CHAPTER 254: A NATURAL LEADER WITH INNATE CHARISMA

Wind Dragon glanced at Red Fox, then back at Lu Chen. After a brief struggle, he gritted his teeth and turned away, planning to move Lu Chen and the others to safety before deciding what to do next. "Damn woman... stay put. I'll get them to safety first."

As Wind Dragon gathered a burst of storm beneath his feet, preparing to leave, Red Fox let out a piercing cry. "Ah!"

She spat a mouthful of blood into the air, the droplets splattering across Lu Chen's clothes. In that instant, her crimson fur lost its luster, turning dull and lifeless like that of an ordinary fox.

Lu Chen turned toward her and shouted, "It's too late!"

Glancing down at the blood staining his robe, he drew a deep breath and channeled his spirit qi, activating his divine ability. "Little Jun, Little Jian, close your eyes. No matter what happens, don't open them unless I say so."

Feeling the surge of power within Lu Chen, Wind Dragon quickly descended and cast an illusion realm to restrain him. "Little Lu, don't! The venerables are still watching us! Doing this here is far too dangerous!"

Lu Chen's gaze hardened as he looked into the dark mist below the ravine. "Enough. We don't have time!"

Spirit qi erupted from his body as a portal opened behind him. "Even if the venerables discover me, I won't let Red Fox die here. We aren't leaving anyone behind!"

Hearing his words, Jun Laoye immediately understood what Lu Chen intended—he was about to use his trump card. Realizing Lu Chen had already made up his mind, Jun Laoye nodded firmly and turned to seal both his and Nantian Yijian's six senses.

Seeing this, Lu Chen inhaled deeply, his eyes fixed on the black mist ahead. He crossed his hands before his chest. "Wind Dragon, get ready."

The spirit qi within his Heavenly Pool churned violently as he formed a series of hand seals. Behind him, the Green Sovereign Divine Tree appeared, its crown and roots turning into serpentine vines that lashed out on both sides of Red Fox. The vines intertwined beneath the earth, forming a vast web that spread and solidified around her.

Watching Lu Chen's unwavering determination, Wind Dragon suddenly recalled memories buried for three hundred thousand years. "Little Lu, you... sigh...

"

He lifted his head and asked hoarsely, "Why are you doing this? Why do you speak the same words Lord Beast King once did? Red Fox is just a spirit beast, and you've only known her for less than half a year. She isn't worth this."

He wanted Lu Chen to stop. In the cultivation world, spirit beasts were nothing more than tools. With Lu Chen already burdened with so many secrets, there was no point for him to go this far for Red Fox.

Lu Chen's voice turned cold as he sent his spirit qi surging through his meridians. "Wind Dragon, why would you say that? Didn't we agree to find Grandpa together? That was our promise. We're family, aren't we?"

"Find Grandpa... Family... we're family?" Wind Dragon froze. His tone grew heavy as he repeated the word, "Family... The last time I heard that was three hundred thousand years ago."

Memories flooded his mind. He remembered the Beast King leading them into battle, and himself as a lowly spirit beast watching his king rise again and charge into war without hesitation.

Wind Dragon looked up at Lu Chen, his voice trembling. "That look... those words... I've only ever seen that expression on Lord Beast King's face. We fought side by side through life and death, but why do you... have the same look in your eyes?"

"Wind Dragon, what's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this? Is it wrong to call each other family?"

The divine ability around Lu Chen's ankles flared as two miniature Innate Bagua Diagrams formed beneath his feet, lifting him into the air. The phantom of the Green Sovereign Divine Tree grew even more majestic behind him.

"N-no, it's nothing... I must be getting sentimental," Wind Dragon murmured, wiping his tears. "Forget it. It's all in the past."

Lu Chen gave a faint smile. "Didn't think you had that side to you. But save it—we don't have much time."

Wind Dragon sighed deeply. "Forget it... I'm just a weapon spirit anyway. Since you've decided, let's do this."

He released his spirit qi, setting Jun Laoye and the others down beside a withered tree. "I may have my concerns, but even if they discover us, it won't matter. With a hundred thousand demonic beasts in the small world, we could still dominate a region for ourselves on this continent."

Unable to grasp what Wind Dragon meant, Lu Chen frowned. "We'll talk about that later. Right now, we save Red Fox."

Quickening the pace at which he was forming hand seals, he signaled Nantian Wan'er to look after Jun Laoye and the others.

Wind Dragon landed, taking on his human form. "We'll deal with that later. From this moment on, you are the true successor of Lord Beast King."

He looked up at Lu Chen and drew the Hunyuan Greatsword from his forehead. The over-two-zhang-long blade pulsed with blinding azure light.

Staring at Lu Chen's back, he formed hand seals and slowly walked toward Red Fox. "It's not just because you're my master... It's because, like Lord Beast King, you see us beasts as family."

Since the day he started following Lu Chen, Wind Dragon had often questioned why Feng Tiancheng and the Beast King had chosen him, why the green-robed Daoist had taken interest in him, and why countless lucky opportunities seemed to converge on him.

Aside from his Green Sovereign bloodline, Lu Chen had no powerful background, no steadfast Dao heart, and was easily swayed by emotion. Sometimes, even the smallest provocation could drive him to the edge of madness.

If it had been back when Wind Dragon first met Lu Chen and the others, and he had to choose among the three, Jun Laoye would have been his first choice, with Nantian Yijian as the next. After all, one came from a powerful family, and the other possessed an unshakable Dao heart.

Over the past few months, the reason Wind Dragon had followed Lu Chen was partly because he could no longer separate himself from the Hunyuan Greatsword, and partly because he wanted to uncover why everything always seemed to revolve around Lu Chen.

Now, he felt that he had finally found the answer.

"Wind Dragon, what are you thinking? Why do I sense your emotions fluctuating?"

Lu Chen's expression was tense as he looked down at the ravine, where thick black mist had already gathered. He continued driving the divine tree's vines deep into the ground, reinforcing the vine network below as he searched for the best moment to rescue Red Fox.

"It's nothing. I just remembered something amusing," Wind Dragon replied with a faint smile. "Little Lu, do you know why the Beast King's inheritance chose you?"

He held the Hunyuan Greatsword in his hand and twirled it, leaving a graceful arc of swordlight in the air. Looking toward Red Fox, he began forming a series of hand seals. With every step he took, a tightly condensed wind blade formed behind him.

Lu Chen was about to bury the last vine when Wind Dragon's words made him pause. He turned and asked, "What do you mean? Didn't you say anyone who passed the Beast King's trial could inherit his legacy? Or... is it because of the Phoenix Ancestor bloodline?"

He pressed the final vine into the ground and watched the vine web link together beneath Red Fox. From above, new vines descended and connected to Wind Dragon's side.

Lu Chen approached and noticed that Wind Dragon was condensing a massive vine sword in his hand. "That can't be right. If it were because of the Phoenix Ancestor bloodline, Wan'er's blood is far purer than mine. Why didn't she inherit it instead?"

"Hahaha! I used to wonder about that too," Wind Dragon said with a laugh. "Jun Laoye and the others have far more potential than you, while the Phoenix Ancestor bloodline is far better suited to command demonic beasts."

Their eyes met, and both laughed as they strode side by side toward Red Fox, as if the looming crisis meant nothing compared to their conversation.

"We've been through a lot these past few months," Wind Dragon said, glancing back at their companions as countless memories flashed through his mind. "Haven't you noticed? Whether it's Lord Beast King, Lord Seventh, or anyone we've encountered along the way, they all somehow end up revolving around you."

Lu Chen released another wave of the Divine Tree's vines, weaving them together to reinforce the network beneath Red Fox. Watching it solidify, he nodded in satisfaction. "Wind Dragon, are you praising me or mocking me? You sound strange today. Why so serious all of a sudden?"

"I'm just speaking from the heart," Wind Dragon said.

He stopped about ten zhang from Red Fox, looked at Lu Chen with solemn eyes, and said, "I finally understand the reason now. It's because you possess the same kind of radiance as Lord Green Emperor—a light that naturally draws others to you."

"You mean I have... charisma?"

Wind Dragon nodded slightly. "Yes. A unique kind of charisma—the kind that belongs to a protagonist. You were born with it, and it's what makes you the core of this team. Haven't you realized it yet?"

"What are you even talking about? Protagonists and cores... that kind of thing only exists in storybooks. You're not making any sense."

"Hehe, I'll leave it at that. Whether you understand or not is up to you."

"Protagonist, core, and all that. What's gotten into you today? You're acting weirdly philosophical," Lu Chen muttered.

Wind Dragon smiled faintly at Lu Chen's puzzled look. Taking a few steps forward, he raised the Hunyuan Greatsword and swung it lightly. He spoke softly, just enough for Lu Chen to hear. "You have no unshakable Dao heart, nor any powerful family behind you. Yet your very presence brings everyone together. That's what makes you the heart of this team. That's what it truly means to be its core."

As soon as his words fell, the wind blades behind him rose and converged above his head. With a single slash, he sent them hurtling into the black mist that surged from the ravine.

The blades struck with a shrill cry, transforming into countless small dragons that split apart and disappeared into the darkness. Fierce gales erupted in their wake, but their effect on the mist was limited.

"I'm the core of the team? Why don't I feel that at all?" Lu Chen muttered.

"You'll understand one day," Wind Dragon replied. "When you step into the true heart of the cultivation world and face the heirs of the Heavenly Kings, you'll know what I mean."

Lu Chen frowned slightly, still confused by his words. Before he could dwell on it, the black mist roared violently, forcing him to act. He clenched his right hand in Red Fox's direction.

The web of vines underground instantly tightened, unleashing torrents of spirit qi. The energy clung to the vines and turned into countless blades, slicing through the earth three zhang deep to isolate the area where Red Fox lay.

It was the only way Lu Chen could think of. He couldn’t reach Red Fox in time, so he could only try to get to her through another method instead.