Chapter 666: Heartfelt Emotions

Lofty mountains and deep valleys, with pristine vegetation and countless unknown flowers and plants, exuded a fresh fragrance. Although it was already winter, the abundant spiritual energy here made the place vibrant and lush.

"Mount Qingji is indeed a prime location for cultivation!"

After surveying the area, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

To become a second-tier empire, surpassing numerous kingdoms, the Master Teacher Pavilion was a significant factor. However, even more crucial was the exceptional land and its talented people.

Both Mount Qingji and Dragon Scale River nurtured spiritual energy, and being within them gave one a refreshing and invigorating feeling, making cultivation more efficient.

"I should head back first!"

After a brief adjustment, he recovered from the injuries sustained from his fall. Just as he was about to return to the imperial capital, he suddenly heard a rustling sound. He then saw a huge Bear-Scaled Tiger stealthily moving forward.

"Hmm?" Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned.

The Bear-Scaled Tiger was a spirit beast around the fifth-stage Half-Overlord realm, incredibly ferocious and considered the undisputed overlord of its class in the jungle. Even an expert at the early sixth-stage Half-Overlord realm would find it difficult to defeat it.

This creature usually hunted openly and directly; nothing dared to challenge it head-on. So why was it sneaking around now, like some fox-type spirit beasts?

Most crucially, Zhang Xuan had already spotted it. Given its abilities, it should have easily detected him, yet it completely ignored him and just continued on its way, which made Zhang Xuan extremely curious.

"Let's see what this fellow is up to..."

Instantly, his curiosity was piqued. He leaped onto a tree branch and pursued the Bear-Scaled Tiger in the direction it was heading.

Soon, he saw the massive creature again. It was now low to the ground, moving cautiously with a wary expression.

Not far from it was a huge Azure Lion spirit beast.

Like the Bear-Scaled Tiger, the Azure Lion spirit beast was also a spirit beast around the fifth-stage Half-Overlord realm. Their strengths were comparable, and since their prey was similar, they were always hostile to each other, like fire and water.

"It seems they've found their natural enemies. Both of these massive beasts are planning to ambush the other!" Zhang Xuan chuckled.

He had thought it was something else. It turned out both parties had discovered each other, their natural enemies, and were trying to seize the opportunity for a sneak attack.

"This is a good chance to see how these two massive creatures fight," he thought. "Perhaps I can discern some techniques and even create a martial art or two!"

Seeing this scene, Zhang Xuan was no longer in a hurry to leave. After all, everyone knew he had been taken away by his teacher, so there was no need to rush back.

Observing such an intense tiger-lion battle carefully might even lead to the creation of one or two martial techniques. Historically, there were many accounts of people creating unique moves by observing spirit beast battles.

Crouching on a tree branch, the Bear-Scaled Tiger and the Azure Lion spirit beast slowly approached each other. They soon bypassed the shrubbery and saw each other.

Zhang Xuan had expected to witness a fierce battle immediately. However, these two massive creatures did not fight as he had imagined. Instead, they each nodded and walked forward side by side.

"This..." Zhang Xuan blinked.

"When did two massive creatures, natural enemies to each other, become good friends?"

Furthermore, it seemed they were joining forces to deal with something.

Filled with curiosity, Zhang Xuan quietly followed. After walking a short distance, he heard a whooshing sound from the sky again as a huge flying spirit beast appeared from above.

"A fifth-stage Half-Overlord realm flying spirit beast... a Dragon Eagle Beast?" His eyes widened.

This massive creature was also renowned. It was known as the aerial overlord among fifth-stage Half-Overlord realm spirit beasts, incredibly fierce, with steel-like claws that could tear apart even mid-tier spirit-grade weapons. Compared to the demon Yao Chen from before, even three of him wouldn't be a match!

"Could it be... these two spirit beasts are teaming up against this flying one? No way. Land and sky overlords have always stayed out of each other's way. Besides, if the flying one can't win, it can just fly away. How would you attack if you can't fly?"

It's like how a tiger's usual prey are typically rabbits, deer, and similar animals. You rarely see them insisting on hunting sparrows or eagles. They are different categories; there's no need for them to fight!

While he was wondering, he saw the Dragon Eagle Beast land in front of the two large spirit beasts. Like the previous two, it also nodded. The three massive creatures then quietly continued forward.

"They... they're also working together?" The more Zhang Xuan watched, the more surprised he became.

Two sworn enemies of the forest uniting was already strange. Now, with an aerial overlord joining them, what kind of trouble were they stirring up? What exactly happened to make them set aside their past grievances and become friends?

He continued to follow. After walking a short distance further, a huge python, a ferocious giant ape, another flying spirit beast, and more, all arrived one after another. Soon, more than thirty large creatures had gathered.

These spirit beasts all possessed the strength of the fifth-stage Half-Overlord realm. Each one had enough power to make him hesitate. With so many gathered at once, even with his courage, his scalp tingled, and he didn't know what to do.

"If I get caught in this, it'll definitely be difficult to escape!"

Hiding quietly behind them, afraid of making any sound, Zhang Xuan's palms began to sweat. With so many ferocious spirit beasts, even he, if trapped in the middle, would find it difficult to escape.

Flying, crawling, running... they had all types. Each one possessed strength that even a peak fifth-stage Half-Overlord realm expert would find hard to contend with. With them all gathered, let alone a sixth-stage Half-Overlord realm expert, even a seventh-stage Half-Overlord realm expert, if trapped, would likely face certain death.

"What exactly could it be that would cause so many spirit beasts to gather and cooperate?" The more dangerous it became, the more curious he grew.

What could have happened to make so many creatures of different species, many of whom were even natural enemies, set aside their past grievances and gather together?

"Could it be... some kind of treasure?" His heart stirred with excitement.

He had heard that when natural treasures appeared, they would attract countless spirit beasts and even trigger a beast tide. With so many large creatures gathered here, could it be that some powerful treasure was about to emerge?

"No, that's not right," he mused. "If it were a natural treasure, they should be fighting over it, engaging in a fierce battle first..." He quickly dismissed the idea.

Everyone would want to claim a natural treasure for themselves. If such a thing truly appeared, there would be no cooperation or such tacit understanding. Instead, they would have already fought to the death.

"No matter what they're doing," he decided, "I should first see what's going on!"

Since he had already discovered them, he naturally had to find out the truth. Zhang Xuan quietly followed.

As he continued to wonder, the bushes ahead rustled again, and another group of dark figures appeared.

"This..." Seeing this group of dark figures, Zhang Xuan's eyes widened.

Before, all those who arrived were spirit beasts. But these new arrivals... were actually humans!

There were seven of them in total, all having reached the fifth-stage Half-Overlord realm. A crimson hue was visible between their brows, and it was clear at a glance that their hands were stained with blood.

"They're... Beast Hunters!" A name popped into his head, and Zhang Xuan was almost going crazy.

The hides, bones, blood, and inner cores of spirit beasts were invaluable treasures for cultivators. Wherever there was a market, there were people specializing in this.

Some people, to earn sufficient profit, tracked and killed spirit beasts, specifically hunting and selling these items. This led to the formation of this strange profession... the Beast Hunter!

Beast Hunters were a type of profession, but not a special one. Like apothecaries, they were not recognized by the Master Teacher Pavilion. It wasn't because of cruelty, but because they lacked a complete lineage.

Many people, forced by circumstances, would become Beast Hunters. However, countless others were killed by spirit beasts in retaliation and devoured on the spot, causing their lineage to be severed. The death rate was simply too high, and many experiences were not passed down. Therefore, Beast Hunters had no fixed organizations nor guilds. Naturally, they could not be called a "special profession."

Because there were quite a number of such people, Zhang Xuan had read about them in books. It was just... he never expected to see them together with so many spirit beasts!

No matter what, Beast Hunters and spirit beasts were sworn enemies. For them to be intermingling... what exactly had happened?

The numerous Beast Hunters arrived in front of the many spirit beasts. Like the spirit beasts earlier, they nodded. Then, all of them collectively moved forward.

The group of spirit beasts and Beast Hunters, who should have been locked in a fierce battle, were now surprisingly harmonious, like old friends, leaving Zhang Xuan utterly perplexed.

Seeing the group growing larger and to avoid being discovered, Zhang Xuan had no choice but to use his "Stepping on the Red Dust" movement art, flying among the dense foliage of the forest.

After advancing a while longer, a waterfall appeared before them, cascading steeply. Its flow plunged three thousand feet, and the sound of the water reverberated powerfully.

The rising mist from the waterfall nourished the surroundings, making the area lusciously green.

"It's winter, yet this place... why is it so vibrantly green?" Zhang Xuan was full of questions.

Although Mount Qingji, due to its abundant spiritual energy, had flowers, grass, and trees that didn't wither as much as in other places, it was still winter. The green hues there were usually deeper and richer. Yet the area before him was a vibrant, fresh green, as if spring had arrived, which was puzzling.

"Could there be something peculiar about this waterfall?"

Below the waterfall was a large pool. Water splashed as a white, furry spirit beast swam freely within it. This creature was only the size of a watermelon, and its eyes were bright and adorable.

"It's a... Snow Fox," Zhang Xuan recognized, "and it seems to have just been born!"

Snow Foxes were a type of spirit beast, extremely rare. They had little offensive power, but their inner cores were incredibly precious. It was said they contained a special power capable of allowing cultivators and spirit beasts alike to unconditionally advance a major realm!

This wasn't a simple advancement from early to middle stage, or middle to late stage. It was a major realm advancement—meaning it could allow someone to directly ascend from the Corrupting Clarity realm to the Spirit Unification realm! This was definitely a heaven-defying natural treasure!

"But... just a small Snow Fox," he thought, "surely wouldn't cause so many massive creatures to team up and surround it!"

While Snow Foxes were precious, their offensive power was weak. Any single Bear-Scaled Tiger or Azure Lion spirit beast could easily tear it apart. Why would an entire group come for it? What were they doing?

Furthermore, this was a newborn Snow Fox. There was no need for these massive creatures to be so vigilant about it, was there?

"No, that's not right. They're trying to deal with..."

Full of doubt, his eyes followed the direction where the spirit beasts and Beast Hunters were all focused. Upon seeing it, he couldn't help but be stunned.

Beside the pool stood a graceful figure in white. She stood quietly amidst the mountains, water, and flowers, like a serene painting.

She was so quiet. Before he saw her, despite his soul strength, he hadn't detected her at all!

As he looked over, he happened to see the figure in white turn her head. Her beautiful countenance blended with nature. With just a single glance, for some reason, Zhang Xuan felt his heart suddenly stir.

Since arriving in this world, his mind had been as still as an ancient well. Now, it burst open with a "whoosh."