Chapter Eight: The Guardian Beast of the Town

Chapter Eight: The Wood-Warding Beast

Having reached the peak of Body Refinement, Ye Bai’s ambitions no longer lingered within the fortress surrounding this guard post. He began to consider which district he should venture to next. First and foremost, the Dust Serpent District was out of the question; he had just reaped great benefits there, and feared being recognized if he returned.

Kneeling on his bed, Ye Bai sprawled over a map, studying it intently to decide his next destination. The map was covered with numerous red marks, each accompanied by detailed notes—some describing the region’s famed trees, others noting the presence of notorious mutant beasts.

His right hand held a red pen between index and middle finger, tapping it repeatedly on the map. At last, Ye Bai circled a specific location, one heavily annotated with his own observations.

Within a dense forest, the world was a sea of green. Occasionally, a flock of mutant birds would burst from the thickets, or a deep beastly roar would echo through the woods, infusing this verdant, suffocating world with a trace of vitality.

On a narrow path—if it could even be called a path, for it was little more than a gap between trees visible from a distance—a lone youth in a light blue outfit, backpack slung over his shoulders, was making his way along. Every so often, a person or two would pass by, each exchanging guarded glances with him before hurrying away.

The Umbrella Wood District had welcomed a new visitor—a blue-clad youth with a backpack. When he arrived at the district’s guard station, he found that it was little more than a door barely wide enough for one or two people, protruding from the ground.

As Ye Bai stepped into the station, he immediately sensed a stark difference from his previous post. The public area buzzed with conversation, filled with people speaking animatedly. At the highest point stood a striking young woman.

“Everyone, welcome to the Umbrella Wood District,” she announced from the platform. “I’ll get straight to the point: I have news that will benefit you all. But if you want it, you must meet one condition.”

“What is it?” someone called.

“Yes, tell us quickly!” others urged.

The crowd beneath the platform egged her on, though many men’s gazes lingered on her figure—her sun-kissed skin, glossy black hair tied behind her, and almond-shaped eyes sizing up the audience. Her lips curled with a faint smile, and her purple fitted suit accentuated her curves perfectly.

Sensing the atmosphere was right, the young woman’s smile turned cold, and a wave of powerful life force befitting someone at the peak of Body Refinement pressed down on the crowd. “A few days ago, I discovered a Wood-Warding Beast in the Umbrella Wood District. I believe most of you know its value. I seek two others at the peak of Body Refinement to help capture it.”

The crowd fell silent, stunned that such formidable power resided within this beautiful woman’s delicate frame. As her body tensed, her chest heaved, granting the crowd one last fleeting glimpse of allure.

But Ye Bai missed this scene entirely; at the mention of the Wood-Warding Beast, his head had dipped as he pondered his map’s notes.

The district was named for its unique vegetation—here, the trees resembled enormous, magnified mushrooms towering above the ground, known as Seven-Colored Miasma Trees. After every rainfall, these trees collected water on their caps. When the sun emerged, they released it all at once. If you stood beneath them at such a moment, you’d see rainwater shimmering in the sunlight, forming rainbows beneath each tree. Throughout the grove, countless rainbows would appear simultaneously—a sight even grander than the neon lights of the pre-Dark Age, a paradise every girl might dream of.

Yet, beauty concealed deadly peril. Almost no one had ever witnessed the rainbows beneath the Miasma Trees—at least, Ye Bai knew of none. For as the sun drew down the rainwater, it also brought with it lethal toxins from the leaves.

But one creature was immune to these toxins: the Wood-Warding Beast. They would appear as the rainbows formed, darting through the forest, feeding on the nourishing substances trickling down the trees—substances even other mutant beasts dared not touch.

When Ye Bai returned to his senses, the striking woman was surveying the crowd with cold eyes.

“Heh, are you all cowards? So many of you stare at me, yet not one dares come with me to hunt this mutant beast?” she sneered, pointing her slender finger at the crowd, her face full of disdain.

Truthfully, she had little hope; those who reached the peak of Body Refinement rarely lingered at guard posts—they were too busy seeking ways to break through.

One by one, the men took a step back, a few faces flushed with embarrassment. Desire was nothing compared to their own lives, and reason quickly prevailed.

The woman’s shifting demeanor left Ye Bai somewhat amazed. From delicate girl to bold warrior, her transformation was striking—a reminder that none who reached this level were simple.

An awkward silence fell over the crowd; several people hung their heads. At last, a young man in his twenties stepped forward.

“Miss, what do you think of me?” he asked, unleashing the full force of a peak Body Refiner’s energy.

The woman’s eyes lit up as she sensed his strength. “Excellent, of course. Once I find one more, we can set out to capture the Wood-Warding Beast.” A smile returned to her face as she stood with the young man to wait.

Ye Bai now stepped forward as well. He was indifferent about hunting the beast; he was simply seeking opportunity, hoping for some unexpected gain. Having just broken through, he knew he couldn’t advance again for some time.

Seeing Ye Bai come forward, the woman was overjoyed—she felt sure of success now. The young man, however, doubted that someone so young could have reached the peak. He stepped up to Ye Bai.

Ye Bai extended his right hand, pressing it onto the young man’s shoulder. The young man hesitated, then gestured politely, “Please.” He indicated the woman.

Ye Bai smiled faintly and walked to her side. The young man’s face remained impassive, but the deep impressions his feet left in the floor betrayed his true feelings.

With her team assembled, the woman smiled and said, “Now that we are all here, please follow me to my room so we can discuss the details.”