Encountering Gu Yue

After a tiger's roar, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger moved.

Its figure vanished from where it stood, like ink dissolving into the forest.

When it reappeared, it was already before the three of them. Its Evil God Hook traced a shrill arc toward the boy on the left.

In his haste, the boy released his martial soul. Ghost King Vines surged from his palm, their barbed tendrils weaving into a net in midair, only to be easily torn apart by the Evil God Hook.

The boy on the right released his martial soul at the same time: the Dark Demon Tiger. A slightly smaller tiger-shaped phantom condensed behind him, letting out a low growl as it attempted to stand against the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.

But the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger merely turned its head. A hint of disdain flashed through its tiger eyes, and with a gentle flap of its wings, shadows surged forth like a tide and swallowed the phantom whole.

Mu Xi gritted her teeth as her Blazing Sun martial soul rose high above her, shining even more brilliantly than before.

A fireball shot out like a falling star, heading straight for the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's back.

The tiger phantom shifted aside, and its wings whipped up a gale that casually blew out the fireball.

"We can't beat it!" the skinny boy shouted, unable to suppress the terror in his voice. "Let's run!"

The three turned and fled deeper into the forest.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was eager to give chase, ready to embark on a delightful journey where it chased, they ran, and they had nowhere to escape.

"Go after them. What are you standing around for?" Ziyang said deliberately.

At his words, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger immediately gave chase. It darted between the trees like a bolt of black lightning, occasionally flapping its wings to stir up violent gusts that swept fallen leaves into whirlwinds, terrifying the three people ahead.

Within this forest, no soul beast could stand against it. It was the ruler of the forest, the incarnation of death.

Mu Xi and the other two ran for their lives. Ghost King Vines left trap after trap behind them, while the Dark Demon Tiger's phantom tried to cover their retreat.

But the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger simply leaped lightly over every obstacle.

It was toying with its prey, enjoying the thrill of the chase.

Then, unexpectedly, the three people ahead stopped. In the clearing before them, more than a dozen pairs of eyes lit up.

It was a pack of Flame Lions. Their bodies were crimson, and real flames burned within their manes, distorting the surrounding air with heat.

Clearly disturbed by the commotion, they turned their attention to the three people, letting out low roars and completely blocking the exit.

Mu Xi and the others froze in place, caught between two forces. Behind them, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's shadows spread closer; ahead, the flames of the Flame Lion pack surged upward.

"It's over. We're finished. Lions in front, a tiger behind us!" The skinny boy's voice was filled with despair, and his body could not stop trembling.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger stopped within the shadows and tilted its head, as though admiring this unexpected drama. Its Evil God Hook swayed gently, but it did not continue its pursuit.

In the forest, Ziyang lowered the brim of his hat and arrived with Na'er. Smiling, he said, "Who would have thought there'd be such an unexpected bonus?"

Mu Xi glanced at the black tiger behind them, then at the Flame Lions ahead.

"We definitely can't beat the one behind us. But we still have a chance against those in front."

She attacked first, firing a dazzling fireball at the Flame Lion pack.

The largest male lion gave a low roar. The flames in its mane surged, forming a wall of fire that swallowed the fireball whole.

Mu Xi's attack was not over. A second and third fireball shot out in succession.

"Don't just stand there!"

At her words, the two boys exchanged a glance and released their martial souls at the same time.

The Flame Lion pack was enraged. More than a dozen lions roared together, and the flames in their manes surged up, igniting the fallen leaves around them and forming a sea of fire.

Mu Xi and the others darted through the flames in sorry states, quickly disappearing among the lions.

The spiritual power on their bodies naturally flowed toward the nearest soul master, Ziyang. The two Soul Rings beneath his feet deepened further, already very close to ten thousand years.

Ziyang lowered his head, glanced at his Soul Rings, and said, "Little Black, Little Evil, finish them."

Austin Griffin raised its head and let out a low roar. The lion pack instantly froze.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger spread its wings and took off from where it stood, diving straight into the center of the lion pack.

Its Evil God Hook drew a shrill arc, tearing open a Flame Lion's back. Red blood spurted out, hissing as it struck the sea of fire.

A beam of destruction descended and pierced through another Flame Lion's head.

Darkness curled around them as well, sealing the vision of three Flame Lions and leaving them to struggle in despair until the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's claws tore through their throats.

Ziyang stood where he was, quietly watching.

Then a silver figure swept past his side.

Na'er gripped her silver Dragon Spear, its tip glinting with a cold radiance amid the flames. She moved through the lion pack like a swimming dragon, each thrust precisely piercing a Flame Lion's lone eye or throat.

The spear spun, trailing silver-white halos that sliced the surrounding flames into fragments.

"Watch me!" Na'er said excitedly, charging back and forth through the Flame Lion pack seven times.

The battle ended quickly. More than a dozen Flame Lions lay on the ground, their bodies beginning to fade as golden spiritual power flowed out and gathered toward Ziyang and Na'er. Their Soul Rings lit up at the same time. Na'er's remained purple, while Ziyang's Soul Rings directly evolved into black Soul Rings.

The forest fell silent. Na'er put away her spear and walked off, standing in the middle of the clearing. "I killed seven. That's more than any of them."

"Oh."

"More than you."

"I didn't kill any."

"..."

Na'er choked for a moment, then said, "You slacker."

"Let's go. We should keep looking for people." Ziyang smiled faintly.

Na'er froze for a moment, then skipped after him. With Ziyang helping her this time, there definitely would not be any problems.

It was just that Ziyang really loved slacking off.

"Wait for me."

The two people, one beast, and one tiger headed deeper into the forest.

The forest grew deeper and the light dimmer. Sunlight was cut into fragments by the canopy, casting mottled shadows across the ground.

Na'er slowed down. She could already faintly sense Gu Yue's presence.

Ahead lay a relatively sparse stretch of woods, where five figures sat or stood in different poses.

Among them, the black-haired girl was the most withdrawn. Her dark eyes were deep as her gaze passed through the forest and settled on Ziyang and Na'er in the distance.

The leader in the distance was a boy with a gentle expression, though it concealed a resilience that was hard to detect.

Beside him stood a slender boy with his arms folded across his chest, leaning against a tree trunk with a trace of arrogance.

Lastly, two boys stood side by side, one tall and one short, one sturdy and one thin.

They should be Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi.

Ziyang pressed down the brim of his hat and emerged from the forest with Na'er.

The moment Tang Wulin and the others saw Ziyang and Na'er, they became alert. They remembered one thing well: every other soul master encountered in the forest would become an enemy.