Morning light completely blanketed the basin, and dew refracted fragmented halos between the blades of grass.
Yun Yi stopped stroking her fur, his fingertips resting at the center of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's forehead.
The story of the Great Sage Wreaking Havoc in Heaven had just reached its end.
Still wanting more, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion shook her head and nudged Yun Yi's palm with her warm nose, letting out a low, urging rumble from her throat.
Yun Yi did not continue the story.
He withdrew his hand and turned his gaze toward the dense forest beyond the valley.
Heavy, chaotic footsteps were rapidly approaching from that direction.
Large, sturdy ancient trees were smashed apart at the waist, while flocks of birds shrieked and fled, their wings creating a chaotic flurry of sound.
"The audience should be leaving now. Your bodyguard is back from work." Yun Yi brushed the grass clippings from his pants and rose to his feet.
Mu En had already emerged from his meditative rest and stood at Yun Yi's side.
The bushes were violently smashed aside, revealing Scarlet King's enormous body to the two of them.
Compared with his fierce and imposing appearance from the previous night, the three-hundred-thousand-year beast now looked utterly miserable.
Large patches of his once-sleek, glossy crimson fur had fallen away, exposing charred flesh beneath that had been repeatedly scorched by flames.
The eye on his left head was tightly shut, its corner swollen high, while a deep, bone-revealing tear stretched from his neck all the way to his chest.
Blood dripped from his limbs onto the grass, producing faint sizzling sounds of corrosion.
Scarlet King's middle head clenched its jaws tightly, dragging a massive prey animal in its mouth.
When he reached a spot ten meters from Yun Yi, Scarlet King