Supreme Beast Resonance

CHAPTER 2: THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Jiang Chen walked through the night, following the winding road northeast toward the Misty Jade Mountains.

The moon hung high overhead, casting silver light across the landscape. The road was mostly deserted at this hour—only the occasional merchant caravan or traveling cultivator passed by, and none paid him any attention.

Perfect.

He kept his Foundation Establishment aura carefully controlled, appearing as nothing more than a mid-level wandering cultivator. His plain gray robes and unremarkable sword helped maintain the illusion.

But inside, his mind was still reeling from everything that had happened in the ancient chamber.

*I was the Beast Sovereign. I commanded ten Divine Beasts. I was betrayed and killed by people who are apparently still alive after a thousand years.*

It sounded insane even thinking it.

Yet the memories felt real—fragments of his past life surfacing like half-remembered dreams. Standing on Heavenly Beast Peak, the wind carrying the roars of his contracted beasts. The feeling of absolute power coursing through him. The betrayal in the eyes of those he'd trusted.

And then darkness.

Jiang Chen shook his head, forcing the memories away. "Focus on the present. One step at a time."

**[CORRECT APPROACH, HOST]**

The system's text appeared in his vision.

**[DWELLING ON THE PAST IS UNPRODUCTIVE]**

**[YOUR IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES:]**

**1. Reach Misty Jade Mountains (800 kilometers, 5 days at current speed)**

**2. Establish sect using Sect Establishment Token**

**3. Recruit first disciple (3 days after sect establishment)**

"Five days of walking," Jiang Chen muttered. "Unless..."

He glanced at the empty road ahead, then at the dense forest on either side. No one around. No one to see.

"System, if I use more of my true speed, will it break the seal on my power?"

**[NEGATIVE. PHYSICAL ABILITIES ARE NOT SEALED, ONLY CULTIVATION REALM AND BEAST-RELATED POWERS]**

**[YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR PAST LIFE'S BODY CULTIVATION WITHOUT ISSUE]**

**[YOUR FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT REALM IS JUST YOUR QI CULTIVATION. YOUR BODY HAS RETAINED SOME MUSCLE MEMORY FROM YOUR SOVEREIGN DAYS]**

Jiang Chen smiled slightly. "Good enough."

He took a deep breath, then channeled qi into his legs—not just Foundation Establishment qi, but the deeper reserve he could feel beneath the seal. His body remembered how to move, even if his full cultivation was locked away.

He launched forward.

The world blurred around him as Jiang Chen shot down the road like an arrow. Trees became streaks of green and brown. The wind roared in his ears. His feet barely touched the ground as he covered dozens of meters with each step.

This wasn't a technique or a cultivation method—this was pure body cultivation refined over his past lifetime. The seal couldn't suppress what his body naturally remembered.

**[IMPRESSIVE, HOST]**

**[AT THIS SPEED, YOU WILL REACH THE MISTY JADE MOUNTAINS IN 2 DAYS INSTEAD OF 5]**

**[THOUGH I SHOULD WARN YOU—]**

Warn me about what?"

Jiang Chen's enhanced hearing caught a sound in the distance. Roaring. Screaming. The clash of weapons and the bellowing of spirit beasts.

He slowed his pace, approaching more cautiously.

Around a bend in the road, the scene came into view.

A merchant caravan—three wagons and about a dozen people—was under attack. But not by bandits.

Spirit beasts.

A pack of Iron Fang Wolves surrounded the caravan, their metallic gray fur bristling with aggression. Each wolf was at least at the 100-year level, their fangs gleaming like polished steel. Leading them was a larger wolf with crimson eyes and darker fur—a 1,000-year Iron Fang Alpha.

The caravan guards fought desperately, but they were clearly outmatched. Most were only Body Tempering or early Foundation Establishment cultivators. A few had contracted beasts of their own—a Stone Shell Tortoise, a Wind Rabbit, a Fire Sparrow—but they were all below 100 years and no match for the wolf pack.

"Fall back! Protect the wagons!" shouted a guard captain, his sword dripping blood. His contracted Fire Sparrow swooped at the wolves, breathing small flames, but the wolves barely noticed.

One of the Iron Fang Wolves lunged at a young woman who'd fallen from a wagon. She screamed, raising her arms defensively.

Jiang Chen moved.

He appeared between the woman and the wolf in a blur of motion, his plain sword already drawn. The blade flashed once—a simple horizontal cut.

The Iron Fang Wolf's head separated from its body before it even realized what happened.

The wolf's corpse hit the ground, and suddenly every eye—human and beast—turned toward Jiang Chen.

"Who—" the guard captain began.

The Iron Fang Alpha snarled, recognizing a threat. It howled, and the remaining eight wolves abandoned the caravan guards to surround Jiang Chen instead.

Jiang Chen sighed. "I was just passing through."

**[OPTIONAL MISSION TRIGGERED]**

**[SAVE MERCHANT CARAVAN FROM SPIRIT BEAST ATTACK]**

**[REWARDS: 800 Spirit Stones, Caravan's Gratitude, Possible Reputation Gain]**

**[ACCEPT?]**

"Not like I have a choice now," Jiang Chen muttered.

The wolves attacked as one—a coordinated assault from eight directions simultaneously. Their pack hunting instincts were sharp, their movements synchronized.

Against a normal Foundation Establishment cultivator, this would be lethal.

Jiang Chen wasn't normal.

His body moved with fluid grace, his sword tracing elegant arcs through the air. Each movement was economical, precise, wasting no energy. This was the swordsmanship of someone who'd fought for centuries, refined through countless battles.

One slash—a wolf's throat opened.

Pivot, step, thrust—another wolf collapsed with a sword through its heart.

Spin, parry, counter—a third wolf's leg severed, then its neck.

The remaining wolves hesitated, their predatory instincts screaming danger.

But the Alpha wouldn't retreat. It was a 1,000-year spirit beast—proud, powerful, and unwilling to show weakness before its pack.

The Alpha gathered energy in its jaws, metal-attribute qi condensing into visible power. Its fangs began to glow with silver light as it prepared its strongest attack—**Steel Fang Decimation**, a technique that could tear through steel armor like paper.

It leaped at Jiang Chen, jaws wide, deadly energy radiating from every fang.

Jiang Chen didn't move to dodge.

Instead, he looked directly into the Alpha's crimson eyes.

For just a moment, something deep within Jiang Chen stirred. The seal over his power trembled, and a fraction—just the tiniest fraction—of his true soul essence leaked out.

**Sovereign's Presence.**

The Iron Fang Alpha froze mid-leap, its eyes widening in primal terror. Every instinct screamed at it to flee, to submit, to bow before this overwhelming presence. This wasn't just a stronger predator—this was something fundamental, something ancient, something that stood at the absolute peak of the beast hierarchy.

The Alpha crashed to the ground, not from an attack, but from its own legs giving out. It pressed its body flat against the earth, whimpering like a puppy.

The remaining wolves immediately followed their leader's example, all dropping into submissive postures.

Jiang Chen blinked, surprised. The pressure vanished as quickly as it had appeared, his seal reasserting itself.

"Uh," he said intelligently.

**[CONGRATULATIONS, HOST]**

**[YOU JUST ACCIDENTALLY ACTIVATED 'SOVEREIGN'S PRESENCE' - A PASSIVE ABILITY]**

**[EVEN WITH YOUR POWER SEALED, YOUR SOUL ESSENCE OCCASIONALLY LEAKS THROUGH WHEN YOU FOCUS ON BEASTS]**

**[EFFECT: LOWER-RANKED BEASTS INSTINCTIVELY RECOGNIZE YOUR AUTHORITY]**

"You could have mentioned this earlier," Jiang Chen said quietly, very aware that the entire caravan was now staring at him in shock.

The guard captain's mouth hung open. "You... you just made a 1,000-year Alpha submit without even attacking it."

"I got lucky," Jiang Chen said quickly. "It must have been injured or sick or—"

"That wolf was perfectly healthy!" one of the other guards protested. "We've been fighting it for ten minutes!"

The young woman Jiang Chen had saved stood up slowly, dusting off her robes. She was probably around twenty, with long black hair tied in a practical braid and intelligent eyes that studied Jiang Chen with open curiosity.

"A beast tamer," she said thoughtfully. "But I don't see any contracted beasts with you. And that technique just now—making a wild beast submit through presence alone—that's something only Master-level tamers should be capable of."

"You're overthinking it," Jiang Chen said, already regretting stopping to help. This was exactly the kind of attention he didn't want.

He turned to leave, but the young woman stepped forward. "Wait! At least tell us your name. We owe you our lives."

Jiang Chen hesitated. The caravan members were all looking at him with grateful expressions. The guard captain was already sheathing his weapon, relief evident on his face.

These were just ordinary people trying to make a living. They didn't deserve to die to wild beasts.

"Jiang Chen," he finally said. "I'm just a wandering cultivator. No need for thanks."

"Just a wandering cultivator who can make 1,000-year spirit beasts submit with a look?" The young woman smiled slightly. "I think you're being too modest, Mister Jiang."

Before Jiang Chen could respond, one of the merchants—a rotund man with an elaborate mustache—hurried forward.

"Young master Jiang! Please, you must allow us to properly thank you!" He gestured at the wagons. "We're merchants from Greenwood Town, traveling to Jade Peak City. We carry spirit herbs, beast food, basic cultivation resources—please, take whatever you need as payment!"

**[QUEST COMPLETE: SAVE MERCHANT CARAVAN]**

**[REWARDS: 800 Spirit Stones, Caravan's Gratitude]**

**[BONUS REWARD AVAILABLE: Merchants are offering payment. You may select items from their inventory.]**

Jiang Chen was about to refuse, but then a thought occurred to him. He'd need supplies for establishing his sect. And the system had given him Universal Spirit Beast Food, but only 100 portions—probably not enough long-term.

"Do you have beast food?" he asked. "And any basic cultivation pills?"

The merchant's face lit up. "Absolutely! We have premium spirit beast food, suitable for beasts up to 1,000-year level! And Foundation Establishment Pills, Qi Gathering Pills, Body Tempering Pills—a full selection!"

"I'll take whatever you're willing to spare," Jiang Chen said. "But I'm not taking your entire stock. You still need to make a living."

The merchant looked almost offended. "Young master, you saved all our lives! Taking a few supplies is the least we can do!"

Ten minutes later, Jiang Chen's spatial ring was considerably fuller. The merchants had insisted he take:

- 500 portions of premium spirit beast food

- 20 Foundation Establishment Pills

- 50 Qi Gathering Pills

- Various spirit herbs and basic materials

- A detailed map of the region (including the Misty Jade Mountains)

The young woman who'd been watching him approached again as the caravan prepared to continue their journey.

"The Misty Jade Mountains," she said, having noticed him studying that section of the map. "That's where you're headed?"

Jiang Chen nodded cautiously. "Passing through."

"That's dangerous territory," she warned. "Lots of powerful wild beasts, and there are rumors of an ancient sect that used to exist there centuries ago. Most people avoid it."

"I'll be careful."

She studied him for a moment longer, then smiled. "I think you'll be fine, Mister Jiang. Someone who can make 1,000-year Alphas bow probably doesn't have much to fear from wild beasts."

The guard captain called out, "Miss Lin! We should move before more beasts are attracted by the blood!"

"Coming!" She turned back to Jiang Chen and gave a small bow. "My name is Lin Mei. If you ever pass through Jade Peak City, look for the Lin Family Trading Company. We'd be happy to offer you better prices on any supplies you need."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jiang Chen said.

As the caravan departed, the merchant called back, "And if you ever need anything, young master Jiang, just mention our Treasure Pavilion Caravan! We owe you a debt!"

Jiang Chen watched them go, then looked down at the dead Iron Fang Wolves scattered around him. The Alpha was still alive, pressed flat to the ground, not daring to move.

"What do I do with you?" Jiang Chen asked it.

The Alpha whimpered, keeping its eyes lowered in submission.

**[SUGGESTION: RELEASE IT]**

**[YOU HAVE NO CONTRACT CAPACITY YET, AND IT'S TOO WEAK TO BE WORTH CONTRACTING ANYWAY]**

**[HOWEVER, YOUR DISPLAY OF DOMINANCE WILL SPREAD THROUGH THE BEAST POPULATION]**

**[WILD BEASTS IN THIS REGION WILL BE LESS LIKELY TO ATTACK YOU]**

"Fair enough." Jiang Chen looked at the Alpha. "Go. Take your pack and don't attack travelers on this road again."

The Alpha's eyes widened slightly—understanding his words through the beast language comprehension. It slowly stood, gave a submissive bow by lowering its head, then fled into the forest with its remaining pack members.

Jiang Chen resumed his journey, moving at a more moderate pace now. The encounter had cost him maybe twenty minutes.

As he walked, a new notification appeared:

**[HIDDEN EFFECT DISCOVERED]**

**[YOUR MERCIFUL TREATMENT OF THE IRON FANG ALPHA HAS EARNED RESPECT FROM LOCAL BEAST POPULATION]**

**[REPUTATION GAINED: "THE MERCIFUL SOVEREIGN" (Hidden Title)]**

**[EFFECT: Wild beasts in this region are more likely to avoid conflict with you]**

**[EFFECT: Wild beasts you defeat may choose to follow you voluntarily]**

"The Merciful Sovereign," Jiang Chen repeated. "Bit dramatic, don't you think?"

**[YOUR PAST LIFE HAD A SIMILAR TITLE]**

**[YOU WERE KNOWN FOR TREATING BEASTS WITH RESPECT, EVEN THOSE YOU DEFEATED]**

**[THIS IS WHY SO MANY POWERFUL BEASTS WILLINGLY CONTRACTED WITH YOU]**

Jiang Chen continued walking as the night deepened around him. The road stretched ahead, winding through forests and over hills.

Two days to reach the Misty Jade Mountains.

Seven days total to establish his sect.

And ten days to find his first disciple.

"This is really happening," he muttered. "I'm actually going to become a sect master."

**[CORRECTION: YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME THE BEAST SOVEREIGN AGAIN]**

**[SECT MASTER IS JUST STEP ONE]**

Far behind him, in the forest where the Iron Fang Pack had fled, the Alpha sat in a small clearing surrounded by its remaining pack members.

But it wasn't alone.

A figure emerged from the shadows—human-shaped, but with an aura that made the wolves press themselves flat against the ground in terror.

"Interesting," the figure said, voice like scraping metal. "The Sovereign's Presence. I haven't felt that aura in a thousand years."

The figure reached down and placed a hand on the Alpha's head. Black energy flowed into the wolf's body, and it began to change—growing larger, its fur darkening to midnight black, its eyes glowing with unnatural red light.

"Track him," the figure commanded. "Report his location. But don't engage. Not yet."

The corrupted Alpha rose, now standing as tall as a horse, its body radiating malevolent energy. It howled—a sound filled with unnatural hunger.

The figure smiled in the darkness. "The Shadow Alliance will be very interested to know that the Beast Sovereign has finally reincarnated."

"And this time, we'll kill him before he regains even a fraction of his former power."

---

**[SYSTEM ALERT]**

**[WARNING: YOU ARE BEING TRACKED]**

**[HOSTILE ENTITY HAS MARKED YOUR LOCATION]**

**[ESTIMATED THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN]**

**[RECOMMENDATION: REACH MISTY JADE MOUNTAINS QUICKLY]**

**[ONCE YOUR SECT IS ESTABLISHED, YOU WILL HAVE HOME ADVANTAGE AND SYSTEM PROTECTION]**

Jiang Chen, now several kilometers away, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He stopped walking and looked back toward the forest.

"System... what was that feeling?"

**[YOUR SOVEREIGN INSTINCTS DETECTING DANGER]**

**[SOMEONE OR SOMETHING HOSTILE IS AWARE OF YOU NOW]**

**[YOU SHOULD MOVE FASTER]**

Jiang Chen didn't need to be told twice. He channeled qi into his legs again and shot forward, the world blurring around him as he raced toward the Misty Jade Mountains.

Behind him, in the darkness, crimson eyes watched him go.

The hunt had begun.