Half a day into the airship’s journey, it stopped outside a mountain.
“Everyone, according to intel, there’s a Golden Immortal Tree in the ravine, its fruits have ripened recently, our goal is to harvest them,” Bai Yongzhi announced.
“Golden Immortal Fruit?” Lin Yun perked up at the name.
A decent natural treasure, one fruit could fully mend his meridians!
Per ancient texts he’d read, a mature Golden Immortal Tree bore two fruits at a time.
If he could snag one, his injuries would heal fast.
Bai Yongzhi continued, “This ravine has demon beasts, that’s the main danger and your challenge, once inside, stay razor-sharp!”
The Bai youths nodded obediently.
“Follow me in!”
Bai Yongzhi led them into the ravine.
Inside, the Bai youngsters tensed up, moving slowly, as if stepping into a slaughterhouse.
After a stretch, sweat beaded on several foreheads, their nerves palpable, clearly green, untested against beasts, fear gripping them.
The team’s mood grew heavy.
Even Bailu looked anxious.
Lin Yun, though, strolled casually, unfazed.
He’d grown used to such settings—crossing the Demonic Beast Mountain Range made this ravine trivial.
“Bailu, relax, we’ve just entered, no big threats yet, beasts don’t usually roam these outer edges,” Lin Yun said.
“Mm,” Bailu nodded, not fully grasping but trusting him.
Bailian, nearby, overheard and sneered.
“Hmph, pretending to know it all, boasting there’s no danger? We’re all cautious, yet you act so cavalier, no wonder you’re a cripple, have you even seen a beast’s might? Fought one? If danger hits, you’ll hide behind Bailu.”
She turned to the group, “Everyone, slow down, watch for beasts! It’s perilous here, don’t get cocky, I’ve fought them, I know!”
Lin Yun just smiled and shook his head, saying nothing, he’d slain more beasts than she’d had meals.
The team crept forward, taking over two hours to meet their first beast.
“Ah! A beast! A beast!”
Most of the Bai youths shrieked, terrified as if facing a devil, only two or three, with slight exposure, stayed calmish but tense.
Lin Yun watched their panic, speechless.
A mere firewood leopard, and they’re this scared?
Toss them into the ruthless Demonic Beast Mountain Range, they’d die of fright.
Bailian feigned composure, “Everyone, it’s just a firewood leopard, not tough, perfect for you novices to gain experience!”
Having fought beasts once or twice, she fancied herself seasoned, eager to show off to these rookies.
Bai Yongzhi pointed, “Bailu, Bai Xiaozheng, Bai Yuan, you three handle it.”
He picked those untested against beasts.
“Go, Bailu, it’s weak, good practice,” Lin Yun encouraged.
Without combat experience, growth stalled—every cultivator faced this.
These clan kids had guards on such trips, ready to step in if things went south, a perk of privilege.
Lin Yun, a lone wanderer, had faced beasts solo from the start, dying if he failed—that was the gap between clan heirs and stray cultivators.
This sheltering left them green.
“Mm.”
Bailu bit her lip, nodded nervously, gripped her short sword, and edged forward with the others.
*Roar!*
The leopard pounced with a growl.
Battle erupted.
All three were Void Hollow realm, picked for this trip as the Bai youth elite.
The beast matched Void Hollow, a weaker one at that.
Even so, they struggled hard, barely subduing it, failing to kill, Bai Yuan taking a nasty chest gash.
*Roar!*
The wounded beast roared, bolting.
*Boom!*
Bai Yongzhi struck, a palm shadow streaking like light, blasting the fleeing leopard into a bloody mist.
He eyed the trio, “Three against one, stronger individually, yet you couldn’t kill it and got hurt, poor show, but it’s your first real fight, so I’ll leave it there, reflect on it.”
“Yes,” they panted.
Bai Yongzhi tossed a healing pill to the injured Bai Yuan, then the group pressed on.
“Bailu, how’d that fight feel?” Lin Yun asked.
“Its strength was below ours, but its attacks were fierce,” Bailu said, still shaken.
“A lion uses full force even on a rabbit, never underestimate beasts, more fights like that, you’ll get it,” Lin Yun advised.
As a cultivator, she’d have to face this to grow.
“Big brother Lin Yun, you seem to know a lot,” Bailu’s wide, curious eyes studied him.
“Sort of,” he smiled faintly.
The team ventured deeper, encountering scattered beasts of varying strength, Bai Yongzhi assigning novices based on threat—two, three, or up to five fighters.
A trickier beast saw Bailu, Bai Tong, and another—top youths here—team up, slaying it, stealing the spotlight.
Six-plus hours in, dusk fell, night cloaking the ravine.
