My Nascent Soul Ran Away Again

Chapter 128: Hunting Outside the City, Hidden Dangers Lurk

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation     Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

As they stepped into the darkness, the gates of Dream Ruins City closed behind them, extinguishing the last sliver of light.

Li Rui, holding a crystal orb-like object in her hand, activated it with her spiritual energy. Its soft glow illuminated the area within a ten-foot radius.

At the end of the group, another member ignited a Dream Lantern, essential for navigating the darkness outside Dream Ruins City. Even for martial artists, venturing here without this item was nearly impossible.

Zhang Wanjun pulled out a beast-skin map and, after some thought, directed, “We will head this way.”

Years of exploration from Dream Ruins City had marked this map with safe and dangerous zones. Although the dangerous zones had more resources, Zhang Wanjun, known for his prudence, decided to first check the safe zones.

Half an hour later, a team member whispered, “Listen carefully, there’s movement over there – a Dream Tapir!”

Everyone held their breath and moved quietly towards the indicated direction. Soon, they heard sounds resembling snoring.

“Indeed, it’s a Dream Tapir,” Li Rui said with a hint of excitement. Holding the lantern, she approached the source of the sound.

Before them appeared an animal resembling a domestic pig, with a plump body, short limbs, and a nose a foot long. Dream Tapirs, wild beasts outside Dream Ruins City, were a primary source of meat, their flesh being edible.

Compared to Nightmare Demons, Dream Tapirs were fierce but less challenging for martial artists.

The hunting team, collaborating skillfully, could hunt this beast without injury, providing a source of meat.

Encountering a Dream Tapir just after setting out naturally delighted everyone.

Li Rui, with a Dream Lantern in one hand and a dagger in the other, stealthily approached. But as she came within three feet, the Dream Tapir suddenly became alert and woke from its sleep.

Seeing Li Rui, it let out a low growl and charged. She deftly dodged its attack and stabbed it with her dagger.

The pained Dream Tapir became more aggressive. Li Rui’s teammates quickly joined the fight, assisting their leader in the hunt.

Zhang Wanjun and Hong Feng did not engage. Firstly, Li Rui’s team was capable enough; secondly, they needed to stay alert for any Nightmare Demons or Evil Spirits.

After a short battle, the Dream Tapir lay dead, its body stored in a spatial treasure.

“Let’s continue further in,” Zhang Wanjun suggested.

An hour later, staring at eighteen Dream Tapir corpses in his storage treasure, Zhang Wanjun fell into silence.

This hunt was unusual.

They had found eighteen Dream Tapirs in this safe zone, almost stumbling upon one every short while.

Zhang Wanjun had never heard of anyone returning from a hunt with so many captures.

Moreover, after an hour of roaming, they hadn’t encountered a single Nightmare Demon or Evil Spirit. While these were rare in safe zones, they preyed on Dream Tapirs.

Eighteen Dream Tapirs and a thirteen-member hunting team had not attracted even one Nightmare Demon or Evil Spirit?

It was unbelievably lucky.

Zhang Wanjun’s mind went blank, struggling to comprehend this anomaly.

“Let’s head back, we’ve already got a good haul today,” Zhang Wanjun said, rubbing his forehead. He felt something was off and decided to lead everyone back to the city quickly.

In the team, Hong Feng’s gaze lingered thoughtfully on He Zhao. “Is this kid really this lucky?” he wondered, feeling his plans going awry. Determined to acquire the Dream Stone from He Zhao’s family, Hong Feng knew he had to act outside the city where private duels were forbidden. Yet, with the group together, he saw no opportunity.

Wondering when He Zhao would next leave the city and whether he’d be in the same team again, Hong Feng squinted his eyes. He discreetly took out a thumb-sized black wooden carving, cut his finger, and smeared the blood on it. The carving glowed faintly, sending some kind of message into the darkness.

Lu Xuan watched the team leader’s actions, pondering that perhaps the latter was usually not so lucky. “Eighteen Dream Tapirs, is that really so many?” he thought. The team’s success was naturally linked to him. After all, he often stumbled upon several chances just by going out for breakfast. Sometimes, he even had people forcibly giving him opportunities. For Lu Xuan, this was troublesome.

However, today’s bounty seemed too much for Captain Zhang, who had decided to leave. Lu Xuan wouldn’t stop him.

Just as everyone was about to leave and retrace their path, a fierce bird cry suddenly rang out. Li Rui’s expression changed. Without hesitation, she threw the Dream Lantern towards the sound.

Illuminated by the lantern’s glow, they saw a monstrous bird emerge from the darkness. The bird was enormous, with wings stretching over three yards. Its body was damaged, some parts covered in black feathers, others showing bare, chilling bones.

It had three heads; one intact, one just a skull. The middle one was missing, the severed neck dripping black blood, sending shivers down their spines.

Zhang Wanjun charged at the bird with a roar, axe in hand. The bird flapped its wings, stirring up a black wind aimed at the people below.

“Everyone, back to the city, spread out!” Li Rui immediately ordered.

Knowing they couldn’t intervene in a fight between Orifice Solidification warriors, the team members scattered, running towards Dream Ruins City.

Before leaving, each member of the hunting team had a special jade talisman that glowed brighter as they neared the city, guiding them through the darkness if separated from the main group.

He Zhao was about to move when he heard a voice. It was Ru Shou: “Walk to your right… I want to see what else lies outside Dream Ruins City.”