A few kilometers outside the Battle Maiden Sect's Core Disciple Court, a tall woman with auburn hair and red eyes at the 3rd Stage of the Soul Transformation Realm faced off against a Mid-Stage Rank 8 Cougar.
Although it was a Rank 8 beast and could transform into a humanoid form, most beasts never even considered doing something like that. There are several reasons for this, but the number one reason is pride. They were born a beast, spent their life as a beast, and didn't see a need to conform to human society.
However, there are other more practical reasons, such as most beasts' life's worth of combat experience is in their beast form. Fighting and living in their humanoid form would be going against all the experiences they've built up over their entire lives, along with their natural instincts.
Besides, although Rank 8 beasts can take on a humanoid form, that does not mean they have become humans, nor do they suddenly obtain a human physiology. Their Beast Core doesn't change into a dantian, and the way they use Qi doesn't change, as beasts actually use Qi slightly differently than humans because they don't have meridians.
Until Rank 6, beasts store all the Qi they cultivate throughout their bodies. Then, when they break through and become a Rank 6 beast, a Beast Core forms, shifting their cultivation path into one similar to humans. However, since beasts lack meridians, the only way for them to use their Qi is to forcefully withdraw chunks of it from within their core, giving them a severe lack of control that humans have.
Thus, there is no practical use for a beast to switch into its humanoid form. Their proficiency with weapons is nonexistent, they can't use human techniques, and their physical and combat capabilities are limited.
That's why, even though Elenei had surpassed Rank 8, she never once changed into her humanoid form. Well, that and Mira only used her as a mode of transportation, not even giving her the option of taking on human form.
Due to all those reasons, the cougar stayed in its beast form as it fought against the woman.
Meanwhile, the woman was calmly eluding all its attacks with a lazy look in her eyes. She used a long spear with a red metal blade. She would use her spear to keep the cougar at a distance, and whenever it found an opportunity to lunge at her, she sidestepped the attack and went back to defending.
Gradually, the woman grew accustomed to the cougar's attacks, so much so that the cougar couldn't get past her spear!
*Meow~~!*
It screeched as its Qi surged, and stone began wrapping around its claws until they reached around 30 centimeters in length. It raised its leg and swung it diagonally in the woman's direction.
The stone around its claws extended until they became dozens of times bigger, completely dwarfing the woman. The woman watched all this with a blank expression. She raised her spear to take the stone claws head-on and swung, seemingly without much force.
*Swoosh!*
The cougar sneered in its mind, wondering what such a weak strike could do, but then its expression changed as its stone claws cracked and,
*BOOM!*
Burst into a million pieces!
All its hairs stood on ends as its instincts warned that it was no match for this human, but before it could run, a faint, indifferent voice tickled its ears.
"Sunfire Sphere Spear Shot!"
Numerous tiny suns formed at the tip of the woman's spear, and she thrust, shooting fire lasers out of the mini suns.
*BOOM!!**BOOM!!**BOOM!!**BOOM!!**BOOM!!**BOOM!!**BOOM!!**BOOM!!**BOOM!!*
The woman turned around when she felt the cougar's aura disappear completely, indicating she had obliterated it with that move.
"You really need to rethink the name of that move, Nova. It's way too long and difficult to say."
The woman, Nova, heard a familiar voice from above her, and a small smile formed on her face.
"I like the name. Doesn't it suit that attack perfectly?" She said while leaning her head upwards.
"Greetings, Master. How did the meeting with the Sect Master go?"
"Sigh… Simply put, the Sect Master had chosen a Prime Disciple." Elder Irene, Nova's Master, said with a hint of regret.
Outwardly, Nova appeared calm, but inwardly she was quite shocked.
'Prime Disciple? Now? Isn't it a bit too late for that?' She thought, and she was able to gleam into some of the facts by her Master's words on tone.
"...So, the Sect Master didn't pick me," Nova said dejectedly.
She hadn't exactly been vying for the position since it seemed like the Sect Master had given up on picking a Prime Disciple this century, but now that the Sect Master had given the position to someone else, she couldn't help feeling bitter.
Among the juniors under 100 years old, she was definitely one of the strongest and most talented in the entire Sect! With her Heavenly Sunfire Physique, her destructive powers were higher than anyone in the same stage as her! Thus, her dejection, shock, and disappointment were warranted.
A complicated expression appeared on Elder Irene's face hearing her disciple's words. Something that Nova didn't miss.
"What's wrong, Master? Who ended up getting the position? Was it Eden? Seraphina? I wouldn't be surprised if it were Everly. Don't tell me… was it that bitch, Rayna?" Nova listed off the names of a few disciples who could compete with her, but Elder Irene's face looked even more awkward for some reason.
"Ahahaha," Elder Irene chuckled uncomfortably, "It's actually neither of them. In fact, the Sect Master chose a young brat who had just joined the Sect less than a year ago."
Nova froze in place, her light smile wiped from her face. She stared into her Master's face, looking for any indication of this being a joke, but the seriousness in Elder Irene's eyes told her everything she needed to know.
"..."
"..."
"...What?" Nova couldn't believe what she was hearing!
'Did the Sect Master go crazy?! Why would she choose a nobody, a weakling, who just joined the Sect to be the Prime Disciple?!' She screamed inwardly, but then a light of defiance sparked in her eyes.
'No! I cannot accept this! I could have accepted this if it was Eden or Seraphina, as they are about as strong and hardworking as me. But a random Outer Court Disciple?! HELL NO!!'
"Master! Please explain to me what's going on! Why did the Sect Master choose a new disciple over me-no, over us Core and Direct Disciples?!" Nova asked with firm eyes that burned in indignation.
However, Elder Irene wasn't sure how to answer that question because even the Sect Master had limited information on her own Prime Disciple candidate. If anything, the Sect Master chose Mira based on her intuition and the fight she and Elder Sandra apparently witnessed.
As much as she wanted to believe Aelina, her story was a bit too farfetched.
'I mean, what kind of monster is capable of someone over an entire major realm above them?! That makes no sense! There's a fundamental difference between someone at the Core Formation Realm and Nascent Soul Realm, after all. Normally, it'd be impossible for even a Stage 9 Core Formation Realm expert to kill a Stage 1 Nascent Soul Realm cultivator!'
Therefore, Elder Irene and the other Elders couldn't help but doubt the Sect Master's words.
…Well, what Aelina told them wasn't exactly wrong, but it definitely wasn't the whole story. She may have left out the part where Zander had lost all brain function and was doing more harm to his body than Mira was by using up his lifespan like that.
"I'm not really sure what's going on myself. Anyways, we'll meet this person in a few days, so be patient for now. Also, it's not like the Sect Master will immediately appoint this girl as the Prime Disciple. There's still a chance for you and the other disciples to take that position!" Elder Irene then explained the competition that she and the other Elders proposed.
After a few minutes, Nova's lips curved upwards, and she giggled, "Hehehe~ Who knew you guys would come up with such a crazy competition? But you know the other Sects aren't going to like it, right?"
"Hahaha! Isn't that what makes it so interesting?! Nurturing a Prime Disciple isn't cheap, y'know?"
***
Similar conversations happened amongst many Core and Direct disciples of the Sect. Many were enraged that some random nobody had stolen their spot as the Prime Disciple, but they, too, looked forward to the competition that would decide who deserved that position.
However, right now, all of this was still a secret between the upper echelon of the Sect. News of the Prime Disciple selection had yet to reach the ears of the Inner and Outer Courts.
Meanwhile, as the Battle Maiden Sect was in an uproar, a hidden power had just obtained news that could lead to unforeseeable consequences.
