The mission meeting for the abandoned post road felt more like a small-scale war council than Huo Yuhao had expected.
In the side hall of the Sea God Pavilion, Tang Ya spread old files on the former trade route across the table. Bei Bei held down the curled corners, He Caitou arranged a row of silver formation spikes on the map, Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan handled the outer support plans, and Xiao Xiao took notes. Ma Xiaotao leaned against the doorway, a wisp of dark-red flame winding around her fingertip.
This was no longer a private matter involving just a few people. It was Shrek's counterattack after the Holy Spirit Cult had struck right at their doorstep.
Xuan Zi tapped the end of the old trade route. "The coordinates Zhang Peng left behind are here. The abandoned post road. Merchant caravans stopped using it three years ago. Now it seems the Holy Spirit Cult had already planted remnants of a ritual formation there."
He Caitou placed a dismantled black formation spike beside the map. "The outer shell bears the Holy Spirit Cult's crude craftsmanship, but inside are simplified Sun Moon energy-conducting patterns. It isn't a complete standard military design, but someone definitely sold them technology from Sun Moon."
Xu Sanshi frowned. "The Holy Spirit Cult, Sun Moon, the Emperor Auspicious Beast... why are they all gathering around our Yuhao?"
Everyone looked toward Huo Yuhao. He placed the Soul Power Monitoring Rubbing in the center of the map, and icy-blue patterns lit up along the old trade route.
"Zhang Peng wasn't trying to truly take Qiu'er away." His voice was steady. "He was testing whether we could form a combined formation, and whether my Soul Power Monitoring Rubbing could detect Titled-level Blood Baleful Intent frequencies."
Dong'er picked up, "That means there must be a second layer to the formation at the abandoned post road."
Xuan Zi looked around at them.
"The roster is decided. Yuhao, Dong'er, Qiu'er, and Ma Xiaotao will form the frontline team. Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Xiao Xiao, and He Caitou will handle outer support and the evacuation routes. Tang Ya will remain at the academy to compare the old records and maintain communications."
Tang Ya was displeased. "I can't go?"
Bei Bei replied gently, "The old records you uncovered are more useful than us blundering around in the forest."
Tang Ya glared at him. "Stop sweet-talking me."
Xu Sanshi immediately teased in a low voice, "Eldest Senior Brother's skill at coaxing people is something Yuhao should learn."
Jiang Nannan shot him a look. "Have you learned it?"
Xu Sanshi wisely shut up.
The tense atmosphere eased for a moment, but quickly sank again. Xuan Zi looked at Huo Yuhao. "You are the core of the team. Remember, this time you aren't chasing the enemy. You're luring them in instead."
Huo Yuhao nodded. "I understand."
"No, you don't understand enough." Xuan Zi tapped the table and looked at him, the usual amusement rare in his eyes. "Your greatest problem right now isn't tactics. It's that you always want to bear every consequence alone."
It was painfully accurate, and Huo Yuhao had no way to refute it.
Xuan Zi continued, "Why did Zhang Peng dare to act? Because he saw that Qiu'er, Dong'er, Xiaotao's Evil Fire backlash, the companions around you, even the reactions of your own Spirit Eyes—every one of them could force you to make a move. You're too easily struck by sincerity and danger."
Ma Xiaotao chuckled. "Is Elder Xuan calling him softhearted?"
"Yes," Xuan Zi said. "And I'm reminding all of you as well."
He looked at the girls. "If you truly intend to stand at his side, don't merely think about competing for whom he favors. You must also take responsibility for pulling him back from danger."
Then Xuan Zi rolled up the map. "We leave at dawn tomorrow. Rest tonight, and don't wear yourselves out."
With that, Xuan Zi left the side hall, muttering with a low laugh as he went, "That brat's life is truly tough, and so are his romantic debts."
Just before they departed for the abandoned post station, a leaf covered in ancient golden patterns suddenly drifted down from above the Sea God Pavilion. Every soul tool lamp dimmed for an instant, as though an ancient will beyond human formations had forcibly descended.
Qiu'er's golden eyes turned cold. Huo Yuhao caught the leaf at once. The golden leaf split open on its own, and a line of vigorous golden characters emerged from within:
"Emperor Auspicious Beast, return to Star Dou. —Di Tian"
Xuan Zi's wine gourd froze in midair.
Di Tian, foremost among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts and the true ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest. He rarely intervened directly in outside affairs, yet this time he had personally sent a message through a golden leaf—this was not an invitation, but an order.
Wang Qiu'er raised her hand to crush the golden leaf, but Huo Yuhao caught her wrist. The chill of Ultimate Ice seeped from his fingertips, firmly suppressing the Beast God's aura spilling from the leaf.
"Don't destroy it." Huo Yuhao's voice was low. "This letter came too conveniently. Zhang Peng had barely finished probing us, the coordinates for the abandoned post road had barely appeared, and Di Tian was already demanding you back. Someone wants to force you out of Shrek."
Wang Qiu'er turned to look at him. Her wrist was still in his grasp, but she did not pull away.
"They want me to go back."
"I know." Huo Yuhao's gaze was steady, though his grip tightened slightly where he held her wrist. "But if you go back now, you'll be playing right into the Holy Spirit Cult's hands."
Qiu'er looked at the fingers around her wrist, and the faintest trace of warmth surfaced in her eyes. Ma Xiaotao chuckled from the doorway. "Even the ruler of Star Dou has stepped in. Junior Brother, your romantic debts are truly piling up."
Dong'er glanced at Ma Xiaotao but did not argue. She merely said softly, "I agree with Yuhao's judgment. Di Tian's letter seems more like an attempt to push you into a trap. Someone wants to force you out of Shrek."
Qiu'er gave Dong'er a surprised look. Her voice was calm, yet carried a rare hint of gentleness. "You don't want me to leave?"
Dong'er's ears reddened slightly. She did not answer directly, only continued explaining, "Once Star Dou comes to demand you, if Shrek refuses, it can be accused of a human academy unlawfully detaining the Emperor Auspicious Beast. That would give them a legitimate reason to launch a beast tide. If Shrek lets you go, the Holy Spirit Cult will wait along the way. Even if they cannot truly harm you, they can still determine the strength of both Shrek and Di Tian."
Qiu'er fell silent for a moment, then softly murmured, "Mm." Huo Yuhao gently released her wrist, but before withdrawing his hand, he lightly pressed his thumb against her pulse, like a silent reassurance. Qiu'er's expression quietly relaxed, and she did not evade him.
After leaving Shrek, the old trade route grew increasingly desolate. Grass roots had split the stone paving, ancient trees on both sides blotted out the sky, and the air carried the scent of damp earth mixed with faintly rotting Soul Power. Huo Yuhao walked at the very front, his Spirit Eyes maintaining Spirit Detection across a radius of three hundred paces. Dong'er stayed close to his left, her aura of light wrapping around his spiritual net like gauze. Qiu'er guarded his right with the Golden Dragon Spear, her arm occasionally brushing against Huo Yuhao's as they walked.
Qiu'er suddenly stopped. "I smell Star Dou."
"Direction." She pointed into the depths of the wild forest.
Ma Xiaotao raised her eyes. "There's Blood Baleful Intent too."
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes and sent his spiritual net underground. Soon, he saw black formation spikes buried beneath the old trade route. Scorpion-lizard patterns were carved onto their tips, while their bases were wound with golden false markings imitating Qiu'er's aura.
This was a cage built specifically for Wang Qiu'er.
Qiu'er's breathing turned cold.
Huo Yuhao reached out and pressed down on her wrist. "Don't step into it directly."
"They're coming for me."
"Which is why we can't let them have their way." Huo Yuhao stared toward the wilderness ahead. "Qiu'er, release a thread of your aura as bait. Dong'er, wrap it in your aura. Sister Xiaotao, when the Blood Fiend Formation activates, burn away its shadow anchor."
Ma Xiaotao laughed. "Junior Brother, you're getting more and more used to ordering me around."
Huo Yuhao replied seriously, "Because you can do it."
Ma Xiaotao's eyes brightened, and she stopped teasing him.
"Release it."
The next instant, the formation spikes deep in the wilderness lit up one after another. The enemy had indeed taken the bait.
A second set of coordinates emerged on Huo Yuhao's Soul Power Monitoring Rubbing.
At the end of the abandoned post road, beneath the old post station.
He looked up. "We camp tonight. We're not going in."
Qiu'er frowned. "Why?"
"Because they think you'll act impulsively." A cold gleam flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes. "So we'll make them wait instead. We'll wait until they lose patience, then strike."
Dong'er watched his profile, and the faint jealousy in her heart was suppressed by another emotion—Huo Yuhao, so calm and powerful, truly was difficult to belong to only one person.
Qiu'er's voice softened considerably as she answered him. "Whatever you decide."
The feelings between them quietly deepened with every battle fought side by side, every touch.
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