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ED Note: Uh oh… will Wu Liang and Ling Qingxue manage to get out of the forest before the group finds them? Let us know on our Discord https://discord.com/channels/654644536584306728/1451935896407642216
Wu Liang, clutching the Star Stone, ran back to Ling Qingxue, his face beaming with smugness.
"Now you see my wisdom, don't you? Be good to me, and you'll get plenty of benefits!"
Ling Qingxue ignored him as she placed the Star Stone into her storage ring before fleeing with Wu Liang.
She had indeed obtained the Star Stone, but this was only the first step. Until she brought the stone back to Linjiang Middle School, it still wasn't safe enough.
Moreover, Wu Liang's plan appeared perfect on the surface, luring everyone away, but the Thunder Mercenary Group couldn't possibly not notice all the "coincidences."
If she remained in this area, suspicion would definitely fall on her, and given the Thunder Mercenary Group's power, they would not let her go.
So much so that Ling Qingxue didn't even dare stop using her Concealment Technique while fleeing.
"Little Xuexue, it'll take us at least three or four hours to get out of the Green Forest, right? Why don't we hide somewhere for a bit, and then go straight back to school the day after tomorrow? The Thunder Mercenary Group won't guess it's us, will they?"
Ling Qingxue shook her head slightly, her brow furrowed.
"No. Lei Tianbao didn't come to steal the Star Stone this time because Lei Meng probably didn't tell him about it. Now that he's angered the Starry Sky Sparrow, he'll have to tell him, even if he doesn't want to!"
Wu Liang's eyes narrowed. "So Lei Tianbao will be here soon!"
Lei Tianbao was a Fourth Rank martial artist; he could see through their Concealment Technique directly.
Furthermore, the residual Star Stone power on their bodies was highly suspicious. Hiding was too passive.
If Lei Tianbao summoned everyone from the Thunder Mercenary Group, the probability of finding them was very high.
"Then we really have to run! Little Xuexue, stop, let me take over!"
Ling Qingxue looked confused. "Although your Physical Cultivation is one level higher than mine, you don't have a speed-based martial skill. You probably can't outpace me, right?"
"Once l unleash my power, I'll definitely be faster than you!"
Wu Liang jumped off Ling Qingxue's shoulder and transformed into a lion-like creature, a black-ink mist swirling around his body.
His level 6 "Greed" skill activated, causing all his attributes to surge by 60%!
His speed attribute, already at 440, instantly jumped to 704, reaching the value of the Second Rank early-stage.
Without hesitation, Ling Qingxue sat on Wu Liang's back, simultaneously casting a lightness spell to reduce the burden.
Her hands rested on Wu Liang's broad back, feeling a physical strength far exceeding her own.
This terrifying strength was probably close to the Second Rank mid-stage, that is, a martial artist with a thousand points of vitality!
Terrifying, too terrifying!
This seems to be his fourth innate ability. Is this Taotie's power? Ling Qingxue was shocked.
Wu Liang had already demonstrated all his skills except for the "Damage Reduction".
Each skill possessed a terrifying quality.
It combined growth potential with immense power.
It could be said that, currently, Wu Liang, apart from being a bit ugly, had no flaws whatsoever. He was the ideal soul-bound beast in every martial artist's dreams.
While Ling Qingxue was lost in thought, a loud explosion came from the sky above.
A man with lightning wings on his back streaked across the sky, glancing at her and Wu Liang fleeing on the ground.
Lei Tianbao, a Fourth Rank mid-stage martial artist!
Those lightning wings were a flight technique that condensed the lightning essence within the body into wings, consuming vital energy to fly. While not as fast as the Starry Sky Sparrow, it was still extremely swift.
"He really did come, and he discovered us," Ling Qingxue sighed.
"Ah, have we been exposed?" Wu Liang asked.
"Not yet, but after Lei Tianbao and Lei Meng finish off the Starry Sky Sparrow, they'll definitely connect it to us. The probability of being exposed is about 60%. The only safe thing to do is get back to Linjiang Middle School as soon as possible!"
Wu Liang cursed under his breath, then pushed his internal power even further, increasing his speed.
The two darted through the forest like shadows.
At this speed, they could probably run out of the Green Forest in just over two hours.
...
Lei Tianbao flapped his lightning wings and headed towards Lei Meng.
At this moment, Lei Meng was battling the Starry Sky Sparrow, while Ah Bin and the other five were still fleeing in panic, finally jumping into the river to wash off the egg yolk.
After washing off the egg yolk, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Without the scent of the egg as a guide, the Starry Sky Sparrow was less aggressive towards them, finally allowing them to catch their breath.
A starry feather struck Lei Meng's shoulder, splattering a drop of bright red blood, and his face paled instantly.
The destruction of the Starry Sky Sparrow's eggs had completely enraged it, and it unleashed astonishing destructive power that he was struggling to withstand.
His expression darkened, but a flicker of joy crossed his eyes when he caught sight of Lei Tianbao rushing towards them.
"You scruffy bird, my brother's here! Let's see how crazy you'll be now!"
Seeing Lei Tianbao arrive, Ah Bin and the other five were overjoyed, quickly scrambling ashore and painfully plucking feathers off their bodies.
Rubbing his butt full of bloody holes, Ah Bin looked at the others with a gloomy expression.
The others guiltily turned their heads away.
One should spare no effort for his brothers; after all, he couldn't just watch them die, right?
Lei Tianbao, his wings crackling with lightning, unleashed a devastating attack that repelled the Starry Sky Sparrow.
Sensing the terrifying aura emanating from this man, the Starry Sky Sparrow's survival instinct kicked in, driving it to flee.
It was merely a Third Level late-stage beast, utterly outmatched by a Fourth Rank mid-stage martial artist capable of flight.
"The boss is here. Do you still think you can escape?"
Lei Tianbao's eyes narrowed, and a lightning spear of light condensed in his palms, then shot out at lightning speed.
This low-grade dark martial skill, the Lightning Spear Light, was incredibly powerful and fast, guaranteed to draw blood.
Bang!
The Starry Sky Sparrow's head was struck by lightning and blasted into a bloody mist, its body falling inertly to the ground.
Having dealt with the Starry Sky Sparrow, Lei Tianbao looked at Lei Meng with a grim face.
"So this is how you led the Thunder Mercenary Group to their deaths?"
Lei Meng swallowed hard. "Bro, it's all because some scoundrel set me up. Otherwise, I definitely could have gotten the Star Stone..."
"So you didn't even get the Star Stone?"
"The Star Stone is still in the Starry Sky Sparrow's nest. We'll definitely find it there if we go now!" Lei Meng said confidently.
He hadn't told his brother about the Star Stone's existence because he was afraid of missing out on the benefits.
The potions needed for magical beasts' evolution were extremely precious and required specialized masters to concoct them.
If he didn't get any benefits, his hopes of becoming a Fourth Rank martial artist would only become more distant.
So he had no choice but to do this.
Lei Tianbao glanced at him, then led him towards the Starry Sky Sparrow's nest.
But when they arrived, the nest was empty. Only a broken egg remained. Wu Liang had pushed the other eggs down, and he had taken the Star Stone with him.
Lei Meng's expression changed drastically, his face turning green with rage.
"Impossible! The Star Stone should have been here! I saw it here half a month ago!" he exclaimed, his face flushed.
Lei Tianbao frowned.
"Tell me the whole story. Don't leave out a single detail!"
Lei Meng clenched his fists, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Today, I brought Ah Bin and the others here..."