Everyone knew Wei Xuan wouldn’t sound an alarm without reason, so they immediately asked.
"Exotic Beasts are approaching, and there are a lot of them!" Wei Xuan’s expression contorted as he practically roared.
Lin Ya and Yuan Tianxing were aghast, then yelled to the group, "Everyone on alert!"
SWISH! The guards promptly drew their weapons, on full alert.
"It’s a pack of Terror Wolves."
Ling Chen also narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the dense forest ahead. There, pairs of crimson eyes were appearing.
Terror Wolves were a type of wolf carrying the bloodline of ancient, terrifying beasts. They were twice the size of ordinary wolves, covered in black fur, and a single Terror Wolf possessed power comparable to a Martial Artist of the First Realm. Currently, there were at least ten of them.
This was precisely the terror of the Demon Forest. The place teemed with Exotic Beasts of all levels, and their numbers were far beyond what the Royal Hunting Ground could compare to. Thus, the Demon Forest had always been a forbidden area in the Wind Country. Those who dared to enter were either fearless, desperate fugitives or exceptionally powerful Martial World Experts.
Wei Xuan’s face changed abruptly. He suddenly looked down at the ground and shouted loudly, "Beware of the ground!"
BANG! BANG! BANG! Just as his voice fell, the earth burst open in several places. A number of enormous black shadows emerged from underground, revealing sharp claws and teeth.
Upon closer inspection, these black shadows turned out to be large black rats. These were not ordinary rats, but a type of Exotic Beast known as Human-eating Rats.
From the escort team, a warrior whose cultivation had reached the Nine Heavy Realm was dragged into a deep hole by a Human-eating Rat, offering no resistance. His screams echoed for a long time before ceasing.
The ground beneath Ling Chen and the others also exploded. A large black rat shot out, lunging at Ling Chen’s neck like a bolt of lightning.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Easily, Ling Chen and the others blasted the Human-eating Rats away; some were killed, others injured.
These Human-eating Rats, being mere First-grade Exotic Beasts, posed no threat to Ling Chen and his companions.
But whether it was the Terror Wolves or the Human-eating Rats, their numbers were rapidly increasing. Moreover, a rumbling sound seemed to be approaching from further in the distance.
It was possible an even stronger Exotic Beast was on its way.
"How did we alert so many Exotic Beasts?"
Lin Ya’s expression shifted slightly. Although these Exotic Beasts weren’t overwhelmingly powerful, their sheer numbers were a problem.
Suddenly, Ling Chen looked up towards the depths of the dense forest, his eyes growing serious.
"It’s probably just the wind," Kong Xuan said after listening carefully for a moment. He then chuckled and shook his head, thinking Ling Chen was making a fuss over nothing.
"No, it’s not the wind. No wind in this world possesses such a consistent rhythm."
Wei Xuan’s hearing was the keenest. He also listened for a moment, then shook his head. "This is more like the sound of a musical instrument."
"A musical instrument?"
Everyone was astonished. How could there be the sound of a musical instrument in a place ?
"Enough, this is no time to discuss such useless topics!" Kong Xuan shouted, felling a Human-eating Rat with a single sword strike.
Ling Chen furrowed his brows. Are musical instruments and the beast horde connected in some way?
Though he spoke softly, his words clearly reached Lin Ya’s ears, causing her beautiful eyes to light up.
"There might indeed be a connection between the two." A glimmer sparked in Lin Ya’s eyes. "How could it be such a coincidence? It’s highly probable that someone is manipulating these Exotic Beasts from behind the scenes."
Ling Chen was also very surprised. Someone controlling Exotic Beasts from behind the scenes? Who could possibly do such a thing? If such an ability truly existed, it would be beyond belief.
"Yes," Bai Susu’s eyes suddenly lit up as if she had realized something, her lovely face becoming grave. "People from the Myriad Beasts Sect can do it."
"The Myriad Beasts Sect?"
Ling Chen’s expression changed slightly. He had, of course, heard of the Myriad Beasts Sect. It was one of the most powerful factions within the Demonic Sect, its prominence second only to the Demonic Sect’s strongest, the Saint Witch Religion. Members of the Myriad Beasts Sect practiced beast-taming arts from childhood. While their individual strength was generally average, they excelled at controlling various Exotic Beasts. For instance, the Elder of Myriad Beasts was rumored to have tamed several Third Rank Peak Level Exotic Beasts, creatures comparable to top Grand Masters.
Why would people from the Myriad Beasts Sect be here?
"Are the people from the Myriad Beasts Sect also after what’s inside the Demonic Sound Valley?" Lin Ya’s face grew serious, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Deacon Lin, what exactly is in the Demonic Sound Valley?" Ling Chen asked, noticing the change in Lin Ya’s expression. Could she be withholding something from them?
"Nothing special, just an iron ore vein," Lin Ya said, an enchanting smile gracing her lips as she waved her hand.
Ling Chen did not press further. Even if she were concealing something, she wouldn’t reveal it if he asked. It would only make Lin Ya more vigilant.
"There’s no time to lose. The person manipulating the Exotic Beasts must be nearby."
Ling Chen scanned the surroundings. To break this siege, they needed to find the person controlling the beast horde and defeat them.
"Brother Wei, your hearing is excellent. Come with me, and let’s find this beast tamer’s location."
Ling Chen leaped onto a large tree and then looked towards Wei Xuan. To find the controller, they would have to rely on Wei Xuan’s secret technique.
Wei Xuan knew this was the best approach. Rather than having their strength whittled down by these Exotic Beasts, it was better to take the initiative and locate the enemy.
With a light tap of his foot, Ling Chen darted into the depths of the dense forest. Wei Xuan didn’t hesitate, immediately using his Light Skill, slashing away the Terror Wolves blocking his path and quickly following.
The two darted through the dense forest. After covering several hundred meters, they stopped. The wind-like sound here had also become indistinct and rapid.
Wei Xuan lay on the ground, listened for a moment, and then his gaze shot towards a specific direction.
SWOOSH! Without hesitating, Ling Chen, sword in hand, rushed towards the targeted position. Sure enough, on a branch of a large tree, a black-robed figure stood, holding a flute-like object. The strange musical sound was clearly emanating from there.
Seeing Ling Chen approach, the black-robed figure at the target location was taken aback, clearly not expecting Ling Chen to find him.
Ling Chen’s sword strike, swift as a falling star, reached the black-robed man in an instant.
The black-robed man leaped directly down from the large tree. A Fang Leopard rushed over from the distance, perfectly positioned to catch him as he landed.
"To think you could find me here, kid. You’ve got some skill," the black-robed man scoffed. "But let me give you a piece of advice, kid: if you value your life, run while you still can. Otherwise, the Demonic Sound Valley will be your grave."
With that said, the black-robed man mounted the Fang Leopard and rode off, swiftly disappearing into the dense forest.