The man was seen wearing only a pair of trousers, his upper body bare, revealing a perfect figure that seemed forged by heaven. However, a few traces of blood lingered on his fair skin, and his face was extremely pale, his eyes filled with fatigue.
It was Mo Yuan, who had just emerged from his third-degree extreme blood burst state. After obtaining the remains of the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, he hurried back, doing so to prevent the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm from learning his identity.
After all, Mo Yuan in his dragon form was even more evil than an evil soul master. If Huo Yuhao learned of his other self, it would be detrimental to many of his future plans.
"Mo Yuan, what's wrong with you?! What just happened?"
Ning Tian was stunned upon seeing Mo Yuan in this state. His moist red lips parted slightly, his beautiful eyes filled with shock. He then hurried over to Mo Yuan and gently supported him.
"I'm fine," Mo Yuan shook his head, then launched into his prepared speech.
"Just now, we encountered a very rare mind-stealing beast. It took control of your minds, putting you into a trance. Fortunately, thanks to my spirit, I was able to break free, and I just went to hunt it down."
Mo Yuan expressed regret as he spoke. "Unfortunately, because the mind-stealing beast was quite powerful, I severely injured it, but it still escaped."
"Mind-stealing beast?!"
"What?! We just encountered a mind-stealing beast?"
Ning Tian and Wu Feng exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Mo Yuan's prepared speech, their eyes filled with surprise and disbelief. The mind
-stealing beast is a rare soul beast with spiritual attributes. As its name suggests, its innate ability—the foolish mind-stealing beast—can cause soul masters and soul beasts with lower mental power to become sluggish, creating a kind of time-stopping effect.
Under this effect, the mind-stealing beast can do whatever it wants to its controlled target, a truly bizarre and terrifying experience.
However, due to their rarity, sightings might not occur for decades, so they are often known only by name, not by form.
Thus, similar to the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's innate ability to control the mind, the rarely seen yet notorious Heart-Flayer became Mo Yuan's intended 'murderer.'
Upon hearing that they had just encountered this extremely rare yet notorious Heart-Flayer, Ning Tian and Wu Feng were immediately terrified.
Since the descriptions and records of the Heart-Flayer were consistent with what they had just experienced, they simply believed Mo Yuan's words.
Later, upon hearing that it was Mo Yuan who had rescued them and hunted down the Heart-Flayer, Ning Tian couldn't help but feel grateful.
Even Wu Feng, who had always disliked Mo Yuan, now looked at him with less hostility.
A moment later, as Ning Tian recovered from her shock, she realized that she was tightly grasping Mo Yuan's sturdy arms. Looking down, she saw his perfectly formed body.
Ning Tian, worried just now, hadn't paid full attention to Mo Yuan's body. Now that she'd recovered, a seductive blush crept across her face.
"Ah..."
she gasped, quickly releasing her grip and taking a few steps back. Her eyes were filled with shyness, afraid to look at him, though a closer look revealed her occasional stealthy glances.
Even Wu Feng, who was fond of Ning Tian, couldn't help but share Ning Tian's reaction. But upon seeing Ning Tian's shyness, jealousy erupted.
"Hmph! Mo Yuan, are you a scoundrel? How can you be so frivolous in front of Ning Tian?! Hurry and get dressed!"
"Ha, you say one thing and mean another." Mo Yuan dismissed the question, even offering a teasing remark in his now cheerful mood.
Wu Feng blushed, retorting, "Who's saying one thing and mean another? It's just a body, what's so good about it!"
Mo Yuan pulled out a black windbreaker from his soul guide, donning it, then unleashed the 'Urgent' character from the Ten Cyber Arts.
"You're anxious."
"Mo Yuan, you!"
"Okay, okay, stop arguing."
Ning Tian's gaze slipped away from the figure hidden by the windbreaker.
"Just now, we were nearly in danger from the Heart-Snatching Beast. Now that we're not far from Shrek Academy, let's get out of the Star Dou Great Forest."
"All to Ning Tian," Wu Feng's expression changed faster than turning the pages of a book, instantly embracing a smile.
"Oh, by the way, Mo Yuan, you must have consumed some energy protecting Wu Feng and me while hunting the Heart-Snatching Beast. This is the Hui Yuan Pill, a healing elixir crafted by our Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect that restores soul power and injuries. Take it quickly."
Ning Tian pulled out a jade bottle, poured out a fragrant brown pill, and handed it to Mo Yuan.
Mo Yuan thanked him and took the pill. Thanks to his powerful sense of smell, granted by dragon blood, he could guess the ingredients in the Hui Yuan Pill.
They were extremely valuable.
Mo Yuan swallowed the pill without hesitation. As the pill entered his stomach, a surge of warmth began to spread throughout his body, his soul power returning. The fatigue from the bloodbath quickly subsided, though a slight sense of weakness remained.
After recovering, Mo Yuan glanced at the dense forest of dead trees in the distance to the north. Then, he, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng maintained their original formation and sprinted towards the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Because they were already very close to the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest, they encountered only a few ordinary century-old soul beasts along the way, which were easily dispatched by Bao Wu Feng, eager to prove himself to Ning Tian.
Three hours later, the three of them emerged from the Star Dou Great Forest. They then advanced another fifty miles before stopping in a forested area. At this distance, encountering soul beasts was practically impossible.
The sun set, and a star-speckled night enveloped the earth. In the dense forest, the clear stream, reflecting the fragments of a bright, round moon, gurgled, its crisp sound bringing a refreshing coolness to the three who had been traveling for so long.
Arriving at the resting place, Ning Tian and Wu Feng rested briefly before heading to the stream to wash off the dust and stains on their bodies.
In the nearby forest, Mo Yuan had gathered some dry firewood and built a bonfire. Listening to the faint sound of splashing water, he slowly closed his eyes and began to study the complex art of alchemy in his mind.
A while later, Ning Tian and Wu Feng, having washed themselves, returned from the stream together. Having traveled for several days, after eating their rations, Wu Feng and Ning Tian went to sleep in the tent, leaving Mo Yuan, the male, to keep watch.
The flames flickered in the wind, and the burning dry branches emitted a series of crackling sounds like popping beans.
Mo Yuan, hearing the two breathing sounds steady inside the tent, stood up and walked to the nearby stream. After stripping down to his shorts, he stepped into the water.
The cold stream stimulated Mo Yuan's nerves, and the scalding dragon blood flowed through his body. Under the current, his thoughts gradually cleared.
Amidst the gentle sound of flowing water, Mo Yuan suddenly heard soft footsteps behind him.
"Ning Tian? Didn't you go to bed? Why are you up again?" Mo Yuan turned to look at Ning Tian approaching and asked.
"I couldn't sleep. I wanted to chat with you, but I didn't see you by the campfire, so I followed the sound of the water here."
Ning Tian looked at Mo Yuan, shirtless in the water. A blush crept onto her flawless face, a breathtaking beauty in the bright moonlight.
She removed her exquisite crystal high heels and sat down on the bank beside Mo Yuan. Her perfect lotus feet gently dipped into the water, gently swaying. The graceful arch of her foot, her pink toes like five adorable silkworms.
Noticing Mo Yuan's half-conscious gaze, Ning Tian's shy eyes took on a strange tinge.
The air suddenly fell silent, save for the still crisp sound of water. The two of them gazed at the bright moon in the sky without a word.
After a while, Ning Tian suddenly spoke softly, "Mo Yuan, can you tell me about your past? I'm curious about how you got to where you are today without any help from your family."
I'm currently working hard to pay my semester fee (due by 31 Oct 2025). Your support helps me stay in university and keep creating more chapters for you all! 💙
Support or read ahead chapters here:
👉 [email protected]/Horizons685
(End of this chapter)