Chapter 37: A Night of Reflection
The night stretched over the dense forest, the silver moonlight filtering through the canopy, casting long shadows over the land. The scent of damp earth and fresh foliage mixed with the lingering metallic tang of blood from the recent battle. A soft breeze rustled the leaves, whispering secrets only nature could understand.
Xiao Chen approached Mistshadow, running his fingers through its soft silver fur. The beast let out a low, satisfied rumble, lowering its head into his touch.
"Looks like you have some potential," Xiao Chen mused with a smile.
Mistshadow flicked its ears, clearly enjoying the attention.
Xiao Rongyu, who had been observing the interaction, crossed her arms and let out a small laugh. "Hey, we need to find a nice place to camp for the night and get some sleep."
Xiao Chen tilted his head. "Oh? Find a place?"
"Yes! I don't want to run into another dangerous situation," she said firmly, recalling the intense battle from earlier.
Xiao Chen chuckled. "Well, this just happens to be the best place for that!"
"Huh?" Xiao Rongyu looked at him, dumbfounded.
"You see…" Xiao Chen's voice trailed off as he extended his spiritual sense, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Excluding the poor beast you literally burnt to ashes, there are five beast corspes in the area. All of them belonged to peak-grade three beasts."
Xiao Rongyu's eyes widened. "And?"
"And," Xiao Chen continued, a playful smirk tugging at his lips, "there are no grade four beasts nearby. That means we can use their corpses to our advantage. Beasts are highly territorial and operate on a hierarchy of dominance. If we strategically place the corpses of the fallen beasts, other creatures will instinctively assume this territory already belongs to a stronger predator."
Xiao Rongyu's eyes lit up with realization. "So, we create an illusion of a higher-ranked beast's territory, scaring off potential threats!"
"Exactly," Xiao Chen confirmed. "The Armored Gorilla will be stationed to the North, the Silver-Tooth Wolf to the South, the Black Bear to the East, and the Moon Wolf to the West. With this setup, no wandering beasts will dare intrude."
Xiao Rongyu beamed. "Brother Chen, you're a genius!"
Xiao Chen simply shrugged. "It's just basic survival instincts."
Suddenly, Xiao Rongyu's expression shifted. "Wait, what about the Bloodthirsty Boar?"
Xiao Chen grinned mischievously.
---
Under the Starlit Sky
The crackling of the bonfire sent flickering shadows dancing across the trees. The scent of roasting meat filled the air, rich and savory. Xiao Chen, Xiao Rongyu, and Mistshadow sat around the fire, their bodies relaxed but their senses still attuned to the night.
A large haunch of meat sizzled over the open flame. The Bloodthirsty Boar had met an ironic fate—it had become their dinner.
Mistshadow's silver tail wagged lazily as it enjoyed its meal, the soft rustling of fur against the ground barely audible over the fire's crackle. It sniffed the air, savoring the aroma. Then—
"Bleeech!"
A loud belch echoed across the clearing.
Xiao Rongyu's eyes widened in shock before bursting into laughter, covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle it.
Xiao Chen nearly choked on his meat, staring at Mistshadow in amusement. Then, a grin stretched across his face, and he thumped his chest before letting out a loud, exaggerated belch of his own.
"Haha! Now that was impressive!" He patted his stomach, his voice filled with satisfaction. "I never realized how hungry I was! I've been so caught up in cultivating that I hadn't eaten in a whole week!"
He leaned back slightly, stretching his arms. "Now that I think about it… when was the last time I truly enjoyed a meal?"
The warmth of the fire, the crisp night air, the scent of roasted meat, and the presence of companions—it was a stark contrast to the relentless pursuit of strength he had been consumed by. In cultivation, hunger became something to suppress, an afterthought. Yet, here, he was reminded of something so simple, yet so fulfilling.
Xiao Rongyu watched him quietly.
"You really don't let yourself rest, do you?" she said softly, a faint smile on her lips.
Xiao Chen blinked, then let out a chuckle. "Guess not." He took another large bite, chewing slowly. "But tonight… I'll make an exception."
Mistshadow, seemingly pleased with the atmosphere, continued eating, though in a much calmer manner now.
A comfortable silence settled between them, only the sounds of crackling flames and the occasional rustling of leaves filling the night. The world felt peaceful.
Then, after a long moment, Xiao Rongyu spoke again.
"Brother Chen…"
Her voice was softer this time, carrying a weight beneath it. She sat on a camping mat, her golden hair cascading down her back like liquid sunlight. Her amber eyes, usually sharp and lively, were distant, lost in the vast expanse of the sky. The moon's gentle glow reflected in them, making them appear almost ethereal.
"Hmm?" Xiao Chen turned to her, still chewing, his cheeks slightly puffed.
"Do you think I, too, can ascend to the Immortal Realms one day and… be with you?"
Xiao Chen's chewing slowed. He swallowed his food, placing his meat aside. He knew where this question stemmed from. Back at the Xiao Family estate, he had spoken with unwavering conviction—
"Power gained too easily breeds arrogance… If I follow that path, I'll never live up to my true potential. What I seek is not merely to reach the Martial Monarch Realm, or even the Martial Emperor Realm..."
Back then, she hadn't taken his words too seriously. But now, after witnessing his growth, his potential, she was beginning to understand.
She didn't want to be left behind.
Xiao Chen turned to her fully, his expression unreadable. Then, with a great seriousness, he spoke.
"Rong, I cannot say if you have the potential to follow me to the Immortal Realms one day."
Xiao Rongyu's breath hitched.
"But," Xiao Chen continued, "as a martial artist who constantly seeks to change fate… only you can decide your own destiny. No one else." His gaze was steady, unwavering. "If that is your dream, then you must chase it with everything you have."
Silence.
Xiao Rongyu's eyes never left the stars, but something had changed. A fiery light flickered within them, a determination she had never felt before.
She clenched her fists.
"I understand," she whispered.
For the first time, she saw the vast road ahead—not as an impossible dream, but as a challenge waiting to be conquered.
The night stretched on, the fire crackling, the stars watching.
.....
Several miles away, Perched atop a towering ancient tree, hidden within the dense foliage, was a raven unlike any ordinary bird. Its ink-black feathers shimmered faintly under the moonlight, absorbing the surrounding darkness like a living shadow. Its deep crimson eyes glowed with an eerie intelligence, locked onto the trio below as if engraving every detail of the scene into its memory. It remained motionless, its presence blending seamlessly with the night, an unseen specter watching from afar.
Then, without warning, the raven spread its wings. A gust of wind stirred the leaves as it shot into the sky like a black lightning bolt, vanishing into the night.
Far beyond the borders of the Mystical Beast Forest, past rolling hills and vast plains, the raven streaked through the heavens with relentless speed, covering miles in mere hours. Eventually, it descended upon a grand estate—a sprawling domain of wealth and power. At its heart stood a towering building of dark stone, its imposing silhouette carved against the starlit sky.
On a high balcony, a lone figure stood beneath the glow of hanging lanterns. A middle-aged man, strikingly handsome, with short brown hair and piercing light brown eyes that gleamed with wisdom and cold authority. A well-groomed French mustache framed his lips, enhancing his noble yet calculating demeanor. Draped in long, flowing robes embroidered with golden patterns, he radiated an air of quiet dominance.
The raven descended gracefully, landing upon the man's outstretched arm. Its talons gripped the sleeve of his robe, and its glowing red eyes pulsed with a faint light.
The man smirked, rubbing his mustache as he gazed at the bird. "Nyx, looks like you've finally found their location."
Nyx was no ordinary raven—it was a Bloodshadow Raven, a rare species of Low-Grade Six Beast known for its unnatural speed, shape shifting, memory retention and telepath. Legends spoke of how these creatures could recall every face they had ever seen, never forgetting a target once marked. With feathers imbued with the essence of night itself, they could glide through the darkness like specters, unseen and unheard. Their keen intelligence made them prized spies, able to transmit mental imagery to their masters upon return.
As Nyx's crimson eyes flared brightly, the man's smirk deepened.
He chuckled darkly. "Xiao Yang will be very happy to hear this news..."