C1 Someone Went down the Mountain

Once upon a time, there was a mountain, and atop that mountain was not a temple, but a quaint little courtyard.

In this courtyard lived an old man and a young man.

The young man was named Wu Pingfan. He had spent his entire life on the mountain, never once descending its slopes, let alone venturing far beyond.

The saplings had grown into towering trees, and the wildlife had flourished just as much.

It wasn't that Wu Pingfan lacked the desire to leave; he simply never had the opportunity.

Each time he tried to sneak away, he was invariably caught by the old man just as he neared the mountain's base.

No matter how many times he attempted to escape, he never succeeded.

But today, the old man unexpectedly allowed him to take his belongings and descend the mountain to seek out his senior brothers and sisters.

The young man was taken aback.

He had no idea where those seniors had gone after they left the mountain. How was he to find them?

However, when the old man instructed him not to return for five years, Wu Pingfan had an epiphany!

The old man probably wanted to lock himself away and engage in some nefarious activities.

The old man had never shown interest in the pile of books depicting unclothed men and women fighting, which had accumulated into a small hill in the woodshed. Perhaps he intended to spend the next five years indulging in them.

But that was no concern of Wu Pingfan's. Presented with the opportunity to leave the mountain, he was more than willing.

So, the young man quickly packed a few sets of clothes and some daily essentials, grabbed his bag, and set off down the mountain.

Upon reaching the base, he gazed out at the world with eyes brimming with longing and stretched luxuriously.

Then, he glanced at the dog by his side.

This dog, named Coal, had been his companion since childhood, a true friend. Now that he had the chance to explore, he was naturally going to bring Coal along.

The old man had given his consent.

"Coal, let's go..." Wu Pingfan said, stepping forward with confidence.

Coal, emulating his friend, held his head high and matched Wu Pingfan's stride.

And so, their adventure began with a loyal dog by his side.

...

The Great Heavenly Empire was the most powerful dynasty in the continent's northwestern region, its might overwhelming the other three great empires. It was the undisputed ruler of the northwest, and within its borders, the cultivation forces were as varied as they were numerous, outnumbering those of the other three empires combined.

Within the hierarchy of sects, there are distinct levels of power and influence. Starfall Peaks stands out as a prominent force among the second-tier powers of the empire. To be considered a first-rate sect, it is essential to have at least one master who has attained the Heavenly Martial Realm within the sect. There are five realms of cultivation: Soul Manifestation, Soul Forging, Spirit Absorption, Mystic Soul, and Heavenly Martial Realm.

The leader of Starfall Peaks is a formidable figure at the pinnacle of the Mystic Soul Realm, just a hair's breadth away from stepping into the Heavenly Martial Realm and elevating Starfall Peaks to the status of a first-rate power. However, the sect has recently been besieged by troubles.

On the main road just outside Snowy City, a training squad from Starfall Peaks had narrowly escaped with their lives from the nearby Sky Demon Mountain Range. Weary to the bone, they trudged along the road. An elder led the group, accompanied by a young woman whose expression was as frosty as her demeanor.

"There's definitely something suspicious about the ambush in the Heaven Fey Mountain Range," the girl stated icily, her gaze sweeping over the remnants of her team.

Their group, consisting of seventy to eighty members, had ventured into the periphery of the mountain range for training. Under the protection of Yao Jing, a seventh-level Spirit Absorption Realm practitioner, they should have been safe. Furthermore, the outskirts of the mountain range were typically inhabited by only first or second-tier Fellbeasts. Even without Yao Jing's intervention, they should have been able to survive with some effort.

Yet, disaster struck. A Level Three Peak Fellbeast, usually found only in the deeper parts of the Sky Demon Mountain Range, had emerged from hiding to launch a surprise attack on them. It appeared to be no mere chance encounter but a deliberate strike against them. The team had lost nearly half of its members to the Fellbeasts, a fact that raised suspicions in the young woman's mind.

Yao Jing had not escaped unscathed either. A Fellbeast capable of speech upon reaching the Fourth Rank was formidable indeed, suggesting that a Third Rank Fellbeast with the power comparable to the Spirit Absorption Realm was immensely powerful.

Yao Jing surveyed the weary survivors and spoke gravely, "The situation is too peculiar. Even I cannot discern the cause. We should report back to the Mountain Lord upon our return and have him investigate."

"Xiao Xiao, instruct the team to halt and regroup. Tend to your injuries first; we will resume our journey shortly."

The young woman known as Xiao Xiao nodded and turned to relay the orders. Yet, as she did so, she paused, a look of surprise crossing her face. Not far from the road, two silhouettes approached against the backdrop of the setting sun. Xiao Xiao found herself inexplicably rooted to the spot, watching them draw nearer.

As the figures came into clearer view, she saw they were a boy, about fifteen or sixteen years old, accompanied by... a large black dog! What an odd pair they made. The boy appeared to have no special abilities, just an average person. Yet, he walked past the group of cultivators without a hint of concern, moving steadily forward.

There was no harm in that. If the boy and his dog simply passed by quietly, all would be well. But then, the boy stopped, turning his gaze to a severely injured member of the Starfall Peaks group.

Xiao Xiao's brow furrowed in confusion. What did this ordinary person want?

The boy blinked his innocuous eyes and asked, "Why would a human wear Thousand Musk Flower? That's really odd. My Coal loves to use that stuff to stew bones."

Xiao Xiao was taken aback. What did he mean by that?

Coal? That must be the name of the large black dog at his side.

Yao Jing, who had also overheard the conversation, hobbled over and inquired, "Young man, what's Thousand Musk Flower?" Despite his advanced age, he had never encountered such a thing.

The boy didn't respond, seemingly lost in thought over his own question. Yao Jing was about to press for an answer when a gruff voice echoed in his ears.

"The Thousand Musk Flower is just a name my master invented. It's a spice that Fellbeasts are quite fond of. Those below the fourth rank become wildly frenzied by its scent, desperate to possess it. It's likely in the possession of the fellow wrapped in bandages over there."

Yao Jing was momentarily stunned.

Who was speaking?

He looked around, only to find that the large black dog was the one meeting his gaze.

Could it be... this dog?

A fourth-rank Fellbeast?

Damn!

Could a big black dog actually ascend to the fourth rank?

After decades of arduous cultivation, he still couldn't match up to a big black dog!

Hold on, if this fellow is telling the truth...

"Coal, it's time for dinner. Let's go..."

The boy, who had been lost in thought for quite some time, finally spoke up.

The big black dog that had been watching Yao Jing eagerly extended its tongue and let out a couple of barks.

Such a quintessential native dog demeanor!

Together, the man and his dog resumed their journey.

Yao Jing was astonished.

Why would a fourth-tier big black dog be following a mere mortal?

Unable to make sense of it, he suddenly bowed deeply.

"Thank you, esteemed dog."

But Coal couldn't be bothered to even bark in response, simply continuing to follow his owner in silence.

As the pair moved farther away, Yao Jing finally straightened up and turned his attention to the disciple Coal had mentioned.

In the clash at Starfall Peaks, this individual had miraculously survived but at the cost of an arm and weakened vitality.

The disciple looked towards Yao Jing with a sense of alarm.

Yao Jing let out a cold snort.

"Li Ang, you've really outdone yourself with your scheming!"

Moments later, the already injured disciple was bound tightly. The young man, who had walked a considerable distance by now, was oblivious to this development.

He was aware of only one thing.

Snowy Sky City was not much farther now.

And he was famished...