Qian Ren Shang, Starving, and Qian Xun Ji, Severely Wounded.

The Famished Qian Ren Shang, the Seriously Injured Qian Xun Ji

At the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest!

Qian Ren Shang trudged forward with unsteady steps. His tiny body swayed from side to side, as though he might collapse at any moment.

His little face was filthy, and his eyes were filled with exhaustion and hunger.

"I'm so hungry... Where is there anything to eat?"

Qian Ren Shang truly felt as if he were about to faint from hunger when suddenly... his eyes lit up.

Not far ahead of him, a beautiful fruit tree had appeared.

Its branches were thick with leaves, laden with plump, juicy fruits.

The fruits were brilliantly colored—red like rubies and green like jade. Under the sunlight, they gleamed with an irresistible luster.

The instant Qian Ren Shang saw the fruit tree, his eyes brightened, and a spark of hope ignited in his previously dim gaze.

He used every bit of strength he had to quicken his pace toward the tree, muttering, "Food... There's finally food..."

Qian Ren Shang wolfed down the fruits. Their sweet juice temporarily made him forget his hunger and exhaustion. More than that, he felt that these did not seem to be ordinary fruits... Their life force seemed quite powerful.

After eating only a few, he no longer felt quite so hungry.

However, just then, he suddenly felt a chilly presence behind him. An inexplicable fear surged through his heart as he slowly turned around.

The moment he did, his heart seemed to stop beating. A massive snake head had appeared before him, so huge that it nearly filled his entire field of vision.

Its forked tongue flicked in and out with a hissing sound, while its cold eyes stared fixedly at him.

Qian Ren Shang: "???"

"Holy shit!"

Qian Ren Shang's eyes widened in terror. The fruit in his hand fell to the ground, and extreme fear left his body unable to move.

He had never imagined that this delicious-looking fruit tree apparently belonged to this giant snake.

"Haha... Hello there. Sorry, I didn't know these fruits were yours. I'll give the remaining ones back to you, okay?"

Qian Ren Shang said with an awkward smile. He then placed the extra fruits on the ground and slowly began backing away.

The Purple Pattern Python stared at Qian Ren Shang. The next moment... it suddenly launched an attack.

It had guarded these Spirit Fruits for so long. Its chance to break through and become a thousand-year Spirit Beast depended on this fruit tree—depended on these fruits!

Yet this damned human had actually eaten them. He deserved to die!

"This speed... this strength... It seems to be a hundred-year Spirit Beast. Things are a little troublesome now."

Qian Ren Shang muttered bitterly. Why was he so unlucky? He had merely eaten some fruit, yet it turned out to belong to someone.

But he was only three years old and had not even awakened his martial soul yet. Qian Ren Shang felt that he was probably no match for this Spirit Beast.

So Qian Ren Shang chose to run. But how could his speed possibly compare to that of a Purple Pattern Python? He was caught up to in an instant.

It then opened its blood-filled maw at him. Qian Ren Shang instinctively raised his arm to block.

He had thought he was definitely finished, but the next moment...

Clang!

The sharp snake fangs seemed to have bitten into metal instead. The Purple Pattern Python felt pain shoot through its entire jaw.

Purple Pattern Python: "???"

Was this child a monster? How could his skin be so hard?

Qian Ren Shang was also stunned for a moment before quickly realizing what had happened. It was probably the Golden Dragon King bloodline rewarded by the System that had changed his body, making even his skin much tougher.

"Hehe..."

The corners of Qian Ren Shang's lips curled up as he looked at the Purple Pattern Python before him, and his expression gradually turned somewhat dangerous.

A few minutes later!

Qian Ren Shang sat atop the Purple Pattern Python, whose head was covered in swollen bumps. Its expression was utterly miserable.

I'm done for!

It could not beat this human—it was going to die!

But Qian Ren Shang merely patted its head and showed no intention of killing it.

"I was in the wrong for eating your fruits first... But I don't have anything to compensate you with right now. I'm really too poor."

"But if fate brings us together again, I'll compensate you."

As Qian Ren Shang said this, his little face was still filthy, but his eyes were full of sincerity. He had no fondness for killing, and this Spirit Beast had not provoked him first.

Purple Pattern Python: "???"

It flicked its tongue and looked at Qian Ren Shang in confusion. Though its intelligence was not high enough to fully understand what Qian Ren Shang meant, it could sense the goodwill emanating from him.

So... it slithered over to the fruit tree, scooped up the few fruits on the ground with its body, and offered them to Qian Ren Shang.

"For me?... Thanks a lot, snake brother."

Qian Ren Shang scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed, but he really was too hungry right now, so he shamelessly accepted it.

After bidding the Purple Pattern Python farewell, he headed straight for the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.

On the road!

Qian Ren Shang touched his chest, a hint of curiosity on his face.

"Why do I keep feeling like some kind of power is drawing me in... What a strange feeling."

"Forget it... I won't think about it. I'll just take things one step at a time."

As if he had thought of something, Qian Ren Shang's gaze dimmed further. Having left Spirit City... he was truly at a loss.

He did not know where he should go. Going back was impossible, but staying in the Star Dou Great Forest forever was not a solution either.

Qian Ren Shang even felt that there was no point in living. After all, no one really cared about him.

Mom, Sister?

Those distant forms of address nearly tore Qian Ren Shang's heart apart. If he had not promised his mother from his previous life that he would cherish his own life, he would have been unable to hold on long ago.

"Mom... you told me to keep smiling, but why does smiling feel harder and harder now..."

Qian Ren Shang gave a bitter smile, then continued forward with a blank expression.

As he walked, Qian Ren Shang subconsciously thought that after he had left, Mom and Sister were probably living happily.

After all, that extra, eyesore of a person had left.

Late at night! Spirit Hall!

Tonight, Spirit Hall was destined to be far from peaceful. The news that Spirit Hall's current Pope had returned severely injured could no longer be suppressed, leaving the entire Spirit Hall unsettled.

After all, the Spirit Hall Pope was the very soul of Spirit Hall. His existence was simply too important.

The Pope's private bedchamber!

"Cough, cough... Cough, cough!"

In the dim room, a grievously wounded handsome man lay on a large bed.

His golden hair lay scattered messily over the pillow, like shattered sunlight strewn across it.

Though his green eyes had dimmed somewhat from the pain, his high nose bridge and tightly pressed thin lips still outlined his extraordinary features, even in such a weakened state.

His face was pale as paper, yet it did nothing to diminish his innate noble bearing. Every labored breath came with a slight tremble, but an unyielding resolve still shone between his brows.

The wounds across his body were shocking to behold, blood seeping through the pristine white bandages. Yet his posture remained straight, as if even at death's threshold, he would not allow his dignity to be diminished in the slightest.

He lay there quietly, weak yet composed. His exceptional bearing seemed to speak of the glory and pride he had once possessed.

The man was none other than the severely wounded Qian Xun Ji!

The author highly recommends this book—it's absolutely explosive: seven Calabash Brothers save their mother!