The cloaked figure

Kai's grip tightened around his sword as the mid-tier beast advanced, its snarls reverberating through the dense trees. Yan Mei and Cheng Bao flanked him, their eyes locked on the creature, waiting for the right moment to strike. It was a relatively common beast, with sharp fangs and claws, but nothing too threatening for a group of prepared cultivators.

"Let's take it down quickly," Yan Mei whispered, her gaze sharp as she readied her spear.

Cheng Bao grunted in agreement, his eyes flicking to Kai for a signal. For a moment, Kai hesitated—not because of the beast, but because his mind was still preoccupied with the ominous presence he had felt earlier. His instincts screamed that the true danger was not the beast in front of them but something far worse hiding in the shadows.

But there was no time to dwell on it now.

Kai lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. Yan Mei and Cheng Bao followed suit, attacking the beast from different angles. The fight was swift and efficient; the three of them working in sync brought the beast down within minutes. Its final growl faded into the forest as it collapsed, its body motionless on the forest floor.

"Good work," Cheng Bao said, wiping sweat from his brow. "That wasn't too bad."

Yan Mei knelt beside the beast, carefully extracting its core—a glowing orb that pulsed with energy. "This should be worth a decent amount of contribution points."

Kai nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. As the other two discussed their next move, he scanned the surrounding trees, his senses on high alert. The forest felt too quiet, too still. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, and that same uneasy feeling from the night before crept over him.

"We should keep moving," he said, interrupting their conversation. "There's something off about this place."

Yan Mei raised an eyebrow, but she didn't argue. Cheng Bao frowned. "You're always so tense, Kai. Relax. We're doing fine."

Kai didn't bother responding. He wasn't in the mood to explain his gut feeling—especially not to someone like Cheng Bao, who was more focused on earning points than surviving. Instead, he turned and started walking deeper into the forest, trusting that the others would follow.

As they ventured further, the forest grew darker, the canopy thickening until only faint beams of light filtered through. The atmosphere was oppressive, and even Cheng Bao grew quieter, his usual bravado dimming in the eerie silence.

They encountered a few more beasts along the way—nothing too challenging—but each fight left Kai feeling more on edge. There was something wrong. He could feel it.

After a few hours of hunting, they stopped to rest near a small clearing. The trees around them loomed tall and foreboding, their branches twisting in unnatural ways. Yan Mei sat on a fallen log, inspecting the cores they had collected, while Cheng Bao stretched, looking bored.

Kai stood apart from them, his gaze fixed on the shadows that seemed to shift and flicker just beyond the edge of the clearing. His mind raced, replaying every strange sensation he had experienced since entering the forest. He wasn't paranoid. Something—or someone—was watching them.

Deep within the shadows, the cloaked figure observed the trio with keen interest. It had been following them, drawn to the energy they radiated. Each move they made, every battle they fought, revealed their strengths and weaknesses. The presence reveled in the tension it had created, feeding off the anxiety that hung in the air.

Just as the figure was about to retreat further into the darkness, it heard whispers from Kai—words that sparked a flicker of recognition. "There's something off about this place." The figure's lips curled into a smirk, intrigued by the boy's intuition.

Kai tensed, turning slowly to scan the area. The whispers grew louder, echoing in the figure's mind—a haunting melody that intertwined with its very essence. The air thickened with anticipation as the moment of revelation drew near.

"What is it?" Yan Mei asked, noticing his tense posture.

"Quiet," Kai hissed, holding up a hand to silence her.

The others fell silent, their eyes following his as they stared into the dense forest. For a moment, everything was still. Then, the cloaked figure stepped partially into the light, its dark robes billowing like shadows given form. It reveled in the fear that rippled through the group, the boy's heart pounding in rhythm with the whispers that filled the air.

Before they could react, the figure retreated slightly, obscured once more by the thick foliage, but not before Kai caught a glimpse of its piercing eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness.

"What the hell was that?" Cheng Bao muttered, his bravado slipping.

"I don't know," Kai replied, his voice low. "But we need to be careful. There's something more dangerous than beasts in these woods."

Yan Mei exchanged a glance with Cheng Bao, but neither of them argued. They gathered their things and quickly moved on, their previous confidence replaced by a growing sense of dread.

As they neared the outer sect's borders, the forest gradually thinned, and the oppressive atmosphere lightened. Kai's tension eased slightly, though he remained vigilant. Whatever had been watching them hadn't followed them out of the deep woods, but he had no doubt it was still out there.

When they finally reached the Jade Lotus Sect's entrance, they found the other disciples returning as well, many of them boasting about their kills and the contribution points they would earn. The atmosphere was lighter, filled with chatter and laughter, but Kai remained quiet.

As they made their way through the crowd, Kai's attention was drawn to a small group standing off to the side. They were dressed in fine robes, their expressions cold and aloof. Unlike the other disciples, these individuals exuded a sense of superiority, their gazes sweeping over the outer sect members with thinly veiled disdain.

Kai overheard whispers from nearby disciples.

"Those are members of the Jiang family," one whispered. "They sent their daughters to join the sect. I hear they have celestial-grade spiritual roots."

"No wonder they're so arrogant," another muttered. "The Jiang family is one of the most powerful in the region."

Kai's eyes narrowed as he watched the group. Their cold demeanors and superior attitudes reminded him of the upper world's elites from the stories he had read back on Earth. He wasn't impressed, but he also wasn't foolish enough to underestimate them.