The Skywater Team?

Pale blue and white streaks of light raced across the night sky, tearing through the clouds. They moved so fast that long black-and-white trails streamed behind them.

Xiao Yu pushed Spirit Wind Wings to their limits. Each beat of his wings churned up powerful gusts, propelling him toward Sunset Forest like an arrow loosed from a bow.

The wind howled past his ears as the vast territory of the Heaven Dou Empire sped by beneath him.

The lights of towns looked like scattered stars, while broad fields and rolling mountain ranges formed deep silhouettes beneath the moonlight.

But Xiao Yu had no time to admire the magnificent nightscape. The pained cry Yu Yi had let out when his wing was pierced, the blood that had gushed from the wound, and the horrific injuries on Yu Er and Yu San burned in his mind like brands.

I have to hurry! Alarm bells rang in Xiao Yu's head.

He calculated the distance and his speed. Sunset Forest lay east of Heaven Dou City, while the Royal Forest was southwest of the city. Flying at full speed, he should reach the outskirts by that afternoon.

The night was as black as ink, and the stars stretched into thin lines as he raced past.

Xiao Yu's enormous body swept through the skies above the clouds. Deep black-and-white starlight shimmered across his sacred feathers, making him seem mysterious and alone beneath the moon.

Now and then, the roar of a powerful Soul Beast or the glow of a Soul Master party's campfire rose from below, but he kept well clear of them.

At a time like this, any unnecessary entanglement would waste precious time.

As the hours passed, the eastern horizon began to pale.

He had been on the move all night. Xiao Yu had already expended a great deal of energy during the battle, and now he had pushed himself at full speed through the night. Even for him, it was a considerable drain.

Gradually, Xiao Yu slowed down, but he did not land. As the Wing-Type Elf King, he could use the wind around him to ease his fatigue, though that would take some time.

So he glided through the air, saving a great deal of energy without affecting what he needed to do next.

He glanced at the refreshed [Daily Mission]. He wasn't in the mood to complete any tasks just then.

That afternoon, above the outskirts of Sunset Forest

Xiao Yu drew in most of his aura and silently glided into the outskirts of Sunset Forest.

The long journey had taken a heavy toll. He needed a brief rest and a chance to confirm his direction.

Finding the exact location of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well would take careful searching, and Dugu Bo's poison array posed an even greater threat. He had to be in peak condition.

He chose to land at the edge of a relatively open clearing near a stream.

The gusts from his enormous wings bent the surrounding shrubs. In the morning light, deep black-and-white starlight shimmered across his sacred feathers, their edges seeming to slice through the air.

He warily surveyed the surroundings. Only after confirming there were no powerful Soul Beasts or humans nearby did he relax slightly. He lowered his head to preen his somewhat ruffled feathers, while feeling the faint ache at the base of his left wing where Aoris's Soul Skill had grazed him.

The wound wasn't deep, but it still hadn't fully healed after the long flight.

Just then, the sound of young women talking, deliberately hushed but still clear, drifted over with the murmur of the stream.

"Big Sis, we've been searching around here for two days. Can we really find a suitable fourth Soul Ring for me? That Ice Crystal Spirit Salamander is so hard to track down." A lively, clear voice with a touch of childishness rang out.

"Yue'er, be patient. Soul Beasts with ice attributes and the right age are already rare. Finding any trace of an Ice Crystal Spirit Salamander on the outskirts of Sunset Forest is lucky enough." Another voice answered, cool and composed.

Xiao Yu froze. Through a gap in the branches, his sharp eagle eyes fixed on the source of the voices.

Across the stream, about ten meters away, a group made up entirely of young women was taking a break.

They wore matching fitted uniforms, mainly in blue and white, with a distinctive emblem of snowflakes entwined with flowing water embroidered on their chests—the insignia of Skywater Academy.

Two girls with very different temperaments stood at the front.

One was tall, with cascading ice-blue hair and strikingly beautiful features. Her gaze was calm as still water, and a faint chill surrounded her. She was the team captain, Shui Bing'er.

The other looked lively and charming, with short, pale-blue hair and bright, nimble eyes that held a playful glint. She was the vice-captain, Shui Yue'er.

Behind them stood several other young, attractive Skywater Academy members. Their auras were strong, and they warily watched their surroundings.

"The Skywater Team?" Drawing on the memories in his mind, Xiao Yu quickly recognized them.

From their conversation, it seemed they had come to hunt a fourth Soul Ring for Shui Yue'er.

Since there were people here, he couldn't rest. He'd better leave.

He adjusted his posture slightly, preparing to take off without attracting their attention.

But just as he moved, Shui Yue'er's lively eyes happened to sweep across the shrubs where Xiao Yu was hiding.

"Huh?" Shui Yue'er gave a small cry and pointed toward Xiao Yu. "Big Sis, look! What's that? It's... it's such a beautiful bird!"

Everyone's attention immediately turned toward him.

The moment they saw Xiao Yu, they all held their breath.

In the faint morning light, the enormous figure stood motionless. Sacred, flawless feathers covered his body, their edges shimmering with deep, night-sky black and brilliant, star-like white, as if he wore a miniature universe.

His huge Spirit Wind Wings hung naturally at his sides, their lines sleek and full of strength. Every faint breath stirred the surrounding air into tiny spirals.

His keen eyes were like the purest blue sapphires. He looked back at them calmly, with the aloofness of one who gazed down upon all living things, and an air of nobility.

"My god... What kind of Soul Beast is that? I've never seen anything like it... so..." one team member murmured, unable to find the right words.

"That aura is so powerful... I can't sense any obvious hostility, but it's definitely not weak." Another member instinctively summoned her Martial Soul, her expression grave.

A flash of wonder crossed Shui Bing'er's ice-blue eyes, but wariness and concern soon overtook it.

She quickly stepped forward, subtly shielding her younger sister, and said in a low voice, "Everyone, be on guard! Don't act rashly! This Soul Beast is... extraordinary. It's never been recorded in any book. It seems to be passing through, so don't provoke it!"

She could feel the restrained yet overwhelming pressure emanating from Xiao Yu, along with the almost divine nobility that set him apart from ordinary Soul Beasts.

If they could avoid provoking such an unknown and powerful being, they absolutely should.

Xiao Yu sighed inwardly. Troublesome. But he kept his face as calmly aloof as before.

He ignored Shui Yue'er's curious, almost fascinated gaze, as well as the other members' tense, guarded stances.

Slowly, he spread his enormous Spirit Wind Wings.