While Fang Zheng and Qing Shu were busy wreaking havoc near the Three Kings Inheritance, a group of Tie clansmen led by a Rank 4 Gu Master were heading toward San Cha Mountain.
This Rank 4 Gu Master was none other than Tie Ba Xiu, a renowned Rank 4 Strength Path specialist of the Southern Border.
The Tie clan was currently dominating the Three Kings Inheritance, mainly thanks to the efforts - or that is to say, the mere presence of Tie Xue Leng. Tie Xue Leng had arrived there specifically in search of something that could prolong his lifespan. He was nearing the end of his life and had a very difficult to cure wound. He knew this, which is why he had been the first Rank 5 Gu Master to arrive at the location, unbound by other duties unlike some of the other Rank 5 Gu Masters of the Southern Border.
The best example of this would be Tie Mu Bai. The Tie clan's peak Rank 5 specialist was currently wrapped up in the Tie clan's own internal affairs. The divine thief, Lu Zuan Feng, had managed to sneak into the Tie clan's famous Demon Suppression Tower and was wreaking havoc there. This was an extremely embarrassing incident for the Tie clan, whose Demon Suppression Tower was one of their pride and joys - the symbol of their everlasting efforts to uphold justice. The idea that someone had broken into it would make them a laughingstock of the Southern Border and greatly undermine their influence. There was no way that they could let word of this get out, even the other two great Super Forces, the Shang and the Wu Clan were in the dark about this.
Long story short, because of this, Tie Mu Bai could not come directly to the Three Kings Inheritance at the moment.
The other major players among the Rank 5 Gu Masters were much in the same situation: they either had their own affairs to deal with, or they knew there was still time before the real battle for the inheritance would start.
However, Tie Xue Leng had disregarded most of this due to his need for Lifespan Gu or some other method to prolong his life. That said, Tie Xue Leng was on his last legs; although he was a Rank 5 Gu Master, he was decrepit, and unleashing the full extent of his power at this point would likely mean the end of his life. In other words, Tie Xue Leng could not hold down the fort on his own and it was only his repuation and the fear he commanded as a Rank 5 Gu Master that kept the others in line.
But this would not hold up for long, especially not when other Rank 5 experts would eventually be attracted toward Sancha Mountain.
Up until now, Tie Ba Xiu had been preoccupied in dealing with Lu Xuan Feng. Now that Tie Mu Bai was on the case, this freed many Tie clansmen from their duties, including Tie Ba Xiu, who was chosen to travel alongside several other Tie clan elders to reinforce Tie Xue Leng and secure the Tie clan's position on San Cha Mountain for good.
"The weather is good today," Tie Ba Xiu said, glancing out at the landscape. They were still about a week's distance away from San Cha Mountain. "We need to be careful, however. The closer we get to the mountain, the more people will try to obstruct us - both demonic and righteous path Gu Masters alike."
The Tie clan was powerful, but that power also meant there were many people who hated them. Demonic Gu Masters whose relatives were locked up within the Demon Suppression Tower would love to take revenge, or perhaps take a Tie clansman hostage to trade for prisoners. As such, the Tie clansmen had to remain vigilant while moving.
"I heard that the Divine Investigator's daughter is also there."
"Indeed. She is young, but she has already started making a name for herself."
"Her name is Tie Ruo Nan. Perhaps once her father passes away, she will take over the moniker of Divine Investigator."
"She is already Rank 4 Initial Stage, I heard."
"That's assuming Lord Tie Xue Leng doesn't find something to prolong his lifespan within the inheritance."
"Is it true that there is Lifespan Gu within the Three Kings Inheritance?"
"No one knows for sure. After all, the secrets of a blessed land are not easy to unravel. However, if there is anywhere with a hope of obtaining Lifespan Gu, it would be that location."
They did not run into any problems that day while traveling, but that in itself was strange.
"We are this close to San Cha Mountain; there should be a number of stragglers headed toward the mountain - either hopefuls wanting a piece of the Three Kings Inheritance, or those wishing to make a profit off the Gu Masters gathered there. And yet, the area where we are walking is eerily silent," Tie Ba Xiu said, glancing around. "Eerily silent."
"Is something wrong, Lord Tie Ba Xiu?"
"Yes, there is," Tie Ba Xiu said, suddenly stopping and looking around. "Do any of you have a powerful investigative method?! Use it at once!"
Several of the Tie clansmen following him possessed investigative methods; some relied on sight, others on hearing, smell, seismic sense, heat receptors, and even echolocation. Each had a different method, and by using them together, they swept the entire surrounding area.
Yet, they found no disturbances.
"Is something wrong?"
"Indeed, there is something wrong," Tie Ba Xiu said. "I want you all to keep quiet and listen to what you hear."
The Tie clansmen fell silent, keeping their ears open for whatever Tie Ba Xiu was trying to point out. However, a minute later, one of them piped up: "I don't hear anything."
"Exactly," Tie Ba Xiu said. "This is a forest. Why is it this silent? Where is the sound of birds chirping, insects buzzing, or deer wandering around? Forget the humans heading toward San Cha Mountain and their absence - why are the animals all silent?"
The Tie clansmen fell into deep thought.
"Let me explain this to you," Tie Ba Xiu said. "I've observed the behavior of animals for a long time as a Strength path Gu Master. The only time a forest is completely silent is when a strong predator is present, because no animal wishes to alert it."
However, their investigative methods continued to yield nothing. After standing there in the clearing for ten minutes, Tie Ba Xiu could think of nothing further to do but proceed. Even if there was danger, what else could they do? Simply sit around?
It was also possible that whatever danger lurked nearby did not wish to engage them. And even if there was, did that mean that they could not handle it?
Tie Ba Xiu was radiating a Rank 4 aura and possessed strength far beyond an ordinary Rank 4 Upper Stage Gu Master.
They all tried to remain vigilant. However, an hour later, they began to loosen up. Humans could not remain anxious indefinitely, and even Tie Ba Xiu began to wonder whether his prediction was wrong.
Perhaps this was simply an area of the forest that was naturally silent - there were certain places like that in the world, such as the Anti-Sound Desert in the Western Desert or the Silent Hill in their own Southern Border. He had not heard of a phenomenon in this area, but it was possible it was something similar that was just undocumented.
Just as they were about to relax and sit down to eat, Tie Ba Xiu noticed something.
"Wait... is there something over there?"
Immediately, they activated their investigative methods, but none of them detected anything. However, one of the Tie clansmen piped up.
"Sir Tie Ba Xiu, there is... something off there."
"Off? In what way?"
"I don't know how to explain it, but... my investigative method relies on echolocation. There is something off about that patch of trees over there," he pointed toward it. "It doesn't seem to resonate the same way as the others. It's like there is... a gap where there shouldn't be one. Like I should be able to 'see' something but I can't."
Tie Ba Xiu stared at the spot the clansman pointed to. It didn't seem any different from the rest of the forest. However, after staring at it for nearly a minute, another Tie clansman yelled out, "I saw it! There was a flicker of movement!"
Something was there, but it had vanished immediately. Tie Ba Xiu could detect nothing.
Tie Ba Xiu felt an instant, impending sense of doom. His instincts kicked in - there was something wrong!
Very wrong.
He glanced up toward a nearby ledge further up the mountain. "Everyone, run up there! Away from the trees, move!"
He acted in a timely manner befitting an experienced Tie clan elder despite his young age, but unfortunately for him, it was too late.
A split second later, a massive beast emerged from the trees. It was a tiger with green skin and brownish markings reminiscent of bark, allowing it to blend into the foliage in ways human eyes could not detect even without concealment methods. A pair of thin, veined greenish wings sprouted from its back, resembling leaves. Its entire body seemed to be made of wood and grass rather than flesh and bone. Its long claws were a deep ivory color, and where the whites of its eyes should have been was a deep shade of green.
Although it started at the size of an ordinary tiger, the moment it stood before them, it began to grow - becoming larger than a house in an instant.
A Woodland Biao Emperor - a true Beast Emperor, equivalent in strength to a Rank 5 Gu Master!