Chapter Eighteen: The Girl and the Monkey

“Master, with my current cultivation at the late stage of Qi Refining, how do I compare to others?” Ye Yun suddenly asked.

Ye Yu pondered for a moment before replying, “If you compare yourself to your peers, there is none who can surpass you. But if you look at those who have been cultivating for many years, you still fall short and need more tempering.”

“The path of seeking immortality is toughest at the foundational stage. That’s where you are now. Only by laying an unshakable foundation will your future journey be smooth and unhindered. That’s why I focus on honing your experience rather than merely increasing your cultivation speed.”

“Some may advance rapidly, but if they miss the critical period for building their foundation, it will be hard for them to make further progress once they reach higher realms.”

“Yes, I can become stronger,” Ye Yun nodded silently.

“The essence found in monster beasts’ flesh is many times richer than that of ordinary animals. Now that you can hunt them, you should make their meat your staple food. This will not only speed up your cultivation but also make your body stronger.”

Ancestor Ye Yu spoke thus, then glanced at the sky. “Night is falling. Once darkness descends, monster beasts will be everywhere in Sunset Mountain. With your current strength, you can handle an average beast, but if you run into a pack on the hunt, it won’t be a test—it’ll be a death sentence.”

With that, Ye Yu strode forward without looking back and said, “You’ll carry this wolf demon home yourself. It’s enough to feed you for two days.”

The wolf demon was over ten feet long and weighed several hundred pounds. Even though Ye Yun was already at the late stage of Qi Refining, carrying it back from Sunset Mountain was still a strenuous task.

Only when they neared Flying Dragon City did Ye Yu allow him to store the beast’s corpse in the Dragon Phoenix Pendant to avoid attracting attention.

In the days that followed, aside from practicing martial arts as usual, Ye Yu took Ye Yun into Sunset Mountain daily to battle monster beasts, forging his combat experience and willpower through life-and-death struggles.

Over time, Ye Yun gained much and grew rapidly. Not only did his mastery of the Crimson Flame Devil Art advance swiftly, but his physical strength also increased, and he gradually transformed from a novice youth into a true master.

“From now on, every dusk at sunset, you’ll enter Sunset Mountain and train by yourself. I will no longer follow to protect you.”

On Ye Yun’s twelfth birthday, his master prepared a table full of delicious dishes and broke this news to him.

“What?!” Ye Yun was startled and froze for a moment.

All along, his master had protected him from the shadows. Even when confronted by powerful monsters he couldn’t defeat, he never feared for his life and had no worries.

But now, his master’s sudden announcement left him unprepared. Judging by Ye Yu’s expression, there was no room for negotiation; his master would do as he said and would not secretly watch over him anymore.

This meant Ye Yun could no longer fight monsters without a care. He would have to leave himself an escape route and be ready to flee if danger struck.

“This is your final trial. I can protect you for a while, but not forever. If you want to become truly strong, you must rely on yourself.”

At sunset, as Ye Yun left, Ancestor Ye Yu spoke these heartfelt words.

“Don’t worry, Master, I’ll be back soon!”

Ye Yun waved cheerfully and set off at a swift pace, soon arriving in Sunset Mountain.

Ordinary monsters like the black wolf demon from before were no longer a challenge for him. Ye Yun pressed deeper into the mountain, seeking stronger beasts to further hone himself.

Even without his master by his side, he never slacked in his cultivation.

Of course, he dared not venture into the mountain’s deepest core. His master had warned him that the depths teemed with monsters, some as powerful as Foundation Establishment cultivators.

By a small stream, Ye Yun encountered a bear demon drinking water. Compared to other beasts, bear demons were thick-skinned and mighty, their blows deadly if not avoided.

Though known for their strength, bears were slow to react. With some effort, Ye Yun managed to slay the bear demon.

It was the first time he’d killed a beast of late Qi Refining strength. He felt a rush of excitement; his face flushed, blood surging, as if he’d finally become a true man.

As his master had instructed, killing such a beast was enough to complete the day’s task—he just needed to bring the bear back.

He sat and rested for a while to recover his inner energy before preparing to leave.

Suddenly, the sound of something cutting through the air reached his ears, along with squeaky cries, drawing his attention.

Looking toward the source, he saw a young girl in a blue dress darting nimbly along the tree branches. Ahead of her, a golden-furred monkey leaped up and down, moving with such speed and agility that it left afterimages in the air.

Ye Yun had read an ancient book that described most rare beasts. This golden monkey was recorded in its pages.

It was called the Golden Scale Spirit Monkey—born with intelligence, a natural monster, extremely clever, its thick fur concealing tough scales hidden from the naked eye.

The monkey wasn’t large, about Ye Yun’s size but much more robust, wild and fierce.

All monsters, regardless of how lively or cute they seem, possess a savage nature. A single careless move could bring harm.

Clearly, the girl was chasing the Golden Scale Spirit Monkey. Her movement technique was impressive. With a flick of her wrist, a red silk ribbon shot out like a snake, trying to ensnare the monkey.

Startled, the spirit monkey shrieked and waved its limbs. Ye Yun’s eyes narrowed as he noticed the monkey clutching a jade-green herb with four leaves.

In the Dao, there is the art of alchemy, where spiritual herbs are refined into pills. But alchemy requires not just talent and aptitude, but also reaching the Foundation Establishment stage before one can begin.

The herb in the monkey’s grasp was the Four-Leaf Jade Grass, flawless and translucent, a marvel of nature.

To avoid burdening Ye Yun with too many disciplines, Ye Yu had only taught him martial arts and Qi refining, never mentioning alchemy or artifact forging.

Still, Ye Yun was well-read and recognized the herb. He knew the Four-Leaf Jade Grass was the key ingredient for refining the Essence-Boosting Pill.

A single Essence-Boosting Pill equaled three years of cultivation. With one, Ye Yun could instantly reach the peak of Qi Refining.

The Golden Scale Spirit Monkey was incredibly agile. The girl’s red ribbon struck and coiled, but she could not catch it.

They weren’t far away; Ye Yun could see everything clearly, while neither the girl nor the monkey had noticed him.

“A Four-Leaf Jade Grass is worth making a move. I might as well use this opportunity to hone my Golden Crow Rainbow Arrow Technique.”

With that thought, Ye Yun reached into the Dragon Phoenix Pendant and drew out a pitch-black bow, notched an arrow, and infused it with Crimson Flame energy.

“Bang!”

The arrow flew like a flash of fire, bridging nearly two hundred meters in an instant!