The old man, horrified and in shock, examined himself five times with his spiritual power to ensure it was really him.
He was genuinely terrified.His face was covered in bruises, completely different from his original appearance, with numerous strange protrusions and several areas of his skin eaten away.
But the real disaster for him wasn't just his face; his entire body was shattered.
Many areas had been devoured by insects, and his missing limbs were a testament to the extent of his suffering.
His body was filled with internal wounds, toxins from the insects, and injuries inflicted by the beasts.
His back was nearly bare, with his clothes torn to shreds by the demonic monkey, leaving his rear bruised from the monkey's assault.
"Ah... damn it, I'll make sure to kill you, you damned child!"
When Raed heard the old man's furious shout, a smile spread across his face, and he laughed so hard that he nearly fell over.
Despite this, Raed continued to flee in one direction: deeper into the Devil's Forest.The old man, furious and frightened, followed Raed into the depths of the forest.
Raed, moving at incredible speed, climbed steep mountains and trees with remarkable agility, knowing that the old man would surely catch up.
After thirty breaths, Raed sensed the old man's spiritual energy closing in from behind and accelerated even more.
When facing imminent death, a mysterious energy can push the human body beyond its limits.But after a few more breaths, Raed's expression turned grim.
He discovered that the end of this mountain was a waterfall, with no alternative route. Of course, Raed couldn't jump; the chance of survival was less than 10%.
"But if I go back, I'll face the old man. It seems there's no avoiding a battle."
Raed sighed deeply, lost in thought, until the old man appeared behind him with a furious smile and said,
"Kekeke, there's no escape for you now, child. This time, you must face death. There's no escape."
Raed looked at the old man with curiosity and asked,
"Do I know you?"
The old man, furious, replied through gritted teeth,
"Isn't it because of you, damned child? These infernal insects devoured... and that cursed monkey even tried to assault me, woooo..."
The old man cried like a child, but Raed was stunned not by the man's tears but by the fact that he recognized the old man, who had changed drastically.
"How did you become like this, old man? Were your parents beasts or something?"
"Damn you, child, you truly court death. Do you think you'll survive? I'll make you die slowly like a dog."
The old man then looked at Raed with cold, murderous intent and attacked with all his strength.
It seemed he had learned from his previous lesson. Raed, ready for battle, collided with him.
Raed's fists were injured, his bones shattered, and blood flowed from them.
Although the old man had become extremely weak due to toxins and internal injuries, Raed had also returned to his normal level—fifth stage of Qi Refinement.
The disparity between their levels was immense, and the old man had certainly awakened his family's fiery bloodline, infusing his attacks with fiery energy.
The fire energy in the old man's attacks burned Raed in several places, and his hands were almost completely charred and shattered.
The old man and Raed continued to exchange blows, with Raed landing numerous attacks with dominating intent, worsening the old man's internal injuries.
If not for the old man's internal injuries, Raed would have been killed outright.
Raed kept retreating until he stood on the edge of the waterfall and looked at the old man with a fierce killing intent, saying,
"If I don't die, I'll destroy your Hegazi family and that trashy royal family. They'll pay for this."
With that, Raed jumped off the waterfall.
"Damn it, I need to ensure this child is dead. I'll return to the family and have them send people to search for him or his corpse if he's dead."
The next morning, the sun shone brightly over the Devil's Forest, filled with trees, flowers, and beautiful butterflies.
A crystal-clear lake in the center reflected the bright sunlight, and birds emerged to enjoy the sea breeze.
It was a breathtaking scene, untouched by humans or beasts.
The world would have been beautiful if not for the constant fighting and death, but such a peaceful world is impossible due to the greedy and unsatisfied nature of all living beings.
A horse-drawn carriage passed by the lake, and two young women stepped out, only to find the driver had been killed by an arrow.
One of the girls, appearing about twelve years old, looked pale from exhaustion and fear, though she was somewhat beautiful. She looked at the other girl with sadness and said,
"Lady, the cursed Yun family has wiped out our entire family. Only the two of us remain. You need to escape, Lady, don't worry about Meng Meng."
The younger girl said sadly to the older girl next to her, who had a slender body and strikingly clear green eyes, fitting perfectly with the spring scene by the lake.
However, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. She wore a veil covering her face and a very beautiful white robe.
"Little girl, the family was killed because the Yun family is after my body. They know it's the body of the Great Virgin, so they want it to make medicine while I'm still alive, turning me into a pill to extend their ancestor's life."
"I have only you left now, so don't say such things again. We just need to hide for a while until the next year's tests and join the Sky Path Sect. We need to bathe and leave quickly before they catch us."
The older girl patted Meng Meng's head, causing her to shed tears. They hurried to the lake, removed their robes, and went for a bath.
While bathing, Meng Meng pointed ahead and said,
"Lady, look, there's a young man's corpse."
The older girl went to the corpse, examined it with her beautiful green eyes, and then called out to Meng Meng,
"Meng Meng, come quickly and help. He's not dead yet."
Meng Meng rushed over, and they carried the body, quickly dressed, and examined him closely.
She was hesitant about whether to help him.
But in the end, she extended her hand, and green energy flowed from her hand, rapidly healing Raed's injuries.
"Lady, he might be dangerous. Hmm, although he's very handsome and doesn't look threatening, what if he attacks us?"
The little girl's words made her lady almost vomit blood. Then she smiled bitterly and said,
"We're creating good karma, girl. It may benefit us someday. Also, I can't see his training. He seems like an ordinary human."
As soon as the girl finished speaking, Raed's injuries healed, and he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the beautiful green eyes, like a green spring flower.
Raed was stunned, and he gazed into those eyes. They looked back at him, and then he said,
"...Very beautiful..."
This made the girl's face flush, and she quickly covered it with her veil.
"Hmph, didn't I say this handsome young man was dangerous? He saved you from death, but you want to eat him right away?"
Meng Meng said angrily, placing her hands on her hips, making the scene quite funny. But Raed was embarrassed and said,
"Hmm... I'm Raed. Thank you for saving me. I'll definitely repay you. May I know your name?"
"No need to repay. I just saved you on my way. As for me, my name is... Roma..."