
Far away—or perhaps near—in an underground cell in a place that defied normal measures of distance, a man sat chained in meditation. Pale, malnourished, little more than skin and bone, he had clearly been imprisoned for years, long cut off from the sun.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. His expression contorted with pain. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and dry, as if unused for an age.
"Why… why… Zhenlan… you really shouldn't have…"
Then, with a raw scream that shook the silence:
"Noooooooooooo!"