I Only Wanted to Stay Unseen, Until...

Though it was just a single careless name slipped from some disciple's mouth—with no intent to seek out Lee Sagwon and his fellows—it still sent a shiver of dread through Pay Ling's bones. The air grew heavy with the threat of judgment, as if at any moment, an enforcer disciple might descend from the heavens, wreathed in black mist, their skeletal hands seizing him to face the merciless inquisition of the punishment crypt.

After being rejected by seven or eight teams in a row, Pay Ling's frustration simmered. One senior brother, his voice deceptively gentle, had sneered at him with thinly veiled pity: "No squad takes a fourth-layer Qi Refinement nuisance like you for free. Either pay spirit stones or offer something else—like sexual favors—or stay put and grind it out in the sect. In the Holy Sect, every breath demands tribute in spirit stones; disciples scramble like starved ghouls for survival, with no time for hollow charity."

Pay Ling's fury burned, his mind racing for an escape, when a man and woman—siblings by their looks—pushed through the crowd. They exchanged greetings with folks around, casually mentioning that they had just picked up a task and were about to depart, but were short one member in their squad. They were now recruiting at the last minute.

A male disciple approached them. "Senior Brother Chen, what kind of cultivator are you looking for? Will I suffice?"

"My apologies, your cultivation level's a bit too high," Chen Haunt replied with a polite smile. His voice was smooth, almost warm, as he gestured to his sister. "This journey is to forge my younger sister in fire—someone of her strength suits best."

Beside him stood Chen Mave, his sister, her shy smile and delicate frame exuding an aura of quiet elegance. She moved with the grace of a dancer, her soft curves and gentle demeanor making her seem like a figure from a dream.

Pay Ling's eyes gleamed with sudden hope. Shoving through the crowd, he blurted, "Senior Brother, I'm at the fourth layer!"

Tons of rejection had dulled Pay Ling's expectations, but Chen Haunt's gaze flicked over him—brief, calculating—and he nodded. "Very well. We depart at once. Can you keep pace?"

"Aye, sir!" Pay Ling was ecstatic. Having killed Lee Sagwon's trio, he wanted out of the sect now—not a second's delay!

Chen Haunt, naturally suspicious, found Pay Ling's eagerness a tad convenient. Yet he reasoned: a rustic spawn from some forgotten rural town, just arrived yesterday and already itching to leave today? It made sense that such a fool would fall into deception easily. With a faint smirk, he led Pay Ling out of the Task Division to a quiet spot nearby. "Rally the team. We're heading out," he murmured to Chen Mave, then turned to Pay Ling, his tone soft and inviting. "Junior, I am Chen Haunt."

He gave Pay Ling a quick rundown of the situation. This was a multi-task mission trip. Midway through the journey, Chen Haunt would split off solo to handle one of the tasks himself—as a sixth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator.

"No secrets here, since we're teammates," Chen Haunt said, his voice dripping with polite sincerity. "The main purpose of this trip is to take Mave-chan, my sister, out of the sect for training and experience. However, the expense of traveling out of the sect isn't cheap. To offset costs, I took on some tasks as well. When I'm off on my own, I'll need you to look after her. She's been sheltered and has no street smarts. Last time at a tavern outside the sect, she nearly got abducted by outside cultivators if not for a sect comrade protecting her!"

His implication was clear: The reason a sixth-layer cultivator like him would recruit someone weaker like Pay Ling was to ensure his sister's safety in his absence—and, at the same time, to minimize the threat to her, since Pay Ling and Chen Mave were at the same cultivation level.

Pay Ling swore earnestly, "Senior Brother Chen, I won't let you down. We're a team—advance together, retreat together. We rise or fall as one. I'll shield Senior Sister Chen with my life!"

However, in Pay Ling's mind: "Yes… until the second I step out of the sect. Shield her with my ass? Once out, I'll ditch them at the first chance I get."

Meanwhile, in Chen Haunt's mind: "The sect's fines are a leech on my soul—I must soon lure this fool beyond the sect's walls. My Summon Soul Banner nears completion; his flesh and soul essence will push the banner to the next level!"

Both scheming, both harboring evil intentions, they smiled deeply, their expressions radiating sincere kindness. Both feared the other might suddenly regret and back out, so they doubled down on friendliness.

When Chen Mave returned with three others, she found her brother and Pay Ling locked in a camaraderie that seemed forged in lifetimes past. "Junior Brother Pay," Chen Haunt declared, his voice rich with warmth.

"Come meet the team. My beloved sister, Chen Mave, is at the fourth-layer Qi Refinement stage. This is Hwong Hyun, fifth-layer, who brings exceptional skills to our team. Cheung Jeor'tin, fifth-layer, a dedicated and talented member. And Sil Deshah, fifth-layer, a true asset to our team and someone we deeply value. We've walked the path together for years. With a young talent like you joining us today, this calls for a grand toast!"

With the team assembled and greetings exchanged, Chen Haunt wasted no time, hustling everyone to an observation deck nestled in the misty waist of the peak.

A sparse queue lingered there. Though it wasn't long, both Chen Haunt and Pay Ling fidgeted like they were on pins and needles. Were it not for the ten-spirit-stone fine penalty for cutting ahead, they'd have shoved to the front without hesitation.

Finally, their turn arrived. Chen Haunt handed over ten low-grade spirit stones. "Rent a patch of Corpse Cloud. Please be quick, Senior. Our task brooks no delay!"

The disciple at the platform remained silent, his expression unreadable as he motioned for them to follow. Without a word, he led them toward the edge of the cliff, where a faintly glowing array pulsed with an otherworldly light. Pay Ling hesitated, a cold knot of unease tightening in his chest, but he stepped onto the array alongside the others.

In an instant, the world twisted and blurred. When his vision cleared, he found himself standing in a vast, open-air cave.

The disciple continued forward, and the cave opened up onto a narrow, outstretching deck that jutted precariously over a yawning abyss. Pay Ling realized they were right beneath the array they had just stepped onto. The disciple stopped at the edge and, without a word, tossed the spirit stones into a dark, gaping hole in the center of the deck.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the hole began to glow—a sickly, pulsating light that made Pay Ling's skin crawl. The glow intensified, and the hole suddenly widened, revealing rows of jagged, bloodied teeth. The hole wasn't a hole at all—it was a mouth. A massive, grotesque maw that dripped with viscous, dark liquid. The teeth gnashed together with a wet, grinding sound, and the disciple stepped back, his face still eerily calm.

Before anyone could react, the mouth snapped shut with a deafening crunch, the sound of stones being crushed echoing through the cave. A surge of grey energy erupted from the maw, swirling and roiling like a storm. The air grew thick and heavy, trembling with a palpable sense of dread. Overhead, the grey mist coalesced into a dark cloud, its edges writhing with a deathly chill. Within the cloud, glimpses of mangled limbs and shattered bones flickered like fragments of a nightmare.

Pay Ling's breath caught in his throat as the cloud began to descend, the stench of decay and blood filling the air. The disciple turned to them, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Enjoy your ride."

"Junior Brother Pay, hop on," Chen Haunt said, stepping onto the Corpse Cloud first. Though the cloud looked like mist beneath his feet, it held him steady, floating effortlessly.

Pay Ling, seeing a Corpse Cloud for the first time, had no mood to marvel. He leapt aboard, expecting something squishy like cotton, only to find it as firm as ancient stone.

The others followed, and Chen Haunt's fingers wove a seal. The Corpse Cloud shuddered, then began drifting southeast, its pace quickening as it cut through the fog.

"Senior Brother Chen," Pay Ling asked, "Is the gate of the Holy Sect located southeast?"

"You just joined the sect yesterday, so it's no wonder you don't know," Chen Haunt chuckled. "The main gate lies due south! But the entire sect is under the protection of a giant, invincible formation array called the Nine Heavens, Ten Realms, Yin-Yang Plague World Array. For convenience, there are exits in every direction—just verify your nameplate, and you can pass. Our destination's closer via the southeast, so we're heading this way."

Pay Ling's mind ticked. "So, outside the sect, the nameplate loses its worth?"

"What on earth are you thinking?" Hwong Hyun cut in. Silent until now and visibly unimpressed with Pay Ling, he sneered, "When you join, your essence blood lights the Soul Lamp. The nameplate's forged with a wisp of its breath. Inside the sect, you can't walk without it for a second. Outside, it's your sigil—proof to wield sect authority and a beacon to call for aid if you're in trouble!"

"Senior Brother Hwong, so even outside, the nameplate's got plenty of uses?" Pay Ling's heart jolted, his tone cautious and probing. "What if I lose it by accident?"