Chapter 22: The Demonic Beast

Unlike the cultivators from the three sects who take turns guarding the Silent Valley year-round, this joint operation was but a short-term mission.

The next day, Song Yan and the others followed Lu Ziye as they scoured the area surrounding the Spirit Valley.

“This type of spiritual fluctuation, which also affects the spirit plants and beasts within the valley, is most likely due to a few possible causes…”

Gu Qingqing watched this “Senior Brother Lu” curiously. He did not seem as eccentric as Senior Sister Liu Yuechan had described.

As he led the three of them toward the Spirit Beast Meadow, Lu Ziye explained, “The first possibility is the presence of a rare spirit beast. In the world of cultivation, many spirit and demon beasts are accompanied by unusual spiritual fluctuations. This is the most likely case.”

“The second possibility is that a cultivator at the peak Foundation Establishment stage is attempting to ascend to the Golden Core stage nearby… but that’s highly unlikely.”

That made sense—within this part of the Chu Kingdom, most sect disciples would choose to break through within their own sects where it was safer.

Usually, only rogue cultivators would risk attempting breakthroughs amidst wild mountains and clouds.

As for rogue cultivators in Chu, the six great sects were well aware of their situation. If any of them had a hope of reaching the Golden Core, word would have spread long ago, and they would have been courted by all.

“The third possibility is that a secret realm or hidden paradise is about to appear near the Spirit Valley, and spatial fluctuations are affecting the valley’s ecology…”

“But that’s the least likely of all.”

“For a mission like this, it’s usually just a spirit beast causing trouble. For most of you, this is your first time on a mission outside the sect, so there’s no need to be nervous.”

Lu Ziye turned serious. “You won’t need to exert yourselves, and there’ll be no real danger.”

Yet he sighed inwardly.

When other sects organize joint missions, their inner disciples always come in pairs—why was he the only one from his sect this time?

With no familiar faces to banter with, things were rather dull.

If he had to admit it, the only one who looked familiar was that outer disciple called Song Yan.

What did Master see in him anyway, waiting day after day in that shabby little shop just for him to turn up?

“Could it be Master fancies youth over age…”

With no one to jest with, he could only entertain such irreverent suspicions about Qin Xijun in secret, nearly unable to restrain a laugh.

Leaving the Silent Valley, two ancient blue phoenix trees arched over to form a natural gate, their gnarled roots soaking in the cold spring, while faded prayer charms floated on the water’s surface.

“Peace year after year…”

“Persevere in diligent cultivation…”

These charms had once been tied to the branches by disciples who stood guard here year-round, but the wind and sun had long since loosened them.

Lu Ziye, casual in tone, said, “Since we’ve nothing urgent, let me take you around the Spirit Beast Meadow first…”

He imagined these new outer disciples had little experience with field missions.

Many assignments outside the sect were indeed dangerous, but this kind of Spirit Valley inspection was truly just a pleasant outing.

“Let these youngsters play for a couple of days, and they’ll understand…”

Chatting as they walked, the stone path opened out at a cliff’s edge.

A sharp wind from the Spirit Beast Meadow swept over, carrying the scent of grass and wood. Song Yan clutched his robe as the wind tugged at it.

A herd of iridescent deer bounded through the dawn light, their long tails trailing faint spiritual auras. A black-striped tiger lay dozing atop a boulder, its breath stirring the air. Some of the beasts, Song Yan realized, he had never seen in any scroll or tome—he could not even name them.

“What a magnificent sight…”

The young, inexperienced cultivators marveled at the splendor of the Spirit Beast Meadow as they wandered across it.

From time to time, a cultivator familiar with Lu Ziye would greet him—probably disciples from other sects.

A buzzing sound—an audio talisman came flying from afar and landed beside Lu Ziye.

“Brother Lu, outside the Silent Valley, near the eastern Hidden Moon Pool, a late-stage first-rank demon beast has been detected. We need your help at once…”

A demon beast?

Lu Ziye’s expression shifted… but after a moment’s thought, he smiled wryly, “Looks like this mission will wrap up soon—no more fun for us…”

A late-stage first-rank demon beast, in terms of demonic power, was comparable to a human cultivator in the latter stages of Qi Refining.

However, demon beasts were born with formidable bodies, and some even possessed strange innate abilities. As such, it usually took two or three human cultivators of the same realm to defeat one.

Fortunately, with disciples from all three sects gathered here, it was not an issue.

Yet Lu Ziye wondered, “Can a single late-stage first-rank demon beast really cause such widespread spiritual disturbance?”

“Unless it’s on the verge of advancing to the second rank…”

When Lu Ziye arrived at Hidden Moon Pool with the disciples of the Abyssal Depths Sect, the disciples of the other two sects were already assembled on a nearby cliff.

“Brother Lu.”

Song Yan stood at the back of the crowd as everyone gazed toward the chilly pool in the distance.

Beneath the still surface of the water, faint white light flickered, like breathing spiritual radiance.

“A black-scaled carp dragon…”

Beside Song Yan, another cultivator from a different sect, also at the rear of the group, looked slightly puzzled as he said,

“This fish demon dislikes cold pools—why would it appear in Hidden Moon Pool…”

The man wore a white Daoist robe; judging from the marks on his cuffs and collar, he appeared to be a disciple of the Spirit Talisman Sect.

He seemed to be hinting at something, but Song Yan couldn’t quite grasp it.

“Senior Brother, you seem familiar with this creature?”

“I am Wan Songran of the Wan clan from Chenzhou.”

The Wan clan…

Song Yan understood.

In the Chu Kingdom, besides the six great immortal sects, there were also four major cultivation clans:

The Zhao clan of East Chu.

The Qin clan of South Chu.

The Wan clan of West Chu.

The Yan clan of North Chu.

Though these four great families were not as powerful as the six major sects, they were comparable to the likes of the Ziyang Sect.

The Wan clan of Chenzhou in West Chu, in particular, was renowned for their mastery of spirit-taming arts, so their familiarity with demon beasts was only natural.

A scion of a noble house indeed…

“Brother Wang, Brother Chai, is this fish demon truly the cause of the disturbances in the Spirit Valley?”

Lu Ziye eyed the pool skeptically, using the Divine Perception Art to probe its aura. Judging from its spiritual energy, this fish demon was nowhere near advancing to the second rank.

“Heh, whether it’s the culprit or not, no one can say for certain. Slaying it and reporting back is what matters now.”

“Xia Wei, set up the formation.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Three outer disciples of the Profound Origin Sect leaped forward, and in no time, they had placed formation disks and pearls at three corners of the Hidden Moon Pool, beginning to arrange the formation.

Perhaps sensing danger, the formerly tranquil pool began to churn faintly.

With a crash, a massive, jet-black carp-dragon burst from the water, roaring and sending waves of demonic wind sweeping out.

At the same time, a dozen or so smaller demon fish surged from the shallows—mostly early first-rank, but with several at mid first-rank as well.

“Disciples of Abyssal Depths Sect, help deal with the lesser demons around us.”

With these instructions, Lu Ziye joined Wang Xi and Chai Yanghui of the Spirit Talisman Sect’s inner disciples to confront the fish demon.

The demon’s long tail whipped out, aiming to knock the three formation-setting disciples aside, but a stream of jade-green light blocked it.

In Chai Yanghui’s hand, a talisman flickered, and the jade light spread, forming a great circular net to trap the demon within.

“What a powerful talisman…”

Song Yan was awed—such was the Spirit Talisman Sect from Xiapu, Linzhou, famed for their talismans.

A single talisman could bind a late-stage first-rank demon beast!

But he did not allow himself to be distracted by the dazzling skills of the three inner disciples from the great sects. All around him, the sound of magical artifacts and spells crashed like the tide.

Focusing, Song Yan summoned his flying sword and joined the fray.

The demon fish in the pool were all water-type, and his best-practiced fire techniques were of little use here.

Among the assembled cultivators, his own cultivation ranked near the bottom—so there was little attack pressure on him. Instead, this was a good opportunity to practice some of the flying sword techniques described in the “Essentials of Swordsmanship.”

Meanwhile, in an unnoticed corner of the battlefield—

The Spirit Talisman Sect disciple, Wan Songran, who had spoken to Song Yan earlier, was withdrawing as he fought, gradually fading into the shadows beneath the trees on the pool’s edge.

With a few agile leaps, he perched atop a branch, concealed by the dense foliage, and gazed from afar at the fierce battle at the pool, eyes fixed on Wang Xi.

“With Wang Xi’s strength, plus the five Profound Origin Sect disciples, this fight should end quickly…”

“But no one’s using artifacts, lethal moves, or even spiritual power…”

“So far, it’s entirely that inner disciple from Abyssal Depths Sect and Senior Brother Chai Yanghui taking the lead…”

“This Wang Xi…”

“No, it’s the Profound Origin Sect as a whole—something’s very wrong.”

His gaze flickered between Wang Xi and Shen Huai, finally narrowing in determination as he drew a red-and-black short flute from his storage pouch.