"Run, quickly run!"
"Stop fighting! Do you want to attract more demonic beasts?"
More than a dozen teenagers, looking to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, were fleeing in a mad panic.
"Roar—!"
A chorus of demonic beast roars erupted from right behind them!
Looking closer, it was a grey barbarian bear at the Spirit-Entering Stage 4. It was exceptionally tall, its entire body covered in fur like steel needles, creating a thunderous booming sound with every stride.
It was in hot pursuit of the dozen or so teenagers ahead. At the very rear of the group were two young women and a young man wearing similar white garments. Their cultivation was at most at Spirit-Entering Stage 3, and they were fighting while retreating, serving as the rear guard for the group of youths.
"Elder Sister Chen Yun, we can't keep going like this!"
"That demonic beast is going to catch up to us!"
One of the young women at the back called out to the woman in the very center!
The woman in the center had a very pure appearance. She wore her hair in a high ponytail, possessed a tall and slender figure, and had a standard melon seed-shaped face, a prominent nose bridge, and lustrous red lips, giving off the aura of a reliable older neighbor.
The young woman who had asked the question looked quite young, about the same age as the fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youths up ahead. She was exceedingly cute, with the look of a little loli, sporting a soft, adorable face and a pair of watery, wide eyes. Right now, she was looking at the woman in the center in a panic.
Chen Yun knitted her brows, having no idea what to do.
"What terrible luck. If I'd known, I wouldn't have taken on this assignment. I thought escorting a few people would be a breeze, never expected we'd get ambushed halfway!" the sole young man said with utmost regret.
"Li Qing, what's the use of saying all this now? As a real man, can't you show a bit of responsibility?"
"When trouble strikes, you leave it for our Elder Sister Chen Yun to shoulder!" the young woman shouted.
"Alright, Lingling, now is not the time to argue," the woman named Chen Yun interrupted Chen Lingling. "This accident is out of the ordinary; it must have been premeditated. We've all been separated from the instructors."
"Our primary task right now isn't finding the scattered instructors and fellow disciples, but protecting these prospective students."
"In a moment, I will lure this demonic beast away, and the two of you take these students and leave immediately!" Chen Yun said, having calmed down.
As soon as those words left her mouth, Chen Lingling immediately objected: "No way! That demonic beast has reached Spirit-Entering Stage 4, and it's one of the most terrifying kinds of demonic beasts."
"Elder Sister Chen Yun, it's too dangerous for you alone! Why don't we all attack together? Maybe we can defeat it!"
"What are you talking about, Chen Lingling?"
"With just you at Spirit-Entering Stage 1 and me at Spirit-Entering Stage 2, I think we'd better not cause trouble for Yun'er. Yun'er has powerful cultivation, and I'm sure she can come out of this safe and sound!"
Hearing that Chen Lingling actually wanted to drag him into fighting the demonic beast, the young man immediately grew dissatisfied and strongly agreed with Chen Yun's plan instead!
"Li Qing, shut your mouth! Are you even a man?"
"So cowardly and terrified, and you still want to pursue Elder Sister Chen Yun? In your dreams!"
"I'm considering the bigger picture! If all of us go to block the demonic beast, what will happen to these students?" Li Qing immediately retorted.
"You're just afraid to die! That's right, you don't even have a shred of manly spirit!" Chen Lingling cursed angrily.
However, the demonic beast behind them would not give them time to discuss a countermeasure.
The grey bear was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, it had caught up to them.
With a ferocious leap, the massive shadow completely enveloped the three of them. It raised its humongous paw, exposing sharp giant claws over half a foot long, and swiped down at the three of them from mid-air. It was unimaginable what would happen if the three of them were struck by this blow—they probably wouldn't even leave behind recognizable remains!
Enveloped by that giant shadow, all three felt as though they had plunged into an icy cellar. Turning their heads back, they caught sight of the giant claw violently swatting down toward them!
"We're done for!"
That was the thought in the minds of all three at that very moment!
Just at this critical juncture, a streak of silver light suddenly flew out from the woods.
With a squelch!
It pinned the grey barbarian bear in mid-air directly against a large tree.
"Roar—!"
The grey bear emitted an agonizingly painful roar, and within moments, it went completely still.
The group finally stopped, staring dumbfounded at the scene before them.
The three rescued individuals also felt a lingering wave of fear wash over them. They could hardly imagine what their fate would have been without that streak of silver light!
The three of them also saw clearly that it was not any sort of light streak at all, but a silver spear.
At that moment, a young man slowly walked out from the place where the silver spear had flown.
The youth stood tall and straight, dressed in a simple black outfit, and was exceptionally handsome. Especially his pair of tranquil, wave-free silver eyes, which added an even greater sense of mystery to him.
That youth was none other than Ye Hun. He walked slowly to the side of the grey bear and pulled out the silver spear. The grey bear, which had been pinned to the tree, collapsed to the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The spear was untainted by any filth, so Ye Hun didn't wipe it and simply slung it across his back!
Upon seeing Ye Hun, the three were even more incredulous, their inner thoughts all different.
Chen Yun: So young!
Li Qing: So strong!
Chen Lingling: So handsome!
The three of them were immensely astonished, especially upon seeing Ye Hun's mysterious and peculiar silver eyes.
They snapped back to their senses instantly and hurriedly walked toward Ye Hun.
"Many thanks, young master, for saving our lives," Chen Yun walked up close and cupped her hands in gratitude.
Chen Lingling and Li Qing also quickly thanked him!
"It's nothing. I'm just training here and lent a hand on the way. No need to thank me," Ye Hun shook his head and said indifferently.
In truth, Ye Hun really had just done it casually. This grey bear posed no threat to him, and by doing so he could save a dozen or so people. Moreover, his grandfather often instructed Ye Hun to have a compassionate heart, which was why Ye Hun saved them.
He didn't expect any reward in return either. As for rescuing a damsel in distress, he had no such thoughts right now!
"Um, young master, while training here, have you ever seen people like us?" Chen Yun asked at this moment.
"People like you?"
"I've only saved you. I haven't seen anything else." Ye Hun replied.
"Is that so?" Chen Yun fell into deep thought. It seemed they really had gotten separated from the instructors. She wondered if the others had encountered any danger!
"Why did you appear here?" Ye Hun looked at the group with curiosity. He couldn't understand why three low-level Spirit-Entering Realm cultivators would bring a group of Spirit Awakening Realm youths here to throw their lives away.
"Well, young master, we are from Yunling Academy. These are all talented disciples we selected from various towns and cities of the Yunling Empire, and we're taking them to undergo examinations. Those who pass the exams can enter and study at our Yunling Academy."
"We are responsible for escorting them, but a mishap occurred midway, and we got separated from the instructors," Chen Yun explained!
"So that's how it is. What kind of place is Yunling Academy?" Ye Hun asked, puzzled.
"No way, handsome—oh, I mean, young master, you haven't even heard of Yunling Academy?"
"How is that possible? Anyone in the Yunling Empire couldn't possibly have not heard of Yunling Academy!"
Chen Lingling's cute face was filled with astonishment. Ye Hun actually didn't know about Yunling Academy!