Sect leader had a puzzled expression on his visage.
He floated above the void with his hands behind his back. His regal robes fluttered freely with the wind and his eyes gleaming brightly like two suns gazed at the entire Demonic forest ahead of him.
From where he stood, he looked like the sun who glowed powerfully. Letting no darkness cover his figure as his aura passively illuminates his body.
Just then, 3 figures flickered with warping shadows, revealing 3 new men who wore the same robes and stood before sect leader floating above the void.
"Nothing, huh?" the 3 men shook their heads responding to sect leader frowning. Then he felt dejected as he heaved a tired sigh.
It's been 3 hours since he heard the bad news that Wang Xie was taken.
At first, sect leader didn't want to believe that squirrels were capable of taking a powerful young man without trouble but after he investigated the room where he found a broken glass window and numerous paw prints of the same animal, he had no choice to believe it.
And what's even worse was that their tracks couldn't locate them. They were just far too numerous and tailing one track at a time had caused so much confusion that it was best to give up.
Right, didn't that disciple said that his companion was chasing after them, wonder how he's fairing?
Though, if possible he wanted Wang Xie and that other guy in one piece when they get out of the forest. The Demonic forest at nighttime is just far too dangerous for an ordinary Cultivator to venture in. And it wouldn't even be mysterious if one got done in without realizing it.
But for sect leader with his cultivation realm that had reached such a profound level, the Demonic forest was a children's playground for him regardless of day and night.
But he was just one person and it may take about a day before his Spiritual Awareness could fully scan the entire forest all the way to the end of the Red Zone.
And at that time, it may be too late to search for Wang Xie.
Also, he was quite curious about these squirrels.
It's not liked every day that some mob of furry rodents go on a rampage and take anyone they want so wantonly.
And that's not all, why Wang Xie?
Why are squirrels doing this, in broad daylight, and took him deep into the Demonic forest in the middle of the night?
Is someone scheming behind their backs? Collaborating with squirrels nonetheless? Or is someone controlling the little creatures to do their bidding?
Sect leader shook his head and ceased those thoughts. It's not good to overthink unless you want to become an idiot.
A lesson he had learned the painful way after confessing to his crush...
"Let's head to the north and search there." the three nodded in agreement to sect leader's command. And just when he was about to wave his hand to teleport, he suddenly heard faint noises different from the howls and roars at the north side from where he stood.
The noise was faint, almost unheard, and was drowned under the heavy roars of the forest. And if Sect leader hadn't amplified his senses with Spiritual Awareness, then he would have doubted his ears.
Turning his head to look, he saw with his gleaming eyes something rampaging ahead.
Just over 3000 meters away, Qin Lao was running for his life.
Carrying over his back is Wang Xie still carrying the sword, his body fine without a wound but his robes were halfway torn to rags.
Qin Lao's robes were also in the same ragged state, although he sustained minor wounds, he was fine enough to use every part of his body.
But the same couldn't be said about his stamina.
Although healthy cultivators don't usually get exhausted too early because of the vast Qi reserves they have stored act as supplements for satiation and stamina, cultivators were still human in the end. The fleshly body had limits to what how much it could handle and Qin Lao was experiencing such constraints.
He cursed his body for getting tired too soon but it couldn't be help since he had been performing Power Technique after Power Technique and his Qi reserves were almost sapped from doing it.
And that's not all. What was worse about this whole mess was the angry mob chasing after him.
Far behind him were 5 giant creatures that were large as elephants. Their bodies covered with soft white fur all over up until their tails down to their hindlegs. They had eyes that were large has fists glowing bright red under the darkness. Their razor-sharp claws dig the hard ground with every step and their mouths drooled with acid spit.
They emanated torrential auras that tore the air in vibration, seemingly exuded by powerful beasts -- capable of flooding their areas with an invisible force using only their presence. No doubt, that they are stronger, no, much stronger than Qin Lao in his Foundation Formation Realm.
If one were to estimate their strength, then they'd be Power Core Realm Savage beast!
Qin Lao cursed his luck, back in the cave, he could've have foreseen this. All he knew was the moment he got so deep within was when he saw the squirrels performing some kind of tribal ritual and payed tribute to the 5 savage beasts residing in the cave.
Their tribute, Wang Xie!
After all of what he had witness with his eyes, only a fool wouldn't know what would happen if Wang Xie were offered up to those monsters.
So, with a half-assed plan devised, he calculated that he had a 70% chance to retrieve Wang Xie from them and escape with minor injuries after executing it at the right timing.
And now, he was being chased... Chased and chased until he forgot himself in the process being hunted down by these humongous squirrels.
And in total, there were 5 of them chasing after him. Can his luck get any worse?
'Here it comes again!' Qin Lao tensed up as he sensed a premonition about to unfold.
Immediately, he kicks the ground and separated himself from the ground. From where he once stood, one of the giant squirrels attacked the area. Creating a huge depression that shook the ground with its giant paw.
Such damage, one can only imagine Qin Lao squashed to a pulp if he didn't dodge.
"Daybreak sword arc!!"
High up in the air, Qin Lao bellowed as he raised his glowing sword down and swung upwards.
An attack that lacked amnesty, an attack wishing to manifest his belief, Qin Lao, made his strike.
At the moment, it was as if his sword became such rising in the east. Bringing daylight to the dark lands, a sword slash shot down below targeting the savage squirrel beneath him!
After a bright glow that faded after a second, the sword slash made contact with the beast and the ground. Kicking up swirling dust and resulted the ground to crack with a giant fissure the size of a tree.
However, the hide of the savage beast was too resilient to be cut from his attack. Therefore, it was utterly undamaged!
That, Qin Lao had already known such a case, such that even his strongest attack was utterly futile. But he managed to stun the beast with it for only a moment and that gave him more seconds to survive.
With amazing acrobatics, he aligned his body vertically and land on the head of the beast. Only to kick again to jump and distance himself from the creature. And then, resume running.
So many times, he wanted to dump Wang Xie, even though he practically weighs nothing, just to lure the savage beast away from him.
So many times, he thought he was going to die. Only to bellow in rage and fight back using all his strength.
So many times, yet he is still far away from the sect grounds, where the experts stronger than him are roaming about aloft from danger.
"Ahh!!! Wang Xie, you owe me big!"
Qin Lao roared in rage as he kept running. Only to be ignored by the forevermore, unconscious Wang Xie.
...
In the sky, sect leader and the 3 men observed below where Qin Lao was struggling with the savage squirrels. They shook their heads in pity for his bad luck.
"What do you think seeing the young man struggling?" Sect leader asked the three.
"I think he's dumb. He should've used the environment to his advantage. Lure the squirrels into other savage beast territories to shake them off."
"I think he's going to die. Despite his high cultivation, he doesn't care to further strengthen his realm and maximize the potential of his foundation. People like him are only going to last after a short bitter struggle of life and death."
"I think he's weak. Clearly, having mastered the 'Daybreak Sword arc' in minor accomplishment, he should have been able to bisect the beast or at least wound its flesh. But his state of mind is awry. Clearly, he's a guy who doesn't like waking in the morning to see the sunrise. That only hampers his insight with the sword technique. Not only that, his combat sense is also abysmal. Clearly, he has little to no experience with death and doesn't use his fear to strengthen his resolve. All I want to say is how did a guy like him get the status of Core disciple with such weak capabilities?"
The three nodded in agreement and shook their heads in scorn and pity. Sect leader merely chuckled at their vicious comments and said calmly.
"I think he's the hope of our sect. freaks of nature like young Wang cannot understand the struggles of those with weaker aptitudes towards cultivation for they are blessed with gifts that will make him soar up high and leave the ones below.
But people like that young man there, struggling with every power he had, fully understands the trouble of those beneath and trains everyday arduously in order to supplement his weaknesses. Because he doesn't want to be weak. Because he wants to be strong. Because he doesn't want to die. Because he doesn't want to struggle anymore. He has many sets of motivation to live his life fully utilizing all his potential. Those motivations can be understood by others. Those struggles can enlighten others. And one day I want to see a young man like him lead his generation out of the status quo and rise from the struggles and hardship. And because of that, is why he is dumb, weak and about to die.
But in the end, that's a waste of talent for us now won't it?"
After saying such, an uncanny smile sprouted from his lips.
The three who listened such exchanged glances with each other and saw each other's perplexed faces. Seemingly wondering whether the sect leader was spouting bullshit like a demagogue or he was speaking something incredibly profound that they couldn't understand.
In the end, they just said.
"Sect leader is wise. I'm sure that guy, whoever he is, will become a great disciple in the future."
"Sect leader is magnanimous. You invested all your life into the sect. I'm sure your diligent efforts will reward you in the future."
"Sect leader is kind, you understand the pain and struggle your disciples go through each and every day. I'm sure that the young generation will praise you for your vast vision to bring the sect to further heights."
"... You guys, even a dog knows how to praise me better than you lots, what the hell are you talking about? Expecting all these heavy things from me, don't you realize that I'm still human?"
The three were left speechless under the sect leader's frown and lowered their heads in shame.
Sect leader paid them no further heed and went back observing Qin Lao who was now surrounded from all sides. Nowhere to escape.
"Oh, looks like it's time for me to intervene."
Sect leader chuckled lightly and descended down. A powerful storm of energy was brewing within his body. Ready to be unleashed.