Miles away from the Cloud Sword Sect—
high above a vast mountain range—
space rippled once more.
A graceful figure stepped out from the distortion.
Zuo Qia.
Her pristine white robes fluttered gently in the wind.
She came to a gradual stop in the empty sky.
Towering mountains surrounded her in every direction.
Ancient forests blanketed the valleys below.
Clouds drifted lazily between the peaks.
Silence.
Her gaze slowly swept across the surroundings.
The faint demonic aura she had been following...
Had disappeared.
Not weakened.
Simply...
Vanished.
She remained perfectly calm.
After several moments—
she spoke.
"...You've led me quite far."
Her voice wasn't loud.
Yet it carried effortlessly across the mountains.
"...Since you've gone through so much effort..."
"...Why continue hiding?"
No answer came.
Only the wind stirred through the forests below.
Zuo Qia's expression remained indifferent.
"...A demon beast capable of infiltrating the Cloud Sword Sect..."
"...Possessing intelligence..."
"...And concealment of this level..."
"...You're certainly not ordinary."
Her spiritual sense silently expanded.
Sweeping across every mountain.
Every valley.
Every stream.
Searching.
Nothing.
Not even the slightest fluctuation remained.
For the first time—
a trace of curiosity appeared in her eyes.
"...Interesting."
"...You erased your aura completely."
She paused.
"...Or..."
"...You were never truly here."
The surrounding mountains remained silent.
Even the birds had ceased their calls.
Zuo Qia stood motionless in the empty sky.
Waiting.
As though convinced...
The mysterious demon beast was still watching her from somewhere unseen.
Hidden beneath layers of perfect concealment—
only a few meters away—
the tiny white-scaled lizard hovered silently in the empty sky.
His golden eyes remained fixed upon the white-robed woman.
She stood motionless.
Completely unaware of his presence.
Lizarius quietly observed her.
*...Not her.*
His thoughts remained calm.
*When I was attacked...*
*There were five Nascent Soul cultivators.*
The memory resurfaced briefly.
Five overwhelming presences.
Five distinct spiritual signatures.
He had engraved each of them into his memory.
His gaze lingered on Zuo Qia.
*This aura is different.*
*Completely different.*
There was no mistake.
She had not been among those who had pursued him.
His thoughts continued.
*It is unlikely that all five belonged to the Azure Sky Sect.*
*Some may have originated from neighboring sects.*
*Or allied forces.*
*That possibility always existed.*
Which was precisely why he had come here.
Not merely to observe the Cloud Sword Sect.
But to verify something.
*The Cloud Sword Sect possesses only two Nascent Soul cultivators.*
*One remains within the sect.*
*The other...*
His gaze settled upon Zuo Qia once more.
*...Is standing before me.*
Another quiet conclusion formed.
*Neither matches the five.*
His original suspicion quietly faded.
*As expected.*
*The probability was never high.*
*I merely came to confirm it.*
His eyes shifted briefly toward the distant horizon.
Far beyond those mountains...
Lay another direction.
*If I wish to find them...*
*The place most worth investigating...*
*Remains the vicinity of the Azure Sky Sect.*
He had already traveled far from that region.
Far enough that continuing the search here would accomplish nothing.
Still—
one thought remained unchanged.
His golden eyes grew slightly colder.
Hidden beneath layers of perfect concealment—
the lizard silently watched.
Calm.
Unwavering.
*Though she is not one of them...*
*A Nascent Soul cultivator remains a Nascent Soul cultivator.*
*The difference is irrelevant.*
*My intention remains unchanged.*
*To kill at least one Nascent Soul cultivator.*
No hesitation.
No anger.
Merely a conclusion.
His tiny body slowly expanded.
Bones lengthened.
Muscles swelled.
White scales rippled one after another.
Within moments—
the white-scaled lizard had grown to several meters in length.
Still completely invisible.
Not even the surrounding spiritual qi reacted to his existence.
His golden eyes locked onto Zuo Qia.
Then—
he moved.
---
Zuo Qia remained suspended in the empty sky.
Her spiritual sense swept across the surrounding mountains.
Nothing.
Not the slightest fluctuation.
"...Running already?"
Her voice remained calm.
Then—
**BOOM!**
A violent impact slammed into her protective qi.
Her pupils contracted.
"...!"
She never saw the attack.
Her body was blasted backward like a shooting star.
The surrounding air shattered.
She had barely begun to regain her balance—
**BOOM!**
A second invisible strike slammed into her barrier.
Cracks spread across the protective qi.
Her body shot downward uncontrollably.
The mountains below rushed toward her.
Just before crashing—
Sword qi erupted beneath her feet.
**Whoosh!**
She forcefully halted herself.
The mountaintop beneath her trembled violently.
Dust and shattered stone rained downward.
She slowly rose back into the sky.
Hovering once more.
Beside her—
a pale white flying sword emerged from its sheath.
It floated quietly at her shoulder.
Its sword intent spread across the surrounding mountains.
Zuo Qia's expression remained composed.
But inwardly—
her heart had already grown solemn.
*I didn't sense it...*
*Not even once.*
*The first strike...*
*The second...*
*Neither carried the slightest warning.*
Her spiritual sense expanded again.
Farther.
Sharper.
Sweeping every inch of the surrounding mountains.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
*...What terrifying concealment.*
Her eyes narrowed.
"...So."
"...A sneak attack."
"...Yet you still refuse to show yourself."
Silence answered her.
Only the mountain wind drifted between the peaks.
She slowly raised one hand.
The white sword beside her began humming.
Sword intent quietly spread outward.
It grew increasingly sharp.
The surrounding clouds were silently cut apart.
Even the wind itself seemed to split before her.
"...Since you refuse to appear..."
"...Then I'll simply force you out."
Her fingers slowly formed a sword seal.
The flying sword trembled.
A brilliant white radiance erupted from its blade.
Sword qi spread in every direction.
It wasn't aimed at a single target.
Instead—
it flooded the surrounding sky indiscriminately.
Wherever concealment existed—
it would be cut apart.
Her gaze remained cold.
"...Let's see..."
"...How long you can continue hiding."