The air carried a cool, autumnal ambiance, as the rhythmic crunch of leaves accompanied each step the disciples took. Lu Ye looked about his surroundings. He had traveled to a distant place, far from the confines of the Qing Shan Sect. While he had been on missions before, this marked the first time he went on a quest without the guidance of his master, Damu Lan.
Along with his fellow senior disciples, specifically Hua Ran, Lu Ye ascended the Ming Yue Peak. Their objective, entrusted to them by Cang Ren, was to locate a rare grass that grows exclusively on the peaks during the fall season.
“Seriously, where are we supposed to find this grass? They all look the same to me,” Fei Yi grumbled, his frustration was showing.
Cuo Yi shot him a nonchalant glance and retorted, “If it’s anything like Master Cang Ren, it must be the wildest-looking plant out there.”
“Hua Ran glared at them with a soft—but threatening expression. “You twin better get your act together.”
Fei Yi and Cuo Yi were both studying under Zhang XiYi and were two years older than Hua Ran. However, Hua Ran became a disciple ahead of them, so they naturally considered him their senior and obeyed.
As they chatted, they wandered into a forest filled with gigantic trees. The atmosphere was peculiar and chilly, shrouded in a transparent mist.
Lu Ye kept his eyes fixed on the three senior disciples ahead, ensuring himself not to get lost. He absentmindedly gazed upward and was taken aback by the sight that greeted him—not the autumn sky, but an immensely large centipede.
“It’s the Celestial Guardian!” Fei Yi exclaimed.
“Since when do heavenly creatures look like this?!” Cuo Yi questioned, bewildered by the monstrous appearance of the centipede.
The centipede reared up, its body towering over Lu Ye, obstructing his view of the sky. Its countless legs moved in a ceaseless rhythm, each segmented limb meticulously aligned along its elongated form.
Without warning, the centipede lunged, seemingly intent on toppling over Lu Ye, who then quickly evaded its attack by leaping to the side.
“Twins, keep your distance!” Hua Ran shouted urgently.
As they observed the centipede, a viscous liquid dripped from its fangs, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Instantly, the earth began to melt, emitting a steaming heat.
“It’s venomous, be careful, Senior Hua,” Lu Ye warned, even though the danger was obvious.
The centipede was anything but welcoming, attacking them one after another, spewing venom. They were left with no choice but to leap and dodge, trying to avoid the venom.
Lu Ye drew his sword and approached the centipede, aiming to cut its fangs, but to no avail. The sword clashed with the fangs, making a resounding clang. It seemed the fangs were as hard as metal. Figured, Lu Ye changed tactics, leaping over the centipede’s body, and trying to slice it, but the impregnable skin thwarted his efforts.
As he darted away, the centipede chased after him, causing Lu Ye to lose his breath from all the running.
Suddenly, Hua Ran leaped over its head, attempting to cut it, just as Lu Ye had done, but with the same futile outcome.
“Where are senior Fei Yi and Cuo Yi?” Lu Ye shouted in concern.
“Don’t worry about them! If we don’t deal with this thing now, it’ll follow us wherever we go!” Hua Ran replied urgently.
Hua Ran noticed that, unlike regular centipedes, the body of this so-called Celestial Guardian was significantly longer.
“Junior disciple, run around the trees! Tangle it up!” Hua Ran suggested.
YOU ARE READING
I Will Leave Before Dawn
FantasíaIt was said that humans were born with two spirits: one pure, the other evil. The pure spirit guided them towards good, while the evil spirit steered towards bad. These two spirits coexisted within the same living body, influencing their choices and...
