Chapter 34: The Great Beast Appears
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
Zhou Jin Yue, Zhang Jun, and Yu Zhao exchanged subtle glances when they heard the question, their minds instantly on high alert.
They carried no identifiable emblems of the Five Elements Dao Sect, and the five strangers approaching them were completely unfamiliar faces. Yet, these strangers had unerringly identified their affiliation.
Zhou Jin Yue replied cautiously, “Before seeking answers, might you first share your names?”
“My apologies,” came the response.
As they spoke, three men and two women stepped into view.
The group looked to be of similar age to Zhou Jin Yue and her companions, standing tall with striking appearances. Their mere presence exuded a refined and indescribable air.
Yu Zhao keenly detected a faint medicinal scent wafting in the breeze. Her thoughts stirred.
The next moment, her suspicions were confirmed.
“Fellow cultivators, we are disciples of the Green Wood Sect. We encountered other members of the Five Elements Dao Sect in the forest earlier, which led us to make this bold guess. Please forgive us,” said the young woman at the center of the group.
The speaker, dressed in green, had a clear gaze and a sincere tone. She even produced her Green Wood Sect identity token for Zhou Jin Yue to inspect, adopting a deferential stance.
The Five Elements Dao Sect and Green Wood Sect were among the most prominent sects in the cultivation world. While their relationship wasn’t particularly close, it was amicable on the surface.
The Green Wood Sect was especially renowned for its expertise in alchemy, boasting most of the cultivation world’s top alchemists. As such, disciples of the Five Elements Dao Sect were careful not to offend them.
After confirming the other group’s identity, Zhou Jin Yue’s demeanor underwent a complete transformation.
“So, you’re disciples of the Green Wood Sect. My apologies for any offense. I am Zhou Jin Yue of the Five Elements Dao Sect, and these are my junior siblings, Zhang Jun and Yu Zhao.”
“Are you Senior Sister Zhou Jin Yue?” the green-clad woman asked excitedly.
Reputation precedes a person.
As the top-ranked sect in the cultivation world, the Five Elements Dao Sect attracted considerable attention. Zhou Jin Yue, as the sect master’s direct disciple and a paragon of talent and virtue, was widely known.
After a few modest exchanges, the two groups formally introduced themselves.
The woman in green was Mu Ye, a disciple of the Pill Hall in the Green Wood Sect, at the late Foundation Establishment stage.
To understand the significance of the Pill Hall, one must first delve into the structure of the Green Wood Sect. The sect was divided into three branches—Pill Hall, Medicine Hall, and Martial Hall—based on talent and spiritual roots.
Pill Hall disciples possessed exceptional talent for alchemy, making them the rarest and most esteemed within the sect.
Medicine Hall disciples had an innate affinity for spiritual herbs and specialized in their cultivation, tending, and harvesting.
Martial Hall disciples, lacking aptitude for alchemy or herbal cultivation, earned resources like pills and spirit stones by completing sect missions.
Although Martial Hall disciples were less privileged than those in the other branches, their role within the Green Wood Sect was highly sought after. The sect’s open exchange policy, offering even the rare fourth-grade pills to any disciple who amassed enough points, drove cultivators to vie for a place in its ranks.
Among Mu Ye’s team, she was the sole Pill Hall disciple. The remaining four—Dai Xia, Chen Qing An, Tian Han, and Guo Ming En—were Martial Hall disciples, tasked with protecting her. All four were at the early Golden Core stage.
After exchanging further pleasantries, their groups naturally grew closer.
Mu Ye asked, “Senior Sister Zhou, you arrived at Dragon Roar Valley two days before us. Have you seen any trace of the Seven-Colored Deer?”
Zhou Jin Yue shook her head and sighed. “Not a single clue. I’m beginning to think the Seven-Colored Deer might be nothing more than a fabricated rumor.”
Mu Ye sighed as well.
The Seven-Colored Deer was a dubious lead. The timing of its appearance was suspicious, and its sudden lack of follow-up details raised many red flags.
Still, Mu Ye wasn’t ready to give up.
She had come specifically for the Seven-Colored Deer, even offering her prized pills as payment for her escorts. Leaving empty-handed would feel like a waste.
But her disappointment was fleeting. She quickly consoled herself with the thought that meeting Zhou Jin Yue and her companions was a fortuitous outcome.
Just as she considered returning home, the ground beneath them began to tremble violently. Rocks bounced as if alive.
Whoosh, whoosh—
Flocks of birds rose in alarm from the forest.
Beastly roars echoed from all directions.
The sky seemed to darken as if shrouded in ominous clouds, emanating a palpable sense of dread.
Yu Zhao’s pupils contracted. She shouted, “Be on guard! A Great Beast is near!”
In the cultivation world, only beasts at the Nascent Soul stage or higher were classified as Great Beasts. Their presence warped the heavens and stirred miniature beast tides.
“A Great Beast?!”
Everyone’s faces turned pale.
Nascent Soul cultivators were powerful enough to establish their own factions, and Nascent Soul Great Beasts were even more formidable, boasting unparalleled resilience and vitality.
Zhou Jin Yue had never expected such danger during what was meant to be a routine training exercise. Her heart pounded as she steeled herself.
“Senior Sister Zhou, we should leave immediately!” Mu Ye urged, instinctively looking to Zhou Jin Yue as their leader.
“No!” Zhou Jin Yue rejected the idea firmly. “My junior siblings are still in danger. I cannot abandon them!”
“Zhang Jun, Yu Zhao, contact the others and arrange a meeting point nearby where everyone can regroup.”
“Junior Sister Mu, if you can leave, go now. If not, I, Zhou Jin Yue, will protect you at all costs!”
Crisis revealed character.
Though Zhou Jin Yue was amiable in everyday interactions, her decisive authority and unyielding resolve as the eldest senior sister shone in moments of peril.
Mu Ye glanced at her four fellow disciples, hoping for their guidance, but they wore only looks of panic. In contrast, Zhang Jun and Yu Zhao had already begun coordinating with their fellow Five Elements Dao Sect members through their sect’s unique communication methods.
The difference was stark.
Clenching her teeth, Mu Ye declared, “Senior Sister Zhou, I’ll stay with you!”
Her trust wasn’t blind.
Though Zhou Jin Yue was essentially a stranger, Mu Ye found her composure and leadership far more reassuring than that of her own companions.
Such was the magnetic charisma of Zhou Jin Yue, a quality that inspired loyalty even among those who barely knew her.
With time running out, Zhou Jin Yue didn’t waste time comforting the others. Once Zhang Jun and Yu Zhao identified a suitable rendezvous point, she led the group toward it without hesitation.
By her Dao heart, Zhou Jin Yue vowed to safeguard every disciple’s escape from Dragon Roar Valley, no matter the cost.