Are the Newcomers Enemies, or Still Enemies?

After Zhao Chen's friendly reminder, the Level 2 Spirit Beast Netherworld Wolf that had temporarily served as the wolf pack's leader finally realized that its smug evasions had become the nightmare of its own pack!

Not every Netherworld Wolf could dodge like it did.

The enormous gap in strength, coupled with Zhao Chen openly targeting the temporary alpha, left the remaining Netherworld Wolves with no time to think or react before they were shot dead.

After several rounds of shooting, more than a dozen Netherworld Wolves had been reduced to this one self-proclaimed clever temporary alpha.

If it had given the order for all the Netherworld Wolves to attack, they might not have been dealt with so easily.

And it could have run.

In a world where the strong devoured the weak, either you ran or I fled. Simple as that.

"Awoo!"

The Level 2 Spirit Beast Netherworld Wolf immediately panicked, its green wolf eyes brimming with ferocity.

It had never imagined that while it had dodged the enemy's attack, its pack would not escape disaster.

Overwhelmed by grief and fury, the Netherworld Wolf threw back its head and howled.

Then it suddenly lunged at Zhao Chen.

Its gaping maw gleamed with cold light, and a foul stench rushed at him.

"Die!"

Zhao Chen's expression did not change. His grip on the Asura Bow shifted, and a sharp blade flashed into view.

With his furious shout, a crescent blade of moonlight bloomed in the darkness.

Screech!

He could even kill a Level 3 Spirit Beast Netherworld Wolf King.

Let alone a mere Level 2 Spirit Beast!

In an instant, blood sprayed as the corpse split in two and flew through the air before crashing down.

A black-and-yellow essence soul floated out.

Zhao Chen used the Crimson Token to continuously absorb the essence souls of these Netherworld Wolves.

One Level 3 Spirit Beast Netherworld Wolf King essence soul, four Level 2 Spirit Beast Netherworld Wolf essence souls, and fifteen Level 1 Spirit Beast Netherworld Wolf essence souls.

"Congratulations, you have unlocked a Fourth-Grade Spirit Body!"

When Zhao Chen received the feedback from the Crimson Token, his face broke into a smile.

With a Fourth-Grade Spirit Body, there probably was no Spirit Beast in this forest stronger than him.

Participants who had only just been teleported into the Spiritual Road Trial were generally not placed near overly powerful Spirit Beasts.

Even the greatest geniuses needed time to grow.

The Spiritual Road Trial had lasted for centuries. It could not possibly be a joke.

"Fourth-Grade Spirit Body!?"

Wu Yingying had already stripped everything valuable from the Level 3 Spirit Beast Netherworld Wolf King.

After practicing on quite a few Spirit Beasts, she had become thoroughly familiar with the process.

Even if Zhao Chen had not said anything, she would happily deal with Spirit Beast corpses.

There was no other reason. It was the only thing that could satisfy a little of her vanity.

"More or less."

Zhao Chen stretched and yawned.

He glanced at the Spirit Beast corpses on the ground and said, "Take care of these, then get some rest. Tomorrow, we may have to leave this forest."

Wu Yingying was startled when she heard that.

"Wait, we're leaving the forest already? I still haven't found my Crimson Token!"

The reason she had followed Zhao Chen, aside from needing him to take her safely to the Guardian Land so she could find her brother, was that she still clung to a sliver of hope. She hoped to catch the Little Thief who had taken her Crimson Token and recover it.

Without a Crimson Token, increasing her strength was simply too difficult and too slow!

If she had known, she would not have bathed and played in the water in that stream.

She was going to cry herself to death!

"Your Crimson Token..."

Zhao Chen visibly perked up. After a pause, he guessed, "We made such a huge commotion here. That person has definitely already left. Your chances of finding the Crimson Token are slim."

He looked at Wu Yingying and shook his head regretfully.

That Crimson Token? She could forget about it for the rest of her life.

"..."

Wu Yingying was nearly in tears. Seeing Zhao Chen's Spirit Body improve so quickly only made her feel that it was within reach, yet forever beyond her grasp.

If she had a Crimson Token, she surely could have obtained some essence souls too.

"Alright, there are quite a few spirit herbs around here."

Zhao Chen offered a brief consolation before continuing, "Next time, if we come across a spirit herb like the Fire Fragrance Orchid, I'll give you..."

"Really!?"

Wu Yingying's eyes lit up as she asked in disbelief.

"Three petals!"

Those words nearly made Wu Yingying collapse to the ground.

She stared dumbfoundedly at Zhao Chen's back, on the verge of breaking down completely.

Three petals? Just three?

"I'm joking. We'll stick to the old rule—two petals."

Zhao Chen's words made Wu Yingying burst into tears.

Did he have to be so stingy!?

The next day.

The morning sun rose above the clouds, and a ray of sunlight fell across Zhao Chen's face.

"Let's go. It's time to take you to the Guardian Land. It'll be much safer there."

Zhao Chen told Wu Yingying the real reason they were leaving the forest.

She had spent the whole night grieving and was still asleep.

"The Guardian Land!?"

Wu Yingying immediately woke from her pleasant dream. Upon hearing that, she instantly became excited and said eagerly, "So you lied to me yesterday. We're leaving the forest to take me to the Guardian Land. Only there will it truly be safe!"

"Let's go, let's hurry~"

At the thought of soon seeing her brother and no longer having to worry about being bullied, Wu Yingying was ecstatic.

She had had enough of these nerve-racking days!

Zhao Chen's expression became somewhat strange. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But then he thought that it was rare for her to be so happy, so he decided not to shatter her pleasant dream.

Sometimes, waking up did not mean one was truly awake.

After traveling for some time, they reached the edge of the forest.

Beyond it stretched a boundless grassland, its greenery enough to make one uneasy.

"We should still be careful here."

At the sight of the grassland, Wu Yingying's excitement cooled.

Having witnessed the Netherworld Wolf pack the night before, she was somewhat afraid of such open grasslands.

Everyone knew that grasslands were where wolf packs roamed freely.

"It's fine. Look!"

Zhao Chen looked into the distance, where two figures appeared along the line where earth met sky.

"Someone's coming. Do you think we can use other people's Crimson Tokens to absorb essence souls and improve our Spirit Bodies?"

He looked at Wu Yingying and seriously considered the question.

In theory, Crimson Tokens could absorb essence souls without being limited by whose essence souls they were.

Then the essence soul energy within them should also be usable to improve one's own Spirit Body.

"Maybe... probably not?"

Wu Yingying blinked and thought seriously. Then she suggested, "Perhaps we can try it. Let me absorb your Crimson Token and we'll find out."

Zhao Chen smiled and walked straight ahead.

He had only raised the question. As for how to verify it, that was her problem.

If she wanted his Crimson Token, it was simple—she just had to kill him.

Unfortunately, that was rather regrettable. She might as well look for her own Crimson Token instead.

Of course, there was also a way to settle it all in one step.

"Brothers, hello there!"

The moment the two figures spotted Zhao Chen and Wu Yingying, they accelerated and charged straight toward them.

They looked like lifelong bachelors who had finally caught sight of a naked goddess.