In the mountains, along the borderlines, various factions were desperately holding their ground, fighting off the wave of beasts crashing against the borders.
But for the Song Clan, the situation was dire.
The Divine Transformation beast toyed with Song Qingyun and the others, effortlessly tearing through their encirclement. It seemed almost amused by their futile resistance.
A cruel smile curled at the corners of its mouth, as though mocking the humans' arrogance.
"I was curious who had the audacity to use Beast-Luring Powder to provoke the beast horde," it mused, eyes gleaming with malice. "But now, you—" It smirked. "You've truly disappointed me."
Song Qingyun gritted his teeth, holding back his anger. "This was the work of a traitor within our clan. It has nothing to do with us!"
The beast shifted its gaze, its eyes narrowing. "Oh?" It considered the words for a moment. "And so what? Once you enter this Mountain, you all must die!" it roared, and with a sudden shift in expression, its beautiful face morphed into the snarling, furry visage of a leopard.
A leopard demon.
Song Qingyun knew this battle could not be won. He turned to the others and shouted, "Run! I'll hold it off!"
Like a balloon expanding, his body rapidly swelled as he prepared for a self-destructive explosion to block the beast.
"Patriarch!" The elders and disciples called out, their eyes filled with tears, their hearts heavy with the urge to charge in and fight.
"Ha!" The beast laughed arrogantly. "Trying to escape?" Its voice was mocking, taunting. "None of you will leave here alive!"
With a swipe of its claw, it launched itself at Song Qingyun, ready to end him.
Song Qingyun steeled himself, already resigned to his fate. His only hope was that Song Wanníng would not arrive in time to witness this.
He closed his eyes, and his body began to expand further.
Suddenly, an oppressive force like no other descended from the sky.
Everyone's gazes snapped upward.
"Heavenly tribulation?!"
"Someone's about to face their tribulation?!"
The cultivators along the borderlines were stunned.
The sky, once bright and clear, suddenly darkened with thick clouds.
The tribulation clouds began to gather, casting an intense, suffocating pressure that forced both humans and beasts to pause, trembling in place.
"Who dares to face the tribulation now?"
"Is it one of your human cultivators?"
"Perhaps it's one of your beast cultivators hidden deep within the mountains…"
Confusion and fear filled their minds as they looked up at the sky.
At the same time, the Divine Transformation beast's grin faded, its eyes narrowing with curiosity as it gazed into the clouds.
This aura... it was familiar.
Someone was advancing to Divine Transformation?
Interesting.
The beast had been in these mountains for centuries. How had it not noticed this presence before?
"Fascinating," it murmured, then, without another word, it abandoned the Song Clan and darted toward the mountains, flying away in pursuit of whatever awaited within.
Song Qingyun, who had been prepared to die, stood frozen, dumbfounded. The beast had left just like that. Hastily, he sucked in a breath, and his body returned to its normal size.
"Move! Quickly, back to the camp!" he shouted, not daring to stay at the border to watch. After all, they could still see the tribulation from the camp.
They needed to rush back, open the defensive formation, and ensure that the unpredictable beast wouldn't return. If it did, things would get even worse.
The Song Clan's people, still shaken, hurried toward the camp.
Meanwhile, all the factions on the ground had their attention pulled to the sky by the presence of the tribulation clouds.
Bai Yang, who had been hiding in a cave, watched as the beasts trembled beneath the pressure of the coming tribulation. It was clear this was the perfect opportunity to escape. Without hesitation, he turned and began heading toward the human territory. Along the way, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure and froze in place.
"Senior Brother Bai Yang, you're here!" Ye Chuxue had been searching for him for days, and upon seeing him, her face lit up with joy. She rushed over and threw her arms around him.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" She held him tightly, her voice tinged with relief. Her eyes glistened as they filled with warmth.
Bai Yang couldn't help but stiffen for a moment, then, following his instincts, he wrapped his arms around Ye Chuxue. It was a surprise to see her here, but an even greater surprise to feel this surge of joy. They stood like that for a while, reluctant to pull apart. Both faces were flushed, but neither dared to speak of it.
"I heard you were in danger, so I dropped everything and came looking for you!" Ye Chuxue said, her voice shy but sincere.
She had thought it through over the last few days. If she truly liked White Yang, it was time to put aside the misunderstandings between them and speak her heart.
If he liked her too, then they could be together. But if he didn't, she would step back, accepting their separate paths.
Her eyes, full of tenderness, locked onto Bai Yang's, making his heart melt.
For her to brave the mountains alone, just to find him…
He was deeply moved.
But quickly, another thought crossed his mind. He asked, "Junior Sister Ye, have you seen my Master?"
He had been missing for a while now, and his Master was bound to be worried. She was probably looking for him too.
At the mention of his Master, Ye Chuxue's expression froze for a brief moment.
If she didn't know better, she might think that Bai Yang still harbored feelings for Song Wanníng.
She sighed quietly, deciding not to focus on it.
She chose not to lie, but she didn't feel ready to fully explain.
"Master Song is still at the camp, refining pills," Ye Chuxue said, her tone deliberately neutral. "Perhaps she thought alchemy was more important—after all, the sect needs her."
The words felt slightly off, but Ye Chuxue didn't elaborate further.
She wanted to be selfish for once.
Bai Yang was constantly caught between her and Song Wanníng. If only they had a falling out… then it would be easier.
She couldn't help but entertain the thought.
"You said what?" Bai Yang's smile faltered instantly. His expression darkened as a cold shadow fell over his eyes.
He could barely process the news.
His life or death had been uncertain, yet his Master seemed indifferent, focused only on refining pills? Did he mean so little to her?
"Don't blame Master Song," Ye Chuxue continued, sensing his discomfort. She quickly changed the subject, pointing to the sky. "Look at this heavenly tribulation. It's been brewing for so long—it must be extremely powerful!"
"Anyone who didn't know better would think it was a divine punishment!" She laughed lightly, trying to steer the conversation away from Song Wanníng.
Bai Yang, however, barely heard her. His gaze fixed on the sky, his mind dark and tumultuous.
Who was facing the tribulation? He didn't care at all. His only thought was whether his Master had truly given up on him.
Did she care at all?
"We need to hurry back to the border," Ye Chuxue said, growing anxious as she gazed at the darkening clouds. "We don't know if this tribulation will affect us."
Bai Yang, no longer as eager as before, nodded silently. The joy from earlier was gone, replaced by a growing unease. Together, they rushed toward the border.
Within moments, the entire mountain was engulfed in the heavenly tribulation, casting a dark shadow over everything.
The once fearsome beasts, now trembling, ran frantically toward their mountain lairs, not daring to face the humans' defenses.
What had once been a massive swarm of beasts quickly scattered, leaving the humans stunned.
In that moment of silence, the sky suddenly rippled with a figure, charging upwards.