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  Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  The vibrant snake tattoo on Bai Qingqing’s ankle pierced Muir’s eyes.

  He had come to the peacock village to visit Bai Qingqing precisely because he was afraid that she would be devastated by Curtis’s death. Seeing that she didn’t show much of a reaction, he had secretly felt happy. He hadn’t imagined that Curtis hadn’t died.

  How was it possible? He had already scrutinized the mountain. Just in case, he had even set fire to every cave he could find on the mountain, before going in to examine. But he didn’t find Curtis anywhere.

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  As for the surface of the mountain, everything had burned. Although he didn’t manage to find the snake beastman’s corpse, even his bones might have been reduced to ashes, seeing as how not much had remained of that group of eagle beastmen. If Curtis was outside, how could he still be alive?

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  Even if Curtis managed to escape from the mountain, he should be coming after his life. Yet, he didn’t appear to be making a move.

  Muir’s gaze turned stern, and when he looked towards Bai Qingqing there was restraint in his eyes.

  “I need to attend to something, I’ll come back to visit you later.”


  “Eh, wait a minute.”


  Muir had just gotten to his feet when Bai Qingqing grabbed his hand.

  Bai Qingqing, still in shock, said as she gazed at Muir, “Did you see Curtis? He should be in the vicinity.” Sensing her fair hand on his, there was this fleeting moment when Muir couldn’t bear it. However, he quickly toughened up his heart and pulled her hand away heartlessly. In a gentle voice, he said, “No. I’ll go and deal with the eagle beastmen’s corpses. Be back shortly.”


  With that, he transformed into an eagle and flew away.

  Bai Qingqing chased to the door and watched as Muir left, a doubt rising in her heart.

  “I’ll let Muir move in here. Can you not go?” Alva, who had been standing at the door all along, suddenly spoke.

  Bai Qingqing glanced at him, then said resolutely, “I will definitely leave.”


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  Alva fell silent.

  …


  Muir flew back to the bush forest. This mountain that used to be lush had now transformed into a charred hell with unbearably high temperatures. Faint smoke could even be seen rising from some spots. Not a single living thing could be seen from afar.

  Muir crawled up the mountain in a stumbling manner as he went straight for the cave. He scrutinized the interior of the cave, even the ground.

  He then went to search in places where Curtis could possibly go to, yet it was fruitless.

  Muir transformed into a human and spread open his arms, howling at his surroundings manically, “Curtis! I’m here! Come and kill me!”


  Only the rustling of the wind and withered wood responded to his howls.

  “I don’t care if you’re dead or not!” Muir clenched his fists tightly and cracked his knuckles, tensing his facial muscles into a grotesque expression. “I must get Bai Qingqing!”


  A tree leaf that managed to escape the fate of being burned to ashes drifted to the ground under the vibration of Muir’s voice and landed on a black rock.

  A gust of hot wind blew by, and the shriveled tree leaf floated away once more, scraping away a smudge of the rock’s scorched black surface. If one were to scrutinize it, he would see that that black rock revealed a faint yellow color that reminded one of unpolished jade.

  Muir didn’t notice this “rock.” With one final gaze at his surroundings, he laid a hand over his wound before limping around the mountain, as he continued his search for that giant snake.

  Only when it was night time did Muir return to find Bai Qingqing, despite him telling her he would be back shortly during the day.

  Bai Qingqing heaved a sigh of relief and supported him as he sat down on a piece of animal skin. “You’re finally back. If you were still not back, they were going to look for you.”