Sect Leader's Rise to the top!

The carpet took off at high speed just as the fog rose. The four Twin Lions Sect disciples were momentarily stunned but quickly followed on their flying disks.

"What is that thing?". Kai asked while watching the menacing black spire taking over the distant landscape.

"That's the illusion demon...". Wu Xianhai responded with some hesitation. She did not dare look back and beckoned the carpet to fly faster. 

"That's the illusion demon?". Kai said in shock. Hou Zhou and Song Wei also looked back in surprise.

Wu Xianhai nodded her head. "Illusion demons can take any shape, even inanimate objects like tables and chairs. This one is in the form of a black spire, but it was not this large a few days ago...". Wu Xianhai said with some fear in her voice.

Kai nodded his head in silence.

"Wait, look over there!". Hou Zhou said, drawing everyone's attention to the large group of cultivators waiting below. He looked over to Wu Xianhai who instantly knew what he wanted. 

"We can't waste any more time. They'll all be dead soon anyway...". Wu Xianhai said in a cold tone.

Hou Zhou clenched his teeth and was about to respond when Song Wei suddenly shouted. "Everyone, run away!. An illusion demon is coming!, Run if you want to live!"

Hou Zhou was amazed but decided to follow her lead and yelled towards the crowds below. "Run if you want to live! avoid the fog at all costs!"

Kai was touched by what they were doing and ordered Wu Xianhai to fly closer to the ground so that their voices could be heard easier. Wu Xianhai seemed annoyed but relented when she saw the serious look on Kai's face.

"What's that sound?" Said one of the cultivators on the ground. He looked up and was surprised to see a flying carpet heading their way.

"Move!. avoid the fog if you want to live!". Song Wei yelled hysterically.

The cultivators all looked around and noticed the fog that was slowly moving their way. The more cautious of them escaped immediately, running in the opposite direction. However, the more skeptical ones drew their weapons and looked around in anticipation.

"Ha, those cowards. This is a test from the Twin Lions Sect. What use would they have for spineless weaklings!". Yelled a big burly man as he took long, confident strides to the front of the group.

The fog slowly reached his ankles, making the surrounding people carefully step back while waiting in anticipation. However, to everyone's surprise, nothing happened. 

The big man laughed hysterically then continued to walk deeper into the fog. Some who witnessed this sighed in relief and followed behind him, not wanting to get left behind, however, the more observant ones noticed the four Twin Lions Sect's disciples flying away from the fog at high speed.

"Damnit, is it a test or what?...", asked a woman to her male companion.

"I don't think so... I had a good look at that flying carpet and I'm certain that one of the women was the Sword Princess of the Twin Lions Sect!. There is no way she would show up for a simple test. Let's back off for a while and see what happens...". Responded the companion while urging the woman to run faster.

Kai looked down at the divided crowds and shook his head. 

"Those Fools."Wu Xianhai whispered as she watched the cultivators rush blindly into the fog.

The few who had decided to escape were trailing the carpet from below while moving as quickly. Some employed mysterious movements skills, while others rode strange objects that moved at high speeds.

Flying close behind the carpet were the four disciples, doing their best to keep up.

After a few minutes, blood-curdling screams started to echo out from the fog. Those who hesitated previously tried to get out of the fog, but it was too late. Black spikes pierced out of the ground and impaled them one by one. The impaled bodies slowly rose into the air as the bodies were slowly sucked dry, leaving nothing but dried-up husks.

Those who witnessed this from afar were horrified and doubled their efforts to escape. The screams continued for minutes until they suddenly stopped, replaced by an eerie silence.

"Oh god, what the hell was that!", Yelled Song Wei in horror.

Kai looked back with a grave expression and clicked his tongue. 

"Are there any safe places left in the pocket dimension?". Kai asked Wu Xianhai. She had survived the pocked dimension for almost a month now, so she would likely know the safest place to go.

Wu Xianhai shook her head with a blank expression on her face. "I don't know...I thought I would be safe this far out, but it seems nowhere is safe..."

Kai closed his eyes and thought about the situation. The entire pocket dimension was a network of caves and massive enclosures, so they were virtually trapped. There was a limit to how high they could fly and how far they could run. Eventually, they would reach a dead end and be swallowed by the fog. 

"Then we can't escape?..." Hou Zhou said solemnly.

Wu Xianhai did not answer, but Song Wei started to cry softly.

Kai crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and fell deep into thought. 

"If it's come to this, then we'll have to fight. We only need to survive two more days anyway. Head to the extraction point, we'll make our last stand there!" Kai said while opening his eyes, revealing a determined look.

Wu Xianhai looked at him like he was a crazy person but quickly realized that he had a point. If they could survive at the extraction point for just two more days, then they would be saved. 

They also had the option of continuing to run away. However, if they went too far away from the extraction point, then they risked not being able to come back in time. That would mean they could get stuck in here and be forced to wait until the demon beast ate the entire pocket dimension to the point where it collapsed into itself, thus killing them all.

"We're dead either way, so we might as well die fighting huh?..." Wu Xianhai whispered then gave a small sigh. She instructed the carpet to fly towards the extraction point, followed closely by the four disciples on their flying artifacts.. Behind them were just under fifty internal cultivators following closely on the ground.