"Lingyan, are you okay?" Yanxue asked, her voice trembling as she stepped toward her younger sister.
Lingyan's eyes were wide, fixed on the figure before them. "I... I just saw a human-beast. People say they are scary and powerful."
Yanfeng gripped his broken sword tighter. "Maybe it is a Beast King."
"Well, hello," the beast-man spoke, his voice like the grinding of glaciers. "You realize this forest is dangerous, right?"
"Who are you?" Lingyan stammered, shrinking back.
"Don't worry," the creature replied with a terrifyingly calm smile. "There is a Beast City nearby. You can stay there for a moment instead of wandering around these woods like prey."
Yanfeng stepped forward, shielding his sisters. "Who are you? That is what we want to know!"
"I am Shuanglang," the man replied, his eyes glowing with a cold, predatory light. "I am known as the Frost Wolf King. I lead a branch that serves the Ice Queen Dragon, Xuehuang."
Yanfeng gasped. "You really are a Beast King..."
"Indeed. I am traveling back to my clan. I saw you and thought I could help."
"We can't trust someone like him, brother!" Yanxue whispered urgently.
Yanfeng looked at his exhausted sisters and then at the powerful wolf-king. "Why don't we try? We won't survive another night out here anyway."
Shuanglang turned, his cloak fluttering. "Smart boy. Follow me."
"System, how many days did I spend in this palace?" Xiao Yan asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
[Master, one week has already passed in the outside world.]
"What?!" Xiao Yan's heart skipped a beat. "Those girls... they will kill me for sure!"
[Master, an emergency. Thanks to your massive increase in power, I can now evolve. My consciousness will go dormant during the process. Farewell for now.]
"Wait! You need to be there when I reach the mountain!" Xiao Yan shouted, but the golden glow of the Michael Mod on his shoulder faded into silence.
Left with no choice, Xiao Yan ignited his Stage 7 Tendon Strength, blurring into a streak of lightning as he raced toward the hotel to find his companions.
Yan Bingxue stood at the gates, her silver hair shimmering like frost.
"How do you feel, Bingxue?" her Master asked from behind.
"Master, do not worry," Bingxue replied, her voice as cold as a winter gale. "I will bring back the items you requested."
"I believe in you." Her Master turned away, his footsteps treading upon the very air, his power dominating the local laws. Without another word, Bingxue departed, a silent shadow moving toward the Nansha Empire.
"Where is that Xiao Yan?" Jinyao grumbled, stabbing her food with a fork. "He left a week ago and hasn't returned. Did something happen to him?"
"Don't worry," Lieya replied, though her eyes betrayed her concern. "I thought you wanted to join the Demon Slaying quests?"
"Well, demon slaying is dangerous," Jinyao muttered. "Barely anyone does it, and those who do are risking everything to protect the world."
"You are powerful enough. Why are you saying that?"
"Even if I am powerful, what if I meet a Demon more powerful than me? I'm not taking that risk!"
"You're just scared," Lieya teased.
"You—!" Jinyao started, but a familiar voice cut through the air.
"I finally found you guys!"
Xiao Yan ran toward them, breathless. Jinyao stood up, her face turning red with rage. "Xiao Yan! I'll kill you! You left us alone in that room for a whole week!"
"Well, it's not my fault—"
Xiao Yan didn't get to finish. Lieya didn't say a word; she simply marched toward him and started hitting him, chasing the "trash" prince around the guild hall as he desperately tried to escape her wrath.
"How long until we arrive?" Bingxue asked her attendants.
"Miss, at this pace, it won't take longer than a week."
Bingxue sighed internally. She hated traveling; she preferred the silence of the peaks. Beneath her cold temper and silent face, however, lay a heart that beat for only one person.
Suddenly, the horses neighed in terror. The air grew heavy with the smell of rot.
"Miss Bingxue! We are being ambushed!"
From the shadows of the trees, demons emerged. This was no random attack. Three days ago, Lord Xiang Feng, the Windstorm Demon Emperor, had given the order: "Capture her alive for Shen Yuan."
Xiang Feng watched from afar with a demonic grin. If we capture this Extreme Yin Constitution, my Wind Clan will be rewarded by the Overlord. We will ascend to the Immortal Realm, and no one can stop us!
Bingxue stepped out of the carriage. Her face was a mask of ice. She hated demons with a passion that burned hotter than fire.
"You have come for me again," she said, her voice echoing with killing intent. "Years ago, you almost killed my fiancé. Today, I will show no mercy."
The ground beneath her feet flash-froze. Trees, grass, and even the moisture in the air cracked and shattered as they turned into solid ice.
"We will take you to our Lord," the lead demon sneered. "He will use your Yin body as a furnace, take your virginity, and discard your corpse!"
"Only one man will ever touch me," Bingxue replied, her aura exploding with the force of a blizzard. "And his name is Xiao Yan!"
Watching through a scrying pool, the Abyss Overlord Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes as he heard the name.
"Xiao Yan..." he hissed. "Pass the order. Find this Xiao Yan and kill him. I want that girl to watch as I feast on her lover's soul!"
On the other hand, in Canghai City, Xiao Yan was walking with the two women who refused to let his arms go. He suddenly sneezed violently.
"Who's talking about me?" he muttered, rubbing his nose.
"Stop talking nonsense!" Shi Lieya snapped, gripping his hand tighter. "You think we will let you go now? There is no way!"