Jade Fox Traces and a Narrow Encounter

Meng Li dropped to one knee, holding the jade box containing the Purple Cloud Saliva in both hands and raising it high above his head.

The wound on his arm, corroded by poisonous decay, was deep enough to expose bone.

Yet he seemed unable to feel any pain.

His face held only the relief of surviving a disaster and an almost fanatical devotion.

"My lord! We are unworthy of such an item! Please, you must accept it!"

The squad members behind him also fell to their knees in unison, their heads lowered deeply.

What a joke.

After witnessing those godlike methods just now, who would still dare take that herb?

They would have to be tired of living, sleeping with one eye open at night.

Han Yuchen glanced at the jade box.

Heh, these old hands were quick to catch on.

They were trading a herb that was useless to him for peace of mind and a safeguard for the future.

Not a bad deal.

"We agreed it would be yours."

He did not take it, his voice as calm as ever.

"This is what you earned. I never take advantage of my own people."

His own people?

Those three words were like a warm current that instantly struck the hearts of Meng Li and the others.

They abruptly looked up at the figure whose face remained hidden beneath the conical hat, their eyes instantly filled with the fervor of men willing to die for one who understood them.

"My lord!"

Meng Li wanted to say more, but Han Yuchen cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Take it, treat your wounds, then follow me."

"Don't waste my time."

With that, he ignored the people behind him. Rather than going down to search for treasure, he turned and became the first to leave the cave.

There was nothing inside the cave. Who knew what that giant lizard had been thinking.

After tending to their wounds, the Mengli Squad followed immediately without hesitation, unconcerned with whether there was any treasure in the cave.

Well, that was what strength meant.

They continued deeper into the forest.

After passing through the polluted area, the scenery ahead suddenly opened up.

The stench of decay vanished.

In its place stood a tranquil bamboo grove.

Moonlight poured through gaps in the bamboo leaves like water, laying a layer of scattered silver across the ground.

Yet the Ghost Fire aura that muddled the mind was even denser in the air.

Countless ghostly blue motes danced through the bamboo grove like silent fireflies, dreamlike and illusory.

They were so beautiful that they made one's heart tremble.

"Stop."

Meng Li suddenly lowered his voice and made a stopping gesture.

He quickly walked to an open patch of ground, crouched down, and his gaze instantly sharpened.

Several exceptionally elegant paw prints marked the ground, with a few strands of Silver White fox fur scattered beside them.

"It's the Jade Eyed Fox!"

Meng Li could not conceal his excitement, and even his voice trembled.

"It's nearby! Judging by the tracks, it left not long ago!"

However, Han Yuchen walked in the other direction.

He crouched down as well and pinched up a bit of damp soil.

The footprints there were deeper and more chaotic.

A faint smell of gunpowder mixed with metallic rust drifted into his nose.

Heh, they really were impossible to shake off.

"They're here too."

Meng Li and the others froze. Following his gaze, they finally noticed the footprints that did not belong to Soul Beasts.

Their expressions immediately darkened.

People from the Gao Family!

"My lord, what do we do?"

Meng Li tightened his grip around the battle axe in his hand, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

Now, he had blind faith in Han Yuchen.

Forget one Gao Family—even if the heavens themselves came down, he would dare charge forward and fight if Han Yuchen gave the order.

What to do?

Of course, watch the show.

Han Yuchen did not answer.

He slowly closed his eyes.

Buzz—

An enormous map of water vapor instantly unfolded in his mind.

This time, the map was more precise and covered a wider range.

Deep within the bamboo grove.

A valley enveloped in dense blue light clearly appeared within his "vision."

At the center of the valley, a Thousand-Year Jade Eyed Fox with a graceful form and fur as pristine as moonlight paced back and forth anxiously.

Its Emerald Green eyes were filled with vigilance.

Behind it was a faintly glowing cave entrance. It was clearly guarding something.

And in the shadows around the valley.

More than a dozen powerful Soul Power auras stood exposed in his perception like torches in the night, making no attempt to conceal themselves.

These people had already laid a net from which nothing could escape.

Their leader was a middle-aged man around forty years old. His aura was steady, and his Soul Power fluctuations were around level forty-five.

A Soul Ancestor.

That brat Gao Feng stood beside him, his arm still wrapped in thick bandages. His venomous eyes stared at the valley like a poisonous snake preparing to strike.

Several specially made metal cases sat beside them.

One case contained a large metal net flickering with Soul Power.

Another contained several black incense sticks.

Soul Binding Net.

Illusion Breaking Incense.

They had come well prepared.

Han Yuchen slowly opened his eyes. Beneath his conical hat, the corner of his mouth curled into a cold arc.

He gave orders to the tense Meng Li.

"You all will create the impression that we're setting up camp here."

"Build up the bonfire and make plenty of noise."

"Then hide yourselves and wait for my signal."

"Remember, don't let anyone find you."

Though Meng Li did not understand, he immediately bowed and accepted the order without hesitation.

"Yes, my lord!"

They now regarded every command Han Yuchen gave as a divine decree and would not question him in the slightest.

As the Mengli Squad began noisily setting up the deception.

Han Yuchen's figure became like a drop of water melting into the night.

Using the water vapor as cover, he made not the slightest sound as he silently slipped near the battlefield in the valley.

He found a huge boulder at the highest point of the terrain and lay prone upon it like a crouching leopard.

This was the VIP viewing spot with the best view.

The show was about to begin.

Below, in the valley.

That Soul Ancestor named Gao Yan was clearly an experienced veteran.

After observing the sky and assessing the Jade Eyed Fox's condition, he made a cold gesture.

Attack!

At his command.

Several Gao Family Soul Elders lying in ambush around the area sprang into action at once!

"Second Soul Skill, Rockfall Pierces the Sky!"

"Third Soul Skill, Dancing Fire Serpents!"

Soul Skills in every color burst forth like fireworks thrown around without care, carrying shrill howls as they rained down upon the Jade Eyed Fox from all directions!

That wave of concentrated fire was enough to instantly blast an ordinary Thousand-Year Soul Beast into pulp!

Screech—!

The Jade Eyed Fox let out a piercing cry.

Two eerie beams of light abruptly shot from its Emerald Green eyes.

The next moment.

Its figure instantly blurred and split into five. Five identical phantom clones shot in different directions.

Meanwhile, its true body transformed into a silver bolt of lightning, darting through the bamboo grove at high speed and narrowly evading every attack.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Soul Skills struck the ground, blasting out crater after crater as dirt and stones flew and bamboo splinters filled the air.

This beast had been nourished by the aura of the Soul Fragment for so long that both its intelligence and speed far surpassed those of its peers.

There was no surprise on Gao Yan's face.

He snorted coldly and issued another order.

"Light the incense!"

One of his subordinates immediately took the black incense sticks from the case and lit them with Soul Power.

A peculiar fragrance with a hint of cloying sweetness quickly spread through the valley.

Illusion Breaking Incense!

The phantom clones created by the Jade Eyed Fox vanished instantly like soap bubbles punctured by a needle upon smelling the fragrance.

Its illusion had been broken!

Screech!

The Jade Eyed Fox gave an angry cry and fell into a desperate struggle.

Bloody gashes began appearing across its beautiful Silver White fur.

Gao Feng watched from the side, dancing with delight as he shouted triumphantly.

"Haha! Beast, where else can you run now?"

"Catch it! Don't kill it! I'm going to skin it myself and make the most magnificent fur scarf for my cousin!"

So noisy.

From atop the boulder, Han Yuchen watched the scene expressionlessly.

Fight.

Fight even harder.

Better yet, exhaust all your Soul Power.

Once both sides are badly wounded, it will be time for me to clean up.

As the Jade Eyed Fox's room to move grew smaller and smaller, it was about to be driven into a dead end.

A sharp gleam flashed in Gao Yan's eyes as he roared.

"Now!"

"Release the net!"

Whoosh—!

An enormous net woven from special metal wires and Soul Power descended from the sky!

It covered dozens of meters in every direction, sealing off every route the Jade Eyed Fox could use to evade!

A net cast across heaven and earth—there was nowhere to run!

As he watched the Jade Eyed Fox about to be captured and the Gao Family members below grow drunk with triumph.

Han Yuchen, hidden in the darkness, finally curled his lips beneath the conical hat into a cold arc like that of the Death God.

It was time for this fisherman to make his entrance.