After Yao Ye departed, the hall fell into a heavy silence.
Jia Xingtian let out a long, weary sigh. Though he was revered as the Grand Protector of the empire, he was still human. He had emotions, attachments, and a heart that did not wish to wound his own granddaughter.
Yet he also knew—
pain was the sharpest teacher in this world.
Without it, pride would never break, and growth would never truly begin.
"Grand Protector," the emperor stepped forward and cupped his hands respectfully, his voice low and sincere.
"I apologise for my daughter's improper behaviour. This matter has burdened her… and me. Please forgive us."
"There is no need," Jia Xingtian replied, slowly shaking his head.
"I know this matter has troubled you just as deeply. You are a father before you are an emperor."
The emperor hesitated, his gaze flickering with uncertainty before finally asking,
"Grand Protector… that child—how is he?"
Jia Xingtian's eyes narrowed slightly, as though recalling something far beyond the palace walls.
"Did you think I exaggerated in front of Yao Ye?" he asked calmly.
"Then listen carefully, for I will say it again—everything I said was the truth."
He turned his gaze toward the emperor, his expression grave.
"And precisely because of that… I can no longer remain here."
The emperor froze.
He had known Xiao Hai's talent was extraordinary, his temperament steady, his resolve unyielding. But hearing these words from Jia Xingtian himself sent a chill through his heart.
To make the Grand Protector leave because of one child—
"What… do you mean by that?" the emperor asked slowly, his voice filled with disbelief.
"That boy has already stepped onto the path of the strong," Jia Xingtian said softly, his voice carrying an inexplicable weight.
"The path?" The emperor frowned, unable to follow. "The strong? I don't understand."
A faint chuckle escaped Jia Xingtian's lips, calm yet filled with admiration.
"He has already entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range—to temper himself."
The emperor's pupils shrank.
Before he could recover from the shock, Jia Xingtian continued, a trace of warmth appearing in his eyes.
"And he sought my assistance."
A brief pause.
"So, I cannot remain here any longer."
Only then did the emperor truly understand the meaning behind his words.
"Hahaha…"
The emperor laughed at himself for ever doubting such a child.
But he quickly composed himself. After all, Jia Xingtian was still standing before him.
"Thank you for the trouble, Grand Protector," the emperor said solemnly.
"If he requires further assistance, please inform us. The empire will do its utmost to meet his needs."
"Good." Jia Xingtian nodded faintly.
"I will be taking my leave. Handle the remaining matters properly—and ensure that none of these spreads. Not a single careless word."
Without waiting for a response, he turned around.
"Understood," the emperor replied, cupping his hands, his tone grave.
The moment the words fell, Jia Xingtian's figure blurred. He vanished from the courtroom gates and, in the next instant, soared into the sky—flying straight toward the distant outline of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
…
…
…
After rescuing the girl, Xiao Hai escorted her to a safe location and instructed her to return.
"Leave this village as soon as possible," he warned calmly.
"If Mu Li's men find you again, the consequences will be far worse."
The girl nodded repeatedly, gratitude overflowing as tears streamed down her face.
"Th-thank you… thank you so much…" she sobbed, bowing again and again.
Seeing her cry so uncontrollably, Xiao Hai panicked. His ears turned red as he awkwardly looked away.
"Y-you should go now," he said hurriedly. "Take care of yourself."
Before she could say anything more, he turned and left in haste—
disappearing into the shadows of the mountain forest, leaving behind only the echo of his retreating footsteps.
Only after returning to his previous location did Xiao Hai finally stop.
He took a deep breath, the lingering tension slowly dispersing from his body.
That would've turned troublesome if I had tried to comfort her, he thought, recalling the earlier scene.
Luckily, I left quickly.
Shaking his head, he pushed the matter aside. Emotional entanglements had no place in his current journey. If he allowed himself to be dragged into such affairs again, it would only invite unnecessary danger.
He steadied his resolve.
Without another pause, Xiao Hai turned his gaze toward the depths of the mountain range—
his eyes locking onto his first objective.
The Co-Apes Region.
After running for an entire hour, Xiao Hai finally arrived at the outskirts of the Co-Apes Region.
He slowed to a halt and carefully scanned his surroundings.
At first glance, nothing seemed unusual. The forest was dense, the air calm, and the terrain no different from the areas he had passed through earlier. It was difficult to believe that this was the habitat of the infamous Co-Apes.
But that, in itself, was not strange.
Suppressing his doubts, Xiao Hai continued deeper.
His movements became even more cautious. Each step was light and controlled, leaving behind no sound—no snapped twig, no rustling leaves. He advanced like a shadow drifting through the forest.
Yet something felt wrong.
There was not a single Co-Ape in sight.
No footprints.
No broken branches.
Not even the faint scent of magical beasts.
An eerie stillness hung in the air.
Xiao Hai narrowed his eyes but did not stop.
Perhaps this isn't the true core yet, he reasoned calmly.
Many maps, for the sake of safety, deliberately exaggerated the territory of powerful magical beasts. The real danger zones were often much deeper within.
With that thought, he pressed forward
But it did not take long for Xiao Hai to realize—
something had gone terribly wrong.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar tore through the region.
"ROOOAR—! ROOOAR—! ROOOAR—!"
The sound rolled across the mountains like a collapsing sky.
Before the echoes could fade, another roar answered it… then another… and another. In mere moments, the entire mountain range was engulfed by overlapping beastly cries, shaking the earth itself.
Xiao Hai's expression darkened.
What's happening?
Then a term flashed through his mind, sending a chill down his spine.
"Beast Wave…" he muttered.
Realization struck instantly.
"This is definitely a Beast Wave."
As the words left his mouth, a deep, ominous rumble surged toward him from the distance. The ground trembled beneath his feet, vibrating through his bones.
From afar, it looked like a massive storm rolling across the land.
But anyone who looked closely would see the truth—
Countless magical beasts were charging forward in a frenzy, their massive bodies kicking up earth and debris. Dust rose violently into the sky, blotting out sunlight and forming a terrifying dust storm of living monsters.
And Xiao Hai was standing directly in its path.
The moment Xiao Hai saw the surging wave of magical beasts, his scalp went numb.
He retreated without the slightest hesitation.
Only a fool would attempt to confront a Beast Wave head-on—
unless one was a Dou Wang.
Activating Flowing Steps, Xiao Hai shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
With the technique refined to the Perfection Realm, his speed rivaled that of a high-level Dou Zhe. Yet the beasts behind him were no slower. The distance between them shrank at an alarming rate, the thunder of their charge pounding closer with every heartbeat.
"Why am I always this unlucky…?" Xiao Hai cursed under his breath.
The irony did not escape him—only yesterday, he had praised his fortune after obtaining a monster core.
But luck was not his greatest concern.
As he ran, he noticed several others fleeing in the same direction, their expressions filled with panic. Unlike him, these people were not here to temper themselves—they had entered the mountain range in search of profit and survival.
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out from the crowd.
"Lao San! Fire the signal—now!"
A man clad in soldier attire shouted while sprinting forward.
"That damned old monkey broke through to Rank Three! It's the cause of this Beast Wave!"
"Understood, Captain!"
The man beside him pulled out a flare and infused it with Dou Qi. The moment it was ignited, it shot into the sky and burst apart like blazing fireworks.
The signal did not go unnoticed.
Several fleeing figures glanced upward—including Xiao Hai.
"So a magical beast has broken through to the Third Rank…" Xiao Hai muttered, his eyes narrowing.
"And these soldiers were investigating it."
His thoughts were sharp, but his movements never slowed.
This means someone must have anticipated this…
Xiao Hai's mind raced even as his feet never slowed. If soldiers were already investigating, then preparations must have been made in advance. This Beast Wave was not entirely unforeseen.
And that meant one thing—
There's a chance we'll be saved.
But the relief lasted only an instant.
Before the reinforcements arrive… we still have to survive.
His gaze hardened.
Without wasting another breath, Xiao Hai pushed his Flowing Steps to the limit, his figure blurring as he fled—
because until help arrived, the only law in this mountain range was speed.