The Mysterious Distress Signal

The little storm over harem rivalry was finally soothed—for now—by the all-purpose word "family."

The atmosphere in the valley returned to outward calm.

Li Hao let out a long breath, feeling more exhausted than if he had fought a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for three hundred rounds.

Why was it so hard just to be a laid-back landlord?

He sat back down by the lake and cast into the water the Fishing Rod he had nearly polished smooth from constant handling.

The water rippled faintly, reflecting his face, which was written all over with despair.

He needed some peace and quiet.

Not far away, Xiao Wu was playing "Eagle Catches the Chicks" on the grass with a group of Hundred-Year Soul Beast cubs drawn in by the Paradise's aura.

Velvet Fire Rabbits, Tri-color Deer, and several Wind Bell Birds Li Hao had just brought back to life followed closely behind her, chirping and chattering in a scene full of childlike delight.

She had become the ringleader of this newborn Paradise's little ones.

On the other side, in the Shadow Ecological Zone Li Hao had specially carved out for her, Zhu Zhuqing's figure appeared and vanished among the shadows.

She wasn't joining in the games. Instead, she was honing her stealth and assassination skills in the most demanding way possible.

Every passing shadow cut with razor-sharp force, precisely slicing down a drifting leaf.

Her world was simple.

Become stronger, then protect her master.

Medusa, meanwhile, was like a diligent queen, patrolling her territory from the highest point in Paradise.

Her emerald snake eyes swept over every corner, making sure there were no potential threats.

Everything seemed to be back on track.

Peaceful and tranquil.

Li Hao enjoyed this brief moment of calm, feeling that his social-anxiety radar could finally switch off for a while.

However...

Fate seemed to enjoy playing tricks on him.

Bzzzt—!

The Fishing Rod in his hand suddenly erupted in an unprecedented, violent buzzing!

It wasn't the faint twitch of a fish taking the bait.

It was a frantic, urgent vibration coming from the very core of his Martial Soul!

The entire rod glowed with a faint golden radiance, as if it had sensed some peerless treasure exciting enough to send it out of control.

Li Hao jolted.

Again?

How long had it been since things last settled down?

Before he could react,

a familiar line of tiny golden text, tinged with a hint of gloating, appeared in his mind.

[Warning! Warning!]

[Abnormal fortune fluctuation detected from a high-level life-form!]

[Target accompanied by intense confusion and a plea for help!]

[Fortune level is extremely high, far surpassing that of ordinary Soul Beasts. Suspected to be a wild Child of Fortune!]

[Host, would you like to set out and fish for the target immediately?]

Li Hao's brain instantly crashed.

"Child of Fortune?"

"And you're calling it fishing?"

"Has this Martial Soul completely lost all its decency?!"

Besides, this signal was completely different from the faint, pure call of Paradise he had sensed when rescuing dying Soul Beasts before.

This time, though the signal also carried a plea for help, at its core was a vast, surging fortune—so chaotic it was almost overwhelming!

It felt like sensing an erupting volcano beneath the surface of a tranquil lake!

Just as Li Hao reeled in shock,

a sudden change took place!

"Hmm?"

Atop the valley, Medusa's emerald snake eyes snapped open as she rested with them closed. Her gaze shot toward a certain direction in Star Dou Forest.

A chaotic, immense fluctuation of aura that made even her heart shudder—though extremely distant—had clearly reached her senses.

At the same time,

Zhu Zhuqing, who had been moving through the shadows, suddenly froze.

She halted her training for once and raised her head. Her cold, golden slit pupils turned toward the same direction.

Her Nether bloodline made her exceptionally sensitive to certain negative emotions—especially despair.

Even Xiao Wu, who had been playing with the Soul Beast cubs, stopped in her tracks.

Uneasily, she tugged at Li Hao's clothes, confusion written across her little face.

"Daddy, I... I feel a little uneasy inside."

"It's like something very, very important is about to break."

Three Soul Beast Girls, three different kinds of perception, yet all pointed to the same source.

Li Hao's heart sank.

He understood completely now.

This trouble was far bigger than a small fry like Dai Mubai!

This wasn't merely a rescue mission.

It was more like... a crossroads of fate.

The Child of Fortune sending the distress signal was undoubtedly one of this world's true central figures.

Should he go or not?

Going would mean completely disrupting the world's original plotline and getting drawn into an even deeper whirlpool.

And if he didn't go?

Should he just leave a Child of Fortune to wither away in despair?

The image of Zhu Zhuqing on the verge of death flashed through Li Hao's mind.

That sense of responsibility he felt as a Soul Beast Girl caretaker began to ache again.

And besides...

He lowered his head and looked at the Fishing Rod in his hand, still buzzing and brimming with excitement.

His Martial Soul was practically begging for trouble!

"Master."

Medusa's figure appeared beside him without a sound.

She wasn't acting jealous like before. Her beautiful face was grave.

"That aura is very wrong. Chaotic, immense, and... bound by something."

She gave her professional assessment.

"In the depths of Star Dou Forest, or perhaps even farther away, there are many things we don't know about. Whether powerful Soul Beasts or secret human forces, going there rashly would be extremely dangerous."

She was reminding Li Hao to be careful.

Li Hao nodded. Of course he understood.

Just then,

Zhu Zhuqing quietly stepped forward.

She didn't speak. She simply took one small step closer and stood beside Li Hao.

Her cold, golden slit pupils gazed at him with unwavering resolve.

The meaning was clear.

Wherever you go, I'll follow.

Her Nether attribute made her a top-tier assassin and scout by nature. She had an unparalleled advantage in stealth and reconnaissance.

Looking at the Soul Beast Girls, each more resolute than the last,

Li Hao's heart, which longed to laze around, wavered again.

Fine.

He was already here.

What else could he do?

He couldn't just leave someone to die.

He drew a deep breath and made his decision.

As it happened, Paradise had just leveled up and unlocked a brand-new ability.

A skill exclusive to Soul Beast Paradise—Space Jump!

This ability allowed short-distance, coordinate-anchored transfers within the bounds of Star Dou Forest.

Though it consumed a lot of energy and had a range limit, it was a divine skill for quick reconnaissance!

"Xiao Wu, you stay here and watch our home."

Li Hao patted Xiao Wu's head and soothed her gently.

"Your father and your sisters are going out for a bit. We'll be right back."

"Mm!"

Xiao Wu was a little uneasy, but she still nodded obediently.

Li Hao turned and looked at Medusa and Zhu Zhuqing.

"Let's go."

"We'll get as close as we can, as quickly as possible, but we won't reveal ourselves."

"First, we'll figure out what's going on."

Medusa and Zhu Zhuqing nodded at the same time.

Li Hao didn't hesitate. He closed his eyes and connected with Paradise's core.

Bzzzt!

An invisible power of space enveloped the three of them.

The scene before their eyes blurred and twisted in an instant.

The next second,

the three vanished from the valley without a trace.

When they appeared again, they were already in a dense forest several kilometers away, deep within Star Dou Forest.

The entire process had been silent.

Feeling the Soul Power consumed within him, Li Hao was reassured.

This skill was even more useful than he'd imagined!

He raised the Fishing Rod in his hand once more.

After that jump, the distress signal from far away had become much clearer.

It was no longer a vague sensation.

Now it sounded like a series of distinct, helpless calls, echoing endlessly in the depths of his soul.

The voice was ethereal and noble, yet filled with confusion and despair.

It was guiding them onward.

And it heralded the imminent arrival of another heroine from the original story, one who held a pivotal place in it.

Li Hao didn't stop. He activated Space Jump again.

Their figures flickered through the vast Star Dou Forest like ghosts, appearing and disappearing as they traveled.

Without a sound, they rapidly closed in on the source of the signal.