This went on for another three days. A strange, predictable rhythm established itself along the southern coast. A wave of beasts would attack, always at random times, but their strength was roughly the same, with no elites among them. The defenders, bolstered by their newfound confidence in defending, would repel them with increasing ease.

The constant battles were keeping the disciples on edge, but the consistent strength of the attacks also made them happy. The threat level staying the same allowed them to calm their nerves, it was always the fear of the unknown that put everyone on edge. They were now fighting a battle they thought they could win.

They were also earning a tremendous amount of contribution points from their sects, as well as looting a fortune in beast body parts to sell. What had started as a terrifying, world-ending crisis was slowly transforming into the single greatest economic boon the southern coastal sects had ever seen. Bodies piled high in the middle of the city as those with expert skills extracted everything they could from them.

After three days of rest Li Yu was feeling better. The immense damage Zephyr had inflicted was still present, a deep ache in his body and a lingering strain on his soul, but his body’s terrifying regenerative abilities had worked wonders. He still wasn’t fully healed yet and he knew he couldn’t fight with his full potential with where he was in the healing process.

He had been spending his time between battles these three days in a mixture of resting, recovering, and also wandering around the town. Life in Azure Wave City had adapted to the war currently going on. The civilian population was gathered in a safe central location.

After each battle, the city’s food vendors would come back out to feed everyone in secured safe zones. Cultivators could go without eating but it was something most still did. With the fight going on, there were all kinds of different beast bodies laying around which were then cooked. Disciples with cooking skills were helping the local chefs to prepare the meat for others to eat.

The menu consisted of high-level beast meat, which could provide a subtle boost of spirit energy to aid in cultivation. The air was filled with the savory smell of roasted sea-serpent and grilled crab legs.

It was in one of these safe pop-up market squares that Li Yu would be seen eating alongside the disciples of the sect. Even while injured he wanted to eat food and enjoy, he felt it truly helped his soul. It might have been his imagination but to him it was real.

Spine ate as well but he was too imposing a figure and someone who preferred to keep to himself. The local disciples were far too intimidated to approach him with only the Sect Leader ever saying anything to him.

Li Yu, on the other hand, was young and had a friendly air about him. Still, the disciples kept their distance at first. They had all noted his fighting abilities which they saw at the beginning; his brutal, powerful attacks with that heavy staff had been a sight to behold, a one-man wrecking crew. That level of strength created a natural barrier of awe.

However, after one brave disciple finally worked up the courage to speak to him on the first day, others saw how friendly he was. And so, since the first person talked to him, the times that followed, others did as well. Over the next couple of days, it became common for a small group of Azure Wave disciples to gather around the table where Li Yu was eating, asking questions and sharing stories.

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On the third day, the inevitable question of his injuries came up. A young female disciple with a concerned look on her face asked, “Senior Li, we all saw how powerful you were in that first battle. But you haven’t fought since and we heard you were badly injured. What kind of monster could have hurt you so badly?”

Li Yu paused, a piece of roasted fish halfway to his mouth. A dark bitter look flashed across his face as he remembered the one-sided, humiliating beatdown. It was more the pain than the humiliation that made him so upset, it hurt so much! But then, a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. He put the fish down and leaned in, his voice low and dramatic.

“It wasn’t part of the beast wave,” he began, his voice filled with a theatrical gravity that captivated his audience. “It was something else entirely. Something ancient and powerful that was drawn here by the chaos.”

He described the creature, letting his bitterness fuel his imagination. “The beast was wicked, and extremely ugly, and hateful. It had a face that looked like a prune that had been left in the sun for a hundred years, and its skin was a sickly, wrinkled grey. It moved with an unnatural, arrogant grace, as if it thought it owned the sea.”

He continued, painting a picture of a heroic, desperate battle. “It demanded that I submit to it, that I let it search my very soul! Of course, I refused. So we fought. I fought with all my might, but I couldn’t get the upper hand. Its attacks were bizarre and unreasonably powerful. It broke my staff, a weapon that I cherished with a single nasty blow.”

He sighed dramatically, shaking his head. “It struck me with a power that shook both my body and my soul. I was grievously wounded, but I could not let such a monster get near the city. So I held my ground, I fought it to a standstill, and in the end, seeing that it could not defeat me, I had no choice but to let the beast get away.”

He added with a spiteful mutter, “Letting that ugly beast get away, truly a shame. I bet its meat would have tasted good, too.” The disciples were completely enthralled, hanging on his every word. To hear such a story, to know that a terrifying monster capable of injuring their respected guest was right at their doorstep, was a shocking revelation.

But they were also filled with awe. Li Yu wasn't a god-like hero to them. However, he was someone around their age who was incredibly strong. A respected figure who had faced a monster that could have maybe wiped out their entire city and had driven it off, alone.

Li Yu laughed it all off, waving his hand dismissively. “It was nothing. I will be fine. It’s what anyone would have done.” Inwardly, however, he was still bitter about the beating he took, and this little story was a petty but satisfying way to reclaim some of his wounded pride.

His tale, combined with his friendly and approachable demeanor made everyone feel comfortable. They began to ask him more questions, their curiosity piqued. “What is it like, being with the Golden Shell Guild?” one of them asked. Li Yu’s eyes lit up. This was his chance. He wasn’t trying to poach them, of course. He simply wanted to raise the reputation of the Guild.

He launched into a grand, charismatic speech, praising the Guild to the heavens. He told them about the incredible pay, the access to resources and techniques that most sects could only dream of, and the opportunities to travel the continent and see the world.

He spoke of the meritocratic system, where talent and hard work were rewarded above all else, and of the incredible camaraderie among the members. He even mentioned the amazing food from the Golden Shell Guild's own kitchens, prepared by master chefs who could turn even simple ingredients into cultivation-aiding delicacies.

By the time he was done, the disciples were looking at him with stars in their eyes, the name “Golden Shell Guild” now synonymous in their minds with power, fairness, and an almost mythical level of opportunity.