Mysterious Distress Signal

The minor squabble over harem favoritism was finally smoothed over, at least temporarily, by the all-encompassing word "family."

The atmosphere in the valley returned to a superficial tranquility.

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

Why is being a laid-back landlord so difficult?

He sat back down by the lake and cast his Fishing Rod, which had been polished to a sheen from constant use, back into the water.

The surface rippled, reflecting a face etched with utter world-weariness.

He needed some peace and quiet.

Not far away, Xiao Wu was playing "hawk and chicks" on the grass with a group of century-old Soul Beast cubs drawn by the aura of the Paradise.

The Velvet Fire Rabbit, the Tri-color Deer, and several Wind Bell Bird chicks that Li Hao had just revived were all following her affectionately, chirping and full of childlike wonder.

She had truly become the child queen of this nascent Paradise.

On the other side, within the Shadow Ecological Zone that Li Hao had specially cleared for her, the figure of Zhu Zhuqing flickered in and out of the shadows.

She did not join in the play; instead, she was honing her stealth and assassination skills in the most rigorous manner possible.

Every flash of black shadow carried an extreme sense of cutting precision, slicing through a drifting fallen leaf with pinpoint accuracy.

Her world was simple.

Become stronger, then protect her master.

As for Medusa, she stood like a dutiful queen, patrolling her territory from the highest point of the Paradise.

Those emerald snake eyes swept across every corner, ensuring there were no potential threats.

Everything seemed to have returned to the right track.

Peaceful and serene.

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

However.

Fate always seemed to enjoy playing jokes on him.

Hum—!

The Fishing Rod in his hand erupted with an unprecedented, violent vibration without any warning!

It was not the slight tremor of a fish taking the bait.

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

The entire rod emitted a faint golden halo, as if it had sensed some peerless treasure that made it excited to the point of losing control.

Li Hao jolted upright.

Again?

How long had it even been since things settled down!

Before he could even react.

A familiar line of golden text, carrying a hint of schadenfreude, appeared in his mind.

[Warning! Warning!]
[Abnormal luck fluctuations detected from a high-level life form!]
[The target is accompanied by intense confusion and a plea for help!]
[The intensity of this luck is extremely high, far exceeding that of ordinary Soul Beasts; suspected to be a wild Daughter of Luck!]
[Does the host wish to go and fish for it immediately?]

Li Hao's brain instantly crashed.

"Daughter of Luck?"

"And they use the word 'fish' for it?"

"Has this Martial Soul completely lost all its integrity?"

Moreover, this signal was completely different from the weak, pure summons of the Paradise he felt when rescuing dying Soul Beasts before.

This time, although the signal also carried a sense of distress, its core was a vast, surging, and somewhat chaotic aura of luck!

It felt as if he had sensed an active volcano about to erupt beneath the calm surface of a lake!

Just as Li Hao was stunned.

A sudden change occurred!

"Hmm?"

At the peak of the valley, Medusa, who had been resting with her eyes closed, saw her emerald snake eyes suddenly constrict as she stared fiercely toward a certain direction in the Star Dou Forest.

A chaotic and massive fluctuation of aura, one that even made her feel a palpitation of fear, reached her senses clearly despite being extremely far away.

At the same time.

Zhu Zhuqing, who was weaving through the shadows, suddenly froze in her tracks.

She rarely paused her cultivation, but she lifted her head, her cold, golden vertical pupils fixed upon the same direction.

Her bloodline, derived from the Nether, granted her an extraordinary sensitivity to certain negative, despairing emotions.

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

She tugged on Li Hao's sleeve with a sense of unease, a trace of confusion etched onto her small face.

"Papa, I... I feel a bit uncomfortable in my heart."

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

Three Soul Beast Girl, three different senses, yet all pointing toward the same source.

Li Hao's heart sank abruptly.

He understood completely now.

The trouble this time was far greater than a small fry like Dai Mubai!

This was no simple rescue mission.

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

The Daughter of Luck who had sent out the distress signal was, without a doubt, one of the true core figures of this world.

To go, or not to go?

To go meant completely disrupting the world's original plotline and being dragged into a deeper vortex.

Not to go?

To let a Daughter of Luck wither away in despair?

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

That sense of responsibility as a keeper of Soul Beast Girl began to ache once more.

And besides...

He looked down at the Fishing Rod in his hand, which was still humming and vibrating with excitement.

This Martial Soul was clearly looking to stir up trouble!

"Master."

Medusa's figure appeared silently by his side.

She was no longer acting jealous as she had before; her stunning face was filled with gravity.

"That aura is very wrong. Chaotic, vast, and... imprisoned by something."

She provided a professional assessment.

"Deep within the Star Dou Forest, and even further beyond, there are many existences unknown to us. Whether it be powerful soul beasts or hidden human factions, rushing in blindly is extremely dangerous."

She was reminding Li Hao to be cautious.

Li Hao nodded; he understood this logic, of course.

Just then, Zhu Zhuqing walked up silently.

She didn't speak, merely taking a small step forward to stand by Li Hao's side.

Those cold, golden vertical pupils looked at him with unwavering resolve.

The meaning was self-evident.

Wherever you go, I shall follow.

Her Nether attribute made her a top-tier assassin and scout by nature, granting her unparalleled advantages in stealth and pathfinding.

Looking at the Soul Beast Girl, each more determined than the last.

Li Hao's heart, which had wanted to be a slacker, wavered once again.

Forget it.

Since I'm already here.

What else can I do?

I can't just stand by and watch someone die.

He took a deep breath and made his decision.

As it happened, the Soul Beast Paradise had just upgraded, unlocking a brand-new ability.

The exclusive skill of the Soul Beast Paradise—Space Jump!

This ability allowed for short-range, coordinate-anchored teleportation within the confines of the Star Dou Forest.

Although the consumption was significant and there were distance limitations, it was a god-tier skill for rapid reconnaissance!

"Xiao Wu, you stay behind and look after our home."

Li Hao patted Xiao Wu's head, soothing her with a gentle voice.

"Daddy and your sisters are going out for a bit, we'll be back soon."

"Mm!"

Though Xiao Wu felt a flicker of unease, she nodded obediently.

Li Hao turned around, looking toward Medusa and Zhu Zhuqing.

"Let's go."

"Approach at maximum speed, but do not expose yourselves."

"We need to assess the situation first."

Medusa and Zhu Zhuqing nodded in unison.

Li Hao hesitated no longer; he closed his eyes and communed with the core of Paradise.

Hum!

An invisible force, belonging to space itself, enveloped the three of them.

The scene before their eyes instantly blurred and twisted.

The next second.

The figures of the three vanished from the valley without a trace.

When they reappeared, they were already in a dense jungle several kilometers outside the Star Dou Forest.

The entire process had been silent.

Li Hao felt the consumption of soul power within his body and felt reassured.

This skill was even more useful than he had imagined!

He raised the Fishing Rod in his hand once more.

The distress signal from the distant beyond had become much clearer after this jump.

It was no longer a vague sensation.

Instead, it echoed deep within his soul like concrete, helpless cries.

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

It was guiding the way.

It also heralded the arrival of another heroine who held a pivotal position in the original work.

Li Hao did not linger and activated Space Jump again.

Their figures flickered and traversed the vast Star Dou Forest like ghosts.

Silently, they rapidly closed in on the source of the signal.