Minutes turned into hours as she searched diligently for the herbs they needed to retrieve, as she walked further and further there, she looked at the frozen lake within the forest, suddenly, she spotted a patch of frost lotuses above the frozen lake, their delicate blue petals shimmering with cold light, even from her distance she's able to see cold qi radiating from the plant.
Serana approached the lake with heightened instincts, when she was about to step into the lake, she suddenly felt something off, A terrifying feeling crept on her back as her goosebumps spread all over her body!
She paused and didn't dare to step into the frozen lake, this the first time Serana felt something terrifying
The forest around her seemed to hold its breath, an eerie silence descending like a shroud. Serana's grip tightened on her sword, her eyes scanning the surroundings. The cold seemed to deepen, and she felt a malevolent and terrifying presence lurking nearby. Slowly, she turned around her back, her posture tense and ready.
From the shadows emerged a figure, its form twisted and grotesque. A demon, its eyes glowing with a sinister red light, stepped into the clearing. Its skin was a sickly shade of gray, its claws long and sharp. The air around it crackled with dark energy, a palpable aura of malevolence.
Serana was shocked to see the appearance of a demon! "Why is there a demon here!?" her thoughts ask only for herself as she carefully prepared herself from this dangerous encounter.
Demons usually reside in the underworld and wouldn't dare to come up in the overworld where they are now, yet this demon is here.
Serana's heart raced, but her expression remained cold and focused. She shifted her stance, her sword at the ready. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
The demon's lips curled into a wicked smile. "Who am I is not important," it hissed, its voice dripping with malice. "And you, foolish mortal, have trespassed into my domain."
Serana's eyes narrowed, "the forest is its domain?" she thought silently as her grip on her sword tightening. "I'm here for the herbs. I have no quarrel with you."
The demon laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the forest. "Herbs? You think you can simply take what belongs to me? You are mistaken."
Without warning, the demon lunged at her, its claws slashing through the air.
"!!!"
Serana reacted swiftly, her Heaven Deceiver meeting its attack with a resounding clash. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through her arms, staggering her back, fortunately she was able to circulate her qi fast otherwise, the massive strength of the demon would pummeled her down, but she held her ground, her black ice qi flaring to life around her blade.
The demon stopped for a second, eyes sharpening after seeing her ice qi, it felt danger from her qi.
With a *swish* the demon circled her, its movements erratic and unpredictable.
Serana maintained her stance, her eyes tracking its every move. The demon lunged again, and this time, her qi flared as she countered with Frostbite. Her sword slashed through the air, leaving a trail of black ice in its wake. The demon howled as the ice spread from the wound, immobilizing its arm.
The demon canceled its attack and leapt backwards, looking at its frozen arm, shocked.
Enraged, the demon leaped snarling and swung wildly with its other claw. Serana ducked under the attack, pivoting smoothly on her heel. She followed up with Glacial Sweep, her blade sweeping in a wide arc.
*Siiif!*
The air around her crackled with freezing energy as the black ice qi created a 180-degree arc in front of her. The demon staggered back, its movements slowed by the intense cold.
Realizing it was losing, the demon unleashed a barrage of desperate attacks.
Serana's movements were a blur, each step and strike executed with precision and control. She parried a claw swipe, spinning gracefully to deliver a counter-strike. Her blade connected with the demon's torso, the black ice qi spreading rapidly and further slowing its movements.
"Gaah!"
Seeing an opening, Serana channeled her qi into her sword, preparing for Absolute Zero Thrust.
Feeling the terrifying qi gathering, the demon tried to escape, however.
The blade glowed with a dark, icy aura as she concentrated her energy into a single, powerful point. With a swift, fluid motion, she thrust her sword forward, aiming for the demon's heart.
The blade pierced the demon's chest, and the black ice qi exploded outward, freezing it instantly. The demon's eyes widened in shock, its body shuddering as the ice spread, immobilizing it completely. With a final, agonized cry, it shattered into countless shards, disappearing into the cold air.
Breathing heavily, Serana lowered her sword, her gaze sweeping the clearing, cold sweat dripping on her back. The demon's presence had vanished, leaving behind only the eerie stillness of the forest.
"That was dangerous… Good thing that demon is underestimating me."
She glanced at the frost lotuses, their delicate petals untouched by the chaos of the battle.
"Good." She sighs in relief.
Gathering the herbs quickly, Serana remained vigilant, her senses on high alert for any other threats. She knew the forest held many dangers, but she was determined to complete the mission and return to her sect to report such encounters.
Demons have no place in this world, they are a dangerous race as their potential is higher than humans making them terrifying, thus the appearance of a demon race in the overworld is a serious matter.
As she made her way back to the rendezvous point, her thoughts briefly lingered on the battle. The demon had been powerful, but she had emerged victorious. Excitement welled in her heart as she realized she had become powerful enough to protect herself, that her previous self couldn't.
However, despite her confidence in her abilities, the unexpected encounter left a gnawing worry in the pit of her stomach. If there was one demon lurking in the forest, there could be more. And Jessica was out there alone.
Realizing this, her pace quickened, each step more urgent than the last. The thought of Jessica facing a similar threat alone was unsettling. Despite their differences, Serana had grown fond of her new companion that she finally considered as 'friend'.
She couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her.
The cold air bit her cheeks as she navigated the forest, the trees casting long, ominous shadows in the fading light. Her senses were heightened, every rustle of leaves and snap of a twig putting her on edge. She had to find Jessica and ensure she was safe.
Finally, she reached the rendezvous point. However, the area was quiet, too quiet.
"Jessica?" she called out.
Anxiety gnawed at her as she scanned the surroundings. There was no sign of Jessica. The eerie silence of the forest seemed to close in around her.
She kept looking around as worry filled her heart, she sprinted towards the path that Jessica took.
"Jessica!" Serana called out, her voice echoing through the trees. There was no response. She called out again, louder this time, her voice edged with desperation. "Jessica, where are you?"
Just as panic began to take hold, she heard a faint rustling in the underbrush. Serana's heart leaped into her throat as she turned towards the sound, her sword at the ready. A moment later, Jessica emerged from the foliage, her face pale but determined.
"Serana!" Jessica exclaimed, relief flooding her features. "I heard you calling. Are you alright?"
Serana let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her tense posture relaxing slightly. "I'm fine," she replied, her voice steadier than she felt.
She walked towards Jessica closer and held her hand, "Were you able to get herbs? Hmm? Serana why are you holding my hand?" Jessica asked with a faint blush on her face, for the first time, Serana proactively held her hand making Jessica who's not used to this blushed and stunned.
Serana didn't saw her expression as her gaze wandered around the forest, she nodded, "But I encountered a demon. We need to be careful. There could be more out here."
Jessica's eyes widened in shock. "A demon? Here? That explains the strange feeling I've had since we arrived. Did you... did you defeat it?" Her hand held her mouth due to shock. It's a demon after all!
Serana nodded, her expression grim. "Yes, but it wasn't easy. We need to stay alert and stick together from now on. This forest is more dangerous than we thought."
Hearing that shocked Jessica even further, she can't believe that her junior actually had slain a demon! That's amazing feat!
Although she hasn't encountered the demon face to face, she was still able to sense that demonic presence away from her location, it was terrifying.
Jessica nodded, her earlier cheerfulness replaced by a serious determination. "Understood. Let's find those remaining herbs and get out of here as quickly as possible."
With renewed vigilance, the two continued their search, moving as a unit through the treacherous forest. The encounter with the demon had shaken them both. Together, they navigated the dense undergrowth, their senses on high alert for any sign of danger.
Finally, after what felt like hours, they found the remaining herbs they needed: the snowflake lotus and the Starfall blossom. Serana's keen eyes spotted the delicate blooms, their petals shimmering with an ethereal light. They carefully harvested the herbs, their movements swift and efficient.
This time, there's no more demonic encounters so everything went smoothly but they still stayed vigilant in case something might happen.
With their mission complete, they made their way back through the forest, the weight of the collected herbs reassuring in their packs. Despite the lingering tension, there was a sense of accomplishment between them.
The two quickly left the forest without looking back and soon as they reached far away from the forest enough, Serana allowed herself a rare moment of relief. She glanced at Jessica, who returned her gaze with a tired but genuine smile.
"Thanks for sticking with me, Serana," Jessica said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I couldn't have done this without you."
The thought of having a demon encounter alone had already made her weak, what if she encountered it face to face? If Serana wasn't here and brought weaker disciples instead she'd be dead by now.
Serana's cold demeanor softened slightly, a faint smile touching her lips. "We make a good team," she replied. "Let's report back and get these herbs to the alchemy peak."
With a final look at the forest behind them, the two disciples headed back to the sect.
…