That was the Soul Beast stampede accidentally triggered when the Titan Giant Ape fled moments ago.
The Forest King had charged wildly through the area, disturbing who knew how many Soul Beasts living nearby and sending them scattering in every direction.
"Looks like I'm the one who caused this mess. I'd better clean it up."
Lin Qiu felt a little helpless.
Although the monkey had escaped, it had left quite a mess behind.
"Come on. Let's go take a look."
Lin Qiu lightly tapped the ground with his toes. His figure soared into the air like a giant roc and sped toward the direction of the commotion.
Hu Liena followed close behind.
Three miles away, in a clearing.
Two girls in blue outfits stood back to back. They looked disheveled, but their stunning beauty was impossible to hide.
The one on the left seemed a little older. Her ice-blue hair fell to her waist, and her cool, distant bearing was like a snow lotus atop a lofty mountain.
The girl on the right seemed more lively and adorable, but at that moment her pretty face was filled with terror.
Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er.
These two prodigies of Skywater Academy were now facing a life-or-death trial.
They had only come to hunt for Soul Rings. Who could have guessed they'd be so unlucky as to run into a Soul Beast stampede?
At that moment, more than a dozen Nether Wolves, each a thousand years old, surrounded them. Even a Gale Demon Wolf King with cultivation approaching ten thousand years was watching them hungrily.
"Sister, are we going to die here?"
Shui Yue'er asked in a tearful voice. The Soul Power in her hands was almost depleted.
Shui Bing'er gritted her teeth as her first and second Soul Rings flashed in succession. Walls of ice rose from the ground one after another, attempting to hold back the wolves.
"Don't be afraid. Hold on! Our teacher will be here soon!"
That was what she said, but inside she was utterly despairing.
The teacher leading their group had already become separated from them while drawing away a powerful Soul Beast.
Roar!
The Gale Demon Wolf King seemed to have lost patience and let out a long howl.
More than a dozen Nether Wolves pounced at once, their foul-smelling jaws right before the girls' faces.
It was over.
Shui Bing'er closed her eyes in despair.
But the excruciating pain she expected never came.
Instead, a warm, calm voice suddenly rang out above them.
"Freeze."
Just one word.
But as it fell, everything around them seemed to have been pressed into pause.
The wolves, charging at them in a frenzy, stopped dead in midair, as if an invisible hand had clamped down on them.
Shui Bing'er's eyes flew open.
A tall, slender figure descended from the sky and landed in front of them.
The youth was dressed in white as pure as snow, with black hair cascading down his back. His figure was as straight as a pine tree.
He didn't even turn around. He merely flicked his sleeve.
Whoosh—
A vast golden light erupted.
The dozen or so Nether Wolves didn't even have time to scream before they turned into a cloud of blood mist and vanished into the air.
As for the Gale Demon Wolf King, whose cultivation was nearly ten thousand years, it had collapsed to the ground, trembling like a sieve, without even the courage to run.
This was absolute suppression by a superior being.
"Get lost."
The youth uttered a single word.
The Gale Demon Wolf King acted as if it had been granted a pardon. With its tail between its legs, it fled for its life.
The crisis was over.
Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er stared blankly at the youth who had appeared like a divine soldier from the heavens, their minds completely blank.
He was so strong.
With a casual gesture, he had slaughtered the pack of wolves that had driven them to despair.
Lin Qiu turned around and looked at the two girls, surprise flickering in his eyes.
Blue hair, an icy bearing, and a pair of sisters...
He hadn't expected that saving a random person would lead him to the gorgeous beauties from the original story, Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er of Skywater Academy.
"Ahem. Are you two all right?"
Lin Qiu touched his nose.
After all, the Soul Beast stampede had ultimately been caused by him scaring off the Titan Giant Ape.
"I-I'm fine! Thank you for saving my life, benefactor!"
Shui Yue'er reacted first. Stars instantly appeared in her big eyes, and her cheeks flushed red.
He was way too handsome!
He was strong and incredibly good-looking—practically the perfect dream lover!
Shui Bing'er also came back to her senses. Though she remained cool and composed, her gaze toward Lin Qiu now held a trace of warmth and gratitude.
She stepped forward and gave him a graceful bow.
"I'm Shui Bing'er of Skywater Academy, and this is my younger sister, Shui Yue'er. Thank you for saving us. May we know your name, benefactor?"
"Lin Qiu."
Lin Qiu gave his name.
Just then, the system's notification rang in his mind once more.
[ Ding! Mission settlement: Survive the pressure of a Saint-level powerhouse (Titan Giant Ape). ]
[ Rating: Perfect. ]
[ Reward issued: Kunpeng Precious Technique (Fragment). ]
Lin Qiu was delighted.
The Kunpeng Precious Technique!
It was the supreme divine ability of Kunpeng, one of the Ten Primordial Evils. It commanded yin and yang, controlled ultimate speed, became a Kun in the sea, and transformed into a roc to strike the heavens.
Even as a mere fragment, it was an existence that could crush the entire Douluo Continent through sheer superiority.
As expected of the Covering Sky System. It sure was generous!
Lin Qiu was in such a good mood that even the two girls seemed more pleasing to him.
"Lin Qiu... That's a lovely name!"
Shui Yue'er boldly moved closer, throwing caution to the wind.
"Um, Brother Lin Qiu, my sister and I got separated from our teacher. Could we... could we travel with you for a while? This forest is too dangerous."
"..."
As she spoke, she blinked at him, looking utterly pitiful.
Shui Bing'er blushed and wanted to pull her sister back, but deep down, she was also looking forward to it.
After all, having such a powerful person by their side made them feel incredibly safe.
Before Lin Qiu could answer, a voice dripping with jealousy cut in.
"No! We have things to do, and we can't bring along burdens."
Hu Liena walked over and, with practiced ease, hooked her arm around Lin Qiu's, glaring at the sisters as if staking her claim.
The two women were quite pretty, especially the older sister, who was breathtakingly beautiful. Hu Liena's alarm bells immediately started ringing.
Shui Yue'er refused to back down and puffed out her chest.
"We're not burdens! My sister and I even have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"
Lin Qiu found the scene rather amusing.
He thought it over. They were headed out of the forest anyway, so taking them along for a while wouldn't hurt. After all, he had caused the stampede; he couldn't just leave them to run into danger again.
"We're going the same way. Come along."
Lin Qiu nodded.
Hu Liena was a little unwilling and pouted with a huff.
But since Lin Qiu had spoken, she could only obey. She simply clung to his arm even tighter, as if afraid someone might steal him away.
Meanwhile, Chrysanthemum Douluo secretly breathed a sigh of relief and decided to report the matter to Bibi Dong.
Time passed slowly.
At Spirit Hall, inside the Pope Palace.
The atmosphere was oppressively tense.
Bibi Dong sat high upon the papal throne, her stunning face covered in frost. She gripped her scepter tightly, her knuckles turning pale.
Below her, Ghost Douluo, Demon Bear Douluo, and the other elders all wore grave expressions. Not one of them dared breathe too loudly.
"You're saying they encountered a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast?"
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