The Great Wild Forest was silent that night.
A faint mist rolled between the trees, and the moonlight filtered through the branches like silver threads. The air carried the scent of blood and damp earth—traces of the day's endless hunts.
Within this stillness, a lone figure moved quietly through the woods.
It was Cang Yan.
His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings as he walked. Though he had slain countless beasts earlier, he knew that nighttime in this forest belonged entirely to them.
> "I should find a place to rest," he thought.
"At night, the ferocious beasts hold the advantage. It's better to fight during the day."
After some time, he found a small mountain ridge at the edge of a valley. Beneath one of its rocky cliffs was a hollow space—just large enough to form a shelter. Cang Yan's hand glowed faintly with Qi as he waved it once, expanding the hollow into a small cave.
He laid down a series of spiritual traps and alarm arrays at the entrance. If anything approached within a hundred meters, he would know instantly.
Satisfied, he nodded and retrieved a simple bed from his spatial ring. He sat cross-legged upon it, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate.
The world fell silent again, the only sound being the faint hum of Qi swirling through his body.
Hours passed. The moon hung high above.
Then—
BOOOOM!
A deep shockwave ripped through the night. The ground trembled, dust falling from the cave ceiling. Cang Yan's eyes snapped open.
> "What was that?"
He stood and stepped outside, looking toward the distant horizon. Far beyond the treeline, in the direction of the core region of the Great Wild Forest, he could see faint flashes of light and the echo of another explosion.
The energy rolling from that direction was terrifying.
Cang Yan's brows furrowed.
> "The core region…" he murmured.
"That pressure… it's at least at the Saint Realm. Possibly higher."
His first thought was to go and investigate—but he quickly shook his head.
> "No. Not yet."
He knew better. The outer layer alone had beasts at the Martial Lord and Martial Sovereign levels. The inner and core layers… they were places even Emperors feared to tread.
> "If I step in recklessly, I might not even have bones left to bury."
He exhaled slowly, suppressing his curiosity, and returned to his cave.
> "Focus on cultivation. Strength first—curiosity later."
Sitting down again, he adjusted his breathing. The flow of Qi in his meridians grew smoother, his energy denser. He continued like that for two more hours, until even the forest itself seemed to hold its breath.
Then, a faint sound broke the silence.
Tap… tap… tap…
Soft footsteps echoed from the cave entrance. Barely audible—but enough for someone like Cang Yan to notice immediately.
His eyes opened, pupils glowing faintly with golden light. His spiritual sense spread outward, brushing against something weak… yet familiar.
A moment later, the trap alarm he set began to hum lightly, signaling movement.
He stood, ready to draw his sword—
—but froze.
A silhouette appeared at the mouth of the cave. Under the moonlight, the figure of a young woman slowly stepped inside. Her long hair flowed down like a waterfall of midnight silk. Her white robes were tattered and soaked in blood, yet even through the dirt and wounds, her beauty was ethereal—almost unearthly.
Her face was pale, her breathing weak. She looked as though a single gust of wind could end her life.
Cang Yan's eyes narrowed slightly.
> "A human… here?" he muttered under his breath.
How much wordCang Yan's gaze sharpened. The woman's aura was faint—nearly extinguished—but something about it felt strangely ancient.
He slowly raised his right hand, and golden light flickered across his eyes.
> "Heavenly Concealment Eye… activate."
In an instant, three radiant symbols appeared within his pupils—the Three Gifts of Heaven, a power he had awakened not long ago. The world before him changed; layers of illusion and concealment peeled away like fog under sunlight.
His breath hitched.
> "This…?"
Lines of golden script appeared in the air before his vision, revealing what ordinary eyes could never see.
---
Name: Su Ling Yan
Cultivation: Unknown
Identity: Heavenly Peak Sect Leader
Condition: Heavily Injured — Life Force Fading
---
Cang Yan's eyes widened slightly.