Noctar returned to his headquarters with heavy yet steady steps.
Several parts of his body were badly wounded. Blood slowly dripped from between his fingers, leaving dark crimson trails across the stone floor as he walked. Yet the man moved as if he felt no pain at all.
His face remained cold.
His gaze was sharp.
A dense killing aura surrounded his body like a dark shadow.
Despite his injuries—Noctar did not feel that he had suffered a loss.
On the contrary, he felt satisfied.
Because that battle had given him something far more valuable than the wounds he received.
He now knew one very interesting fact.
That girl with the plant element…
was actually an extremely rare Nine-Tailed Fox Beast-Human.
And not only that.
The flames that came from her body were not ordinary flames.
Holy white fire that could melt steel with the slightest touch.
Noctar narrowed his eyes.
Who exactly is that girl…?
Where did she come from…?
His footsteps echoed across the cold marble floor as he entered a long corridor inside the fortress.
The hallway was spacious and luxurious, far from the image of an ordinary rebel base.
Rooms lined both sides of the corridor.
Several doors were slightly open.
Young girls peeked out with curious eyes.
Most of them were barely dressed—only thin pieces of cloth loosely covering their bodies.
The moment they saw Noctar approaching—their expressions immediately turned seductive.
Some leaned against their doorframes with sweet smiles.
"Commander…"
"Would you like to rest?"
But as Noctar walked closer—the killing aura surrounding him, mixed with the sharp smell of blood, instantly drained their courage.
Their seductive smiles vanished.
Some quickly shut their doors.
Others hurried back inside their rooms.
Noctar ignored them completely.
He walked straight toward the door at the very end of the corridor.
His hand pushed it open roughly.
BANG.
Inside the room—a young woman was lying lazily on a large bed.
Her body was covered only by thin clothing that barely concealed anything.
One of her legs was slightly raised, revealing her smooth white thigh.
In her hand was a long pipe.
She slowly inhaled from it before lazily exhaling a thin stream of smoke.
The moment she saw Noctar enter—the girl immediately sat up.
She was Xuxu.
The same girl previously mentioned by Xue Yunxue.
Her smile instantly turned sweet.
"Does my lord wish to be served now?" she said in a teasing voice.
Her hand slowly reached up and touched Noctar's chest.
But in the next second—
she wrinkled her nose.
The strong scent of blood struck her senses immediately.
"My lord…"
her eyes widened slightly.
"You're injured."
Her fingers carefully touched the wound on Noctar's side.
"Let Xuxu treat your injuries."
But Noctar brushed her hand aside coldly.
"No need."
He walked toward a desk and activated his chakra computer.
A blue holographic screen appeared in the air.
Several images appeared on the display.
A photograph of a woman.
And two men.
The pictures had been taken from the fortress surveillance cameras.
The three intruders who had destroyed one of his strongholds.
Noctar pointed at the screen.
Xuxu might have the answer about who they were.
"Do you recognize them?"
Xuxu stepped closer.
Her eyes narrowed as she examined the images.
A few seconds later—
her finger pointed to one of the photos.
"Yun Wu."
Her tone changed slightly.
"I know this man."
Noctar's eyes instantly narrowed.
His sharp mind quickly pieced together the information.
So that's it…
Was that fox girl helping this man in order to rescue Xuxu?
Could it be that the wolf man had feelings for the woman standing before him now?
He raised his hand.
His fingers grabbed Xuxu's chin and lifted her face.
"I have a task for you."
His voice was low and cold.
"If you succeed in completing it…"
he stared directly into her eyes.
"…you will become my main woman."
Xuxu's eyes immediately lit up.
The main woman.
In this fortress, that position was almost equal to the commander's wife.
Since long ago—she had always admired Noctar.
Yes, Yun Wu was extremely handsome and she had once liked him.
His body was strong and perfect like that of an elite soldier.
But Xuxu had never truly been interested in him.
She preferred men who were stronger.
And there had never been a man she had met who was stronger than Noctar.
Not to mention the power he possessed.
A massive army.
A magnificent fortress.
Meanwhile Yun Wu—
was only an ordinary soldier without power.
Sending him as a spy had merely been a small step toward achieving what she had today.
A seductive smile slowly appeared on Xuxu's face.
"Of course."
She stepped slightly closer to Noctar.
Her gaze was filled with ambition.
"I will complete any task for you, my lord."
------
Xue Yunxue carefully removed the bandage from Yun Wu's arm. The wolf soldier's injury was quite severe—the torn wounds left by the earth-element thorns were still clearly visible, and several of his bones had been broken when Noctar struck him.
"Stay still for a moment," Yunxue said softly when Yun Wu tried to sit up straighter.
She began cleaning the wound with a warm cloth. Her hands moved gently, but secretly she channeled healing energy from her palms.
A very faint green light seeped into Yun Wu's wounds.
Warmth immediately spread through his body.
The muscles that had been stiff began to relax. The cracked bones slowly reconnected, and the open wounds closed far faster than they should have.
Yun Wu noticed the change.
But he said nothing.
He simply watched Yunxue's face as she seriously treated his injuries.
A moment later, Yunxue tied the bandage back in place.
"It's much better now," she said.
Yun Wu slowly moved his arm.
The pain had almost disappeared.
His gaze toward Yunxue deepened slightly, but he remained silent as usual.
After finishing with Yun Wu, Yunxue walked toward the chair where Lin Yuan was sitting.
The merman looked calmer than Yun Wu. There were no visible wounds on his body.
But Yunxue knew—
his internal injuries were quite serious.
"Drink this," Yunxue said as she took out a small bottle filled with medicinal liquid.
Lin Yuan looked at the potion for a moment before accepting it.
He drank it without protest.
When Yunxue held his wrist to check his condition, the same healing energy began flowing again.
Very gently.
Almost imperceptibly.
But Lin Yuan's blue eyes narrowed slightly.
Of course…
He noticed Yunxue's little trick.
The girl's healing power was far stronger than what she usually showed in front of others.
Yet Lin Yuan chose not to expose it.
He simply closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the warm energy to repair the injuries inside his body.
After a while, Yunxue withdrew her hand.
"You should rest," she said.
Lin Yuan merely gave a small nod.
-----
Ever since Yunxue returned home, Moa had hardly left her side.
Wherever Yunxue went—to the kitchen, the study, or even just a leisurely walk in the backyard garden—Moa would always follow right behind her.
Like a small shadow clinging to her.
Sometimes he even held tightly to the edge of Yunxue's clothes, like a child afraid of getting lost in a crowd.
"I don't want to be far from Sister Xue," he said several times in a pitiful voice.
But anyone who observed carefully would notice something.
Every time Yunxue looked away—
Moa's eyes would quickly dart toward the three men in the house.
His gaze was wary…
and slightly cunning.
Lin Yuan was the first to notice it.
He stood near the living room window, arms crossed over his chest. His blue eyes stared at the little tree with obvious irritation.
This little tree is truly a talented actor, he thought.
In front of Yunxue, Moa behaved like a weak, fragile creature full of trauma.
But Lin Yuan could clearly feel the strong spiritual energy flowing inside him.
This creature was not nearly as weak as he pretended to be.
Whenever Yunxue wasn't looking—
Moa would sometimes even glance at them with a challenging expression.
Truly cunning.
Yet the moment Yunxue turned back—
Moa's face would instantly change into an innocent and pitiful one.
Lin Yuan snorted softly.
"Damn little tree…"
---------
Time passed.
The sky gradually darkened.
The lights in the house began turning on one by one, casting a soft, warm glow throughout the rooms.
After dinner was finished, Yunxue walked toward her room to rest.
And of course—
Moa immediately followed behind her.
But before he could step inside—
a large hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
Luo Shixin.
The eagle man stood in front of the bedroom door, tall and imposing, his military aura firm and unshakable.
His hand held Moa's shoulder.
"You stop here."
His voice was calm.
But it clearly allowed no room for argument.
"You are a man."
His green eyes stared sharply at Moa.
"It is inappropriate for you to be in the same room as a woman."
Moa frowned.
His expression was full of displeasure.
"I have no interest in either men or women," Moa snapped irritably.
"I'm not even human."
His chin lifted stubbornly.
"And I'm already used to being with Sister Xue."
He tried to step inside.
But Luo Shixin's hand did not move at all.
Moa's shoulder remained firmly held.
"Not allowed."
Luo Shixin's answer was short.
Cold.
And absolute.
Xue Yunxue, who was standing near the door, watched the two of them for a moment. Her gaze moved from Luo Shixin to Moa, then back again.
She smiled faintly.
Actually… this boy was already old enough.
It was no longer appropriate for him to sleep with her like before.
"Moa," Yunxue said gently.
"I think you should start learning to sleep on your own now."
She gently patted the top of Moa's head.
"You're already big enough. Your true form can't be hidden anymore."
"I'll prepare a room for you."
Without giving Moa a chance to protest further, Yunxue took his hand and led him down the hallway.
They stopped in front of an empty room located some distance from Yunxue's bedroom.
Yunxue opened the door.
"You can sleep here starting tonight."
Moa stood at the doorway.
His face clearly showed that he was not very happy.
But he didn't argue with Yunxue.
He merely snorted softly, walked inside, climbed onto the bed, and pulled the blanket up to his chest.
Within seconds, he was already pretending to sleep.
Seeing this, Yunxue simply sighed softly before closing the door.
When Yunxue walked back toward her room—
the hallway was no longer quiet.
Lu Xiao and Luo Shixin were standing directly in front of her bedroom door.
The two of them faced each other.
The aura emanating from their bodies was so obvious that the air in the hallway felt tense.
Xue Yunxue, who had just approached, immediately felt the hairs on her neck stand up.
What are these two doing in front of my bedroom door…?
Luo Shixin stood upright with the posture of an unshakable general. His gaze was sharp like a blade.
Meanwhile, Lu Xiao leaned casually against the wall with both hands in his pockets, yet his crimson eyes gleamed coldly.
It was obvious—
neither of them intended to back down.
"Lu Xiao," Luo Shixin finally spoke, his voice low but heavy with pressure.
"You have already been with Xue Yunxue for several days."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Tonight is my turn to accompany her."
Lu Xiao smiled faintly.
But the smile did not reach his eyes.
"Xue Yunxue is still exhausted."
His hand lifted slightly.
A faint red glow began to shimmer in his palm—the distinct spiritual energy of a vampire.
"What she needs is my spiritual calming."
Luo Shixin's gaze grew colder.
"Be an honorable man."
"And step aside."
Their auras began clashing subtly.
The tension in the hallway thickened.
The small commotion soon attracted the attention of the other residents in the house.
Yun Wu's door opened.
Not long after, Lin Yuan's door also opened.
The two men stepped out and looked at the situation in front of Yunxue's room.
Lu Xiao glanced briefly at them.
Then he turned toward Yunxue, who was standing a few steps away.
"Perhaps we should ask Xue'er directly," he said casually.
"With whom will she sleep tonight?"
Four pairs of eyes immediately turned toward Yunxue.
Each gaze carried a different emotion.
Luo Shixin—firm and demanding.
Lu Xiao—calm yet sharp.
Yun Wu—silent and observant.
Lin Yuan—flat and emotionless.
Lin Yuan clicked his tongue softly.
He clearly had no interest in such competition and turned away without concern.
"Settle it yourselves."
Without waiting for an answer, he returned to his room and shut the door.
Yunxue watched his retreating back before looking again at the three men in front of her.
The situation felt… strange.
"Maybe it would be better if I sleep alone tonight," Yunxue finally said.
Those words made Yun Wu's eyes dim slightly.
He stepped forward.
"These three have already accompanied you before."
His voice was calm.
"So this time, let me accompany you instead."
The hallway immediately grew quieter.
Lu Xiao and Luo Shixin looked at Yun Wu with probing gazes.
Luo Shixin's brow furrowed slightly.
Lu Xiao narrowed his eyes.
Why was this wolf man suddenly volunteering?
Was he also becoming interested in Yunxue?
Even Yunxue herself looked somewhat surprised.
However, Yun Wu seemed to understand the meaning behind their gazes.
He let out a short breath.
"I have absolutely no interest in that sort of thing."
His voice remained cold and flat.
"I only want to protect her."
His eyes briefly darkened.
"Besides… the last incident was lesson enough."
His tone made the hallway fall silent again.
No one immediately refuted him.
Silence descended over the corridor.
Xue Yunxue sighed softly. Her chest felt slightly heavy.
A few days ago, she had been the one to create that rule—that her four beast husbands would take turns accompanying her to sleep, so that none of them would feel treated unfairly.
But seeing them truly arguing about it now…
somehow gave her a headache.
Yun Wu was different from the others.
He had never shown romantic interest in her.
So tonight would clearly only be simple rest.
"Alright then," Yunxue finally said.
She pushed open the door to her room.
Yun Wu followed behind her without saying much.
But just as the door was about to close—
Lu Xiao's hand suddenly stopped it.
"Forgive me, Xue'er," he said gently.
"But there is something I need to discuss with Yun Wu."
"Could you go to sleep first?"
Xue Yunxue nodded lightly.
She was already extremely exhausted.
"Alright."
She stepped into the room.
Luo Shixin looked at Lu Xiao with sharp eyes.
"You don't like the idea of Yun Wu accompanying Xue'er tonight?"
"Are you trying to stop him?"
Lu Xiao slowly shook his head.
His gaze met Luo Shixin's.
There was something hidden within that look.
Something that made Luo Shixin immediately understand what he meant.
Luo Shixin's expression changed slightly.
He gave a faint nod.
Without saying anything, he turned around and walked away from Yunxue's bedroom door.
Yun Wu also sensed that this conversation was serious.
He calmly closed Yunxue's door and followed the two of them.
Lu Xiao walked past Lin Yuan's bedroom.
He knocked twice.
Knock. Knock.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Lin Yuan looked at them with a neutral expression.
"What is it?"
"There's something I need to tell you," Lu Xiao replied briefly.
A few minutes later—
the four men were seated around the dining table.
The night air felt heavier than usual.
"So what exactly do you want to talk about?" Luo Shixin finally asked, his voice low and direct.
The four men sat around the dining table.
The lamp above the table cast a warm light, yet the atmosphere between them felt cold and tense.
Lu Xiao's crimson eyes gleamed with seriousness.
He no longer looked relaxed as usual.
His gaze shifted to Yun Wu.
"Yun Wu," he said quietly, "can you tell me how the three of you ended up at the rebel fortress?"
Yun Wu and Lin Yuan exchanged a glance.
A brief silence passed between them.
Yun Wu took a deep breath.
Then slowly exhaled.
He did not try to hide anything.
In a calm voice, he began recounting everything.
From the beginning.
From how he had received news about Xuxu's presence in the rebel fortress and intended to redeem her.
How he decided to infiltrate the place alone.
How Lin Yuan eventually discovered his plan and joined him.
And then how the two of them encountered Noctar.
Yun Wu's gaze darkened slightly when he reached that part.
He described their battle.
The terrifying pressure of Noctar's power.
How the man had nearly killed both of them with ease.
Then—
how Xue Yunxue suddenly appeared in the fortress.
Yun Wu's voice grew slightly heavier as he spoke of that moment.
How Yunxue fought against Noctar.
How she used her vine abilities to restrain him.
And finally—
how Yunxue used the teleportation token to send the two of them back.
The story ended when they arrived in the courtyard of the house.
Silence fell over the dining table again.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
The silence felt heavy.
Lu Xiao and Luo Shixin could barely restrain themselves from beating Yun Wu on the spot. That foolish wolf had nearly dragged Xue Yunxue into a danger beyond imagination.
In their hearts, both of them also cursed Lin Yuan—the merman who should have been strong enough to stop Yun Wu, yet had instead joined in the madness.
Yet neither of them actually acted.
The tension merely hung in the air.
Luo Shixin finally leaned back slightly in his chair. His broad shoulders looked stiff under the lamplight.
His green eyes slowly turned toward Lu Xiao.
"Do you have something to say?"
His voice was calm.
But Luo Shixin knew the vampire very well.
Lu Xiao was not the type of person who would gather them around a table like this just to repeat a story they already knew.
The room fell silent again.
The hanging lamp above the table swayed gently in the breeze coming from the slightly open window. Their shadows shifted faintly across the dark wooden floor.
All eyes were on Lu Xiao.
But the vampire remained calm.
His crimson eyes did not blink even once.
As if what he was about to say was something trivial.
Before anyone could respond—
a small voice suddenly came from the staircase.
"Sister Xue drank a strength-enhancing potion before she went to the fortress."
All heads turned at the same time.
Moa stood on the wooden staircase.
The boy slowly stepped down a few steps. Normally he always looked careless and childish—but this time his face appeared far more serious.
Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes.
He looked Moa up and down with a mocking expression.
"Isn't it already past a child's bedtime?"
His tone was lazy, but full of sarcasm.
Moa stopped at the last step.
His lips curled slightly.
A faint smile that felt somewhat… dangerous.
"I may look like a child," he said casually.
Then his eyes flashed sharply.
"But do you know my real age?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Even your ancestors might still be far younger than me."
Those words plunged the room into silence again.
Yun Wu, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke.
"What do you mean?"
Moa crossed his arms over his chest.
"I am more than five thousand years old."
This time, no one spoke at all.
The air in the room grew heavier.
Even Lin Yuan, who usually mocked everything, stopped sneering.
His blue gaze sharpened.
Lu Xiao, however, did not look surprised.
His crimson eyes continued staring at Moa without blinking.
"I don't have time for small games," he said calmly.
But the pressure in his voice was unmistakable.
"Tell me something."
He leaned forward slightly.
"That strength-enhancing potion."
"You were the one who taught Yunxue how to make it, weren't you?"
Lu Xiao's crimson gaze felt like a blade piercing directly into Moa.
Moa looked back.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Moa shrugged lightly.
"That potion does have side effects," he said.
"Usually the user will simply faint for a while after its effects wear off."
Lu Xiao did not look satisfied.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Are there no other effects?"
He spoke slowly.
"Effects that… might trigger someone's true form?"
That question made Moa pause.
He frowned.
As if recalling something long forgotten.
Then—
Clap!
He clapped his hands together.
"Oh."
His expression changed.
"Of course there is."
He turned toward Lu Xiao.
"But that only happens under certain conditions."
"What do you mean?" Luo Shixin asked.
Moa answered calmly.
"If someone who drinks that potion is placed under pressure from another force."
He raised one finger.
"A seal."
"An energy barrier."
"Or any power that tries to suppress their body."
"The potion will react to protect its user."
Lu Xiao's gaze darkened even further.
He stared deeply at Moa.
"Moa."
His voice was lower now.
"While you were inside Xue Yunxue's consciousness…"
"…did you ever see Yunxue's true form?"
That question made Yun Wu immediately frown.
"What do you mean?"
He looked at Lu Xiao.
"We all know that Xue'er is a black fox."
But Lu Xiao slowly shook his head.
The movement was slow.
Certain.
"No."
He looked at them one by one.
His crimson eyes glimmered under the lamplight.
"She is not an ordinary black fox."
Silence fell over the room like a thick fog swallowing all sound.
No one moved.
The air felt heavy.
Then Lu Xiao spoke again in a low voice—calm, yet enough to freeze the entire room.
"Xue Yunxue…"
He paused for a moment.
His red eyes reflected the dim light above them.
"…is a Nine-Tailed Fox."
The sentence fell like a massive stone into still water.
All eyes immediately turned toward Lu Xiao.
Their gazes were sharp.
Searching for doubt.
Searching for a lie.
But the vampire did not waver in the slightest.
His expression remained calm—too calm.
As if he had merely stated a simple fact.
Luo Shixin was the first to break the silence.
"Are you certain?"
His voice was low.
His green eyes locked directly onto Lu Xiao's, trying to find even the slightest trace of deception.
But there was none.
Lu Xiao answered without hesitation.
"I saw it myself."
The reply was short.
Firm.
The room fell silent again.
This time even Moa did not speak immediately.
The boy stood a few steps from the staircase, his small figure dwarfed by the four large men in the room.
Yet his expression looked far more tense than usual.
His feet shifted slightly—restless.
For the first time since they had known him, Moa looked uneasy.
He looked at Lu Xiao.
Then at the others.
When he spoke again, his voice was quieter than usual.
"If that's true…"
He swallowed.
His green eyes trembled faintly.
"If her true form is really revealed…"
He paused for a moment.
Then continued in a much more serious tone.
"Wouldn't that mean…"
"…she will become the most hunted creature in the entire Beast World?"