Zixiao's desperate cry echoed through the burning forest, his voice cutting through the roaring flames and howling wind.
Far away, Bai Zun reacted instantly. The titan ape's furious roar shook the heavens themselves. With a thunderous boom, he launched forward. Each step split the earth, sending tremors across the forest floor. Ancient trees snapped like twigs beneath his feet, crashing down with loud creaks as Bai Zun charged toward Zixiao at lightning speed.
Meanwhile, Zixiao turned and ran—his legs trembling, his breath ragged. Blood still seeped through the wound on his stomach, staining his robes dark red. He gritted his teeth, forcing his body to move while pressing his left hand hard over the injury. Every step sent a wave of pain through him, but he refused to stop.
The ground behind him shook violently—Bai Zun was coming.
The air burned with golden light from the countless energy spheres still raining down from the clouds. The forest, once filled with life, had turned into a blazing battlefield.
Zixiao stumbled over a broken root, nearly falling face-first, but caught himself against a tree trunk. His breathing was heavy, his body trembling.
"Just… a little more…" he whispered, his voice weak but filled with determination.
Suddenly, a massive left palm covered in white fur slammed into the ground before Zixiao with a deafening boom! The impact shook the earth, scattering debris in all directions.
Without a second of hesitation, Zixiao gritted his teeth and leaped onto Bai Zun's palm, wincing from the pain in his stomach.
Sensing Zixiao's presence, Bai Zun swiftly raised his hand close to his chest. His right hand hovered above, forming a makeshift roof, shielding Zixiao from the raining destruction above.
With a roar that echoed through the burning skies, Bai Zun bent his knees and leaped high into the air. The ground beneath him cracked and split apart, sending waves of shattered earth flying in all directions as he soared upward.
Zixiao, trembling within the giant ape's grasp, peeked through the gaps of Bai Zun's white fur. His eyes widened—the scene before him was terrifying.
From above, countless blazing golden energy spheres rained down like meteorites, each one trailing fire across the darkened sky. The forest below was bathed in an unholy golden glow, turning night into a fiery storm.
The air itself trembled under the chaos.
Zixiao's heart pounded violently in his chest. "What… what is this…?" he whispered, barely able to breathe.
Within mere seconds, the golden spheres began raining down in all directions, each one crashing into the forest with earth-shattering booms!
The ground trembled violently as explosions tore through the land. Thick smoke rose into the sky, and beneath it, crimson flames devoured everything in sight, spreading with sinister hisses as trees burned to ash.
Behind Bai Zun and Zixiao, several spheres struck the earth in rapid succession, while others shot past them, tearing through the air like streaks of golden fire.
Zixiao turned his head, watching the burning orbs plummet across the horizon. For a moment, he felt a faint relief wash over him—it seemed they were safe. He exhaled shakily and settled down on Bai Zun's palm.
But that peace lasted only a heartbeat.
A deep hiss cut through the chaos—sharp, fast, and close. Zixiao's eyes widened as a massive golden sphere came hurtling straight toward them, glowing like a miniature sun.
Bai Zun turned, his eyes narrowing. He barely had time to react.
BOOOOOOM!
The golden sphere struck him directly, erupting in midair with a blinding flash. The explosion swallowed everything in light and thunder, hurling waves of golden energy through the sky.
The next thing Zixiao knew, he was plummeting through the air, headfirst, the world spinning around him. His robes whipped violently, and strands of his hair lashed across his face as he fell from the sky.
Beside him, Bai Zun's enormous figure tumbled even faster. The mighty beast's once-snow-white fur was now scorched black in several places, thin trails of dark smoke drifting from his body. His eyes were closed—completely unconscious.
Zixiao reached out instinctively, shouting something he couldn't even hear over the roaring wind.
Then—BOOOOOM!
Bai Zun struck the ground first, his colossal body smashing into the earth with a thunderous impact that split the ground open. Trees were torn from their roots, rocks shattered, and a wave of dust and debris swept outward like a storm.
Soon after, Zixiao came crashing down—not far from where Bai Zun had fallen. Unlike the giant ape, he plunged straight through the dense canopy of trees, snapping branches as he went.
Leaves burst into the air as smaller branches broke apart, but the thicker ones slammed against him one after another—his head, his stomach, his legs—each hit twisting his body in different directions. He gritted his teeth, muffling his cries of pain as blood dripped from his lips.
Though every impact was agony, the countless collisions slowed his fall just enough to save his life.
At last, he burst out of the trees and hit the ground with a heavy thud, rolling across the grassy earth as dirt and leaves scattered in his wake.
With a loud thump, Zixiao's back slammed against a massive tree, the impact jolting through his spine and finally stopping his rolling body.
He gasped sharply, pain flooding every corner of his being. He tried to stand, but his limbs refused to obey—his body felt heavy, drained, and broken. The world spun before his eyes, yet he couldn't just lie there and wait for death to claim him.
Grinding his teeth, Zixiao began to crawl across the dirt, his wounds screaming with each movement. His vision flickered—blurring, then clearing—again and again. Every breath burned in his chest, as if his lungs were set ablaze.
Still, he dragged himself forward through the thick underbrush, pulling at fallen branches and tree trunks for support. The forest floor was littered with ash, dirt, and splinters, cutting into his palms and knees—but he didn't stop.
Then, through his hazy sight, a white shadow appeared no more than ten meters ahead.
A faint, trembling smile tugged at Zixiao's lips.
He knew that silhouette—it was Bai Zun.
Zixiao's face, along with Bai Zun's snow-white fur, turned golden as the sky itself ignited.
From above, a blazing sphere tore through the clouds, its descent hissing and rippling the air like molten thunder.
The light grew unbearable—its pressure alone felt like the weight of a mountain.
Zixiao's pupils shrank.
He could feel death approaching—swift, merciless, inescapable.
With what little strength remained, he reached into his torn robes and pulled out a light-green jade tablet pressed close to his heart.
Without hesitation, he crushed it.
The jade shattered in his palm—a burst of transparent blue light shot upward, swirling into the sky like a signal or a barrier. The broken fragments scattered around him, ringing faintly as they hit the ground.
Far away, nestled between gentle hills, stood an old village.
On its weathered gray wooden gate hung a sign carved with four faded characters: "Great Flower Village."
It was the same place Zixiao and Mu Feng once called home — the same village Zixiao had passed through two years ago on his way to Mu Feng's house.
Inside, life bustled as always.
The market streets were filled with people moving back and forth, chatting and laughing.
Vendors stood behind wooden stalls, waving their hands and shouting to advertise their goods —
"Fresh fruits here! Come and see!"
"Herbs! Finest herbs from the northern forest!"
The warm afternoon sun poured over the tiled roofs, and the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread drifted through the air.
Children ran between the stalls, their laughter mixing with the rhythmic chatter of villagers.
At one corner of the bustling market stood an old man wearing a wide yellow straw hat. A long white beard flowed down to his chest, and his gray robe shimmered faintly under the sun — embroidered with golden dragon patterns that hinted at nobility or power.
He stood before a wooden fish stall filled with colorful hanging fish, their scales glinting faintly. A strong, salty scent of fresh catch filled the air, spreading across the market street.
"Give me three catfish," the old man said calmly, placing a single gold coin onto the counter with a crisp clink.
The vendor — a slightly plump man dressed in tight gray robes — quickly turned around with a cheerful grin.
"Three catfish, coming right up!" he said as he began sorting through the freshest catch. "Hehe, looks like Elder's disciple is getting a fine feast tonight, eh?"
The old man gave a faint smile but didn't reply. His gaze wandered briefly toward the distant horizon — where the skies far beyond the mountains flickered faintly with golden light.
The old man didn't notice what was happening far away, nor did he care much. "Yes… the boy's birthday is tomorrow, but he doesn't remember," he replied casually to the vendor, turning around.
A green jade tablet hung at his waist, catching the sunlight and gleaming faintly. Suddenly, a faint blue, transparent light erupted from it. The tablet cracked and fell to the muddy ground with a soft thud.
The old man's eyes narrowed, squinting in fear and rage as he bent down to retrieve it.
But suddenly, his smile froze. He turned around in confusion, glancing left and right—and the old man was gone.
All that remained was the straw hat, slowly twisting in the wind as it fell to the ground, spinning like a silent warning.