Damn these people!
However, there was no ti to hesitate now. Turning back was impossible, and she could only dash forward along the right path, pouring every last bit of strength into her legs.
The beast tide split into two massive streams around the mountain peak, both continuing their relentless pursuit.
"Master, this is extrely dangerous," Black’s voice rang out, grave and tense.
White chid along in worry, "Master, they are getting closer."
The distance between them and the monsters was barely five ters.
Behind her was certain death.
"Is there really no way...?"
Unwillingness burned in Zora’s eyes. She refused to die like this.
"There’s a cliff ahead," Black said quietly.
Zora’s eyes narrowed. Her gaze locked onto the sheer drop looming in the distance, resolve slowly forming in her heart.
If one path led to a certain death and the other path has a 99.9% chance of death, then...
Then she would rather jump and take the chances.
Better to fall into the abyss and hope for survival by so miracle than be crushed beneath the hooves of the beast tide.
In that instant, Zora’s speed surged again.
Driven by pure survival instinct, every ounce of strength in her body was forced out.
Her blood roared, her steps blurred, and her figure beca a streak of crimson cutting through the forest.
The distance that had been closing in so brutally... actually widened.
Almost all the cultivators had followed Alaric Von Seraph and fled toward the left path. Those who had hesitated were already swallowed by the beast tide.
On the right path, only Zora remained.
Ahead lood the cliff.
Her eyes glead with sharp resolve. There was no longer any choice left to make.
Behind her, a massive monster lunged forward, jaws yawning wide. Rows of razor-sharp fangs glinted with icy light, snapping toward her neck.
Just as those teeth were about to sink in—
"Graaaaaa!"
A cry rang out.
Not deep or thunderous.
Young, even tender.
Yet the sound tore through the chaos like a sharp blade.
Shihtzu leapt up on her shoulder and released a sharp, commanding roar. Its small body looked absurdly fragile compared to the towering monsters behind it.
And yet—
The charging beasts froze.
Their massive bodies shuddered violently. Madness drained from their eyes as they stared at the tiny white figure in terror.
"Graaaa!"
Shihtzu cried out again.
This ti, the effect was absolute.
*Thud* Thud* thud*
One by one, the rampaging monsters dropped to the ground, their enormous fras trembling as they crouched low, heads bowed in submission.
The beast tide... stopped?
Zora halted in mid-step, shock flashing through her eyes. She had been ready to jump.
Now she stared at the scene before her, utterly stunned.
Those monsters... are they afraid?
Afraid of this little thing sitting on her shoulder?
"What?"
Black and White were equally dumbfounded. They had known Shihtzu was strange, but this... this was beyond expectation.
*Caaaa*
Shihtzu yawned lazily, stretched its body, then settled back down on her shoulder in a comfortable position, as if the world had rely disturbed its nap.
Zora’s heart pounded.
This was no ordinary beast.
To halt a beast tide with a single roar... There was only one explanation.
A bloodline standing at the very top of the monster hierarchy.
Among beasts, strength was not asured by age or size alone. Even a young monster, if born of a supre race, possessed innate suppression over all others.
Clearly, Shihtzu belonged to such a lineage. Is the crown mark on its forehead an indication of such a lineage?
Her brows knitted slightly, but the confusion was quickly pushed aside by relief.
At least now, she didn’t have to leap into the abyss to survive.
A smile blood on her crimson lips, bright and genuine.
"Shihtzu," she said softly, "let them leave."
"Roar."
Shihtzu responded with a short, authoritative cry.
The kneeling monsters lifted their heads, cast one last fearful glance at the small white figure, then turned and fled in chaotic retreat, vanishing back into the depths of the mountains.
Silence fell.
The forest, monts ago on the brink of annihilation, returned to stillness.
Zora exhaled slowly.
She had lived.
Before she could even turn around, the beast tide had already vanished from sight, swallowed by the depths of the mountains as if it had never existed.
Zora reached up and pulled Shihtzu off her shoulder into her arms.
The little creature bead at her, eyes curved happily, tail flicking with smug delight, clearly waiting to be praised.
*Smack*
She flicked it on the head without rcy.
"You little nace," she scolded coldly. "You could solve everything with one roar, yet you waited until your master was one step away from jumping off a cliff!"
Thinking back on the suffocating desperation just monts earlier made her teeth grind. This cheeky brat clearly had the ability and still chose to watch.
Shihtzu froze, then instantly put on a wounded expression. Its mouth drooped, watery eyes misted over, and it curled into her arms, looking pitiful enough to break hearts.
Shaless acting.
Even knowing it was pretending, Zora still sighed. She took out an armored rhinoceros demon crystal and handed it over.
The mont Shihtzu saw it, the tears vanished.
Its eyes lit up like stars. It snatched the demon crystal eagerly and gnawed at it with pure delight.
As expected. A professional freeloader.
She returned Shihtzu to her shoulder while her expression began to calm down. The crisis on her side was resolved, but what about Alaric Von Seraph and the others?
Just as she was about to leave, a faint sound reached her ears.
Her eyes sharpened instantly.
Soone was here.
The mana surged through her body as she turned toward the source of the sound, ready to strike.
A massive boulder blocked her view. Whoever it was, they were hiding behind it.
"Who’s there?" Her voice was cold and sharp, carrying a clear warning.
"Girl... I’m only hiding from the beast tide." A low, hoarse voice answered from behind the rock.
Her brows lifted slightly.
From the sound alone, she could tell. Weak breathing. Unstable tone.
The other party was injured. And badly.
Her gaze darkened. Shihtzu’s existence was not sothing she intended to expose.
Blue Ice Sword slid silently into her hand as she circled the boulder.
Behind it leaned a man.
Black hair spilled loosely over his shoulders. His features were sharp, sculpted like a blade carved by a ticulous hand. Long brows, deep-set eyes, dark as abyssal pits, calm yet ruthless.
He wore a black robe threaded with faint silver patterns. Luxurious, restrained, and utterly dangerous.
The robe was slightly disheveled, revealing a defined collarbone and pale jaw. Lower still, at his chest, blood had soaked deep into the fabric.
One glance was enough.
The wound was severe.
Yet despite this, the man was smiling.
Not warm. And certainly not friendly either.
It was A cold, predatory smile, filled with violence and an undeniable allure.
Dangerous.
That was the only word that fit him.
Zora instantly judged him as trouble. The kind best avoided.
She turned to leave without hesitation.
"Woman," the man’s voice followed her, low and lazy, edged with interest.
Those dark, abyss-like eyes glead faintly. "How about we make a deal?"
From the mont he saw her appear with that small white beast, he had found her...
Very interesting.
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