Volume 3 Chapter 18

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Volume 3 Chapter 18: The First Night (Part Two)

"Are you thinking about that huge roar we heard during the day?"

Seeing the other four completely preoccupied and unable to focus on restoring their Spirit Qi, Xu Qingfan knew this wouldn’t work, so he asked bluntly.

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, the other four paused slightly but no longer pondered alone. Lv Qingshang was the first to speak, "Yes, that huge roar during the day was overwhelming; the mere shockwave caused me some internal injuries. If that roar had been directed at me, I fear I would have had no resistance at all."

Wang Qingjun’s eyes flickered slightly, and he frowned as he said, "I wonder who could have made such a powerful roar. Logically, apart from us disciples from various sects, there are only demon beasts on Huandao Island. Could it have been the Seven-colored Deer?"

Hearing Wang Qingjun’s speculation, Xu Qingfan shook his head and said softly, "It shouldn’t be from the Seven-colored Deer. For one thing, the roar clearly sounded human. Although I’m not familiar with this type of demon beast, from my understanding, it’s evolved from the Seven-colored Deer, and its roar shouldn’t be that frightening. Besides, the Seven-colored Deer is only close to Earth-level demon beasts in strength. If it could produce such a terrifying roar, then even ordinary Earth-level demon beasts wouldn’t be its match."

Jin Qinghan frowned and asked, "So, Senior Brother Xu, do you mean this roar came from disciples representing other sects participating in the Newcomer Competition?"

Xu Qingfan had not spoken yet when the usually silent Feng Qingtian suddenly said, "Impossible. The roar had a subtle Spirit Qi fluctuation, clearly not from a Daoist technique. It was simply a roar fueled by the Spirit Qi from the dantian. The Newcomer Competition is only for disciples below the Condensed Core Stage, but to produce such a powerful roar, one would need at least Condensed Core Stage cultivation."

Hearing Feng Qingtian bluntly dismiss his guess, Jin Qinghan gave him a faint glance but said nothing.

"Could it be a senior living in seclusion on Huandao Island?" Lv Qingshang wondered.

"No," Xu Qingfan shook his head. "Senior figures from Penance Valley have thoroughly investigated the Huandao Island environment before. If someone were hiding here, they would certainly know."

As Xu Qingfan’s voice faded, everyone fell into silence. With all possibilities dismissed, they were full of doubts and concerns.

The unknown is frightening. People always fear unknown dangers.

After a long pause, Lv Qingshang smiled wryly, "The power of this roar surpasses even the ‘Sky Howling Beast,’ yet it’s from a human. It’s truly baffling."

Hearing Lv Qingshang’s inadvertent remark, something stirred within Xu Qingfan, as if he had caught onto something.

The "Sky Howling Beast," one of the mightiest human-level advanced demon beasts, is even stronger than the Blue-eyed Cloud-foot Beast. Despite its petite size and weak combat abilities in close quarters, it excels at using its roar to defeat enemies. The roar from its small body can change the color of the skies, and whenever it roars, creatures within a wide radius die from shattered organs.

Xu Qingfan’s body trembled slightly, and then he closed his eyes in thought. Jin Qinghan and the others knew Xu Qingfan had thought of something but didn’t ask, afraid of interrupting his thoughts. They simply watched him silently, waiting for him to explain.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xu Qingfan opened his eyes and looked at the four people around him. He slowly asked, "Do you know the origin of the name ‘Sky Howling Beast’?"

Lv Qingshang laughed and said, "I don’t know, but Junior Brother Xu, since you’re asking, you must know. I’ve long heard that you’re well-read, so let’s skip the riddles and just tell us your thoughts. That way, you can also show off your vast knowledge, right?"

Although Lv Qingshang appeared youthful, the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes when he laughed betrayed his true age. In fact, Lv Qingshang was the oldest among the five, having been part of the Jiuhua Gate for sixty years. Despite being the oldest, he had the most carefree personality among them, always appearing unrestrained, which also helped create a more harmonious atmosphere among the five.

Hearing Lv Qingshang’s words, Xu Qingfan gave a self-deprecating smile. Yue Qingru used to solve his doubts in this manner: first posing a question, then providing an answer. Having been with Yue Qingru for years, Xu Qingfan had unconsciously picked up this habit.

But Xu Qingfan understood Lv Qingshang’s personality; although teasing, he meant no harm, so he didn’t mind and explained slowly, "Before the ‘Sky Howling Beast’ was discovered by humans, the name ‘Sky Howling’ already existed. It was a branch of the Shura Clan, called the ‘Sky Howling Clan,’ resembling human children and also using their roars to defeat enemies. Eventually, the ‘Sky Howling Clan,’ along with the Shura Clan, were sealed by practitioners of that time and gradually faded from human memory."

Tens of thousands of years ago, humans were just one of the many inconspicuous races on the Shenzhou Continent. Besides humans, there were many other strong and ancient races at that time. Because of their aggressive and combative nature, humans collectively referred to them as the "Shura Clan," but eventually, they were all sealed by humans.

Xu Qingfan paused and continued, "Later, as humans expanded their activities on the Shenzhou Continent, they discovered many previously unheard-of demon beasts, and the ‘Sky Howling Beast’ was discovered during that time. Because it, like the ‘Sky Howling Clan,’ was small in stature and adept at defeating enemies with roars, it was named ‘Sky Howling Beast.’"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s explanation, Feng Qingtian frowned and asked, "You mean there’s a Sky Howling Clan on Huandao Island? That’s impossible. Not to mention the ‘Sky Howling Clan’ has long been sealed; even if remnants survived from tens of thousands of years ago, they would have long perished. Even if there were remnants of the Sky Howling Clan here, they would have been discovered by the cultivators from Penance Valley who came to explore."

Xu Qingfan gently shook his head and softly asked, "Did you notice the person representing Eight Wilderness Hall in the Newcomer Competition?"

"Are you talking about the person who looks like a child?" Jin Qinghan suddenly asked. In fact, since the five members of Jiuhua Gate arrived at Zhantai, they had been quietly observing their opponents from other sects, and the child-like person from Eight Wilderness Hall was the most memorable. The aura he exuded was the strongest among the thousands of disciples at Zhantai, even stronger than Feng Qingtian’s.

"Do you suspect that the child-like person is a remnant of the ‘Sky Howling Clan’?" Feng Qingtian asked with a frown.

Xu Qingfan nodded silently and then said, "It’s just a suspicion because the ‘Sky Howling Clan’ hasn’t been seen in Shenzhou Continent for thousands of years. But that person’s appearance is indeed very similar to the descriptions in ancient texts of the ‘Sky Howling Clan’."

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, the other four members of Jiuhua Gate fell into silence again. "If the Shura Clan appears in this Newcomer Competition, it would be a big deal, but all this is merely Xu Qingfan’s speculation and can’t be taken as certainty. Besides, this isn’t something disciples who haven’t reached the Condensed Core Stage can deal with."

Seeing everyone’s silence, Xu Qingfan understood their concerns and decided not to continue the topic. He said, "It’s getting late. We should meditate to restore our Spirit Qi. Tomorrow, we’ll continue to capture the Seven-colored Deer. Hopefully, that loud roar won’t happen again."

Initially, Xu Qingfan and his team had captured five Seven-colored Deer in half a day, but since that loud roar echoed on Huandao Island, all the Deer seemed to be in a state of panic. Some were scattered running wildly across the plains, while others hid away trembling, causing great difficulty for Xu Qingfan and his team’s efforts. As a result, they only managed to catch two more in the same amount of time. Otherwise, they would have completed their mission and returned to Zhantai by now.

After hearing Xu Qingfan, everyone nodded silently, but Wang Qingjun said, "Huandao Island is often filled with Green Snake Dragon at night, and it’s unsafe for everyone to meditate with their Divine Sense closed. Let me keep watch since I haven’t used much Spirit Qi today."

During the day’s capturing mission, Xu Qingfan and Lv Qingshang were in charge of restraint, while Jin Qinghan and Feng Qingtian handled the attacks. Wang Qingjun only prevented unexpected situations, making him the one who consumed the least Spirit Qi.

Xu Qingfan was about to agree when he suddenly remembered the words of Zhang Hualing and Bai Qingfu. He then said, "I’ll stay up with you for the night. Tomorrow, Junior Brother Jin will take over. We not only have to guard against the Green Snake Dragon but also be cautious of cultivators from other sects trying to ambush and steal our captured Seven-colored Deer. Similar incidents have occurred in past Newcomer Competitions, so it’s safer for two people to keep watch."

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, everyone silently nodded. Wang Qingjun thought about saying something, but seeing no objections from the others, he too remained silent. However, when he looked at Xu Qingfan, there was a flicker in his eyes, as if he had guessed Xu Qingfan’s true thoughts.

…

Not long after Feng Qingtian and the other two calmed themselves and began meditating, a light rain started to fall from the sky over Huandao Island. With the island’s sea breeze, the scene of slanting wind and drizzle added a touch of cool melancholy to Huandao Island.

Before the group began meditating, Lv Qingshang set up an additional defensive array around them to lighten the night-watch duties for Xu Qingfan and Wang Qingjun and to increase their security. Despite the continuous drizzle, the defensive array ensured no impact on the group.

Staring into the pitch-black night beyond the protective shield, Xu Qingfan felt as if he was back in the Southern Wasteland, where the nights were just as dark, save for the constant sound of crashing waves.

It’s said that the sound of waves, though monotonous, can be calming. Yet, as Xu Qingfan listened to the waves, agitation stirred in his heart. The puzzling words of Zhang Hualing and Bai Qingfu, the terrifying roar from Huandao Island during the day, and the provocation from Liuhe Gate’s Deng Tianao all suggested that this Newcomer Competition would not be peaceful, and perhaps something even more was hidden beneath the surface.

However, Xu Qingfan had no way of knowing what would happen. Although he was not a person with a strong need for control, the feeling of the situation slipping out of his grasp still left him uneasy and restless.

Xu Qingfan’s sense of restlessness and unease was not just due to these factors. His observations during the day revealed tensions within their group of five from Jiuhua Mountain. Though it appeared calm now, he didn’t know when it might erupt.

Although Lv Qingshang was carefree by nature, it was clear he was still upset about the serious injury Jin Qinghan gave him ten years ago during the big competition at Jiuhua Gate. As a result, Lv Qingshang didn’t say a word to Jin Qinghan all day.

The tension between Jin Qinghan and Feng Qingtian was even more palpable. During the day, when they were attempting to capture the Seven-colored Deer, they seemed to be constantly competing, trying to see who could finish off the target first. This led to the deer being left in a terrible state. During the discussion about the source of a mysterious roar, they clashed again, always ready to contradict whatever the other said.

Wang Qingjun, on the other hand, was the person Xu Qingfan found hardest to understand. He never sought attention and never complained about Xu Qingfan’s assignments. However, perhaps due to Zhang Hualing’s earlier words, Xu Qingfan sensed there was something hidden within Wang Qingjun’s seemingly ordinary demeanor. Moreover, Xu Qingfan noticed he wasn’t alone; Feng Qingtian too seemed to be silently observing Wang Qingjun, as if he had discovered something.

With these thoughts in mind, Xu Qingfan glanced over to the other side of the defensive array. There, Feng Qingtian and the others sat cross-legged with their eyes closed, quietly meditating, while Wang Qingjun stood like Xu Qingfan, at the edge of the protective array, calmly watching the rain-soaked night scene outside. Sensing Xu Qingfan’s gaze, Wang Qingjun turned and smiled slightly at him in greeting, but showed no intention of speaking.

Seeing Wang Qingjun’s smile, Xu Qingfan suddenly thought of Bai Qingfu. The two had such similar smiles—genuine yet devoid of warmth—as if they smiled for the sake of smiling. The difference was that Bai Qingfu’s smile was far more practiced than Wang Qingjun’s.

Suddenly, an absurd thought struck Xu Qingfan. It was as if Bai Qingfu and Wang Qingjun wore human masks. But he dismissed this idea immediately—what kind of human mask could deceive a cultivator’s "Sky Eye Skill"?

Shaking his head slightly to rid himself of these random thoughts, Xu Qingfan focused on observing the rainy night. After all, Huandao Island was dangerous, and keeping watch was important.

…

The night always seemed to be accompanied by conspiracies, as if schemers felt the darkness matched the shadows in their hearts. Perhaps they believed the night could better hide their plots, giving them a sense of safety hidden in the dark.

Somewhere on Huandao Island, a figure stood quietly in the light rain, waiting for something.

After an unknown amount of time, another figure appeared not far from the first one. This new figure was larger in stature compared to the original.

"You’re late."

"They only just started isolating themselves for meditation and recovery, so I couldn’t leave."

"How much of your task have you completed?" After a moment of silence, the original voice asked again.

"Xu Qingfan and Feng Qingtian seem to have always been wary of me, secretly watching my every move, making it hard for me to act. Hmph, isn’t it because your previous acting was too poor?"

"This identity was meant to attract Jiuhua Gate’s attention. But with your skills and opportunities, didn’t you have a chance to act? I think you were too soft-hearted, right? Couldn’t bear to act against your former comrades?"

"What do you mean by that?"

After another long silence, the original voice spoke again, "It doesn’t matter. Whether you complete your task or not, it’s the same. Of course, completing it would be better, but not completing it won’t affect the bigger picture."

"Do you have any news about that loud roar during the day?"

"I’m not sure either, but whoever made that roar, it won’t affect the overall situation."

"When will you take action?"

"I think it has already begun," another voice spoke softly.

…

Although Huandao Island had entered the night, the Zhantai on the top of Wuling Mountain was still bright. The green grass gently swayed, and birds and rabbits moved about, as if in this cultivation world’s Holy Land, darkness did not exist at all.

On the Zhantai, there stood around four or five thousand disciples from various factions, bustling about. Most of them were disciples brought by their elders to watch the Newcomer Competition, and they were excited, discussing the scenes they had witnessed during the day. However, some were despondent as they had come to represent their factions in the Newcomer Competition, only to return defeated in less than a day, losing face completely.

On the southern part of Zhantai, on the jade platform where the leaders and elders of the factions were seated, they sat quietly, each watching their disciples’ performances through the Mirror Technique, their expressions showing pride or worry based on the disciples’ actions.

Finally, Zeng Lianxian, the sect leader of the Five Elements Sect, broke the silence, saying with a smile, "Oh, I’m afraid our faction is going to lose face this time."

So far, the results of the Five Elements Sect are the worst among the six Holy Lands, even slightly worse than Liuhe Gate. Therefore, although Zeng Lianxian is smiling at the moment, it seems a bit forced.

Zhang Hualing smiled and said, "Only a day has passed, and the current results don’t mean much. Sect Master Zeng, there’s no need to worry."

Zeng Lianxian sighed, "Sect Master Zhang naturally isn’t worried, as your sect’s disciples have performed outstandingly, capturing seven Seven-colored Deer in just one day."

Upon hearing Zeng Lianxian’s words, Zhang Hualing smiled slightly, but it was hard to tell whether he was happy or worried. He remarked intentionally, "How can our Jiuhua Gate compare to the Eight Wilderness Hall? The five nephews from Eight Wilderness Hall have already exceeded their task. Especially that nephew Huang Xie, whose roars are as mighty as those of the ‘Sky Howling Clan’ from ten thousand years ago."

Hearing Zhang Hualing’s words, the main hall leader of Eight Wilderness Hall, Man Tian, had a sharp glint in his eyes and was about to say something when his face suddenly changed. He looked towards the sky above the Zhantai, where the "Mirror Technique" had formed the Huandao Island Mirror.

Not only Man Tian, but the sect leaders and elders on the jade platform, as well as some highly skilled disciples below, all abruptly looked up at the Huandao Island Mirror formed by the Mirror Technique in the sky.

In the Mirror Technique in the sky, strange waves of Spirit Qi began to appear. Under the influence of these Spirit Qi waves, the originally clear image rippled like a stone thrown into water. These ripples grew stronger and stronger until, after a few dozen breaths, the Huandao Island Mirror formed by the Mirror Technique shattered before everyone’s eyes.

Witnessing this sudden change, everyone on the Zhantai turned pale.