C20 Demon Hunter

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Qin Biao's elongated shadow stretched into the mouth of the cave. Once he departed, the stone pillar withdrew into the cave on its own. Looking up from the bottom, the cave was now fully submerged by the waters of the deep pool, its original form indiscernible.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Biao knelt and bowed several times in reverence to the cave. He may not have known which formidable demon had left behind this sanctuary, but its legacy had opened up a world of possibilities for him, and for that, he was profoundly thankful.

With his belongings gathered, Qin Biao, armed with a dagger and the Demonic Cire, set off down the mountain, intent on finding a safe place to tend to his wounds and begin refining the Demonic Cire.

Qin Biao was high up on a mountain, and he had to choose a different descent path than the one he used to enter the cave, wary of any lurking demons. In his current state, he was vulnerable; even a single demon could spell his end.

He made his way cautiously, sticking to the mountain's crest and opting for the cover of hidden paths. Oddly enough, despite the distance traveled, he encountered neither demon nor beast, which put him on high alert. He had just acquired a precious treasure and wasn't about to lose it to some unforeseen danger.

What should have been a half-hour journey to the mountain's base took Qin Biao a full hour, but the eerie silence that surrounded him as he finally neared the foothills allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief.

"If I had been caught on the mountain, I'd be done for, but in the woods, I can use the cover of darkness to flee," he mused, gazing at the sky as it darkened. With a deep breath and a grimace against the pain, he hastened into the shelter of the trees.

In the forest, Qin Biao moved with ease, his years of experience living in the wild guiding him. When night fell completely and the moon rose high, its beams cast a silvery glow on Qin Biao, turning his hair a shimmering silver-white.

Qin Biao immediately felt the pain in his body subside significantly, yet he dared not stop. He pressed on at breakneck speed. An hour had passed since his descent from the mountain, but the forest felt like a silent graveyard, its quietude eerily unsettling, giving Qin Biao the impression that danger was drawing near.

Another hour later, Qin Biao paused atop a large tree, gasping for breath with his back against the trunk, the silver glow enveloping him noticeably dimmer.

"Huff, huff, should be safe enough here," he muttered to himself. After scanning the surroundings and detecting no anomalies, he swiftly ascended to a high branch with agile movements.

Settling into position, Qin Biao sat down and began to meditate, facing the moon. Away from Siyu, these nightly sessions had become his most serene moments. Thanks to his cultivation practice, he now absorbed the moon's essence at an increased pace. A small orb of spiritual energy had formed three inches below his navel, growing steadily with each breath he took.

As he meditated, the moonlight coaxed his wounds to knit together. By the time Qin Biao reopened his eyes, he was fully healed. Assured that he was in good shape, he resumed his journey. Despite the absence of any visible threats, an inexplicable sense of urgency gnawed at him, compelling him to leave the area swiftly.

Now fully restored, Qin Biao's pace quickened. He bounded from branch to branch, propelling himself even faster with powerful thrusts from his thick tail. Under the moon's watchful eye, he had no idea how much distance he had covered, but the thinning trees ahead suggested an exit was near.

Elated at the sight, Qin Biao hastened his steps, eager to traverse the final stretch. However, as he settled on the nearest tree, preparing for another leap, a sudden burst of conversation reached his ears.

Instinctively, Qin Biao halted and concealed himself behind the tree's broad trunk to listen intently.

"I absolutely despise these kinds of missions. What's the fun in capturing demons? It's utterly exhausting!"

"Exactly! It's all because of you lot! Keep in line, or if you upset me, I might just stew you all—believe it or not!"

"Let it go, let it go. Just let them be. Otherwise, we'll have trouble explaining ourselves when we return."

Qin Biao's heart skipped a beat upon overhearing such conversations, and he instantly grasped why everything around him was eerily silent.

In this world, many sects tasked their members with capturing demons for various purposes. Some were used for food, others for experiments due to their formidable physiques, and the most unfortunate ones were taken as sparring partners.

Each sect had its disciples, who typically lacked real combat experience, making survival in the harsh outside world a grueling challenge. Demons like Qin Biao became targets for these sects, captured to serve as training partners. Their robust bodies meant they wouldn't die easily, so they could be kept alive with just basic sustenance until they were too worn out and discarded.

Most demons would prefer a swift death over enduring daily beatings and suffering. But the sects wouldn't allow this, so for many demons, capture meant a one-way path to death, with only a rare few surviving.

With these thoughts in mind, Qin Biao instinctively turned to leave, but as he did, a glint of cold light caught his eye, sending a jolt of fear through him. With a powerful flick of his tail, he propelled himself onto a nearby tree branch.

The spot he had just vacated was cleaved by a slash of cold light, revealing a man clad in a white martial training uniform standing below, smirking coldly at him.

Qin Biao's brow furrowed as he darted into the woods. One human was not enough to scare him, but with backup nearby, being cornered would spell certain doom.

"Little Demon, you're quite the runner! But let's see if you're faster than my sword!" the man taunted with a sneer, pursuing Qin Biao through the trees. Qin Biao weaved through the forest, but the man was relentless, keeping pace and determined to capture him. And so, in the depths of the forest, a deadly chase ensued.