The voice of the system echoed once again in Han Ming's mind.
[Congratulations to the host for investing an Emperor-grade spatial ring in a disciple with no luck. Return received: 80-fold. Rewards obtained: 80 types of Emperor-grade pills, 80 Emperor-grade weapons, 80 Emperor-grade cultivation manuals.]
Han Ming smiled faintly. Still, now wasn't the time to think about such things, as something far more interesting had appeared.
[Ding!! Two individuals matching host's disciple conditions detected 9 kilometers north of current location.]
Though the system notified him of the two ten-star potentials nearby, he didn't rush. He waited for Rong Lixian to finish consolidating her foundation. After a short while, Rong Lixian opened her eyes and bowed deeply to Han Ming.
Han Ming nodded and spoke.
"I've found another pair worth noting. Let's go take a look."
With that, Han Ming conjured a blade of light and soared into the sky, bringing Rong Lixian along.
Below them lay a dense, shadowy forest. The sound of frantic footsteps echoed beneath the canopy. A boy and a girl, both seventeen, were running for their lives. Heavy iron shackles were bound to their ankles, yet they carried them as they fled desperately. Behind them, a scattered group of other slaves was fleeing through the woods like prey escaping a hunt.
Suddenly, dozens of winged white tiger cubs surged forward, chasing after the escaping slaves with a ferocity that made the forest tremble.
From atop his glowing sword, Han Ming looked down. With a single glance, the system displayed the information of the two youths.
[Name: Hao Yang]
[Age: 17]
[Identity: Male slave of the Copper Sand Chamber of Commerce, Third son of the Lord of the Desolate Sacred Land]
[Cultivation Level: Qi Control Stage 1]
[Special Physique: Sacred Sun Body (Origin Core Extracted) (Emperor Grade)]
[Potential: 10 stars]
[Comprehension: 10 stars]
[Luck: White]
[Loyalty: 0]
.....
[Name: Su Bainíng (Body Swapped)]
[Age: 17]
[Identity: Female slave of the Copper Sand Chamber of Commerce, ???]
[Cultivation Level: Qi Control Stage 1]
[Special Physique: Immortal Ice Goddess Body (In Formation) (Emperor Grade)]
[Potential: 10 stars]
[Comprehension: 10 stars]
[Luck: Black]
[Loyalty: 0]
.....
Han Ming stood silently above the forest, his interest piqued. He was familiar with the Desolate Sacred Land, a place located outside the Heavenjade Continent. Despite being a land from beyond, it had earned a spot among the top 100 strongest sacred territories in the world—a remarkable feat, considering the other 99 were all from the Heavenjade Continent. He had heard of the lord of the Desolate Sacred Land, and as far as he knew, that man only had two sons—both ranked among the top geniuses of the Boundless Spirit Realm.
Han Ming fell silent for a moment before asking the system in his mind.
"System, explain what it means by 'body swapped.'"
[It's roughly what it sounds like. Two individuals swapped bodies. Their souls and consciousness remain intact, only their physical bodies have changed. As for Su Bainíng, it appears she swapped with the original owner of this current body, which was ordinary. But it seems her soul is reconstructing a special physique within this body, possibly evolving it into something new… or maybe I'm just guessing.]
"...Fu"
Han Ming shook his head, then turned his gaze toward the two children still desperately running for their lives, struggling against the fate that had cast them as nothing more than food for the white tigers.
At the same time, he glanced upward. Hovering above the forest was a floating airship. On its deck stood a young girl, no more than twelve, her face alight with a cheerful smile as she watched the white tigers chase down the slaves below with glee.
"Go, my little white tigers! Your dinner is right there! Don't let a single one escape! I paid a lot of money for them, you know!"
Her laughter echoed through the forest. Han Ming stared at her with cold eyes. The emblem on her clothing was unmistakable Hong, an imperial clan.
"House Hong, huh..." Han Ming let out a faint smile.
Meanwhile, below, Hao Yang and Su Bainíng continued to flee for their lives. But fate was not kind. One of the white tigers leapt directly at Su Bainíng.
"Bainíng, look out!"
Hao Yang threw himself in front of her, taking the full brunt of the tiger's paw. The force sent him flying. But Su Bainíng didn't waste the opportunity. As the tiger lost its balance, she swung her iron shackle and struck it directly on the head, knocking it to the ground.
The two exchanged glances, giving each other a thumbs-up. Even amidst such a dire situation, they still managed to smile.
But suddenly, a massive shockwave shot toward Su Bainíng. She had no time to react. Before it could strike her, Hao Yang leapt in and shoved her out of the way, taking the full force of the blast himself. His body slammed into a tree, blood splattering across the bark and soaking into the forest floor.
"Hao Yang!" Su Bainíng screamed in panic.
She swung her shackle once more at the nearest tiger to buy time, then rushed over and pulled Hao Yang's limp body into her arms. His face was pale, his eyes unfocused, but there was still a faint smile on his lips.
Su Bainíng shook his unmoving body, eyes wide in alarm. Since awakening in this foreign body, her life had been flipped upside down. From a saint of a sacred land to a powerless slave, it had nearly broken her spirit. Her heart had shattered… until she met Hao Yang. He became her light in the darkness, the reason she hadn't given up.
"Hao Yang... wake up... please... I'll even give you my fried chicken bone... just please... wake up!"
Her voice trembled, overwhelmed by helplessness. The light of hope in her eyes began to dim. She shook him harder, desperately clinging to fading hope.
"You promised me... that we'd escape together... Are you going to break that promise now...?"
No answer. No movement.
Su Bainíng sobbed uncontrollably. Her body shook as she clutched his shirt tightly.
"Wake up, Hao Yang!! I'm begging you!!"
She screamed with all her might, as if her voice alone could bring him back to life.
But suddenly, shadows shifted from the bushes surrounding her. Five small white tigers silently emerged, each with a blood-soaked limb or organ clenched between its jaws. Their once-pure white fur was now stained a deep crimson, as though dipped in fresh blood.
Su Baining clenched her teeth, eyes burning with rage.
She used what little strength remained to lift Hao Yang onto her back. With trembling arms and numbed hands, she grabbed the chains that had once bound them and fastened his body tightly to hers. Her sobs stopped. In her heart, she swore she would never let them lay a single claw on him again. Never.
She readied herself for battle.
"Come at me, you bastards!!"
She roared and lunged at one of the white tigers, swinging the iron ball with all her might. But the beast nimbly dodged, and its razor-sharp fangs sank into her arm.
Snap!
Her arm was torn off in an instant. Blood sprayed across the ground in a violent arc. The pain seared through her body, and she nearly screamed, yet she bit down so hard on her lip that blood welled up. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, but her gaze never wavered.
She could not afford to collapse here.
Taking advantage of the tiger's focus on her severed limb, she forced her broken body past it and began to run.
Dragging two heavy iron balls and the unconscious Hao Yang on her back, she stumbled forward, each step slower than the last. Blood poured from her mangled arm. Her bare feet, torn and cut by splinters and jagged stones, left a long trail of blood behind her.
But she didn't care. All she knew was that she had to keep going. Her consciousness began to fade from the blood loss, yet she pressed on like a madwoman, oblivious to everything else.
Behind her, the five white tigers roared. They weren't in a rush to kill her. It was as if they were savoring her suffering.
Above, aboard the floating ship, the young girl laughed aloud.
"Hahaha! Eat her already, my little white darlings!"
Another voice cried out in protest.
"Nooo! I bet five thousand top-grade spirit stones on those worthless slaves… damn it!"
"Run faster, you damn lowlifes!"
Su Baining looked up at the sky. Tears dripped from her chin, landing silently on the earth below.
"Why… why… why…?"
She cursed everything. She cursed the heavens. She cursed the world. She cursed the white tigers, and she cursed their owner most of all.
She hated them. She truly hated them. Her strength had finally run out. Her body collapsed, blood pooling beneath her. She fell unconscious, her final memory a blurry image of a shy boy offering her a grass ring, promising to protect her for the rest of his life. As her eyes closed, that image of Hao Yang slowly faded… along with his final smile.
The five white tigers approached, licking their lips. Their claws dragged across the dirt, ready to shred Su Baining's body apart.