On the winding official road, a horse-drawn carriage was swaying along, and halfway through, it suddenly came to a halt.
Inside the carriage, Gu Feng was resting with his eyes closed. Feeling the carriage stop, he slowly opened his eyes and asked, "Master, why have we stopped?"
The voice of the carriage driver trembled as he replied, "Young Master, you should come out and take a look; it seems there's been an incident up ahead!"
Gu Feng was puzzled and lifted the curtain of the carriage before stepping down.
Only then did he realize that they were not the only carriage stopped here; the official road had already descended into chaos.
Carriages were lined up one after another, and passengers were poking their heads out of the compartments, their faces filled with confusion. The drivers had also jumped down, anxiously scanning the area ahead.
Following the gazes of the crowd, Gu Feng looked into the distance and saw a dark mass rapidly approaching.
As it drew closer, he could gradually make out that it was a group of frail Wolf Raiders, with only a few towering figures leading them.
In the crowd, someone seemed to react first, screaming in terror, "It's the Wolf Raiders!"
The brutality and lewdness of these Soul Beasts were well-known to all.
In an instant, fear spread through the crowd.
"Everyone, run!"
Someone shouted, and in that moment, the official road was filled with cries, shouts, and curses.
Countless people panicked and fled in all directions, some not even bothering to grab their luggage. The drivers desperately pulled at the reins, trying to urge the frightened horses to escape, but in the chaos, the horses were so scared that they spun in place, refusing to move forward.
Just as everyone was in a state of panic and confusion, a clear and somewhat proud female voice rang out, "Hmph, aren't they just a few dozen ten-year-old Wolf Raiders?"
"Brother, let's go!"
"Alright!"
From the crowd emerged two figures side by side, leading the way was a red-haired girl dressed in fitted attire.
She had a sharp, dark red bob that made her look spirited and valiant.
At this moment, a roaring Fire Shadow surged behind her, and a century-old Soul Ring quietly appeared.
Beside her, a red-haired young man was equally impressive, his Soul Power surging, with the phantom of a Unicorn Fire Dragon materializing behind him, exhaling waves of scorching flames.
The two exchanged a glance, perfectly in sync, and then charged toward the group of Wolf Raiders like arrows released from a bow.
"A mere small group of ten-year-old Wolf Raiders dares to block my path!"
The red-haired girl shouted, her hands moving swiftly as the Fire Shadow gathered in her palms, transforming into fireballs that whistled toward the Wolf Raiders.
Wherever the fireballs landed, the Wolf Raiders were struck, their fur ignited, and they let out cries of agony, the smell of charred flesh quickly filling the air.
The red-haired young man was not to be outdone; flames erupted from his mouth, accompanied by waves of intense heat, each blast carrying the might of the Unicorn Fire Dragon.
When the flames hit the Wolf Raiders, they triggered small explosions, sending the Wolf Raiders flying, caught off guard by the sudden assault.
However, as time passed, the Wolf Raiders began to adjust their tactics, surrounding the two from all sides.
At first, the two could rely on their coordination to take down the Wolf Raiders.
Yet, the sheer number of Wolf Raiders was overwhelming, and the two gradually felt their strength waning.
Just as they were nearly exhausted, the Wolf Raiders seized the opportunity and launched a frenzied attack.
A black shadow streaked across the sky like lightning, instantly arriving beside them.
The two instinctively looked up.
It was Gu Feng, his body enveloped in a gray aura, his eyes icy cold. He let out a cold shout, "Scram!"
The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of all the Wolf Raiders, as if it had been carved into their very souls.
In that instant, something utterly unbelievable happened.
The Wolf Raiders, who had just been baring their fangs and claws with ferocious expressions, now trembled violently, their faces filled with terror, their legs going weak beneath them.
They didn't even care about each other, not daring to look at Gu Feng for another second. With their tails between their legs, they turned and fled madly back the way they had come.
"This... this can't be possible!"
The red-haired girl and the red-haired man stared in disbelief at the scene before them.
If they were to tell this story, no one would likely believe it.
The bloodthirsty and savage Wolf Raiders had actually been scared off by a human child?
Little did they know, this was merely the initial application of the power of the undead.
Compared to humans, lower Soul Beasts had limited intelligence and relied on instinct. They were far more sensitive to the fear of death.
Especially the aura of the undead!
The gray aura around Gu Feng slowly dissipated as he looked at the two who had collapsed to the ground. "Are you alright?"
The two shook their heads, helping each other to their feet.
Then, Huo Wushuang approached Gu Feng with a look of amazement, his eyes filled with curiosity. He grinned and said, "Little brother, what's your name? I'm Huo Wushuang, and this is my sister, Huo Wu."
As he spoke, he pointed to the red-haired girl beside him.
Gu Feng replied simply, "Gu Feng."
Huo Wushuang pressed on, "By the way, what's your Martial Soul? Mine is the Unicorn Fire Dragon, and my sister's is the Fire Shadow."
He gestured animatedly as he spoke, trying to spark Gu Feng's interest in conversation.
"No comment."
Gu Feng didn't even lift his eyelids, cutting off the topic entirely.
Huo Wushuang was left hanging, but he still didn't give up. "Then can I ask why those Wolf Raiders were afraid of you?"
His face was full of anticipation, hoping to get even a hint of an answer from Gu Feng.
After all, what had just happened was truly astonishing.
"I don't know."
Gu Feng's gaze drifted into the distance, making it clear he didn't want to continue the conversation.
Only then did Huo Wushuang realize that Gu Feng was deliberately keeping his distance from them. He awkwardly scratched his head and stopped pressing further.
But Huo Wu couldn't stand this treatment. She had a fiery temper and a proud personality, and she felt that Gu Feng's attitude was a sign of disrespect.
Her pretty face flushed red as she stormed up to Gu Feng, pointing a slender finger at him. "Do you dare to have a match with me?"
Gu Feng looked at her and couldn't help but laugh.
He had just saved them, and now she had the audacity to challenge him. It was rather amusing.
"What do you have to offer? Why should I fight you?"
Gu Feng's lips curled into a faint smile as he spoke leisurely.
"What do you mean?" Huo Wu clearly didn't understand the deeper meaning behind his words, her eyes filled with confusion.
"A challenge needs stakes, doesn't it?"
Gu Feng raised an eyebrow. "You don't have any, do you?"
"Who says I don't!"
Huo Wu gritted her teeth, her heart filled with both anger and anxiety. With a determined resolve, she took out an ancient parchment from her Soul Guidance Bracelet and handed it to Gu Feng. "This is a treasure map of the Northern Region that my brother and I bought at an auction. Is it enough to be the stake?"
Gu Feng took the map and silently inquired, "Old Yi, do you think this map is genuine?"
Electrolux's soul aura quickly swept over the map, and after a moment, he said, "This is not a treasure map. It should be a map of the habitat of some ancient Soul Beast. I sense a familiar aura from it, likely that of an undead or dark-attribute Soul Beast."
Hearing this, Gu Feng felt a surge of hidden joy, and his eyes instantly lit up.
He looked at Huo Wu, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "Alright, I accept!"
Soon after.
Huo Wu and Gu Feng stood several meters apart, ready for battle.
"Hmph, Fire Shadow Possession!"
Huo Wu took the initiative, letting out a sharp cry as the Fire Shadow behind her instantly surged. The scorching flames, like a raging tide, swept toward Gu Feng, filling the air with a searing heatwave.
Gu Feng remained calm and composed. With a light tap of his feet on the ground, he sidestepped the fierce fire attack.
The wave of fire brushed past him but failed to harm him in the slightest.
"I don't believe you can dodge this move!"
Seeing this, Huo Wu gritted her teeth and pressed forward. Her hands quickly formed seals, and the hundred-year Soul Ring beneath her lit up. Flames gathered in her palms, condensing into several sharp fireballs that shot toward Gu Feng.
Gu Feng's eyes sharpened as he murmured, "This ends here!"
In an instant, his Soul Power surged violently, and a gray aura once again billowed out. Huo Wu's fireballs were instantly extinguished.
"Roar!"
Immediately after, with an ear-splitting roar, his Martial Soul—the Bone Dragon—burst through the mist.
The massive skeletal body exuded a cold, eerie aura, its hollow eye sockets glowing with a sinister light. Its enormous bone wings spread out, blotting out the sky.
A sharp Bone Claw pressed against Huo Wu's snow-white neck, and the aura of death instantly enveloped her. Yet, there was not a trace of fear on her face.
For Huo Wu was simply staring in shock at the phantom of the Bone Dragon before her, her eyes wide and filled with disbelief. "B-B-Bone Dragon!"
Beside her, Huo Wushuang looked at Gu Feng in terror. "Young man, who exactly are you? What is your relationship with His Excellency Bone Douluo?"
(End of Chapter)