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A gentle breeze rustled through the camp.
None of the Shrek elites took notice—but Su Wen knew. Danger was closing in…
Only now did he understand why Huo Yuhao had been so valued upon entering the Inner Court—especially after the first Sea God Pavilion matchmaking contest, when he was paired with Wang Dong'er and Wang Qiu'er for a trip to the Star Dou Forest.
A spirit-detection-type soul master was absolutely crucial in terrain like this. Before soul tools were widespread, such a soul master was the team's most prized asset.
One day, when I have the chance, he thought, I must acquire a spirit-type soul beast.
"Eldest Senior Sister Lexuan! A formidable enemy is approaching!"
Thoughts racing, Su Wen hissed a warning.
In an instant, the entire camp fell silent, all eyes on him. Zhang Lexuan's expression grew serious as she strode to his side. "On what basis?"
"Here!" Su Wen held up the jade fan Xuanzi had left behind.
The red crystal set in its handle pulsed with a harsh glow. He quickly explained, "This is a soul tool Elder Xuan left me. It warns of danger, simulates his aura, and provides defense. It's flashing red, which means an extremely powerful presence is drawing near."
"…"
Zhang Lexuan inhaled sharply.
She recognized the fan's origin at a glance and wasted no time on debate, immediately assuming her leader's authority. "Retreat!"
"Eldest Senior Sister, what if it isn't targeting us?" a disciple hesitated.
"Whether it is or not, we pull back," she replied, her tone brooking no argument.
She knew this jade fan was a priceless treasure from the Sea God Pavilion—and by the Sun-Moon Empire's standards, it would be rated as a Grade-9 soul tool. Only a Titled Douluo or a being of equivalent power could trigger its red alert. And this was the heart of the Star Dou Forest, the soul beasts' lair. It was obvious who—or what—was approaching.
If they encountered a 100,000-year soul beast without Xuanzi's protection, their small squad could easily be annihilated.
"Yes, ma'am!"
They abandoned the campsite without bothering to cover their tracks. A soul beast of that level possessed a sense of smell so keen that any attempt to hide their scent would be a waste of time. It was better to flee.
"Ruoling, you take Xiaotao. I'll take Su Wen. Everyone, head for the forest's edge at full speed! Elder Xuan is linked to this fan—he will sense the danger and be rushing back. We just have to hold out until he returns…"
Zhang Lexuan glanced around, her stunning features illuminated by the weak moonlight. She pulled Su Wen into her arms. His nose was filled with her scent, now tinged with the smell of adrenaline. He felt both the fear of the impending crisis and a strange thrill that overshadowed it.
"I've been wanting to hold the little guy," a tall senior sister named Ruoling murmured with a smile. She swept up a pouting Ma Xiaotao under one arm and shot upward like a cannonball. Just as gravity threatened to pull her back down, ethereal wings sprouted from her back, and she vanished into the night sky like a streak of light.
"So big…" Ma Xiaotao muttered, feeling aggrieved.
"Heh heh, Xiao Tao, don't feel too bad. You may not reach my level, but you'll still far outshine that flat-chested Zhang Wen," Ruoling teased.
"Ruoling, your tongue is poisonous!" shouted Zhang Wen—the aforementioned "flat" one—from the treetops, looking outraged but keeping pace with the retreat.
Although the group was retreating in an orderly fashion, their casual banter showed they weren't overly tense. The only ones who truly felt the cold grip of panic were Su Wen, who knew the original storyline, and the solemn-faced Zhang Lexuan.
The landscape blurred as they raced through the forest, the wind whistling past his ears. He inhaled a faint, sweet fragrance from being held so close. At just 1.3 meters tall, he was dwarfed by the 1.78-meter Zhang Lexuan. From his awkward position, Su Wen could only sense the magnificent waves above his head. Hands clinging to Zhang Lexuan's slender waist out of a fear of heights, his face burned red. He dared not look up, afraid of bumping his head against... something.
"Indeed!"
Zhang Lexuan's face hardened. One hand held Su Wen, the other gripped the jade fan. Only the one holding the fan could sense the full urgency—a true harbinger of imminent danger.
"Lexuan, is it really a 100,000-year soul beast?" Zhang Yi asked, his face pale.
"Even if it's not, it must be a human powerhouse of a similar level. We can't be sure if it's hunting us or just passing through," she said, her voice low and steady.
"Then let's not hold onto any illusions. Prepare for the worst," Zhang Yi exhaled sharply.
Compared to an unknown human enemy, they'd rather face the soul beast—though neither option was pleasant.
"It's speeding up!"
Zhang Lexuan's eyes widened. The handle of her fan grew hot as the red crystal flashed with a blinding, urgent warning.
There was only one thought.
Flee!
Core of the Star Dou Forest
In a clearing surrounded by towering ancient trees that blocked out the sun, Xuanzi drooled as he stared at the snake meat roasting over a fire. The aroma was mouthwatering. He swallowed and muttered, "Almost done… just a few more seconds…"
"It's a pity this Brittle-Poison Snake is so hard to find. It took me forever to track down a thousand-year one. Paired with rice wine, it's a delicacy… but it looks like I'm almost out of time…" Xuanzi lamented.
"I'll have to ask the kitchen staff for more wine when I get back. Then again, I should probably lay off the drinking for a while, heh heh~"
Just as he was humming and about to sample the meat, he shot to his feet.
"Crap! Su Wen is in danger!"
"But he was on the edge of the core region, wasn't he? How could a 100,000-year soul beast be there…?"
He fell silent, suddenly remembering that they were already in the core zone, where the probability of encountering a 100,000-year beast was more than ten times higher than in the outskirts…
"Hope I make it in time… I hope…"
Xuanzi transformed into a streak of yellow light and shot toward the horizon, leaving behind nothing but a crackling campfire and the sizzling, soon-to-be-burnt snake meat on a spit.
Retreat in Full Flight
"It's getting closer!"
Zhang Lexuan's expression was grim as she reported the precise data from the fan. "It's ten kilometers away—but at its current speed, it will catch us in three minutes, tops…"
The fan's full power could only be wielded by a high-level soul master. Su Wen had only managed to tap into a fraction of its capabilities…
In truth, if the Soul Saints like Zhang Lexuan and Ruoling were sprinting alone, they might have bought two or three times more time. But the team also had "slower" Soul Kings, and carrying Su Wen and Ma Xiaotao inevitably slowed their protectors down.
(End of Chapter)