Chapter 128: The Mysterious Woman (II)

Although the Evil Wind Beast knew a sliver of the mysterious woman's background, it never imagined she could be this powerful.

Lu Han had been chosen by the Nether Crow Throne and inherited the Nether Crow’s legacy, which naturally meant he possessed extraordinary qualities. While Lu Han was not as outstanding as the peerless geniuses the beast had encountered in its own era, his current talent was at least upper-middle tier. Yet, he had failed to last even a single exchange against the woman.

One strike. She had defeated him with just one strike, and so thoroughly at that!

Since the Evil Wind Beast had entered into the Evergreen Pact with Lu Han, their fates were intertwined—they shared glory and ruin alike. Now that Lu Han and the mysterious woman were shrouded in white, icy mist, the beast could not see clearly what was happening.

Gritting its teeth, the Evil Wind Beast charged forward. If something happened to Lu Han, it would not be able to escape either. However, the moment it neared the white mist, it was repelled, unable to advance even an inch; a layer of frost had already coated its green-gold scales.

"Damn it! You're freezing your Lord Evil Wind to death! What kind of hellish thing is this?"

The beast shuddered. Although it had lost its original cultivation base, it possessed the bloodlines of the ancient Xiangliu and the Starry Evergreen Python, making it far superior to ordinary spirit beasts. Yet, it could not even withstand the chill of the mist, let alone move closer.

Lu Han had already been in despair.

He had just obtained the Nether Crow’s legacy and had barely stepped out of the inheritance space when he encountered this mysterious woman. Without a word, she had struck him down. Lu Han had thought he was doomed, but then, the mysterious cold bead that had been lurking in his mind suddenly appeared above his head.

The cold bead spun rapidly, emitting a white frost. Although the mysterious woman’s face was as cold as ice, the moment the bead appeared, a fleeting smile touched her lips—a detail Lu Han caught despite its brevity.

"So, it was because of this mysterious cold bead," Lu Han murmured.

Truth be told, even now, Lu Han did not know the true purpose of the bead. Old Man Ling had only speculated that his sudden acquisition of an ice-attribute constitution might be related to it. When he had been severely injured, the bead had even healed him. Moreover, though it resided in his Niwan Palace, he seemed unable to control it.

"Come with me!" the mysterious woman said, addressing the bead.

The cold bead spun, then with a "whoosh," it returned to the Niwan Palace at the center of Lu Han’s brow. The icy mist surrounding them gradually dissipated.

"It still chose him!" the woman muttered, casting a surprised glance at Lu Han.

Though Lu Han’s talent was decent within the Great Xia Empire, he was not someone she would typically notice; her sights were set far beyond the borders of that empire.

"I must see just what makes it choose him!" she thought, feeling a spark of defiance. She had expected the bead to follow her without hesitation, but it had returned to Lu Han instead.

"Wahaha! Lord Evil Wind has arrived!"

Seeing the mist clear and sensing that the woman had no intention of attacking again, the beast curled its tail and darted over to Lu Han’s side.

Lu Han gave it a sharp flick on the head and said, "You disloyal, scoundrel snake!"

"Listen here, you Lu fellow, I will duel you! I told you I hate it when people touch my head!" the beast hissed, roaring in the depths of Lu Han’s mind.

*Snap!*

Lu Han couldn't be bothered to argue; he flicked the beast again, sending it flying into a nearby bush.

The mysterious woman cast one last lingering look at Lu Han, then leaped away, vanishing into the night.

Lu Han was confused. Based on what she had said, it seemed she had come specifically for the cold bead in his mind. He couldn't understand why she had retreated so suddenly.

"Has she left?" Lu Han murmured.

Before he knew it, the Evil Wind Beast had crawled back onto his arm.

"Haha, she must have been terrified by Lord Evil Wind’s aura of dominance and ran away!" the beast boasted.

*Aura of a turtle, more like,* Lu Han thought to himself. He had seen clearly how fast the beast had fled when the woman first appeared; even a practitioner at the third level of the Innate Realm probably couldn't have caught it.

"No, she’s still nearby," the beast hissed, its voice echoing in Lu Han’s mind.

"What? She hasn't left?" Lu Han was startled.

"Lord Evil Wind remembers her scent. There is no mistake," the beast insisted.

"Do you have the nose of a dog?" Lu Han whispered.

"Lu fellow, do not compare me to livestock! I am the noble Lord Evil Wind!" The beast flew into a rage again.

Lu Han ignored it, rubbing his nose as he analyzed the situation. "She was undoubtedly after the cold bead. Even though I don’t know why she gave up, the way she spoke suggested the bead didn’t choose her. If so, why is she still lurking nearby?"

After a long while, Lu Han seemed to realize something. He gave a carefree laugh and sat down cross-legged by the campfire.

The Evil Wind Beast became frantic, its voice shrill with panic in Lu Han’s mind: "Lu fellow, are you trying to get yourself killed? I told you she’s still nearby! Why are you resting? Do you think I’m lying to you?"

Lu Han smiled faintly. He had felt that the woman hadn't used her full strength in that strike. If she had truly wanted him dead, he wouldn't have been able to escape even if he tried. Furthermore, he hadn't sensed a shred of killing intent in her eyes.

"You scoundrel snake, are you really the descendant of an ancient Xiangliu and a Starry Evergreen Python? Could Master Nether Sky have been deceived?" Lu Han pondered aloud.

"Lu fellow, you are just jealous! If I didn't possess those bloodlines, what else could I be? You’re just envious of me!"

"Judging by your performance—the keen sense of smell and your cowardice—I think I should be looking in those directions instead," Lu Han teased.

The beast was so furious it felt like its soul was leaving its body. It took a few deep breaths to calm down. *Just you wait, Lu fellow. Once I surpass you, I’ll show you why flowers bloom red!* it thought.

Lu Han stopped teasing the beast. The night deepened, and the campfire gradually flickered out.

...

At dawn, sunlight bathed the earth.

Smoke rose from the dying embers as Lu Han continued his cultivation. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, a flash of grey-white light flickering within them.

"A night of cultivation has significantly increased my soul power, and I feel refreshed. The 'Nether Crow Soul Canon' is truly powerful!" Lu Han clenched his fist.

He stood up and stretched, his bones popping and cracking.

"I need to find a way out. Father is still waiting for the blood of the Soul-Sucking Marten," Lu Han muttered. His heart was filled with a sense of urgency to return home.

"Scoundrel snake, it’s time for you to be useful. Sniff around and see if there are any people nearby so we can ask for directions."

The beast had been sleeping soundly on his arm, only to be rudely hoisted up by Lu Han.

The Evil Wind Beast: "..."