Deep within the outer regions of the Myriad Demon Mountain Range, in a secluded location, He Fengdi led his group of six to a halt.
"The deeper we venture into the Myriad Demon Mountain Range, the more Demon Beasts we'll encounter. Those on the periphery have little concept of territory and roam freely. As we move inward, the more intelligent Demon Beasts become increasingly possessive of their domains."
"Our plan is simple: we'll charge straight through."
As he spoke, a murderous glint flared in He Fengdi's eyes. Beside him, the three cultivators at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement subtly took half a step back.
Han Yi followed suit, retreating slightly with the others.
Inwardly, however, he approved of He Fengdi's blunt approach. When dealing with Demon Beasts, direct confrontation was often more effective than wasting time on elaborate schemes. This brute-force method might even allow them to complete their mission swiftly and return to the Immortal Ship's encampment.
"Demon Beasts possess formidable physical strength. Avoid close combat whenever possible and prioritize ranged attacks."
"When encountering Third-Tier Demon Beasts or weaker, eliminate them immediately. Collect their corpses; we'll sell them in bulk later and distribute the proceeds based on individual contributions."
"If we encounter Seventh-Tier or higher Demon Beasts, we'll slay them together. After the battle, I'll distribute the Demon Beast Cores among you so you can complete your missions upon returning to the Sect."
"Should we encounter a Ninth-Tier Demon Beast, everyone except Liu Ke and myself will focus on defense and obstruction. Do not underestimate them, and avoid rushing forward recklessly."
"In the worst-case scenario—if we encounter a Heterospecies Ninth-Tier Demon Beast or a Demon Cultivator with an Innate Divine Ability—scatter immediately and flee for your lives. Do not stick together. Whether you escape will depend entirely on luck, even for me."
"Alright, does everyone understand?"
Seeing no objections, He Fengdi took the lead, followed by the disciples who fanned out into a cone formation, flanking him on both sides as they swiftly advanced into the Myriad Demon Mountain Range.
Han Yi brought up the rear, his senses on high alert. If they encountered a Demon Cultivator, he would turn and flee without hesitation. Though the probability was low, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
Barely an incense stick's time later, the group encountered their first Demon Beast: a colossal red spider taller than a man.
"Scarlet Spider," He Fengdi announced, gauging its aura. "A Third-Tier Demon Beast. I'll handle it."
Shen Ru, a young man at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement, spoke, his eyes gleaming with golden light.
Han Yi, trailing behind the group, felt a slight stirring in his heart.
When he had joined the team earlier, everyone had introduced themselves, giving him a basic understanding of the White Tiger Peak disciples' specialized skills and spells.
Senior Brother Shen Ru had cultivated the Qi Observation Technique, which allowed him to discern the aura of any living thing—be it cultivator, demon beast, or heavenly treasure—as long as it possessed life force.
Of course, if someone had mastered an Aura Concealment Technique superior to his Qi Observation Technique, he wouldn't be able to see through it.
"It seems auxiliary skills can be quite useful as well," Han Yi mused inwardly. Now wasn't the time to dwell on such thoughts; if he wanted to cultivate auxiliary skills, he would need to return to the Profound Pill Sect to make proper plans.
A dozen meters away, Shen Ru had already unleashed a Mid-Grade Magic Artifact: a dazzling golden needle-like weapon, fully thirty centimeters long and one centimeter thick, tapering to sharp points at both ends that glinted with a chilling light.
Whoosh!
The golden needle darted through the air, effortlessly piercing the massive red spider. It weaved back and forth, transforming the Third-Tier Demon Beast's flattened head into a honeycomb of holes before Shen Ru retracted his Magic Artifact.
"His caution rivals even mine," Han Yi mused from behind.
No, if it were me, I would have thoroughly pierced the spider's abdomen and its sharp, spindly legs, then dismembered it completely, collecting every piece without leaving a single blind spot.
Fortunately, no unexpected incidents occurred. Shen Ru stepped forward and casually waved his hand, storing the spider's corpse.
A smile played on his lips. "Every part of a Demon Beast is valuable. This Third-Tier specimen should fetch at least a hundred Spirit Stones."
He Fengdi cautioned, "Don't let your guard down. This was merely a Third-Tier Demon Beast from the outermost perimeter. Remember, Demon Beasts are generally stronger than cultivators of the same tier. If you encounter a Seventh Layer of Qi Refinement Demon Beast, Junior Brother Shen, you must give it your all."
Shen Ru's expression turned serious. "Senior Brother He is right."
"Alright, let's move on," He Fengdi said, turning and continuing deeper into the forest.
The journey that followed was surprisingly smooth.
As they ventured deeper, they gradually encountered Third-Tier, Fourth-Tier, and Fifth-Tier Demon Beasts.
After sunset, the group found a secluded rock cave. Senior Brother Li Yi, an Eighth-Tier cultivator and a Formation Master, produced a Formation Plate and deployed a Spirit Concealing Formation.
Like Pill Refinement and Talisman Crafting, Formation Arts were one of the Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation.
Medicinal Pills were classified into six tiers: Common, Standard, Flawless, Perfect, Pill-Veined, and Immortal. Spirit Talismans were simpler, ranging from First-Tier to Sixth-Tier.
Formations, on the other hand, could be categorized by function (offensive, concealment, defensive, etc.) and by potency, ranging from First-Tier to Sixth-Tier. Each tier was further divided into four grades: Low, Mid, High, and Top-Grade.
The Spirit Concealing Formation Li Yi had deployed was a First-Tier High-Grade concealment formation.
Han Yi sat cross-legged in a corner of the cave, surveying the others who were similarly meditating to recover their energy. He pondered the dynamics of their group.
The six individuals present each possessed unique skills, and more importantly, their talents complemented one another, creating a synergistic effect greater than the sum of their individual strengths.
Yet he couldn't quite understand why this well-coordinated team had allowed him to join. He couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't belong.
Han Yi glanced at Chu Jinmo, who sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, deep in meditation. Has his former Senior Sister truly risen to such a lofty position? he wondered. Curiosity gnawed at him, but he refrained from asking.
The stronger this team became, the happier he was. It meant he could continue coasting through their journey, carried to victory by others. As for Chu Jinmo's status and identity, even if he knew the truth, he couldn't bring himself to abandon his dignity and curry favor with her. It simply wasn't in his nature.
A man with a good appetite can't stomach being a kept man.
Seven days later, deep within the Myriad Demon Mountain Range, a campfire crackled inside a hollow tree trunk. Seven figures sat around the flames.
"We nearly bit the dust today," Liu Ke said, grinning nervously, his face still pale with lingering fear. "That Tree Demon was terrifying."
Earlier that day, the team had encountered a Ninth-Tier Demon Beast—a Tree Demon. Its exposed trunk, only about three meters in diameter, appeared deceptively ordinary. But when He Fengdi and Liu Ke charged in for the kill, they quickly discovered the truth: the visible trunk was merely a disguise. The Tree Demon's true body lay buried beneath the earth.
When its subterranean mass erupted from the ground, hundreds of root-like tendrils, each as thick as a grown man's arm, writhed like demonic dancers. Moving with astonishing speed and proving nearly impossible to sever, they momentarily paralyzed the group with terror.
Liu Ke took the full force of the Tree Demon's attack. If not for his Magic Artifact, he would have been crushed instantly. Even with the artifact's protection, the terrifying force surged through it, inflicting excruciating pain throughout his body. He spent the better part of the day recovering and still hadn't fully recuperated.
The moment the Tree Demon revealed its true form, He Fengdi didn't hesitate. He led the group in a hasty retreat.
"There are countless types of Demon Beasts, as vast as the sea," He Fengdi explained, his voice still trembling. "Among them are special variants—even Ninth-Tier beasts—that fearlessly confront multiple Peak Qi Refinement cultivators."
"This Tree Demon likely falls into that category."
"Fortunately, Tree Demons are notoriously slow-moving, allowing us to escape. Otherwise, we would have been forced to flee individually." He Fengdi still felt a lingering sense of dread.
Turning to Han Yi, he said with relief, "Junior Brother Han, your Spirit Talismans proved remarkably effective today. What a pleasant surprise!"
Han Yi smiled modestly. "I simply did what was necessary. It's nothing to boast about."
Earlier, when the Tree Demon's massive body erupted from the earth, Han Yi had immediately hurled three Exploding Talismans. The momentary disruption allowed the group to retreat unscathed.
These three Exploding Talismans had been purchased years ago and stored in his Storage Pouch. He had originally bought four, using one to destroy evidence in Heavenfall City.
Tree Demons, being wood-attributed Demon Beasts, feared nothing more than Fire Attribute Spirit Talismans like the Exploding Talisman.
The disciples of White Tiger Peak, most of whom possessed metal-attributed Spirit Roots and cultivated primarily metal-attributed spells, were overwhelmed by panic at the sudden danger. Their only thought was to turn and flee, leaving no room for strategic thinking.
Only Han Yi, reacting instantly to the emerging threat, hurled an Exploding Talisman that briefly restrained the Tree Demon. This display of adaptability earned He Fengdi's admiration.
In truth, everyone else carried various Spirit Talismans in their Storage Pouches, including Exploding Talismans. But they lacked Han Yi's quick-thinking and ability to react swiftly in the face of crisis.
"It seems inviting Junior Brother Han to join us was a wise decision after all," Chu Jinmo remarked with an ethereal smile, her voice echoing through the cavernous tree hollow.
Han Yi subtly observed that the others' gazes toward Chu Jinmo held not only admiration but also a greater measure of awe. Intriguing.
Suddenly, a violent tremor shook the tree hollow. Fragments of dry, cracked wood rained down from the ceiling.
"Not good! A Demon Beast is attacking the Spirit Concealing Formation!" Li Yi shouted, his face paling as he clutched the Formation Plate.
The disciples surged to their feet in unison.