The sight of the white nine-tailed fox froze their blood cold.
What kind of place was this Celestial Spire Peak?
How had it transformed into such a terrifying domain?
Just moments ago, they'd barely survived a mysterious ambush from an unseen formation—and now they were staring down a legendary creature that only existed in ancient scrolls: a divine beast in the Realm of Creation.
Nine flowing tails swayed elegantly in the air, each brimming with overwhelming spiritual energy. The aura they exuded was suffocating, and their movement alone stirred the surrounding world with invisible force.
And then there were the fox's eyes—those glimmering silver pupils radiated an enchanting charm, both beautiful and terrifying, like a dream one could never wake from.
"M-Mercy… have mercy… w-we… we're just—"
Shen Lian's voice trembled uncontrollably, his words no longer coherent. His knees buckled under the weight of Xiaobai's aura. He couldn't even muster the will to fight back, let alone resist.
In the face of a Creation Realm beast, what chance did mere Core Formation cultivators have?
"Hmph, I could tell at first glance you weren't up to any good," Xiaobai snorted coldly. "Trespassing on my master's territory without permission? I'll take you all to him personally for judgment!"
With a flick of her nine tails, an oppressive surge of demonic energy exploded outward. It surged into the air and rapidly solidified into glowing chains, binding Shen Lian and the others like captured prey.
Then, in a blur of light and wind, Xiaobai leapt into the sky, dragging the bound intruders with her straight into the depths of Celestial Spire Peak.
Moments later…
Chen Luo stared down at the group of pitiful cultivators before him, his expression unreadable.
Nestled lazily in his arms, Xiaobai now looked like an innocent, fluffy fox, playfully curling her tails and rubbing her face into Chen Luo's robe. Her earlier form—a fearsome divine beast—felt like an illusion.
Shen Lian's eyes quivered. His throat was dry, and his body trembled in disbelief.
Just half a month ago, Chen Luo had been nothing more than a powerless mortal. When Wang Lixuan had brought him to the sect, countless disciples had scoffed, ridiculing the dying elder's decision. The man didn't even have an opened Qi Sea.
How could someone like that become a cultivator, let alone a peak master?
Shen Lian had been among those mocking voices. He remembered sneering, calling it a senile act of desperation.
But now?
Now, standing before Chen Luo, Shen Lian felt like an ant beneath a mountain. The aura radiating from Chen Luo was vast and immeasurable, like standing in front of a god.
And Celestial Spire Peak itself—it had changed.
The once-dilapidated ruins were now brimming with life and spiritual vitality. The land flowed with qi richer than Enlightenment Peak itself. Lush forests, radiant spirit springs, and natural formations filled the landscape.
Everything had changed… including Chen Luo.
"Y-You're… Chen—Peak Master Chen… we—"
Shen Lian forced the words out between clenched teeth, bowing so low his forehead touched the ground.
"We came under orders… from Enlightenment Peak… to assess the status of Celestial Spire Peak, and—"
"Isn't there still five days left?" Chen Luo interrupted coolly, narrowing his eyes.
According to the sect's rules, a peak could only be dissolved and its domain reclaimed if it had fewer than two disciples for over a month. The time hadn't arrived yet.
Hearing that, Shen Lian's heart nearly stopped.
The pressure around them spiked without warning, like the heavens themselves had turned hostile. His breath caught in his chest.
This was not a cultivator. This was a monster.
"N-No! Of course not, Master Chen!" Shen Lian stammered. "W-We just came to… to give a friendly reminder! That's all! Just a formality!"
If Chen Luo had remained a mortal, they would've seized the mountain without a second thought.
But now? They didn't even dare lift their heads.
"I understand," Chen Luo said calmly. "Then come back in five days. Until then, leave."
"Y-Yes! Right away!"
Shen Lian and the others bolted, tripping over themselves to get away from Celestial Spire Peak as fast as they could.
Once they were gone, silence returned.
Chen Luo looked at the horizon and sighed inwardly. Am I really that terrifying now?
"Master, are we going to wait until the deadline to recruit disciples?" Xiaobai asked, lazily flicking her tail as she nestled closer into his lap.
Chen Luo yawned. "Why wait? We'll start tomorrow. The sooner I find someone, the sooner I can relax."
The sect had already started poking around. It was best to make things official before trouble came knocking again.
Elsewhere, deep within the Heavenly Path Sect
Atop a towering mountain surrounded by dense spiritual mist, a middle-aged man sat cross-legged upon a stone platform. The world around him bent subtly, warped by the sheer density of the spiritual energy he was absorbing.
His presence alone made the wind pause and the air grow heavy.
He wore flowing white Taoist robes, and an ancient, boundless aura clung to him like a cloak.
This was Li Wudao—the Sect Master of Heavenly Path Sect.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps broke the stillness. Shen Lian and the others knelt in the clearing, their faces pale and drenched in cold sweat.
"Sect Master! Something major has happened at Celestial Spire Peak!"
Li Wudao opened his eyes slowly. A depth of time and knowledge swirled within them, and even the air around him rippled faintly.
"Speak," he said calmly—but even that single word weighed on them like a mountain.
Shen Lian recounted the events in detail, voice trembling as he described the strange formation, the nine-tailed fox, the transformation of Celestial Spire Peak… and Chen Luo.
When the report ended, Li Wudao remained silent.
He stared at the clouds beyond the peak, his eyes distant.
Then, almost to himself, he muttered:
"Wang Lixuan… so this was your final gamble?"
His gaze narrowed.
And somewhere far away, the winds over Celestial Spire Peak shifted once more.