Thankfully Vera had reached the sect grounds in time for their New Year celebration. The term 'celebration,' however, was a misnomer. A hundred or so raucous battle cries erupted from the forest of the Forlorn. Warriors were swathed in the blood and entrails of various demonic beasts.
"How are there enough demonic beasts in the forest for us to do this every year?"
"I don't know."
"..." Vera stood silent, his master's ignorance leaving him dumbfounded.
The silence of Vera's awkward exchange was broken by a familiar voice.
"It has to do with the species of the demonic beasts. Most of the beasts we hunt have strong reproductive instincts. Every time a species is wiped out, the rest feast on their share of the resources. That way, even as the species dwindle, the numbers never decrease."
"Chatty as always, Elem." Vera responded as he stifled a smile.
"Heartless as always, Vera. How could you forget to meet me, your best friend, after your arrival?"
"I was busy; I had to talk about something with Master."
"Heh... Yeah, I could hear your 'conversation' from the sect hall."
Vera chose not to answer Elem's childish taunts. Because it was childish, not because he was embarrassed, definitely not because he was embarrassed.
After teasing Vera for a bit, Elem silently joined Vera and the rest of the elders to watch the hunt. As the number of 3rd-grade monsters slowly dwindled, younger members pulled back, allowing their seniors to take charge of the 2nd wave.
Not long after the juniors pulled back, second-grade monsters started to swarm the forest. While the number was barely a tenth of the previous wave, what they lacked in numbers they made up for in quality.
Each beast was as tall as a tree. The sound of their fur piercing through the air was akin to a deep roar. If a warrior were to assume that second-grade beasts were just bigger, they'd be in for a rough awakening. To qualify as a second-grade demonic beast, they would have to awaken spiritual intelligence.
Second-grade beasts weren't only capable of violence; they were also capable of scheming and tactics. Some would even go as far as forming coalitions with different species that complemented their strengths.
Thankfully, this wasn't the first time such a hunt had taken place. The sect members would form squads beforehand to be able to handle whatever came their way.
"The Ogre and Naga races seem to be outnumbering the rest this year..."
"According to some of the scouts, there might actually be a peak-grade Blue Ogre among the horde this year..."
"Do you think the Ogres have formed an internal hierarchy?"
"I have my suspicions... While a peak-grade blue ogre is paradigm shifting, a year is simply too short to establish a hierarchy."
"Seems like we have a rough night ahead."
"Sure does..."
"If push comes to shove, we can just dump it on Vera."
"We certainly can."
"Fucking bastards." Vera remarked playfully. But he appreciated the sentiment.
Time followed the chatter between the elders. As the number of second-grade beasts dwindled, they started to pull back. Now that the little ones were gone, it was time for elders to come play. The intensity in the atmosphere shifted up by a gear, manifestations of qi apparating at a scale akin to that of a war.
The logic for the second- and third-grade beasts didn't apply for first- and peak-grade beasts. The evolution to a first-grade beast brought a new factor into play. The change was art. First-grade beasts evolve from childlike intelligence to a more refined one. Each beast of this grade seemed to perfect a certain trait of their lineage.
Elders started to approach these demons. Each finding an opponent and moving to a battlefield.
"It almost feels misguided to refer to Demonic beasts at the first grade and above as beasts. Each and every one of them sees battle as more than just survival. It's almost like they place pride over their lives when it comes to battle."
"Elem, I feel like you grow chattier every time I meet you."
"Vera, I feel like you cry harder every time the sect master beats you."
"..."
As the demon beasts and elders had chosen their opponents, the horde's apex revealed itself. A peak-grade Naga, an Archon Naga at that. Leng and Elem understood that none of the elders present could handle a peak-grade Archon Naga.
"Vera"
"Yes, master."
"Elem and I will head down now... As for you, stay back unless you're required."
"Yes, master."
Vera didn't mind being left out of the New Year's hunt. He understood that it wasn't a matter of dislike. His presence gave the members a sense of reassurance, one that could diminish the growth gained from a battle with one's life and pride at stake. Nonetheless, he would rush to the battlefield if their lives were in danger.
"Well then, Vera, I'll see you after the hunt."
Elem approached a peak-grade Myrmidon Naga that guarded the apex, and Leng approached the horde's apex. It didn't take long for the nagas to deem their respective challengers worthy.
Vera's eyes were locked onto Leng. At first glance Vera noticed that the Archon Naga was no easy foe. Even the current sixth-strongest master would struggle against an opponent like it.
There was no greeting between Leng and the Archon.
The Naga coiled into itself almost instantly, the sharp end of its tail covered with frost-poison-laden qi. The Naga's tail exploded at ear-shattering speeds, the range of the attack making retreat impossible.
Leng dashed towards the Naga's head, where the speed of the attack was at its slowest. His sword was laden in qi that seemed to manifest the action of slashing.
The naga responded immediately, its tail rounding back to Leng. Leng brandished his sword over his head at an angle.
The naga tightened its muscles, the tension in its body dragging its head off the ground.
The tip of the Naga's tail was deflected off Leng's sword to where the Naga's head used to be. The clash left Vera's ears ringing.
As soon as the Naga gained enough elevation, its wings unfurled. Although they were wings, the Naga couldn't use them to fly; it could at best use its wings to glide through the air.
Having realigned its body, the naga glided towards Leng, its body shooting through the air like an arrow; the sound alone could shatter the ears of a common man. With the Naga's charge, copious amounts of its qi started beading up into orbs that shot at Leng.
Leng retreated with short dashes backwards as he cut through the Naga's qi.
Vera gazed at the exchange with a newfound respect. Although he'd seen Leng in similar situations before, that was before Vera had manifested his qi.
Each drop of qi oozed with intent. The manifestations weren't just power-ups; rather, they were attacks with a purpose. This wasn't the case for only peak-grade demonic beasts. Even first-grade beasts manifested qi.
Now that Vera could manifest qi himself, he was able to discern a key principle.
"Manifestation is only possible through intent."
When demonic beasts start choosing art over life and death, their qi moves with intent, and by extension their qi itself manifests.
"I wonder what the intent behind Danho's manifestation was." Vera murmured as he followed Leng's battle.
The Archon's glide started to lose its pace over time. Leng was no longer on the defence.
Leng's sword drew arcs through the air, silent in movement but deep in momentum; each arc formed projections that chased the archon's wings.
The archon manoeuvred away from the slashes, each escape growing closer and closer.
Now that the archon's momentum had weakened, Leng was able to constrain its options.
His slashes weren't mindless; each slash constrained the archon's. Leaving only the path to Leng open.
Both the Archon and Leng bore expressions of exhilaration.
The Archon could tell Leng planned to collide with it while leaving no route for escape. A collision that could only result in death for one of them. Nonetheless, the Archon chose to clash with Leng.
"Why? ... If the archon chose to forcefully break through Leng's sword net, it would bear somewhat critical damage. However, with its mobility and range, it could tire Leng out in the long run. Breaking through the net will definitely have a higher chance of victory..."
Vera felt that the archon's choice was misguided, but the longer he looked at their expressions, the more he understood.
As the Leng and the Archon grew closer, they stopped with meaningless attacks; both of them started to prepare a decisive blow.
The exchange ended in an instant.
Leng's shoulder had a massive fang protruding out of it, with blood seeping through his shoulder. Critically injured but still alive.
The archon, however, had met its end. Leng's sword passed through the archon's maw, piercing through its skull, ending the archon's life.
After freeing himself from the archon's fang, Leng paid his respects to the archon.
While the moment gave Vera no epiphany, it solidified his understanding of what manifesting qi meant.
"Art over life..."
Vera felt as though he understood why Danho was so desperate in their battle. It was never because he was losing; rather, he felt as though his art wasn't being appreciated. As Vera reflected upon his fight with Danho, a significant presence interupted him.
Leng's battle had come to an end and so did Elem's.
Elem didn't face a critical injury during his battle; however, he had taken quite a few blows, leaving his right arm crippled.
Noticing Lengs injuries Elem rushed to support him. However, just as he'd lifted Leng over his shoulder. A heavy aura filled the air. An aura significantly stronger than that of the Archon.
An elder in the vicinity murmured under her breath...
"Fuck... the scouts didn't make a mistake."
All functional elders who'd finished their battles rushed to Elem and Leng. They could tell instinctively, even at Leng's peak, the Blue Ogre was not an opponent he could handle.
The Blue Ogre's steps resounded through the battlefield. The sheer intensity of his movements made battle-hardened veterans shiver. Nonetheless, they brandished their weapons against the Ogre.
The ogre seemed disinterested in the warriors before him. The Ogre spared the elders a single sentence.
"None of you are enough..."
The Ogre's head shifted to the far end of the forest.
His tone carried through the vastness of the forest. A deep and low thrum, overwhelming the wind itself.
"Only him." While his words were vague, all those present in the forest, man and demon alike, knew who he was.