Mysterious Woman

Tian Meng called out to Huo Yuhao anxiously, "Yuhao, get up already. Stop sleeping. Let's hurry to the Far Northern Land—my Bingbing is still waiting for me there!!!"

Huo Yuhao said drowsily, "All right, Tian Meng. Refining the Golden Tortoiseshell Puppet exhausted me. Look at these bloodshot eyes. Besides, Tian Meng, your Bingbing isn't going to run away. What are you afraid of?"

Tian Meng questioned Huo Yuhao with a hint of anger, "What did you say? Little Yuhao, you've really changed. Bingbing isn't a plant! How could she not run away? Besides, Bingbing will definitely be sad if she can't see me. The sooner I see Bingbing, the less she'll suffer. We're truly star-crossed lovers, separated by the ends of the earth. Little Yuhao, let me tell you, the story between me and Bingbing is earth-shaking~ ghost-weeping~."

"All right, Tian Meng, we'll go to the Far Northern Land now. Stop talking already. I've heard your story no fewer than a dozen times. So, Tian Meng, which route to the Far Northern Land is the closest?"

Tian Meng coughed lightly. "Little Yuhao, you don't know this, do you? Looks like I still have to step in. Go through the Sun Moon Empire. It's slightly closer than going through the Star Dou Great Forest. More importantly, didn't the memories from that Earthling show that there's a piece of Life Gold in the Sun Moon Empire?"

"Oh, right. Tian Meng, I would've forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it. Fine, we'll go through the Sun Moon Empire."

Huo Yuhao suddenly thought of something and said to Tian Meng, "Tian Meng, but we don't have any money. Don't we need to obtain that Life Gold at an auction?"

"That's right, Little Yuhao. What should we do?"

A dignified voice rang out from within Huo Yuhao's Martial Soul space. "My lord, I have collected Soul Bones and some heavenly treasures at the Lake of Life. You may sell them in exchange for money."

Huo Yuhao's worry turned to joy. "Ditian, thank you. Your help came at just the right time."

"My lord, this is what I should do. You are the supreme Dragon God. Everything I do for you is worthwhile. By the way, my lord, how are we going to the Sun Moon Empire? The Heaven Soul Empire, Dou Ling Empire, Star Luo Empire, and other forces lie between the Star Dou Great Forest and the Sun Moon Empire. It won't be easy to pass through. If you wish, my lord, I can take you there."

"Ditian, don't forget—my Martial Soul is of the space attribute."

Before Huo Yuhao could finish speaking, a space-time rift appeared before him. It seemed tailor-made for Huo Yuhao, neither too large nor too small, just enough to accommodate him. "All right, Ditian, I appreciate your kindness, but I'm still capable of handling something like this." As soon as he finished speaking, he walked straight into the space-time rift.

Just as Huo Yuhao was about to enter the space-time rift, a voice rang out from the forest.

"Take her alive! Don't let that little brat of light get away!"

The roars of the Evil Soul Masters mixed with chaotic footsteps, exploding through the woods. Branches and leaves cracked beneath their feet, while the bloody stench of decay rode the wind and clung tightly to the fleeing figure ahead.

A young girl stumbled forward. Her silver-white hair had long since come undone, several strands sticking to her sweat-dampened forehead and cheeks, the ends stained with dust and fresh blood—the blood that had splashed onto her when those protecting her made their final stand before her. Her plain white clothes had been slashed in several places, and tiny beads of blood seeped from the scrapes on her arms and calves. Every step tugged at her wounds, yet she did not dare stop, nor could she stop. The faint golden glow of the Holy Angel around her shoulder was as weak as a candle in the wind, swaying with her ragged breaths, yet stubbornly refusing to go out completely.

Her eyes were terribly red, veiled in a thin mist of tears, but she bit her lip hard and refused to let them fall. Her chest felt as though a boulder were crushing it, the pain nearly leaving her unable to breathe. Familiar faces flashed through her mind again and again: the uncle who fell while shielding her from an attack, the grandmother who stuffed her last piece of dry food into her hands, and the big brother who pushed her into the hidden passage and told her, "Run. Don't look back"... They were all gone, killed by those Evil Soul Masters.

Her throat burned with bitterness. The girl clenched her fists, her nails digging deeply into her palms, and she did not even notice the blood seeping out. Why? They had all been such good people. They had never harmed anyone, so why did they have to be treated with such cruelty?

Grief surged within her, gradually condensing into a bone-chilling resolve. Her steps grew steadier, and the mist in her eyes faded, leaving only determination. She would remember today's grudge. One day, she would become strong enough—strong enough to protect herself, strong enough to personally slaughter every Evil Soul Master and make those vile bastards pay their blood debt in blood!