The instant the scorching wave of heat hit him, Yu Tiancheng's body reacted before his mind could catch up!
His Soul Power was nearly depleted, but his instinct to survive drove him to summon his last reserves of strength.
Silver light flashed beneath his feet, and at the last possible moment, his figure suddenly blurred—
Second Soul Skill, Void Flash!
He didn't charge forward to meet his enemy. Instead, he darted backward.
Whoosh!
His figure vanished from its spot like writing erased by a rubber, then reappeared deep inside the cave where he had been hiding.
The whole process was as fast as a flash of lightning, completed just before the wave of heat could reach him.
Almost as soon as he landed, Yu Tiancheng activated the Stealth Cloak with all his strength.
The obscure patterns on the cloak glowed faintly. An invisible ripple spread out, concealing every trace of his presence.
He pressed himself against the cold rock wall, held his breath, and felt his heart pound like a drum.
The weakness from exhausting his Soul Power and the mental sting from forcing his Soul Skill to activate struck him again, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain perfectly still and hidden.
That wave of heat had been far too powerful.
It was beyond a Soul Elder's strength, perhaps even beyond a Soul Ancestor's.
Was it a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast from the Star Dou Great Forest? Or another pursuer from Spirit Hall?
Outside the cave, all was silent.
Only that scorching presence lingered in the air, almost tangible. Even the temperature inside the cave had risen noticeably.
Yu Tiancheng's heart sank little by little. His opponent hadn't charged in right away. Either they were searching carefully, or... they were preparing an even more terrifying attack.
Just as his nerves were stretched to their limit—
"Tiancheng? Is that you?"
A familiar voice came from outside the cave, filled with undisguised urgency and worry.
That voice...
Yu Tiancheng froze, then suddenly opened his eyes wide.
It was his aunt, Liu Erlong!
His taut nerves relaxed in an instant, and a sense of comfort and grievance beyond words welled up inside him.
He immediately deactivated the cloak's concealment, took a deep breath, and hurried out of the cave.
The sunlight was a little blinding. He squinted and lifted a hand to remove his hood.
Outside the cave stood a tall, athletic figure.
She wore a simple, neat black outfit that outlined her strong, powerful curves.
Her long, fiery-red hair spilled down her back like blazing flames.
Her features were lovely. Her brows were slightly furrowed as she warily studied the cave entrance.
It was Liu Erlong.
When she saw Yu Tiancheng emerge from the cave unharmed, Liu Erlong froze for a moment. Then delight lit up her eyes.
"Tiancheng? It really is you!"
She hurried over and examined him closely. "Why are you here? And how did you end up in this state?"
"Aunt." Warmth welled up in Yu Tiancheng's heart as he greeted her, but wariness soon followed. How could his aunt have shown up here so coincidentally?
Seeing her nephew's pale face and torn clothes, Liu Erlong was visibly distressed. "What happened to you? Did you run into danger in the forest? Are you hurt?"
She reached out to check on Yu Tiancheng, but he instinctively took half a step back.
The small gesture made Liu Erlong's hand pause in midair. A flicker of confusion and hurt crossed her eyes, but concern quickly took its place. "Tiancheng?"
Yu Tiancheng composed himself, realizing that his reaction might have given his aunt the wrong idea.
He quickly explained, "Aunt, I'm fine. I've just used up a lot of Soul Power. How... how did you come to be here?"
Liu Erlong looked as if the answer were obvious. "I came to meet you! The family sent word that you were coming to Blue Tyrant Academy. I worked out when you should arrive, but I waited and waited and you never showed up. I was worried something might have happened to you on the way, so I decided to head home and look for you along the way."
As she spoke, she pointed to the charred crater behind her. "I was searching nearby just now when I sensed a faint trace of Soul Power over here. I thought a Spirit Beast or someone suspicious might be hiding here, so I attacked to test the waters. I never expected you to be the one hiding inside!"
Her explanation made perfect sense—she had been worried about her nephew, gone out to look for him, and happened to find him.
But Yu Tiancheng's doubts hadn't entirely disappeared. Something still felt terribly wrong.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Yue Guan could catch up at any moment, and he had to get out of there as soon as possible.
"Sorry for making you worry, Aunt." Yu Tiancheng suppressed his doubts and gave her a tired smile. "I did run into some trouble in the forest, but it's taken care of now. Let's... get out of here first, okay?"
Liu Erlong keenly sensed the urgency in his words and the unspoken "trouble" behind them.
She saw the lingering fear in her nephew's eyes. Of course she knew what he had been through, but the rules prevented her from saying anything.
"Fine. Let's get out of here first. You're not in good shape, so I'll take you."
As she spoke, she supported Yu Tiancheng by the arm. A steady, gentle stream of Soul Power flowed into his body, helping him calm his breathing and recover his strength.
Feeling his aunt's wholehearted concern and support, the last trace of wariness faded from Yu Tiancheng's heart.
Whatever the reason she had found him so coincidentally, her concern was real.
"Thank you, Aunt," he said softly.
"Silly boy, you don't have to thank your aunt." Liu Erlong smiled, then turned serious. "You've used up a lot of Soul Power. Take a moment to meditate. I'll stand guard. We'll leave once you've recovered a little."
Yu Tiancheng nodded without protest and sat cross-legged on the ground.
Under the protection of Liu Erlong, a Soul Saint, he finally let his guard down. He practiced the Void Meditation Method while secretly drawing on the pure energy stored in his Storage Ring to nourish himself. He recovered at an astonishing speed.
About half an hour later, Yu Tiancheng opened his eyes and rose to his feet.
His Soul Power wasn't completely full, but he had recovered seventy or eighty percent, and some color had returned to his face.
Liu Erlong had kept watch beside him the entire time. When she saw that he had recovered, she smiled. "All better?"
"Yeah, much better."
"Then let's go." Liu Erlong didn't hesitate. Soul Power surged around her, and a powerful Fire Dragon Phantom flickered into view behind her. She put an arm around Yu Tiancheng's waist. "Hold on tight. Your aunt will fly you out of here!"
The next moment, scorching flames enveloped them, and a dazzling pair of Flame Dragon Wings formed on Liu Erlong's back. She gave a mighty beat of her wings!
"Boom!"
A wave of air exploded, and the two of them shot skyward like arrows loosed from a bow, flying toward the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The speed of a Soul Saint flying at full strength was terrifying. Below them, the forest blurred into a green torrent rushing backward.
With Liu Erlong, a formidable Soul Saint, escorting him, they met no further trouble along the way. In less than two hours, they had left the Star Dou Great Forest behind and landed near a main road leading to Heaven Dou City.
With his feet back on solid ground, Yu Tiancheng watched the endless, perilous forest recede behind them. At last, the tension that had gripped him finally eased, and he let out a long, long breath.
For now... he was safe.
Before you continue