Legendary Beast Cultivator

Azure Mist Peak was quickly changed into a calm twilight. The cheerful, lively hums of mountain birds faded one by one until the whisper of the wind remained along with the screech of the crickets.

Thud!

Chen Ming dropped his storage backpack onto the grass with a long, exhausted sigh.

"My legs are dead today," Chen Ming groaned, flopping onto a flat stone.

"Hahaha!! You are not screaming like a dead legs bastard," Lian Nichang laughed, dropping his own bundle before kneeling to gather dry fallen branches. "So, they are still alive..."

"Tsk..." Chen Ming muttered, rubbing his knees slowly. "But my knees are dead, I can’t walk anymore."

Lin Yuan ignored the argument. His calm eyes quietly darted across the place they had stumbled in for night stay.

The ground was flat and there were no sharp stones. A few tall oak trees surrounded the area like pillars built by nature. Best of all, only one straight, easily defendable entrance led into the place.

"A good place for our stay," Lin Yuan whispered to the pleasant night, dropping the storage pouch aside.

Chen Ming squinted, looking around. "Already? We didn’t even check around!"

"Easy to defend, close enough to hear the stream for fresh water," Lin Yuan elucidated, nodding once. "And enough sturdy trees for the shadowy shelter if the wind shifts."

High above, sitting atop a branch of an oak tree in the twilight shadows, Qin Yuze silently nodded once, understanding that the kid had noticed the strategic layout before anyone else.

The three disciples immediately fell into their camp work naturally.

Chen Ming, despite his comedic complaints, went to gather firewood. Lian Nichang deftly constructed a simple windbreak using large branches and palm leaves. Lin Yuan carefully arranged smooth stones into a circular fire pit to contain the campfire.

Although nobody spoke out loud about their work, everything happened naturally, like water flowing in a stream.

****

"Higher! A bit higher!"

"No, to the left! You’re slanting it more!"

"You’re making it ten times worse now, Huo Ren!"

Chi Fenglian balanced awkwardly on Huo Ren’s strained shoulders, desperately attempting to tie a bunch of attached leaves together to form a roof above their heads.

"I’m trying here!" Huo Ren grunted, his legs shaking under the weight. "Stop stomping your weight on me!"

"You call this trying?!" Chi Fenglian yelled, his face twitching slightly.

The entire leafy structure leaned dangerously to the side, and the assistant master Gu Su Feng sat on a tree branch nearby, his arms crossed over his chest with an amused grin crawling on his lips.

"Three..." Gu Su Feng counted softly, a faint glint escaped from his eyes.

"...Two,"

"...One,"

The massive leafy roof collapsed vehemently, burying both boys under the scattered leaves and branches. Only two pairs of legs remained visible, kicking under the mess.

Xiao Yanrui, who had been quietly making a fire pit a few feet away, stopped and stared in utter silence.

Sigh~

"Again," Xiao Yanrui sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Huh.." A muffled, sneering voice appeared from under the pile of leaves. "I think... The shelter won this round..."

Gu Su Feng burst into loud, boisterous laughter that echoed through the trees.

"Hahaha!" Gu Su Feng cheered, smearing a tear from his eye. "You two couldn’t even defeat a wooden roof! How are you going to conquer Red Sun Peak?!"

****

Along the western path at group three, Ying Yue let out a soft, cheerful melody while collecting smooth, flat river stones beside a stream.

Yun He returned shortly after, carrying bundles of dry, fragrant mountain grass to weave into comfortable sleeping mats.

Xiao Lanxue meticulously analysed the surrounding ancient trees, her cool eyes understanding the overhead bushes and trees before choosing the proper spot to rest.

"Here," Xiao Lanxue announced, tapping a smooth ground under two interlocking trees.

"Why this place, Lanxue?" Ying Yue asked, tilting her head curiously.

Xiao Lanxue pointed upward with her finger. "Look at the branches."

The two girls followed her words, and looked up. The enormous, leafy branches of the twin trees intertwined tightly above, forming a natural wooden ceiling.

"If it rains during the night..." Xiao Lanxue explained calmly, waving her hand once "...we stay dry without wasting energy building a roof."

"Nice," Yun He grinned, hugging her bundle of dry grass. "You really think of everything!"

Xiao Lanxue simply shrugged, her voice cool and cozy. "I just think before making a decision."

A few paces away, leaning gracefully against a tree trunk, Shen Li Xiaoran smiled faintly to herself.

’Calm, thoughtful minds always survive much longer in the wild than purely powerful ones,’ She grinned, her warm gaze locked onto the three girls.

****

Gu Fang Xin proudly crossed his arms over his chest, standing back to admire their work.

"There!" Gu Fang Xin beamed with a grin. "Our shelter is officially complete! Magnificent, isn’t it?"

"..." Chi Ruyan let out a pathetic gaze at the crooked, leaning wooden frame.

"Are you genuinely sure about that?" Chi Ruyan asked, squinting his eyes.

Before Gu Fang Xin could answer, a tiny, gentle breeze passed softly through the shelter Gu Fang Xin built.

The wooden shelter groaned once, leaned dramatically to the left at a slanting angle, and froze in place.

Lian Mei Lin let out a weary sigh, slapping her forehead. "We’re rebuilding it from scratch."

Gu Fang Xin scratched his cheek. "...Yeah, maybe that’s for the best."

Assistant Master He Muran, sitting on a flat rock while carving a wooden figure, laughed so loudly that nearby sleeping birds flew away in alert.

"Hahaha!" He Muran roared, holding his stomach. "You youngsters remind me of why I failed my first wilderness trial back in the day!"

****

Compared to every other group’s chaotic struggles... Group Five finished setting up their campsite first.

Their sturdy, leafy shelter stood neatly beside a gentle stream. A supply of dry firewood had already been stacked under a rock cliff, and clean, fresh water had been gathered in bamboo bottles.

And a few Spirit Dew Mushrooms were currently bubbling softly in an iron pot above a small, lingering campfire, filling the air with a rich aroma of a stew.

Chen Yu Ming beamed, blowing the steam toward herself. "We actually look like a team of experienced hunters who know what we’re doing!"

Huo Luo Ren nodded vigorously, taking a sip from his bottle. "Honestly... I almost feel a little disappointed."

Teng Haoran looked over, looking confused as he adjusted the fire. "Why would you be disappointed, Luo Ren?"

"Because we haven’t made any hilarious, embarrassing mistakes for Assistant Master Shen to laugh at!" Huo Luo Ren chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

Shen Ruoxi chuckled, sitting gracefully on a mat while her Moonwater Deer rested beside her.

"Do not boast too soon, Luo Ren," Shen Ruoxi warned gently, her eyes glinting with warmth. "The night is still young."

****

The darkness slowly descended over the vast forests of Azure Mist Peak.

One by one... five small, golden campfires shimmered in the different areas across the mountain’s base.

The five glowing fire camps seemed like five stars in the vast, dark mountain of forests.

For a brief, serene moment... Azure Mist Peak appeared truly peaceful.

Then, a loud, chilling howl echoed through the pitch-black night air, reverberating against the surrounding stone cliffs.

Every single disciple across all five campsites instantly froze in place. Before the first echo could fade, another howl followed from much farther deeper in the north.

Then another, and another. Different types of howls from different directions. Some howls were steep and guttural, while others were raspy. Some sounded almost unfamiliar to any beast listed in the academy textbooks.

The night forest suddenly awakened. The leaves rustled vehemently without any wind. The dry, wooden branches creaked heavily above against the wind. Something colossal moved sluggishly through the forest somewhere far beyond the faint circle of firelight.

Even the glowing campfires suddenly felt far too small, far too fragile against the large shadow far away. Nobody spoke a word. The playful atmosphere died instantly. The Assistant Masters remained perfectly calm in their respective places. As though... they had fully expected this change.

At Group One’s campsite... Chen Ming quietly poked the crackling fire with a wooden stick, watching the sparks fly up into the dark sky.

"You know..." Chen Ming whispered, his voice cracking slightly. "...this mountain feels different at night."

Lian Nichang forced a dry smile, hugging his knees, and sat closer to the flame. "I was just thinking the same thing, Chen Ming."

Lin Yuan remained utterly silent. Inside his aperture, his rabbit lingered gently, sending a faint warmth through his body.

And soon after some time, the disciples crept into a calm sleep.

****

Long long ago, the Silent Wanderer once crossed the treacherous Ashen Marshes. It was a cursed, ancient land where toxic, black mist lingered day and night, and even the most seasoned, powerful cultivators refused to enter alone.

But the Silent Wanderer walked straight into its mouth without a single moment of hesitation, his loyal White Tiger led the way through the fog. His Moon Deer remained walking at his left flank. His Golden Roc circled silently high above the thick clouds.

For three days... not a single wild beast attacked his party. It was not because there were no predators in the Ashen Marshes. They were there, lurking in the shadows, but they simply watched, and waited for an opportunity.

On the fourth night, the Silent Wanderer sat beside a dying, tiny campfire under a twisted willow tree. Without opening his eyes or breaking his meditation, his calm voice cut through the dark.

"You’ve followed our steps long enough,"

But nothing answered him. And a few moments later... more than twenty pairs of shining, fierce eyes slowly appeared from the swirling black mist. They seemed to be hungry, and desperate.

But, as the Wanderer observed them, he realized something vital; they were not predators hunting for prey... they were ordinary, terrified beasts that had been vehemently driven from their home territories deeper in the marsh.

The White Tiger let out a low, earth-shattering growl. The Golden Roc descended instantly from the sky, landing on a dry branch. The Moon Deer lowered its razor-sharp antlers.

The three powerful beasts stood before their master, fully prepared to slaughter the intruders, and then the Silent Wanderer slowly opened his eyes.

He looked right past the desperate beasts standing before him... staring into the fog of the forest.

The massive, towering trees were falling one after another in the distance. The earth trembled under the heavy, crushing footsteps. Something far, far stronger was slowly approaching from the depths.

The Silent Wanderer rose calmly to his feet. He gently placed a hand upon his White Tiger’s head, soothing its fierce aura.

"We do not strike those who flee," the Silent Wanderer murmured, letting out a warm smile.

Without another word, the Wanderer changed his direction, turning his back on the forest. His three beast companions followed his footsteps without any question.

The frightened, wild beasts parted silently to the side, watching the four silhouettes disappear into the mist.

A few months later, when one of the guys who met the Silent Wanderer asked why he had spared a horde of wild beasts that could have easily turned on him.

"A beast that runs is already fighting for its life against something greater. Only fools think of sheer desperation as hostility," the Silent Wanderer replied, offering a faint smile.

That ancient teaching eventually became one of the oldest, most sacred sayings among the beast cultivators. "Before facing the claws before you... ask what made them run."

****

Deep within the depths of Azure Mist Peak... far beyond the map given to the disciples. A pair of colossal, crimson eyes slowly opened once more inside an abyssal cavern. This time... they did not merely watch the mountain.

An eerie, suffocating silence instantly swallowed the night forest. Every beast on Azure Mist Peak... no matter how fierce, no matter how wild... lowered its head to the cold earth, trembling silently toward the dark.