Chapter 13: Encountering Vina? Now I Can Definitely Find the Body Sect!
The night wind carried a slight chill, causing the campfire to flicker and cast dancing shadows across the clearing. The roasted fish in Liu Yuan's hand emanated a rich, savory aroma, fat dripping onto the glowing coals with a soft hiss. Yet, his appetite had vanished.
Within his Double Pupils, a dark red light swirled incessantly like a brewing storm. Soul power surged through his meridians, coiling tight, ready to unleash a thunderous strike at a fraction of a second's notice. In the perilous depths of the Star Dou Great Forest, even the slightest rustle of grass could herald deadly danger.
"Don't! Don't attack! Young brother, hold your hand!"
Just as Liu Yuan was about to unleash the searing beams from his eyes, a hurried, rough voice broke through the silence from behind the dense bushes.
Immediately after, the foliage was pushed aside. A group of people stumbled out into the firelight, looking thoroughly disheveled.
Liu Yuan did not disperse the volatile soul power gathering in his eyes. Instead, he remained seated, coldly sizing up these uninvited guests.
It was a seven-person squad. Five of them were men wearing uniform leather armor. They were heavily equipped, their gear carrying the distinct, metallic scent of dried blood and the heavy wear of long travel. They had the unmistakable aura of mercenaries or full-time soul-hunting teams—men who spent their years licking blood from the edge of a blade.
Protected in the center of these five men, guarded like stars surrounding the moon, were two young girls.
Neither girl looked very old, appearing to be around thirteen or fourteen. The one on the left wore a pale yellow long dress. Her features were beautiful and gentle, exuding a noble and elegant temperament that resembled a quiet orchid blooming in a secluded valley. The girl on the right wore a fitted combat outfit. Though her expression was slightly cold and glamorous, the sharp angle of her brows revealed a distinct, heroic spirit.
Their clothes were messy, stained with mud and the grime of the forest, but the innate nobility they carried in their posture could not be concealed.
'Is this a mercenary group escorting noble young misses to hunt for soul rings?' Liu Yuan thought, instantly forming a judgment.
This kind of configuration was far from rare on the Douluo Continent. Many wealthy heirs or young nobles seeking their next soul ring would often spend exorbitant sums to hire powerful soul-hunting teams for protection and assistance.
Although the group did not seem to harbor any hostility, Liu Yuan maintained his absolute vigilance. His voice was flat and indifferent as he spoke. "Everyone, is there something you need?"
The leading man, a burly, middle-aged mercenary, took two cautious steps forward. He raised his empty hands high to show he held no weapons, forcing a kind, apologetic smile onto his weathered face. "Little brother, we are truly sorry. We did not mean to disturb you."
"We are from the Iron Blood Mercenary Group, and I am the captain, Tie Feng."
He gestured vaguely toward the two girls behind him, his tone turning careful. "We were escorting these two young misses into the depths of the forest this time to obtain soul rings. Although the mission was completed successfully, we encountered some serious trouble earlier. It delayed our itinerary, and worse, our dry rations were all lost during the battle."
Speaking of this, Tie Feng rubbed his calloused hands together, looking thoroughly embarrassed. His eyes, however, were glued straight to the roasted fish in Liu Yuan's hand. He swallowed a heavy mouthful of saliva. "We were just passing by nearby and smelled the aroma of this roasted fish. It was truly too tempting."
"Everyone is so hungry that our stomachs are touching our spines. So I wanted to ask, little brother, could you spare us some? We can pay for it. You can name any price!"
'So they are just begging for food.'
Upon hearing this, the swirling red light in Liu Yuan's eyes gradually dissipated. The heart-palpitating sense of oppression that had filled the clearing vanished along with it, allowing the mercenaries to finally breathe normally.
He swept a calm glance over the group. Indeed, they all looked gaunt and exhausted. This was especially true for the two delicate young girls. Although they were forcing themselves to maintain their composure and remain silent, their eyes kept drifting uncontrollably toward the row of roasted fish stuck in the ground near the fire.
"There is no need for money," Liu Yuan said.
He pointed a casual finger at the extra fish roasting by the flames. "There are plenty of fish in this river, and I happened to catch quite a few. Meeting by chance is a kind of fate. Take them and eat."
To him, catching and roasting a few extra fish was nothing more than a casual effort. If he could establish a decent relationship or at least avoid unnecessary conflict, it was a fair trade.
"Many thanks, little brother! You are truly a straightforward person!" Tie Feng was overjoyed, bowing his head in quick gratitude.
The mercenaries behind him let out collective sighs of relief, casting deeply grateful gazes toward the young boy.
Soon, the group sat around the edges of the campfire, carefully sharing the hot food.
Liu Yuan did not take the initiative to join their circle. He remained seated in his original position, eating his own fish in small, methodical bites while silently observing the group's dynamics.
It did not take long for him to discover that the relationship between these people was not as simple as a standard escort mission.
Although the captain named Tie Feng appeared to be the leader giving the orders, his attitude toward the two girls bordered on excessive reverence. When distributing the food, Tie Feng respectfully handed the two fattest, most perfectly roasted fish to the girls first. Only after confirming that they had taken their first bites did the hardened mercenaries dare to start eating their own portions.
'If they were ordinary employers, even high-ranking nobles, a veteran mercenary captain would have no need to be this humble,'Liu Yuan pondered inwardly.'It looks much more like servants treating their absolute masters.'
However, Liu Yuan was not the type of person to let excessive curiosity dictate his actions. Everyone had their own secrets in this world. Since the other party had no malicious intent toward him, he could not be bothered to investigate their true identities.
The meal proceeded in a harmonious silence.
The two girls clearly possessed an exceptional upbringing. Even while starving in the middle of a dangerous forest, their table manners remained refined and measured. During the meal, the girl in the pale yellow dress even caught Liu Yuan's eye, smiling and nodding at him. She offered a soft, pleasant thank you that carried over the crackling flames.
After eating and drinking their fill, the color returned to everyone's faces.
Tie Feng immediately arranged for two of his men to take turns keeping watch, ordering the rest to seize the time to recover their stamina. The two girls were given the prime spots closest to the campfire, where the heat was most comforting. A few of the mercenaries even took off their own thick outer coats, spreading them on the damp ground to serve as clean mats for the girls.
Liu Yuan leaned back against the thick trunk of a large tree. He closed his eyes, appearing to fall into a deep rest. In reality, he had separated a sliver of his mental force, spreading it outward to guard his immediate surroundings.
Time passed minute by minute. In the blink of an eye, it was midnight.
The temperature in the Star Dou Great Forest plummeted, bringing a biting chill to the air. The campfire had burned down to a dim glow, leaving only a bed of red-hot charcoal emitting residual heat.
The two mercenaries on watch were forcing their eyes open, but the continuous days of high-stress travel and brutal combat had left them thoroughly exhausted. Their eyelids fought a losing battle against sleep.
Just at this moment.
Squeak. Squeak.
An extremely faint sound drifted down from the dense tree canopy dozens of meters above. It was so quiet it could easily be mistaken for the wind rustling through dry leaves, or perhaps the distant chirping of a nocturnal insect.
The drowsy mercenaries did not pay it any attention.
But Liu Yuan, who had been resting in perfect stillness, snapped his eyes open.
His Double Pupils activated instantly. The pitch-black night was stripped away, becoming as clear and bright as broad daylight in his vision.
He looked up. Hiding within the thick branches directly above the camp, more than a dozen black shadows were silently circling. Suddenly, they folded their leathery wings, diving straight down toward the clearing like bolts of black lightning.
Bloodthirsty Demon Bats.
Although these specific beasts only possessed cultivation levels ranging from a few decades to a hundred years, they were apex ambush predators. They specialized in silent, plunging sneak attacks. Worse, their fangs carried a highly toxic paralyzing venom. Once bitten, the victim's nervous system would shut down, leaving them helpless as their blood was drained.
"Careful! Enemy attack!"
Liu Yuan's sharp shout shattered the silence of the camp. He did not even have time to stand up. A brilliant, terrifying red light surged within his eyes.
Sizzle! Crack!
Two crimson, high-temperature rays erupted from his pupils, cutting through the cold night air. They struck the two Demon Bats leading the dive with absolute, surgical precision.
Puchi!
Before the beasts could even let out a shriek, the searing heat pierced straight through their skulls. The two bats were instantly vaporized from the inside out, turning into charred, smoking lumps of ash that thumped harmlessly onto the dirt.
Although Liu Yuan's warning had been incredibly fast, the diving speed of the Demon Bats was simply too great. Combined with the fact that they were attacking from the blind spot directly above in the dead of night, it was an absolute nightmare for the mercenaries whose vision was severely limited.
"Ah!"
A scream tore through the clearing.
One of the mercenaries on watch had reacted a half-beat too slowly. He managed to swing his heavy blade upward toward the descending shadow, but the bat twisted mid-air, sinking its venomous fangs fiercely into his shoulder.
"Beast! Get off him!"
Tie Feng awoke instantly. As a four-ring Soul Ancestor, his combat reflexes were honed to a razor's edge. His soul rings flared to life, his martial soul instantly possessing his body as he threw a brutal punch, smashing the Demon Bat away from his subordinate.
But the damage was already done. The bitten mercenary's complexion turned deathly pale in a matter of seconds. The blood flowing from his torn shoulder was a strange, sickly purple-black. His eyes rolled back, and he wobbled before collapsing heavily to the ground.
"Everyone form a circle! Protect the young misses!" Tie Feng roared, his voice thick with panic and rage.
The remaining mercenaries snapped into action, forming a tight defensive perimeter with the two girls shielded in the center. The light of various soul skills illuminated the dark clearing as they engaged in a chaotic, tangled fight with the swooping swarm of Demon Bats.
But the sheer number of the bats was overwhelming, and their agility in the air was maddening. If a mercenary's strike missed, the bat would immediately ascend back into the darkness, appearing and disappearing unpredictably before diving again.
Terrified of accidentally striking the girls in the chaos, the mercenaries held back their wider area-of-effect attacks. For a moment, they were trapped in a bitter, losing battle.
A few of the smaller bats managed to slip through the net. Relying on their petite figures, they darted straight through the gaps in the mercenaries' defensive circle, lunging directly at the two terrified girls.
Just at this critical, heart-stopping moment.
Hum.
A strange, heavy humming sound vibrated through the air, making the very atmosphere feel thick and oppressive.
Not far away, Liu Yuan pressed his hand firmly against the empty air to steady himself. Within his eyes, it looked as though two scorching suns had been ignited.
Boom!
Two massive crimson beams of light swept out horizontally. They looked like two giant, sweeping swords of pure thermal energy, instantly cutting a burning swath through the darkness.
The few Demon Bats that had lunged at the girls slammed into the beams as if flies hitting a wall of molten iron. The instant their bodies touched the light, they were directly vaporized. Not even a drop of blood or a scrap of bone was left behind.
Immediately after, the beams of light in Liu Yuan's eyes did not stop. With a slight shift of his gaze, he swept the twin lasers across the upper airspace where the swarm of Demon Bats was most dense.
Puchi! Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!
It was like a scythe mowing through tall grass. Another seven or eight Demon Bats were incinerated instantly, their ashes raining down over the camp.
The surviving bats seemed to finally comprehend the sheer terror of the human sitting by the tree. They emitted piercing, shrill screams of absolute panic. Flapping their wings frantically, they fled into the depths of the night sky, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
The deadly crisis was resolved in mere seconds.
Everyone in the clearing stood frozen, staring dumbfounded at the young boy who was slowly retracting the terrifying soul power from his eyes.
The destructive force that had exploded from him in that instant was beyond comprehension.
And when their gazes drifted downward, they saw the soul rings floating at his feet. There were only two.
He was just a Soul Grandmaster?
This level of destructive power from a two-ring soul master was completely outrageous.
Liu Yuan ignored their shocked stares. He stood up and walked quickly to the side of the poisoned mercenary who lay convulsing on the ground.
"Let me see," Liu Yuan said, his voice calm and authoritative.
He squatted down, inspecting the gruesome, blackened wound on the man's shoulder. "The poisoning hasn't reached his heart yet. He can still be saved."
As he spoke, he extended his right hand, pressing his palm directly against the wound. The second yellow soul ring hovering around his body flared with light.
"Undying Body: Heal!"
This was a highly specialized application of Liu Yuan's second soul skill. As long as his mental force was sufficient and the target's injuries were not entirely fatal, he could manipulate his own vitality to treat others.
A soft, pulsing green light gushed out from his palm and eyes. Under the astonished gazes of the mercenaries, the man's blackened, rotting flesh began to knit back together at a speed visible to the naked eye. The toxic, purple aura clinging to the mercenary's face gradually faded, replaced by a healthy flush.
A moment later, Liu Yuan retracted his hand and cut off his mental force. "Alright. The toxin has been completely forced out. After resting for two days, he will be fine."
"This... this is a healing-type soul skill?!" Tie Feng stammered, his jaw practically hitting the dirt.
His mind was reeling. The terrifying, vaporizing eye beams from just moments ago were clearly the hallmark of a top-tier attack or control system soul master. How could this same boy suddenly mend flesh and purge deadly venom in the blink of an eye?
Just what kind of monster was this kid?
"Many thanks, little brother, for saving his life!" Tie Feng dropped to one knee, truly impressed and grateful to the point of absolute prostration.
At this time, the two girls, who had been frozen in a state of lingering fear, finally regained their senses.
They looked at each other, quickly smoothing out their messy clothes and tidying their hair. Then, they slowly walked over to stand in front of Liu Yuan.
They had not bothered to introduce themselves earlier because they assumed this was merely a passing encounter. They thought there would be no need for interaction beyond sharing a meal. But now, this mysterious boy had saved their lives. If they did not formally introduce themselves, it would be a severe breach of their upbringing.
The girl in the pale yellow dress bowed slightly, executing a flawless, standard noble etiquette. Her bright eyes were filled with deep gratitude and intense curiosity.
"Many thanks, Young Master, for your decisive help just now. If it weren't for you, we would probably have..."
"It was just a small effort," Liu Yuan interrupted, waving his hand indifferently. "Besides, you ate my roasted fish. We can consider it fate."
Hearing his dry, somewhat humorous response, the girl in the yellow dress couldn't help but cover her mouth, letting out a soft, elegant giggle.
"Regardless, we have firmly noted Young Master's kindness," she said, raising her head to look at Liu Yuan earnestly. "May I ask for your honorable name, Young Master?"
"Liu Yuan."
"So it is Young Master Liu." The girl in the yellow dress nodded, her voice soft and melodic. "This young lady's name is Vina."
As she spoke, she gestured gracefully to the heroic-looking girl standing beside her. "And this is my good sister, Mu Xue."
Vina. Mu Xue.
Hearing these two names, Liu Yuan, who had maintained a mask of perfect indifference all night, felt his pupils shrink sharply.
He subconsciously sized up the two girls standing in front of him, his mind racing.
Vina... the princess of the Heavenly Soul Empire?
Mu Xue... the princess's personal bodyguard and companion?
It was actually them?
If it really was them...
A surge of wild, pragmatic joy filled Liu Yuan's chest, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up into a faint, satisfied smile.
Then finding the Body Sect was going to be incredibly easy.
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