The first thing Yunxi refined was the white jade magnolia hairpin. After binding it, she pinned it securely into her bun. As for the cloud-hued flying vessel, that was reserved for emergencies. She left a spiritual imprint on it, then stored it back in her ring.
She reached up to touch the ruby earrings hanging from her ears. They were a gift from Uncle Feng when she first began absorbing qi. Since entering the sect, she had never taken them off. The defensive bracelet had also served her well in the past, though now that her cultivation had advanced, it was starting to fall short.
"Spirit stones really are wonderful things... If only I had more time in Baohua City, I might have found something even better."
Just as she was reflecting, a voice transmission came from Feng Zhēnrén:
"All disciples, gather in the courtyard immediately."
Yunxi stood at once. Dian Dian, without needing a prompt, scurried back into her robes and nestled against her chest.
Once all disciples stationed at the Haoran Sect outpost had assembled, they were separated into two lines—Qi Refining stage and Foundation Establishment stage. Feng Zhēnrén then spoke:
"Baohua City is under siege by a beast tide. The grand defensive formation has been activated. The City Lord's Manor is currently holding the first wave at bay. The attackers are mostly first and second-tier beasts, large in number but weak in power. This is the perfect chance for you to hone your skills.
The City Lord's Manor has issued a mission to help repel the beast tide. Nephew Sheng has already gone to receive the task on behalf of our sect. What you're being given now are storage pouches issued by the manor. Place the beasts you kill into them to exchange for spirit stones or rare treasures later.
The total number of beasts slain by Haoran Sect disciples will count toward the group ranking on the beast-hunting leaderboard. Your individual contributions will also be ranked.
Until reinforcements from the sect arrive, we must hold off this first wave. Cultivation is like rowing against the current. I hope you'll seize this opportunity. A breakthrough may just be born in the midst of battle."
As Feng Zhēnrén spoke, small storage pouches the size of one's palm were distributed. Each disciple dripped blood onto their pouch to bind it, then hung it from their waist.
Seeing that everyone was composed, Feng Zhēnrén gave a wave of his hand. "Move out!"
The group left the Haoran Sect's compound. As they departed, the isolation and protection array was activated behind them. Without a sect identification token, no one could enter—an added safeguard.
Yunxi stuck close to Mu Ningzhu. She was the only one Yunxi was truly familiar with. Qin Tongshuang and Long Daoyu, both still at the Qi Refining stage, followed behind.
The streets of Baohua City were filled with cultivators rushing in every direction. Some wore sect robes, others were loose cultivators, but their destination was the same—Baohua Mountain's north gate.
Yunxi could feel the tension thick in the air. The closer they got to the northern gate, the stronger the scent of blood became. Wounded cultivators moved past them in the opposite direction.
Only now did it feel real. She was about to face the beast tide head-on.
"Junior Sister Wei, don't be nervous. Once the fighting starts, stay behind me."
Mu Ningzhu glanced at Yunxi's tense face and offered a quiet reassurance.
Yunxi nodded quickly and whispered back, "Thank you, Senior Sister. I'll take care of myself. I just reached Foundation Establishment, so this is the perfect chance to solidify my realm. Nothing tempers someone like real combat."
That wasn't just empty talk. Yunxi had advanced rapidly because of devouring a soul from a possession attempt. It was, to put it bluntly, forced growth.
With her cultivation soaring ahead, she needed her physical body and spiritual resilience to catch up. If not, she'd always be on the brink of collapse. Facing the beast tide was exactly the trial she needed.
By the time they reached the city wall at the north gate, the battlefield was in full view.
Everywhere she looked, there were low-ranked demon beasts, madly lunging at cultivators, acting entirely on instinct.
The cultivators responded with equally ferocious force. All sorts of dazzling techniques exploded within the beast horde. Spells burst like fireworks across the battlefield, bright and blinding. With every flash of light, another wave of beasts was cut down.
But cultivators had limited reserves of spiritual energy. Once depleted, they had to fall back behind the city's defensive array while their comrades covered them. Some, however, failed to retreat in time and were torn apart. The bloodshed was horrific.
The reek of blood clung to Yunxi's nose. The sight of the slaughter made her stomach churn. She almost vomited, but she steadied herself by circulating her spiritual energy.
At that moment, Sheng Yuhong called out, "Qi Refining disciples, prepare yourselves. The beasts striking the barrier now are first-tier. Form into teams of nine and move out."
"Yes!"
The Qi Refining disciples responded at once and began forming groups, usually with those they had fought alongside before for better coordination.
Yunxi exchanged glances with Qin Tongshuang and Long Daoyu, silently urging them to stay safe and come back alive. They nodded seriously, then followed the City Lord Manor guards down the wall, officially entering the battlefield.
Currently, the beasts attacking the formation were first-tier creatures—Flame Rabbits, Earth-Drake Chickens, Five-Inch Snakes, Cloud Lark Beasts, and other similarly weak monsters. They weren't much in terms of individual power, but their sheer numbers made them a threat.
If cultivators didn't coordinate well, they could easily be surrounded. Enough ants could bite an elephant to death, after all. These beasts relied on quantity, not quality, but they were still dangerous.
Baohua City had a Nascent Soul stage cultivator holding the line. As long as no high-tier beasts joined the fight, it was understood that the Nascent Soul wouldn't intervene. That was an unspoken rule.
Meanwhile, Sheng Yuhong was speaking quietly with Feng Zhēnrén.
"Uncle-Master Feng, how long do you think this beast tide will last?"
"It should end soon. The higher-ranking cultivators have already gone deep into Baohua Mountain. Once they determine the nature of the new secret realm, they'll negotiate with the great demons that dwell there. When a deal is struck, these frightened beasts will retreat."
Sheng Yuhong finally exhaled. He'd been worried that if too many of his people were injured or killed, it would damage his reputation within the sect.
Yunxi's spiritual sense was sharper than either of them, so she overheard their entire conversation without missing a word. Her heart eased a little. Good—this wouldn't turn into a drawn-out war. She wasn't sure she could endure one.
Her focus shifted back to the battlefield, to her fellow disciples—especially Qin Tongshuang and Long Daoyu.
Qin Tongshuang wielded her ice-elemental spells with practiced ease, excelling at area attacks. After casting her major techniques, she would retreat into the formation to recover, using that time to clean up lingering threats. Once her energy returned, she'd attack again.
Long Daoyu channeled his spiritual power into his sword, working with his companions to bring down the beasts. His blade gleamed with a dim, eerie light. Everywhere it passed, beasts either fell or fled. But his stamina was clearly limited. After exhausting his energy, he immediately swallowed a pill.
The Qi Refining disciples were full of vigor, charging in with zeal. Some older cultivators, still holding the line from earlier, shook their heads at this reckless enthusiasm. It wouldn't last.
Even so, the newcomers eased the pressure. Right at that moment, a sharp voice cut through the noise:
"Second-tier beasts incoming!"