Chapter Forty-One: Encounter with the Savage Bear

“I can vouch for that. I can’t speak for the other peaks, but as for our Thunder Peak, back then there were plenty who weren’t convinced by Junior Sister Ji. Even I made my share of snide remarks behind her back. But at most, people would gossip a bit in private. No one would dare say a word in front of her,” Wei Qiu hastily interjected upon hearing the conversation, eager to defend Ji Mo.

“Oh? So back then, you also joined in slandering Little Mo, didn’t you?” Zhao Hu gave him a sidelong glance, his gaze unfriendly.

“Ahem, ahem, Brother Zhao, you really can’t blame me for that. With how Junior Sister Ji was back then, any disciple who entered the sect at the same time as her would have felt a bit indignant. But genius is genius; even if they suffer setbacks for a while, they soon shine with their own light.” Wei Qiu, realizing he had let something slip, quickly coughed twice and tried to excuse himself, then fawningly flattered Ji Mo.

Ji Mo only smiled, unbothered. She truly did not mind. Besides, Wei Qiu had done nothing wrong at the time; if their roles were reversed, she might have complained inwardly as well.

“Is that so? Then congratulations, Little Mo, for finding such an excellent master,” Zhao Hu paused in surprise, then broke into a sincere smile. He did not believe Ji Mo had found things so easy back then. Even with her master and senior brothers shielding her, it couldn’t have felt good to constantly be the subject of gossip. But since Ji Mo could now look back and smile, he wouldn't dwell on the past either.

“Brother Zhao, you’re impressive yourself! You’ve only been in the Outer Sect for six years, and you’ve already reached the eleventh level of Body Tempering. At this rate, you might break into the Transcendence Realm within four years and could even break the record for body cultivators in the Outer Academy!” Ji Mo glanced at Zhao Hu, teasing with a laugh. Zhao Hu’s face flushed a suspicious red, and he scratched his head, at a loss for words.

Knowing how honest and bashful he was, Ji Mo decided not to tease him further. Her gaze shifted lightly as she changed the topic. “Brother Zhao, what task did you take?”

“My task is simple—three stalks of two-hundred-year-old pine grass and two vines of hundred-year-old Kuxin root,” Zhao Hu replied.

“Pine grass and Kuxin root—are those found in Red Leaf Valley?” Ji Mo turned her attention to Wei Qiu.

“Pine grass and Kuxin root are found in many places across the southern region, not hard to find at all. Red Leaf Valley has plenty!” Wei Qiu answered readily.

Red Leaf Valley was the most renowned valley in the southern region, spanning several thousand kilometers. Blue Moon Lake lay to the west of Red Leaf Valley, while the three of them were now at its northern edge, not close to South Moon Lake. Moreover, disciples entering the trial grounds were forbidden to use flying artifacts. Those in the Qi Refinement stage, without such tools, had no choice but to rely on their own legs.

As a result, their pace was slow. The three of them helped Zhao Hu search for pine grass and Kuxin root as they went, battling all manner of spirit beasts along the way. They spent eight days traversing Red Leaf Valley, experiencing no fewer than fifty-one battles, before finally crossing a perilous peak and reaching the edge of Blue Moon Lake.

At the summit, all three wore expressions of exhaustion. Below them was the famed Blue Moon Lake. Ji Mo stood atop a jutting rock and gazed out. Before her was a secluded valley encircled by mountains, bursting with dazzling flowers and lush grasses. In the farthest reach of her vision, a hazy mist lingered, making the entire valley seem like a fairyland.

“It’s hard to believe such beauty hides so much danger,” Ji Mo couldn’t help but sigh.

“Isn’t there a saying, the more beautiful something is, the more poisonous it tends to be? Look there—the area shrouded in thick mist is the lake region, the forbidden zone of the entire southern region. No one is allowed to set foot there,” Wei Qiu chimed in.

“Does ‘no one’ mean just us trial disciples, or everyone in Moonwatch Sect?” Ji Mo gazed at the swirling mist, thoughtful. Before entering the trial grounds, those from Thunder Peak had warned her never to step into the mist, but hadn’t explained much.

“I’m not sure, but the sect does have a strict rule: all disciples in the trial grounds are forbidden from stepping into the lake. Enter at your own risk,” Wei Qiu replied.

Zhao Hu stared at the mist, eyes full of awe and curiosity. Although only an Outer Academy body cultivator, he’d heard plenty about Blue Moon Lake. Their instructors had described its dangers many times. Rumor had it that even disciples in the Transcendence and Foundation Establishment Realms had secretly tried their luck there, but without exception, none returned. No one knew what secrets hid beneath that fog.

“Let’s go. We won’t enter the lake, but we can walk along the shore.” After standing at the mountainside for a while, Ji Mo was the first to leap down from the rock. Seeing her move, Zhao Hu and Wei Qiu followed. The three took a narrow path into the Blue Moon Lake region.

The moment she set foot within the bounds of South Moon Lake, Ji Mo felt the spiritual energy around her intensify dramatically, almost solidifying in the air. The concentration here even surpassed that of her master’s Thunder Peak. She was inwardly amazed.

This place was truly strange—not only did the lake remain shrouded in mist all year round, but the spiritual energy within a hundred kilometers was far richer than anywhere else. Most curious of all, this energy didn’t spread outward, as if an invisible barrier contained it here. With such abundance, it was no wonder countless medicinal herbs flourished in this land, Ji Mo thought.

But before her amazement could fade, a terrifying roar thundered nearby. She turned to see a brown bear, at least three meters tall and as massive as a small hill, forcing its way out of the undergrowth. Its ochre eyes fixed coldly on the three of them, and its enormous paws made the ground tremble with each step.

“A Savage Bear?” Wei Qiu gasped as the beast lumbered closer.

“How strong is it?” Ji Mo asked in a low voice.

“Very. It’s a peak-level first-tier spirit beast, even stronger than the saber-toothed tiger you drove off before. Its hide is thick and tough, and it’s huge. For a Qi Refinement disciple, it’s almost impossible to harm,” Wei Qiu answered.

“In that case, what are we waiting for? Run!” Ji Mo immediately abandoned any thought of a direct confrontation. The moment her words fell, Wei Qiu and Zhao Hu shot forward with her in perfect unison.

The bear, seeing its prey fleeing, grew furious. With a roar, it thundered after them. Despite its size, it moved with astonishing speed, crushing flowers and shrubs underfoot. Though it seemed impossible for such a bulky creature to catch up, reality proved otherwise.

The three of them sprinted at full speed, crossing several miles in a matter of breaths, but the bear was just as quick—its feet seemed fitted with wind and fire wheels, and it closed the distance in an instant, leaving carnage in its wake.

Seeing escape was impossible, Ji Mo halted abruptly, turned, and leapt into the air, rising to the bear’s height. In her hand, the White Jade Flood Dragon Whip lashed down fiercely at the beast’s head. Caught off guard, the bear took the blow head-on with a loud crack, and a deep welt appeared, blood welling out at once.

Enraged by the pain, the bear tossed its head and launched its massive body at Ji Mo. The two were too close, and the bear too fast. Off balance, Ji Mo was struck by the full force of its charge and sent flying.