Qiuqiu Monkeys were Spirit Beasts. They possessed human-like intelligence, could read characters, and were adept at using tools.
In the Cultivation World, non-human creatures with irritable temperaments that attacked the human race from time to time were classified as Ferocious Beasts. Those with gentler dispositions who did not like to cause trouble were called Spirit Beasts.
Most cultivation Sects would keep Spirit Beasts outside their mountain gates. On one hand, they served as guards. On the other, they added to the sect's appearance.
Imagine an ordinary mortal who had endured countless hardships to finally reach the gates of a cultivation Sect. Upon seeing Spirit Beasts and immortal herbs everywhere, wouldn't they immediately feel that all their previous suffering had been worth it?
After all, clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. Without a sufficiently splendid façade, how could a cultivation Sect support its air of grandeur?
However, once a non-human creature began cultivating, it no longer mattered whether it had originally been a Spirit Beast or a Ferocious Beast. It would be classified as a Demon Beast.
And Demon Beasts could no longer be referred to as "it," but as "he/she," and should be called the Demon Race.
In the unimaginably distant Primordial Era, the Demon Race once ruled this land. But once the terrifying upright apes learned how to cultivate, the Demon Race was swept into the dustbin of history by human cultivators.
If not for the sake of sustainable development, even the Demon Race's sacred land, the Myriad Demon Ridge, would not have been allowed to exist.
Even so, the Cultivation World had always remained on guard against the Demon Race, fearing they might one day cause a major upheaval. As a result, while Spirit Beasts could be kept in captivity, they were absolutely forbidden from cultivating. The moment they did, they would be exterminated, treated no differently from Ferocious Beasts.
But...
"Master! Master! Tell me… why are there… so many Demon Race members here?!"
A strikingly handsome young man in white robes was being chased all over the mountainside by a group of Qiuqiu Monkeys. As he ran, he desperately called out to an exquisitely crafted Jade Pendant in his hand, but it gave no response at all.
"Master! Master!"
He shouted twice more, yet the Jade Pendant remained completely silent.
"Wuu..."
The young man clenched his teeth, letting out a muffled, aggrieved whimper that sounded almost pitiful.
His white robes had already been torn into a sorry state by the surrounding branches, yet he showed no intention of heading down the mountain.
In truth, the Qiuqiu Monkeys were merely forcing him to retreat downhill and had not truly tried to kill him. Otherwise, with tens of thousands of Qiuqiu Monkeys spread across the mountains, they could have easily slaughtered a cultivator who had only just entered Foundation Establishment.
Faced with numbers like that, even a Golden Core Stage cultivator would have no solution. If he managed not to be beaten until he soiled himself, that would already count as good fortune.
More importantly, these Qiuqiu Monkeys were not ordinary Spirit Beasts, but Demon Race members who had already cultivated successfully.
Among the ones leading the chase were several that had reached the Demon Transformation Stage, equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage among cultivators. In other words, they were fully matured members of the Demon Race.
Damn it! Could everyone from the Heavenly Gate Sect have already died up there?
The youth's refined brows knitted together slightly as he fled, glancing toward the summit of Heavenly Peak while thinking.
No, there's still spiritual light up there. Could they be trapped?
Tsk. A third-rate Sect like this should have disappeared long ago and given up such a good location.
This place was enough to support an entire clan of Qiuqiu Monkeys cultivating. It could have supported tens of thousands of human cultivators reaching Foundation Establishment. I really wonder what the founding ancestor of the Heavenly Gate Sect used to seize such a Blessed Grotto-Heaven.
Despite having several hundred Qiuqiu Monkeys chasing him, aside from looking somewhat disheveled, there was not the slightest hint of fear on the youth's handsome face.
Forget it. People still need to be saved. If I go back to bring reinforcements, the Heavenly Gate Sect's lineage will probably be wiped out for real.
With that thought, the youth suddenly came to a halt and sharply turned around to face the pursuing Qiuqiu Monkeys.
Compared to the human race, whose spiritual perception had gradually degraded, the Demon Race's spiritual senses were always keen. They immediately felt the terrifying aura erupting from the youth.
Clearly, the young man in front of them was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Yet the moment he turned and assumed an attacking stance, the Qiuqiu Monkeys all sensed the presence of death, including the few who had already reached the Demon Transformation Stage.
"Sorry..."
Before making his move, a trace of apology and reluctance appeared on the youth's face. Still, he clenched his teeth and said,
"Humans and Demons stand opposed. If you must blame someone, blame the Demon Race for being too weak."
As he spoke, he prepared to activate the exquisite Jade Pendant he had been calling out to earlier.
Just then, a simple, almost naïve girlish voice rang out—
"All of you, get back to your nests!"
Bai Yiyi's voice echoed from the summit of Heavenly Peak. A moment later, as if she had suddenly panicked, she shouted toward the young man,
"Envoy, don't be afraid! They're friends of our Heavenly Gate Sect. They won't hurt anyone. They really won't!"
The instant her voice fell, the Qiuqiu Monkeys that had been chasing the young man all over the mountains only moments before vanished without a trace, disappearing even faster than they had pursued him, at least three times as fast.
Faintly, the young man caught sight of fear on their faces.
While he was still stunned, he suddenly felt the space around him distort violently. Before he could react, an overwhelming force dragged him straight to the summit of Heavenly Peak.
When his senses finally caught up, a young man and a young woman were already standing before him.
The young man had an elegant bearing, with a distinct air of an immortal.
The girl was petite and cute, looking very much like a sect's junior sister.
Yet it was the seemingly more reliable young man who stood behind the girl, his expression solemn and composed.
"Bai Yiyi, Sect Master of the Heavenly Gate Sect, greets the Envoy."
Bai Yiyi cupped her fists in salute, her cute face filled with an ingratiating smile.
Standing behind her, Ye Ling couldn't help but look surprised.
A Nascent Soul Stage great expert was no ordinary figure. Although he couldn't discern the young man's cultivation level, the aura he gave off felt not far removed from his own.
What kind of identity did this Envoy have, to make a Nascent Soul Stage great expert take the initiative to bow?
The System had provided Ye Ling with too little information for him to figure it out.
"Sect Master Bai, you're too courteous."
The young man showed no arrogance. Seeing Bai Yiyi salute him, he immediately returned the gesture.
"My name is Leng Qingqiu. Many thanks to Sect Master Bai for your timely help."
To be honest, if he hadn't been distracted just now, he would have intended to greet her first. He simply hadn't expected Bai Yiyi to act faster.
And because she took the initiative, he found himself put on the back foot, with all the preparations he had made rendered completely useless.
"No need to thank me, no need at all."
Bai Yiyi waved her hand, then pulled Ye Ling out from behind her and introduced him.
"Envoy Leng, this is my disciple Ye Ling. He's very impressive!"
As she introduced Ye Ling to Leng Qingqiu, she looked like a child proudly showing off a treasured toy, her face full of undisguised pride.