The next day, he butchered the fierce tiger for its meat, roasting it to eat. From then on, he settled into his life at the Waste Pill Room.
However, every few days, a different wild beast would wander into the vicinity of the Waste Pill Room.
Because of this, he set up numerous traps around his dwelling, tirelessly hunting these fierce beasts.
Although he had yet to begin his cultivation, fighting various wild beasts every day greatly improved his combat abilities. Furthermore, the richer diet brought tremendous benefits to his growing body.
That evening, Su Twelve draped a tiger skin over his shoulders, took a heavy cleaver, and hid in a hollow near his dwelling.
Prone in the hollow, he looked just like a slumbering tiger. Beneath the hide, he pricked up his ears, quietly listening to the surrounding movements.
The beast he faced this time was a green wolf as heavily built as an ox. It was vicious and could spew violent gales from its mouth, making it seem like a legendary demon beast.
He had matched wits and courage against this beast for several days. Today, he had deliberately prepared a few extra traps, intending to finish the creature off in a single stroke.
Just then, a rustling sound reached his ears.
Su Twelve’s heart tightened, and he instinctively gripped the handle of his splitting knife.
But the next second, the voices that drifted over from nearby struck him like lightning.
“Where is it?!”
“Your subordinate has failed. Please punish me, Venerable Lord!”
Hearing that voice, Su Twelve froze in place.
Immediately after, a thick, suffocating hatred surged into his heart.
The second voice was so familiar! It was engraved in his bones, a voice he could never forget for as long as he lived!
In that instant, the figure of the black-clothed man—the murderer who had slaughtered his grandfather and all the villagers—surfaced in his mind!
“That person… he’s actually in Cloudsong Sect?!”
As the thought flashed through his mind, Su Twelve clenched his fists.
But he knew clearly that his current self was absolutely no match for that person.
If he was discovered, he would surely die!
That black-clothed man was even more brutal and terrifying than a fierce tiger!
Holding his breath, Su Twelve did not dare to make a single sound.
Not far away, the conversation between the two continued.
“You indeed deserve punishment, but could it be that you already obtained the treasure furnace and wish to keep it all for yourself?”
“Venerable Lord, you wrong me. That old thing from Little Stone Village had a mouth harder than stone. Your subordinate tried both threats and bribes, exhausting every method, but that old thing refused to loosen his tongue even in death.”
“Hmph! You cannot even handle a few mortals. What use does this old man have for you?!”
…
Listening to their exchange, Su Twelve’s heart gave a heavy thump.
“Venerable Lord? That man sounds even more formidable than the black-clothed man.”
“Could it be… that someone even more powerful is backing the black-clothed man?”
This realization filled him with even greater shock. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Flat against the ground, he remained perfectly still, terrified that the two might discover his presence.
Through the gaps in the brush, he could faintly see two blurry black figures conversing beneath a towering tree in the nearby woods.
The moonlight stretched their shadows, casting them right across his body.
“Many thanks to the Venerable Lord for sparing my life. Regarding this matter, your subordinate has found another clue!”
“Oh? What clue?”
“Afterward, your subordinate made another trip to Little Stone Village, only to discover a mass grave of a hundred people had been dug there. Although no one erected a stele, your subordinate investigated the matter several times. That old thing had a grandson named Su Twelve, and that little brat’s corpse was never found. If your subordinate is not mistaken, the treasure furnace must be in the hands of that brat, Su Twelve!”
“Hm? Such a thing actually happened? Good. This old man will give you one more month. If you still cannot find the treasure furnace by then, you know the consequences yourself!”
…
After that, the two leaned in and conspired in secret for a while longer, before shooting into the sky and flying off in two different directions.
In the mountain hollow, Su Twelve lay prone, his mind in complete turmoil.
His head was ringing with the black-clothed man’s final words.
“He… he knows my name, and he knows the pill furnace is with me?!”
“No, I have to get out of here!”
His heart raced. His entire mind was consumed by the urge to run.
But on second thought, if he fled Cloudsong Sect, he had no idea where else he might find a method of cultivation.
Moreover, he had finally uncovered a tiny clue about the black-clothed man. He could not resign himself to just leaving without investigating the matter thoroughly.
With this in mind, Su Twelve forcibly suppressed his panic and waited until the deep of the night. Only after confirming that the two men had not returned, and that the green wolf had failed to show up…
…did he finally return to his dwelling with a highly uneasy heart.
The next day, early morning.
Su Twelve had only just woken up when a series of hurried knocks came from the door.
“Knock, knock, knock…”
The knocks were neither hurried nor slow, but each one seemed to strike directly against Su Twelve’s chest, making his heart race.
“Oh no… could that person have found me so quickly?” Su Twelve scrambled up from his bed in a single movement, his heart leaping into his throat.
His eyes darted around the room, desperately searching for any possible escape route.
“Junior Brother Twelve, are you there?”
An ethereal, pleasant voice drifted in from outside.
“Senior Sister Xiao Yue?”
Hearing this, Su Twelve froze for a moment, though his leaping heart still did not settle. Instead, he suddenly realized a much more troubling problem—when he joined Luofu Peak, he had used his real name.
And now, the black-clothed man not only knew of his existence, but also knew his name!
Just as he was at a total loss for what to do, Xiao Yue’s slightly worried voice came from outside once more.
“Junior Brother Twelve?!”
Urged by her call, Su Twelve had no choice but to temporarily bury his anxiety. Taking a deep breath, he quickly went to open the door.
“Senior Sister Xiao Yue?”
As soon as the door opened, he saw Xiao Yue standing outside in a long dress, carrying a long sword on her back.
Seeing Su Twelve alive and well, a look of genuine surprise filled Xiao Yue’s face.
Deep down, she likely believed that Su Twelve could not have survived this long—he should have either died in the jaws of wild beasts or been scared away long ago.
Setting aside her astonishment, Xiao Yue quickly masked her reaction with a warm, natural smile.
“Judging by your complexion, you’ve been doing… fairly well here?!” As she spoke, Xiao Yue’s gaze drifted past him into the courtyard.
Catching sight of the various beast pelts piled on the ground, her pupils constricted in sheer shock.
“Hm? Are those beast hides? You… you actually killed so many wild beasts??”
Xiao Yue’s eyes swept up and down Su Twelve’s frame, completely unable to believe the scene before her eyes.
A twelve-year-old child had actually killed so many fierce beasts? What kind of joke was this!
“I didn’t kill them! I just dug a few traps around the area. Those beasts are too stupid, and every few days, one happens to fall in.” Su Twelve scratched his head with an embarrassed smile. He hurriedly invited Xiao Yue inside, pointing toward the traps in the courtyard.
He did not want Xiao Yue to think he was impressive, and he especially could not let anyone find out that he had been taking Essence-Nourishing Pills.
“So it was traps. I knew it! Still, it’s impressive you came up with such a method! If it were anyone else, I’m afraid they would have been scared to death upon running into such beasts!”
Upon seeing the traps, Xiao Yue’s shock finally settled. Otherwise, she truly would have thought he was some kind of freakish monster.
Even so, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Su Twelve held a clear trace of surprise and admiration.
When she was twelve, she certainly lacked this kind of capability and courage.
This little fellow was quite clever, and his courage was significant. It was just a pity his spirit root was too poor. Otherwise, he would absolutely be a promising talent.
“Hehe, many thanks for Senior Sister’s praise!” Su Twelve chuckled, then inquired about her visit. “Senior Sister, did you come here for a specific reason today?”
Xiao Yue smiled. “I came this time, first, because I was worried about your safety and wanted to check on you. It seems I worried for nothing. Second, I came to explain the Newcomer Trial to you!”
“Newcomer Trial?” Su Twelve’s brows raised slightly. When he first entered the Sect, he had heard the peak master of Tianhua Peak mention it in passing.
Xiao Yue nodded. “That’s right. According to Cloudsong Sect’s rules, five years after a batch of newcomers enters the sect, they must participate in the Newcomer Trial. Only by passing the Newcomer Trial can one remain in Cloudsong Sect. Otherwise, you will either be relegated to being a menial disciple for life, or be sent back to the mortal world.”
“Menial disciple? Sent back?” Su Twelve’s heart trembled, and he hurriedly asked with caution, “Then what does the trial entail?”
Xiao Yue replied, “The content of the trial is different every time. It will only be announced when the trial formally begins! However, based on past experience, to pass the trial, one must possess the strength of at least the fourth layer of Qi Condensation.”
“Fourth layer of Qi Condensation?” Su Twelve’s small face instantly turned deathly pale.
According to what Lu Mingshi had said, he could at most reach the seventh or eighth layer of Qi Condensation in his entire life.
Given that reality, it went without saying that he currently had no cultivation technique. Even if he did, raising his cultivation base to the fourth layer of Qi Condensation within just five years would be incredibly difficult.
But giving up here and now was not something Su Twelve even considered.
Hesitating for a moment, he asked Xiao Yue in a soft voice, “Senior Sister, if I want to begin cultivating, what should I do?”