Leap of Faith

"Damn it, it just won't stop chasing us." Xiao Hong Chen turned to look and found the Ten-Thousand-Year Azure Fire Wolf still biting at their heels, its fangs snapping forward.

"Where's your poison?!"

Yu Ling Lin's little face was taut as she shouted urgently at Xue Xiaoran.

"You think it'll work just because I use it? My Soul Power Level can at most affect Soul Beasts that have just entered the thousand-year range. Why don't you ask me to poison a Titled Douluo while you're at it?"

Xue Xiaoran cursed. What the hell was going through this little girl's head?

Although the Paralysis Poison had entered the Ten-Thousand-Year Azure Fire Wolf's body, it was still a ten-thousand-year beast.

With Xue Xiaoran's current beginner-level cultivation, it was hopeless.

The five of them cursed inwardly as they fled through the forest.

"We can't let it enter our territory!"

Running at the front, Xue Xiaoran shouted, then said from the side of his mouth, "I'll lure it away."

Xiao Hong Chen nodded and exchanged a glance with Meng Hong Chen. He knew this was not the time to argue. He trusted Xue Xiaoran. He trusted the number one among the newcomers.

"No!"

Yan Yuyan objected with a tight expression. Was he going to let Xue Xiaoran lure it away alone and send him to his death?

"You'll only get in the way if you go." Xue Xiaoran's face remained calm. At a time like this, she was still throwing a young miss's tantrum at him.

"Go!"

Xue Xiaoran shouted, and a longsword appeared in his hand. Without a second thought, he casually hurled it out.

Xiao Hong Chen grabbed the reluctant Meng Hong Chen, gritted his teeth, and darted into the trees to one side with Yan Yuyan and Yu Ling Lin.

If Xue Xiaoran could not hold on, a teacher would come rescue him.

Xiao Hong Chen explained it to himself that way as he led the four toward the base at full speed.

The flying sword plunged into the ground before the Ten-Thousand-Year Azure Fire Wolf, making it pause slightly.

"Why must you pursue us to the bitter end?"

Xue Xiaoran stood atop a tree, looking down at the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. No emotion showed in his Jade Eyes.

Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts had developed a measure of intelligence. That was the greatest difference between them and Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, which acted purely on instinct.

He knew it could understand him.

"We had no intention of killing you," Xue Xiaoran explained seriously. "That snake was only hunted for a soul ring. We had no intention of continuing the hunt."

He cupped his hands in salute.

A trace of mockery appeared in the wolf's eyes as it looked at Xue Xiaoran. This brat wanted to negotiate terms with it?

He was not even qualified to speak with it.

The Azure Fire Wolf bared its teeth slightly, and Xue Xiaoran's expression immediately turned cold.

"So that's how it is. Your Excellency has no intention of ending this peacefully?"

Xue Xiaoran sneered, then stamped with Shadowless Kick and swiftly vanished into the forest.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Azure Fire Wolf howled toward the heavens, then leaped high into the air and charged after Xue Xiaoran.

"Tch, you're really clingy."

Xue Xiaoran clicked his tongue irritably, dodging the branches and stones flying at him from behind.

He was now heading farther and farther from the main camp, racing toward the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The wolf's roars, the crashing of falling trees, and the enormous booms echoed throughout the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Azure Fire Wolf was furious too. No matter what it did, its claws always came within a hair's breadth of the human, yet could never reach him.

Unable to contain its anger, it let out a thunderous roar.

Xue Xiaoran snorted. Did it think it could see through the combination of Shadowless Kick and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track?

At the same time, he was drawing attention. If a teacher happened to be nearby and could save him, that would be ideal. If not, he could lure it into a pond and wait underwater for the Azure Fire Wolf to leave on its own.

"The poison doesn't work. Damn it." Xue Xiaoran sighed. No matter how he controlled the Cold Poison and Hundred Flowers Poison, his cultivation was still far too weak to affect a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Though the poisons could injure the Azure Fire Wolf, they posed no hindrance whatsoever to its overall movements.

While considering his next move, Xue Xiaoran raced toward a source of water.

He absolutely could not use the power of Extreme Ice or Tang Sect hidden weapons.

Xue Xiaoran gritted his teeth and swiftly leaped over a half-rotted ancient tree. With a crack, the branch beneath him snapped.

The Azure Fire Wolf revealed a savage grin and swiftly swiped a claw at Xue Xiaoran in midair.

Xue Xiaoran twisted his body in the air, and another sword appeared in his hand. The blade collided head-on with the claw.

Pfft!

Xue Xiaoran felt as though he had been struck by lightning and was instantly sent flying. Though he still held the sword, the web between his thumb and forefinger was injured and numb.

He slammed into a tree, feeling as though a giant palm had fiercely smashed his back into the ground.

Borrowing the force of the impact, he spun around and leaped toward another tree behind him.

The pond was already within sight.

From far away, he could hear the sound of a waterfall. Knowing there might be a drop ahead, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he dragged his aching body onward without slowing.

Swish.

Swish.

His clothes were torn by claws, and thorns scraped his body bloody, yet not a trace of negative emotion showed on his face.

Hearing the waterfall ahead, the Azure Fire Wolf's eyes revealed a hint of unease and alarm, as though something terrifying lay before it.

Xue Xiaoran spotted the water source and hurried onto a huge rock rising from the water. Turning back, he looked behind him.

He saw the Azure Fire Wolf concealed in the forest, unwillingness and wariness flashing through its wolf eyes.

"Goodbye."

Xue Xiaoran smiled faintly, then leaped backward.

Leap of Faith!

Not quite.

The last thing Xue Xiaoran saw was the Azure Fire Wolf's departing back. Then he felt his body plummeting downward at high speed.

Even if there was water below, falling onto it from this height would probably break his bones.

Sword qi erupted from Xue Xiaoran's hand as he slashed out more than ten sword lights ahead.

The water was cleaved high into the air, successfully making contact with his body before swallowing him whole.

"What a terrible start." Xue Xiaoran placed his soaked, badly damaged school uniform beside the campfire to dry, then changed into a new set of white casual clothes.

There was no helping it. He only had one spare school uniform.

His back was injured. He had not felt much during the battle just now, but once he sat down, excruciating pain spread through his back. His spine had taken a heavy blow, but fortunately, it had not broken.

Otherwise, Xue Xiaoran would have been crippled.

He took out some rations from his ring, scattered a little Soul Beast-repelling powder around the area, and began gazing at the setting sun.

The sound of the waterfall, the rustling of the woods, and the wind brushing past his ears made Xue Xiaoran smile in relaxation.

Sure enough, Douluo Continent was a captivating place.

Even the night scenery of the Star Dou Great Forest was this enchanting.

Xue Xiaoran picked up the rations and began wolfing them down, while hoping he would not jinx himself and have another Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast suddenly come charging out from somewhere.

In the forest not far from Xue Xiaoran, three eyes watched him with curiosity and calmness.

The three eyes formed a triangle. The two normal eyes glimmered gold, while the vertical pupil radiated an eerie red.