The Little Fairy Doctor hovered in the air, gazing excitedly at Mu Chen on the ground. In the distance, the sky was a brilliant blue, and violent energy fluctuations continuously produced thunderous roars. Even though she was quite far from the battlefield, the shockwaves still made her eardrums ache.
The sky ahead had turned into a mix of green and red. The oppressive energy pressure made the Little Fairy Doctor's body tremble uncontrollably.
"Ah!"
She let out a soft cry as her body began to fall uncontrollably toward the ground. The Purple Cloud Wings had granted her immense power, but they also consumed a significant amount of her poisonous energy. In just a dozen seconds, she could no longer hold on.
Just as she was about to hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, stabilizing her mid-air. Following the arm, her eyes landed on Mu Chen.
"Do you want to go take a closer look at their battle?" Mu Chen asked.
"Is it appropriate?" the Little Fairy Doctor inquired.
"What's appropriate or not? If you want to watch, just watch. It's broad daylight," Mu Chen chuckled, holding the Little Fairy Doctor as they swiftly glided over the treetops. Thanks to Mu Chen's protection, the oppressive energy from the sky didn't affect her at all.
Mu Chen came to a stop dozens of meters away from the battlefield. Clearly not wanting to miss the chance to tease the Little Fairy Doctor, he didn't land on a tree trunk or a cliff but instead stopped at the very tip of a towering tree.
Their arrival didn't attract the attention of the fighters ahead.
Watching the battle up close, the Little Fairy Doctor was deeply shocked by the spectacle before her. This kind of awe was something Mu Chen couldn't give her. Mu Chen's battles were always swift and brutal, without any unnecessary fanfare.
Her gaze first fell on the enormous magical beast.
Its body was massive, nearly seven to eight meters long, covered in a layer of purple crystalline structures. Under the sunlight, it shimmered brilliantly, almost blinding.
Its head was that of a ferocious lion, with blood-red eyes and a mouth full of sharp fangs. Above its head was a spiraling, fiery red horn, surrounded by clusters of purple flames. Its massive purple wings were entirely enveloped in pale purple fire. Every step it took caused the void to tremble.
"Is that the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King?" the Little Fairy Doctor asked in awe.
"Have you heard of its infamy?" Mu Chen inquired.
"The mercenaries told me about its reputation. It's the ruler of this Magical Beast Forest. They said if I ever encountered the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, I should run without hesitation," the Little Fairy Doctor glanced at Mu Chen, who remained calm and composed, showing no intention of fleeing. She grew increasingly curious about Mu Chen's strength, her gaze shifting to the human facing off against the lion king.
The person confronting the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King was a woman. She wore a plain dress that hugged her curvaceous figure, and in her hand was a sword glowing with a green light. Her long black hair was tied up in an elegant phoenix-style hairdo. Her beautiful face was calm and serene, showing no fear despite facing the infamous lion king.
Behind her, a pair of green wings fluttered. These wings were different from the Little Fairy Doctor's Purple Cloud Wings, appearing slightly paler in color.
"A woman?" the Little Fairy Doctor was stunned.
"What's wrong?" Mu Chen asked.
The Little Fairy Doctor didn't answer. She was shocked because this woman had completely reshaped her understanding of what women could achieve. She had always thought of women as delicate, but now she realized that even women could become incredibly powerful through cultivation.
Her eyes locked onto the woman, and her determination to grow stronger burned even brighter.
"Human woman, why have you disturbed my rest?" the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King spoke in a human voice.
"I wish to borrow your Purple Spirit Crystal," the mysterious woman replied, her voice as clear and melodious as pearls falling onto a plate.
"Purple Spirit Crystal? My kind only sheds a small piece once every twenty years. Do you think you can just take it?"
"I can offer something you need in exchange."
"Exchange? Fine. I'm in the midst of my transformation. If you can bring me a Transformation Pill, I'll give you the Purple Spirit Crystal. How about it?"
"You're asking for too much. A Transformation Pill is a seventh-grade pill. Even in the surrounding empires, few can produce one. If you're willing, I can offer you three fifth-grade Magic Cores and a high-level Mystic Rank cultivation technique and battle skill in exchange."
"Not interested. I only want the Transformation Pill."
"In that case, I'll have to take it by force!"
"Haha, humans are always the same. If you want to fight, then fight. This is the Magical Beast Forest. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
...
The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King and the mysterious woman couldn't reach an agreement, and the battle began.
The woman raised her hand, summoning a small green tornado that quickly grew into a massive whirlwind dozens of feet tall, roaring toward the lion king.
The lion king was no ordinary foe either. Purple flames surged from its body, forming a massive pillar of fire that shot toward the tornado.
Boom!
A deafening thunderclap erupted in the sky.
The tornado and the pillar of fire collided violently, releasing terrifying energy. At the point of impact, visible ripples of energy spread outward.
The Little Fairy Doctor watched in awe, unable to tear her eyes away from the spectacular battle. Such a grand fight was a rare sight for her.
As for Mu Chen, he quietly extended his Soul Power to cover a radius of dozens of miles. His gaze eventually landed on the trunk of a large tree, where a teenage boy was intently watching the battle.
"Xiao Yan?"
Mu Chen's lips curled into a slight smile. He hadn't expected Xiao Yan to venture into the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Besides Xiao Yan, Mu Chen noticed a simple black ring on his finger.
"The ring is back on him?"
Mu Chen was momentarily stunned.
After all, Mu Chen had already visited Wutan City. Using his wits, he had convinced Xiao Yan to hand over the ring. He had even taken Yao Lao's Bone Chilling Flame and given it to Ya Fei.
After that, the ring had been accidentally lost by Mu Chen. He hadn't expected it to end up back in Xiao Yan's possession after all this time. Inside the ring, Mu Chen could still sense Yao Lao's presence. Although Yao Lao was hiding well, Mu Chen had detected him.
"Xiao Yan, meeting me is your misfortune."
Mu Chen smiled faintly, slowly raising his finger. With just a thought, he could end Xiao Yan's life instantly, leaving him as nothing but dust, just like the Second Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
(End of Chapter)