The morning sun rose over the Crimson Peak Mountain range, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold. Yan Kai stood at the edge of the cliff, his long black hair tied back with a simple leather cord. His dark eyes watched the valley below where the Silver Moon Sect's outer disciples were beginning their morning training. The sound of their practice weapons clashing against wooden dummies carried up the mountainside on the cool breeze.
He was twenty-eight years old and had already reached the Soul Manifestation realm, the fifth level of cultivation. This was an achievement that most people in the sect could only dream about. His master, Elder Tian, often said that Yan Kai had the best talent for spear techniques in three generations. But Yan Kai never thought much about such praise. He simply trained every day, improving his skills bit by bit.
His spear, named Piercing Heaven, rested against a nearby rock. The weapon was taller than he was, with a shaft made from Iron Bamboo that grew only in the deepest parts of the Eternal Forest. The spearhead was forged from Star Steel, a rare metal that fell from the sky during the great meteor shower forty years ago. His father had given him this spear on his fifteenth birthday, three months before dying in a beast wave that attacked their hometown.
Yan Kai picked up the spear and felt its familiar weight in his hands. The weapon was perfectly balanced, responding to his spiritual energy like an extension of his own body. He began his morning practice routine, moving through the basic forms that he had learned as a child. Even though he was powerful now, he never skipped these fundamental movements. His master had taught him that basics were the foundation of everything, and a weak foundation would always limit future growth.
The first form was called Thrusting Stream. He stepped forward with his left foot and thrust the spear straight ahead. The movement looked simple, but every part of his body worked together in perfect harmony. His legs provided power, his core twisted to add force, and his arms guided the weapon with precision. The air itself seemed to split apart as the spearhead cut through it, creating a visible line of distorted space that extended ten feet before fading away.
He moved into the second form, Sweeping Willow. His body turned smoothly, and the spear swept in a wide arc at waist height. An imaginary opponent would have been cut in half. The third form was Rising Dragon, an upward strike that began low and ended high above his head. The fourth was Falling Star, a powerful downward smash that could shatter boulders.
Yan Kai practiced these forms for an hour, working through all thirty-six basic movements of the Heavenly Spear Art. Sweat began to run down his face despite the cool morning air. His breathing remained steady and controlled, never becoming rushed or uneven. This kind of physical control was essential for cultivation. The body and the spirit were connected, and mastering one helped to master the other.
When he finished, he sat down on a flat rock and began to meditate. He closed his eyes and turned his attention inward, examining his spiritual core. The core was located just below his navel, in the place that cultivation manuals called the lower energy center. It looked like a small sphere of golden light, about the size of a peach. Spiritual energy flowed through his body's meridians, the invisible channels that carried power throughout a cultivator's system.
His meridians were strong and clear, with no blockages or damage. This was partly due to his talent, but mostly because of his careful approach to cultivation. Yan Kai had seen too many young disciples injure themselves by trying to advance too quickly. They would force their energy to move faster than their bodies could handle, creating cracks in their meridians or damaging their cores. Such injuries could take years to heal, or might never heal at all.
He spent another hour absorbing spiritual energy from the air around him. The energy on Crimson Peak Mountain was quite rich compared to the lowlands. This was one reason why the Silver Moon Sect had built their headquarters here three hundred years ago. The sect controlled five mountains in this range, each one with its own concentration of spiritual energy. Outer disciples trained on the lower peaks, inner disciples on the middle peaks, and core disciples on the highest peak where the energy was most dense.
Yan Kai was a core disciple and had been for three years. The sect only had twenty core disciples at any given time, chosen from among the most talented and hardworking inner disciples. Being a core disciple came with many benefits. He had his own private residence instead of sharing quarters with others. He received a monthly allowance of spirit stones that he could use to buy pills, weapons, or other cultivation resources. Most importantly, he had access to the sect's restricted library where the most powerful techniques were stored.
The sound of footsteps on the rocky path made him open his eyes. A young woman was climbing up toward him, moving carefully on the steep trail. She wore the white and silver robes of an inner disciple, with her brown hair pulled back in a practical bun. Yan Kai recognized her as Liu Fang, one of the inner disciples who managed the mission hall where sect members could accept various tasks.
"Senior Brother Yan," she called out when she was close enough, bowing respectfully. The sect had strict rules about showing proper respect to those of higher rank or greater cultivation. Yan Kai stood and returned the bow, though his was shallower. He didn't believe in looking down on those with lower cultivation, but he also understood the importance of maintaining proper forms.
"Junior Sister Liu," he said. "What brings you up here so early?"
"Elder Tian sent me to find you," she replied, catching her breath from the climb. "He wants you to come to his hall immediately. He said it's important."
Yan Kai frowned slightly. His master was not the type to summon him without good reason. "Did he say what it was about?"
"No, Senior Brother. He only said to bring you quickly." Liu Fang paused, then added in a quieter voice, "But there were several other elders with him when I left. They all looked very serious."
This was unusual. The elders of the Silver Moon Sect rarely gathered together unless something significant had happened. Yan Kai nodded and picked up his spear. "Thank you for coming all this way to tell me. You should return to your duties. I'll go to Master Tian right away."
Liu Fang bowed again and started back down the path. Yan Kai watched her descend safely to the first switchback, then turned and began walking toward his master's hall. Instead of taking the long winding path, he went to the cliff's edge and simply stepped off.
His body fell through the air for three seconds before he activated his movement technique. Spiritual energy flowed to his feet and created an invisible platform that he kicked off from, changing his direction in mid-air. He used this technique three more times, essentially jumping through empty space, before landing smoothly on a stone platform five hundred feet below.
Several outer disciples who were practicing nearby stopped to stare. This kind of movement technique required precise control and strong spiritual energy. Most of them were still at the Essence Gathering or Meridian Awakening realms and couldn't dream of performing such a feat. Yan Kai paid them no attention and walked quickly toward the main sect buildings.
The Silver Moon Sect's headquarters was built in a style that blended naturally with the mountain environment. The buildings were constructed from white stone quarried from the peaks themselves, with roofs made of dark blue tiles that resembled the night sky. Gardens filled with spiritual herbs grew between the structures, tended by outer disciples who had the appropriate talent for plant cultivation.
Elder Tian's hall was located in the eastern section of the main complex, a three-story building that served as both his residence and his teaching space. Yan Kai climbed the steps to the main entrance and found two core disciples standing guard outside. This was definitely unusual. Elder Tian's hall normally had no guards at all.
The guards recognized him and stepped aside without a word. Yan Kai pushed open the door and entered the main room. The interior was simply decorated, with wooden furniture and walls covered in scrolls containing various spear techniques. A large window on the far wall provided a view of the eastern valley.
Elder Tian sat at a low table in the center of the room. He was an elderly man with a long white beard and sharp eyes that seemed to see through everything. Despite his age, which was over four hundred years, his back was perfectly straight and his movements were precise. He had reached the Void Crossing realm, the fourteenth level of cultivation, and was one of the strongest members of the sect.
Four other elders sat with him around the table. Yan Kai recognized all of them. Elder Meng, a stern woman who taught formation techniques. Elder Zhou, a fat cheerful man who managed the sect's treasury. Elder Han, a quiet scholar who ran the library. And Elder Bai, the sect's head alchemist who created pills and medicines.
"Yan Kai, come sit," Elder Tian said, gesturing to an empty cushion. His voice was calm, but Yan Kai could sense the tension in the room. He placed his spear against the wall and sat down in the proper formal position, with his back straight and his hands resting on his knees.
"Master," he said, bowing his head. "Junior Sister Liu said you wanted to see me urgently."
"Yes." Elder Tian poured tea into a cup and slid it across the table toward Yan Kai. "We have a matter of some importance to discuss with you. Tell me, what do you know about the Void Mountain Range?"
Yan Kai accepted the tea and thought carefully before answering. The Void Mountain Range was located two thousand miles to the west, in a region that belonged to no particular sect or kingdom. It was called the Void Mountains because spiritual energy there was extremely chaotic, making cultivation difficult and dangerous. Most people avoided the area entirely.
"I know it's a dangerous place," he said slowly. "The spiritual energy there is unstable. There are also many powerful beasts living in those mountains, some of them at very high cultivation levels."
"That's correct," Elder Tian said. "What you might not know is that the Void Mountains contain many valuable resources. Rare spiritual herbs, unique minerals, and ancient ruins from before the Great Collapse three thousand years ago. These resources are valuable enough that sects and independent cultivators regularly send expeditions to harvest them, despite the dangers."
Elder Meng spoke up, her voice crisp and professional. "Three months ago, the Crimson Dawn Sect organized a large expedition to the Void Mountains. They sent fifty disciples and five elders. The expedition was supposed to last two months."
"They were due to return three weeks ago," Elder Zhou added, his usual cheerfulness completely absent. "But no one has come back. No messages, no signals, nothing."
Yan Kai felt a chill run down his spine. Fifty disciples and five elders was not a small force. For all of them to disappear without any warning suggested something terrible had happened.
"The Crimson Dawn Sect has formally requested assistance from the other major sects in the region," Elder Han said quietly. "They're organizing a rescue expedition. Each sect has been asked to send their best scouts and fighters."
Elder Bai leaned forward. "The Sect Master has decided to send you, along with three other core disciples. Elder Tian will lead the group personally."
Yan Kai absorbed this information carefully. This would be his first mission outside the sect's territory since becoming a core disciple. It was clearly important, but also very dangerous. An entire expedition of experienced cultivators had vanished. Whatever had happened to them could easily happen to a rescue party as well.
"When do we leave?" he asked. His voice was steady. There was no point in showing fear or hesitation. If the sect had decided to send him, then he would go. That was his duty as a core disciple.
"Tomorrow at dawn," Elder Tian replied. "The other three disciples are being informed right now. You'll meet them at the western gate. Pack light but bring everything you need for two months in the wilderness. Medicine, spare clothes, cultivation pills, signal flares. Elder Bai will provide each of you with a storage ring to carry your supplies."
Storage rings were valuable items that contained a small pocket dimension inside. They could hold far more than their size suggested, making them extremely useful for long journeys. Yan Kai had never owned one before.
"The Crimson Dawn Sect's headquarters is fifteen days travel from here on foot," Elder Meng said. "But Elder Tian will transport all of you using a Sky Ship, which should reduce the journey to four days. You'll meet up with the other sects' representatives there, then proceed together to the Void Mountains."
"Are there any theories about what happened to the original expedition?" Yan Kai asked.
The elders exchanged glances. Elder Tian finally spoke. "There are several possibilities. They might have encountered a beast wave, though that seems unlikely given how many strong cultivators were with them. They could have run into members of the Blood Shadow Cult, though those demon worshippers usually avoid such large groups. Or they might have disturbed something in one of the ancient ruins."
"There's another possibility," Elder Han said quietly. "The Void Mountains are close to the border with the Dark Expanse. It's possible that something came across from there."
The Dark Expanse. Yan Kai had heard stories about that place since childhood. It was a region of corrupted land where the spiritual energy had been twisted and polluted. Nothing good lived there. The beasts that emerged from the Dark Expanse were often mad with corruption, attacking anything they saw without any sense of self-preservation.
"Regardless of the cause," Elder Tian said firmly, "our mission is to find out what happened and rescue any survivors. We must also determine whether this threat is contained or if it might spread to our territories. The Void Mountains are only two thousand miles from our sect. If something dangerous has awakened there, we need to know about it."
The elders spent another hour briefing Yan Kai on various details. They showed him maps of the region, described the members of the lost expedition, and explained the coordination plans with the other sects. By the time they finished, the sun was high in the sky.
"Go and prepare," Elder Tian said finally. "Get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow begins a journey that may test you in ways you haven't been tested before."
Yan Kai stood and bowed to all five elders. "I won't disappoint the sect, Masters."
"We know you won't," Elder Tian said with a slight smile. "You're one of the most talented disciples this sect has produced in decades. But remember, Yan Kai. Talent without caution is just another word for arrogance. Stay alert, trust your instincts, and don't take unnecessary risks."
"Yes, Master."
Yan Kai retrieved his spear and left the hall. The two guards were still standing outside, and he nodded to them as he passed. His mind was already working through everything he needed to do before tomorrow morning. Check his equipment, pack his supplies, review his techniques, and most importantly, prepare himself mentally for whatever lay ahead.
As he walked back toward his residence, he thought about the lost expedition. Fifty disciples and five elders. All of them presumably dead, or worse, captured and corrupted if the Dark Expanse was involved. He thought about their families, their friends, the people waiting for them to return home.
Yan Kai had lost his father to a beast wave when he was fifteen. He remembered the terrible feeling of waiting for news, hoping against hope that his father had survived. He remembered the moment when a sect messenger had arrived with his father's broken sword, the only thing they had found.
He wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone.
If there was even a chance that some of those disciples were still alive, then this mission was worth any danger. Yan Kai tightened his grip on his spear and looked up at the sky. After thinking tomorrow Mission then,
He reached his residence and pushed open the door, already making a mental list of everything he needed to prepare.