Deep within Tiger Fury Mountain Range.
Lin Yang and his skeletal clone had wandered the mountains for two days. He encountered many tens-of-thousands-year-old soul beasts, but not a single Earth-Cleaving Golden Tiger—the one he sought. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's information was accurate, someone else had likely already claimed it.
Lin Yang showed little disappointment. Soul beast hunting was ultimately a matter of luck. Even if unlucky, he couldn't blame others. Fortunately, the mountain range hosted a great variety of spirit beasts, so it was not too late to switch targets and search for another metal-attribute soul beast.
As night fell, Lin Yang lit a fire in a sheltered spot on a cliff to spend the night. The skeletal clone stayed vigilant while Lin Yang leaned against the slope, eyes closed, resting.
The mountain night was far from peaceful. Occasional beast roars echoed through the sky.
A few hours later, both Lin Yang and his clone opened their eyes simultaneously and looked in the same direction.
Someone was coming.
Just as Lin Yang stood up, a figure emerged from the darkness and stopped at the edge of the firelight. He narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the features.
It was a woman—extremely beautiful. She appeared around twenty, wearing a light golden dress. Her blonde hair glowed faintly in the firelight. She carried a noble, unapproachable aura; her features were exquisitely sculpted, the kind of face impossible to forget.
Lin Yang's pupils contracted slightly. Setting aside how unusual it was for such a stunning woman to appear alone in the dangerous depths of Tiger Fury Mountain Range at midnight, something about her triggered a name in his mind.
Thousand Ren of Snow.
This woman was undoubtedly Qian Renxue.
Countless thoughts raced through Lin Yang's head. Qian Renxue appearing here—and coming straight to them—meant she was not sightseeing. She was most likely targeting him. He had been careless. He truly hadn't expected her to be so persistent, chasing him all the way from the Eastern Palace to Tiger Fury Mountain.
If it were anyone else, they might have broken down in tears, lamenting their wasted life and failure to meet a wise ruler. Unfortunately, Lin Yang had no intention of joining the Spirit Hall. He bore it no great malice, but he had too many secrets to withstand close scrutiny. There was also Bibi Dong— that woman was insane. Moreover, the deep hatred between Xiao Wu and Bibi Dong meant he would never side with the Spirit Hall. Direct refusal was impossible, so he would have to rely on acting.
Lin Yang suddenly raised his head, gaze sharp. "Stop! Who are you?"
Qian Renxue glanced at him calmly. "Don't be nervous. I mean you no harm. I was training nearby and noticed the fire, so I came to check."
Lin Yang frowned, clearly unconvinced. Qian Renxue ignored his wariness, walked to the fire, and sat on the rock opposite. After staring at her for a moment, Lin Yang slowly sat back down.
"Young lady, appearing alone in the depths of Tiger Fury Mountain Range at midnight is quite bold."
Qian Renxue's lips curved slightly. "You're quite capable yourself. Came to hunt a spirit ring?"
"Mm."
The two exchanged probing glances. After a while, Qian Renxue spoke first. "We met by fate. My name is Qian Xue. I'm from the Heaven Dou Empire. And you?"
Lin Yang answered without hesitation. "Star Luo clan."
Qian Renxue's lips twitched. If she hadn't already known his background, this brat might have fooled her completely. Who was Lin Dong? Who was Xing Luo? From the moment they opened their mouths, neither had spoken a single truth. How was one supposed to converse with people like this?
After several seconds of silence, she asked again, "Judging by appearance, you don't seem very old."
"It's fine. I just turned eighteen this year. Maybe my face looks young."
Lin Yang delivered the lie smoothly, as if it were fact. "Finding a wife is much easier."
Qian Renxue forcibly suppressed her expression, clenching and unclenching her fists, but ultimately took a deep breath instead of punching him. This bastard was completely different from what she expected. And wasn't he supposed to be a womanizer? Why had he shown zero reaction upon seeing her? Was she inferior to women like Dugu Yan? A faint trace of hostility entered her gaze toward him.
Lin Yang, unaware of her thoughts, simply tossed two more logs into the fire.
Realizing she couldn't extract the truth, Qian Renxue finally turned her attention to the silent skeleton beside him. "Who is he? What's his name? Why doesn't he speak?"
Lin Yang remained silent, but the skeletal clone answered in a hoarse voice. "Lin Gu. My voice… isn't very pleasant."
Qian Renxue frowned. It was indeed unpleasant. But who was Lin Gu? She had never heard that name in connection with Lin Yang. Another fabrication? She didn't press further. From his attitude, she knew she wouldn't get answers.
The two sat facing each other across the fire in awkward silence. Neither seemed particularly embarrassed by it. Hidden in the shadows, She Long shook his head. These two young people were far more cunning than most adults—especially the boy, who hadn't spoken a single truthful word since opening his mouth.
Just then, a tiger's roar shook the mountains and forests.
ROAR!
She Long's expression changed. He looked sharply into the distance. Lin Yang and Qian Renxue noticed the anomaly at almost the same moment. The ground trembled slightly—growing stronger, as if thousands of soldiers were charging toward them.
"This is…" Lin Yang's face changed.
Qian Renxue had already risen, staring into the darkness. "This is a beast horde!"
The rumbling grew louder. Countless birds exploded into the sky. Trees toppled in clumps. A massive number of soul beasts were fleeing desperately in their direction.
Lin Yang leaped onto the cliff edge and scanned the distance. The beasts attacked with tremendous force, but their numbers were smaller than expected—and all came from the same direction. It was as if something had driven them here.
After Lin Yang shared his analysis, Qian Renxue pondered. "A powerful soul beast is likely hunting… but what kind of soul beast could cause such large-scale panic?"
"This might not be hunting," Lin Yang said quietly. "It might be a massacre…"
...