The next morning, just as Evangeline pushed herself up from the bamboo bed, she heard Caden Albright’s hoarse, intimate voice. "Eva, are you trying to sneak away?"

Evangeline looked back at Caden Albright. His silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, and the morning light gilded the stunning contours of his face.

Her long lashes fluttered, and the corners of her lips curved into a sly smile. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Caden Albright’s brow furrowed, a faint sharpness appearing on his languidly beautiful face. "You’re pregnant now. Even if you won’t let us come with you, Danton has to go. If anything happens on the road, you can have him take care of it."

Evangeline gathered her stray locks of hair and chuckled. "Alright, alright. I can handle myself. Just remember what I told you all."

This trip wasn’t just to find medicine for Drake; she was also looking for a beautiful, scenic place to retire. Planning ahead like this, her mission was already halfway complete. It wouldn’t be long before she could retire for good.

Once everything was settled, she could live a peaceful retirement, tending to her garden and watching the clouds drift by.

Caden Albright was silent for a long moment before suddenly pulling her back into his arms. His long fingers gently wrapped around her waist as he said earnestly, "Promise me you’ll be back soon. Don’t make me worry."

"Okay." Evangeline wrapped her arms around his waist and let out a soft laugh. "I’m leaving the house in your hands."

Caden Albright said nothing, only tightening his arms and resting his chin in her hair, his breathing deepening slightly. Sensing his unease, Evangeline tilted her head back and planted a kiss on his chin.

He lowered his head, and a light, cool kiss fell upon her lips.

When she left, Blackwater Swamp was still shrouded in mist. Evangeline touched the ground lightly with her toes and shot off, not alerting a single soul.

Behind her, a lone, slender figure stood by the swamp, watching until her silhouette vanished completely into the mist.

*

Evangeline tied her long hair up neatly. Her light athletic wear outlined her slender waist. She raised a hand to touch her slightly rounded stomach, a faint smile on her lips, then leaped, darting through the dense forest like an agile spirit fox.

The wilderness of the Beastman Continent was like an unopened treasure chest—rich in resources and littered with rare wonders, yet few could recognize their value.

’This trip was definitely the right call.’

Evangeline headed east. When she got tired, she would find a sheltered spot, pull out a large, soft bed, perform a simple hand seal, and sleep comfortably. Upon waking, she would eat and drink her fill before continuing her journey, meticulously searching deep mountain ravines, jungle streams, and sheer cliffs without missing a single spot.

Strangely, for a wilderness that should have been fraught with danger, she hadn’t encountered any formidable Wild Beasts along the way.

Evangeline stopped and glanced back at the deep jungle. The shadows of the trees swayed, making it seem as if countless eyes were watching her.

She raised an eyebrow but didn’t dwell on it, simply turning to continue on her way.

The journey had been fruitful. Evangeline’s spatial storage was already piled high with all sorts of precious Spiritual Medicines. However, she was still missing two ingredients for the potion to reconstruct Drake’s Star Pattern. Both of these Spiritual Medicines preferred damp, shady environments and often grew beside secluded streams and clear springs.

’Looks like I’ll have to stick close to the water for a while,’ Evangeline thought.

Morning dew rolled across the blades of grass, and the mist from the mountain stream dampened her shoes and socks.

At times she would bend to push aside dense ferns; at others, she would wade barefoot into the stream, determined not to overlook a single corner.

「Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.」

One day, as Evangeline followed a mountain stream upstream, she suddenly saw a fissure where the cliffs intersected. Hidden in the moss-covered rock face was a natural, person-high opening. Vines hung down like a curtain, swaying gently in the breeze.

She raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth lifting in an eager smile.

’If this were the World of Immortals, this would definitely be the kind of place to hide a destined opportunity.’

But before she could step inside, she heard a hoarse, sinister laugh. "A female?"

Evangeline looked toward the sound.

A massive toad head emerged from a deep pool in the stream. Its grayish-green skin was covered in bumps and warts, glistening with a wet, oily sheen in the sun. It was a disgusting sight.

But at the center of its forehead was an Eight-star pattern, its light flowing and shining brilliantly.

"SPLASH—"

Water flew everywhere as the toad leaped out of the stream!

When the spray settled, a tall, slender young male Beastman stood on the bank. His damp, dark-green hair was draped over his shoulders, and his face was surprisingly handsome.

Evangeline was slightly taken aback. ’The males of the Beastman Continent are truly blessed by nature. Even a toad can look this handsome in human form. And for him to have achieved an Eight-Star Pattern at his age, his talent must be exceptional.’

The Toad Beastman tilted his head, sizing her up. His pupils constricted slightly as an unreadable smile spread across his face. "A pregnant female... Why are you all alone?"

Evangeline shot him a single glance before looking away, ignoring his advance and continuing toward the cave opening.

"Stop!" the Toad Beastman’s expression darkened.

He suddenly opened his mouth, and a long, soft, scarlet tongue shot out, aiming to wrap around Evangeline’s waist, slick with a sticky fluid!

Evangeline narrowed her eyes. Just as a sharp spiritual light began to form at her fingertips, a fierce gust of wind howled past!

A flash of golden light, radiating a sharp aura, slashed straight toward the Toad Beastman’s tongue!

The Toad Beastman’s pupils constricted. He jerked backward, but the golden blade still grazed the tip of his tongue, drawing a bloody line.

He cried out in pain, his eyes turning scarlet as he roared, "Who is it?! Get the hell out here!"

In the next instant, a tall figure stood protectively in front of Evangeline.

The newcomer was tall and stood ramrod straight, his golden hair like the flowing fire of the blazing sun. The muscles of his half-bare torso were sharply defined and flowed in smooth lines, and the Feathered Beast Skin wrapped around his waist was dazzling.

"Julian?" Evangeline’s eyes crinkled at the corners as she called his name, though her expression showed little surprise.

She had known for a while that someone was secretly following her, always helping her deal with troubles lurking in the shadows.

At first, she had assumed it was one of the disobedient males from back home and had tried to shake this "tail." But she found that this person stuck to her like glue; no matter how she twisted and turned, he always managed to stay right behind her, impossible to shake off.

The only one who could follow her so closely would be a Beastman from the Goldeagle Clan, like Drake. But with Drake’s Star Pattern shattered, he couldn’t transform into his beast form. It was therefore glaringly obvious who had been following her but hadn’t dared to reveal himself.

Julian kept his back to her, his shoulder blades tensing into sharp lines beneath his golden hair. His gilded eyes were filled with vigilance.

’The Wild Beasts along the way had been easy enough to drive off,’ Julian thought. ’But this Toad Beastman who just popped out of nowhere is a genuine Eight-Marked Beastman. I only have a Seven-star Pattern. My chances of winning against him are slim.’

Julian’s back and abdomen were pulled taut. A low growl rumbled in his throat as he said deeply, "You go first."

Evangeline raised an eyebrow, but before she could speak, the Toad Beastman had already broken into a sinister laugh.

"Go? A mere Seven-star Pattern like you dares to monopolize a female? And you have the gall to provoke me on my own territory?"

Before his voice had even faded, a series of sharp CRACKS echoed from the Toad Beastman’s body as his bones shifted and his skin swelled, transforming him into his beast form.

He became a giant toad nearly two meters tall, with rough, grayish-green skin covered in warts. The foul stench of mucus hung in the air. Its bulging eyes swiveled eerily, locking onto the two of them.

Julian shielded Evangeline behind him. With a SWOOSH, his gilded wings unfurled as he snapped, "Go!"

The next instant, the air filled with a flurry of golden feathers. He had transformed into an immense, majestic Goldeagle, his wingspan blotting out the sky. With a shrill cry, he dove, his razor-sharp talons aimed straight for the Toad Beastman!