Chapter 3, I particularly enjoy battle plans and the like

The afternoon sunlight gently illuminated the thatched cottage by the waterfall, and in front of the cottage lay a lush green meadow. A man named Xiao Mu Yu sat quietly in a cross-legged position by the waterfall.

The bluebird suddenly flapped its wings, seemingly in fear of the cold aura emanating from the man, and after completing its task, it fled as if in flight.

Beneath the afternoon sun, amidst the indifferent, dry, and cold winds sweeping across the land, a surging herd of beasts rushed forth like a river breaking its dam, the overwhelming momentum capable of shattering the spirit of an ordinary person with just a glance. However, these soldiers were clearly not ordinary troops; even in the face of such a terrifying spectacle, akin to the collapse of heaven and earth, not a single person turned pale. Instead, everyone simply tightened their grip on their weapons, preparing to confront the enemy

The faint sound of footsteps echoed in the somewhat quiet battlefield, and as the footsteps drew nearer, the soldiers noticed that the beast horde slowly lowered their bodies, seemingly to welcome the arrival of their king. In the next moment, a figure appeared at the edge of the battlefield

In the next moment, as if time had been halted in that instant, the previously surging onslaught of the beast horde, akin to a flood breaching a dam, abruptly came to a halt, stopping just a few meters away, surrounding everyone with a predatory gaze.

The bluebird folded its wings and landed on the man's shoulder, a glimmer of red light flashing in its eyes

Although the voice is youthful, it seems to possess a certain mysterious penetrating power that pervades the entire battlefield

The bluebird flew around Xiao Mu Yu's head a few times, emitting a crisp call

"Huh, why think so much? The most important thing right now is to repel the beast horde's attack, and then break through their encirclement and leave the forest before dark. Otherwise, it will be disastrous once night falls." The young girl let out a sigh, stood up, and raised her wand.

It seems that Dashi is not merely a talking and moving stone

Although the winter sun today is far less warm than that of early summer, the little beast still comfortably squints its eyes, enjoying this rare tranquility. The snow-white fox tail sways unconsciously behind it, as if for the little beast, simply staying beside this indifferent man is enough

An intangible thought entered the man's mind, and a series of images flashed before his eyes

The soldiers formed a formation around a slightly intact, dilapidated temple. Through the crowd resting among the severely weathered buildings and the shattered entrance, one could see the incomplete statue in the hall of the worn temple, as well as the "object" that was bound in front of the statue.

This ... ... left everyone momentarily stunned, unable to comprehend the situation, yet they did not dare to act rashly. Thus, humans and the beast herd found themselves temporarily ensnared in a peculiar silence.

It was a tall humanoid figure, its entire body radiating a deep yellow reminiscent of soil, standing approximately three meters tall. The body was engraved with numerous blue patterns, which occasionally shimmered with a watery blue light, as if alive, flowing through the patterns on the "statue"'s form.

The night is the domain of the beasts. Once trapped in darkness, an army that is already struggling to withstand the onslaught of the beast horde, compounded by unfamiliar terrain, will inevitably face a perilous situation, with the possibility of total annihilation.

"Such charisma, could it be that the Lord of Winter has arrived?" Lux furrowed her beautiful brows, appearing somewhat perplexed, "But this childish voice, I have never heard of any high-level magical beast whose call resembles that of a young creature."

However, as the herd drew closer and closer, the warriors who were near enough could even see the fierce teeth of the beasts several zhang away, when a sound resembling the mournful cry of a newborn beast echoed onto the battlefield

The young girl and her subordinates relied on these ruins to fend off wave after wave of suddenly frenzied magical beasts. The fierce magical beasts, ordinary wild animals, and the various colors of human blood mingled and stained the once sacred ground of this temple, with various dismembered corpses lying haphazardly between the crumbling structures

The girl named Lux trembled violently, and an expression of disbelief flashed in her watery eyes. How could this be possible? Could he be the Lord of Winter's Embrace? But how could a human possibly become the master of the beasts in the Winter's Embrace forest?

Is it because of it?" Looking at the enormous "statue" bound and unable to move by specially crafted magical ropes, Lux pondered, "But the ancient golems are completely ineffective against magical beasts, which is truly strange.

However, the silence was broken

A chilling howl of a wolf echoed, and the surrounding beasts slowly retreated like a tide, preparing for the next wave of attack. The girl named Lux couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, saying, "Really, this group of monsters suddenly went mad for some reason, what a hassle"

It was a cyan bird flying in from the northwest, adorned with a strand of snow-white feathers on its head, and a pair of blood-red eyes that instinctively evoked a sense of fear in those who beheld it

A somewhat worn battle sword lay across his knees, allowing the occasional splashes of water to dampen his pale strands of hair. The man had his eyes slightly closed, and on his expressionless face was a weariness that was not typical for someone of his age. A small white creature comfortably rested on the grass beside him, basking in the rare winter sun.

"Let's go, meet our guests," the man said淡淡地, turning to walk towards the northwest. "They... seem to be a bit presumptuous. Please, do not mistake my tolerance for weakness or retreat."

Ignoring the girl's surprise, the indifferent man slowly walked to the front of the beast herd, his tall figure appearing before everyone without any reservations

The stark contrast between extreme motion and extreme stillness evokes a sense of discomfort in one's heart. Such orderly steps are alarming, as if what lies before us is not a horde of bloodthirsty beasts, but rather a disciplined army of seasoned warriors!

A mournful howl echoed once more, signaling that the next wave of the beast pack's assault was about to commence

Oh, is that so? Those people are actually looking for the big stone?" The man slightly squinted his eyes, as if he had already understood everything. Although it was a question filled with surprise, his tone was calm, indifferent, and cold.

He was a young man, yet his long hair, a mix of gray and white, gave him a somewhat dilapidated appearance. He carried on his back an equally worn and ancient battle sword, and he entered the sight of the crowd with a cold and indifferent aura, reminiscent of icy cold snow.

"Huh?" The little fox blinked in confusion, not quite understanding the man's meaning, but upon seeing him leave, she immediately bounced after him.

Is there something going on?" Xiao Mu Yu opened his eyes and asked indifferently

This is a dilapidated and desolate temple ruin, from which one can roughly infer the past prosperity through the ancient remnants of walls and structures. Unfortunately, under the relentless passage of time, it gradually weathers away, appearing worn and decayed, forlorn and solitary