The Naked Human

"Hey, brother, they sent us to die in this so-called Silent End Forest, but it's been a week already and we haven't encountered a single threat," a woman who looked to be in her thirties spoke with a bored tone, casually swinging her sword across her shoulder.

There were eight people in their group—disciples who had committed a grave mistake within their sect. As punishment, they were exiled to this infamous forest, named Silent End just a few years ago.

The forest had once been ordinary, occupied by common beasts. But something had changed five years ago—whoever stepped deep into it simply never returned. There was no trace, no remains. Just silence. That terrifying silence had earned the forest its ominous name.

Many sects, realizing this, began using the forest as a place of punishment. Enter and survive, and you'll be forgiven. Fail, and you were never meant to return.

Unfortunately, not a single person had come back—even the strong ones. Over time, even high-level cultivators didn't want to enter the forest just to die.

"Tch, just shut up and wait. We're almost there," one of the men, her brother, barked. He knew they were nearing the deep in the forest. The beasts had stopped increasing in strength.

All of them were disciples from one of the Four Sacred Sects, each strong enough to defeat Spirit Master-level beasts—at least when fighting together.

'That's your seventh time saying we're almost there,' other disciples of the group cursed inwardly in unison. The forest was massive, and they had been moving nonstop. The endless trees, the unchanging landscape, the quiet—it was driving them mad.

Worse, there was no way to go back. The forest entrance was heavily guarded. Escape wasn't an option.

Meanwhile, a two-tail fox silently observed the group from the top of the thick trees, her expression completely nonchalant, as if the intruders were nothing more than passing insects.

She was Xi Ling.

Though her appearance still held a youthful glow, she had clearly matured. Her features were mesmerizing—so breathtaking that she didn't even seem real. Her once-soft eyes had deepened, now sharp and unreadable, and her lips, slightly parted, held an air of cold detachment.

Her body had blossomed into a figure that was both curvy and slim, the perfect balance between grace and allure. Draped in a flowing black dress that clung softly to her form, she stood like a shadow woven from silk—silent, watching, unreadable. Her two long, white fox tails swayed gently behind her, adding to the otherwordly presence she carried.

Her violet eyes radiated venomous loathing, fixed coldly on the intruders. It wasn't just indifference; it was disgust—hatred directed at these humans.

'It was humans who took away my mother… and her race's freedom. Ever since I encountered them, not a single one was a good person' she thought darkly.

The inheritance her mother left behind had taught her many things— She also knew not all humans were evil… but she didn't care. She hated them.

'This is the twenty-first group this year. Why do they keep coming?!' Her thoughts tightened with irritation. Still, despite her hatred, she didn't wander the world slaughtering humans—she had more important things to do. Much more important.

'With the treasures Mother gave me, I should be able to grow my third tail soon… and then leave this mortal world forever.'

As she sank deeper into her thoughts, a dark, ominous dagger materialized in her hand—its edge flickering like moonlight through the fog. Without a sound, she vanished into the forest.

Meanwhile, the group of disciples had stopped abruptly, eyes fixed on a small, slightly open clearing ahead. In its center stood an old, weather-worn wooden house, eerily silent.

"Ahhh! Brother, we finally made it! But… why is there a wooden house here?"

The sister asked with a sigh of relief, her tone joyous.

But hearing no answer from him, she frowned and looked at her brother's frozen state.

Meanwhile, The others were also frozen in place, their eyes wide and alert. Unlike her, they could feel it—something was wrong. Horribly wrong.

"What?! Are you shocked by some ugly shelter?" she scoffed, annoyed by her brother's silence. Still getting no reply, she reached out and grabbed her brother's shoulder, spinning him around.

"Quickly, get ba—!"

Six voices shouted at once, but it was too late.

Her words died in her throat as her eyes locked onto her brother's body. His head slowly slid from his shoulders, cleanly severed. The cut was so precise, so delicate, that it hadn't fallen immediately just Until she moved his body.

She couldn't move. Couldn't even breathe. Every sound from her companions had gone completely silent, swallowed by the stillness of death. And yet, she didn't need to turn around to understand what had happened.

Her heart pounded violently, so fast and so loud that it felt like it would rip through her chest and escape her body just to run away.

Then, a voice echoed through the forest.

A voice so ethereal, so divine, it made her knees weaken.

"Human... Tell them no one will take a single step inside this forest. Or I will step outside to hunt your lowly lives"

She never saw Xi Ling, but it didn't matter. The weight of those words crushed whatever strength she had left. Her vision blurred, the world swayed, and her body collapsed as everything went dark.

She would awaken hours later, alone, lying near the edge of the forest—alive but somehow totally broken.

Meanwhile, Xi Ling let out a tired sigh and began walking away from the now-silent clearing.

"Haaah... I should've just—" she paused mid-step, her body freezing.

Sniff Sniff

Her nose twitched slightly, catching a faint scent in the wind. Something unfamiliar. Something really good.

'What is this smell...?'

She hadn't eaten anything in years—not since her mother's departure. Nothing had ever come close to the heavenly flavors of her mother's cooking. Nothing even deserved to enter her mouth after that. She didn't need food, anyway. With cultivation, her body sustained itself completely.

But now… this scent. It tugged at her senses in a way she couldn't explain.

Extending her spiritual sense without delay, she located the source—and her eyes slightly widened in disbelief.

A human male… sleeping just a few kilometers away. And… he's naked…?

In an instant, her body was cloaked in dark blue energy, and in the next moment, she arrived directly in front of him.

Xi Ling stood over him silently, eyes narrowing as she examined his frail form. He was slim, clearly weak, different from those humans she was continuously killing.

But one thing caught her attention more… and made her expression twitch with wonder.

'Is something wrong with him? Why is that part of him… so big...?'

She wasn't ignorant of such things. Even if it was her first time seeing one, she knew enough to understand this wasn't normal.

With a quick shake of her head, she dismissed the thought entirely. She didn't feel anything—nor did she care. Especially not for some humans with strange things going on with their lower body.

'I know he's human, but why does he smell like this…?' she muttered inwardly. His whole body was giving off that scent—soft, oddly pleasant, yet entirely unnatural.

'Should I just kill him?' she thought casually.

A void-like, bluish dagger materialized silently in her hand. She didn't really care about this man—he was human, that was enough. Killing him would save her from unnecessary effort. What if he woke up and wandered toward the center of the forest? She'd end up having to kill him anyway.

It was better to deal with it now.

But just as she raised her hand, preparing to swing—

Her eyes widened in shock.

This human... had no Qi at all.

None. He was completely mortal—untouched by cultivation.

She froze in place, the dagger still hovering loosely in her fingers.

'How is he here…?' she thought in disbelief. 'There are Spirit Master-level beasts all over this region. He should have been torn apart without a group, yet… he's here. Sleeping carefree.'

It didn't make sense. If he'd entered from outside, he should have died within minutes. And she knew he hadn't been placed here by someone else—she would have sensed any intrusion in this part of the forest.

She kept staring at him, uncertain. Her grip on the dagger loosened slightly as questions spiraled through her mind.

And then, that scent again.

She instinctively sniffed once more, but immediately stopped herself, cheeks warming in embarrassment.

'What am I doing!? Sniffing a human…? How strange… how embarrassing…'

But still—something about him wasn't right. And Xi Ling hated mysteries.

Meanwhile, someone who appeared to be around sixteen years old slowly opened his eyes. As he sat up, all he could see was an endless, colorless void in every direction. There was nothing—no light, no ground, no sky. Just... emptiness.

He didn't know how he got here, or where he even was. And strangely, the more he thought about it,

Why does it feel like this is the first time he ever opened his eyes...?

Before he could process that thought, an unbearable pain suddenly exploded across every inch of his body. Every cell screamed in agony. The next moment—

*CRACK* *CRACK*

He was completely obliterated.

His entire existence shattered in a flash.

And then…

"Finally... you opened your eyes."

A voice echoed from all directions, ancient yet casual with unknown gender.

The young man reappeared instantly—as if nothing had happened—standing once again in the void. But now, his entire body trembled. His face was pale, his breathing unsteady. His eyes were wide with terror. The pain he had just experienced… was beyond anything imaginable. It was like being burned, crushed, torn apart, and erased all at once.

Then, ahead of him, a blurry figure slowly began to form, though he couldn't make out any details. His fear clouded his focus. His mind spun, unable to calm itself from the lingering pain and confusion, he opened his mouth.

"W-What-"

*CRACK* *CRACK*

Unfortunately, He died... again.