Qin Zi's face froze with a mix of confusion, panic, and a hint of embarrassment.
It was that feeling...
Like when you try to act cool in front of an innocent girl, turn around to leave suavely, and then… get caught by the police.
Caught on the spot.
Beep! A poser alert!
This wasn't just losing face—it was the equivalent of face-planting like a dog eating dirt!
"How could this happen? The super teleportation talisman my father gave me was supposed to transport me millions of miles away! How did it fail?"
Panic flooded his heart.
He quickly pulled out another identical jade talisman, comforting himself, "Maybe the last one was defective. Let's try again!"
Crack!
The second talisman shattered.
And still… nothing happened.
"This..."
Sweat began to form on Qin Zi's forehead as he realized that if he couldn't escape today, his fate was unimaginable.
"Stay calm, I must stay calm!"
"Maybe both of those were faulty. Luckily, my father gave me three, just in case the first two failed."
"I, Qin Zi, have always been blessed with great fortune! There's no way my luck will be that bad this time!"
He shouted inwardly and, with determined resolve, crushed the third jade talisman for one last attempt.
And yet… nothing.
Because this wasn't a matter of luck. No matter how lucky you are, you can't win the lottery with a newspaper, right?
At the very least, you need to have a lottery ticket!
And as a father who personally sent his son into the lion's den, Qin Chuan certainly wouldn't have given his son a teleportation talisman.
A strict father, one who wanted his son to become strong, would never allow him to run away from a fight. He had to face it head-on.
This was a matter of honor—and a family tradition!
"Haha, did he really think he could escape with a teleportation talisman? What a fool!"
Fan Zhongyan, one of the Holy Academy's geniuses, sneered, "The Beast God Mountain has been modified by the Five Great Kings, sealed with a special force. Teleportation talismans won't work here."
When Prince Qiongqi heard this, he was surprised.
Wait, there was something like that? Why didn't he know?
But to maintain his image, he pretended to understand and mockingly added, "The most foolish people always like to think they're clever. If teleportation talismans could work, don't you think we would have thought of using them?"
He sneered, full of ridicule.
Upon hearing this, Phantom Butterfly and the others were momentarily stunned. They hadn't thought of that plan either!
However, to avoid being labeled as "foolish," they all pretended to agree with Qiongqi.
"Completely delusional!"
"Such ignorance is pathetic."
"Haha, some people think they're smarter than everyone else, but they don't realize they're the dumbest."
Their performances were utterly fake.
It was like a woman pretending to be a rich girl, carrying a green onion pancake, only to toss it away disdainfully when a real wealthy girl asks her about it, claiming it was given to her by some poor fool.
As for Qin Zi...
When he heard their mocking, he immediately realized the truth—it wasn't the talismans that were faulty, it was the place!
"Sigh, miscalculated..."
He smiled bitterly, feeling a pang of guilt.
Just a moment ago, he had blamed his father, thinking the talismans were of poor quality.
"I always complain about others when I encounter problems, thinking it's their fault. If my father knew, he'd be so disappointed in me."
He chuckled self-deprecatingly and then looked down the mountain. His gaze turned sharp.
"If the teleportation talismans won't work, then... I'll just have to fight my way out!"
Whoosh!
With that, he leaped off the steps, and as his body stopped resisting, the pressure flowing down the stairs like a torrent swept him away.
Maintaining his balance, he stood atop the pressure as it carried him downward, feeling almost like he was surfing!
"Leaving? Stay!"
"Where do you think you're going?!"
"Leave the Beast God's Heart behind!"
Prince Qiongqi and the others shouted, filled with fury, but though their mouths moved, their bodies didn't follow.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Attacks were unleashed into the air, erupting with brilliant light that lit up the sky.
Even Prince Kui Niu leaped into the air, slamming both fists into the ground, causing the earth to shake.
From a distance, it looked like an epic battle was taking place, but in reality, they hadn't even touched the hem of Qin Zi's clothes.
Qin Zi couldn't be bothered with these drama kings. After rushing out of Beast God Mountain, he prepared to take flight.
However, a massive white crane shadow blocked the sun, casting a deep, dark shadow over him.
At the center of that shadow was Princess Bai Lu, floating gracefully in the air, her white feathered robes fluttering in the breeze.
"Do you really think you can escape?"
Her gaze pierced through Qin Zi, her voice cold.
Qin Zi was silent for a moment.
Then he replied in a deep voice, "I'm not sure."
Though he was prepared to fight to the death, he knew full well that the Holy Academy had many powerful warriors—emperors, even—and escaping would be difficult.
"If you're not sure…"
Princess Bai Lu paused, then suddenly smiled brightly. "Why not ask us for help?"
"Huh?!"
Qin Zi's mouth fell open in shock.
Things had changed so quickly that he didn't know how to react.
"Didn't I tell you from the first time we met? You are Brother Jin's junior, which makes you my junior as well. Did you forget?"
Princess Bai Lu said with a smile.
Qin Zi nodded, conflicted. "But… I took the Beast God's Heart that you were supposed to get. I've made you fail your mission…"
Princess Bai Lu shook her head and replied meaningfully, "But you've also given me a very precious gift."
Qin Zi was completely baffled.
Princess Bai Lu's face softened into a gentle smile. "Brother Jin told me you're his only friend. The fact that you called me 'sister-in-law' is like a matchmaker's blessing—your greatest gift."
Qin Zi glanced over at Jin Zhi in the distance and saw him smiling back, waving warmly.
"Let's go!"
Princess Bai Lu's expression suddenly turned serious. She summoned her silver bow once more, drew back the string, and as radiant light gathered, a massive silver arrow materialized.
Without hesitation, Qin Zi grabbed onto the arrow. He was already familiar with the process.
Buzz!
Without the mysterious power of Beast God Mountain's restrictions, the silver bow unleashed its full potential. As the arrow shot forth, the space in front of them rippled like water, and the arrow vanished into the waves.
It was a spatial jump!
After firing the arrow, Princess Bai Lu seemed drained, her face pale as she stumbled in midair and began to fall.
Jin Zhi quickly flew over to catch her.
"Hmph!"
But the next moment, a cold snort echoed across the sky, shaking the world outside Beast God Mountain.
Boom!
A loud explosion rocked the space, and Qin Zi tumbled out of the void, looking pale and disoriented.
He looked up to see a massive face, formed from black clouds, looming in the sky with overwhelming majesty.
"It's King Kui Niu!"
"Greetings, King Kui Niu!"
"Salutations, King Kui Niu!"
Upon seeing this face, the high-ranking figures of the Holy Academy were stunned and immediately bowed in respect.
Qin Zi, hearing the voice, felt his heart sink to the bottom. He was doomed.
King Kui Niu!
It was said that this being was terrifying, not only possessing near-invincible cultivation but also showing little emotion. He was brutally violent, often torturing his enemies to death with a completely expressionless face.
To him, killing was as mundane as breathing. It required no anger, no malice—just an act of routine.
In short, he was the embodiment of silent brutality.
"Do you think you can take the Beast God's Heart?"
The enormous face in the sky said coldly. Then, it opened its massive mouth and began to descend on Qin Zi.
This was a bite that could swallow the heavens and the earth!
Whoosh!
Just then, a massive, black-scaled claw slashed through the air, striking the enormous face.
Boom!
The face exploded into a cloud of black mist.
At the same time, a rough voice boomed out, "King Kui Niu, using this method to take the Beast God's Heart is against the rules."