Chapter 1: Chapter 9

"In the very beginning, in ancient times, there were people on the continent, but there were also Demons, Devils, Immortals and Gods from the Upper Realm. Later, the flames (beacons) spread everywhere, and the demons' Yuan Qi was severely damaged, and they ended in a slump. According to an ancient legend, Temptress was one of those Ancient Demonic Beasts. It is not considered a high-level Demonic Beast, but it is the best at confounding people, at least it has the cultivation level of the early stage of Core Formation, you..." Zou Jingyuan obviously remembered the tragic death of Song Shushan, paused, and said, "It's also about the fortune."

 However, what worries Zou Jingyuan is not that his disciple was killed, but that Temptress, as an Ancient Demonic Beast, should have already died out, or be sealed under the abyss, how could it appear in the Jinghai Mountains?

 Lu Yanping and others were shocked by his words, and it took them a long time to react: "Master, since Temptress appeared, what about the fellow disciples in other trials...?"

 Zou Jingyuan nodded: "The teacher has already sent an order, that the disciples who went out for the trial this time have to come back as fast as possible ."

 Lu Yanping breathed a sigh of relief, and was secretly delighted. He was supposed to get the reward of this trial, but he had an accident in the middle, and he thought he was going to fail. Now it seems that others can't get it either, and he still has an opportunity.

 "You go back first, even if nothing happens, don't go anywhere."

 "Yes."

 When everyone was gone, one person came out from the side hall.

 "Is it really a Temptress ?" the man asked.

 Zou Jingyuan nodded and smiled bitterly: "It shouldn't be wrong."

 Weng Hua said: "If even Temptress come out, it is unknown what else will appear?"

 He is one of the three elders of the Jinghai Sect.

 Zou Jingyuan said: "I was so worried so I asked them to withdraw."

 Weng Hua said: "This matter is of great importance and must be discussed with the other two elders. The three of us will go to Lu Yanping to investigate the location they described ."

 Zou Jingyuan was half-joking: "Do you think that everyone is as selfless as you, and is dedicated to the sect? Temptress is an Ancient Demonic Beast, and since it can appear there, it is not guaranteed that there won't be any Demonic Beats of higher level. The Jinghai Sect counts on me and there are only a few cultivators in the Core Formation Stage, how could they be willing to take such a risk?"

 Weng Hua sighed: "The Jing Hai Lian Sect is not big at all. There should be benefits for them from revitalizing the sect, right?"

Zou Jingyuan said indifferently: "If everyone thinks like you, it would be great. Back then, when I got the position of the leader of the sect, they weren't convinced with me . If I hadn't been pushing and suppressing conflicts all these years, the sect would have been in internal turmoil, let alone revitalizing it ."

 Weng Hua was silent for a while, then said, "What's your plan now?"

 "In the past few days, I will use the World Observation Mirror to search first, but the scope of the World Observation Mirror is limited after all, and this matter is not just a matter of the Jinghai Sect. At that time, I will call the major sects. Regardless of whether they pay attention to this matter or not, my Jinghai Sect has fulfilled its responsibilities."

 Weng Hua thought for a while and said, "Tell the other two elders. I'll go to the place where Song Shushan's accident happened first."

 Zou Jingyuan said, "I'll go with you."

 Weng Hua smiled and said: "My life span is four hundred and eighty this year, and I am still in the middle stage of Core Formation Stage . I have no hope of gaining the Nascent Soul. You are different from me. You are the leader of the sect . Without you, I will not be successful. Besides, I will just go and see. If I can’t win, I will run, so there won’t be any danger.”

 Zou Jingyuan looked at his peer from the same sect and close friend, and felt a little sad in his heart. It took him a long time to squeeze out a smile: "Well, then you should be careful."

 Not long after Zhou Yin returned to outer peak, Huang Wenjun, He Yun and others also came back one after another. They were divided into different groups, and naturally it was impossible to go to the trial together. The reason why they were suddenly asked to come back in advance was explained after they were sent back. They were already informed by Lu Yanping, who was in charge of passing the order.

 Because he was worried that someone might accidentally break into the place where the accident happened, Zou Jingyuan asked Lu Yanping to tell everyone about Song Shushan's death.

 He Yun and Huang Wenjun both knew that Zhou Yin and the others were with Lu Yanping, so they couldn't wait to come back to inquire about the situation.

Liu Xiaowan, with a frightenined expression started narrating and told Huang Wenjun and the others, but Zhou Yin still had the same expression that has remained unchanged for thousands of years. There was a chess game on the stone table in the yard, and he was playing with a handful of black chess pieces, as if nothing had happened.

 After hearing this, He Yun frowned slightly: "In this way, wouldn't our trial be in vain ?"

 Huang Wenjun glanced at her: "You don't have time to think about trying things out. I'm just afraid that the outer peak barrier is not as safe as the inner peak, and the Demonic Beasts can easily come up."

 The two women did not expect this possibility, and their faces changed when they heard the words: "It's not so, no matter how bold the Demonic Beats are, they wouldn't dare to rush to the outer peak..."

 Huang Wenjun said: "Why is it impossible? The person with highest cultivation in this outer peak is only Master Ye. Even if we all go up, we can only be a snack for Demonic Beats." After that, he turned his head and asked. Zhou Yin: "A-Yin, what do you think?"

 Zhou Yin hummed, his eyes did not leave the chessboard.

 Huang Wenjun: "You En what? Do you even know what we're talking about?"

 "The outer peak is indeed dangerous, but the inner peak is even more dangerous."

 "Why?" Huang Wenjun didn't believe it.

 Zhou Yin said: "The higher the level of Demonic Beats, the less likely they will eat people. What they like is the inner core of the cultivator. Cores can be absorbed and raise their own cultivation. The reason why Temptress likes to eat people is only because of it. Due to its nature, it is also good at capturing the spiritual aura of cultivators and devouring the other's inner core."

 He Yun's face turned pale: "Inner core... Only the Leader of the Jinghai sect and a few elders are cultivators of the Core Formation Stage."

 "So we'd better pray that the appearance of Temptress is accidental, and there won't be any more Demonic Beats."

 The other three fell silent.They suddenly realized how insignificant they were. In the face of this major event that was related to the sect, and even more related to their own lives, they couldn't do anything at all, and could only accept and passively wait for the coming fate.

 In fact, it's not just them, even the leader or the elders, unless they are the Nascent Soul cultivators, it is difficult to be confident in the face of the Ancient Demonic Beats.

 He Yun secretly sighed, and the need to practice diligently and advance to Foundation Establishment Stage as soon as possible was even more urgent.

 Looking at Huang Wenjun and Liu Xiaowan again, their expressions also changed.

 Zhou Yin put down chess pieces, got up and walked into the room.

 Huang Wenjun asked, "Where are you going?"

 "Cultivate."

 The others looked at each other in disbelief.

Generally speaking, cultivators are blessed with spiritual/divine sense. They will have some insight, and they will retreat to attack and advance, but at this time, everyone from the Jinghai Sect is at a loss, and Zhou Yin actually does the opposite, and can still cultivate calmly.

 When Huang Wenjun was stunned, he heard He Yun whisper in his ear: "He was originally a person with a firm heart and was rarely influenced by the outside world."

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 Therefore, when they were only at the fifth level of qi refining, Zhou Yin had already come from behind, reaching the eighth level of qi refining.

 In terms of qualifications, he was not the best of the Jinghai Sect, but He Yun dared to guarantee that those inner disciples might not have Zhou Yin's diligence and focus.

Twelve hours a day, he meditate even when others sleep. This concentration is invaluable.

 Huang Wenjun said with emotion: "You are right. At least the three of us are not as good as him."While talking, he walked to the stone table where Zhou Yin was playing chess just now, and was surprised to find that Zhou Yin was not playing a chess game at all.

 Seemingly messy, but hidden lines.

 "Look, what is this?"

 He Yun also came over, and after a while, he snorted: "It seems to be a constellation arrangement?"

 Huang Wenjun scratched his head: "Why does he like all these weird things?"

 He Yun disagreed: "A-Yin's actions are all for a reason, it's only that we can't figure it out for a while."

 Huang Wenjun snorted: "Your thoughts are too obvious. If he has a heart, can he still not see it?"

 He Yun immediately blushed and said angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about!"

 "I'm afraid it's on your mind. In fact, I'm in the same sect, don't blame me for not reminding you. A person like A-Yin, you can see at a glance that he is devoted to cultivation and has no time to care about it. I'm just afraid that you will eventually had a sad ending (end with a broken heart) ."

 He Yun became even more angry, and walked away without saying a word.

 Seeing that she was really angry, Huang Wenjun couldn't help but regret it, but thinking of himself and Liu Xiaowan, he sighed again.

 In fact, how can she be any better? Liu Xiaowan has a sweet appearance, and many disciples in the inner door have already shown her favor, but she is still a person who can't even enter the inner door, and she has to be ashamed in comparison.

 None of them thought that Song Shushan's death was just the beginning.A month later, Huang Wenjun and the others learned that Elder Weng, who went out to track down the Demonic Beats, died unexpectedly where Zhou Yin and the others encountered the Demonic Beats. Before he died, he sent a distress signal (SOS) , but when Zou Jingyuan led the other two elders and elite disciples to the place, they only saw Weng Hua's corpse, and did not find any traces of Demonic Beasts. 

 The Jinghaijian Sect, had lost an elder and a disciple in a row and was in danger. Sect leader's expression changed when he heard about the matter of Demonic Beasts.

 In the next few years, other major sects such as Shangxuan Sect, Tianyan Sect and Qinggu Sect also reported news that traces of Ancient Demonic Beats were discovered.

Due to the received in advance warning of the Jinghai Sect, and the fact that although those Demonic Beats have a long history, they only have middle-level cultivation, and there are no high-level Demonic Beasts, no disciples have been injured. 

However, after these Ancient Demonic Beats that suddenly appeared were wiped out, they seemed to disappear suddenly and never appeared again.

On the other side, it's the world's rivals that are getting more and more fierce. 

 In a cultivation continent, all countries are fighting against each other, and the shadows of cultivators are inevitably mixed with it. For example, the reason why Dongyue Kingdom easily invaded Anyang was not only because Anyang was originally a small country, but also because Anyang Kingdom did not have a powerful and worthy cultivator behind it. The reason why such big countries as Xiling and Canghe could not fall down for hundreds of years could not be separated from the support of Tianyan Sect and Shangxuan Sect of their own countries.

 Even if the cultivator does not play a decisive role, he can also fan the flames, fuel the flames, and fight for hegemony in chaotic times. Any monarch with a little ambition wants to rule the world, so the world is not peaceful. Even if a large-scale war has not broken out, it is just that the time has not yet come. 

 It was eight years later when Zhou Yin leaved secluaion.

As soon as he walked out of the door, he saw He Yun waiting outside with a smile, and looking at her appearance, she should have been promoted to the second stage and reached the seventh level of Qi refining.

 "I haven't seen you for eight years, I hope you didn't have any problems ?"

 She knew that Zhou Yin retreated for eight years, and he was bound to made great progress in cultivation, but she did not expect that he had broken through the Qi-Refining Stage and reached the Foundation-Building Stage , and she couldn't help but be surprised and delighted: "A-Yin, you reached the Foundation Building Stage?!"

 Zhou Yin said: "You have also advanced to two levels."

 He Yun shook her head, smiled and said, "But we are still not as good as you. Huang Wenjun has worked very hard all these years, but he has only reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, and he will not be able to break through that barrier."

 Zhou Yin said, "What does it have to do with me?"

 The attitude of the other party has not changed much compared to before he retreat. The only difference is that the face has completely faded away from the youthful youthfulness, and the figure has also grown taller and taller. The black hair is tied with a crown, and he is dressed in a black robe.

 He Yun suppressed the subtle sadness in her heart and smiled: "I want you to know that now we have been included in the inner peak, and we have become inner disciples of the sect, and our status is not low. The sect leader gave me an order to come here and check every day, and when you get out of the seclusion, I have to take you to see this old man (Sect Leader) ."

Notes:

In () are my notes

-魔 mo and 妖 yao (It's complicated) 

*Yao are the demons which gained human form (they transformed from animals, plants or objects)

*Mo are the demons which were born already in human form 

(Can also be translated as devils/fiends) 

*I translated Yao as demons and Mo as devils

*There also many other races/variants : 妖魔，魔妖 

-妖兽 yao shou

*in chapters 1-8 translated as monsters

* Yao is demon/monster

* Shou is beast

*So I translated as Demonic Beast

-元气 Yuan Qi

*Yuan Qi have many meaning but here:

*Yuan Qi can be translated as strength, vigor, vitality, vital energy

-镜海脸 Jinghailian

*Mirror Sea Sword Sect

-求救信号 qiujiuxinhao

*SOS

-玄xuan

*Zhou Yin was dressed in black robe, but the character Xuan also means mysterious. 

*I'm not sure about flames(beacons). 

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