I Only Wanted to Stay Unseen, Until...

Lothgar Mountain sprawled vast and untamed, its rugged terrain a labyrinth of peaks, waterfalls, and winding rivers. Pay Ling recalled the conversation he'd had with Chen Mave on the Corpse Cloud, where she had given him a rundown of the region. It boasted five dozens towering peaks, ten dozens cascading waterfalls, and countless rivers and streams, its main range stretching tens of thousands of miles. 

The region's thick moisture nurtured a thriving ecosystem. The dense forest teemed with life: birds, beasts, snakes, and insects of every kind. It was a place where nature ruled, and humans were merely visitors.

Chen Haunt's crew, however, had come prepared. As they entered the forest, they distributed insect-repellent sachets, the faint herbal scent warding off the swarms of buzzing pests. Cheung Joer'tin took the lead, his long blade flashing as he hacked through the undergrowth, clearing a path for the group. Along the way, they faced ambushes from venomous snakes and territorial beasts, but Chen Haunt's team moved with the precision of seasoned task-runners. Each threat was met with swift, coordinated action, and the journey proceeded with surprising smoothness.

"Quiet!" Cheung Joer'tin's sharp command cut through the forest's ambient noise. The group froze, their bodies tensing as they scanned their surroundings. Before Pay Ling could react, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder—Chen Haunt, stepping up from behind, his grip firm and unyielding.

Chen Haunt's usually refined face clouded over. He shot Pay Ling a warning glance before turning his attention forward, his eyes narrowing as he peered through the dense foliage. Between the towering ancient trees, behind a thicket of brush, several red-eyed, blue-furred ape-like beasts frolicked. 

Motioning the group to retreat to a safe distance, Chen Haunt whispered, "From prior checks, these Fire-Eyed Cyan Apes are the biggest hassle here. If we don't clear them, they'll complicate things later."

Pay Ling watched silently, his expression neutral but his mind racing. He had no intention of pitching in. In fact, he hoped for the opposite—that Chen Haunt's team would slip up, giving him an opening to act. If chaos erupted, he could seize the opportunity to grab Chen Mave and strike a deal with Willow.

But then, Sil Deshah and the others pulled out liquor and knockout drops from their storage pouches. With practiced precision, they rigged a clever trap, exploiting the Fire-Eyed Cyan Apes' love for booze. The apes, drawn by the scent, eagerly lapped up the spiked liquor. Within moments, they slumped to the ground, unconscious—no blood spilled, no sound made.

Next, they moved on to a nest of Spirit-Devouring Ants. These tiny, voracious creatures were a nightmare for any cultivator, capable of stripping flesh from bone in seconds. But Chen Haunt's team had come prepared. Using a combination of fire talismans and poison powder, they eradicated the nest without a single ant escaping. A Blue-Winged Crow, a cunning and territorial bird known for its razor-sharp talons, met a similar fate. The squad cleared threats of the area with cooperation.

The dense forest, however, was a labyrinth of shadows and winding paths. Directions became muddled, and Pay Ling vaguely sensed they were circling the same region. After sweeping the area of its nastier inhabitants, Chen Haunt led the squad toward the heart of the forest.

Throughout the journey, Chen Haunt kept a hawk's eye on Pay Ling, tracking his every move, every twitch. There was no chance for Pay Ling to slip away or act out of turn. Yet, Pay Ling's expression remained calm. He could feel their intentions growing more blatant, their facade of sect comrade wearing thin. But whether it was because he was playing along so convincingly or because Chen Mave was still within arm's reach, they hadn't dropped the act entirely.

"Senior Brother Chen," Pay Ling asked suddenly, his tone casual, "how far to the task site?"

The air in this part of the forest had grown noticeably colder, the terrain shifting as they ventured deeper. Sun-loving plants dwindled, replaced by shade-thriving flora that clung to the rocky slopes. The ground sloped downward, leading into a place shrouded in mist.

"Almost there," Chen Haunt replied curtly, his voice tight with barely concealed impatience.

Soon, they entered a canyon. The canyon they were in was a slot canyon—long, narrow, and oppressive. The earth beneath their feet offered only one path forward, flanked by sheer cliffs that loomed high above. The cliffs were draped in thick, creeping vines that hung down to the valley floor, their tangled masses blocking out the sky. Miasma wafted through the air, dimming the already scarce daylight and casting an eerie gloom over the scene.

Pay Ling's eyes flickered subtly, taking in every detail of their surroundings, committing each mark and twist of the path to memory. 

By now, Sil Deshah had recovered enough to step down from Hwong Hyen's back. She summoned her array compass and took the lead from Cheung Joer'tin. The slot canyon was a place that saw no sunlight year-round, its depths frigid even at noon. Yet, despite the harsh conditions, the vines thrived—thick, tangled, and bizarre, they looked like lurking demons at first glance.

Before long, the group pushed through a thick curtain of vines, and the view opened up into a flat clearing. Sil Deshah exhaled softly, her voice calm. "Junior Brother Pay, the flower demon monster's up ahead. Off you go!"

Pay Ling's heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, he replied, "Great! Killing the flower demon monster is my task with Senior Sister Chen Mave—we'll go together!"

As he spoke, he drew the Blade of Life Hater in one fluid motion and pressed it to Chen Mave's neck. Her face froze, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. Pay Ling's voice turned icy, his tone sharp and commanding. "Nobody move, or else—"

Before he could finish, a sudden tug gripped their waists. Pay Ling glanced down and saw a vine—thick as an arm—snaking around them from behind. It yanked them forward with surprising force, and the world around them seemed to blur. The surrounding scene flashed backward like a wave, shaking and distorting as if reality itself were unraveling.

In mere moments, Chen Haunt and the other squad members vanished from sight. The canyon was gone, replaced by towering trees on all sides. Pay Ling's pulse raced as he realized what had happened. One hand gripped Chen Mave tightly, while the other slashed at the vine binding him. The vine, almost sentient, released him just before the blade could strike—but then coiled even tighter around Chen Mave, dragging her deeper into the woods.

Pay Ling didn't hesitate. He swung the blade at the Chen Mave, but the vine on her waist speed outpaced him, whisking Chen Mave away too quickly. He chased after her, his mind racing. The vine was likely part of Chen Haunt's spell technique, and despite his full preparation, the two-layer gap in their cultivation power left him lagging. He couldn't catch up.

Soon, Chen Mave was dragged into a thicket of dense bushes and vanished from sight. Pay Ling charged in after her, only to find plain bushes and no trace of the vine or Chen Mave. The thorns and branches snagged at his clothes, nearly ripping his pant leg. He stopped, his breath coming in short gasps as he scanned the area.

A maze array?! 

Pay Ling's face shifted, his expression hardening as he shouted coldly, "Senior Brothers and Sisters, what's this about?"

Chen Haunt's chuckle voice echoed back, dripping with malice. "Nothing special—just need Junior Brother Pay to sit tight in this formation. We'll fetch you soon!" 

Hearing this, Pay Ling snorted, but quickly steadied himself. "Senior Brother Chen, I've respected you like a close brother. Why are you setting me up like this?"

"If you truly see Senior Brother Chen as a close brother, how can you stand by when he needs your support?" Sil Deshah's voice giggled, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Junior Brother Pay, don't fight it. Stay calm in the child formation. Once the parent formation is set, you'll feed Senior Brother Chen's banner nicely in the array—your fine flesh and soul won't go to waste."

Pay Ling tried to trace the source of the voice, but it echoed from all directions, impossible to pinpoint. Frustrated, he fell silent and sat down cross-legged.

Outside the formation, Chen Haunt glanced away from Pay Ling's trapped form and turned to Sil Deshah. "Are you sure he can't get out?"

Sil Deshah beamed with confidence. "Relax, Senior Brother Chen! I've formed an extra maze array over the child formation—the same one that trapped Senior Brother Hwong and Senior Brother Cheung before. Even if he slips out of the child formation, he's not going anywhere."

She continued, her tone growing more serious. "The parent formation is the key now. Yesterday, we lacked materials—we only set the child formation and maze array. The parent formation is a bit more complicated and demands more concentration and technique. To maximize your control over the finished banner—free of soul interference—we'll need everyone's essence blood and birth charts, especially yours, Senior Brother Chen. Everything should be done before midnight. That's the moment the array can perfectly devour that kid's soul and blood, melding his cultivation power into the banner. If we miss this timeline, the next suitable moment won't come for another five days."

Chen Haunt nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Thank you for your effort, Junior Sister Sil."

Still, he eyed Hwong Hyen and Cheung Joer'tin, seeking their confirmation. Both nodded, their expressions serious. They had experienced Sil Deshah's maze array before and knew its reliability firsthand. Satisfied, Chen Haunt smiled and said, "Then we'll follow Junior Sister Sil's lead."

After double-checking the integrity of the maze array and child formation, the group headed to the site of the parent formation, located just outside the canyon.