“The End” 057. (Shou Ri Forest Chapter) Heart of the Strong

In the bright spring of March, the gentle sunlight had gradually driven away the chill of winter, bringing a kind of intoxicating warmth.

"Aoo..."

A low beastly roar vibrated gently in the throat. An extremely icy aura spread from the body, causing dozens of third-tier wild beasts to scatter in panic, leaving behind a massive prey that had just been hunted.

Swift as lightning, an equally massive snow-white figure leaped from the side of the forest, directly pouncing upon the prey and ripping it apart quickly. A spray of fresh blood shot up, dripping onto the fur, glaringly vivid. The figure trembled slightly, and in its eyes were helplessness and deep confusion...

By the turquoise lake, the enormous beast body almost remained still, staring at its reflection on the water: sharp fangs, snowy fur, a body towering two meters high, menacingly terrifying. Qingyan smiled bitterly, but the corners of his mouth could only reveal a trace of savagery.

The wolf body had not yet reached a full moon in age, yet it had undergone strange changes. What frightened Qingyan even more was that three days had passed here, but his body showed no sign of recovery.

Qingyan's mind went blank. From the moment the fiery poison consumed his body, his consciousness had completely fallen into darkness, without a single memory, even a vague impression. Until three days ago, when he woke from slumber, everything had completely changed. Du Gu Xiaoxuan and Teacher Shi Quanshen were nowhere to be found.

In the Sun-Keeper Forest, there were only powerful and terrifying wild beasts, and this massive wolf body consumed an enormous amount of food. This troubled Qingyan, forcing him to act cautiously, step by step, with hunger never leaving him. Fortunately, the beast nature within Qingyan was reawakened, and after three days, he managed to leave the inner area of the Sun-Keeper Forest safely. The general drop in the wild beasts' levels finally allowed Qingyan's tense nerves to relax a little.

"Hoo..."

Night fell, a willowy moon hung silently in the sky. The slightly cool moonlight poured down, covering the entire land. Beside Qingyan, the concentrated liquid-like spiritual energy was swiftly absorbed by him. At the same time, a clear and pure aura emanated from his body.

The forest night was serene and peaceful. The firelight at his side crackled occasionally, lightly resonating throughout the trees. Qingyan's ferocious face was illuminated by a glowing red light.A pair of blood-red eyes stared blankly, seemingly lost in thought, becoming infinitely profound.\ The rogue teacher, the special soldier, the willful princess… this time in the Sun-Guard Forest, the experience was certainly exciting, but in Qing Yan's heart, there was not a shred of enjoyment, only a hint of bitterness.\ In the Mu Gong family for several years, though he could not be said to have received the treatment of a young master, he also did not undergo hardships or face risks. Qing Yan had even once thought that he didn't need lofty ambitions and would be content living an ordinary life.\ However, in the Sun-Guard Forest, facing various formidable forces and mysterious figures, Qing Yan felt more acutely his own insignificance, his own mediocrity! Throughout this journey, plans never keep up with reality; all kinds of lofty powers crushed his self-assumed cleverness, leaving him utterly humiliated and without any strength to resist.\ Qing Yan clenched his fist and struck it against a rock, shattering pieces flying!\ No! I refuse to be mediocre, I won't be ordinary! I will become strong, I must become strong! One day, I will seize my own destiny and look down upon all warriors!\ The shout in his heart shook his chest, Qing Yan's blood ignited instantly, and a soaring sharpness surged wildly!\ The night was calm, and the heart of a young warrior rose quietly.\ ……\ The burning wood flickered with crimson flames in the gentle breeze. Rich aromas of meat wafted from the fire, tempting the appetite.\ Qing Yan, however, was indifferent, eyes fixed on the eastern sunrise. In his gaze, there was a hint of confusion.\ Qing Yan had been wandering in this area for several days, yet dared not move toward the forest's outskirts. His current wolf body was terrifyingly fierce; if he appeared in Jingdong City, it would surely cause a commotion. Yet over these days, Qing Yan had experienced an inexplicable sensation: a faint call, as if coming from the direction of Jingdong City! And as time passed, this call only grew stronger!\ Should he go or stay? Qing Yan furrowed his brows, hesitating, his thoughts returning no answers for a long time. Only when the meat aroma filled the air, whetting his appetite, did Qing Yan rise up, slightly helpless.\ “Sha, shasha…”\ The wind rustled the leaves, lively and calming. Qing Yan's wolf ears twitched, and he rolled over to hide quickly within a dense cluster of bushes by his side, vanishing from sight.Despite having tried to conceal it as much as possible, thanks to his own sensitivity to aura, Qingyan still heard several extremely light footsteps from the sound!

“Rip!”

Suddenly, a thunder arrow tore through the wind from a distance, piercing the bushes above Qingyan's left side and landing directly where Qingyan had just stood! The soil turned over, and a streak of blackness flowed out from the tip of the arrow!

The arrow tip is poisoned! Qingyan noticed the sigil on the arrowhead and his pupils sharply contracted.

A few minutes later, three men in brocade robes crossed the bushes and stepped into Qingyan's line of sight. The three were lavishly dressed, definitely not ordinary mercenaries. One of them was about 170 centimeters tall, around forty years old, carrying a red bow on his back, with shoulder-length brown male-style long hair tied up. His sharp eyes exuded unrestrained ruthlessness and greed!

Qingyan instantly took a sharp breath, straining to suppress the fluctuations of his own mystical power. Because the man before him was none other than the current head of the Mùgōng family, father of the little princess Mùgōng Xiaoyu, Mùgōng Hong!

This man was ruthless and domineering, cruel and heartless. Jingdong City, known as the capital of slaves, owed much of this reputation directly to the Mùgōng family. In Mùgōng Hong's generation, policies became even harsher. To expand the slave market, he spared no effort, his hands already stained with blood.

Within the Mùgōng family, he could not tolerate Qingyan's existence. After all, Qingyan had no blood relation to the Mùgōng family, only restrained by the strength of the three elder ancestors did he refrain from excessively targeting Qingyan. Naturally, Qingyan felt a certain fear of Mùgōng Hong and tried to avoid facing him.

“Flames and roasted meat, the alertness is unusually sharp. Seems it's not that simple!”

On Mùgōng Hong's back was a youth in his twenties, with spiky short hair, carrying a quiver of long arrows. He seemed to be talking to himself, smiling at the corner of his mouth, pulling a sharp arrow from the ground, taking a black copper box by his side, pouring out a red pill and fitting it into the groove at the front of the arrow.

The last person was an extremely burly bald man, about two meters tall, just half a head shorter than Qingyan at this moment. His muscles twisted and coiled like a coiling dragon, radiating explosive power. He said nothing, grabbed some roasted meat, and started eating greedily.Qingyan hid in the bushes, motionless. Or rather, he didn't dare to move!

These two people were not unfamiliar to Qingyan, because in the Muguo family, they were both prominent figures: the young man was the manager of the Muguo Arena, ruthless and merciless by nature. His talent in cultivation was ordinary, but in management, he had an astonishing understanding, earning the favor of Muguo Hong, and had already reached a high position at a young age. Many slave reforms were carried out by him. As for the robust man Huaiwu, he was the head trainer of beasts, with exceptional talent, innate great strength, and outstanding power. Even fifth-rank wild beasts were trained to obey him obediently.

Suddenly, Muguo Hong kicked with his right foot, sending a stone flying directly toward where Qingyan was hiding. Qingyan's breath caught, but before he could react, the small stone pierced through the bushes and struck his chest with a loud impact.

At once, an immense force erupted from the small stone, sending Qingyan flying backward violently! A mouthful of blood gushed out!

Almost at the same moment, Muguo Hong nocked an arrow and drew the bow, like thunder. The tiny arrowhead appeared to grow larger in Qingyan's eyes as it sliced through the air. The crimson pill on the arrow melted from the friction-induced heat, dyeing the arrowhead jet black!

“Shhh!” The sharp arrow pierced Qingyan's left shoulder, and in less than half a second, his consciousness began to blur! As his body fell heavily to the ground, Qingyan had already lost consciousness!

“This aura… seems somewhat familiar…” Muguo Hong murmured softly.