"Everyone at the back, keep up!"
"I'm telling you now, unless we run into a powerful soul beast, Lao Bai Niao and I won't lift a finger."
"This is your trial!"
"From here on out, you assign tasks by yourselves."
Niu Gao spread his hands wide and leaned his bulky frame against a tree, looking completely unfazed.
After the four single-attribute clans had gathered together, it naturally fell on him to lead the Min Clan here into this unfamiliar soul beast forest.
As for why…
It was simple.
It was training.
He wanted these juniors to grow up fast, so when real danger came, their Sects wouldn't end up in chaos because the younger generation lacked strength.
Originally, he planned for all four Sects to come together, so the younger disciples could learn and exchange experiences as soul masters.
But as it turned out, those two old fellows Titan and Yang Wudi were suddenly unavailable.
What a pain!
So now it was just the Imperial Clan and the Min Clan who had shown up.
"Old Shiratori, come and sit. Take a rest. It's good to let the youngsters run themselves ragged a bit." Niu Gao looked utterly relaxed, even a little smug.
Bai He shot him a look and snapped, "Old Rhino, is this really the spot you picked? You call this a forest? Not even a bird would shit in this place. There's not a single soul beast to be seen!"
Niu Gao chuckled and spread his arms. "Old White Bird, you don't get it. It's precisely because there aren't strong soul beasts that I chose here. These kids are still low-leveled. If we dragged them into the Star Dou Great Forest and a powerful beast happened to show up—tell me, how would we protect all these dozens of little ones? You think we can hold the line forever? Better to let them get their feet wet here with no risk before stepping into someplace dangerous."
Bai He mulled it over, then reluctantly sat down. "Fine. This time, what you're saying makes sense."
"Come on, Xiangxiang. Here, eat something."
Niu Ben walked over briskly, distributing food to everyone in turn.
"Thank you, Uncle Niu Ben." Bai Chenxiang accepted the portion absently, her expression distant. She wasn't in the mood to eat.
Her heart was knotted up, weighed down ever since the Martial Soul Palace Battle. She hadn't heard a single word from Lu Yuan since that day. She had begged her grandfather to inquire, but no news came at all.
"...Sigh…"
Bai Chenxiang exhaled softly, lowering her eyes.
Was Lu Yuan okay now? Was he in some kind of danger? Had that terrifying black energy consuming his body finally disappeared?
Did Senior Dugu Bo deliver the medicine she had prepared for him?
Her head was full of questions—but every answer eluded her.
"Old White Bird, what's wrong with Xiangxiang? She looks like she hasn't been herself lately." Niu Gao asked, his brows furrowing with genuine concern.
"What else could it be?" Bai He let out a breath. "Lu Yuan."
He had lost count of how many times he'd tried to ease his granddaughter's heart, telling her over and over that Lu Yuan was fine. After all, if Martial Soul Hall had captured him, there would have been an official announcement. That was their way.
But no matter what he said, it was useless. The girl still worried day and night, unable to let it go.
"I heard…" Niu Gao lowered his voice a bit, "I heard that Lu Yuan might be an evil soul master. Old Bai, you remember, right? When Lu Yuan came—"
"He is NOT an evil soul master!" Bai Chenxiang's delicate apricot eyes widened in outrage. She leapt to her feet, cutting him off instantly, her voice ringing with certainty. "Sect Leader Ning of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School already overturned that fraudulent nonsense Yu Xiaogang cooked up. The entire continent knows the truth! Everyone knows Lu Yuan is NOT an evil soul master!"
Her chest heaved with anger as she stomped off, sitting to the side with fury written across her little face.
Those despicable rumors started with Martial Soul Hall branding Lu Yuan falsely. And now… this was the result.
She hated Martial Soul Hall!
She hated that shameless Yu Xiaogang even more!
"…Why's the kid still getting so riled up?" Niu Gao was left rubbing his bald head in confusion.
"Forget it. Let the girl cool down," Bai He muttered, knowing words were useless right now. The more they pressed, the worse it would get.
"Old White Bird, if he really were an evil soul master…" Niu Gao gave a cold snort. "I'd still applaud him. You know why? Because anyone who doesn't get along with Tang Hao has my full support!"
In truth, Niu Gao's resentment toward Tang Hao and the Clear Sky Clan ran deep. He was nothing like Titan, who admired Tang Hao with glowing eyes.
For him, seeing Tang Hao beaten bloody would only make him clap harder. So what if Lu Yuan had turned evil? As long as he opposed Tang Hao and that smug Clear Sky Sect, that alone made him worthy of support.
"Old Rhino…" Bai He frowned. "I understand why you think like that. After all, Tang Hao did bring disaster on all of us back then…"
"Alright, enough. Old White Bird." Niu Gao waved the matter away, his mood souring. "Don't talk about the past anymore. What we really need to worry about is Xiangxiang. If this keeps up, she won't eat or drink. How can a young girl survive like this?"
Bai He looked helpless. "And what do you want me to do? This is emotional. It's a sickness of the heart. Unless that brat Lu Yuan shows up in front of her himself, there's no way to cure it."
And honestly, it was true. The Martial Soul Hall had branded him, the continent whispered about him. Whether he lived or not, no one knew.
How could Lu Yuan possibly reveal himself at a time like this?
Unless…
"Everyone, freeze! Hands on your head! Don't move!"
A commanding voice tore through the air like thunder.
In the next instant, a figure stepped out from the depths of the forest. His footsteps were steady, his gaze firm.
Lu Yuan.
He had just left King Lan Yin and encountered a soul beast colony when Er Ming suddenly detected a human group deep in the forest. At first, he wanted to avoid them—but Er Ming insisted they must be intruders coming to slaughter beasts. So here they were.
Nobody expected it, least of all Bai Chenxiang.
"Big Brother Lu Yuan… is it really you?" Her body froze, tears instantly welling in her eyes. It was like a dream she didn't dare wake up from.
"Big Brother Lu Yuan!" The words tore from her lips as she leapt like a swallow, throwing herself into his arms, clinging tightly to his neck as if to never let go.
Bai He's jaw dropped.
Lu Yuan actually appeared.
He had been hiding in the forest all this time—clever, very clever.
Just as Bai He was about to approach, the sound of something massive moving made the earth tremble.
A shadow loomed.
A huge, black, awe-inspiring creature pulled back a tree trunk like it was grass and stepped through.
"Gulp—" Every throat in the group swallowed hard.
It was colossal.
"The… Titan Giant Ape!"
Niu Gao's eyes bulged as the realization crashed onto him. His legs went numb.
Impossible!
The Titan Giant Ape was the undisputed king of the Star Dou Great Forest, the most terrifying overlord among soul beasts. Yet here it was, standing in this supposedly safe forest.
It made no sense.
He had scouted this area dozens of times. There hadn't been a single soul beast stronger than a thousand years, so how—how could the Titan Great Ape show up?!
This wasn't just bad luck—it was a catastrophe waiting to wipe them out.
"Dammit, Old White Bird, this is all your fault!" Niu Gao's voice shook with fury and despair.
But in the next breath, he hardened his tone and barked, "I'll hold it back. Old White Bird, can you take the kids with Niu Ben and run? You're the fastest here. You're the only one with a chance to get them out!"
"No, Dad! I won't leave you behind!" Niu Ben's face paled, panic in his eyes, but his voice carried determination.
"You unfilial brat, shut your mouth!" Niu Gao roared. "You have to go back and inherit the clan. Carry our Imperial Clan to greater heights! And if, one day, you can plant your foot on the Clear Sky School's head, light a stick of incense for me then!"
Tears welled in Niu Ben's eyes.
But Bai He clenched his fists helplessly. "Old Rhino, do you even think that's possible standing before the forest king? We'll all be crushed to dust."
Despite their bravado, both patriarchs knew they were doomed.
So young, Bai He thought bitterly, glancing at his granddaughter. She hadn't even married yet. Fate was truly cruel.
The two patriarchs managed to look calm, but most of the younger generation were on the verge of collapsing. Many were trembling uncontrollably, struggling not to wet themselves.
"Lu… Brother Lu Yuan…" Bai Chenxiang finally turned wide eyes to the looming giant behind him. Her voice cracked as she stammered.
For the first time in her life, she faced a soul beast of such overwhelming power. Her delicate hands shook as she clutched Lu Yuan's robe.
If she weren't clinging to him right now, her knees would already have buckled.
--
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