Cloudia paused, a deep, throaty growl rumbling from her chest—a sound that resonated with fidend authority. She tilted her head slightly, aowledging his pliment with a flicker of her expressive eyes.

  Then, with a grace, she settled beside him, her presence a f warmth against the cool air of the forest.

  Reon couldn't help but smile at her, sensing the unbreakable bond that had formed betweehey sat side by side, basking in the warmth of their newfound strength, a silent uanding passiween them.

  Reon suddenly heard a sound of system notification.

  [Ding! The boween the Host and his panio has deepened.]

  [Ding! Profi the Soulbou and Teique has increased. The Host has now reached the Advaage of the Soulbou and Teique.]

  As the message resonated in his mind, Reo an inexplicable shift—a deeper, almost instinctive e to Cloudia.

  It was as though he could feel each rise and fall of her breath, the pulse of her heartbeat, and the subtle energy c through her.

  The bond was no longer just one of loyalty; it felt like aension of his own spirit, an unbreakable link that uheir strengths and senses.

  Reon took a slow breath, and to his amazement, he felt Cloudia's energy flow alongside his own, as if her strength now mingled with his in a shared reservoir of power.

  Their e had transformed; he knew without a doubt that he could now call upon more of her strength than before, tapping into her fierce prowess with just a thought.

  Reon looked at Cloudia, who met his gaze with a look of calm but powerful resolve. He nodded in silent aowledgment.

  However, Hunger had begun to gnaw at Reon, a subtle remihat, while cultivators and powerful beasts could sustain themselves on energy, a good meal still had its own kind of strength.

  Food, after all, was transformed into raw energy within their bodies, absorbed entirely without waste—a distinct advantage of their refined, superior nature pared to mortals.

  Though he haden in five days, choosing to match Cloudia's dedication to training rather than indulging himself in fort, he now felt it was time as both of them worked hard.

  Reon rose, brushing off the dust, and g Cloudia, who watched him with an eager gleam in her eyes. It was clear she was just as ready to enjoy something delicious he had prepared.

  Reon gathered ingredients and began preparing a meal with swift, practiced hands.

  The earthy st of herbs mixed with the warmth of the fire, creating an aroma that cut through the tension lingering from their training.

  Soon, the rich st of roasted bear meat and simmered spices wafted between them.

  Both Reon and Cloudia felt a sense of rexation as they sat down to eat, sav each bite of the warm, fvorful meal......In the Mystic Evergreen Forest, a small group of disciples trudged onward, exhaustion clear in their movements.

  Their clothes were dirt-streaked, and their expressiorayed a mixture of frustration and fatigue.

  For days, they had been sc the forest, maybe searg for someone elusive.

  One of the younger disciples finally broke the silence. "Big Brother, what should we do? We've been searg for that bastard for days and still haven't found a sirace."

  The oldest of the group, frowned deeply. His patience was wearing thin. "Young Master Niu tasked us with taking care of that wret the Mystic Evergreen Forest. We've already scoured the eer Rim for nearly half a month. A… nothing."

  Another disciple nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "When we heard he couldn't even stand against Yang Lie, we assumed he'd be hiding somewhere ier Rim. Figured he'd never venture further, where he'd face beasts beyond his level."

  "Exactly," the leader replied, irritation fshing in his eyes.

  "At first, I thought it was overkill for Young Master Niu to send us Inner Sect disciples to handle a small fry.

  But then we heard he has a pet of Demonic Beast Rank—a threat on its own—and that he mao steal the Eclipse Orb from those spineless Outer Sect disciples.

  He pnned everything from the start, acted weak only to betray Young Master Niu. He really deserves to die."

  Another disciple scoffed, his lip curling. "The rumors about him sound exaggerated, but… if he's got a beast panion of that level, maybe he thought he could outwit us."

  "Still, to head toward the Whispering Grove?" their leader pondered aloud, eyes narrowing as he sidered the implications.

  "I doubted he'd be reckless enough to go there. Only an idiot would seek refuge that deep in the forest, but… if that's where he's headed, then he must be desperate and was aware that we would e."

  "So… what now, Big Brother?" asked one disciple, looking around the forest's darkened edges. "We're close to the edge of the Whispering Grove, but going in too far risks attrag beasts we're not equipped to handle."

  The leader g each of his panions. "We'll stick to the outskirts of the Whispering Grove. Even if we 't go deeper, we still cover enough ground to flush him out or catch a trace. If he's truly hiding there, he's ered himself. Let's move."

  With nods of agreement, the group started to move towards the ominous tree line of the Whispering Grove.