Chapter 654 - 671: A Faint Dark Glow

Chapter 654: Chapter 671: A Faint Dark Glow

Roger’s cold, lifeless body lay still.

The gruesome wound on his chest—caused by the corrosion of the Beast God’s power and the backlash of his own energy—remained a gaping maw, showing no signs of healing.

Yet deep within the wound, near his heart, a faint, dark light flickered. It was as weak as a candle sputtering in the wind, pulsing slowly, again and again.

The light was so faint it nearly blended into the surrounding shadows, but it was there. At an excruciatingly slow pace, it faintly drew upon the chaotic energy lingering in the air from the explosion, as well as...the last vestiges of life essence yet to fade from Roger’s body.

At the same time, the fingertips of the hand that had once gripped the Energy Stone—now lying limply open—twitched, an almost imperceptible, minuscule spasm.

The movement was so slight it could have been an illusion, more like the final nerve reflex before a body goes completely rigid.

A night breeze rustled the branches and leaves covering the hollow, allowing a sliver of bleak moonlight to filter through, briefly illuminating Roger’s pallid face...

In the distance, the clamor of the Beast God’s Beast Army was faintly audible.

Shrouded by the dense forest, Bai Wanwan moved like a stealthy leopard under the tight protection of Chou Rong, Yin Ze, and Jin Yi. She skillfully evaded the members of the Beast Army who were searching the woods as aimlessly as headless flies.

The faint scent of blood and violence hung in the air, a constant reminder of the encroaching danger.

"There’s a cliff up ahead. It’s a good vantage point to see what’s happening with the Elephant Clan. You all stay here with the female and rest. I’ll go scout ahead."

Jinying (Fu Jinsen) couldn’t get close to Wanwan, so he could only watch as the other males formed a tight guard around her.

He had been holding back this entire time and decided to go off on his own to blow off some steam.

"Alright. I’ll leave it to you."

After what had happened, Chou Rong was reluctant to let Wanwan out of his sight again.

He was more than happy to let Jinying handle the scouting.

Before long, Jinying (Fu Jinsen) returned as silently as he had left. He whispered to the waiting group, "Their main force seems to be retreating. There are still small squads roaming about, but the assault has clearly stopped."

Before the other males could speak, Jinying (Fu Jinsen) spoke again, his voice carrying the calm of someone who had grasped the crucial point. "Perhaps the Beast God was severely injured by Roger’s dying counterattack. His energy is unstable, so he can’t maintain control on such a massive scale."

A glint flashed in Chou Rong’s eyes, like a tiger that had spotted its prey. His sharp gaze shot toward the direction of the Beast Army’s retreat, his voice laced with an irrepressible thirst for battle. "Then...isn’t this the perfect time to attack the Beast God and eliminate this threat for good?"

He was tempted. ’If we can strike while he’s down, we can undoubtedly eliminate our greatest threat.’

Bai Wanwan immediately sensed his dangerous idea. She grabbed his muscular arm and shook her head forcefully, her tone urgent and firm. "No! This is absolutely not the right time!"

"Huh? Wanwan," Chou Rong tried to placate her, "he’s badly injured. An opportunity like this is rare... Don’t worry, we..."

"Listen to me!" Bai Wanwan cut him off. Her gaze swept over Yin Ze and Jin Yi, who looked thoughtful and even seemed to subtly agree with Chou Rong. Her voice was clear and calm.

"That Beast God is unnatural! He has terrifying regenerative abilities! Jinying and I both saw it with our own eyes. We have no idea how badly Roger actually hurt him or how much time that bought us! What if he’s already recovered by the time we find him?"

She frowned and continued laying out the stakes. "His power is far beyond the Red Rank; it’s unfathomable. Plus, he still has that massive Beast Army under his control, and they have no fear of death! The risk is too great. I don’t want you to take it!"

Seeing the wavering in the males’ eyes, she knew they hadn’t completely dismissed the reckless idea, and her anxiety grew.

"None of you are to go. I have a plan..."

She wanted to tell them that if the Beast God just held off for a while longer, it would give her and her Red Rank Beast Husbands enough time to conceive and raise their young. In the future, they would have far more powerful warriors on their side, and their advantage would be undeniable.

Stalling for time was to their advantage.

But with Jinying present, she couldn’t speak openly about certain personal secrets.

She changed tack and concluded with confidence, "Let’s go. We’ll head back for now. We need time to grow stronger and build up our power. By then, if the Beast Army dares to return, they’ll just be courting their own doom!"

Chou Rong looked at the determined light in her eyes and weighed the logic in her words. After a moment of contemplation, he squeezed her hand firmly and made his decision. "Alright, you’re right. We let the ’opportunity’ go to our heads. We’ll head back for now and plan for the long term."

The atmosphere on the way back remained tense.

Chou Rong’s tone was grave as he spoke to Jinying, who walked beside him. "The Elephant Clan must have suffered devastating losses this time. You’ve been severely weakened. You... probably can’t withstand another assault from the Beast Army."

At his words, Jinying’s heart tightened, and a flicker of worry crossed his silver-gray eyes.

He too was desperate to return to his clan. He had charged into the main Beast Army, doing his best to kill as many High Rank Males as possible to relieve some of the pressure.

But he couldn’t rest easy until he saw the state of his clan with his own eyes.

On the way back, they chose a more secluded path to avoid any potential Beast Army patrols.

However, they hadn’t gone far when they heard suppressed, pained gasps coming from a thicket of bushes up ahead.

The group immediately went on guard.

Yin Ze moved like a ghost, silently creeping forward to investigate. He returned just as quickly and whispered, "There are seven or eight High Rank Males up ahead. They’re all badly injured, and... their eyes are vacant, their movements sluggish."

Jinying’s gaze sharpened, a cold, murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

He had no mercy for the members of the Beast Army who, under the Beast God’s control, had attacked his clan.

Talent Power surged around him as he prepared to eliminate these potential threats directly.

In his mind, it was the safest and most direct solution.

"Wait!"

Bai Wanwan’s clear voice rang out, stopping him in his tracks.

She hurried forward, her gaze sweeping over the bedraggled males. Despite their vacant eyes, they still exuded a powerful aura. A shrewd glint flashed in her own eyes.

’These are all High Rank fighters,’ she thought. ’A resource delivered right to our doorstep!’

’It would be such a waste to just kill them!’

Her mind raced as she quickly weighed her options.

She recalled that Jinying had just saved her life. They had established a preliminary level of trust, and she might need the Elephant Clan’s strength in the future.

After a brief hesitation, she decided to take a small risk and reveal some of her abilities in front of him.

She made a show of taking a bottle filled with a light-blue potion from her small satchel.

Jinying (Fu Jinsen) watched her, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

He had just been holding her. ’How could Wanwan possibly have a bottle that big on her?’