On the plaza, Gu Ke watched the Sect Master Xiong's retreating figure, a smile playing on her lips. "Tomorrow is the sect ranking tournament. They still haven't returned. I suppose they've already died inside."
Ning Xue proudly patted Xiao Ya, "It seems we'll have to participate in the sect ranking tournament for them!"
...
In the forest, a group of people walked towards the east.
"Captain Bai, are you truly not leaving here with us?" Sun Jianning walked, carrying Wen Hongyi on his back.
Bai Ran chuckled lightly, "I still have things to do. You would only be a burden."
Sun Jianning lowered his head, so disheartening...
"Huh? Is this where we entered the forest?" Ma Huai looked at the scene before him with confusion.
"But we clearly entered the forest from the west!"
"Yeah, you must have mistaken it. Our current exit is exactly the opposite of when we came in."
Ma Huai stomped on the grass, "That's right. The grass wasn't this tall at the entrance we came in."
"Ah! It's the forest exit!" a disciple shouted joyfully.
"We're getting out of the forest!"
The mist gradually dissipated, and the exit before them opened up.
But the moment they stepped out of the forest, everyone froze in place.
"W-What's going on?" Sun Jianning blinked. "Is this the place we entered the forest from?"
It was exactly the same as the place they had entered the forest on the first day!
"It's good that you're safe, it's good that you're safe," Sect Master Xiong and Elder Lin descended steadily from the sky, standing before everyone.
Bai Ran looked at Sect Master Xiong, "Why are you here?"
"The spiritual energy in the Scattered Soul Forest has become abnormal. You've been inside for half a month and still haven't returned. I was worried," Sect Master Xiong sighed.
Everyone's eyes widened instantly, "How long???"
"We've been in the forest for half a month???"
"No? We only entered the forest two days ago???"
What was going on? Had they encountered a ghost?
Bai Ran frowned, "Sect Master, we have indeed only been in the forest for two days and two nights."
Elder Lin looked puzzled, "You have indeed been in the forest for half a month. Tomorrow is the sect ranking tournament."
The disciples were all struck by lightning. What on earth was happening? Were they possessed?
"Never mind that for now, little girl. Have the participants for the competition been decided?" Sect Master Xiong looked at Bai Ran.
Bai Ran nodded, "Ranshuang, Ma Huai, Wen Hongyi, Sun Jianning."
As expected, it was these four. The other disciples had already guessed.
"Sect Master, please give Ranshuang a healing pill," Bai Ran turned around.
Sect Master Xiong looked at her, his face falling, "Little girl, you're going back into the forest? It's too dangerous!"
"I won't miss the competition," Bai Ran waved her hand with her back to Sect Master Xiong and re-entered the Scattered Soul Forest.
Watching Bai Ran's retreating figure, Sect Master Xiong sighed deeply. Stubborn girl...
"It's getting late. You all return to the sect first. I will wait here for the little girl to come out."
...
In the silent forest, only the chirping of birds echoed.
As Bai Ran went deeper, the mist grew thicker again.
"Human... why have you returned?" a furious voice rang out.
Bai Ran chuckled lightly, "To see what treasures you've hidden."
The voice grew even angrier, "Human, get out of the forest!"
Bai Ran stopped and looked at a nearby tree, "Stop hiding."
The empty forest was eerily quiet, and the voice didn't sound again.
"Since you won't come out, I'll come to you," Bai Ran walked directly towards the tree.
"If I'm not mistaken... you can control time, can't you?" a voice with a hint of a smile said.
The person behind the tree was startled!
"The first time, you stopped time, scared my disciples unconscious, and then took them away. This created their sudden disappearance."
Bai Ran slowly approached the tree.
"The second time, you stopped time and reversed the direction the disciples were facing, causing us to get confused and return the way we came."
"The third time, you accelerated the passage of time as we were leaving the forest, making my disciples mistakenly believe the forest was extremely strange, so they would stay away from here completely."
Bai Ran arrived behind the tree and looked at the person before her, chuckling, "Did I guess correctly? Wushi Beast?"
The man pursed his lips, remaining silent, completely seen through by her.
"Aren't you afraid I'll control time again and kill you?"
Bai Ran tilted her head, "Great Divine Beast, you must not be able to use that ability anymore, right?"
The man's expression turned extremely ugly, "Why do you say that?"
"I've discovered your identity and abilities, yet I'm still standing here perfectly fine. Doesn't that explain everything?" Bai Ran smirked.
He looked at the woman before him, clenching his fists. Such terrifying deduction skills...
Her intelligence was near demonic, dissecting his abilities completely. And based solely on deduction, she dared to risk death by returning here...
"That's right, I can control time... stop time or accelerate its passage. I can use it three times within six months. Reversing time would consume my entire lifespan."
"But I will not let you have the treasure, not even if I die!" the man gritted his teeth.
"Why?" Bai Ran looked at him directly.
"Humans are greedy, selfish, and shameless! They don't deserve this treasure at all!"
"But I am not human."
...
A deathly silence followed. The man was dumbfounded, "You... are not human?"
He looked Bai Ran up and down, "How can you prove it?"
She sighed softly, making a cut on her palm, "I am the descendant of gods and demons."
"Blood of gods and demons!" The man's eyes widened as he looked at the blood flowing from Bai Ran's palm.
"But half-bloods of gods and demons are destined to be destroyed by the Heavenly Dao! You shouldn't exist. How did you survive?"
Bai Ran shrugged, "Perhaps I'm an exception."
Looking at her demeanor, the man fell silent for a long time.
"Perhaps... you are its true master..." he raised his head and looked directly at Bai Ran.
Bai Ran finally noticed that the man's eyes were incredibly pure, as clear as a spring.
"You've contracted ancient divine beasts, haven't you?" the man asked. "Four of them, no less."
Bai Ran raised an eyebrow, "It's my turn to ask. How did you know?"
The man's long eyelashes covered his eyes, "My father guarded this treasure until his death. He told me that sooner or later, a special person would come to take this treasure."
"I asked him, what kind of person was special? He said that person would be protected by the four ancient divine beasts from birth. I would understand when I saw them."
The man lowered his head. Indeed, he understood as soon as he saw her...
Bai Ran's expression remained unchanged, but a hint of doubt arose in her heart. Four of them...
She shouldn't have contracted the Azure Dragon yet, logically.
"It should be yours," he looked up at her, his voice calm and strong.
Bai Ran extended a hand, "Then give it to me. I'm in a hurry to return to Que Tian Sect."
The man's face darkened. Father, I suddenly don't want to give the treasure to her anymore...