A breeze blew by. The others didn't notice, but Su Wen knew danger was close...
Now, he finally understood why Huo Yuhao was so popular after joining the Inner Court—especially after the first Sea God Pavilion matchmaking event, when he teamed up with Wang Dong'er and Wang Qiu'er to enter the forest.
A spiritual-detection-type soul master was invaluable in such an environment.
Especially before soul tools became widespread, they were the team's secret weapon.
Someday, he'd get a spiritual pet, too.
"Sister Lexuan! Strong enemy incoming!"
Su Wen called out.
Instantly, the camp fell silent. Zhang Lexuan hurried to Su Wen's side, all business: "Do you have proof?"
"Yes!"
Su Wen's face was grave as he showed Xuan Zi's fan, the red crystal glowing.
"This was left by Elder Xuan. It's a high-grade soul tool for detection, defense, and aura masking. The red light means something powerful is coming our way."
Zhang Lexuan drew a deep breath. She recognized the fan at a glance. "Retreat!"
"Sister Lexuan, could it be... not after us?" a team member asked.
"Doesn't matter. Retreat anyway," she said firmly.
She knew this fan was a Sea God Pavilion treasure, rated as a ninth-level soul tool by Sun Moon Empire standards. Only a Title Douluo-level threat could trigger it, and in Star Dou Forest, that could only mean...
If they met a hundred-thousand-year beast with no Elder Xuan, they'd never escape!
The camp was abandoned—no time to cover traces.
"Lingru, you take Xiaotao. I'll take Su Wen. Head for the forest's edge! Elder Xuan will sense danger and hurry back; we just need to hold out till then..." Zhang Lexuan scanned the group.
Her beautiful face looked even more striking in the moonlight.
"Uh..."
Su Wen hadn't even reacted before he was swept up into her arms, breathing in her scent. Fear was covered by adrenaline.
"I'd like a hug from that little guy," another senior sister joked, grabbing Ma Xiaotao and leaping into the sky. Wings appeared as she shot off into the night.
"So big..." Ma Xiaotao grumbled.
"Hehe, don't be so hard on yourself, Xiaotao. You might not reach my level, but you'll be bigger than Zhang Wen the 'flat board'," Lingru teased.
"You've got a sharp tongue!"
Despite the banter, the team stayed organized and surprisingly calm.
Only Su Wen (who knew the plot) and Zhang Lexuan were truly anxious.
Scenery flashed by, wind howling past. Su Wen, at only 1.3m, clung to the 1.78m-tall Lexuan, face flushed, not daring to look up...
"Confirmed!" Lexuan's face was grave.
Holding the fan, she could sense the impending doom.
"Lexuan, is it really a hundred-thousand-year beast?" Zhang Yi asked, face pale.
"If not, it's at least a peer-level human powerhouse. But we can't be sure if we're the target or just in the way..." Lexuan replied.
"Let's assume the worst," Zhang Yi exhaled.
They'd rather face a beast than a human, but both were bad news.
"It's moving faster!"
Lexuan's eyes narrowed.
The fan even felt hot, the red crystal flaring.
Only one word: Run!
…
Meanwhile, in the forest core, Xuan Zi drooled over roasting snake meat.
"If only there were more of these crisp snakes... and rice wine. Guess I'll have to go without for a while..."
Just as he tasted the snake, he suddenly jumped up.
"Damn! Su Wen's in danger!"
He fell silent, realizing too late that the area was well into the core zone, where hundred-thousand-year beasts were ten times as common...
"Hope I make it in time..."
He turned into a yellow streak, racing away, leaving only the fire and the roasting snake.
…
"Closer!" Lexuan's face was icy.
She reported, "It's still ten kilometers away, but closing fast. Three minutes at most till it catches up—"
With all her power, she could extend that by two or three times, but the team had slower members, including Su Wen and Ma Xiaotao.
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