The beast lay sprawled on the ground, its blood seeping into the earth, mingling with the remains of its victims. Alex breathed heavily, sat as he was beside the lifeless creature with his sword still dripping with its dark blood in a reverse waterfall of absorption. Behind him, Jin surveyed the scene with a peculiar expression.

is he... why is he smiling? Are they all nuts? Alex keenly sensed the faintest upturn in the corners of Jin's lips as the youth surveyed the blood-soaked destruction with relish.

Alex turned to regard his visitor, as Jin finally broke the silence.

"What happened here?" Jin’s voice was cool, deeply contrasting the scene of chaos around them.

Alex looked at Jin, taking in his immediate return to a composed demeanour.

"I killed it," Alex said simply, his voice flat in an attempt to hide the turmoil within.

Jin approached, his eyes scanning the bodies with clinical detachment. "You're not hurt?"

"No," Alex replied curtly, his fingers tightening warily around his sword's hilt.

Jin knelt by the creature's remains, examining it closely. "Remarkable," he muttered, more to himself than to Alex. "You managed to defeat one of the Little Demon's creations. How?"

Alex shrugged, wiping the blade clean. "Luck, maybe. Or instinct." He watched Jin's reaction, wary of revealing too much. He had made sure to avoid triggering his active skills due to the possibility of being seen, but the skill he had displayed would still prove difficult to explain.

And I don't have enough Qi reserves for another battle... he's going to have to buy whatever I'm selling,

Jin's gaze shifted to Alex, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Just instinct, you say?... Sure." He stood, brushing dirt from his robes. "it's not uncommon for people with enemies to hide their true capabilities, Ah-lex. if you have such enemies within the sect, then I'd suggest finding allies."

Alex scoffed internally at the idea of trusting any of the uncompromisingly competitive disciples he had witnessed thus far, before deciding to change the subject. “Either way, It’s done. Whatever this thing was, it won’t harm anyone else now.”

Jin briefly schooled his expression to one of stoic observation, before his face brightened as he stepped closer to inspect the beast. “Yes, you did quite the number on it. That was some fight.”

So he did see the fight, Alex thought. It's a good thing there was no active skill use, or we'd probably be fighting to the death now. Alex nodded, wiping his brow. “It wasn’t easy. This thing... it was fast, stronger than all of us.”

"Is it a spirit beast?" Alex ventured, "I've rarely ever seen one up close, and this one looks... Strange."

"it is and it isn't." Jin began before hesitating, "It's a cross between beast and man, most likely merged to greater strength through demonic rituals of some kind."

Jin's gaze was unyielding. "A spirit beast isn't a mere animal, like the monsters our 'system' creates through altered physiology with concentrations of mana, those are mindless and driven by the instinct to consume or absorb more of their 'mana'." Jin spoke the word 'mana' with sheer disregard and a wave, as though it was beneath him to even mention the energy.

"Spirit beasts cannot be compared. They are born from the spiritual qi of the world, possessing powers and intelligence that often surpass that of sentient beings. Their lineage usually endows them with unmatched potential, too. It can make them extremely powerful and dangerous, depending on the type."

"You've heard of Elder Zhen's spirit beasts, haven't you?" Jin's voice cut through the silence, a casual yet probing tone.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Alex, not wanting to appear ignorant, nodded slowly. "Yes, of course. They are said to be of legendary stock." He hoped his vagueness would mask his lack of knowledge.

Jin glanced at Alex, a knowing look of excitement in his eyes. "Yes, they're not just any spirit beasts. The beasts are young, but their lineage is unparalleled."

"They are the two beasts we must locate. The Fire Tiger and the fledgling Blood Phoenix. As the Fire Tiger comes from volcanic mountains, we will have to be wary of its flames and molten lava. Its hide will be nearly impenetrable, and it regenerates by absorbing heat. I suggest we tackle the Phoenix." He paused, as though expecting resistance from Alex, then continued when he met none. "Yes, it is more powerful, yet it will be more open to negotiation. It is a creature of rebirth, fire, and blood, capable of defying the heavens and resurrecting from its ashes. It will not fear death nor see us as a threat."

"Every spirit beast in this realm will likely be nurtured to the highest stages of cultivation and become our rewards. Fully developed, their cores and flesh can be the greatest of prizes." He leaned closer to meet Alex's gaze. "you should pay attention to any that catches your eye. They can either become companions, alchemic ingredients or we can have their cores, bones and flesh removed to create equipment and weapons, or simply consume them to enhance our stages, though I'm sure some will have attempted to escape by then."

"...I see," Alex responded, before pausing to look at Jin and pointing at the defeated blood creature. “And I'm guessing you arrived just in time to see this creature fall?"

Jin's eyes glittered as he nodded and nudged the beast with his boot. “Shame I missed the fun. It's a relief that you survived, though I would have loved to have helped you defeat it."

"You did what needed to be done. Efficiently, I might add. There’s something almost... poetic about the destruction.” He crouched down, examining the beast's claws. "And it's quite the specimen. I wonder what made it tick."

Alex frowned slightly but said nothing about Jin’s comment. Instead, he sheathed his sword and started to look around at the remains. “The others... they didn’t stand a chance.”

Jin shrugged, indifferent. “Such is life. Or death, in this case.” He crouched down, touching the blood-soaked ground, then looking up at Alex. “So, what’s next? Do we leave them here for the vultures and head for the eight-stage spirit beast, or the ninth? You won't be able to face either alone, you know. Even with your hidden genius."

Alex’s jaw tightened as he glanced around the carnage. “We need to bury them. They deserve that much.” He began to gather the bodies, starting with the nearest one, a young woman.

"You're joking, surely." Jin watched him for a moment, then sighed dramatically. “If you insist. Not like they’ll care now, though.” He reluctantly started to help, albeit less reverently,

As they worked in silence, Jin spoke again, his tone casual. “So, Ah-lex, where did you learn to fight like that? That was not the proficiency you displayed in our duel."

Alex glanced at him briefly. “I've always been good at fighting and surviving. Perhaps I'm a genius, as you said."

Jin nodded, seeming to agree with Alex's words.

Alex hesitated, then added, “What about you? You don’t seem too fazed by all this.”

Jin looked up, meeting Alex's gaze. "I've seen worse," he said simply. "People can be far more monstrous than any beast. You learn to get used to it."

Jin continued digging a grave with a dark indifference in his voice. "This is normal. Perhaps not in other sects, but for the Ben-Nui, it is such." He waved his sword, causing a burst of Qi to flatten the earth and unceremoniously seal the dead. "The unprepared do not last long in this sect and the prepared receive much more than all others. That is why they are the best.”

Alex didn’t respond immediately, somewhat speechless. He had often found the notion of normalised societal evil quite unrealistic and had expected to meet at least one somewhat good or at least sympathetic cultivator. But it seemed the present sect was not the place to find such a person. He stood over the graves, whispering a silent prayer before departure, while Jin watched with him with a bemused expression.

Finally, Jin broke the silence once more. “You know, you’re an interesting guy. I think we’ll make a good team.”

After a while, Alex simply said, “We should get moving.”

Jin nodded, surprisingly cooperative. “let's search and try to at least locate either spirit beast by nightfall?

Alex looked at him, studying his face. “Maybe. Sure. But for now, let’s just focus on avoiding the source of the blood creatures.”

Then a thought occurred to Alex. Before turning to leave, he stabbed his blade into the ground, surveying the gruesome scene one final time. Blood stained the earth, the scent of iron heavy amongst them. "We need to report this. Get some help out here. The others deserve that much." He started walking deeper into the realm, expecting Jin to follow.

Jin didn't move immediately. He stood there, watching Alex with a contemplative expression.

"You don't know, do you?"

Alex turned, confusion crossing his face. "Know what?"

Jin looked around, taking in the carnage with a detached gaze.

"The Little Demon of Winding Bloods did not break in," Jin said, his tone calm. "He was captured and placed in the hidden realm by the sect. They want to separate the wheat from the chaff, and likely crippled him in some way to give the best of us a chance."