Sam opened his eyes to a dark room. Something felt wrong. A shiver ran through his body as his eyes darted around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Shadows danced across the table under the window, which had his few belongings haphazardly dumped on it. Opened pill bottles were scattered around him as he sat deathly still on the cushion. His senses were heightened as he subconsciously cycled his Qi. His eyes darted at every movement.

He was possibly acting paranoid, but ever since becoming a cultivator, he had started depending more and more on his spiritual sense. It helped reveal the truth of the world around him, and he had learned to trust it. Right now, it was telling him there was a lurking unseen danger.

Slowly standing up while careful not to make a sound, he stepped over to the table and clasped his hand around his sword's handle. He had been sharpening its blade in preparation for the upcoming matches and had left it out.

Should I escape out the backdoor and run to Hugo for help? Sam thought. His friend from Darklight City had entered the tournament with him and was staying a few houses away. I could also run into the street and call for a Redclaw to protect me.

Deciding that was a good idea, Sam curled his fingers around the sword's hilt. Picking it up with ease and still surprised at how light it felt since reaching the Soul Fire Realm, he raised the sword and saw how the moonlight reflected off the blade. His heart froze. He locked eyes with someone through the window. It was a half-masked woman shrouded in black cult robes, and upon seeing him, she smiled. A predatory smile.

"Found you," she mouthed before rushing off to the side.

Sam stood there dumbly, rooted in place in sheer terror. The off feeling that had awoken him from his meditation had been that woman's encroaching bloodlust. She was here to kill him, and worst of all, he recognized those lips. They belonged to that arrogant woman who had pulverized him into the mud a few days ago.

Fear gripped his soul. While he had experienced a power-up to the Soul Fire Realm, he knew the difference between them was still vast. She had humbled him greatly that night.

The door rattling broke him out of his stupor. He turned and staggered through his dark room toward the back door. Half-empty porcelain pill bottles shattered underfoot as he desperately ran toward the exit. There was a loud crash behind him, and he barely had time to sidestep a flying part of the door. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. His breathing became erratic as he spun and saw the woman's figure backlit by moonlight through a cloud of dust.

"I finally found you," the woman said as she stepped inside. Thick soul flames like water flared across her body as she brought out a sword that glinted in the moonlight. "As I expected, you recognize me, don't you?"

"W-What do you want." Sam stuttered as he raised his sword and desperately pushed his earth Qi into the blade. Brown soul flames wreathed the metal, and he felt a constant tug on his Soul Core.

"Dead men tell no tales," the woman said simply. "Or should I say dead boys in this case? I suppose you are quite talented to reach the Soul Fire Realm at your age," she tilted her sword and pointed the tip at him, "And I hate talented people the most."

"A dull rock is more talented than me," Sam retorted. To be labeled as 'talented' was ridiculous in his eyes. Had she seen the effort he had put into training for months without results, would she say the same thing? He locked his eyes on her and slowly backed up toward the door. If he could just reach Hugo—no his friend wouldn't last a minute against this woman. He needed the Redclaws or the help of his Master!

"Maybe you're right," the woman sneered. "Even a rock would know there's no chance of running." She rushed toward him so fast that he barely raised his sword in time. An ear-shattering clang echoed through the room, and Sam immediately felt his arms numb from the impact despite his muscles and bones being hardened by his earth Qi. Is the difference between us really this vast? Sam gritted his teeth as his arms strained. I could barely block a single attack.

"You really have gotten stronger," the woman sneered as she shifted her body weight forward, causing Sam to lose his footing and send him stumbling back. "But it's still not enough."

Sam desperately blocked the next few sword swings from the woman. While she had impressive strength, her technique was lacking, which let him bridge the gap a little.

Why isn't she using any Qi techniques? Sam wondered as he noted the black flames flaring across her body, empowering her muscles. He had only just stepped into the Soul Fire Realm and hadn't had time to learn any techniques yet, but she should know a few. Is she trying to kill me without leaving a trace?

It was then that Sam remembered where he was. It's no wonder she is trying to kill me quietly. If she earned the ire of the Ashfallen Sect, especially the Princess, there is no way she can survive.

Sam knew there was no way for him to survive parrying any more attacks as his arms were dead weight at his sides. So he breathed in as much dust-filled air as possible and screamed at the top of his lungs, "Help! Somebody is trying to kill me! Help!"

It was shameless, but he didn't care.

"You twerp," the woman hissed, and he could feel the impatience in her voice, "Just die already."

She became a flurry of attacks. Sam barely blocked two strikes, but the third finished him. His sword went flying out his numb fingers, clattering to the ground. What followed was a horizontal slash aimed at his neck. He managed to lean back enough to prevent himself from being decapitated, but the blade still cut cleanly through his throat, painting the nearby wall in his blood. The burning, hot pain that followed made him scream, but all that came out was a gurgle as he began to drown in his own blood.

"This is your fault, you know?" the woman smirked as she leaned over him, pointing the bloodstained blade at his face. "If you had kept your eyes on the ground like a good little mortal, you could have lived out the rest of your miserable life."

Sam still didn't understand why this cultivator had gone so far out of their way to kill him. Dead men told no tales? What the hell was he going to tell anyone about? How he got beaten up and left in the mud? What would he gain from telling anyone that embarrassing story other than Hugo?

"It was over there!" A voice shouted from outside.

Sam saw the woman's arrogance twist into utter fear at the voice. Her sword vanished in a flash of silver, and she didn't even give him a second glance as she dashed out the back door.

"They are on the move!" The voices shouted, and he could hear them getting further away.

No! What about me! Sam cried out in his mind as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't breathe, his ears rang, and his vision darkened. He was so so tired. His whole body was numb. Is this how I die?

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When he heard that the Redclaws could be called upon for security, and considering how many cultivators lived in the Red Village, he felt safe living here. But in the end, his lack of personal strength was his downfall.

"Mhm, sloppy swordsmanship, and she never used her Qi, so it's hard to tell if she is the one I'm searching for..."

Sam's eyes widened as he tilted his head and saw a cloaked person emerge from the shadows. They wore a jade mask that covered their entire face and seemed to distort their voice. If not for their mutterings, I would have never noticed their presence. How long have they been there? Wait, that's not important right now. I'm dying.

He raised his arm with all the effort he could muster to draw their attention and slapped it down. The masked person glanced at him.

"You're still alive?" the person crouched beside him and ran a finger along the slit in his neck, "Ah, you used earth Qi to stop the bleeding and harden your neck so the sword didn't bite as deep as it could. You earth affinity cultivators sure are tough. Let's get you healed up."

Sam saw a flash of infinite white encompassing his entire vision, paired with the feeling of falling through the floor. The person stood over him, looking down at him and tilting their head. "You look familiar," they mused as the infinite white was replaced with a vast canopy of red leaves and the roar of a ferocious storm. "If you want a job after the tournament, you should speak with Grand Elder Douglas. We are always looking for people capable of construction."

What is happening? Sam was so confused, and his head was spinning. He squinted as a blinding light came into view.

"Don't worry, Sol here will heal you up." The person said before they turned to leave, "I've got a rat to catch, so this is goodbye." In a flash of white, the person vanished like a ghost.

Wait, don't leave me here...

The blinding light got closer until it was pushed into his forehead. A wave of refreshing coolness washed through his body from his head to his toes. The burning pain in his throat vanished, and a few moments later, he gasped and sat up as he desperately took in a deep breath.

"I'm alive?" Sam patted himself down in disbelief. As the rush of battle faded, he hated to admit a tear rolled down his cheek. Since becoming a cultivator, his life has been opened to new possibilities and dangers. In a single week, he had almost died twice. He'd thought mortals had it rough as cultivators could easily kill them, but it turned out to be even worse as a cultivator. "I hate that woman..." he said, his voice shaking, "How can she treat people like this. Killing people for simply looking at her..."

It took him a while to calm down. He simply lay there on the purple grass. There was a bench nearby, but for some reason, his spiritual instincts told him not to sit on it. The strange wooden creature supporting the orb of light that had healed him wordlessly lumbered back to its position under the massive tree, leaving him alone.

Sam looked up at the tree that towered over him, and a realization slowly set in.

Isn't this... Red Vine Peak? He scampered to his feet and glanced around.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Sam called out. Master said if I ever made it to Red Vine Peak, I would learn the secrets of cultivation. While I got here in a different way than I expected, it should still count, right?

Nobody answered him for a while until Sam saw the silhouette of someone walking through the intense rain. A person! Someone is here. He gingerly walked toward them, and as they got closer, he noticed they hadn't gotten taller.

A tiny person, barely reaching his chest, emerged. They wore a black cloak that seemed to be made of almost skin-like material and had two giant glowing blue eyes. The monster looked up at him.

"Great potential, you have." It said, pulling out a parchment from its sleeve, "Take this."

Sam hesitantly took the parchment and unrolled it. This must be the secret to cultivation. He thought as his heart pounded in his chest. He had dreamed of this moment for months. With baited breaths, he read the title.

Mudcloaks realm domination scripture.

"What an imposing title." Sam hissed through his teeth in awe. "This must be a powerful cultivation technique."

"While the tree slumbers, follow the teachings. Powerful you will become." the monster said before giving a small nod and vanishing into the rain. "Good luck, human."

"Uh..." Sam didn't know what to say as he looked between the scripture and where the small monster had left. While the tree slumbers... he looked up at the demonic tree lording over the peak. When it awakens, will it take this scripture from me?

Sam hurried back to the grass and sat down. Before sunrise, he would learn as much as he could about the secrets to cultivation.

***

Stella passed through the aether and returned to the house where she had found the half-dead kid. The place was a mess, with signs of a battle all around: broken furniture, pieces of porcelain strewn around, and bloodstained walls. She had been scouting the area when she heard a loud clang, so she teleported and watched the final moments of the battle from the shadows.

No traces of Qi. What affinity did that woman have? Stella was very curious. Since Ashlock was asleep as it was the night, Stella was left alone to deal with this mess. Though, she could command the Ents and Redclaws as she pleased. It's only been a minute, so the woman couldn't have escaped far. The Redclaws are locking this area down, so there's only one place she could flee...

White flames engulfed her as she once again silently stepped into the aether and remerged in the lobby of the Ashfallen Trading Company. Nobody was here so late at night except for a single employee behind the counter. The same man she had asked questions to the other day.

"Has anyone come through here?" Stella asked, pointing at the portal.

"Ah, investigator!" The man awoke from his daydreaming, "Yes, a few have."

"Any in the last minute?"

The man nodded, "Yeah, a woman came rushing through here a moment ago. Actually, now that I think about it," he twirled his mustache in thought, "I believe I sold her pills earlier. I didn't get the best look, but she seemed familiar."

"I see, thank you." Stella turned and was about to leave when she felt a ripple of Qi behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the man looking at his spatial ring in concern. Cracks were appearing on its surface. Stella wasn't sure what was wrong with it, but she instinctively shouted, "Quick! Throw the ring to me!"

"Oh!" The man yelped in surprise and threw the ring at her.

As it arced through the air, the ring shattered into a hundred pieces, and something began to emerge from a corrupted-looking portal that manifested where the ring had been.

Stella stood there patiently as the monster made its appearance.

The disgusting-looking creature took advantage of her lack of action and slithered out of the portal with unsettling grace.

It resembled a nightmarish amalgamation of various predatory features, such as an elongated body covered in an oily black carapace that seemed to absorb the surrounding light. Its head was a hideous blend of a serpent and an insect, and the creature made a low thumping noise, matching the rhythm of the pulsating, crimson veins that decorated its body.

The monster looked around with multifaceted eyes that glowed with an eerie violet hue, observing its surroundings with unnerving intelligence.

"What in the nine realms is that," The mustache man stammered as he stepped back from the counter.

"I dunno, you tell me. It came from your spatial ring"

The monster lumbered toward Stella with hunger. A viscous, dark substance dripped from its row of jagged, uneven teeth and hissed as it hit the ground. Clearly, it was a corrosive fluid similar to what Tree used to melt his prey.

Tentacle-like appendages extended from its back, like featherless wings. At their tips were sharp bones that looked like they could impale anything.

"Investigator, you should run! I-I can call for the Princess."

No need when I'm right here. Stella thought and smirked behind her mask.

The monster lunged at her to take a bite—Stella unleashed her soul pressure and bloodlust, flattening the monster and stopping it in its tracks. The monster let out a strange whimper.

What an odd monster. Stella thought as she patted it on the head and felt it shiver under her touch. "You're my pet now. Understand?" She whispered, and the monster seemed smart enough to agree with a pitiful cry. "Good. Now stay still."

Stella stepped around it and faced the mustache man, "Why was this in your spatial ring?"

The man gulped, "I-I have no idea..."

"Have you been given anything strange recently?" Stella asked, "Your spatial ring is linked to the Ashfallen Trading Companies vault underground that stores all our spirit stones, so there should be nothing but spirit stones and pills in there."

The man's face scrunched up in deep thought before a look of realization struck him, "That woman," his eyes darted to the doorway that gave way to the ferocious storm, "She gave me a strange black pebble as a gift—said it was blessed by the All-Seeing Eye and that she won it in the tournament."

Stella snorted, "That bitch never competed in the tournament." Walking toward the storm, a sword appeared in her hand, and she whistled to her new pet, "Come on, we got some hunting to do."

The nightmarish creature lumbered forward, and the unlikely pair headed out and vanished into the rainfall, leaving the pale-faced mustache man muttering to himself behind.