Lin Yuan and Chen Ming are having a deep discussion on the way to the academy.

"Xiao residency guards are investigating the whereabouts of the person who killed Xiao Chen," Chen Ming quavered, his eyes locked onto the pathway. "If they found out it was you—"

"They can’t do anything to me, Chen Ming," Lin Yuan interrupted, patting on Chen Ming’s back. "Cheer up!!"

"I heard that Xiao Lingtian is back..." Chen Ming’s voice shivered with a primal fear. "He is a ruthless monster."

"Who the fuck is Xiao Lingtian..?" Lin Yuan sighed, halting on the pathway.

"He is the elder brother of Xiao Chen, a Core Beast Realm - Lower Stage Cultivator," Chen Ming muttered, turning his head slightly backward. "He cares about Xiao Chen more than anyone. If he found out you were the one who killed Xiao Chen, he would kill you in a more brutal way."

"Hahahaa...." Lin Yuan laughed loudly, placing hand on chest. "Killing me? Impossible! Leave about that and let’s go to the academy, else we need to see the wrath of Master Mo Qinghe."

Lin Yuan and Chen Ming skipped the discussion and started walking towards the academy.

****

At the Academy...

"Hey, brat..." A guy called, wearing a grey armor on the traditional robe. He is one of the guards of Xiao residence. "Come here once."

"Who are you, mister..?" Lian Nichang queried, turning backwards and walking towards the guard. "What do you want from me?"

"I am Ning Bing, guard of the Xiao residence, and this is Shen Yu Chi, also a guard of the Xiao residence," Ning Bing gabbled, darting his hand to his chest and then towards Shen Yu Chi. "We are here for some information."

"What kind of information do you need, Ning Bing?" Lian Nichang shrieked, a pathetic look curled in his eyes.

"We need to go to class, Lian Nichang," a pale-looking black haired girl called, placing a hand on Lian Nichang’s shoulder. Her name is Yun He, a Baby Beast Realm - Mid stage cultivator.

"It’s just a single question, lady," Ning Bing muttered, darting his eyes towards Yun He. "I want to know the name of the student who killed Xiao Chen."

’What the fuck..?’ Lian Nichang frowned, hearing the plea of Ning Bing. They are here to find out who killed Xiao Chen. ’They are looking for person who killed Xiao Chen, but they don’t know it is Lin Yuan’

Lian Nichang’s face became pale, his brain withering in a storm of thoughts. "We don—"

"We don’t know any whereabouts of the person who killed Xiao Chen," Yun He insisted before Lian Nichang answered. "The master Mo Qinghe only knows the person’s details."

The guards looked with suspicion towards Yun He and Lian Nichang. But they didn’t questioned further, and left the academy.

"Why are you standing like a statue, when the filthy guards are asking questions?" Yun He scolded, folding her hands. "Yesterday, master Mo Qinghe said that right? If any outsider or Xiao residence member came to ask who killed Xiao Chen... just say that only Mo Qinghe knows the whereabouts of that person. I’m afraid... you forgot that, Lian Nichang."

Lian Nichang’s mind flashed about the saying of Mo Qinghe. He forgot the words of Mo Qinghe in panic. "Thanks, Yun He. You saved us not to be under suspicion."

"Okay, let’s go to class.." Yun He gibbered, walking towards the classroom. And Lian Nichang followed in eerie silence.

****

On the way to the city, they passed side by with Lin Yuan. In a brink of second they exchanged a glance with Lin Yuan, the guards felt an imminent death consumed their souls.

’What’s wrong with this kid?’ Ning Bing thought, rubbing the trail of sweat on his left temple.

Ning Bing and Shen Yu Chi continued walking back to the city.

"There is something wrong with the kid, Ning Bing," Shen Yu Chi quivered, his eyes pale, a bead of sweat crawling down his chin. "I felt I was consumed by an invisible force when I saw into his eyes."

"You felt that too...?" Ning Bing grimaced, clenching his fist tightly. "I felt that too... That brat is a monster. But that’s not bothering me anymore. How can we find out who killed the master’s son? Hell with the academy... No one even spilled the name of the murderer. Why are they saving a murderer?"

"We will come in the evening and try again... Ning Bing," Shen Yu Chi murmured, looking straight with a sharp focus. "We will find that murderer today even by using force!"

Ning Bing and Shen Yu Chi vowed to find the murderer today. But Lin Yuan was confident enough that no one could catch him.

****

Back at the Academy...

Lin Yuan and Chen Ming sat in their designated places in the classroom. Then after a few minutes, Mo Qinghe entered the classroom with sheer authority. All the disciples silenced the moment master Mo Qinghe entered the room.

"My dear disciples, Good Morning," Mo Qinghe greeted, his hands clasping at the back. "Today what we will learn depends on you... say the things you want to learn today!"

The whole hall was silent. No one asked anything.

The soft wind from outside drifted through the academy windows. At the front stood Mo Qinghe, his hands calmly folded behind his back. A white cloud appeared in front of Mo Qinghe’s mouth when he exhaled.

"Ok then, Do you know why cultivators fail?" Mo Qinghe’s voice boomed, his gaze swept across the hall.

"Cultivators fail?? No way!"

"No one will fail, maybe they are in lower realms."

"Hell nah.."

But Lin Yuan listened to Mo Qinghe carefully.

"Seventeen years ago..." Mo Qinghe bellowed, his voice cutting through the murmurs in the hall. "Seventeen years ago... This academy has a rejected disciple like you all."

The students immediately focused, even Lin Yuan raised his eyebrow slightly in interest.

"His name is Wei Shan," Mo Qinghe’s voice remained calm and cold. "At the age of sixteen, he possessed an Epic-grade beast found in the Green Jade Forest."

’Epic Grade..’ Lin Yuan gasped softly. ’He has magnificent luck.’

A few disciples gulped hard when they heard the word: Epic-grade. Because that alone was enough to become a strongest disciple if attended a Sect.

"His cultivation speed was monstrous," Mo Qinghe continued. "He broke through realms faster than everyone around him. After he reached Core Beast Realm - Lower Stage, Headmaster Lin Cangxuan recommended him to the Emerald Beast Sect disciple. As usual he cleared the trial easily, the sect elders believed he would one day become a Sect Master after reaching the Peak stage of Core Beast Realm..."

A sudden pause with a soft howl of wind swept across the hall.

"But he died before reaching the True Beast Realm." Mo Qinghe frowned, his face pale and cold.

The eerie silence filled the hall.

"Master..." Yun He rose, finally breaking the silence. "Was he killed by enemies?"

Mo Qinghe nodded his head sideways like a "No" gesture. "He was killed by his own beast." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

The ambient atmosphere in the hall instantly turned heavy. Mo Qinghe slowly turned around.

"Wei Shan believed talent alone was enough. He pursued power recklessly, forcing essence into his beast every single day," Mo Qinghe elucidated, his eyes narrowing slightly. "But he never built a proper, stable bond with it."

The disciples listened quietly. Even the arrogant students no longer spoke.

"One night during cultivation at Mao peak near the sect..." Mo Qinghe whimpered, tapping the stone floor lightly with his foot. "His beast lost control. The beast essence inside his body exploded in a brutal way. Half of the mountain near the sect disappeared."

Several disciples gasped, inhaling sharply.

"When the elders arrived..." Mo Qinghe’s voice remained indifferent. "Only fragments of his body remained."

"The headmaster loved him like his own son..." Mo Qinghe whimpered, clenching his fists tightly. "And the beast of Wei Shan was also Nine-Tailed Fox. I saw a tear in the headmaster’s eye for the first time in my life."

The room became deathly silent. Mo Qinghe darted his eyes at every disciple in the room.

"Remember this carefully..." Mo Qinghe bellowed, his voice rumbled with sheer authority. "Talent only is not the foundation of cultivation. Stability is."

"The first cultivator is the sole man... who attained the greatest stability with his beast... Rumours are there like his beast can consume this whole world if he commanded," Mo Qinghe continued. "He was the greatest cultivator, and this world will never see another man like him."

Lin Yuan pitch-black eyes widened when he heard about the First Cultivator.

In the evening, students began to leave the academy, and Ning Bing with his mate standing near the gate again. Lin Yuan and Chen Ming are passing through the gate.

"Hey..." Ning Bing called, stepping in front of Lin Yuan. "Spare us a minute!"

"E-EH?? Who the hell are you?" Lin Yuan sneered, a disgusting look on his face.

"Sorry... We just want to know the name, who killed Xiao Chen. If you know, please tell us the name," Ning Bing requested, his hand rubbing at the back of his head.

Lin Yuan and Chen Ming froze, petrified listening to the words of Ning Bing.