Skye, the young prodigy of the Outer Court disciples, stood tall on the peak of the cliff, her white robes fluttering in the night wind. Her eyes were glowing with determination, reflecting the bright moon above. A group of Outer Court disciples gathered around her, their eyes filled with respect and anticipation.
"Everyone, remember what we've gone through together," Skye called out, her voice echoing in the silent night. "Our mission is to lure the beasts towards the mountain ranges. Remember, our objective isn't to defeat them but to draw them out and into a frenzy."
She held up a vial filled with the potent elixir, her eyes piercing through each disciple. "Use this wisely. This will attract the beasts to us. As soon as they engage, retreat immediately. We're here to create havoc, not to throw our lives away."
Nods and murmurs of affirmation spread among the disciples. Their faces reflected a blend of anxiety and determination as they secured their vials and prepared to descend into the night.
Since they were only Outer Court Disciples, they could only go to areas where Rank 6 Beasts gathered. It was rare to see Earth-Grade Beast Clans this deep in the mountains, so their main objective was catching all the strays, loners, and small groups of them, of which there were many.
The Ancient Beast Mountain Range was practically filled with Rank 6 beasts; thus, it wasn't long before a herd of angry beasts came charging at them from out of nowhere.
*ROAR!*
*ROAR!*
*ROAR!*
Skye and the others' expressions changed, not expecting this, but she reacted immediately.
"Rub the elixirs on your bodies and run!" Skye yelled as she dumped the putrid liquid all over her body.
The smell immediately attracted the attention of the beasts, causing them to charge even more ferociously. Skye and the others bolted, running as fast as their legs could carry them. The roars of the beasts echoed behind them, reverberating off the mountainsides, filling the forest with an eerie chorus of growls and snarls.
"Split up! Lead them away!" Skye ordered, her voice strong amidst the cacophony. The disciples scattered, each leading a fraction of the enraged beasts in different directions. The once united herd of beasts now ran wildly, each chasing after a disciple.
Amongst them, a young disciple named Ren, the youngest and most nimble among the group, led a massive beast with sharp tusks and crimson fur away. She moved with lightning speed, her footwork so skillful and fluid that it seemed as though she was dancing with death itself.
On the other side, a sturdy and dependable disciple named Kora led a group of muscular, rock-skinned beasts away. Kora had always been known for her resilience, and she proved it once again as she withstood the onslaught, maintaining a safe distance while ensuring the beasts remained hot on her heels.
Skye, covered in the pungent elixir, was at the heart of the chaos. She was being pursued by the largest and most ferocious of the beasts, a giant wolf-like creature with glowing eyes and saliva dripping from its snarling jaws. Despite the terrifying situation, Skye's eyes remained calm and determined, her every movement precise and calculated, displaying her extraordinary leadership and courage.
While they were being chased, they didn't forget to kill a few beasts along the way and cover themselves in their blood to help mask the pungent scent of the Elixir for when they eventually ran past other humans.
As they moved deeper into the mountains, toward the Sect, they came across various landscapes - dense forests, rocky terrains, and steep cliffs. Skye and the others used these to their advantage, tricking the beasts, leading them into traps, and making their pursuit more difficult.
Meanwhile, they made sure to put up an act of desperate defense whenever they noticed human figures in the distance. They made it appear as though they were the helpless victims, attacked out of the blue by these beasts.
Word of this unusual beast attack reached the neighboring families. The Zhang family and the Luo clan, who Aelina had contacted, mobilized their forces, rushing to aid the Battle Maiden Sect.
And why wouldn't they? A chance to assist one of the seven Major Orthodox Sects was like a god-sent opportunity.
Unfortunately for them, Aelina didn't give two shits about their ideas or ambitions. They had a role to play in all of this. When all of this was over, so was their "relationship".
When they arrived, they found the Outer Court disciples being 'attacked' by the frenzied beasts. They quickly moved into action, pushing the beasts back.
"We've come to help!" One of the Zhang Family Elders said, letting the Outer Sect disciples know that they weren't enemies.
All the while, Skye, despite her dangerous situation, managed to keep track of the overall situation, ensuring the disciples followed the plan. They had to keep the ruse up, all the while making sure not to get seriously injured or killed.
"Ren! Stay ahead! Don't let them catch you!" Skye shouted, her voice carrying through the chaos. Ren looked over her shoulder and gave a nod, her face pale but determined.
"I got it, Senior Sister Skye!" Ren responded, her voice shaky but resolute. She increased her pace, her breaths coming in short, sharp gasps.
On the other side, Skye noticed Kora starting to slow. Her steps were becoming heavy, her breaths ragged. The beasts were closing in on her.
"Kora, use the terrain! Lead them through the rocks!" Skye instructed, her voice urgent. Kora glanced at her, sweat pouring down her face, but managed a nod of understanding. She quickly adjusted her path, leading the beasts towards a rocky outcrop that would slow them down.
Meanwhile, Skye was leading her pursuer in a dizzying chase around a dense thicket. She ducked under low branches and leaped over roots, the beast hot on her heels.
"Come on, you overgrown furball," she muttered under her breath, casting a glance over her shoulder. The giant wolf-like beast snarled, lunging at her, but she managed to dodge, leaving the beast to crash into a tree.
"Quickly, we must save them!" one of the Zhang family elders shouted after seeing Skye's dangerous situation and rallying his men. They rushed into the fray, their weapons at the ready.
On the other side, the Luo clan elder also commanded his men, "Save the disciples! Drive those beasts away!" Their combined forces joined the battle, fighting off the beasts and unwittingly becoming part of the Battle Maiden Sect's ruse.
Despite the fear and danger, Skye couldn't help but feel a thrill. They were in control of this chaos. The other families, even the beasts themselves, were mere puppets in their grand play.
"We're almost there! Keep pushing!" Skye yelled, her voice ringing clear in the night.
However, before she could run any further, the wolf lunged at her with a full-powered strike. Skye went to defend, but she reacted too 'slowly', allowing the beast to slam into her chest, sending her flying.
Skye rolled across the ground before crashing into a tree, coughing up blood.
"D-Damned beast…! I'll kill you!" She roared, her eyes turning bloodshot as she pounced at the wolf, sword in hand, ready to slay it.
But, before she could, a burst of light came from the side, slashing into the wolf's neck, decapitating it.
"Are you okay, Miss?" A concerned voice entered her ear from the direction the light came from.
Skye coughed again and looked over, only to see a trio of men wearing green robes and swords at the waists approaching her. She struggled to stand up and cupped her fists.
"Thank you for saving me. I would've had to waste more time dealing with that thing, allowing more of my sisters to die, if it hadn't been for you." She said in as respectful of a tone as she could muster. Of course, she could've killed this thing in a few moves, but they didn't need to know that.
"Ahem." The leader of the group coughed, feeling a little embarrassed, but he still nodded with a hint of pride. Sticking out his chest, he said, "Don't worry, Miss! We're here to protect you! Just leave everything to us!"
'Pft-!' Skye had to stifle a chuckle at how cringingly naive he sounded, but she still managed to give them another proper bow out of gratification. "Th-Thank you!"
The man in the lead wanted to keep talking with her or at least get her name, but before he could say anything, another group of beasts burst through the foliage.
The man's eyes immediately narrowed as the leader yelled to Skye, "Get out of here! We'll deal with these fuckers!"
Skye gave them a firm nod and took off in the opposite direction, trying to hide the smirk on her face.
'Fufufu~ Is this the reason Sect Master contacted those families? She's such a bad woman~' Her eyes shined like stars in the moonlight, almost wishing she could go to Aelina right now and ask to be her disciple.
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