Magic Beast Appears

Jiang Lu stepped closer and found that its ears were much larger than those of an ordinary mouse, each bearing a tuft of white fur. The tip of its tail also had a tuft of white fur.

She examined it closely and discovered the crystal half-exposed before it.

Such rich wood-attribute energy!

If not for her spiritual energy perception being different from that of ordinary people, she truly would not have noticed it. The crystal's aura blended with its surroundings, making it difficult to detect.

Sensing someone's gaze behind it, the little mouse suddenly froze, its paws ceasing their digging.

It turned its head slightly and saw Jiang Lu bending over, staring at it without blinking.

Feeling the friendly aura around her, it blinked at Jiang Lu, then resumed digging with its paws.

Seeing that it was not afraid of her at all, Jiang Lu grew curious. With a flicker of spiritual energy in her hand, she pulled the entire crystal out of the earth, and it landed in her palm.

At once, the little mouse waved its paws at her, squeaking anxiously.

Jiang Lu waved the crystal before it.

"You want this?"

The little mouse immediately nodded, even obediently holding out both paws as it waited.

Jiang Lu found it utterly adorable. She crouched down, placed the crystal in its paws, and stroked its head with one finger as she asked,

"What kind of mouse are you?"

Clutching the crystal, it began gnawing on it. When it heard Jiang Lu's question, it immediately stopped, lifted its head, and squeaked several times.

Jiang Lu's mouth twitched. She could not understand it.

But!

The slow hand gets nothing! Who cared? She would take it with her first.

She directly grabbed it and stuffed it into her cloth pouch.

Chi Li opened its eyes and suddenly felt the space around it had become cramped. The moment it opened its eyes, it saw the red little figure gnawing on a crystal.

Especially those two tufts of fur on its ears and tail—its mouth fell open as it rubbed its eyes in disbelief.

Treasure-Seeking Mouse?

Oh, heavens above!

There was a Treasure-Seeking Mouse in this place?

Weren't Treasure-Seeking Mice supposed to have gone extinct long ago?

Do not ask how they knew. As lovers of treasures, who would not want a companion capable of finding treasures?

Moreover, Treasure-Seeking Mice came with their own storage spaces. Having one was equivalent to carrying around a mobile treasury.

Its master's luck was truly extraordinary!

Calling her a child favored by fortune would not be wrong.

"Master, where did you get a Treasure-Seeking Mouse?"

Chi Li asked.

"I picked it up while passing by just now. What did you say? A Treasure-Seeking Mouse? Weren't these things extinct?"

Jiang Lu could hardly believe it. She had casually grabbed a Treasure-Seeking Mouse—she was not some child favored by fortune.

"That is right, Master. Though the rumors say Treasure-Seeking Mice are extinct, the features on its body clearly mark it as one."

Hearing that, Jiang Lu secretly reveled in her good fortune.

Hehe.

As expected of her!

Could she be the Heavenly Dao's beloved daughter?

Treasure-Seeking Mice were fragile and timid. As the Heavenly Dao's favored children, they could not be contracted.

If fate existed between them, they would naturally follow.

But if they had no affinity and were forcibly taken, they would frighten themselves to death.

After catching up to Liu Qingqing's group again, Jiang Lu carefully concealed herself.

By then, they had gradually entered the middle region. Jiang Lu became increasingly certain that their journey was related to that Magic Beast. Yet they were being exceptionally conspicuous; every time they passed a place, it seemed they were announcing their arrival to the demonic beasts occupying those territories.

Clearly, they were doing it deliberately.

Jiang Lu had a bold guess. They seemed to be luring those demonic beasts out.

But the demonic beasts of the middle region were no weaklings. Golden Core cultivators might not necessarily be their match.

Unless...

Someone was following them from the shadows.

Jiang Lu's face turned pale. Whether it was true or not, she had been extremely cautious along the way and had not exposed the secret of her spatial storage.

She carefully let out a breath.

Then an enraged roar rang out, and the leaves all around them rustled violently. Panicked cries came from ahead, mixed with shouts and the sounds of battle!

Then a wave of pressure swept toward them.

The two double-edged blades on Fu Yao's back flashed, instantly appearing in her hands. She watched the direction of the sound with vigilance.

She had not expected someone to beat them to it!

Everyone wore unreadable expressions, carrying both tension and excitement.

"Master! It is the aura of a Magic Beast!"

Chi Li immediately transmitted its voice to Jiang Lu. Its tone was cautious—the Magic Beast was very powerful.

Frightened by the aura, the Treasure-Seeking Mouse darted to Cangchen's side and tightly hugged its body.

What a terrifying aura!

Seeing Chi Li trying to poke its curious head out, it hesitated briefly before immediately reaching out with a paw and grabbing its wing.

Feeling the touch on its wing, Chi Li turned and saw those wet, glistening eyes. Its heart swelled with pride, and it haughtily tossed its head, though it no longer poked its head out.

Jiang Lu gripped her spirit sword.

She had not expected them to find the Magic Beast so quickly!

But it seemed the disciples on the other side could no longer hold on! Judging by those miserable cries, quite a few disciples had likely been injured.

The cultivators hiding in the shadows should make their move now, right?

Before Jiang Lu could see the elders take action, the Magic Beast appeared within her sight.

Its eyes were scarlet, and its massive body emitted Demonic Qi. It moved with astonishing speed, and as it charged, trees all around it collapsed.

"Help!"

"It's a Magic Beast! Run!"

"Help!"

"..."

As the cries and pleas for help drew closer and closer, the Magic Beast began charging toward them.

Damnable humans!

They actually dared come and contend with it for this opportunity!

It would make sure none of them returned alive!

Seeing the Magic Beast's strength, the elder hiding in the shadows inwardly cursed.

A level-five Magic Beast was equivalent to a level-six demonic beast!

At least three Nascent Soul cultivators would be needed to subdue it with confidence. Yet he was the only one here. He could not act rashly; if he provoked the Magic Beast into a frenzy, it would benefit none of the cultivators present.

What was more, these were all prodigies from various forces. If they were injured or perished here, he would have no reason to go on living.

He could only hope that the other elders who had received the message would hurry over.

The Magic Beast's gaze swept over Jiang Lu, and their eyes met.

Jiang Lu knew that she had no hope of continuing to hide behind the crowd this time.

Then a furious bellow rang out, and Demonic Qi shot toward Jiang Lu.

Her heart lurched, and she immediately dodged to the side.

Her figure was completely exposed to everyone's view.

Fu Yao's brows furrowed slightly. Where had this cultivator come from? She had followed them all this time, yet Fu Yao had not noticed her at all.

But...

She could not see through Jiang Lu's cultivation!

Jiang Lu did not look very old, so her cultivation could not be too high. That meant she carried a magic artifact that concealed her cultivation.

A cultivator possessing such an artifact could not have an ordinary identity.

In that brief exchange, Fu Yao had already formed a guess about Jiang Lu's identity, but neither side had time to greet the other.

The Magic Beast's attack swept toward them all.

A protective barrier suddenly appeared around them, and the elder in hiding emerged from the shadows with a pained expression.

He had no choice but to act!

The moment he saw the strand of Demonic Qi that had forced Jiang Lu out, he knew that even all the disciples present combined were no match for it.