Kai retreated into the woods, choosing the shadowed safety of the forest over the open peril of the main roads. The roads were too exposed, too vulnerable to patrols or roaming bands of demonic cultivators. He knew the risk of the forest wasn’t negligible—spirit beasts and demonic creatures prowled the wilderness, each one a potential threat—but he judged it the lesser danger. Wandering into a group of demonic cultivators, with their cunning malice and organized brutality, would almost certainly mean death.

  Weighing his options carefully, Kai decided that the forest offered him the best chance of survival. As a cultivator, even a rogue one with limited resources, he was not entirely helpless against the wild. Spirit beasts, while dangerous, were often territorial and predictable. Most low-level ones could be repelled with a show of strength or avoided altogether. And if confrontation became unavoidable, he at least had a chance to escape.

  Kai’s primary concern lay with demonic beasts. Unlike ordinary spirit beasts, which were part of the natural order, demonic beasts were grotesque aberrations. These creatures, tainted by demonic qi, sought power through the consumption of human flesh and blood, twisting their forms into something half-human, half-monstrous. With their newfound intelligence often came a cruel, sadistic nature that made them particularly feared. To most cultivators, righteous or otherwise, demonic beasts were abominations that had to be eradicated on sight.

  Encountering one would be perilous. Their cunning nature made them far more dangerous than spirit beasts, and escape wasn’t always an option. A demonic beast could stalk its prey, exploit weaknesses, and attack with brutal efficiency. Kai knew that facing such a creature would push his already limited abilities to their breaking point.

  However, he reassured himself with the fact that this was still Ember Sword Sect territory. The sect’s influence and regular patrols kept demonic beasts at bay, at least it used to. The process of a spirit beast becoming a demonic beast was not instantaneous—it required exposure to demonic qi and, typically, the consumption of cultivator or mortal corpses. As long as the sect maintained its hold, the likelihood of a demonic beast emerging in the area remained slim.

  Still, the current conflict between the righteous and demonic cultivators complicated matters. Prolonged battles would undoubtedly leave a trail of destruction in their wake, and with that destruction came opportunity. The corpses of fallen cultivators, rich in spiritual energy, could become a feast for spirit beasts. If enough of these beasts stumbled upon such remains, the conditions for transformation into demonic beasts would be ripe.

  Kai shuddered at the thought. A prolonged conflict wouldn’t just devastate the sects and their territories—it could unleash a wave of demonic beasts into the region, compounding the chaos. He glanced around the dense forest, suddenly more aware of the potential dangers lurking in the shadows.

  For now, he could move through the Ember Sword Sect’s territory with relative confidence, but he knew that confidence was a fragile thing. The longer this conflict raged, the more precarious his situation would become. The forest, already a place of uncertainty, could soon turn into a breeding ground for horrors.

  Kai’s hand instinctively brushed against the hilt of his sword, a small comfort as he navigated the dense underbrush. His senses remained sharp, his ears tuned to every rustle of leaves and distant cry of unseen creatures. The forest was alive with movement, and the energy of spirit beasts pulsed faintly through the air.

  He moved with calculated precision, his steps careful to avoid dry twigs or loose rocks that might betray his presence. The forest was a maze of towering trees and thick undergrowth, but Kai’s instincts guided him well. This wasn’t the first time he’d traveled through untamed wilderness, and those skills—honed in training and survival drills during his time with the Ember Sword Sect and the dreams of another life—were proving invaluable now.

  Despite the dangers, there was a strange solace in the isolation of the woods. The towering canopy above muted the harsh sunlight, and the earthy scents of moss and pine grounded his thoughts. Here, amidst the wild, he felt more at ease than he had in the ruins of Uije or the chaos of the sect’s grounds.

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  He paused briefly by a clear stream, kneeling to cup his hands and drink. The cool water was refreshing, a brief reprieve from the tension that coiled in his chest like a snake. As he straightened, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Kai allowed himself a fleeting moment of optimism. The forest, dangerous as it was, felt more honest than the politics of sects or the bloodlust of demonic cultivators.

  As Kai stood by the stream, the unsettling feeling crept over him again—the distinct sensation of being watched. His eyes darted around the dense forest, scanning the trees and shadows, but as always, nothing seemed out of place. No movement, no rustling beyond what the wind might cause, no signs of life beyond the occasional chirp of a bird. It was the same as during his frantic escape from the Ember Sword Sect’s grounds—an unshakable suspicion that lacked any tangible proof.

  Even now, with no evidence to justify the feeling, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. But he couldn’t afford to waste energy on paranoia, not when so much was at stake. Shaking his head, he forced himself to refocus on his immediate plan.

  He recalled a city to the east—Mungsu. Situated along a major river, it was one of the larger cities in the region. Its strategic importance ensured that a significant number of Ember Sword Sect cultivators were permanently stationed there. If the city still stood, its defenses would have been bolstered by those cultivators, making it a potential sanctuary amidst the chaos.

  Kai's hope rested on the assumption that the demonic cultivators hadn’t targeted Mungsu yet, or that if they had, its size and fortifications had allowed it to hold out. It was a tenuous hope, but it was all he had.

  His plan was simple: reach Mungsu and secure passage on a riverboat heading south, out of Ember Sword Sect territory. The city’s location on the river made it a hub for trade and travel. If there were still boats in operation, he could use one to put as much distance as possible between himself and the sect’s crumbling influence.

  The idea of traveling south held an undeniable allure. The farther he could distance himself from the chaos of the Ember Sword territories, the better his chances of survival. He imagined life in a distant region untouched by the constant strife of cultivators—a quiet, secluded place where he could live as a hermit, far removed from the ambitions and conflicts of the cultivation world.

  A simple agrarian life might suit him. Tending to crops, raising livestock, and existing without the constant threat of betrayal or death—it was a vision that felt almost dreamlike in its serenity. Yet, Kai knew better than to let himself get too lost in that fantasy. Before he could even think about such a life, he would need to reach safety, and safety was a scarce commodity in times like these.

  Kai crouched by the stream and cupped his hands in the clear, cold water, splashing it over his face. The chill shocked his senses, helping him ground himself. His gaze flicked back to the forest again, half-expecting to catch a glimpse of something—or someone—lurking.

  Nothing.

  "Just my imagination," he muttered, though he couldn’t quite convince himself.

  With a steadying breath, Kai set his sights eastward and began his journey. The dense forest stretched endlessly before him, its shadows long and foreboding, but he pressed on with quiet determination. He estimated that avoiding the main roads would stretch his travel time significantly—it might take him at least three weeks to reach Mungsu, even with the enhanced speed and endurance afforded by his cultivation.

  Three weeks was a long time to be exposed to the dangers of the wild, but Kai knew the roads were an even greater risk. They would be patrolled by righteous sect members searching for deserters like him, while demonic cultivators could use them to lay traps for the unsuspecting. Staying off the beaten path, though slower, was the safer choice.

  He mentally prepared himself for the arduous trek ahead. Three weeks meant surviving on whatever food he could forage or hunt and enduring the harsh elements of the wilderness. It also meant maintaining his vigilance, watching for both spirit beasts and signs of other travelers—friendly or hostile.

  His journey to Mungsu would test him in more ways than one, but he had no choice. If Mungsu stood intact, it would be his first real chance at escaping the Ember Sword Sect's territory.

  And so, step by step, Kai began the long trek eastward, his thoughts already turning to strategies for surviving the days ahead.