Chapter 53: The Hunt Begins, and Rivalries Ignite

Su Yun accepted a demon core from Fan Yang.

“So, this is a demon core from a demonic beast? I’ve heard it can be used in medicine, for forging artifacts, and even for direct cultivation,” Su Yun remarked, her gaze fixed on the crystalline energy in her hand, a look of keen interest on her face.

Fan Yang nodded.

“Precisely. In fact, the flesh, fur, and bones of these demonic beasts can all be used in medicine and artifact forging. After we kill them, the sect will send people to collect the materials. Junior Sister, it’s time we moved on,” Fan Yang instructed.

Su Yun understood Fan Yang’s subtle meaning. They couldn’t reveal their true objective. While killing demonic beasts was necessary, it wasn’t their primary goal. Their real purpose was to protect Lin Xue and Lin Shuang, and to seize an opportunity to eliminate Deng Wenqing.

Within Lingyuan Mountain, there was a vast blind spot in the surveillance. The mountain was immense, and even with multiple Golden Core cultivators positioned strategically, their divine sense couldn’t fully encompass the entire Spirit Sword Mountain.

As they ventured deeper, Jiang Shengming and the others would lose their ability to monitor these disciples. If anything were to happen there, it would be difficult for them to know immediately, unless a distress signal was sent.

All disciples who had entered Spirit Sword Mountain had already slowed their pace. Their main objective was to kill first-tier demonic beasts; tackling second-tier beasts was too time-consuming and inefficient.

Encountering a second-tier beast was considered bad luck. They wouldn’t actively provoke one. As for the third-tier demonic beasts, those were strictly forbidden territory—not to be approached under any circumstances.

Jiang Shengming’s group had already warned the third-tier demonic beasts lurking in Lingyuan Mountain to behave and not cause trouble, or they would be annihilated. Thus, Golden Core demonic beasts would not actively attack the trial participants.

Meanwhile, Deng Wenqing and his companions were approximately three kilometers southeast of Lin Shuang and Lin Xue’s group. Su Yun and her six teammates were positioned roughly two kilometers southwest of Deng Wenqing’s party.

To avoid attracting the attention of the sect’s higher-ups, Su Yun’s team acted normally, appearing to have no specific target. They merely lingered around Deng Wenqing’s group.

However, they weren’t the only ones observing Deng Wenqing’s movements. Above them, Li Chengfeng, a Golden Core cultivator, was on patrol. He was certainly not participating in the trial, having been assigned to surveillance as an added security measure.

For now, Deng Wenqing and his group seemed to be without any ulterior motives, engaging in the normal hunt for first-tier demonic beasts.

In reality, they had already begun their covert machinations. Simultaneously, near Lin Shuang’s team, a black bird resembling a crow perched on a branch, meticulously monitoring their every move.

This was a specially trained, domesticated tracking bird, not a demonic beast. A restriction had been placed within its body by a cultivator, allowing the caster to observe their target from a great distance through the bird’s eyes.

The owner of this bird was a female disciple by Deng Wenqing’s side, who was employing a tracking spell.

This female disciple had been secretly reporting the target’s situation to Deng Wenqing. Since they were still within the elders’ surveillance range, they wouldn’t act here. Their plan was to track the target’s movements and strike when they reached a suitable location.

They certainly wouldn’t directly engage, at least not without absolute necessity.

But how did Su Yun’s team know Deng Wenqing’s location?

Before the trial began, Su Yun had asked Lei Yan to procure a special artifact capable of tracking targets. This item wasn’t particularly rare, though it required a wisp of the target’s aura.

Given Lei Yan’s cultivation, obtaining Deng Wenqing’s aura was a simple feat. As Deng Wenqing traveled earlier that day, Lei Yan had secretly taken a wisp of his essence and infused it into the tracking artifact.

Su Yun now held a device resembling a compass or a Luo Pan. Its needle constantly pointed towards Deng Wenqing’s position, also displaying the tracking distance. The Luo Pan could track target auras within a maximum range of three kilometers.

Therefore, Su Yun’s team needed to stay within three kilometers of Deng Wenqing to maintain their pursuit.

Time slowly passed as first-tier demonic beasts continuously fell to the trial participants.

The Beast Hunt Trial also served to control the population of demonic beasts within Lingyuan Mountain, keeping the new generation at a relatively safe number.

Given the skill level of Spirit Sword Mountain disciples and the composition of their teams, as long as they didn’t encounter a third-tier demonic beast, they would have ample time to react even if outmatched.

So far, no teams had met with an accident. Such incidents typically only occurred once they ventured into the inner regions, beyond the elders’ direct observation.

The demonic beast species inhabiting the inner regions were generally stronger than those in the outer areas. Even first-tier demonic beasts there usually possessed cultivation at or above the seventh level of Qi Condensation. Thus, entering the inner region marked the true beginning of danger.

Moreover, the so-called Beast Hunt Trial wasn’t just about killing demonic beasts. Conflicts could also arise between different factions over hunting grounds or even the spoils of a hunt.

Such actions were permitted by the rules. After all, no activity could completely avoid human confrontation. To entirely prevent it, they would have to forbid snatching prey, which was impossible.

Cultivators struggled against the heavens, the earth, and other people. Unless relationships were exceptionally close, prey always belonged to whoever seized it first, as long as no fellow disciple’s life was endangered.

The area was only so large, so encounters between various teams were inevitable. However, unless there were deep-seated conflicts between factions, they generally wouldn’t actively try to steal another team’s prey.

At this moment, a thousand meters northwest of Su Yun’s team, the groups from Thunderbolt Peak and Blazing Flame Peak clashed.

Their disciples were evenly matched in strength, and they had coincidentally stumbled upon a pack of demon wolves at the same time.

“Disciples of Blazing Flame Peak, we found these demon wolves first. You may leave,” a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Thunderbolt Peak declared unceremoniously.

Although Blazing Flame Peak’s team had only encountered the demon wolves by chance, upon seeing that their rivals were from Thunderbolt Peak, they showed no intention of yielding.

“What a joke! The prey here is unowned. Whoever claims it, it’s theirs. How can you say it’s yours?” a Foundation Establishment disciple from Blazing Flame Peak sneered.

The two teams surrounded the demonic beasts in a confined area. The beasts, desperate to escape, heard the alpha wolf let out a sudden howl, and the pack scattered. This way, at least some of their companions might elude the human cultivators’ hunt.

“Hmph! Then let’s settle this with our strength! Attack!” The Thunderbolt Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator immediately urged his teammates to attack the demon wolves.

The Blazing Flame Peak disciples simultaneously made their move.

As both teams struck, conflict quickly erupted between them. From that moment on, it became a confrontation between people.

Thunderbolt Peak and Blazing Flame Peak had been rivals for many years, so the elders who witnessed their struggle were unfazed. It was a common sight.

Each side sought out their opponents. Since the demonic beasts had escaped, they could only treat each other as prey.

Defeating the opposing team and taking their demon cores would also count as spoils of war.

Figures darted through the forest, sword lights crisscrossing. In particular, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, one crackling with lightning and the other wreathed in flames, showed no signs of stopping. There was no need for words; only battle.

Out of the seven major factions, a total of 68 teams were dispatched, plus Su Yun’s team, bringing the total to over 408 disciples participating in this trial.

However, based on past experience, about half of the disciples would be eliminated, mostly by disciples from other factions.

Su Yun’s team was certainly one no one dared to provoke. Everything went smoothly for them, but along the way, they witnessed numerous conflicts among fellow disciples over hunting spoils.

“Senior Brothers, do you think it’s really necessary for them to attack each other like this? Aren’t we all here for prey and points? Is there any meaning in fighting so fiercely here?” Su Yun’s team observed the battle from the edge of the skirmish.

“Of course there’s meaning,” Fan Yang chuckled. “It enhances their combat prowess, allows them to gain the other party’s demon cores, and strengthens their faction’s prestige.”

Su Yun sighed deeply. It was the same old saying: where there are people, there is conflict.

An hour into the trial, Su Yun’s team finally entered the inner region, signaling the true beginning of their mission.

Deng Wenqing’s group had already initiated their plan. Deng Wenqing produced a stick of incense.

This was an alluring incense, capable of attracting hidden demonic beasts. They were using a second-tier alluring incense, which could draw in second-tier demonic beasts.

Deng Wenqing’s initial plan was to lure powerful demonic beasts to scatter Lin Shuang’s team, at the very least separating them, and ideally having the beasts kill them. If the demonic beasts failed to eliminate them, then they would have to take action themselves.