Soul Emperor Awakening

Lin Xuan’s words stunned them. They couldn’t tell if he was being truthful or not. ’Would this human before them really let them go?’

They found this hard to believe. Lin Xuan said nothing more, simply sitting there quietly and meditating, paying no mind to their thoughts.

They looked at one another, but they had no strength to walk. If they wanted to test his words, they would have to wait until they had recovered.

Hu Hong’s gaze flickered, her thoughts a mystery.

"What is it you want to ask?" Hu Hong finally spoke up.

Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes. "Do you have any detailed information on the Golden Dragon Race?" He was still stuck on this one question. ’If only Liu Yue’Er were here,’ he thought, ’I wouldn’t even need to ask.’

’They just said "the north." Heaven knows where in the north, or which corner they’re hiding in. Without that, finding them is impossible.’

"What’s your relationship with the Golden Dragon Race? Why are you so persistent about finding them?" Hu Hong questioned. "Are you planning to capture a Golden Dragon?"

"Do you really think I’m strong enough to capture one? I have no ill will toward the Golden Dragon Race. In fact, I’m on good terms with them; I just want to find out where they are. Besides, their enemies are the Black Dragon Race. Do I look like I’m one of them?"

Lin Xuan looked at them and calmly explained his reasoning and intentions.

"You’re very strong, but it’s true you couldn’t capture a member of the Golden Dragon Race. You’re definitely not from the Black Dragon Race, but we can’t rule out the possibility that they hired you to trick us!" Hu Hong retorted forcefully.

’For the right price, it’s perfectly normal for a human to do something like this. Or under threat. Of course, there are certainly cowards in the other Demon Races who might rescue someone only to probe for information. It’s not unheard of.’

Lin Xuan wasn’t angry. He understood why they thought that way, so he felt no frustration. It just meant he hadn’t earned their complete trust yet. ’Considering their vulnerable position, it’s only natural for them to be on high alert,’ he mused.

"But you did save us, so I can tell you this: even we have no news of the Golden Dragon Race. We lost all contact after that day and haven’t heard anything since," Hu Hong replied.

Lin Xuan fell silent. ’It seems there really is no information,’ he thought. ’I’ll just have to search for them bit by bit.’

He sighed and asked, "What about the Phoenix Race, then? Do you have any news about them?"

"The Phoenix Race?" Hu Hong wondered why Lin Xuan was now asking about them. After a moment’s thought, she said, "The Phoenix Race isn’t doing well either. It’s not because of outsiders, though. It’s internal strife. The conflict is raging right now, and it’s quite brutal."

"Then do you know anyone in the Phoenix Race named Bingxin?" Lin Xuan inquired.

"Bingxin is the leader of the Mutant Sect of phoenixes. The current internal conflict is centered on them, but the strife is relatively peaceful. It’s said to be mainly a struggle for power, but I don’t know the specifics," Hu Hong said after a moment of reflection.

’The leader of the Mutant Sect of phoenixes...’ Lin Xuan muttered. He was starting to understand. ’Her situation must be perilous. Extremely so.’

Generally, Divine Beasts are judged by the purity of their bloodline. Those with impure blood are considered outcasts. In many cases, they are simply eliminated. Bingxin’s situation couldn’t possibly be good.

’No wonder Bingxin said her situation was critical, and that knowing too much could get you killed. It seems she was right.’

Lin Xuan knew a bit about this from the Phoenix’s memories. Even though she was a Princess of the Phoenix Race, she was still an outcast!

Still, the information he possessed was limited. The Phoenix’s soul had been on the verge of dissipating, mostly absorbed by that Spirit Wood. He was lucky to have salvaged any memories at all.

"I have one last question, then. Where am I, and what powers control the surrounding area? For instance, do you know of any human settlements?" Lin Xuan inquired.

"It’s pretty scattered around here, with no major powers. As for human settlements, there’s a city about a hundred li from here where humans live." As she said this, an expression of disgust crossed her face; she clearly had no fondness for the place.

Lin Xuan nodded. ’In such a dangerous place, gathering together is the best strategy. It’s too risky to be alone.’ He figured the city must be filled with powerful experts, or it wouldn’t have survived to this day.

"I have what I need. You can go now. If you still can’t walk, wait until you’ve recovered," Lin Xuan said. He had learned what he needed to, and that was enough.

The Fox Girls exchanged glances, hardly believing their ears. ’He’s letting us go after just a few questions? Isn’t this too easy?’

Lin Xuan offered no further explanation. He simply sat down nearby and began meditating to recover his energy, asking nothing more.

After a long while, the poison in their bodies faded, and they could move freely again. They watched Lin Xuan for a moment, then exchanged a look, got to their feet, and cautiously departed.

Before they left, they glanced back at Lin Xuan several times. Seeing that he truly wasn’t getting up to stop them, they began to run, accelerating their escape.

Even when they were far in the distance, Lin Xuan hadn’t moved an inch. He had truly let them go.

"That human really let us go!"

"Yeah, he seems so different from other humans!"

"Hu Hong, you really found one of the good ones!"

...

They were overjoyed. They felt Lin Xuan was genuinely a good person, not ruthless like other humans who would never have let them go.

Hu Hong bit her lip, whispering, "Maybe he really is different from other humans."

Only after they had gone did Lin Xuan rise and disappear deep into the forest. He believed in seeing a good deed through to the end, so he had waited until they were a safe distance away.

There was no reason to keep them. For him, the next step was to find that human settlement.

After a difficult journey, Lin Xuan finally reached the human settlement using the information Hu Hong had provided. He had run into many members of the Demon Race along the way, but thankfully their Cultivation was low. Otherwise, he might have been held up.

’So this is the human settlement?’ Lin Xuan thought as he emerged from the woods. The terrain opened up before him, revealing a city.

The city was massive, encircled by incredibly thick walls. These towering bulwarks stood a full hundred meters tall, clearly built to withstand an assault from any member of the Demon Race.

Guards were stationed along every section of the wall, their sharp gazes scanning the perimeter, ever vigilant. This was a dangerous region; without constant alertness, the Demon Race could attack at any moment. But typically, the demons wouldn’t dare. The main reason was the sheer number of powerful experts within the city.

Just these on-duty Guards had Cultivation at the Essence Pill Stage or higher—at least the Seventh and Eighth Layers. Their caliber was remarkably high. ’I wonder what it’s like inside the city?’