The Haunting Forest

The moment Yang Fan caught sight of a shadowy figure in the sky, his expression shifted, and he swiftly discarded the food in his hands. In an instant, he darted into the ominous forest, his movements as fluid as the wind. Amidst the dense and ancient woods, he leaped effortlessly, the life force within him continually swirling like a fine mist. This ethereal energy flowed into the trees and their leaves, merging with their natural vitality. From the branches and foliage, a subtle yet powerful force rebounded, granting him boundless strength. 

In such treacherous terrain, Yang Fan was confident. Even if a cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage pursued him, they would stand little chance of catching up.

Having long sensed the eerie nature of this forest, Yang Fan dared not venture too deep. He remained on the outskirts, staying near the forest's edge and skillfully distancing himself from the riverbank where he had lingered before. 

"Could they be from the Yang family of the capital? If that's the case, why would they go to such lengths to hunt down a mere Qi Refining cultivator like me?" 

Confusion gripped Yang Fan. He had already been hiding in this remote mountain wilderness for half a month. By now, the Yang family of the capital should have called off their search. It seemed unreasonable for them to expend so much effort for someone at his level.

Not long after Yang Fan departed from the river, an elder descended on a flying sword, hovering near the still-smoldering firepit.

"Moments ago, with the 'Eye of Spirit' technique, I clearly saw a figure..." 

The elder muttered to himself, pacing around the riverbank and the edge of the forest, his gaze fixed intently on the fading embers. He was none other than the most powerful figure involved in the Yang family's manhunt—an elder in the middle Nascent Soul stage.

His sharp eyes suddenly gleamed as he summoned a talisman and infused it with his energy. A brilliant light shot into the sky, visible for dozens of miles around. 

Within moments, several figures flew in from various directions. Among them was a young man in white, his features chiseled and noble, exuding a commanding presence—Yang Yu, the heir to the Yang family.

"Wu Lao, have you found any leads?" Yang Yu called out, his voice resonating even before he landed.

"Elder Wu, show me what you've uncovered." 

With a serene smile, Wu Lao gestured toward the firepit. Yang Yu, along with two other Nascent Soul cultivators, approached.

"I used the 'Eye of Spirit' technique just now and caught a glimpse of a figure dashing into the forest. It appeared to be a young man, though I couldn't see his face clearly. Judging by his reaction, he is likely the one you seek. No ordinary person would flee so hastily," Wu Lao chuckled softly.

"If that's the case, we should enter the forest and search for him," Yang Yu's gaze darkened as he fixed his eyes on the shadowy woods.

Half a month had passed, and while many had grown weary and suggested giving up, Yang Yu was not among them. He would stop at nothing to find the man and get to the bottom of this mystery.

"Wait a moment," Wu Lao interjected, shaking his head.

"What insight do you have, Elder Wu?" Yang Yu asked respectfully, knowing that Wu Lao, with his profound cultivation, deserved deference.

"I sense something strange about this forest. Can you not feel the cold, eerie atmosphere lingering here?" Wu Lao replied.

The other three cultivators extended their spiritual senses and nodded in agreement.

"There is indeed something off about this place," one of the Nascent Soul cultivators remarked. "But if that boy dares to venture inside, why should we hesitate?"

Yang Yu nodded as well. "Exactly. We should search it thoroughly. If need be, we could set the forest ablaze to force him out."

Wu Lao, however, remained calm. "This forest spans a considerable distance, and the terrain is complex. Setting it on fire would create great chaos, filling the area with smoke, and might even drive him into some hidden cave within the mountains. We should split up and search carefully. It's better to cover all possible escape routes than risk him slipping away in the confusion."

"Wise words, Elder Wu," Yang Yu acknowledged. He silently admired Wu Lao's seasoned wisdom, thinking to himself, *The old truly are the wise.*

With their plan settled, the group of four spread out, flying toward the four corners of the forest. They began their search at the outskirts, but the task proved arduous. The dense, tangled branches of the forest disrupted the effects of their spiritual techniques.

Even with Wu Lao's impressive cultivation in the mid-Nascent Soul stage, his spiritual sense could barely extend a few dozen meters in such an environment.

Yang Fan, hiding deep within the forest, employed the *Withered Wood Technique* to suppress his breath to the absolute minimum. His body, pressed against a towering tree, was as lifeless as a piece of dead wood, completely silent. His skin had turned cold, devoid of warmth, and even his heartbeat and breathing had nearly ceased.

Concealing one's presence was a hallmark of the *Xianhong Arts*, and now, Yang Fan pushed the *Withered Wood Technique* to its very peak, erasing every trace of his existence. Simultaneously, he entered a state of "omniscience," his awareness extending two hundred meters in every direction, merging seamlessly with the forest around him.

Not only had Yang Fan made himself nearly invisible, but he had also mastered a concealment technique that allowed him to vanish entirely, even under the clear light of day. To any onlooker, it would seem as if the space where he hid was utterly devoid of life. Even the sweep of a spiritual sense would detect nothing unusual unless it came from someone with a far more advanced cultivation than his own.

Half an hour later, Yang Fan felt a strand of spiritual energy sweep through his area. It belonged to none other than Yang Yu, the capital's heir, a cultivator in the early Nascent Soul stage.

"Why... why does the Yang family insist on hunting me so relentlessly?" Yang Fan thought, confident that his identity had never been exposed. After much contemplation, one possibility crossed his mind—Cloud Fairy of the Medicine Immortal Valley. 

Could it be because of her?

That day, his presence had already raised Yang Yu's suspicions. Afterward, Yun Yuxi had delayed him on purpose to give Yang Fan time to escape. Two of the Yang family's guards had been killed by his hand, and he had vanished without a trace.

As Yang Yu soared above the forest, his expression cold and determined, Yang Fan, in his state of heightened awareness, could sense the dark resolve etched upon his face.

Even though Yang Yu passed directly overhead, he remained oblivious to the fact that the man he sought lay hidden just beneath him. Yang Fan chuckled silently, becoming one with the withered tree, as though he had truly become part of the forest itself.

...

Two hours later, Yang Yu and the three Nascent Soul cultivators regrouped at the riverbank, overlooking the forest from above as they discussed their next move.

"There's no sign of him. He's either gone deeper into the forest or already escaped," one of the cultivators observed.

"We've maintained aerial surveillance without smoke or mist obscuring our view. It's unlikely he slipped away unnoticed. Most likely, he's ventured into the heart of the forest," Wu Lao mused.

After a brief consultation, Yang Yu made the decision: "Wu Lao and I will continue monitoring from the skies. You two, advance deeper into the forest. If that boy can go in, there's no reason for us to hesitate."

With a sharp sound, the four Nascent Soul cultivators split up once more, Wu Lao and Yang Yu hovering above while the other two cautiously advanced toward the forest's core. As they ventured deeper, the oppressive, icy atmosphere grew more pronounced, as though some unseen entity watched them from the shadows.

Before long, one of the cultivators neared the forest's center. His face was taut with caution as he unleashed his spiritual senses, scanning the surroundings.

From above, Yang Yu and Wu Lao kept part of their focus on him.

This central area was the last untouched portion of the forest. The target they sought had to be within these woods.

Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through the trees. One of the Nascent Soul cultivators, with no warning, plummeted into the forest with a bloodcurdling scream.

The sound sent a shockwave of fear through Yang Yu and his companions.

From his hiding place on the forest's edge, Yang Fan also heard the scream, so piercing it made his blood run cold. The fallen cultivator vanished without a trace, as though he had been swallowed by the earth.

"Retreat!" Wu Lao shouted, urging the other Nascent Soul cultivator to fall back.

But just as he turned, another gust of icy wind struck. The second cultivator fell without resistance, his own scream echoing through the forest before being silenced forever.

Yang Fan trembled at the eerie sound of the second scream. His heart raced as he thought, *What kind of dreadful entity lies within this forest?*

His mind turned briefly to the *Nine Nether Demonic Scripture* he had stumbled upon.

"Run! The forest is haunted!" 

Seeing two Nascent Soul cultivators perish in an instant, both Wu Lao and Yang Yu were consumed by terror. Their faces pale with fear, they fled without looking back, soaring into the sky.