Skydream glanced at Huo Yuhao and said, "Yuhao, use that brilliant brain of yours to come up with a solution."
"A solution?" Huo Yuhao looked at the slightly dazed Three Eyed Golden Lion, deep in thought. His spiritual perception was gradually closing in on the creature, which was one of the reasons he hadn't teleported away upon seeing it.
At this moment, Auspicious Beast (the Three Eyed Golden Lion) was indeed the most childlike in demeanor. Since the beasts who usually watched over her weren't around, Huo Yuhao saw an opportunity. A plan began to form in his mind.
Just then, the Three Eyed Golden Lion suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of malice.
She pushed Huo Yuhao away with her large head and quickly jumped back, like a startled rabbit. Only then did she realize how close she had gotten to this stranger. Even her golden fur seemed to take on a faint blush of embarrassment.
Something was wrong—very wrong!
Beast God Di Tian had clearly taught her to stay away from cunning and deceitful human soul masters. How could she have been so careless?
"You still haven't told me your name! Don't change the subject, human!" she snapped, her voice colder now. "Don't think you can get away with anything just because your eyes are pretty!"
The Three Eyed Golden Lion stared at Huo Yuhao defensively, ready to call for help if things went south.
Huo Yuhao smiled gently and replied, "My name is Huo Yuhao. What's yours? It's quite rare for a soul beast to be able to speak."
"Huo Yuhao? A three-character name? How strange," the Three Eyed Golden Lion muttered, then raised her head proudly. "I am the Emperor's Auspicious Beast. Everyone calls me Rui Shou."
Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched at this. 'Isn't that a bit ironic?' Most of the ferocious beasts in her family had two-character names, like Di Tian, Bi Ji, Red King, and Xiong Jun. The only exception was the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena, but she was currently in a deep slumber to recover from her injuries. It seemed the Three Eyed Golden Lion was still too young to have met her.
"Rui Shou, would you like to try some grilled fish?" Huo Yuhao offered. He had originally planned to introduce her to barbecue, but time was tight, and there was no opportunity to prepare it properly.
"Grilled fish? No, no, no," Rui Shou replied dismissively. She only enjoyed eating the brains of light-attribute soul beasts and had little interest in anything else.
"Are you sure you don't want to try it?" Huo Yuhao pressed, pulling out a frozen grilled fish from his storage and heating it up with a small stove. A tantalizing aroma soon filled the air.
The night before their departure had been a barbecue night, so Huo Yuhao still had some leftover grilled fish. He had planned to eat it on the way back but hadn't expected it to come in handy here.
"I don't..." Rui Shou began, turning her head away proudly. But halfway through her sentence, the aroma of the grilled fish caught her attention.
"Hmph, since you're being so sincere, I'll reluctantly accept it," she said, trying to save face. But her quick change of heart made her feel a bit embarrassed, so she added with a threatening tone, "If this snack doesn't suit my taste, you'll have to compensate me with the brain of a light-attribute soul beast!"
The Red King had promised to bring her snacks, but he had been gone for a long time. Where was he?
"Here you go," Huo Yuhao said kindly, handing her a skewer of perfectly grilled fish.
The Three Eyed Golden Lion took the fish and devoured it in one bite, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing even the bones. She let out a satisfied burp.
"It's delicious!" she exclaimed.
Huo Yuhao's smile froze for a moment. 'I hope she maintains this eating habit even if she takes on a human form.'
"Are there any more? Give me a few more!" Rui Shou demanded, rubbing her big head against Huo Yuhao's chest. After all, soul beasts were straightforward creatures.
[Achievement Triggered!]
[Achieved the Three Eyed Golden Lion's 'True Fragrance Warning' Achievement. Reward: Light Rainbow Gu.]
[Light Rainbow Gu: A third-level Gu insect that allows the user to transform into light and escape. Known as the fastest among third-level mobility Gu insects.]
Evaluation: My friend, it's delicious!]
'Level-3 Light Rainbow Gu?' Huo Yuhao thought. 'As expected of an Emperor's Auspicious Beast—her rewards are magnificent!'
If he remembered correctly, to use the Light Rainbow Gu effectively, it needed to be paired with Gu insects like Electric Gu or Ash of Inspiration Gu to enhance reaction speed. But for someone like Huo Yuhao, with his strong mental power and detection abilities, this wasn't a problem.
Although the Light Rainbow Gu allowed the user to transform into light and escape, it couldn't truly reach the speed of light. Still, it was more than enough for his needs.
[Three Eyed Golden Lion]
[Relationship: Friend]
[Achievement Task: Waiting for Refresh]
Huo Yuhao gently smoothed Rui Shou's golden fur and said, "Rui Shou, I need to leave now. I'll see you next time."
"Leave? Why? Isn't it nice to stay here with me?" Rui Shou asked, her big head filled with confusion.
"I think your family might not welcome me..." Huo Yuhao replied. Even without Skydream and the others reminding him, he could already sense a menacing presence approaching rapidly.
"Screech—"
A piercing scream echoed through the air.
Skydream's expression in Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea changed drastically. "It's over! It's a hundred thousand year beast-guardian!" she cried.
The Ice Empress also warned, "This aura is at least 300,000 years old. It's time for us to leave, Yuhao."
Violent roars erupted in the distance, shaking the entire Star Dou Forest. The screams and roars continued, and within a ten-mile radius, all the spirit beasts prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to move.
The overwhelming pressure of the powerful soul power fluctuations bore down on Huo Yuhao. The Ice Empress took over his body, using the Strength Gu to enhance their abilities.
Huo Yuhao looked at Rui Shou helplessly and said, "See? Your family doesn't welcome me. If I stay any longer, the consequences will be dire."
"But..." Rui Shou roared in response, only to be met with an even more urgent roar from the distance. She stared at Huo Yuhao with a look of reluctance and grievance. "Can't you stay?"
"See you next time, Rui Shou," Huo Yuhao said. If he didn't leave now, when would he? Did he really want to stay and fight the Red King?
Dog Controlling Gu: 'Can I really defeat the Red King?' he thought. 'I was asked to control a canine spirit beast, not a 300,000-year-old Three-Headed Red Devil Mastiff!'
Defeating the Red King was out of the question. Even dealing with the Three Eyed Golden Lion in front of him was a challenge.
After saying his goodbyes, Huo Yuhao activated the third-turn Light Rainbow Gu and transformed into light, escaping swiftly. This Gu insect had arrived just in time, greatly compensating for his lack of mobility. Otherwise, escaping would have required much more effort.
With abilities like "Moment" and teleportation, leaving wasn't a problem. But the situation wouldn't have looked as graceful. Huo Yuhao had to maintain his composure, after all.
As he disappeared, Rui Shou watched in confusion. "This way of moving feels strangely familiar," she murmured.
…
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