The demons closed in, forming a tight circle around Yan Bingxue. The air was thick with their foul, chaotic energy, but Bingxue remained a statue of calm silence. Her eyes didn't even flicker as they snarled at her.
"Capture her alive!" the leader roared.
One demon, faster and more eager than the rest, lunged forward. The moment he crossed within five meters of her, his body jerked. Without Bingxue even moving a finger, the demon's flesh turned a translucent blue before shattering into a fine mist of ice-ash.
"You wish to capture me?" Bingxue's voice was like the cracking of a glacier. "You are not worthy."
"Hahaha! I knew you had a gift," the demon leader replied, his eyes filled with greed. "My Lord will be more than satisfied when I bring you to him."
Bingxue's gaze deepened. The disrespect to her status—and her heart—was enough. "Let's clean this up," she whispered.
She drew her blade in a blur. A single, horizontal slash cut through the air. For a heartbeat, the world went silent. Then, a massive shockwave of frost exploded outward. In less than a second, every demon in the clearing was frozen solid, their life forces snuffed out by her Absolute Zero spirit energy.
"Soldier demons," she muttered, sheathing her sword. "Nothing but trash."
She stepped back into her carriage without looking at the carnage. "Let's go. I have no more time to waste."
Shen Yuan watched the scrying pool flicker to black. He roared in fury, the wine glass in his hand shattering into dust.
"Next time, send only Demon Kings and Demon Lords!" he screamed at his subordinates. "She is in the Divine Realm, yet she is already this powerful. Her talent is dangerous. No more mistakes!"
The sun rose over the city, casting light into the room where Xiao Yan was currently rubbing his aching back.
"Well, Xiao Yan, how did you sleep?" Jinyao asked with a smirk. She and Lieya had claimed the beds, forcing the "Prince" to sleep on the hard floor again.
"Next time, we are getting separate rooms," Xiao Yan groaned.
(I can't make any more girl friends,) he thought desperately. (They are too dangerous. I need to stay away from them for now.)
"Guys, I'm leaving for a bit. Bye!"
Before they could protest, Xiao Yan ignited his Stage 7 Tendon Strength. He was out the door and down the street before they could even reach for their boots. He sighed in relief as he reached a quiet park on the edge of the city.
Finally, I'm free. Now, I just need to find a new place to stay where they won't find me.
Deep in the woods, Yanfeng, Lingyan, and Yanxue were still following the towering form of Shuanglang.
"How much longer until we arrive?" Yanxue asked, her legs aching.
"We are here," Shuanglang responded, stepping through a thick curtain of vines.
The siblings stopped, gasping in awe. Before them lay a hidden Beast City, carved into the very trees and stone of the forest. Thousands of beasts in various forms walked the streets in perfect harmony. It was a civilization of nature, hidden away from the prying eyes of humans.
"Wow... I never thought the Beast Kingdom was like this," Yanfeng whispered.
"This is just a small border city of the Great Kingdom," Shuanglang said, turning to them. "Settle here for now. We will talk later; I have matters to attend to."
Xiao Yan found a secluded spot near a waterfall. He sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. As he began to breathe, the Spiritual Codex around him began to swirl, drawn in by his Spirit Inhalation.
(I have truly improved,) he mused, feeling the triple resonance of his body, spirit, and soul. (Now, it's time to focus. I need to find the Dragon Master and prepare for the Academy.)
Xiao Yan had completely lost track of time. Immersed in the Trinity Path resonance, he stayed in his isolated sanctuary for a full week, his body absorbing the Spiritual Codex like a parched desert. Meanwhile, back in the city, the atmosphere was significantly more tense.
"Do you think we made him mad?" Shi Lieya asked, her voice uncharacteristically soft as they walked through the market. "I feel sad that I can't talk to him right now."
Jinyao glanced at her, a spark of jealousy in her eyes. "Do you like him romantically?"
Lieya didn't flinch. She looked toward the horizon where Xiao Yan had disappeared. "Well, I can say we both like him. But what can I do? He's like the wind."
"Then let's compete fairly," Jinyao suggested, her competitive spirit flaring up. "Let him choose for himself who he wants to be with."
"There's no rush," Lieya sighed. "Let's just find him first."
At that moment, a figure wrapped in a cloak of white silk entered the city. Yan Bingxue moved like a ghost, her face veiled to hide her legendary beauty. She stepped into the lobby of the very same hotel where Jinyao and Lieya were staying.
"A room, please," she requested, her voice a cool melody.
As she waited, her subordinate leaned in and whispered, "Young Lady, our scouts have confirmed... Xiao Yan is staying in this very hotel."
Bingxue didn't react outwardly, but her heart skipped a beat. At that exact second, Jinyao and Lieya passed right beside her.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
BOOM.
An invisible blast of aura erupted between them, so sharp it caused the wood in the walls to groan and crack. Jinyao's fire-element blood boiled in defense, while Bingxue's cold intent acted like an iron wall.
Bingxue watched them walk away, her eyes narrowing behind her veil. "I assume those two are his companions?"
"Yes, Young Lady," the subordinate whispered, sensing the tension. "I think they are... in love with him. It is quite a crowd he gathers."
"It does not matter," Bingxue said, her coldness returning. "I do not care about those girls as long as he is safe and sound. He will explain everything to me once he is powerful enough. For now, we stay silent. Do not alert anyone."
Down the hall, Jinyao shivered, rubbing her arms. "I felt like that woman just now had something against us."
"I don't care," Lieya replied, her face pale. "She is far more powerful than us. Her aura was so cold my own fire affinity reacted instinctively. We should stay away from her."
As they reached the dining hall, they suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. There, sitting at a corner table, was a young man looking incredibly relaxed, happily stuffing his face with snacks.
"Xiao... YANNNNNNN!"
The girls' furious cry echoed through the entire hotel, loud enough to shake the chandeliers.
Xiao Yan froze, a snack halfway to his mouth. He slowly turned his head, his eyes widening as he saw the two "demons" charging toward him.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!!!