Chapter 136: The Rescue

In the dense forest, ancient trees soared toward the clouds, their lush foliage spreading out to shroud the sky. From time to time, the roars of powerful demonic beasts echoed through the woods, stirring the spiritual energy into a frenzy.

"Roar!"

In a corner of the forest, Shen Qingyun and Feng Chuxun stood facing a demonic beast that had suddenly appeared. It was tiger-shaped, covered in brown scales, with a black whisker on each side of its mouth. It glared at them with open hostility, its tail whipping through the air with a sharp, whistling sound.

It was a Shield-Armor Tiger, an earth-elemental beast with strength rivaling the mid-stage of the Spirit Phase realm, its brown scales providing formidable defense.

"It seems we've been underestimated," Shen Qingyun said with a faint smile, pointing at the tiger as it bared its cold, sharp fangs.

"Finish it," Feng Chuxun said, stepping forward. He made a highly provocative gesture toward the tiger—extending his middle finger.

As it turned out, this gesture carried the same meaning for any species in any realm. The Shield-Armor Tiger let out a furious roar, bloodlust flashing in its eyes as it charged at Feng Chuxun. Feng Chuxun did not dodge; instead, he slowly gripped the hilt of his Scarlet Snow sword. With a flash of light, the blade was drawn. His figure vanished like a ghost, reappearing instantly above the beast's head.

Channeling his spiritual energy through Scarlet Snow, he stomped down on the tiger’s skull, forcefully halting its charge and pinning it to the ground. Without a moment's hesitation, he drove the cold blade deep into the tiger's brain.

Clang!

The sound of metal striking armor rang out, sparks flying, followed by the sickening crunch of something being pierced. The Shield-Armor Tiger struggled wildly, its sharp claws gouging deep pits into the earth, but soon its movements weakened. With one final twitch, it went still.

With Feng Chuxun's current level of strength, dealing with a mid-stage Spirit Phase beast was effortless.

"One-shotting a mid-stage Spirit Phase beast. Impressive," Shen Qingyun said, walking over and clapping.

Feng Chuxun looked down at the carcass and shook his head. "Too bad it didn't have a Beast Soul Pill."

"Beast Soul Pills are formed when a beast fails to absorb excess spiritual energy during an evolution, condensing it into a pill that contains pure essence. Such a treasure isn't just useful to humans; it's a vital supplement for the beasts themselves. It’s no surprise it was consumed," Shen Qingyun explained with a laugh.

"I see." The lack of a reward didn't dampen Feng Chuxun's spirits; if anything, his desire for battle grew. If mid-stage Spirit Phase beasts were everywhere here, what about the stronger ones? To fight, to challenge the strong, and to relish the combat—this was Feng Chuxun's own unique way of cultivation.

"Let's move on." Shen Qingyun looked toward the heart of the forest. According to Ye Zhong, their destination for the selection was the center of this treasure land, where a grand prize awaited them.

He retracted his expanded consciousness. He had detected many traces of beasts nearby, though only a few nests. This was normal; beasts were territorial, viewing any intruder as an enemy.

Shen Qingyun’s original plan was to head straight for the center, but that was no longer an option. He needed a spot—a spot on the Path of the Saint. The sooner he reached the Central Province, the better.

Together, they were strong enough to sweep through the entire forest. They searched the nearby nests, finding only two occupied by beasts, neither of which posed any trouble. Unfortunately, neither held a Beast Soul Pill. However, while scouting further, they discovered two small pills, each half the size of a palm. They snatched them and left, and shortly after, deafening roars echoed behind them.

"Let's hurry. They'll be tracking our scent soon," Shen Qingyun said. There was a lingering sense of guilt; this hadn't been exactly an honorable acquisition.

"If they catch up, we’ll just kill them," Feng Chuxun replied.

"Avoiding trouble is always for the best," Shen Qingyun sighed, wondering if Feng Chuxun had anything in his head besides fighting and cultivation. "We started at dawn and walked until afternoon. It will be dark soon, and the forest at night is full of uncertainties."

"Oh," Feng Chuxun muttered, clearly reluctant.

...

That night, a bonfire crackled, two roasted beast legs sizzling as the fat dripped into the flames. The aroma of roasting meat was intoxicating. These legs belonged to the "rightful owners" who had tracked them down—a pair of late-stage Spirit Phase beasts that had taken Feng Chuxun quite some effort to defeat.

"Still thinking about what they said?" Feng Chuxun asked, glancing at the meat and swallowing hard before looking at Shen Qingyun.

Shen Qingyun nodded. "I didn't think the Northern Underworld Demon King would go this far—hiring the local Demon Kings of this realm just to kill me."

"The pain of losing a son, what did you expect?" Feng Chuxun said with a touch of schadenfreude. When it came to attracting enemies, no one could beat Shen Qingyun.

"It seems I need to change my appearance," Shen Qingyun said, glancing at Feng Chuxun.

"You can change your appearance?" Feng Chuxun asked with surprise. "Isn't that something only pills can do?"

Shen Qingyun nodded. "True, only pills can achieve a complete transformation. But minor adjustments to facial structure? I can manage that."

"That's amazing," Feng Chuxun said, having never heard of such a technique.

"Wait for it." Shen Qingyun stood up and walked toward him. He looked at Feng Chuxun calmly, then raised his right hand and brought it down.

Slap!

A crisp, stinging sound echoed. It must have hurt. Shen Qingyun's hands worked busily over Feng Chuxun’s face, occasionally offering critiques: "Your facial muscles are too stiff. Remember to smile more..."

"Alright, done!" Shen Qingyun clapped his hands.

Feng Chuxun stared at him, his left cheek burning. Seeing the way Shen Qingyun had been kneading his face, he realized one thing: Shen Qingyun had absolutely done it on purpose. This was revenge!

If the beasts recognized them, they would report back to the local Demon King, potentially leading the Northern Underworld Demon King straight to them. Altering their looks was a necessary precaution.

Slowly, Feng Chuxun’s expression changed. Shen Qingyun’s own face was no longer handsome, but rather plain and unremarkable—the kind of face that wouldn't draw a second glance. This wasn't just a "minor adjustment"; he looked like a completely different person. Feng Chuxun’s own features were no longer as refined as before.

At dawn, they found a small stream. Looking at his reflection, Feng Chuxun felt it was surreal. To change one's appearance without the aid of pills was truly mind-boggling.

"Done staring? If so, let's go," Shen Qingyun said, confident in his handiwork.

"Let's move." The two figures darted into the deep forest like ghosts.

Along the way, they dealt with three beasts that had woken up early, netting one more Beast Soul Pill. As Shen Qingyun prepared to leap into an ancient tree to survey the horizon, a slight tremor shook the forest ahead.

He expanded his consciousness, his brows furrowing. "Trouble. Let's hide."

They leaped into the trees, using the terrain to peer in the direction of the tremor. A moment later, they saw green light flickering among the trees.

"Ghost Wolves."

Shen Qingyun identified them. Wolves were pack animals, and Ghost Wolves were no exception. They were wind-elemental beasts known for their speed. A single early-stage Spirit Phase Ghost Wolf at full burst could outrun many late-stage Spirit Phase beasts.

There were seven of them. Ahead of the pack, a slender figure was desperately dodging the wolves' lunges. Shen Qingyun squinted; it was a young girl. Anyone in this area right now had to be a student of the Zixiao Academy. She looked younger than Feng Chuxun, yet her cultivation was already mid-stage Spirit Phase. She must have been skilled in speed, or she wouldn't have survived this long.

Her delicate face was pale with panic.

"She's being hunted," Feng Chuxun whispered, looking up at Shen Qingyun. "Boss, should we intervene?" Perhaps out of sympathy, he couldn't bear to see such a young girl fall into the wolves' jaws.

Shen Qingyun stared at the pack, silent.

Feng Chuxun hadn't lowered his voice, and the girl heard him. She looked up, hope flashing across her face when she saw them, but it quickly vanished when she realized they had no intention of helping.

"Bad people, too," she pouted. She had encountered many others on her path who had simply avoided the pack or pretended not to see her. Wiping her eyes, she steadied herself and continued to run.

Shen Qingyun sighed. "Fine, let's move."

They were under no obligation to help, but these wolves were no threat to them. It was a minor inconvenience, but if they did nothing, a vibrant life might be lost.

Feng Chuxun seemed to have been waiting for the word. The moment Shen Qingyun spoke, he leaped down, slicing through the waists of the two leading wolves.

"Copper back, iron head, tofu waist"—the waist was the most vulnerable point. The two wolves died before they could even react. Yet, the remaining wolves ignored him entirely, rushing past him to continue their pursuit of the girl.

From the tree, Shen Qingyun realized with a start that the girl must be carrying something; otherwise, the wolves wouldn't be so fearlessly determined to hunt her down.