Lu Chanki cupped his fists respectfully before turning away.
This time—
his steps were firm.
No hesitation.
No lingering doubt.
—
The weight in his heart had been replaced with clarity.
—
As he descended the stone path toward the outer compound, his mind shifted back to responsibility.
The disciples…
—
They had just experienced a life-and-death battle.
Some were injured.
Some had seen death for the first time.
—
And all of them—
had crossed a line they could never return from.
—
"I must stabilize them first," he muttered.
"Loose tongues will bring disaster."
—
With that thought, his figure disappeared into the distance.
—
Within the Grand Elder's Domain
Silence returned once more.
—
Lu Maxi stood alone in the courtyard.
The gentle wind brushed past him, stirring his robes slightly.
—
For a long moment—
he said nothing.
—
Then—
he exhaled.
—
"You can come out now."
—
The air stilled.
—
The ground beneath the courtyard trembled faintly.
—
Rumble…
—
A deep, ancient presence slowly awakened.
—
From the shadows behind the stone pavilion—
a massive figure emerged.
—
A tortoise.
—
But no ordinary one.
—
Its shell was dark like aged iron, etched with natural patterns that resembled ancient runes. Each line faintly pulsed with spiritual energy, as though the shell itself was a defensive formation crafted by the heavens.
Its limbs were thick and heavy, every step pressing slightly into the stone floor.
Its eyes—
calm.
Ancient.
—
This was Lu Maxi's contracted beast.
—
Stoneback Spirit Tortoise.
—
A Foundation Establishment Realm beast.
—
Perhaps older than most elders in the clan.
—
"You heard everything," Lu Maxi said calmly.
—
The tortoise blinked slowly.
—
Then—
a deep, resonant voice echoed within the courtyard.
Not spoken aloud—
but directly into the mind.
—
"War… is coming."
—
Lu Maxi did not deny it.
—
"Most likely."
—
The tortoise lowered its head slightly.
—
"The scent of death… lingers on the wind."
—
Lu Maxi's eyes narrowed faintly.
—
"The Mei Clan will investigate."
"If they are fools… they will attack."
—
The tortoise was silent for a moment.
—
Then—
"And if they are not fools?"
—
Lu Maxi smiled faintly.
—
"Then they will hesitate."
—
"And hesitation…"
—
"…is our advantage."
—
The tortoise's gaze shifted toward the deeper parts of the mountain.
—
"The others…"
—
Lu Maxi followed its gaze.
—
Hidden.
Silent.
—
Watching.
—
"Yes," he said.
"They will need to be awakened."
—
The tortoise's eyes glowed faintly.
—
"It has been long…"
—
Lu Maxi nodded.
—
"Too long."
—
A pause.
—
Then his voice turned colder.
—
"If war comes…"
—
"…we do not defend."
—
The tortoise's head lifted slightly.
—
"…We hunt."
—
Lu Maxi's smile deepened.
—
"Exactly."
—
The wind picked up again.
—
Leaves rustled.
—
And deep within Lu Clan Mountain—
—
one by one—
—
ancient presences…
—
began to stir.
Lu Maxi stood in silence for a long while after the Stoneback Spirit Tortoise spoke.
The wind brushed past the courtyard again—
but this time, it felt heavier.
—
"You are right…" Lu Maxi said slowly.
His gaze drifted toward the deeper mountain, where ancient auras slumbered beneath layers of formations and time.
—
"What is holding us back…"
—
"…is not strength."
—
"It is people."
—
He clasped his hands behind his back, his tone turning low and steady.
—
"Our Lu Clan… is too young."
—
The words were simple—
but carried a quiet weight.
—
"We have the inheritance."
"We have the techniques."
"We even have the beasts…"
—
Lu Maxi's eyes sharpened.
—
"But we do not have enough Foundation Establishment cultivators to truly control them."
—
The Stoneback Spirit Tortoise remained still, listening.
—
Deep within Lu Clan Mountain—
there existed a hidden legacy.
—
Beasts.
—
Not ordinary spirit beasts—
but abandoned contracts of the past.
—
"When the old elders died," Lu Maxi continued, "their contracted beasts did not all perish with them."
—
"Some survived."
—
"Some… refused to die."
—
A faint glint flashed in his eyes.
—
"And some…"
—
"…are waiting."
—
The tortoise's ancient voice echoed again.
—
"Waiting… for a new master."
—
Lu Maxi nodded.
—
"Yes."
—
"But they are not weak beasts."
—
"They were once bound to Foundation Establishment experts—some even at the peak."
—
"After decades of growth…"
—
"…they have become even stronger."
—
A pause.
—
"And prouder."
—
The air grew slightly tense.
—
"Those beasts will not acknowledge just anyone."
—
"They require…"
—
"…a cultivator of equal realm."
—
"…and sufficient will."
—
Lu Maxi exhaled slowly.
—
"That is our biggest limitation."
—
"Right now, our clan only has a handful of Foundation Establishment cultivators."
—
"Even fewer who can spare the time and effort to form new contracts."
—
"And the younger generation…"
—
His eyes dimmed slightly.
—
"…are still too weak."
—
The tortoise spoke again, calm as ever.
—
"Then… we wait?"
—
Lu Maxi shook his head.
—
"No."
—
"We prepare."
—
His tone sharpened.
—
"The war with the Mei Clan…"
—
"…might be the opportunity we need."
—
The tortoise's eyes flickered.
—
"Opportunity… born from danger."
—
Lu Maxi smiled faintly.
—
"When has cultivation ever been safe?"
—
He turned, looking toward the direction of the disciple quarters.
—
"Pressure creates breakthroughs."
—
"Life and death… creates determination."
—
"If even one or two of them break through during this crisis…"
—
"…we can change everything."
—
The wind grew stronger.
—
His robes fluttered.
—
"And once new Foundation Establishment cultivators emerge…"
—
His gaze turned toward the depths of the mountain again.
—
"…we will open the Beast Sleeping Grounds."
—
At those words—
even the Stoneback Spirit Tortoise's eyes narrowed slightly.
—
"Those old ones… will not be easy to tame."
—
Lu Maxi's expression turned cold.
—
"They don't need to be tame."
—
"They only need to fight."
—
A pause.
—
Then, quietly—
—
"And once they accept new contracts…"
—
"…our Lu Clan…"
—
"…will no longer be just a young Foundation Establishment clan."
—
The air stilled.
—
Something unseen—
something ancient—
seemed to respond from deep within the mountain.
—
A low, almost imperceptible rumble echoed beneath the earth.
—
As if—
—
something was waiting.
—
And soon—
—
it would awaken.