The One-Horned Demon Arrives

Bai Mo felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, making every hair on his body stand on end.

He stared wide-eyed with his golden pupils, looking at Zhao Kang in disbelief.

"Hahaha, scared you, didn't I, little Bai Mo?"

Seeing Bai Mo's horrified reaction, Zhao Kang straightened up and burst into hearty laughter, as though his prank had succeeded.

"You little brat, you're still so young, yet you keep a straight face all day like some little adult. It's rare to see you make that expression. Don't worry, though. The neighboring village has already pooled money to hire a Soul Master to go into the mountains and kill that monster. Besides, that thing doesn't usually roam near our Blackstone Village."

"Zhao Kang, you're no longer a child yourself, yet all you know is how to scare children."

Old Master Zhao, who stood nearby, could no longer stand it. He glared at Uncle Kang and scolded him irritably.

Then he turned back to Bai Mo, his expression becoming serious again. "Anyway, little Bai Mo, don't listen to his nonsense. Remember what I said: you must be back before dark."

The innocent childlike expression on Bai Mo's face vanished in an instant, replaced by a seriousness that did not suit his age.

He solemnly nodded to the two elders, thanked them, then turned around and headed back in the direction he had come from—toward home.

"Huh?" Hunter Zhao Kang froze for a moment before calling out instinctively, "Little Bai Mo, you're going the wrong way. That isn't the road out of the village."

"I'm not going out anymore."

Bai Mo did not turn around. He simply waved at them with his back facing them, and his small figure soon rounded a bend and vanished from sight.

Watching his decisive retreating figure, Zhao Kang laughed soundlessly and shook his head. "This kid's quite timid. Still... that's not a bad thing. Better to be cautious."

"Mm."

Old Master Zhao nodded in agreement and put his pipe back in his mouth. "It won't be too late to enter the forest after that monster has been dealt with by the Soul Master. After all, no one can say for sure whether that thing might wander over here. You need to be careful too, Zhao Kang. You're the one in the village who goes into the forest most often."

"Come on, don't you know me by now?"

Zhao Kang patted his chest and laughed. "I'm not stupid. With things being so dangerous right now, I wasn't planning to go in over the next few days anyway."

Naturally, Bai Mo did not hear the conversation behind him.

On his way home, his mind raced as he repeatedly mulled over the information he had just learned.

It ate people, appeared at night, and judging from Zhao Kang's description, it was likely humanoid—or perhaps simply human.

When it came to humans who ate people, a term immediately surfaced in Bai Mo's mind—Evil Soul Master.

But he quickly dismissed the thought.

In this era, Spirit Hall's power stood at its peak. The glory of the angels still shone over the entire continent, and their suppression of evil was stronger than ever before.

Even if there were any who had slipped through the net, most had been driven into that lawless place—Slaughter City.

The chances of an Evil Soul Master appearing near such a remote northern village were minuscule.

But regardless of whether the monster was an Evil Soul Master or some unknown Soul Beast, Bai Mo had no intention of putting himself in danger.

The Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony was only a few days away. It was his only chance to change his fate.

He did not want to become some monster's meal at such a critical time, before he had even had the chance to awaken his Martial Soul.

If it really came to that, he would not even have a place to cry.

He understood better than anyone the principle of avoiding misfortune and seeking fortune.

Until he received definite news proving that the monster had been eliminated, he would never set foot in the forest again.

In any case, the rice and flour the village chief had sent over would last for a while. With his Martial Soul about to awaken as well, he was in no hurry.

When he returned home, Na'er, who had been playing with Fufu, looked at him in surprise with her violet eyes when she saw that he had come back so soon.

Bai Mo did not hide anything. After shutting the door, he told Na'er everything he had heard at the village entrance about the monster and solemnly warned her not to run around over the next few days.

After listening, Na'er nodded obediently. Then, like a little kitten, she snuggled over and hugged Bai Mo's arm. Tilting up her little face, she adorably said in a soft, sweet voice, "Na'er understands. Na'er will stay glued to Big Brother and never leave Big Brother's sight, not even for one step."

Bai Mo immediately laughed, and the slight gloom the monster had brought him was swept away.

He reached out and gently pinched Na'er's chubby baby cheeks. They were soft, tender, and wonderfully springy.

At the same time, the last trace of doubt in his heart about Na'er's identity was completely cast aside in the face of her pure dependence and closeness.

How could Na'er, so adorable and soft, so wholeheartedly reliant on him, possibly be the lofty Silver Dragon King who ruled countless Soul Beasts?

It could only be said that everything was merely a coincidence.

Night fell. The moonlight was stark and pale, torn to pieces by thick clouds and howling snow, casting only scattered, dim patches of light and shadow.

On such a night, the Icebound Forest resembled an ancient beast lying dormant. Every dead branch wrapped in ice and snow had become a savage bone spur, pointing toward the deep, freezing sky.

The wind was the sole ruler here. Like an invisible ghost, it drifted through the woods, sometimes emitting low whimpers and sometimes turning into piercing roars, sweeping snow from the treetops before viciously hurling it down upon the earth.

Blackstone Village, bordering this frozen forest, had long since fallen silent.

The heavy stone houses stood mute amid the wind and snow. Only a few windows gave off faint yellow light, like candles flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment.

In this bitterly cold night, where all things were silent, a black shadow ignored the raging blizzard and slowly emerged from the forest's darkness, heading directly toward Blackstone Village.

Its pace was not fast, but it was extraordinarily steady, as though the biting wind and ankle-deep snow had no effect on it whatsoever.

"Damn this world... damn humans..."

A hoarse curse brimming with hatred came from the black shadow's mouth, only to be swiftly torn apart by the wind and snow.

When it reached a slightly open stretch where it could catch some moonlight, its appearance was finally revealed.

It was not human at all.

In the center of its forehead grew a grayish-black horn about the length of a finger, while scarlet ghostly patterns, raised like blood vessels, covered its face.

There was not a trace of white in its eyes. Within their pure blackness, only tiny scarlet pupils flickered, revealing inhuman cruelty and hunger.

When it opened its mouth, rows of interlocking fangs were clearly visible, while the nails on its ten fingers had long since turned into sharp, beast-like claws.

The One-Horned Demon was in a foul mood—one could even say it was enraged.

Ever since an unknown force had thrown it from the familiar world into this strange place, it had not enjoyed a single good day.