"Shui!" Jun shouted into the thick fog that surrounded her. "Shui! Answer me! Shui!"

Jun had never been this alone. It felt strange to be away from Shui in such a meaningful way. Leaving her at the house was different. That had been a necessity. Driven by the need to eat and provide some form of income for the both of them. Mostly hunting and providing resources she found in the forest.

But this was nothing like that. Jun felt suffocated as she walked through the ink-like shadows and darkness that surrounded her. Her breath quickening and never enough. Unable to satisfy her lungs. No matter what technique she attempted to use to regulate it.

It surrounded her completely. Pressing down on her.

"Shui!" Jun shouted again.

Her ward had disappeared. The sole person she had forcefully continued to survive many calamities to ensure their existence was lost to her. Somewhere in the damned darkness. In a forest filled with monsters and spiritual beasts. Each one capable enough to slay her even with the presence of her massive hammer. The gifted weapon, much like her own powerful sword.

Wish Shui could have gotten a sword. Follow in our ancestor's steps. Then again, I've never seen him use one before. Only the dagger and long spear he carries all the time.

Both of them had made large strides in their cultivation, but even this miraculous pace could not make them into transcendent beings overnight. It would always take time and effort. As long as they weren't killed before they were strong enough to fight back against the tide that would see them dead.

Many a genius she had seen, killed before they grew their strength. Their potential wasted.

Jun shook her head. She was unintentionally distracting herself in a difficult time. Something she found herself doing too often lately. The more terrified, the more anxious, the more scared she was, the more likely her mind would lead her to a spiraling swirls of thoughts. All of them being unrelated to the other. One after another after another.

She cleared her throat and blinked her eyes to prevent the wetness from escaping. "Shui! Answer me, Shui! We don't have time to play in the forest. Not in the fog or the darkness! Come out or Ancestor will be displeased!

It's pointless. It's completely pointless.

Jun was just as lost as Shui would have been. Her sense of direction skewed. The darkness felt impossible to break through and seemed to dampen her spiritual senses. For all intents and purposes, Jun was blind.

Qi gathered in her arms. She unsheathed her sword and swung her blade left and right. Hoping it would do anything. It did not help. The shadows receded for a second before snapping back into place quickly. As though she had not done anything at all. Wasting Qi and her time.

She was breathing quicker now. Air leaving her chest faster than she could replace it. The edges of her eyes began to darken. She could hear herself. The thumping in her chest and loud breathing from her mouth. The shadows grew closer and closer—

Everything snapped back into reality. The shadows expanded. A large clearing became available for her to breathe in. A wide circle almost like a dome.

Jun almost collapsed to her knees. Holding strong as strength filled her limbs, a second wind that filled her chest. She let her sword fall, digging deep into the dirt underneath. Halfway up the blade. She leaned forward, hands on her knees. Allowing herself a brief moment to recover and slow her beating chest. Unwilling to give it more thought now.

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All she cared about was finding Shui—

A voice laughed. Loud, boisterous and filled with mockery.

She snapped her head towards where it originated. Searching the darkness that surrounded that area for the source of the laughter. For a moment she found nothing. Only for a dark figure in all black robes walked out of the shadows as though he was born into them.

Long silk like hair. Crescent eyes that nearly closed with mirth. Pale.

A chain of gold hung around his neck prominently, holding up a jewel of purple. A pulsating, dark and sinister glow. Accenting his figure and giving him an otherworldly look. Everything pointing to his Demonic origin.

Not that she could miss the Demonic Qi that dripped out of his core without any control. Evil and disgusting. Enough for her to involuntarily sneer at the man walking towards her. Her Ancestor would hate him. The lack of efficiency. The wasting of precious Qi. Posturing. Overly pompous, and from what Jun could tell, quite arrogant to boot.

"Little lamb," He said, stopping a distance away. "Why do you grimace? Are you afraid? Please be afraid."

"Afraid? Of whom?"

"Why, me of course! Who else, Little Lamb. Little Righteous Cultivator."

Jun stepped back. Her eyes widening and the sword pulled from the ground. Prepared for battle. Instantly understanding there was no way to speak her way out of this situation. Either she killed him or he killed her. She doubted her own death would be anything pleasant considering he was a Demonic Cultivator.

A base created upon taking advantage of others, killing, and amusing themselves with the suffering of others. Some more than the rest. A few close enough to be neutral cultivators.

He was the former rather than the latter.

Jun didn't know how long it had been since she had fought alone. Ever since her Ancestor had appeared, everything had changed for the better. Resources in abundance. Eating miraculous cultivation boosting rice. Weapons that would be sect treasures given out like they were worthless to him. And a dozen other things. None lesser than the other in any shape.

She took a deep breath.

Remember his lessons, Jun. Remember what he said. Quick. Decisive. No wasted movements or steps. Sharp.

The man reached behind him and pulled out a whip. She could feel the ring in his hand vibrate like a spacial ring, his reaching back only to add more to the scene. He unfurled it, snapping it back and forth as a threat.

"I'm going to enjoy making you suffer, Little Lamb," He licked then smacked his lips. "Your blood will be sweet to sip on. Flesh a treat to dine upon. It's been so long since the last Righteous Cultivator. Finally a chance to partake once more in cleansing the world of your filth."

Jun got into a battle stance. Quite similar to the katas she had been practicing to open her meridians more and strengthen them all. In preparation for something she didn't quite understand. Her Ancestor said it was necessary, and that was all she needed to know. She would do everything he told her. Not a shadow of doubt in her mind.

Not when he had proven himself time and again. His wisdom beyond her understanding.

"C'mon. Say something."

Dark miasma bubbled around him. Spreading like fog, making all the plants and leaves wither as it touched them. Evil filthy Qi that made her gag. Maleficence incarnate. Channeled into the whip to make it drip like blood.

Purple vines hid within it. Almost impossible for her to make out, but she did. Her master had been quite adamant she took the time to study her opponent. Learn everything she could before the battle. Even the most meaningless little thing could end up being the most crucial part in her battle.

"Maybe I shouldn't have distracted you," The man shook his head, letting out a long mournful sigh. "Will you return to your anxious suffering if I leave? It was appetizing."

"I am Hu Jun. Disciple of Yin Hu. Hidden Tiger. Beneath a Red Sun. Crouched under an Endless Canopy. Waiting for the Unwary Prey. Master of the Hu Clan. Founder. Ancestor. A being beyond your imagination! Introduce yourself, Demon."

The man laughed loudly. Holding his belly. "You're that Hu girl? How lucky I am."

"W-What do you mean?"

"The fox ZhenKang should have held you imprisoned for my arrival. I was only a few days late. How did the fool allow you to escape his barrier? When I get to him, he will suffer for his failure. No matter. Your doom has been guaranteed meeting me here."

It took a moment for Jun until a dawning realization fell upon her. Understanding who stood before her. The trouble she was in if her ancestor did not find her immediately.

Jun took a step back. Her hand trembled and legs immediately went weak. A real Immortal Peak Realm cultivator stood before her. Baring his fangs. Preparing to rip her limb from limb. She could only hope to dodge and run until someone saved her.

If anyone did.

"Shao Yating!"

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