"Senior Sister, there's someone over there."
A woman pointed at the river and then said to a veiled woman in front of her.
"The second wave of the beast tide has erupted. Perhaps they have perished. However, to have survived the first wave, this person's strength should not be weak. Go and retrieve their body for burial. Strong individuals deserve respect." The veiled woman glanced and spoke.
"Okay." The former nodded upon hearing this, then her figure moved, shooting towards the river's surface and quickly retrieving the man floating on the water.
"Huh? Senior Sister, he's still breathing." The woman checked the man's breath and then said to the veiled woman with some surprise.
"Give him the Qi Condensing Pill," the veiled woman said after glancing at the man, nodding slightly. In her recent sensing, she had indeed detected that the man's life force was still present.
"Strange, Senior Sister, why do I feel like this person looks familiar?" After following the veiled woman's instructions and administering the Qi Condensing Pill to the man, the woman cupped her face and looked at the man, blinking.
"This person... seems to resemble Li Xuan somewhat," the veiled woman said after a moment of thought, staring at the man.
"Li Xuan? Right! He really does look like him. Senior Sister, could this really be that Li Xuan?"
The woman's eyes lit up. They from the Qian Jue Holy Land were well aware of the prodigies from the Five Regions, and Li Xuan's name carried significant weight, especially after entering this Xuan Beast World. They had naturally seen portraits of Li Xuan. Seeing him in person now, the woman was momentarily excited.
"Cough, cough..." Just then, a violent coughing sound erupted. After spitting out several mouthfuls of river water, the man slowly opened his eyes.
"Oh, he's awake!" Seeing this, the woman immediately helped the man to sit up and eagerly asked, "Are you Li Xuan?"
As the man regained consciousness, his pupils gradually focused. Upon hearing the woman's question, he nodded slightly, "I am Li Xuan. Did you two ladies save me?"
It turned out that after Li Xuan jumped into the river, he immediately dived deep. After all, the one chasing him was a Beast King of the Xuan Beasts. Such power had already reached the Saint realm. Moreover, Li Xuan had discovered his presence was locked on while he was fleeing; only by sealing his aura could he have a chance to escape.
In the end, Li Xuan did escape, but his already somewhat weak body, combined with the severe injuries from the Beast King's palm strike, caused him to lose consciousness after diving for over a thousand meters.
"So you really are Li Xuan. You look much better looking than in the portrait." The woman, somewhat surprised, stared at Li Xuan again. Then, as if remembering something, she said, "My name is Zhou Wen Shu, and this is my Senior Sister, Zhou Wen Jin."
"Thank you both, ladies, for saving my life." Li Xuan took a deep breath, then stood up and cupped his hands towards the two women.
"With your strength, why did you end up in such a state?" Zhou Wen Jin asked after a moment's thought, looking at Li Xuan. Zhou Wen Shu also looked at Li Xuan with curiosity, clearly harboring the same question.
"The Xuan Beast King attacked. I could only flee. However, before that, I still took a palm strike from him," Li Xuan said with a bitter smile. Even recalling it now sent shivers down his spine, that he had invited a Beast King to eat roasted meat of his own kind...
"The Beast King attacked!"
"You... you actually survived!"
Zhou Wen Jin's expression became grave upon hearing this. Zhou Wen Shu, however, looked at Li Xuan in astonishment. A Xuan Beast King was at least a existence at the Martial Saint realm, yet this Li Xuan had only been heavily injured and managed to escape.
"It was by luck. Two ladies, I need some time to recuperate in seclusion. Once I've recovered, if you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask." Li Xuan sighed helplessly and then looked at Zhou Wen Jin.
Li Xuan could tell at this moment that Zhou Wen Shu and Zhou Wen Jin were clearly led by Zhou Wen Jin. Zhou Wen Shu, at first glance, seemed as pure as a princess who hadn't yet gone out to train.
"Young Master Li Xuan, there's no need to worry. We just happened to pass by and offered some help. Young Master Li Xuan, you should focus on your recovery first." Zhou Wen Jin nodded.
"Alright." Li Xuan nodded, then sat cross-legged on the ground, closing his eyes.
Li Xuan examined his body internally and sighed with helplessness. His meridians were broken, and even five ribs were fractured. If his physical body hadn't already reached the peak of the Copper Bone realm, that Beast King's palm strike would have likely taken his life.
"It seems my physical body needs further strengthening," Li Xuan thought to himself, then channeled the spiritual energy from his Qing Xiao Sword to begin healing.
Zhou Wen Jin watched Li Xuan heal on the spot with a flicker of surprise in her eyes, but she remained silent. She gazed at the river, waiting quietly.
*Puff!*
Half an hour later, Li Xuan coughed out a mouthful of clotted blood. His aura had completely recovered.
"Young Master Li Xuan, what are your plans now?" Zhou Wen Jin asked as soon as Li Xuan stood up.
Li Xuan shook his head and then looked at Zhou Wen Jin, "Not at the moment. And you two ladies?"
Zhou Wen Jin shook her head slightly, "The beast tide has erupted again, and many of our Senior and Junior Sisters have been scattered. However, I sent out a signal not long ago. If they are still in this Xuan Beast World, they will arrive here soon."
"But that golden light above?" Li Xuan nodded, a sudden thought striking him, and he looked up at the sky.
"Yes," Zhou Wen Jin nodded.
Li Xuan's expression immediately became more serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Miss Wen Jin, how long ago did you send out this communication talisman?"
"Almost two hours ago," Zhou Wen Shu replied after thinking for a moment.
Zhou Wen Jin frowned slightly, "Young Master Li Xuan, is there something amiss?"
Li Xuan smiled bitterly and nodded, then said with a grave expression, "If it were in the past, this communication talisman would be fine. But now that the beast tide has erupted, and it's even orchestrated by a Beast King. After the last beast tide, the strength of the Xuan Beasts in this one will inevitably be even greater."
"Among these Xuan Beasts, there should be quite a few Rank Eight creatures that have developed sentience. With the experience of the first beast tide, those participants will choose to hide immediately. It can be said that it would be difficult for the Xuan Beasts to find these participants."
"But now that you ladies have released this communication talisman, it is undoubtedly like lighting a beacon in the darkness."
After Li Xuan finished speaking, Zhou Wen Jin and Zhou Wen Shu both understood. Their actions had undoubtedly attracted those Xuan Beasts.
"But why haven't the Xuan Beasts made any move yet?" Zhou Wen Shu asked, perplexed.
Li Xuan took a deep breath and slowly said, "Then there can only be one explanation. They are fishing."