"My heavens, we deeply apologize for mistaking you," one of the beasts cried as others joined in. "My heavens, please forgive us."
They all seemed shocked to sense his aura, yet Yan Xiaobao frowned when he heard them refer to him as ’milord’.
"Milord, please come to our humble village and rest during your travels," said the feathered woman. Yan Xiaobao quietly nodded, suppressing Lan Feng’s aura once again as he stepped forward.
Upon entering the forest, Yan Xiaobao initially used Lan Feng’s aura as a means to intimidate other beasts. However, once he inadvertently wandered into another holy rank beast’s territory, his aura became a provocation to the beasts, challenging them to defend their domain. If Lan Feng hadn’t been subdued and if they hadn’t escaped at full speed, Yan Xiaobao might not have lived to tell the tale.
Faced with such circumstances, it was evident he no longer wished to endanger himself by challenging additional Saints.
Throughout his journey crossing the forest, Yan Xiaobao encountered death several times, but the moment he reached the village, he was met with an extraordinary reception. This left him utterly astounded. Everyone addressed him as ’lord’; they were all terrified by his presence, yet paradoxically thrilled whenever he was out of sight.
Using Qi to hone his hearing, he uncovered plenty of gossip from the villagers. However, the rumors only compounded the confusion for the already perplexed young man.
"We have a Forest King visiting us; why has such an important figure appeared?" asked a raccoon fellow to the rat beside him. The rat simply shrugged, though the whiskers on his face twitched incessantly. His nose quivered, and his head darted side to side. "Keep quiet!" he hissed. "What if his master hears us? Who are we to question his actions?"
Upon hearing talk of the Forest King, Yan Xiaobao frowned and questioned Lan Feng. Although the Phoenix was just as uncertain as the humans, they all began deliberating on the best way to gather more information.
In this valley, Yan Xiaobao saw the sky for the first time this year. The expansive azure heavens felt refreshing, stirring his longing for the friends waiting for him in the Capital. At the same time, he was thrilled, knowing he was in Chenyuan — perhaps the only place where he could obtain information about the great sin and the Dark Era.
Yan Xiaobao had a house near the entrance, and outside the door stood a multitude of distinct magical beasts. They were all staring at the door, waiting for Yan Xiaobao to step out so they could see him again.
The moment the young man stepped outside, he was met with ten pairs of large, black eyes. Every gaze was filled with adoration. The small creatures were so endearing that Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but smile and pat them on their heads. This delighted all the beast children, making them smile and play excitedly.
As he walked past them, the carefree warmth vanished from Yan Xiaobao’s face, replaced by an aura of authority. Turning to a passing beast-man, he asked, "Where is the village chief?"
The beast was startled by the question, stammered for a moment on the spot, and finally pointed to a slightly larger house than the others.
Looking around the village and its layout, Yan Xiaobao was reminded of his old home. As he headed toward the elder’s house, he couldn’t help but think of his mother, father, and younger brother, back in the outskirts of the Magic Forest.
Driving away the melancholic thoughts in his mind, Yan Xiaobao steadily approached the house, determined to learn more about this Forest King.
When he entered the chief’s residence, Yan Xiaobao was stunned to see so many demons working diligently to prepare a banquet. One after another, they bustled about, whether setting tables, gathering food, or ensuring in every possible way that the feast would be flawless.