Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Xirui in the distance, then exchanged a look with Mu Qian.
Mu Qian shook his head with a wry smile and got back to his feet, intending to bring Xirui a portion of food.
That girl really had no experience surviving in the wild. She'd come for the assessment without even bringing food.
If Mu Qian hadn't shared what he had along the way, she would have had a rough time.
In the end, Zhu Zhuqing still helped Xirui braid her hair, though not into cat ears like her own. Instead, she tied it into two little buns, which looked quite adorable.
"Thank you, Brother Mu Qian~"
The girl had a sweet voice, and a fresh, natural fragrance drifted from her hair. She seemed completely unaware of what she was doing wrong. Taking the dried rations, she nibbled at them, making little crunching sounds from time to time.
It wasn't that Mu Qian begrudged her meat. A little food was nothing to him.
He wasn't that stingy.
Earlier on the road, when Mu Qian had offered Xirui some of his specially seasoned grilled meat, the sweet girl had turned him down.
Mu Qian could tell she seemed to have an aversion to meat, but everyone had different tastes, and there were always foods people disliked. He didn't press her for an explanation.
They were all newcomers resting briefly here. Although Mu Qian and the two girls had drawn some attention with their striking looks, no one came over to bother them.
There weren't any fools here. Everyone was busy getting back into peak condition.
As the sky grew brighter, people gradually emerged from meditation and entered the bounds of Death Canyon.
High above, two figures stood side by side, concealed among the clouds as they watched Mu Qian and the two girls below.
One of them was the black-robed elder who had appeared earlier at the entrance to Spirit Hall Academy.
Mu Qian's guess had been right: he was Ghost Douluo, one of the Martial Soul Hall Elders.
The other figure was hidden from head to toe beneath a golden cloak. Her wide brim concealed her face completely; only her figure and the swell of her chest revealed that she was a woman.
"Ling Yuan, I didn't expect you to come too."
"What, is the Worship Hall interested in this child as well?" Old Ghost had a hideous appearance, and even when he smiled, he gave people the creeps.
Although they were both elders of Spirit Hall, the elders were divided into factions.
He belonged to the Pope's faction, while the woman before him leaned more toward the Worship Hall and followed the Grand Offering's orders.
"What, you can come, Old Ghost, but I can't?" The woman called Ling Yuan spoke coolly. Her face was completely hidden beneath her cloak, making her expression impossible to read.
"Heh." Ghost Douluo gave a cold laugh and looked down at Mu Qian, marveling, "Eleven years and four months old, and already level forty-two..."
"A genius like this should belong to His Holiness the Pope."
The woman tugged her brim lower. Her tone was neither pleased nor displeased. "So miserly—you'll never accomplish anything great. Don't worry. The only order I received was to protect him, not to compete with you for him."
"That's for the best..." Ghost Douluo's voice still echoed through the air, but his figure had already vanished without a trace.
Ling Yuan shook her head, unconcerned. Her gaze never left Mu Qian.
After making their preparations, Mu Qian and the two girls finally entered the trial grounds for newcomers.
They were among the last to enter Death Canyon. Confident in their strength, they didn't mind taking a little extra time.
"Zhuqing, Xirui, we've entered the area where Spirit Beasts roam. I'll lead the way. Stay close behind me, and keep watch behind us."
"Remember, follow my footsteps closely. Don't stray. There could be danger anywhere in this Spirit Beast forest. You don't need to worry about the sides—just keep an eye on what's behind us," Mu Qian reminded them quietly.
The two girls behind him nodded in agreement.
Although Xirui was innocent by nature, she couldn't possibly know nothing about the world.
And Mu Qian hadn't noticed that once they entered the Spirit Beasts' territory, Xirui's expression had grown much more solemn. She was no longer as lively and carefree as before.
Zhu Zhuqing needed no reminding. She was already used to Mu Qian's arrangements.
The three moved at an unhurried pace. It was Mu Qian's first time in Death Canyon, and all he knew about its Spirit Beasts came from rumors outside. Until he understood the situation, he wouldn't risk picking up the pace.
They were still near the canyon's outskirts. Almost all the nearby Spirit Beasts had already been hunted by newcomers taking the assessment, but they still couldn't afford to let their guard down.
Under normal circumstances, a team of five Soul Grandmasters could only hunt Hundred-Year Soul Beasts. They would struggle against Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
And Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were out of the question.
Mu Qian's presence in this newcomer assessment was like a huge exploit in a game, completely breaking the rules.
"We've been going deeper for half a day. How come we haven't encountered a single Spirit Beast older than a thousand years, apart from a few weak ones?" Mu Qian asked in confusion, casually kicking a Lantern Lizard blocking the way and sending it flying.
Lantern Lizards were common across the continent. They could be found not only in Spirit Beast habitats but even in many fields.
They had no offensive abilities and could only cultivate for at most a hundred years. Ordinary people had once captured them and kept them at home for light.
Mu Qian and the two girls naturally had no interest in them. Killing one wouldn't earn them many points.
Zhu Zhuqing warily watched their surroundings, her expression just as serious. "Based on our previous experience entering Spirit Beast forests, we should have reached the outskirts of the Spirit Beasts' territory by now. This isn't normal."
Xirui nodded. With her brows slightly furrowed, she looked especially adorable. "That's right. We haven't encountered any Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, let alone any Thousand-Year Soul Beasts."
Mu Qian had also noticed a change in Xirui. Though she seemed like a complete novice in human society, she appeared very familiar with Spirit Beast habitats.
Perhaps it had something to do with her past. Mu Qian made a mental note of it, but didn't dwell on it.
As long as Xirui meant them no harm, that was enough. Perhaps after a month together, the three of them could become friends.
Unable to find an explanation, all three grew more vigilant.
"Let's be careful. We'll keep moving while looking for a campsite for the night, and stop searching before dark," Mu Qian suggested.
Neither girl objected. In truth, even with a new member in the group, Mu Qian remained its heart and soul.
Xirui seemed content not to compete for anything. It wouldn't be realistic to expect her to make the decisions.
With no other choice, Mu Qian doubled the range of his Spiritual Power detection once more.
After a year of steady progress, he had gained an exceptional degree of control over his Spiritual Power. At full strength, he could scan an area with a radius of one thousand meters.
"Hmm?" When his Spiritual Power swept across a spot about five hundred meters ahead and to the side, Mu Qian suddenly stopped and turned to Zhu Zhuqing and Xirui.
"Something's not right. There's something up ahead. Stay close to me. Let's go take a look."
With that, Mu Qian changed direction and hurried toward the side before the two girls could object.
Before you continue