The next day
Wang Feng and the group stood among the forest trees, their eyes fixed on the Cave that Su Yan had observed yesterday as the lair of a Tier 5 Monster Beast.
Wang Feng looked towards Su Yan, who was dividing the large crowd into smaller groups for better deployment. His eyes discreetly followed Xie Hong Chen, who was ordering his lackeys with a serious look.
Wang Feng could already guess what the talk was about, since Xie Hong Chen's hostility for him was apparent. 'Show me what you got Xie Hong Chen... Because if it isn't good enough, you might just not...', Wang Feng thought with a chilling flash in his eyes.
A few minutes later, the groups were divided, this time different from yesterday. The strongest among the disciples— Wang Feng, Su Yan, Xie Hong Chen and every True Desciple above Separation and Reunion Realm— were in one group and would go inside the cave.
The other group— everyone lower than Separation and Reunion Realm— was to stay outside the cave to keep watch and to avoid any unexpected accidents.
Wang Feng moved swiftly with the group, their footsteps muffled as they slipped into the cave's gaping mouth. Darkness swallowed them whole. The deeper they went, the damper the air became—heavy with the scent of moss and stone.
The narrow rocky path gradually widened into a massive cavern. Suddenly, everyone halted.
Before them loomed an enormous figure, shrouded in dim light, a towering shadow huddled against the far wall. It was just massive, its hunched body stretching almost sixty meters high, covered in jagged stone-like ridges and creeping moss.
Its form blended into the cave, like a mountain fused with the earth itself. Only the faint glint of its plated limbs and the subtle rise and fall of its breathing betrayed that it was alive. Each slow breath was like a mountain sighing—deep, powerful, and heavy—filling the cavern with a strange pressure that made the air vibrate.
Most of the disciples stiffened under the oppressive aura, their bodies tense, throats dry. A few unconsciously took a step back, overwhelmed by the beast's sheer presence.
But Wang Feng and Xie Hong Chen weren't focused on the creature's shadow or its slumbering head. Their eyes were fixed on a soft golden glow nestled just beneath the tortoise's front limb.
A bead.
Faintly pulsing with a soft glow, the yellow bead shimmered like a tiny sun in the gloom, radiating rich energy. Wang Feng's heart skipped a beat. A treasure—undoubtedly.
"It... really looks asleep," one disciple whispered, eyes locked on the immobile colossus.
Su Yan remained still. She narrowed her eyes and focused entirely on the pattern of the beast's breathing. Her brows furrowed, and suddenly her body stiffened. She looked sharply to her left, then to her right—eyes scanning, alert.
The others hadn't noticed it, but Wang Feng caught the subtle shift in her expression.
He stepped forward slowly, his voice calm, but laced with tension.
"It isn't asleep."
The disciples turned to Wang Feng, eyebrows raised in confusion and skepticism.
Wang Feng simply sighed and shifted his gaze—subtly—toward Xie Hong Chen. The latter was already on the move, his figure a phantom in the darkness. With silent steps, Xie Hong Chen advanced slowly, every inch drawing him closer to the soft golden glow nestled beside the titanic tortoise's limb. The darkness cloaked him well, and even his lackeys had subtly positioned themselves to obscure the bead from the rest of the group.
"It's the breathing," Su Yan spoke calmly, her voice light yet firm. "The rhythm is off. Too... precise. That beast isn't asleep—it's cultivating."
Gasps escaped a few lips. Some disciples blinked, finally noticing the tortoise's breath: slow, even, almost mechanical. Not the chaotic pattern of sleep, but one of focus and refinement.
Still, some furrowed their brows, clearly not grasping the true implication.
And then—
"If that's the case... then something here must be helping it cultivate," Wang Feng finally spoke, his voice echoing softly.
That revelation hit the group like a wave.
A few disciples' eyes gleamed instantly. Their expressions shifted—hunger, greed, ambition—and without a second thought, they began spreading out, walking along the cavern walls and floor, their heads swiveling, searching.
Wang Feng didn't move. He just stood there, cold eyes watching the scene unfold with disbelief.
'Are they serious right now?', His thoughts churned with contempt. 'Idiots. Do they think a beast strong enough to cultivate in its sleep would allow anyone to just waltz in and steal from it?'
Even if it was suppressing its aura, even if it was still—this was still a Tier 5 Monster Beast.
His gaze flicked to Su Yan, who remained at his side. She was also still, her expression blank as she stared at the few disciples crawling around like ants, lost in their own delusions.
Their shared silence said it all.
They were surrounded by fools.
Wang Feng sighed, his gaze cold and distant. 'Let's just get this over with…', he stepped forward calmly.
From the shadows, Xie Hong Chen's eyes lit up with cruel anticipation. He watched Wang Feng walk toward the beast and inwardly sneered.
"Got you."
Slowly, he crept toward the glowing yellow bead, timing his movements with Wang Feng's. The plan was simple—let Wang Feng get close enough to trigger the beast, then, in the chaos, steal the treasure and vanish. With luck, the beast would rip Wang Feng apart.
His thoughts were full of victory—of the treasure, of Su Yan.
But reality?
Reality was colder than any of his ambitions.
Wang Feng already knew his 'cunning' plan. He had seen through it all, after all, Xie Hong Chen's hate for him was quite apparent.
Wang Feng wasn't the bait. He was the blade. He let the plan unfold, calm and poised, fully aware of what was about to happen. Let Xie Hong Chen dig his own grave.
Xie Hong Chen inched closer to the treasure while Wang Feng walked towards the Beast.
Almost there…
And then?
Let the chaos begin.
Suddenly...
Rooooooaaarrrr
The beast stirred and roared. It's yellow eyes shot open and it's aura erupted like a blast. Many desciples including Wang Feng, who was the nearest to the beast, were thrown back because of the aura.
The beast turned it's eyes to the stiff Xie Hong Chen, who's eyes were wide for a moment, before he rushed towards the exit.
"Leave!"
"Run! The beast is awake!"
With Xie Hong Chen's run, the desciples shouted and everyone rushed outside using their entire strength.
The beast roared and looked hatefully towards the retreating 'ants'. But his focus was on one individual; Xie Hong Chen. It could feel the aura of it's treasure on that ant.
So the behemoth stood up, shaking the cave and the ground, and walked out, chasing the thief ant!
....
The desciples outside heard the roar and shivered, "did the beast attack Senior Brothers and Sisters!?", a desciple asked anxiously.
Another one just snorted, "even if, what can a little beast do? Don't we have Senior Sister Su Yan! She will definitely defeat it."
Another one spoke excitedly, "and don't forget Senior Brother Wang Feng! Don't you remember how he killed that Tier 5 Snake yesterday with a single strike!"
The desciples remembered the scene and their anxiousness fades and excitement took over.
Right! They had the invincible Seniors on their side, what do they have to fear!?
It was positive to say, that Wang Feng's fear had come true.
Because of his previous display, along with Su Yan's support for these desciples — leading them to kill a few Tier 5 beasts in the last few days — these desciples have made an estimate that Tier 5 beasts were just that and could be slaughtered easily.
This was the reason that every top class force is a ruthless force. These forces don't provide help to their members, but train them with ruthless tactics that would make any normal person shiver.
One of these forces in the world were the Great Yang Family, who send their desciples out in the world at an early age without even a shred of support. The desciples had to fend for themselves and build their own forces in just ten years!
Although this was cruel to the children and their parents. It was a nessesary evil for greater foundation and growth. Otherwise, every force could just squeeze their resources into one person and become super powers.
Just as the desciples were chatting with confidence. They saw their Senior Brothers and Sisters rush out and away from the cave. Following which, great tremors shook the earth and a colossal Tortoise emerged from the cave, releasing a roar in the sky above.
The lower ranked desciples screamed and clinched their heads, feeling a shock from the roar. While the True Desciples— who had just rushed out— looked at the beast with solemn and ugly expressions.
Though with the exception of two.
Su Yan looked as cold and indifferent as ever, but her eyes rippled. While Wang Feng, who was 'forcefully flung back' by the Beast's aura before looked at the beast with narrowed eyes, 'So, this guy can use a bit of spiritual energy...'
Spiritual Energy, like Qi, was an energy present in the world and available to cultivators. But, this Spiritual Energy was something that normally only Immortal Ascension Realm Cultivators could come into contact with, which made them immensely stronger than those below Immortal Ascension Realm.
This energy was also called Soul Energy. Which strengthens and elivates the Soul of a cultivator to a level where they can come into contact with the World Laws. It is also, essentially, a Soul's lifeline. Without Spiritual Energy, a soul couldn't exit and so, no life would exist.
This small difference made the threat level of this tortoise shoot up because even with this little use, the beast can effectively make the lower leveled desciples lose their combat effectiveness.
Just when the other desciples were despairing. The beast turned and started running. It's target...
"F*ck!! What is this beast doing chasing me!?", Xie Hong Chen shouted as he ran to the side. But upon seeing that the tortoise was still after him. He grinded his teeth a dn turned back towards the desciples and shouted righteously, "everyone run! It wants to kill us all!"
"...."
Everyone turned silent for a moment. But feeling the great tremors and the approaching beast, they all started cursing and started running as well.
"Fuck you Xie Hong Chen!"
"This guy obviously went after you!"
"You traitor!"
"You should Die, Hong Chen!"
Wang Feng smirked as he saw this. 'all according to plan.' he muttered inwardly as he saw the twisted look on Xie Hong Chen.
He shook his head and looked at Su Yan who appeared to be ready to engage the beast. 'Sigh, what a busybody you are Su Yan..', he inwardly complained. Though he knew that he didn't have the right to say that, considering he was about to intervene as well.
After all, if things went according to the original timeline, what was the use of himself and his actions? Now that he had some power, he could finally shake things a little. Like avoiding Su Yan nearly dying and getting injured during the fight with this Tortoise.
With that in mind, Wang Feng shouted, "what are you all clamoring about like idiots!? Who are you? Chickens!? You all were so prideful and nonchalant just a moment ago and now you all are running like headless chickens!? This isn't how my High Heaven Pavilion taught it's desciples!"
The desciples froze and looked at the figure of Wang Feng between them and the beast, looked at them with sharp, disdainful eyes. Su Yan— who stood next to him— looked at him with surprise and a hint of relief.
Wang Feng suddenly turned and channeled all of his strength in his arm, sending Earth Element Qi Essence in his hand and condensing it into a light film, like a second skin.
He clapped his foot on the ground and suddenly appeared in front of the beast and struck his fist on it's head, 'Dragon Turning Strike!'
BANG!!!
The punch connected and a shockwave spread out. Pushing Wang Feng tens of meters back, while the beast's huge body was also pushed back many meters, a slight, tiny dent forming on it's head shell.
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath.
Were they seeing thing!? How come a small human body just punched that huge Sixty Meter high beast back easily!?
They are in disbelief. But they also saw hope and felt a surge of energy and excitement burst into their bones.
As if knowing their feelings, Wang Feng shouted again, "are you all my High Heaven Pavilion's unyielding desciple!? Or are you spineless cowards who run at every problem!?"
"If you are my High Heaven Pavilion's Brave Warriors! Then stand tall! Fight to the end!"
"Kill this Beast Together!!"