Immortal's Paradox

The air in the village felt colder than usual as Lei returned, the Azure Frost Orchid tucked safely away in his pouch. His movements were cautious, his mind heavy with questions. Mao sat perched on his shoulder, its golden eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of suspicion and disdain.

"Something's not adding up," Lei muttered, his voice low.

"You're just realizing this now?" Mao quipped. "The elder knows more than he lets on. That cocoon wasn't some random anomaly. It had purpose."

Lei nodded grimly. The sight of the cocoon and the twisted energies surrounding it still made his skin crawl. Whatever was happening here, it wasn't natural—and it wasn't benign.

When Lei reached Elder Ren's home, the man was sitting on the porch, staring into the distance. He looked up as Lei approached, his expression calm but guarded.

"Ah, young man," Ren said, his voice steady. "You've been busy."

Lei didn't bother with pleasantries. "You knew, didn't you? About the cocoon. About the danger in the forest."

Elder Ren's face darkened, and he sighed deeply. "It's not that simple," he said. "This village has survived by knowing when to turn a blind eye. Asking questions leads to trouble we cannot handle."

Lei clenched his fists. "That thing is close enough to your village to snatch people. You didn't think we deserved a warning?"

Ren's gaze hardened. "And what would you have done with that warning? Run? Fight? You're an outsider, boy. You don't understand how things work here. We survive because we stay quiet."

Mao hopped off Lei's shoulder and stretched lazily. "Humans and their convenient excuses," it said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "But let me guess, old man—you know exactly what's in that cocoon."

Elder Ren hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "The cocoon belongs to the Zhao family."

Lei's stomach dropped. The Zhao family—the very people he had escaped from.

"What's inside it?" Lei demanded.

Elder Ren's eyes filled with something Lei couldn't quite place—regret, shame, or perhaps fear. "Children," he said. "Children taken from the village. They... they're transformed into something unnatural. Flesh twisted by dark qi, turned into mindless slaves. The Zhao family uses them as tools, weapons, labor... whatever suits their needs."

Lei felt bile rise in his throat. The image of the cocoon resurfaced in his mind, more horrifying now that he knew its purpose.

"How could you let this happen?" Lei asked, his voice shaking with anger.

Elder Ren looked away. "We don't have a choice. The Zhao family controls this entire region. If we resist, they'll wipe us out."

Lei opened his mouth to argue but stopped as Mao's ears perked up. The cat hissed, its fur standing on end.

"We're out of time," Mao said sharply. "Someone's coming."

A heavy pressure filled the air, and Lei's heart raced as he felt the familiar, oppressive aura of a powerful cultivator.

"They've sent an enforcer," Elder Ren whispered, his face pale. "You need to leave. Now."

Lei didn't need to be told twice. Grabbing his pouch tightly, he turned and bolted, Mao leaping back onto his shoulder.

"Where are we going?" Lei asked, his voice tight with panic.

"Anywhere but here," Mao replied. "If the Zhao family knows you're alive, they won't stop until you're dead—or worse."

Lei pushed himself to run faster, his mind racing. He didn't know where he was going, only that he needed to get as far away from the village as possible. Behind him, he could feel the enforcer's aura drawing closer, each step like a hammer against his chest.

But then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the pressure faded. Lei risked a glance over his shoulder and saw nothing but the dark outline of the village in the distance.

"They're not following," he said, slowing his pace.

"Not yet," Mao corrected. "But they know where you are now. They'll come for you eventually."

Lei's jaw tightened. He had escaped the Zhao family once, but now they were hunting him. And this time, he wasn't sure he could survive.