It was a special day for the Outer Disciples of the Golden Peak sect. Every month the Elder of the sect that watched over them was given permission by the great Patriarch to open the gates to one of the carefully guarded mountains that surrounded the mighty peak from which the sect took its name.

Naturally, such a privilege did not come cheap. An exorbitant fee was required to gain access to the riches that could be found in the treasure mountains, a price that could take many months for an Outer Disciple to scrape together, but a price that not a single one of them would ever hesitate to pay. For a single and simple reason.

Once you are inside the treasure mountains whatever you find, is yours. Provided you can keep it away from the greedy hands of your fellow disciples of course.

Some chose to fight the more fortunate of their peers in hope of taking their bounty for themselves, others preferred to avoid conflict and sneak their way through the underbrush in search of spiritual plants and some others kept their hunting near the edges of the mountain, using the patrolling Inner Disciples as a deterrent against possible attackers.

Of course, other humans aren't the only dangerous thing that one should be wary of in such a place. For wherever you can find spiritual plants there are bound to be spiritual beasts not too far away. Crimson Hares, Silversickle Deers, and Bicorn Boars are some of the more common specimens that one must look out for, a challenge for most Outer Disciples but not an insurmountable one for a smart cultivator.

But the real threat lied elsewhere. Higher, far above the hunting grounds of the lesser practitioners, where the lush forests gave ground to sheets of cold rocky soil and the freezing air became thinner, that’s where the lords of the mountain lied.

Jade Bears, their massive bulk silent and almost invisible in the snow-covered ground, ready to pounce with a terrifying speed in spite of their gargantuan size.

Greymane Wolves, as big as mighty war horses and with a steely pelt impervious to all but the strongest attacks.

Stormbind Lynxes, smaller than their two rivals but a lot faster and with a far higher mastery over Spiritual Energy, a mastery that they used to great effect to control the air and conjure blades of biting wind.

These were the apex predators of this mountain and what the truly strong would have to face in search of their bounty.

And these are the beasts whose corpses littered the macabre stage we find at the top of this spiritual mountain.

Two young boys, no older than sixteen, stood several meters across from one another, their fallen beastly opponents creating a ring around the two cultivators. Both of them were clad in fine green robes marking them as Outer Disciples of the Golden Peak sect, furthermore, both of them donned a yellow armband seemingly stitched to their sleeve identifying them as part of the upper echelon of Outer Disciples, only a small step away from becoming Inner Disciples.

The taller of the two stood slightly hunched, with trembling fists clenched and legs spread as if ready to spring forward at any second, his dirty face was set into an ugly scowl, brown orbs glaring daggers at his opponent while his messy dark hair waved freely in the mountain breeze.

The shorter disciple, inversely, stood straight-backed and at ease, his longer lighter brown hair remaining perfectly combed and tied up despite the battle he had just taken part in, a pleasant smile sat upon an unblemished face at odds with the fiercely glaring green eyes that matched his fellow disciple’s in intensity.

But why would two disciples of the same rank be in such a situation?

Because of a treasure of course!

Indeed at the center of the beast corpse ring, between the two youths, a solitary pure white flower bloomed despite the harsh environment, its glowing petals and strong aura immediately identifying it as a precious Spiritual Herb.

“Xiang Yu, you dog!” began the dirty youth, “Did you believe I would not notice your cowardice?! Funneling the beasts in my direction to weaken me so you could have an easier time against me.” the disciple let out a mocking snort “Are you too scared to fight me like a man?” he finished derisively.

The now named Xiang Yu, or Yu Xiang as he rather preferred, did not rise to the childish bait, content to continue the verbal sparring. “Oh, you are mistaken brother Su Rong. I merely wanted to help you advance in your training.” an exaggerated once-over of the tired and grime covered teen followed the remark “Something you seem to be in dire need of.” Yu’s smile stretched into a grin “ Alongside a bath.”

Su Rong growled in anger, his glare getting more heated, but even then he refused to move and start the battle, keeping his eyes on Yu Xiang’s stance for any sign of aggression.

A snowflake descended from above, dancing in the wind, making its way ever downward until it touched down upon one of the spiritual flower’s petals.

Two auras soared in unison. Natal Realm, ninth stage. Both of them.

The initiative was seized by the wrathful Su Rong, the frozen ground cracking under the might of his movement technique as a reddish haze enveloped his sandaled feet. The infuriated youth flew forward rapidly, passing right above the spiritual flower without sparing it a single glance. Trying to snatch it away the furthest thing from his mind.

Yu Xiang did not remain idle either, he took a step back and executed his own technique.

[Golden Path]

The premier movement technique of the Golden Peak sect, often overlooked by many young cultivators due to its lacking speed and acceleration, but what it lacked in raw power it more than made up with pure utility.

A golden glow rose around Yu Xiang’s feet, rooting him to the ground despite the pooling beast blood making it wet and slippery, then with an effort of will he molded his spiritual energy preparing another technique as Su Rong got into striking range.

“Take this you bastard!” shouted Su Rong as he delivered a bone bruising haymaker covered in pale red flames towards Yu Xiang’s head. The green eyed cultivator reacted by raising his arms in a blocking stance, preparing to take the blow head on.

Or so he wanted to make his opponent think.

[Golden Grasp]

An identical glow to that of his previous technique enveloped his arms and with a quick twist of his forearms he took on the fire clad fist at an angle, neatly deflecting the blow and dispersing most of its power. None the less the wild attack was still strong enough to make Yu Xiang grit his teeth in pain but he pushed through it and grabbed his opponent by his robes.

With a heave and a twist of his hips, Yu Xiang flipped Su Rong over his shoulder and slammed him on the ground back first, the impact leaving the fiery cultivator groaning in pain.

Not letting up, Yu Xiang planted his right knee on Su Rong’s solar plexus pushing the air out of his lungs, and delivered a series of quick punches to his face, aiming to end the fight quickly. Su Rong raised his arms to shield himself after the first few blows after which Yu Xiang went for his sides, bruising his ribs with impunity.

Su Rong let out a growl of mixed pain and anger and slammed his feet on the ground, activating his movement technique and flipping both cultivators in the air in a shower of blood soaked soil. Both cultivators landed on their feet away from one another, their starting positions having been flipped.

While Yu Xiang looked no worse for wear aside from a slightly scuffed sleeve the same could not be said for his opponent who was busy cradling his aching ribs and swelling face.

Having gained the definite upper hand Yu Xiang decided it was time to end the fight before any more beasts decided it was a good idea to ambush them while they were quarreling.

“Leave, Su Rong.” Yu Xiang began as his opponent’s furious yet clearly weary glare settled on him “You are still able to move on your own are you not? Then let me be before that is not an option anymore. I’ll even be nice enough to not take any of your gathered herbs as payment…”

Su Rong kept glaring at Yu Xiang, the reason the fight even began seeming to have vanished from his mind. He hesitated for a second, his gaze flickering to a pouch tied to his hip, then he spat on the ground, and with an incensed scowl, he leaped away in a spiritual energy enhanced jump.

“You’ll pay for this you bastard!” he yelled as he left.

Yu Xiang stood his ground, waiting for a few minutes to make sure Su Rong was far away and that nobody else would interrupt him. As the mountain top returned to its customary silence Yu Xiang let out a weary sigh.

“Way to sound like a jobber you dumbass.” he mocked as the tension left his shoulders, “‘Ooh look at me, I’m Su Rong and I’m so much better than you! Look at my pink fire fist and tremble!’ Sure ran away with your tail between your legs once the fight got too hard for you.”

As he kept grumbling to himself Yu Xiang started looking over the arm he’d used to deflect Su Rong’s initial blow, letting out a low hiss of pain as he slid his sleeve back over it. “Bastard really can pack a punch tho.” Another annoyed sigh escaped from his lips as he made his way to his prize, “Sure wish I could’ve gotten some supreme skills along with my reincarnation, would’ve made dealing with angsty teens and a second puberty much more bearable at least…”

The young reincarnator’s complaints remained unanswered by the cold unfeeling mountain as he started to dig his treasure out of the bloody soil.