Chapter 31: A Smooth Escape, Preparing to Hide at School

At its master’s command, the Gale Demon Leopard transformed into a streak of cyan lightning. It bypassed the main battlefield, lunging toward Gu Yuexi from a treacherous angle!

"This is bad!"

Seeing this, Gu Yuexi’s face fell. She clutched the cubs, turned, and bolted!

"Holy shit! This has gone too far!"

Chu Sheng panicked. Without a second thought, he subconsciously unleashed the thousand-plus "Moving Blood Bottles" he had just packed away in his Insect Race Space. A dense black cloud of them slammed right into the Gale Demon Leopard!

"ROAR! (You’re asking to die!)"

The Gale Demon Leopard looked at the swarm of insects who dared challenge it, a flicker of disdain in its eyes.

It opened its cavernous maw, and a violent tornado of wind blades erupted forth, instantly shredding the first few hundred mosquitoes into a bloody mist!

However, that single attack was a fatal mistake.

The bellies of those shredded mosquitoes were filled with the Essence Blood of an Eighth-Grade Azure Flame Flying Lion!

As the bloody mist burst, the pure blood splattered all over the Gale Demon Leopard!

In an instant, all the surrounding Demon Beasts fighting the Shadow Fang Squad whipped their heads around in unison, like sharks that had caught the scent of blood. Their bloodshot eyes locked onto the Gale Demon Leopard!

That walking "super-sized blood bag" was infinitely more alluring to them than the tough-to-chew members of the Shadow Fang Squad!

ROAR—!

The nearest beast, a Sixth-Grade Ghost-faced Demon Spider, instantly abandoned its opponent. With all eight legs churning, it scrambled frantically toward the Gale Demon Leopard!

Gale Demon Leopard: ???

"NO—!"

Watching this unfold, Leng Yan let out a blood-curdling scream.

But it was too late.

The Gale Demon Leopard was instantly swarmed by dozens of frenzied Demon Beasts, unable to even utter a cry before it was overwhelmed.

Taking advantage of the chaos—a golden opportunity—Gu Yuexi and Chu Sheng finally escaped the encirclement. Shaken but unharmed, they vanished into the depths of the forest.

"AHHHH!"

Outside the valley, only Leng Yan’s roar, filled with endless rage and venom, echoed through the trees.

"I don’t care who you are! I swear I will find you and tear you limb from limb!"

...

’Sigh, what a clichéd villain monologue...’

Hearing the blood-curdling roar behind them, Chu Sheng, who was frantically fleeing through the forest with Gu Yuexi, couldn’t help but scoff to himself.

’Then again, it’s understandable.’

’Anyone in her shoes would be furious. Not only did she watch a juicy prize slip right through her fingers, but her ace Contracted Beast was swarmed by dozens of other Demon Beasts, and her other Fifth-Grade Contracted Beast was instantly killed. She’s probably angry enough to have a stroke on the spot.’

’All things considered, this Leng Yan lady’s composure is actually pretty impressive. At least she didn’t just faint from pure rage.’

They ran for a good ten minutes, only stopping to catch their breath inside a hidden cave after confirming no one was on their tail.

Gu Yuexi set the three whimpering lion cubs on the ground. She leaned against the cold rock wall, gasping for breath. Her chest heaved, and her forehead was beaded with sweat.

Her usually cool, pretty face was now a mixture of joy and worry.

She was joyful because this had been a massive score.

Three Azure Flame Flying Lion cubs with High-Level Bloodlines!

Whether she raised them as Contracted Beasts or absorbed their blood to cultivate the Ten Thousand Beasts Melting Furnace Technique, it was an absolute win-win scenario. A jackpot!

The worry... was that she was now in huge trouble.

That woman, Leng Yan, had gotten a crystal-clear look at her face.

With the Jingzhe Guild’s power in Jiang City, finding the identity of a high school student would be child’s play.

With her current strength, she couldn’t even dream of fighting a Seventh-Grade Beast Tamer. The guild could send any random squad member and they would crush her without breaking a sweat.

’What should I do?’

’I have to find a safe place to hide!’

Gu Yuexi’s mind raced. Soon, a single option emerged as the only viable choice.

’Go back to the school!’

Jiang City Lingwu High School!

She made her decision in an instant.

In this world, the power structure of the Great Xia Federation rested on two supreme pillars: the Ministry of Education and the Military Department. Together, they ensured the very survival of the Human Race.

The Human Race was no longer the sole master of Blue Star. Internally, countless Demon Beasts infested the mountains and forests. Externally, through hundreds of rifts to Alternate Spaces, hostile Alien Races watched like hungry tigers.

War was the defining constant of this age.

For this very reason, the Great Xia Federation placed an unparalleled importance on the Lingwu High Schools, the institutions responsible for cultivating Martial Artists and Beast Tamers.

Every Lingwu High School was a cornerstone of the Federation’s future, a cradle for fresh talent. Their status was so high that it even surpassed that of the local City Lord’s Mansion!

The Jingzhe Guild might be a major local power in Jiang City, but they would never dare to openly provoke Jiang City Lingwu High School.

Let alone charge onto campus to assassinate an enrolled student.

To do so would be a blatant provocation against the authority of the Great Xia Ministry of Education. The Military Department wouldn’t even have to lift a finger. The Ministry of Education could simply send down an inspector and wipe the entire Jingzhe Guild from the map in Jiang City!

’So, as long as I can hide in the school, my personal safety will be guaranteed!’

’At least... I won’t have to worry about them showing up at my door to kill me!’

’If I can just lay low until after the unified exams...’

’Once I demonstrate exceptional talent and strength in the exams, I’ll attract the attention of the higher-ups and gain their protection!’

With this in mind, Gu Yuexi no longer hesitated.

She couldn’t even be bothered to deal with the dozen or so Iron-skinned Pig carcasses she had hidden. The money was important, but it was nothing compared to the three cubs and her own life.

Clutching the three still-whimpering cubs, she bolted from the Black Forest at top speed, heading straight for the Lingwu Hall in the city center.

To bring three living creatures onto campus, simply wrapping them in her clothes wouldn’t work.

She needed a Beast Taming Pouch.

Only after breaking through to the Fifth-Grade can a Beast Tamer open up a "Beast Taming Space" in their Sea of Consciousness to house a Contracted Beast.

Before that, if a tamer wanted to carry a Contracted Beast with them, their only option was to purchase a special spatial item—a Beast Taming Pouch.

Soon, Gu Yuexi was back at the Lingwu Hall.

She immediately spent the tens of thousands of dollars she had just earned from the mission to buy the cheapest option available: a "Low Level Beast Taming Pouch."

Although the pouch was low-grade, its internal space was large enough to hold a full-grown ox. It was more than enough room for three lion cubs that were no bigger than kittens.

Once the cubs were settled inside, Gu Yuexi didn’t dare linger for a second longer. She rushed back to Jiang City Lingwu High School without delay.

As she stepped through the familiar school gates, the knot of anxiety in her chest finally loosened, just a little.

’But I know this isn’t enough.’

’I live off-campus. There’s still a risk of being ambushed on my way to or from school.’

’The safest option is not to leave the school grounds at all until after the unified exams!’

’I have to get a dorm room!’

Having made up her mind, Gu Yuexi headed straight for the dean’s office.