Encountering Pursuers Again, Bounty of One Hundred Thousand

A'Man let out a low growl, his warm breath puffing against Xiao Qing's palm as a form of response.

Xiao Feng trotted over, curiously eyeing the new companion. He lowered his head to sniff the fur around the Iron Armor Bear's neck, then gently nudged A'Man's shoulder with his forehead, signaling his acceptance.

Xiao Qing watched the wolf and the bear, a surge of warmth swelling in his chest.

It had been exactly two years since he awakened his martial soul at the age of six. In this forest, he had fought, suffered injuries, fled, and grown.

Since breaking through to level twenty at age eight, he now possessed two soul beast companions: a Wind Shadow Wolf with nearly nine hundred years of cultivation, and a five-hundred-year-old Iron Armor Bear.

If such an achievement were made public, it would be enough to shock every Soul Master Academy in the two great empires.

But Xiao Qing knew clearly that this was merely the beginning.

For now, he had only tamed Xiao Feng and A'Man, but as his soul power increased, he would be able to contract even more soul beasts. However, the coordination, tactical combinations, and attribute synergy between the soul beasts would still require a massive amount of time to refine.

"Xiao Feng, A'Man, it's time to head back."

Xiao Qing vaulted onto Xiao Feng's back, raising the Prism Ball in his left hand. A'Man's massive body transformed into a stream of light, vanishing into the Prism Ball in Xiao Qing's hand.

Xiao Feng let out a low whistle, his four paws striking the ground as he shot toward the depths of the forest like an arrow.

The wind whistled past his ears.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

A'Man's recovery speed was faster than Xiao Qing had anticipated. Thanks to the healing power of the Prism Ball, the hairline fractures that should have taken two or three months to mend were completely healed in less than a month.

Relying on A'Man's sturdy physique, Xiao Qing finished expanding the campsite in just three days.

The fish pond by the tree hollow was dug twice as wide, with fresh water channeled from the stream swirling within. Two more vegetable patches were added, planted with several types of edible tuberous plants found in the forest.

Once this was done, he took his two soul beasts and began true hunting. Refining their coordination required actual combat.

Xiao Feng was fast, his attacks sharp, and he excelled at hit-and-run harassment. A'Man had strong defense and immense power, making him suitable for head-on clashes.

But merging these two combat styles into a single tactic was not as simple as one plus one.

Xiao Qing chose a thousand-year Black Water Turtle as their opponent.

The Black Water Turtle inhabited a pool on the east side of the lake; its temperament was mild, and it did not attack proactively, but its defensive power was top-tier among soul beasts of the same rank.

Most importantly, the Black Water Turtle had a simple attack method—only water arrows and biting—making it perfect for a novice team to practice their synergy.

By the water's edge, Xiao Feng initiated the attack.

He circled to the side of the Black Water Turtle, his sharp claws scraping against the shell with a harsh sound, though they only left a few white marks. The Black Water Turtle turned its head sluggishly, and just as it spat out an arm-thick water arrow, Xiao Feng had already leaped away.

A'Man charged at this moment, his massive body slamming into the Black Water Turtle with a dull thud. The turtle was knocked sliding half a meter, its four short legs carving deep furrows into the mud by the water.

It seemed provoked, opening its mouth to bite at A'Man's forelimb. The Iron Armor Bear did not dodge or retreat; he raised his paw and slapped the side of the shell.

Bang!

The Black Water Turtle was sent flying, and A'Man's paw went numb from the recoil. Fortunately, A'Man had thick skin and flesh, so he simply shook his paw and continued the attack.

Xiao Qing stood on a tree branch twenty paces away, his eyes locked on the battle.

"Xiao Feng, harass the left flank! Watch for its charging animation before it spits water—interrupt it the moment you see it!"

"A'Man, don't get greedy! Your current strength isn't enough to shatter its shell. Retreat when it retracts its head, and only move in once Xiao Feng draws its attention."

With Xiao Qing's commands, the coordination between the two soul beasts gradually took shape. Xiao Feng's harassment created openings for A'Man, and A'Man's heavy assault created flaws for Xiao Feng to exploit.

Under the pincer attack of the two soul beasts, the thousand-year Black Water Turtle gradually fell into a disadvantage, showing signs of fatigue. Its attack frequency dropped, and the entire turtle retreated into its shell.

The Black Water Turtle was very confident in its shell; it believed that as long as it stayed inside, the two soul beasts outside could do nothing to it!

Seeing the Black Water Turtle refuse to come out, A'Man roared and stood on his hind legs, raising both paws high, preparing to launch a heavy strike against the shell. With A'Man's strength, this blow would leave the Black Water Turtle stunned for at least several seconds—enough time for Xiao Feng to deliver a fatal strike.

But at that very moment, Xiao Feng suddenly stopped attacking.

He whipped his head toward the northeast forest, his fur bristling. A low whimper escaped his throat as he stared in that direction with extreme vigilance.

Having lived with Xiao Feng for so long, Xiao Qing understood his meaning instantly.

"A'Man, stop!"

A'Man's giant paws hung an inch above the Black Water Turtle, stopping dead in their tracks. Xiao Qing leaped from the branch, landing between the two soul beasts, his gaze fixed on the direction Xiao Feng had signaled.

The sound of snapping branches echoed through the forest.

First one person, then two, three... a total of five figures emerged from behind the trees. Leading them was a one-eyed man with an eyepatch over his left eye. His right eye swept across the clearing, lighting up visibly when he saw the Black Water Turtle.

"Good luck," the one-eyed man grinned, revealing yellow teeth. "A thousand-year Black Water Turtle. It seems not only will Third Brother get a decent soul ring, but we'll also have a turtle shell to sell."

A thin, tall man behind him chimed in, "Boss, that glowing ball in the kid's arms, is that..."

The one-eyed man's gaze fell on Xiao Qing—or more accurately, on the Prism Ball in Xiao Qing's hand.

He looked up and down at the child, who appeared to be no more than eight or nine years old, then glanced at the wolf and bear beside him. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, immediately followed by greed.

"Kid," the one-eyed man said, his voice raspy. "What's your name?"

Xiao Qing did not answer. He moved his right hand behind his back and signaled Xiao Feng. The Wind Shadow Wolf moved silently, blocking Xiao Qing's front-left flank.

"Quite vigilant, aren't you?" The one-eyed man didn't care, pointing at the Black Water Turtle. "We'll be taking this turtle. Also, you're coming with us."

"Why?"

Xiao Qing finally spoke, his voice calm.

"Why?" The man called One-Eye acted as if he had heard a joke, looking back at his companions as the group erupted into laughter.

The tall, thin man sneered, "Kid, don't you know how much you're worth?"

Xiao Qing frowned; he understood that the group before him also intended to capture him for the bounty.

"Clear Spring Village, remember it?" One-Eye stopped smiling, a cold glint shining in his single eye. "Two years ago, when that village was trampled by a soul beast riot, the survivors pooled together one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, saying they wanted a child named Xiao Qing captured alive."

"The matter was almost forgotten. But a year ago, a soul hunting squad saw a child outside the forest perimeter who looked just like the portrait. Once the news spread, mercenary groups from several nearby cities all started moving." One-Eye licked his lips. "You should know that one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins is enough for us to live in luxury for several years."

So that was it.

Xiao Qing finally understood why the several waves of soul masters he had encountered over the past year had attacked him for no reason, and why they had stared at him with such greedy eyes; the root of it all lay here.

However, Xiao Qing did not believe the people of Clear Spring Village had that much money; it was highly likely that this bounty had been issued by Matthew or his subordinates.

"Kid, come with us quietly, and you might suffer a little less."

One-Eye took a step forward, and three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—rose from his body; he was actually a three-ring Soul Elder. The four men behind him also released their soul rings, the weakest among them being a two-ring Soul Grand Master.

Five soul masters, two of whom were Soul Elders.

Xiao Qing quickly assessed the situation, constantly plotting a suitable strategy in his mind.

Xiao Feng, with nearly nine hundred years of cultivation, and A'Man, with over five hundred years, could temporarily contend with two Soul Elders combined, but the opponents still had three Soul Grand Masters left. Moreover, these mercenaries lived on the edge of a blade year-round; their combat experience was not something the beasts in the forest could compare to.

"Xiao Feng, move!"

Xiao Qing said in a low voice to Xiao Feng beside him.