A white crane pierced through the clouds, sunlight flowing across its feathers, reflecting a golden yellow hue.
Most cultivators yearn for the carefree ease of the crane, thus many, many cultivation sects use the "crane" as their totem or symbol.
Within Kongshan Sect, the crane is the symbol of Kongyuan Mountain.
Just like the gilded cloud crane patterns on the sleeves of the daoist robes worn by the cultivators of Kongyuan Mountain.
On Qingchan Peak, over a dozen young cultivators clad in Qingchan Peak daoist robes gathered together, crowding around a stone table.
And what lay upon that stone table was a document.
"Is this for real? Senior Brother Fu isn't among the Dao Inquirers for this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry?"
"What is Sect Leader Ruan thinking? Senior Brother Fu is the number one among our generation of disciples on Qingchan Peak, the Martial Spring Realm champion of the last sect competition!"
"I heard some elders in the sect believe Senior Brother Fu's talent is actually quite ordinary. The only reason he became our Qingchan Peak's Chief Disciple is because his master is our Qingchan Peak's Sword Master Elder Wan..."
In a pavilion nearby, an eighteen-year-old youth stood by the railing, looking towards the direction of the young cultivators gathered around that stone table below.
His appearance was ordinary, not exactly handsome, even slightly displeasing to the eye.
The youth was acutely aware of his greatest shortcoming.
No talent.
It couldn't be said he had absolutely no cultivation talent. A cultivator who could break through to the Martial Spring Realm at his age would absolutely be a key focus for cultivation in any sect.
However, the youth simply did not possess talent worthy of the position of Qingchan Peak's Chief Disciple.
"Outrageous!"
An enraged voice came from behind. A tall, imposing old man stormed into the room with fiery haste, his eyes swirling with fury and innate true energy.
"What is Old Man Ruan thinking? Has he gotten so old his mind is muddled? Why on earth wouldn't he let you be a Dao Inquirer? You were the Martial Spring champion of the last sect competition!"
The old man was none other than the current Sword Master Elder of Qingchan Peak, Wan Zhenting.
"Master."
The youth bowed respectfully in Wan Zhenting's direction.
The discussions of those young disciples downstairs earlier weren't wrong at all.
He had no talent, and his master was indeed fiercely protective.
He knew full well that the only reason he became Qingchan Peak's Chief Disciple was entirely due to Wan Zhenting overriding all opposition.
The reason the youth could become the Martial Spring Realm champion of the sect competition was completely because, as Qingchan Peak's Chief Disciple, he could essentially draw upon any of Qingchan Peak's cultivation resources without limit, and he worked hard enough.
In a sense, it could also be said he was overdrafting his potential.
The more experienced elders within the sect naturally saw through this. Therefore, the youth was not prioritized among the candidates for this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry.
Because compared to a "prodigy" like him, built up through sheer effort and cultivation resources, the sect preferred to cultivate prodigies with higher ceilings.
Yet, his current combat prowess was indeed outstanding among Kongshan Sect's current generation of Martial Spring Realm disciples.
So among the candidates for this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, he was ranked fourth.
"No, I'm going to find Old Man Ruan and demand an explanation!"
So saying, Wan Zhenting took a few more steps forward, then leapt lightly out of the pavilion, transforming into a streak of rainbow light that vanished into the horizon.
...
It was futile.
This outcome was entirely within his own expectations.
Participating in the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry was the best way for the young disciples of Chenping Continent to accumulate prestige for themselves.
"Senior Brother Fu, the beast's lair is just ahead. Please be careful."
The handsome, dashing young disciple before him spoke thus to the youth.
His name was Jiang Cunzhen, the Chief Disciple of Kongshan Sect's Linwu Mountain, and also one of Kongshan Sect's Dao Inquirers for this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry.
"Mhm."
The youth nodded.
Over the past month, multiple incidents of spirit beasts injuring people had occurred in the forest eight hundred li north of Kongshan Sect, and several outer sect disciples of Kongshan Sect had also perished in that forest.
Some time ago, disciples from Kongshan Sect's Yunyin Peak Merit Hall identified the culprit behind these spirit beast attacks: several Xuanjin Wolves that had come from who-knows-where and settled in a cave within that forest.
Xuanjin Wolves were a relatively common low-level demonic beast in Chenping Continent. The strongest individual within their species only possessed combat power equivalent to a cultivator at the early Martial Spring Realm.
The exact number of wolves in this den hadn't been confirmed, but according to intelligence from Yunyin Peak's Merit Hall, there were at least five or more.
Therefore, Kongshan Sect dispatched a total of about twenty disciples for this extermination operation against the Xuanjin Wolves in the forest. Among them were seven Martial Spring Realm disciples and over ten Energy Channeling Realm disciples.
Among these seven Martial Spring Realm disciples were even two Peak Chief Disciples.
This lineup was absolutely sufficient to easily exterminate the Xuanjin Wolves in the forest.
"This is the place."
Staring at the cave entrance before him, Jiang Cunzhen frowned deeply.
He drew the sword at his waist and took the lead, stepping forward a few paces.
"I'll go in first to scout the path. Senior Brother Fu, and all other fellow disciples, please provide support from behind."
So saying, Jiang Cunzhen strode towards the cave entrance without the slightest hesitation.
Standing behind him, one could clearly see the thin red cord hanging around Jiang Cunzhen's neck.
It was his jade pendant.
Just an ordinary jade pendant, not even worth a few taels of silver.
Many people had asked Jiang Cunzhen why he wore this pendant.
He said it was a gift from his mother before he joined Kongshan Sect.
Others said, since he had chosen the path of cultivation, shouldn't he sever all mortal ties?
He replied, since he was now separated from the mortal world by the gulf of immortality, keeping a memento would bring more peace of mind.
The group moved into the cave. It was pitch black, so dark they couldn't see their own hands in front of their faces.
Several disciples skilled at converting true qi into flame used their qi to light the torches they had prepared earlier.
Under the flickering, dim torchlight and the dancing shadows, the group continued deeper into the cave.
The cave was deeper than imagined.
"...Where are the wolves?"
After the Kongshan Sect cultivators had advanced roughly a hundred *zhang* into the cave, someone finally couldn't hold back and asked.
"Shh..."
Jiang Cunzhen, walking at the front, raised his hand, placing a vertical index finger before his lips. His expression, illuminated by the torchlight, appeared exceptionally grave.
Everyone following behind him instantly held their breath.
*Crunch, crunch...*
From the depths of the cave came a grating sound, like something gnawing on bone.
Wolves?
Jiang Cunzhen cautiously extended the torch in his hand forward. The leaping flames suddenly illuminated the stone wall ahead, revealing a horrifying scene—
Four or five massive wolf carcasses lay scattered in disarray, their blood soaking the stone floor.
A colossal bear, over two *zhang* tall, sat hunched among them, its fangs gleaming wickedly. It was holding a ferocious wolf's head, tearing and gnawing at it with deliberate, unhurried motions.