Chapter Twenty-Six

Losing its support, Qing Yuan crashed to the ground. The stump of his arm slammed against the earth, sending another wave of excruciating pain through him.

Sweat poured down his forehead like rain. He clutched the stump, looking up to see his severed arm—now like a fragile piece of wood—folded in the beast's jaws, swallowed in one gulp.

Qing Yuan's face went white. Terror clogged his throat. His jaw trembled uncontrollably, saliva dripping from his mouth.

He was going to die.

The shadow of death loomed over Qing Yuan like a dark cloud. His pupils shook, his eyes darting wildly. When they accidentally swept over the bushes behind the beast, he saw dozens of pairs of eyes gleaming with ferocity. He screamed again, high and shrill.

It was early, around the hour of the rabbit.

The paths in the back mountain were grey and misty. Most outer sect disciples were still eating in the dining hall. Only two or three people passed through the remote back mountain.

"Hurry up," the first in line urged. "We need to eat and get back. If we miss our shift, the steward will scold us again."

Ever since Cen Yan had lost his temper in the outer sect a few days ago, arresting several disciples and sending them to the Disciplinary Hall, the steward—who had also been punished—had become even harsher on them. They lived in constant fear, never daring to relax, afraid of crossing him.

"If it weren't for my poor aptitude and Qingyang Tianzong being the only sect willing to take me, I would have joined another..." The second disciple clenched his fist, complaining bitterly. Then he paused, hearing something, and turned to look towards the back mountain's dense forest.

"What are you looking at?" The third disciple, noticing his action, asked curiously.

The second disciple pointed towards the back mountain. "Did you hear something? It sounds like someone calling for help."

"You must have misheard. There's nothing." The first disciple, focused solely on leaving quickly, listened briefly, heard nothing, and dismissed it impatiently.

If not for their friendship, he would have left them behind long ago. He reached to pull the second disciple away, urging again: "It's too early for anyone to be in the back mountain. What you heard was probably a wildcat or rabbit. Let's hurry."

"No, it's a person. I really heard someone shouting for help." The second disciple dodged, pushing through the branches and disappearing into the back mountain forest.

The first disciple's face fell, unable to stop him: "Why won't you listen..."

"No," the third disciple suddenly spoke, also pointing towards the forest. "There really is someone. I hear it too."

Maybe because they were far away, the cries were faint, but they were definitely there.

The first disciple frowned, his tone displeased: "You're joining in this nonsense too?"

The third disciple said nothing. He followed the second disciple into the back mountain.

The first disciple stood there, not knowing whether to leave or stay, his face red with frustration.

The back mountain's trees were dense, the paths rough. The third disciple struggled through, trying to find the direction of the cries. He hadn't gone far when a piercing scream suddenly erupted.

That was the second disciple's voice!

His heart pounding, the third disciple rushed towards the sound. He found the second disciple collapsed on the ground, arms trembling, one hand pointing ahead, the other clawing at the earth. His face was white as a sheet, his eyes wide with terror—like he'd seen something truly horrifying.

What could frighten him so badly?

Following his gaze, the third disciple's eyes landed on a scene of bright red blood—a sect disciple in black training robes lay on the ground, drenched in blood, his eyes bulging, mouth agape. One arm reached out, caked with mud and blood. The other arm was torn cleanly from the shoulder.

Blood poured from the stump, staining half his body red, pooling on the ground.

Behind the disciple, several massive beasts—each the size of a small hill—pinned him down with their claws, tearing at his legs, his back, his waist with their bloody jaws.

The disciple's body was gouged and torn, lying motionless as if dead. But looking closer, his chest still rose and fell faintly, his bloody lips silently mouthing two words: help.

Crack—

The sound of bones shattering or flesh tearing echoed through the air, making one's scalp prickle with horror.

The third disciple felt his mind go blank. He forgot to breathe, his eyes frozen wide with terror, his limbs rigid. He stood like a puppet, unable to move.

"Run... run..." Trembling words, accompanied by chattering teeth, reached his ears.

He looked down. The second disciple had crawled to his feet, grabbing his clothes, pushing him away, urging him to flee.

Snapping back, the third disciple bit down on his chattering teeth, grabbed the second disciple's arm, and dragged him as they ran for their lives: "Someone help!! The beasts are eating people!!"

The feeding beasts, alerted by the shouting, abandoned Qing Yuan and gave chase.

The two ran for their lives, screaming at the top of their lungs.

The first disciple was still waiting outside the back mountain. Hearing the shouting, he hadn't processed what it meant when two panicked figures burst out of the forest.

"Eating people... so scary... so many beasts..." The two were disheveled, pale-faced, lips trembling, eyes shaking with terror, as if they had seen something unspeakable.

"What eating people? What beasts?" Unease crept into the first disciple's heart. "What's wrong with you?"

What was in the back mountain to frighten them so?

"Quick! We need to tell the steward! Something's happened in the back mountain!" The two stumbled towards him, grabbing his sleeves, trying to pull him along.

Before they could move, several massive shadows burst from the back mountain and lunged at them!

"Ah—!"

Three more screams rent the air. The smell of blood, even thicker than in the forest, spread across the back mountain path. Bright red blood flowed down the stone steps.

After devouring the three, the beasts roared skyward and, like ghosts, slipped into the outer sect.

Before long, screams echoed from within.

The steward was eating in the outer sect's main hall when he heard the cries. Assuming the disciples were misbehaving again, rage surged to his head.

His face darkened. He slammed down his chopsticks and screamed at the doorway: "Can you not cause so much trouble every day? Isn't what happened a few days ago humiliating enough? Can't you just be quiet for a while and let me have some peace!"

Outer sect disciples made up the majority of Qingyang Tianzong. The steward had managed the outer sect for years and considered it his territory. But a few days ago, Cen Yan had come with the Disciplinary Hall and arrested people without him daring to say a word.

He hadn't been so humiliated in nearly a hundred years.

But his words had no effect. The screams continued, as if taunting him.

The steward laughed coldly, his voice dripping with malice: "Fine, let's see what you're up to!"

He was afraid of Cen Yan, but that didn't mean anyone could walk all over him!

He flung his sleeve and strode out. But the moment he stepped out, a thick, nauseating stench of blood hit his nostrils.

Several disciples lay outside the hall, covered in blood. It was impossible to tell if they were alive or dead. Not far away, massive beasts charged from the forest. One pinned a disciple with its claw, sinking its fangs into his back. With a tearing sound, it ripped off a chunk of bloody flesh.

Crack, crunch—

The beast's jaws worked, grinding the bloody meat between its teeth, releasing wisps of spiritual energy.

"Ah—!!!" The disciple shrieked in agony, his body convulsing before the beast pinned him down again, taking another bite.

Blood pooled on the ground. The steward stared at the red stain, all expression frozen on his face.

Bang—

Three signal flares shot into the clear sky, bursting into brilliant light.

Main Peak, Main Hall.

Lian Ci heard the commotion and asked seriously: "Where are those signal flares coming from?"

A disciple guarding the door replied: "Sect Leader, from the outer sect."

The outer sect? Hadn't Cen Yan's incident there been resolved a few days ago? The outer sect wasn't far from the inner sect. If there was a problem, they could just come and report. Why waste signal flares? And three in a row were only for major emergencies.

After a moment's thought, Lian Ci looked at He Ming.

He understood and nodded at Lian Ci, then left the hall.

Half an incense stick later, a transmission talisman floated into the main hall. He Ming's voice came through, barely concealing his alarm: "Sect Leader, spirit beasts are rampaging in the back mountain. They've escaped into the outer sect. Several disciples have already been killed or injured!"

"What?!" Lian Ci's expression changed. He shot up from his seat, his heart racing.

Spirit beasts?

The back mountain had been peaceful for centuries. How could there be spirit beasts?

"Are you certain they are spirit beasts?" Lian Ci asked gravely. "Could you be mistaken?"

He Ming's tone was serious, without a hint of jest: "Undoubtedly spirit beasts. Eight in total, the weakest at the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation. Most outer sect disciples have only recently awakened their roots and have no cultivation. To protect the disciples' lives, I urge the Sect Leader to order the beasts killed!"

The foundation of Qingyang Tianzong lay in its outer sect. Nothing could happen to it. Lian Ci made his decision swiftly: "Kill them! Yan'er, Zhan'er, Ziyang, go to the outer sect and assist Elder He. Do not let a single beast escape!"

"Yes!" The three bowed and flew off on their swords.

The outer sect was in shambles. The air was thick with the smell of blood. Survivors huddled in the main hall. He Ming guarded the entrance, keeping the beasts out.

All the beasts were massive, except for one that was smaller and differently shaped.

"Master." Cen Yan landed beside He Ming.

"Elder He." Xu Ziyang and Pei Zhan followed close behind.

He Ming glanced back at the three, relieved: "Good, you're all here. Let's work together to drive these beasts back to the back mountain, then kill them. We don't want them panicking and hurting more outer sect disciples."

The three nodded. Working with He Ming, they surrounded the beasts on three sides, deliberately leaving an opening towards the back mountain.

All four were at the Golden Core stage. Though outnumbered, the beasts were low in intelligence and no match for them. The beasts fell for it, retreating into the back mountain.

He Ming and the other three gave chase, surrounding the eight beasts.

The forest echoed with the dying screams of beasts. One by one, they fell, their massive bodies shaking the ground as they crashed.

Within moments, the scent of blood was ten times stronger than before.

He Ming sheathed his sword and looked at Cen Yan and the others: "The appearance of spirit beasts in the back mountain must have a reason. I'll handle the rest. You three go to the outer sect and help the steward settle the disciples."

His gaze swept the area. When it passed a bloodied tree canopy, it stopped: "What's this?"

He Ming approached, pushed aside the branches, and saw the figure lying behind the tree. He gasped: "Qing Yuan?!"

There weren't many inner sect disciples. He Ming knew each one. Though Qing Yuan was covered in blood, his face disfigured, He Ming recognized him immediately. He channeled spiritual energy to heal Qing Yuan, his face filled with concern as he looked at the empty arm socket: "What happened to your arm?!"

Why was Qing Yuan in the back mountain?

Qing Yuan's testimony had been among the accusations against Chu Rong. Cen Yan knew him too. Unfortunately, those charges hadn't been proven, betraying Qing Yuan's trust.

Guilt flickered across Cen Yan's elegant face. He stepped forward to check on Qing Yuan's injuries. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a subtle movement among the beast carcasses. A wisp of purplish smoke rose from one beast's head and shot towards Xu Ziyang!

"Senior Brother, look out!" Cen Yan's expression changed. He spun and pulled Xu Ziyang aside.

The unknown thing missed, then with lightning speed, lunged at the nearest figure—Pei Zhan.

"Second Senior Brother..." Cen Yan noticed its change in direction, released Xu Ziyang, and moved to pull Pei Zhan away. But the thing abruptly changed course mid-air and dove into his head!

Shock crossed Cen Yan's face. He froze on the spot.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the wait~