Just as Song Qianqian was preparing to properly bond with the adorable little Yao...
Acheron suddenly spoke, shattering the atmosphere.
"Be careful, someone is coming."
After saying this, her eyes slowly turned to look in a certain direction.
Surprisingly, little Yao immediately revealed a vigilant expression and also turned to look in the direction Acheron was watching. This process was only slightly slower than Acheron's seemingly casual reaction.
As time passed, a sparse, rustling sound became audible, and even the other two heard the unusual movement. Something—or rather, a creature—was slowly approaching them.
In an instant, several figures leaped out from the forest one after another.
The figures that came into view were not Extraterritorial Creatures, but were unmistakably three young men. Unlike little Yao, all three had a human appearance. However, the clothing they wore resembled ancient Daoist robes, giving them quite an immortal demeanor.
Jiang Qingning initially thought they might be others who had been swept into the mystic realm, but her thoughts quickly shifted. She rapidly realized that the people before them might be Otherworlders, or perhaps they were the local humans of this world.
"Senior Brother, we found it! But... it seems there are three mortals here too?"
The man at the forefront was immediately overjoyed upon seeing little Yao, but when his gaze fell on the people beside her, his expression instantly turned strange. Logically, mortals shouldn't be able to intrude into a place like this.
Seeing the newcomers, Jiang Qingning's expression instantly became extremely tense. The 'unnatural' aura they unconsciously emitted told her one thing—they were all very strong! At the very least, stronger than her at her peak condition!
Song Qianqian herself gradually began to feel uncomfortable, her face turning very pale. It seemed that ever since they appeared, she had inexplicably felt a bit short of breath.
It wasn't until Acheron silently shielded the two of them behind her...
That Song Qianqian and Jiang Qingning's complexions slightly eased, their expressions relaxing as if a great weight had been lifted. This scene caused the man to look astonished.
'He could actually block my pressure?'
"Oh? I never expected mere mortals to possess such beauty."
At that moment, the man addressed as 'Senior Brother' took a step forward to the leading position. The first time he laid eyes on this purple-haired woman, he was profoundly shocked. Such breathtaking beauty could not even be compared to some of the famous fairies on the rankings.
Especially that set of peculiar clothing, which perfectly accentuated her cold, enchanting, and ascetic allure.
"Acheron... we..."
Song Qianqian carefully tugged on Acheron's sleeve, her voice trembling slightly. She had clearly already realized that these three were not ordinary people. And judging from Jiang Qingning's expression, they seemed to be very unusual. What was important was that the other party's gaze towards Acheron was utterly vile and undisguised.
"I truly never thought that just coming out to capture a demon beast, I could encounter such a romantic windfall!"
The leading man took a few steps forward, adopting a lofty, superior posture.
"Indeed, as expected of Senior Brother! Your fortune is truly extraordinary!"
"That's right. Although she's just a mortal, her beauty far surpasses those aloof fairies."
The two junior disciples beside him immediately began to flatter him. After all, although the woman was beautiful, she was ultimately just a mortal. Perhaps after Senior Brother grew tired of her, they might also get a chance to have a taste.
Thus, the leading man proceeded to unceremoniously release the pressure of his late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation. He was attempting to use this method to make the mortals before him submit immediately.
Song Qianqian and Jiang Qingning simultaneously felt their hearts tighten, as if an invisible hand were squeezing them. An indescribable sense of crisis surged like a tide, instantly drowning their previous calm.
However, after a few breaths, nothing happened.
Only this time, it wasn't Acheron's doing.
She slowly lowered her head, her purple pupils reflecting the small, white figure. It turned out that upon sensing the trio's intentions, little Yao had immediately stepped forward, her small legs carrying her like an arrow to stand firmly in front of the group.
Her cute face instantly flushed with anger, her brows furrowing tightly. She knew very well that if the pressure of a late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator fell upon mortals, the slightest misstep could lead to dire consequences. Moreover, the other party hardly cared about the lives of the other two!
Thinking of this, little Yao immediately shouted angrily.
"I won't allow you to hurt them!"
Hearing this, the three men finally noticed the short figure. Especially after noticing her pair of furry ears, their previously smug faces instantly revealed looks of fear.
According to legend, for a demon beast to take human form, it must at least reach the Nascent Soul Stage. Only a very few prodigies among the demon race could achieve transformation earlier. Now, this little girl was clearly a transformed demon beast.
The three obviously took her for a Nascent Soul Stage Great Demon of the demon race. However, immediately afterward, one of the junior disciples quickly noticed something was off. This disciple was the one who had led the way earlier. He keenly sensed that the demon beast before them seemed to be the very target they were searching for.
"Hey, Senior Brother! This little girl seems to be the demon beast we're looking for."
Hearing this, the leading senior brother suddenly realized the problem.
'That's right. If she were truly a Nascent Soul Stage Great Demon, we would have likely been crushed the moment we released our pressure and offended her.'
'If it really is her, then she most likely obtained some Heavenly Treasure to achieve transformation.'
'Or perhaps she sought a 'Bestowal of Form' from these mortals to transform into a human. In other words, this little girl is nothing to fear.'
Some demon beasts indeed have unique methods of transformation, but they cannot be compared to those of the true demon race. To put it bluntly, such methods are merely opportunistic shortcuts and do not prove one's innate talent.
The three exchanged glances, clearly all aware of what kind of demon beast little Yao's true form was. They also remembered that her cultivation level just a week ago was only at the mid Foundation Establishment Stage. Even if her cultivation had broken through, at most she would be at the late Foundation Establishment Stage. The three of them joining forces might still be a match.
Thus, after figuring everything out, the worry in their hearts immediately dissipated. Having thought it through, the trio's gazes once again became brazen. They stared fixedly at little Yao with looks that sized her up like a piece of meat on a chopping block.
The changes in the trio's expressions were all seen by Acheron and the others.
little Yao: (⊙_⊙)?
This left little Yao quite puzzled, leading her to wonder if they had been scared silly. If these three knew that little Yao had only just felt she could transform after recently breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage... they would probably be scared into wetting themselves on the spot.
However, due to her simple and naive nature, little Yao had no idea what form she should take. Coupled with her 'Mommy' reminding her of the causes and consequences of transformation, she had never transformed before. During this time, unable to decide, little Yao had considered maybe just going with the flow and seeking a 'Bestowal of Form'.
It wasn't until today, when little Yao saw Acheron's graceful figure and stunningly beautiful appearance, that her heart finally found something to yearn for. This was the first time she had seen such a beautiful human woman.
And so, the simple-minded little Yao immediately wanted to try transforming into a big sister like Acheron. But as the saying goes, the weather is unpredictable. Reality had her run into modern university students.
The woman named Song Qianqian actually didn't follow the usual script. Instead of choosing to answer her question, she posed a series of strange requirements. The final result was little Yao transforming into the current white-haired, red-eyed, beast-eared little girl.