And at this moment...
"Hmm?"
Liu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Looking at the blood-covered, dying little golden beast at his feet, his first reaction was to be somewhat between laughter and tears.
"Have Spirit Beasts these days learned how to stage accidents for scams?"
He didn't pay it much mind, thinking it was just some blind little fellow that had crashed into him while panicking. In the Star Dou Great Forest, dramas of chasing and being chased played out countless times every day.
He turned to leave, not wanting to bother with this "traffic accident."
However, just as he turned, the Snow Empress beside him suddenly let out an irrepressible cry of surprise.
"Wait! Liu Yuan! Look at it!"
Snow Empress's voice carried unprecedented shock and disbelief. Her ice-blue beautiful eyes were fixed on the little golden beast on the ground, her delicate body even trembling slightly with excitement.
Liu Yuan turned back at her voice, following Snow Empress's gaze to look again, and asked in confusion: "What's wrong? Isn't it just a... huh?"
This time, he scrutinized the little beast carefully.
Its brilliant golden fur looked as if it were cast from gold, and beneath its four hooves, there seemed to be auspicious clouds swirling. Even though it was currently covered in blood and in a wretched state, it was hard to hide its miraculous and noble nature.
Especially that closed vertical eye on its forehead; it was filled with a mysterious charm.
This image...
A flash of inspiration crossed Liu Yuan's mind, and a certain name that existed only in legends surfaced.
His pupils suddenly contracted, and he blurted out: "Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion?!"
It really seemed to be!
Waves of shock surged in his heart.
This was the Incarnation of auspiciousness for the Douluo Continent, a condensation of Luck. Such a rare creature had actually... staged an accident at his feet, alive and well?
Immediately after, an even more shocking thought welled up in his heart.
How did it end up in this state?
Looking at these injuries, it was clearly caused by someone severely wounding it with absolute power!
Which blind fool had the audacity to lay a hand on the Auspicious Beast?! What was the difference between this and declaring war directly on the entire Spirit Beast race?
"I don't know who did it."
Snow Empress's voice was incredibly solemn. She closed her eyes to sense carefully, and her expression became increasingly grim.
"But just now, I suddenly sensed many incredibly powerful auras rushing around and searching within the Star Dou Great Forest. That strongest dark aura... is Di Tian! They have clearly discovered that something happened to the Auspicious Beast, and the whole group has mobilized!"
Hearing this, Liu Yuan's heart skipped a beat.
He immediately began to think; an extremely grave problem was laid before him—should he leave immediately?
This was practically a death-trap question!
The Auspicious Beast was currently unconscious and heavily injured at his feet, and he had just released the aura of Mega Rayquaza here without reservation. If Di Tian and that group of Vicious Beasts followed the aura and found him later, seeing this scene, what would they think?
He wouldn't be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River!
With Di Tian's explosive temper, he would definitely treat him as the culprit who severely wounded the Auspicious Beast. At that time, forget explaining; he probably wouldn't even have the chance to speak before being torn to pieces by the fury of the Beast God and the other Vicious Beasts!
Analyzing from a rational perspective, the best choice now was to leave here immediately, right now, without looking back!
Besides, even if he kindly helped save the Auspicious Beast, what benefits could he get?
It didn't seem like the Spirit Beasts would be grateful to him or offer up any Heaven And Earth Treasures because of it.
On the contrary, he might still be attacked due to being misunderstood.
So, no matter how you looked at it, continuing to stay here was a losing bargain.
Infinite risk, infinitesimal reward.
"Snow Empress, we..."
Just as Liu Yuan was about to make the most rational decision and pull Snow Empress to run away, the cold notification sound of the System rang out in his mind without any warning.
[Ding!]
[Detected special plot character "Emperor Auspicious Beast" in a near-death state. Triggering unique special mission: Save the Auspicious Beast!]
[Mission Description: Please provide immediate medical treatment to the Emperor Auspicious Beast and ensure it is out of life-threatening danger.]
[Mission Reward: Mega Kyogre Random Ability +1!]
[PS: This mission will bring about significant consequences. Host, please think twice before acting!]
"Nonsense, of course I know the consequences are significant!"
Liu Yuan felt completely numb.
This System really is something, giving this kind of mission at a time like this?!
Isn't this just tempting him to help the Auspicious Beast...
Liu Yuan began to think again.
To do it, or not to do it?
Doing it meant putting his life on the gambling table, betting that Di Tian and those Vicious Beasts would arrive a bit later, and betting that they could listen to his explanation.
If he didn't do it, this reward would pass him by.
And hearing the System say there would be some big consequences later on...
Sigh, what a hassle.
Just as he was caught in a mental struggle and feeling extremely conflicted, Snow Empress beside him suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a rare hint of pleading.
"Master... help it, okay?"
Snow Empress looked at the Auspicious Beast on the ground, a trace of complex emotion showing in her ice-blue beautiful eyes.
"The significance of the Auspicious Beast to Spirit Beasts is far greater than you imagine."
"Its existence is not just a symbol of the Star Dou Great Forest's Luck; the Auspicious Qi it radiates provides an inexpressible boost to the growth and Cultivation of all of us Spirit Beasts."
"Even if I am not a Spirit Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest, I am still a part of the Spirit Beast race... I cannot just watch it die like this."
Hearing Snow Empress's words, the last bit of hesitation in Liu Yuan's heart was broken.
He glanced at the pleading Snow Empress, then thought about that extremely tempting mission reward.
"Damn it!" Liu Yuan gritted his teeth, his gaze instantly becoming determined, "I'll take the gamble!"
"Thank you, Liu Yuan!" A thick look of gratitude immediately appeared in Snow Empress's eyes.
"Remember to be a bit better to me in the future," Liu Yuan replied to Snow Empress.
Then, he immediately crouched down and, with a thought, took out a special bottle from the System storage space.
The bottle contained some medicinal liquid, radiating a dense medicinal aura.
This was the [Potion] rewarded by the System when he completed a mission before.
Liu Yuan himself had always been reluctant to use this thing.
But now, the only thing in his hands that could save the Auspicious Beast was this item.
Liu Yuan carefully pried open the Auspicious Beast's small mouth and poured the medicinal liquid in.
The medicinal liquid melted as soon as it entered its mouth, and a massive amount of life energy instantly exploded within the Auspicious Beast's body.
Visibly, those deep-to-the-bone wounds on the Auspicious Beast's body began to rapidly writhe and heal. Its originally dim golden fur also regained a faint luster, and its breathing, which had been so weak it almost disappeared, became steady and powerful.
Its condition had clearly improved a lot, but it seemed that because its Origin was damaged, it still hadn't woken up.
"It looks like I can only wait here and see." Liu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, gently picking up the Auspicious Beast, preparing to find a more hidden place.
But at that moment, both he and Snow Empress's expressions changed, and they both abruptly looked up in the same direction!
...
And on the other side.
At the border between the Mixed Zone and the Core Zone of the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Huff... huff..."
Xuan Zi carried Huo Yuhao, pushing his speed to the limit as he frantically wove through the forest, leaving behind a trail of afterimages in the air.
However, just when he thought he was about to escape the encirclement, the space ahead suddenly solidified without warning!
Immediately after, one after another, towering figures emerged from all directions, completely sealing off all their paths of retreat!
To the east was the Beast God Di Tian, transformed into human form and clad in a black robe. His golden eyes burned with a fury that could incinerate everything.
To the west was the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, over a hundred meters tall with bulging muscles—Bear King!
To the south was the Myriad Demon King, whose aura was as heavy as a mountain!
To the north was the Three-Headed Hellhound, Scarlet King, with its body burning with Hellfire!
And in the center of their encirclement, a woman dressed in a jade-green long dress, with exquisite features and a gentle temperament, floated quietly. She was the chief healer of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Emerald Swan, Bi Ji.
Looking at this luxurious lineup that would make any Limit Douluo's scalp tingle, Xuan Zi and Huo Yuhao's hearts instantly sank to the bottom.
Di Tian's cold gaze slowly swept over the terrified Huo Yuhao and finally landed on the pale-faced Xuan Zi.
When he saw Xuan Zi's face clearly, Di Tian was first stunned, and then, boundless fury completely ignited his reason!
"It's you again!"
A roar containing endless killing intent resounded through the entire sky!
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