Legendary Beast Cultivator

The morning sun hung over the eastern horizon, the rays casting through the canopy as laser beams onto the Azure Mist Peak. The warm morning air carried the smell of wet soil, and the leaves rustled against the wind.

Following the Assistant Masters, the fifteen disciples stepped into the treacherous depths of the mountain.

ROOOOAAAR!

A thunderous roar suddenly echoed from the far depths of the mountain, reverberating through the bushes and trees. The air crackled violently, shaking the dust off from the leaves and causing the ground under their feet to shake slightly.

The raging roar lingered throughout the forest for a few seconds before slowly fading into silence.

None of the three disciples in Group One moved. They stood frozen, their bodies tense, breath hitched in their throats

.

"...That definitely wasn’t a normal beast," Chen Ming gulped, his voice muffling against the gulp.

Lian Nichang forced out a laugh, his face slightly pale as his hand rested against his waist. "Humph..?"

"The roar came from far away," Lin Yuan remained perfectly calm, skimming the surrounding woods with sharp, observing eyes. His breathing was smooth and unhurried.

"But..." Chen Ming smeared a drop of cold sweat from his forehead.

"It carried enough pressure to shake the ground," Lin Yuan sneered, analysing the sheer distance and strength required for a sound to travel like that.

Standing a few paces beside, Assistant Master Qin Yuze remained expressionless, his gaze fixed on the northern path.

"It belongs to a Rank Three uncommon beast," Qin Yuze said softly, his voice calm and unbothered.

The three disciples unconsciously released a breath of relief. Rank Three beasts were indeed terrifying, but at least it wasn’t a Rank Four monster that could wipe them out in a single breath.

"But," Qin Yuze continued walking, his steps faint and silent upon the damp leaves. "It isn’t hunting you... So keep moving."

Without another word, the assistant master drifted forward, his figure blurring slightly as he disappeared a few dozen meters ahead into the mist.

"Sigh~ Does he always speak like that?" Chen Ming whispered, leaning toward Lin Yuan with a raised eyebrow.

Lin Yuan nodded slightly, a small smirk lingering on his lips. "He does."

"Great. A man of many words," Chen Ming muttered, adjusting his supply pouch at his waist.

The three resumed their walk, their legs crunching softly against the fallen twigs and dry leaves.

Nearly half an hour later, the narrow, overgrown path slightly widened into a sprawling opening. The trees towered overhead into the sky like giant pillars, their azure leaves wavering gently under the soft mountain breeze. The rays of sunlight pierced through gaps in the canopy, the ground shining against the light.

Lian Nichang suddenly crouched down, his eyes glancing a faint glint near the root of an old oak. "Wait."

The other two immediately stopped, Chen Ming instinctively clenching his fists before realizing there was no danger.

There were three pale-blue flowers growing under the tangled roots of the tree. Each possessed six petals that gently shimmered under the beams of sunlight, reflecting small beads of glowing moisture onto the soil.

"They’re pretty..." Chen Ming leaned over, scratching his head in confusion.

Lin Yuan shook his head, kneeling beside Lian Nichang to observe the structure of the leaves. "They’re medicinal herbs."

"Correct!!" A quiet voice drifted from above as Qin Yuze, who had somehow perched on a branch high up, glanced over his shoulder. "They are Azure Dew Blossoms. Rank One medicinal herbs. They’re commonly used for healing small bruises and basic energy recovery pills."

Lian Nichang let out a graceful smile. He carefully pulled out a small wooden knife, gently carving around the roots to keep the essence intact, before wrapping the herbs inside a cloth.

"Our first harvest," Lian Nichang said proudly, snorting once before placing them into the pouch.

"Not bad, Nichang! If we gather enough of these, we can sell them for extra silver back in Green Hollow City!" Chen Ming grinned, patting Lian Nichang on the shoulder.

****

Meanwhile... a few miles away on the eastern ridge, the group two slowly walked on the path. The terrain here was rockier, filled with steep stones and towering fruit-bearing trees.

Chi Fenglian, who had been grumbling about his empty stomach for the past hour, suddenly stopped and pointed toward a tree trunk. "Look!"

High upon a massive branch rested several plump, red fruits that emanated a sweet, tempting aroma.

"They look delicious!" Chi Fenglian drooled, his voice muffling.

Before anyone could stop him or analyze the surroundings, he began climbing with terrifying speed, scrambling up the bark like a mad monkey.

"Idiot!" Huo Ren shouted, stepping forward with wide eyes. "Wait—"

The moment Chi Fenglian reached out his hand and plucked the fruit...

Buzz!!

A sharp, high-pitched screeching sound echoed through the air. Hundreds of emerald-winged insects burst from the leaves right above his head, their bodies glittering aggressively under the sun.

"What the fuck—" Chi Fenglian yelled, ramming in pain. "AAAAAAHHHH!!"

Chi Fenglian jumped blindly from the ten-foot branch, landing awkwardly on the ground before desperately waving his arms in a panic. The cloud of bright green insects chased him, swarming around his head like a tiny, angry storm cloud.

"GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Chi Fenglian screamed, sprinting in wide circles around the rocky path.

Xiao Yanrui clenched the bridge of his nose, letting out a weary sigh. "...I told you."

"Hahaha!" Standing on a high boulder, Assistant Master Gu Su Feng burst into loud, boisterous laughter, holding his stomach. "Congratulations, kid! You’ve discovered Emerald Honey Wasps."

"They’re harmless..." Gu Su Feng grinned, watching the young boy sprinting around. "...unless you steal their food."

"I DON’T CARE IF THEY’RE HARMLESS! THEY’RE BITING MY BUTT!" Chi Fenglian continued, running frantically toward the nearest river stream.

****

And, along the western stream, the group three murmured about the mountain range. The atmosphere here was far more calm and peaceful. A crystal-clear stream flowed gently over smooth stones, creating a melodious sound of running water.

Ying Yue admired the scenery, stepping close to the bank. Tiny silver fish with fins swam effortlessly under the crystal-clear water, sparkling like floating gems.

Yun He smiled warmly, her Earth-Ape lingering around the forest. "It’s beautiful..."

Xiao Lanxue, walking slightly ahead, suddenly extended her arm, blocking their path. "Stop."

The two girls froze immediately, their smiles vanishing as they instinctively lowered their posture. Only then did they notice, there was something hanging silently from a massive oak branch right above the stream. A massive serpent skin hung loosely in the breeze.

It was shed, and was nearly six meters in length. The patterns on the skin glistened ominously.

"Whatever left this..." Ying Yue swallowed hard, whispering under her breath, "...must still be nearby."

Standing atop a nearby mossy stone, Assistant Master Shen Li Xiaoran smiled faintly, nodding with approval. "Good observation."

"The mountain always leaves clues," Shen Li Xiaoran said smoothly, crossing her arms. "The wise survive because they notice them before stepping into the trap."

****

Gu Fang Xin proudly carried a basket filled to the brim with various colorful plants, herbs, and roots.

"I told you we’d find plenty," Gu Fang Xin boasted, smearing his forehead with a self-satisfied smirk. "My instincts are never wrong!"

Chi Ruyan startled his eyes hard, analysing one of the strange purple leaves inside the basket.

"You’ve been picking every single plant you see," Chi Ruyan frantically asked, stroking his chin. "What if half of them are poisonous?"

"They’re not," Gu Fang Xin waved his hand dismissively.

"How do you know?" Chi Ruyan sneered, squinting his eyes.

"...Confidence."

Lian Mei Lin watched the two argue, letting out a weary sigh as she rubbed her temples. "We’re definitely dying first in this trial."

Assistant Master He Muran, sitting comfortably on a fallen log while carving a piece of wood, laughed hard.

"Hahaha! You youngsters remind me of my first trial into the wild!" He Muran said, looking up with nostalgic eyes. "...Except we argued slightly less and ran slightly more."

****

On another path along the southern slope, the damp soil here was covered in strange, shining flora.

Chen Yu Ming knelt beside a patch of small, soft blue mushrooms that throbbed with a faint, rhythmically light.

"They’re adorable..." she whispered, reaching out to tap one of the soft caps.

Huo Luo Ren crouched right beside her, poking a mushroom with a small stick. "Can we eat them?"

Teng Haoran immediately answered without turning his head. "No."

Huo Luo Ren blinked, looking up. "How do you know?"

"We don’t know about that, so that is why exactly we’re not eating them," Teng Haoran said, crossing his arms.

Assistant Master Shen Ruoxi walked gently behind them, her Moonwater Deer walking gracefully at her side. She smiled approvingly at Teng Haoran’s quick understanding.

"Good decision," Shen Ruoxi said softly, her voice like a warm breeze. "In the wilderness... curiosity without caution becomes recklessness."

As the morning passed, every group walked deeper into their pathways. They collected various herbs, discovered unusual plants, and observed uncommon beasts from afar; watching wild stag-beasts drink from rivers and giant hawks soar under the clouds.

On the surface, the mountain appeared peaceful. As the hours ticked by and the sun reached its highest point, the atmosphere slowly changed. The sounds of chirping birds began to thin out. The wind carried a strange pressure that lingered in the back of everyone’s throats.

Even the Assistant Masters, who had been relaxed and playful, became noticeably quieter. Their sharp eyes darted across the shadows of the paths far more frequently. The forest seemed alive. It felt like a massive entity which was watching, listening, and waiting for the brats to step deeper into it.

****

Deep in a region, far beyond the safe zones marked on every academy map, there was an ancient, pitch-black cavern beneath a cliffside.

A pair of enormous, crimson eyes slowly opened inside the pitch darkness. They shimmered like two burning suns in the abyssal darkness.

HAHHH...

A loud breath escaped the beast’s nostrils, turning into white cloud that hissed against the stone floor. The surrounding mountain mist trembled violently. The air for miles around became heavy and suffocating.

Inside the surrounding woods, nearby Rank Three uncommon beasts instantly dropped to their knees. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably as they lowered their heads in submission, before silently and frantically retreating into the forest.