Intercepted? Xiantian sect!

Next day, thousand beast forest!

"Hahaha! Look at this fool sleeping here!" one of the disciples jeered, pointing mockingly at Su Xiaobai's prone form.

Outside the entrance of a cave, Su Xiaobai lay on the cold stone ground, appearing unconscious. The rocky terrain beneath him was jagged, but he didn't flinch.

The dense forest canopy above barely allowed the dying light of dusk to seep through, casting long, shadowy fingers over the clearing.

Su Xiaobai's mind, however, was fully alert.

His senses extended outward, noting every subtle shift in the air, every presence around him. 'Six cultivators,' he calculated silently. 'Their cultivation levels aren't too high, but I can't afford to be reckless.'

"Elder Bai, come quickly! Look at this idiot, lying here like a dog!" another disciple taunted, his voice thick with contempt.

Su Xiaobai fought the urge to twitch. *If I reveal myself now, they'll only escalate the situation. Best to wait...'

He carefully regulated his breathing, giving no sign that he was conscious.

A tall figure, his black robes adorned with the crest of the Xiantian Sect, stepped closer and nudged Su Xiaobai with his boot.

"Get up, you coward!" His voice was sharp, laced with arrogance. Yet, Su Xiaobai remained motionless, even as a light kick brushed his side.

'Patience,' he reminded himself.

Before any further taunts could be thrown, a voice rang out, cutting through the forest air like a cold wind slicing through silk.

"Cheng Yong, Wang Fei, both of you will take fifteen lashes as punishment for breaking sect rules!" The words were soft, yet carried a sharpness that made the disciples freeze.

Swoosh!

Descending gracefully from the sky, Bai Yujian, the Sword Peak Elder of the Xiantian Sect, landed as lightly as a falling petal. Her raven-black hair cascaded like silk, adorned with silver ornaments that caught the dim light. A single jade pin held her elaborate updo, while strands of delicate, jewel-studded chains framed her flawless face.

Crimson eyes, as cold and piercing as rubies, swept over the group with quiet authority.

Her dark robes hugged her slender waist, embroidered with silver patterns that gleamed faintly like hidden blades. Every step she took radiated an effortless grace, but there was no mistaking the coiled power beneath her serene exterior.

The parasol she carried twirled gently in her hand, an elegant decoration concealing its potential as a lethal weapon.

"You've forgotten the rules of the sect, haven't you?" Bai Yujian's voice, though calm, struck like a sword's edge. "Mocking the weak and abusing your status—this is not the way of the Xiantian Sect."

Cheng Yong and Wang Fei exchanged panicked glances, their earlier confidence fading under her sharp gaze. "Elder Bai, we didn't mean any harm! We thought—"

"Thought what?" Elder Bai's narrowed her eyes, "That humiliating a defenseless person would elevate your own standing?" Her tone was quiet, yet every word carried weight, as though each was a verdict sealed in stone.

Swoosh!

Lan Meiyu, a stunning beauty with almond-shaped eyes and fair skin, stepped forward, her green robes hugging her figure and swaying with each graceful movement.

Her lips curved slightly, though the glint in her eyes hinted at curiosity. "Still, this man… he seems suspicious, doesn't he? Why would he be lying here of all places?"

As she stepped closer, her flowing robes highlighted the gentle curve of her waist, and her dark hair cascaded down her back like a river of silk.

The wind carried her soft fragrance, flowing effortlessly.

"Suspicious or not, it doesn't excuse your actions," Elder Bai replied, her sharp gaze flickering toward Su Xiaobai.

'He's awake,' she noted, sensing the faint ripples in his qi.

Fatty Zhou, a stocky disciple with a round face and nervous energy, scratched his head. "Elder Bai, should we wake him up? If he's just a passerby, we're wasting time."

Xiao Yu, his sharp eyes never leaving Su Xiaobai, stepped forward.

The short-haired, blue-robed cultivator spoke with icy precision. "He's no mere passerby. His breathing and aura betray him. He's a cultivator, just like us."

Bai Yujian's crimson eyes glimmered momentarily. "Leave him be for now," she commanded, her gaze icy.

She turned toward Liu Zhenhai, the inner court disciple known for his rising talent. "Liu Zhenhai, do you find anything?"

Liu Zhenhai, his tall figure clad in a striking yellow robe, stood near the cave entrance, his sharp features framed by long blonde hair that gleamed faintly in the first sunlight.

His eyes, dark from many sleepless nights of cultivation, scanned the area with calculated precision. He exuded confidence, his bearing that of someone used to sitting at top.

"Elder Bai," he began, his voice steady, "I'm certain the treasure is hidden behind this boulder."

Lan Meiyu's eyes sparkled as she glanced at him, admiration clear in her gaze. "Really? You're incredible, Senior Brother," she purred, stepping closer, her movements fluid and graceful, her chest rising with her soft, exaggerated breath.

Fatty Zhou and Xiao Yu exchanged knowing looks, their expressions masking the slight amusement they felt.

Everyone knew Lan Meiyu's true intentions—her presence here wasn't about finding the treasure, but pursuing Liu Zhenhai.

"Disgusting..." Still, Xiao Yu's eyes flicked toward her with faint disdain.

Her open attempts to use her beauty to sway Liu Zhenhai were painfully obvious, and to him, more of a distraction than anything else.

Meanwhile, Su Xiaobai remained perfectly still, his mind taking in every detail.

Su Xiaobai lay still, his senses sharpened as he probed the cultivation levels of those surrounding him.

His heart skipped a beat as his attention landed on Elder Bai.

He couldn't sense her cultivation at all, which could only mean one thing: her power was far beyond anything he could grasp. Whoever she was, she was leagues above him—likely in a realm so high it was impossible for him to measure.

'Who is this person?' Su Xiaobai mused, doing his best to remain calm.

He had faced powerful cultivators before, but this Elder Bai exuded an aura of calm that masked the danger beneath her serene exterior.

A seasoned predator hiding in plain sight.

The other six cultivators weren't nearly as well-concealed. He could sense their breathing, feel the pulse of their cultivation. 'Two of them,' he noted, Chen Yong and Wang Fei, were both at the late stage of the Nascent Soul Emergence Realm.

Respectable for their age, but nothing that made Su Xiaobai feel particularly threatened. They were skilled, sure, but their talent was average by his standards.

Then there was Liu Zhenhai.

Su Xiaobai's eyes flicked briefly toward him. Younger than Chen Yong and Wang Fei, Liu Zhenhai had already reached the Intermediate Stage of the Nascent Soul Ascension Realm, which was a significant leap in power.

His aura was sharp, brimming with potential, his presence commanding without even trying. 'He's younger and already more powerful than the others...' Su Xiaobai thought, a flicker of annoyance passing through him.

A true genius.