The Demonic Beast Mountains were a living wall of ancient trees—roots like coiled dragons, canopies blotting the sky. Even the outer ridges crawled with spirit beasts.
Most of them were low-tier, though, and when the horde of human cultivators tramped through in formation, their aura alone sent the creatures scattering into the undergrowth. No one bothered to chase; the goal lay deeper, toward the Poison Grove.
More than twenty fighters moved in a practiced escort shape—front and rear guards forming a living shell around the Baoyao Hall envoys. For a while, the only sounds were boots, steel, and breathing.
Then the forest began to change. The air thickened; branches overhead tangled so tight that day dimmed into dusk. From the shrubs came faint pricks of intent—eyes watching, waiting for the smallest gap in vigilance.
"Stay alert," came the woman's voice from the center. Soft, melodic, but steady enough to cut through the hush. "We've entered deep territory. The beasts here aren't weak."
That voice alone snapped spines straight. Rough men who'd been half-dozing suddenly looked like loyal hounds guarding treasure. No one wanted to falter under a beauty's gaze.
The young man beside her seized the cue. He thumped his chest, voice rising just loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Don't worry, Miss Rou'er! With Xiao Zhan here, you'll reach Poison Grove safe and sound!"
A few heads turned.
"What? That Xiao Zhan—the Ironblood Escort Captain's son?"
Gasps and murmurs rolled through the line. Xiao Zhan basked in it, pretending modesty. "Ah, you flatter me. I only grew up following Father through these woods. Learned a little, that's all."
"Too humble! With you here, we're in no danger!" someone called.
Laughter, compliments, easy bravado. The air lightened again.
Jiang Ruochén listened quietly and pieced things together. The Ironblood Escort was well-known here and often partnered with Baoyao Hall. Xiao Zhan had been tagging along since boyhood—experienced, sure, but not half as heroic as he sounded.
Still, Ruochén didn't mind. If the man wanted to soak in praise and clear the path, so much the better. Less work for him.
But the forest didn't care for reputations.
A sudden hiss cut through the chatter. From the brush burst a streak of blood-striped fur—a Venomfang Leopard. It landed at the back of the formation like lightning.
Two mercs, too busy listening to the stories, never saw it coming. The beast's jaws found their throats before they could scream.
"Blood Leopard! Defense!" someone shouted.
Weapons rasped free; the circle closed, steel flashing. The creature was strong but outnumbered—steel and qi tore into it until it staggered.
"Let me end it!" Xiao Zhan barked, eager to reclaim the spotlight. He leapt forward, blade gleaming, and split the beast in one clean motion.
The crowd cheered; he basked. "Just a leopard. Miss Rou'er, you're safe," he said smoothly, wiping blood from the blade.
Rou'er merely nodded. Her eyes drifted past him toward the fallen men—she was about to check for survivors when a rustle tore through the air.
Two more Venomfang Leopards lunged from the tall grass straight at her.
"Ah!"
She froze—no guards left near her; all had rushed to join the earlier fight. Fangs flashed closer—
—and a young figure darted from the side, moving faster than her mind could register.
Two fists roared like thunder.
The beasts hit the ground before their shrieks finished. One lay still. The other coughed up black blood, glared once at Jiang Ruochén, and fled limping into the trees.
"Beast!" Xiao Zhan arrived too late, fury flushing his face. He raised his blade to chase, but—
"Captain Xiao, don't!" the clerk from Baoyao Hall cried, pale. "Protect the lady! Forget the beast!"
Common sense won out. Xiao Zhan lowered his sword and turned back.
"Rou'er, are you hurt?"
She shook her head, breathing fast but regaining calm. Her eyes turned to Jiang Ruochén, gratitude softening them.
"I'm fine. Thanks to this young master—without him, I'd have been done for."
The clerk bowed deeply. "Little brother, our thanks. When we're back, you'll have extra stones for this."
Jiang waved it off. "No need. I was hired to guard; that's the job." He said no more, stepping back to his place.
Xiao Zhan watched his back, an odd twist crossing his face, but said nothing. Soon he barked for the line to reform, and the team pressed on.
"Brother, that was something," one of the mercs said later, tone full of new respect. "Two punches to cripple two Blood Leopards—must be at least three elephants of strength, eh?"
The words carried weight; these men didn't praise lightly. Jiang only smiled faintly and kept his eyes ahead.
Rou'er, though, kept stealing glances. Not just gratitude—something about him tugged at her memory. Had they met before?
But Xiao Zhan saw those glances too, and they didn't sit well. He shot Ruochén a hard look, then forced a chuckle.
"Miss Rou'er, if I'd been beside you just now, those leopards wouldn't have escaped. I'd have slain them both."
"Mm." Her answer was light, indifferent.
The awkward silence that followed lasted until the forest changed again.
Ahead, the air turned greenish, thick with miasma. Visibility dropped to yards. Pools of black water lay half-hidden under moss; bones poked from the edges like warning signs.
The Poison Grove had begun—
and with it, the real danger.