Chapter 48: The Struggle for the Thunder Beast (Part Three)

It was furious, but Ji Mo was even more so. Anyone would be enraged after being repeatedly outwitted by a little beast—no one could remain calm in such a situation. As the little beast sprang once again from her shoulder, Ji Mo, who had been ready this time, lashed out with her long whip. The whip, as swift as a shadow, chased after it. Just as the Lightning Beast leapt into midair, its body was ensnared by the White Jade Flood Dragon Whip.

This time, Ji Mo had learned her lesson. The moment she caught the Lightning Beast, she tightened her grip, intent on binding it firmly. But with another piercing cry of defiance, the Lightning Beast’s body shrank in a blink, becoming no larger than a fist, and slipped free from the whip’s grasp before darting away.

Mu Baiyun, who had been waiting across the way, seized the opportunity. His Rainbow Severing Sword cleaved down decisively toward its head. The Lightning Beast’s name was well earned; just as the blade was about to strike, the tiny creature shifted sideways by several feet, narrowly evading the attack. All Ji Mo and Mu Baiyun saw was a fist-sized flash of gold flicker twice—the Lightning Beast’s silhouette vanished in an instant.

“What a cunning creature, and its speed is beyond words. If it decides to run, there’s nothing we can do,” Mu Baiyun remarked with a wry smile in the direction where the beast had disappeared.

“It’s more than just being helpless. If it got serious, neither of us would stand a chance. Who on earth set up this ridiculous task? They claimed any cultivator above the sixth rank of Qi Refining could take it, but with its abilities, never mind sixth rank—even the peak of Qi Refining might not be enough to handle it,” Ji Mo replied, still fuming.

This was no exaggeration to praise the beast and belittle herself. After several exchanges, Ji Mo was certain she was no match for the Lightning Beast. Though she’d managed to catch it a few times, it hadn’t lost a single hair under the whip’s force. Mu Baiyun’s Rainbow Severing Sword was sharp enough to cut through anything, and while it hadn’t hit the beast directly, its sword aura alone should have left at least a mark. Yet, not even a scratch was visible.

Mu Baiyun nodded in agreement. Though his confrontation with the Lightning Beast had been brief, he now understood that he was not its opponent.

“So what do we do? Do we keep chasing it?” Wei Qiu, who had been watching from the sidelines, interjected. He and Zhao Hu had stood back, seeing no opportunity to join in, their tacit understanding evident.

“Chase it, of course. We may not be its match, but there are plenty of others interested in it. Enough ants can bite an elephant to death. We’ll just keep following it and wait for the right moment. Besides, my instincts tell me it won’t just leave—it’ll be back,” Ji Mo said through gritted teeth.

Mu Baiyun, Wei Qiu, and Zhao Hu shuddered at the sight of Ji Mo’s grim expression. They silently resolved never to cross her unless necessary—if she really bore a grudge, who could stand against her?

While Ji Mo seethed, the Lightning Beast was far from pleased after its escape. Ji Mo and Mu Baiyun had refused to play along with its carefully laid script, forcing it to flee in such a humiliating fashion—truly intolerable. No, it couldn’t let this go; it had to recover its dignity.

How best to describe this creature? Its personality was truly bizarre. In reality, it had withdrawn with composure, not in panic. It had been trying to set others up, but when that failed, it now sought revenge. One had to wonder whether Ji Mo was lucky or unlucky to have attracted the notice of such a peculiar being.

Not only was the Lightning Beast incredibly fast and resilient, it also possessed an extraordinary sense of smell. Ji Mo’s scent was now deeply imprinted in its memory. On the seventh day of the tide, the waters within Blue Moon Lake had begun to recede, and trial disciples within Red Leaf Valley were rapidly gathering from all directions.

Every year, after the tides withdrew from Blue Water Lake, countless rare materials and treasures appeared—things never seen at other times. This was the lake’s way, once every century, of absorbing spiritual energy and leaving behind gifts in return.

Ji Mo had expected the Lightning Beast to reappear and provoke them, but two days passed without a trace of it. With the tide about to ebb, everyone would soon be busy vying for the treasures left behind, leaving little attention for the Lightning Beast.

Whether it was fate or coincidence, just as Ji Mo was thinking about the creature, it appeared again—not alone, but trailed by a group of people, all converging on her.

As Ji Mo and her companions saw the Lightning Beast racing toward them with seven cultivators in pursuit, a bitter taste filled their mouths. Watching the beast leap toward her, Ji Mo’s expression remained impassive as she cracked her whip at it, calling out to the approaching group, “I have nothing to do with this beast and no intention of fighting you for it. If you want it, catch it yourself.”

Swish! Though Ji Mo’s strike was swift, it still couldn’t match the Lightning Beast’s speed. The creature darted beneath her whip and, in the blink of an eye, scrambled up onto her left shoulder, affectionately nuzzling her cheek. The cultivators behind, seeing this, were instantly inflamed.

Had the Lightning Beast already chosen a master? And that master was merely a third-rank Qi Refining disciple? These trialists, all of them seasoned and at least eighth rank, had been wandering the trial grounds for years. The weakest among them was at the eighth rank, the strongest at the peak of Qi Refining. They had no idea who Ji Mo was.

Veteran disciples who had spent long years in the trial zone were hardened and ruthless, always searching for their own opportunities. When such a chance arose, they would stop at nothing. The Lightning Beast was undoubtedly such an opportunity.

It was said that the Lightning Beast possessed a unique trait: any human cultivator who formed a blood pact with it would grow alongside it. Even someone with poor talent could reach the Core Formation stage. Seeing the beast choose a low-ranked disciple as its master, murderous intent surged in their hearts. Though Ji Mo’s group numbered four, with the strongest at sixth rank, the seven cultivators did not see them as a threat.

Ji Mo and Mu Baiyun exchanged a grave look. They could both sense the murderous aura emanating from the other side. Among the seven, there were two at eighth rank, three at tenth, one at eleventh, and one at twelfth—a lineup against which they stood little chance.

Now you’ve really gotten me into trouble! Ji Mo’s gaze fell on the Lightning Beast perched on her shoulder. Their eyes met, and the beast’s glint of triumphant mischief was unmistakable.