“Mr. Li Xian, are you really going there?”
Li Xian walked ahead, with Sara following closely behind.
This time, however, she didn’t dare to tug on his clothes.
Her little hand reached out several times, only to be quickly pulled back in fear.
Unfortunately, Li Xian didn’t notice her adorable and pitiful expression.
Sara’s face was full of unease and worry.
Although she didn’t know what lay deep within the forest, one thing was certain—it was definitely dangerous.
Charging in recklessly could lead to anything.
She only wanted to get through this forest as quickly as possible and head to the imperial capital.
Naturally, she preferred to avoid any unnecessary danger.
“Don’t worry, it’s fine,” Li Xian said casually.
Taking a detour? Too much trouble. It was easier to just go straight through. With his strength, he didn’t fear what might be waiting for them.
Even if a legendary magical beast appeared, he wasn’t necessarily afraid.
“Um…” Although Sara still felt hesitant, since Li Xian had already made up his mind, she didn’t say anything more.
After all, if she wanted to leave this forest safely, she had to rely on Li Xian.
If he refused to help, then with her strength as a mid-level warrior, there was no way she could make it out alive.
Besides, in this world where power rules all, the strong are always revered.
Li Xian’s strength surpassed even that of her parents, so of course Sara didn’t dare offend him.
She even followed behind him with a hint of caution in her steps.
Alongside that reverence, however, was growing curiosity.
He was just so incredibly young—far from the image of a seasoned warrior that she had imagined.
Li Xian, however, wasn’t paying any attention to Sara.
His focus was on the deep part of the forest ahead, where the noises were growing louder.
The closer they got, the more distinct the sounds became.
It wasn’t just footsteps anymore—it was shouting, the clashing of weapons, and the screeching clang of steel.
It sounded like a large-scale battle was happening up ahead.
Li Xian could only guess at what it might be.
The chaotic sounds continued to grow louder.
He could now feel the approaching presences ahead, and even the magical elements in the air had become restless and volatile.
Sara’s steps began to falter.
It was obvious there was a major battle going on in front of them, and heading straight into it felt far too dangerous.
This time, Li Xian noticed the fear and hesitation written on her face.
He could vaguely sense it too—after that battle earlier, the girl’s attitude toward him had become somewhat distant…
To be honest, Li Xian was a bit confused by this.
He could only sigh inwardly, “Girls really are complicated.”
Even when it came to this silly-looking girl, who clearly didn’t seem very bright, he couldn’t make sense of what she was thinking at all.
Though Li Xian believed he was more than capable of protecting her, seeing her like this now, it felt like forcing her to keep following him might be a bit much.
“How about… you wait here for me?” Li Xian suggested cautiously.
Sara stared at him blankly, looking completely lost and unsure of how to respond.
“Alright, let’s do that. If anything dangerous shows up, just run away as far as you can,” Li Xian said helplessly, making the decision for her.
If he waited for her to reply, who knew how long that would take?
Thanks to the earlier battle, the area around them should be free of any monsters for now.
Li Xian gave her head another gentle rub, then turned and started walking toward the battlefield ahead.
***
After pushing through another patch of dense underbrush, he finally saw the real action taking place in front of him.
On one side stood a human army, wearing standard-issue armor and clearly well-trained.
They fought in perfect coordination under the guidance of their commanders—this was definitely an elite unit.
On the other side, however, things looked far more chaotic and savage.
Li Xian took one look and immediately saw short green-skinned creatures wielding curved blades or crudely made spiked clubs.
There were also skeletal figures with rotting flesh hanging off their bones, and massive monsters towering five or six meters tall.
If any of the human soldiers got caught by one of those giants, they were immediately stuffed into those monstrous jaws.
One bite and their heads were gone, followed by the sickening crunch of chewing…
“This is…”
Even though Li Xian’s understanding of this world was still fairly limited, he at least recognized some of the creatures before him.
Goblins.
Undead corpses.
Ogres.
Together, they were known by a single name—
“The Demon Tribe!”