"Traveler, wake up! Wake up!"
It sounded like someone was calling out. A group of figures slowly emerged from the forest.
Their footsteps crunched loudly against the dead branches beneath them.
"Huh? Teacher Zhao, what kind of soul beast is that?"
As they got closer, a slightly childish voice tinged with curiosity piped up.
"Not good! Back away—now!"
The burly man called Teacher Zhao by the youth went pale as he stared at the tiny, humanoid figure hovering mid-air just meters away.
There was no way that floating figure could be human.
He hadn't read many books, but he recalled the Dean once mentioning a friend who was well-versed in soul beasts. One thing he remembered clearly: soul beasts could take on human form.
But the first prerequisite for that… was that the beast had to be over a hundred thousand years old!
And this little one matched the Dean's description exactly—humanoid, floating… it was very likely a soul beast over a hundred thousand years old!
"I can't believe I've encountered two legendary soul beasts on this one mission."
"First the Titan Giant Ape, and now—this… this humanoid monster that's even more terrifying!"
Zhao Wuji swallowed hard.
He had led the Shrek Academy students into the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for soul rings. They were now on the way back.
A voice had called out, so they came to investigate out of curiosity—only to stumble into another human-shaped soul beast?
Should he just abandon the students and run?
"Them" referred to the group of Shrek Academy students behind him.
He was a rank 76 Battle Spirit Saint—among humans, a top-tier expert.
But in the eyes of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast like this… what difference did he and the students behind him really make?
"Teacher Zhao, what's wrong?"
A blond youth behind Zhao Wuji asked, confused by his sudden, battle-ready posture.
"Mubai… If a fight breaks out, run as fast as you can. If even one of you gets away, that's enough…"
Cold sweat poured down Zhao Wuji's face. His voice was hoarse, as if delivering a final testament.
Everyone could feel the tension in the air and instinctively moved closer to him.
"Teacher Zhao, what are you—" The boy who had first spoken tried to ask again.
All of them were baffled by Zhao Wuji's reaction.
"You just asked what kind of soul beast that is, right? I don't know exactly, but I do know it's at least a hundred-thousand-year soul beast—stronger than the Titan Giant Ape!"
Zhao Wuji stared fixedly at the small floating figure ahead, despair written across his face.
"A hundred-thousand-year soul beast!?"
As his words fell, the group—except for one girl with braided hair who looked strangely thoughtful—was visibly shaken.
Another hundred-thousand-year soul beast?
The boy who had asked the question felt his mind reel.
Before coming to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings, he'd asked Oscar about the place.
As one of the three most famous soul beast habitats on the continent, the forest spanned the borders of the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires. It was a massive, ancient jungle.
Even in the outer regions, high-level soul beasts could appear. The legendary hundred-thousand-year soul beasts usually lived deep in the forest's core.
But they hadn't even ventured that deep. So why were they encountering hundred-thousand-year soul beasts back-to-back?
Why weren't they staying in the center where they belonged?
"Hi there! I'm Paimon."
Just when despair was about to settle in, the small figure waved and greeted them innocently.
"Traveler, honestly… I told him we should explore this area later, but he just had to go in…"
Paimon finished her greeting, then glanced down at the unconscious blond boy nearby and muttered to herself.
She and the Traveler had stumbled across a barrier while wandering in Teyvat. Acting on instinct, she had tried to stop him from crossing it.
But she'd spoken too late.
As the Traveler was about to disappear into the barrier, she had no choice but to follow…
And then—bam. They were here.
"…"
Back on Zhao Wuji's side, the group could only gape as the supposed hundred-thousand-year soul beast spoke.
The shock nearly knocked the souls out of their bodies. No one caught what Paimon had actually said.
Except the braided girl, who seemed to be pondering something. She nudged the boy beside her and said with a strange look:
"Brother San, that's not a soul beast…"
"What?"
Her words hit like a rock thrown into still water, sending ripples through the group.
Everyone turned to her in unison.
"I said—it's not a soul beast. I'm sure of it."
She rolled her eyes and pointed at Paimon. "Seriously. Look at her. Do you think I wouldn't know if she were a soul beast?"
She'd never seen a floating creature like this before.
"Not a soul beast…? Xiao Wu, you know what it is then?"
The boy she called Brother San was named Tang San. He trusted her deeply, but the strange little figure in front of them made him cautious.
"Mm… I don't know what she is. But I'm sure she's not a soul beast."
"If you don't believe me, try sensing her. She doesn't have any soul power at all, right, Teacher Zhao?"
Xiao Wu shrugged, looking at them like they were overreacting.
"Indeed… I didn't sense a trace of soul power."
Zhao Wuji released a faint stream of his own soul power toward Paimon. She didn't react at all.
He breathed a long sigh of relief.
"If she's not a soul beast… then maybe we can catch her and ask what she is."
The group relaxed at the suggestion. A blond youth patted Tang San on the shoulder.
"Teacher Zhao?"
Tang San didn't act immediately. Cautious as ever, he looked to Zhao Wuji for confirmation.
"I tried probing her with my soul power. She didn't react. She really doesn't seem to have any."
Zhao Wuji nodded. He had no idea what the creature was, but if she wasn't a soul beast and had no soul power, then she posed no threat.
He gave a silent nod of approval.
"Hey, what are you?"
With Zhao Wuji's silent consent, Tang San pulled Xiao Wu along and approached Paimon.
Once close, he pointed at her and demanded an answer.
"Paimon is not a 'what'… eh?!"
"Paimon is a what—wait, no! Paimon is just Paimon!"
Caught in Tang San's verbal trap, Paimon stumbled over her words and flailed her tiny fists in the air in frustration.
"Hahaha!"
The boys burst into laughter. Even Xiao Wu couldn't help but pinch Tang San's arm.
"Paimon, huh? This little thing's kinda cute. Xiao Wu, how about I catch her for you?"
Tang San gave Paimon a thoughtful look. Whatever she was, she wasn't dangerous.
Catching her and gifting her to Xiao Wu would probably make her happy.
"Aww, you're so sweet!"
Xiao Wu beamed at him, clearly touched.
Pleased by her reaction, Tang San's lips curled into a smile. Then, in a flash, he dashed toward Paimon.
She had no idea what was coming—and Tang San even activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step for good measure.
In a blink, she was caught tightly in his arms.
"Let go! Let go! Don't grab Paimon!"
"Hahaha! This little thing's got some strength, huh?"
"No! Nooo! Let me go! Waaaah… Traveler!"