Upon hearing the beast's roar, Ye Tian subconsciously sensed danger. He immediately became fully alert, scanning his surroundings for any movement.
The mountain wind at night blew with exceptional force. In the hazy darkness, the weeds and leaves swaying in the wind looked like the silhouettes of beasts constantly drawing near.
After waiting for a long while with no sign of movement, Ye Tian thought sullenly, 'Looks like I'm just scaring myself. Although I can hear beasts roaring, it doesn't mean they'll appear here. I should just focus on getting through the night safely!'
Ye Tian stopped paying attention to the so-called beast roars. Of course, among those roars were not only wild animals but also Demon Beasts; he was just unaware of the latter. Had he known, he would have undoubtedly started running for his life again.
Time slowly passed, and the bright moonlight spilled down from the sky, faintly illuminating his surroundings. Sensing no trace of any beasts, Ye Tian finally relaxed completely.
Being chased by Ye Feifei all day had unwittingly helped him achieve the Perfect Realm in the First Form of his Flowing Cloud Step.
When he executed the Flowing Cloud Step, he felt as light as a feather. However, the drain on his body's Dragon Spiritual Power was quite significant. After all, he understood the principle of give and take.
At this moment, Ye Tian didn't dare to practice any further. It would be troublesome if he made a commotion and truly attracted a beast.
If he had a Fine Steel Sword in hand, he might not be afraid, but being bare-handed was another story.
After steadying his mind, Ye Tian began to practice the Second Form of the Flowing Cloud Step in his head. With the experience he'd gained from the First Form, he quickly entered the zone, unknowingly sinking into a state of obsessive mental rehearsal.
The mountain wind continued to blow, but Ye Tian was completely oblivious. He had even forgotten the roars of the beasts from earlier, his entire being engrossed in the mental practice.
Meanwhile, Ye Feifei returned to the estate in a foul mood. She was incredibly frustrated that her pristine body had been seen by some shameless little thief.
'That little thief may have entered a dangerous area, but what if he manages to escape? What if he tells other people that he saw my body?'
She was so worried about this that she didn't sleep a wink all night.
As her thoughts raced, Ye Feifei suddenly sat up in bed. 'Why did that silhouette feel so much like Ye Tian's? Could he have gone to the back mountain specifically for his Cultivation? Was he trying to hide the fact that he'd obtained the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique?'
The more Ye Feifei thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Her face suddenly flushed hot, and an indescribable feeling welled up in her heart.
"No, I have to go and ask him," Ye Feifei muttered to herself. "If it was him, he owes me an explanation. If not, then I must find out who that person was."
She immediately got dressed, left her room, and started walking toward Ye Tian's residence, but she stopped halfway.
'For a young mistress like myself to go looking for an Outer Disciple in the dead of night is completely improper. Even though we are both Martial Artists, we still need to avoid gossip. Besides, his status is so low; it would be difficult to explain if anyone found out.'
For a moment, Ye Feifei was conflicted. 'Right! I'll have Ye Hu go and see if Ye Tian is in his room.'
Ye Hu and Ye Feifei were both Core Disciples of the Inner Sect and lived in the same area. Their strengths were comparable, so visiting him late at night wouldn't stir up much gossip.
"Ye Hu! Get out here! I need your help with something!" Ye Feifei shouted outside Ye Hu's door.
Ye Hu, who was fast asleep, was jolted awake by Ye Feifei's shouting. He was about to fly into a rage when he realized it was that she-dragon, Ye Feifei, and could only swallow his anger.
"Young Mistress, it's the middle of the night! Are you trying to keep people from sleeping? What do you want from me?" Ye Hu complained. When it came to Ye Feifei, he was utterly helpless.
"Enough with the nonsense. Just get out here and we'll talk!" Ye Feifei was clearly getting impatient.
If Ye Tian were here right now, he would be shocked. How could the gentle and refined Ye Feifei he knew have turned into a completely different person?
Ye Hu hurriedly dressed and came out of his room. Before he could even ask, he heard Ye Feifei say, "Go and see if Ye Tian is in his room. If he is, bring him to the Martial Arts Training Ground. I have some questions for him."
Ye Hu stared at Ye Feifei with a look of utter confusion. He didn't understand when Ye Tian had gotten to know her. Seeing how anxious she seemed, he wondered, 'Could there be something going on between them?'
But the thought vanished as quickly as it came. 'Who is Ye Tian? The most worthless piece of trash in the family. No matter how bad Ye Feifei's taste is, there's no way she'd ever be involved with him.'
"Alright, I'll go right away! Does the Young Mistress want me to drag him here, or should I beat him to a pulp first?" Ye Hu asked.
"Why are you so full of it? I want him here in one piece," Ye Feifei said before turning and heading directly for the Martial Arts Training Ground.
Ye Hu, however, was so furious he wanted to pounce on her and teach her a lesson right then and there, to let her know that Master Hu was not to be trifled with.
After Ye Feifei had waited at the Martial Arts Training Ground for a while, Ye Hu arrived. He was alone, which puzzled her.
"Where's Ye Tian?" Ye Feifei asked.
"He's not in his room. Looks like he didn't come back tonight. Maybe the kid got himself killed somewhere!" Ye Hu said with a laugh.
"Shut up! There's nothing for you here. Go back!" Ye Feifei snapped, exasperated.
Ye Hu had wanted to say more, but seeing the look on Ye Feifei's face, he could only hold his tongue.
After Ye Hu left, Ye Feifei's heart grew even more unsettled. She was now almost certain that the fleeing thief was Ye Tian.
'Perhaps Ye Tian had accidentally stumbled upon the pool and seen me bathing. He ran away because he was afraid I'd misunderstand.'
'If I had known it was him, I wouldn't have chased him. Now he's in a perilous situation, and I don't even know if he's dead or alive.'
All at once, Ye Feifei began to worry about Ye Tian's safety. 'No, I have to go check on him!'
With that, Ye Feifei returned to her room, grabbed her Sword, and quietly slipped out of the estate, speeding toward the back mountain…
Meanwhile, Ye Tian was still immersed in his focused practice. He had more or less perfected the mental rehearsal of the Second Form of the Flowing Cloud Step and was just waiting for daybreak to leave and try it for real.
Suddenly, a massive roar jolted Ye Tian from his Meditation. He reacted instantly, snapping his eyes open and looking toward the source of the sound.
He was fine before he looked, but the sight nearly scared him out of his wits.
A few dozen meters in front of him, a three-meter-tall, wolf-like monster the size of a water buffalo was staring right at him.
Its two enormous eyes, which shot out an eerie blue light, were especially terrifying.
'Is that a wolf? It can't be! How could it be so massive?' Ye Tian screamed inwardly.
Just then, he seemed to realize something, and his heart clenched with tension. 'Oh no... It's a Demon Beast!'
Only a fool wouldn't run in a situation like this. Ye Tian forced himself to calm down and began scanning for an escape route…
(Signed a contract today, which caused a long delay. Please understand.)