NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 4
Fourth Chapter: Snow Princess
“Ah…”
The next moment, a sigh sounded in Yue Dan’s ear.
At some point, a chill rose from the spine of the young werewolf. His eyes were still fixed ahead.
But where Bai Luo had been standing just moments ago, there was no sign of him.
Yue Dan quickly turned his gaze and saw that Bai Luo had somehow gotten very close. He was now squatting beside Xue Ji, checking on her condition.
“When did this happen?!”
Yue Dan’s pupils contracted sharply, and reflexively he gripped his broken sword.
Before he could do anything, an overwhelming wave of terrifying magic power surged toward him.
“Aah!”
Intense pain erupted as if all his bones shattered under one blow. Yue Dan didn’t know what happened before he flew backward like a cannonball.
Houses collapsed, dust rose everywhere, and Yue Dan lay sprawled among the ruins, barely clinging to life.
“Rest assured.”
Bai Luo held back: “I’ve calculated the force; you won’t die.”
With SR-level magic manipulation, Bai Luo wielded magic power with ease, akin to extending his own limbs.
Though not yet capable of crushing an ant without harm, Bai Luo was confident in controlling the strength enough not to outright kill Yue Dan.
Bai Luo didn’t know who Yue Dan was.
But given his earlier chatter about secret medicine and sects, it was clear he knew quite a bit.
Bai Luo decided to temporarily keep him alive for questioning.
As for Xue Ji, after a thorough examination, Bai Luo found that the sword wound had not only torn through her back but also reached her spine and heart.
“Truly ruthless,” Bai Luo muttered. “It was clearly meant to take her life.”
Fortunately, Bai Luo could heal such injuries.
Silver-white strands of magic appeared from Bai Luo’s palms, controlled by their owner to form fine silken threads.
These silver threads entered Xue Ji’s wound, stitching her heart together.
Simultaneously, Bai Luo stimulated cell division using magic.
Magic in this world was incredibly versatile—it could be used for combat, defense, analysis, perception, and even materializing flesh from nothingness.
As for the severed spine,
The silver-white magic began to solidify, replicating her bone marrow and nerves while reconstructing the missing parts.
“So warm…”
Feeling Bai Luo’s magic, Xue Ji felt as though she was bathing in a hot spring. Despite being in icy snow, she experienced an unprecedented sense of calm and security.
Soon, Xue Ji’s wounds healed completely.
Bai Luo withdrew his magic and helped her up, amidst her astonished and puzzled gaze.
“My body…”
Coming to her senses, Xue Ji marveled at the impossibility: “Am I dreaming?”
The previous excruciating pain was undeniable.
Yet despite such severe injuries, she was not only alive but standing.
Could this really be possible?
“Who exactly are you…?”
Xue Ji didn’t know why Bai Luo saved her, but she deeply remembered him as her savior.
Without reservation, Bai Luo explained his origins and purpose to Xue Ji.
The destruction of Xia Fog Village, his journey with Hong Ye and other beast-eared girls seeking refuge in Demon Fox Village, and the tragic scene they encountered.
“I have disappointed you, Master Bai Luo.”
Xue Ji showed utmost respect, her fox ears drooping, filled with guilt and sorrow: “As you can see, Demon Fox Village has also been invaded. We are struggling to protect ourselves.”
At this, Xue Ji began searching for Yue Dan’s whereabouts.
Unfortunately, Bai Luo’s earlier slap sent him flying dozens of meters away, leaving him unconscious.
“I noticed you seemed familiar, so I restrained myself.”
Bai Luo explained briefly, and Xue Ji clenched her fists silently.
She understood his meaning—this was an opportunity for her to avenge herself personally.
“He is Yue Dan, the son of the chief of Wolf Village, and my fiancé.”
However, the blood debt of her mother’s murder left no room for reconciliation.
Regardless of any reason or relationship,
This alone left them with only one choice—to fight until death.
“After your revenge, come with us.”
The survivors of Demon Fox Village were too late. Bai Luo arrived to find only the magical energy of adult beast tribes remaining in the village, whose aura differed significantly from Xue Ji’s, marking them as invaders.
Some had managed to escape.
Bai Luo extended his magic, marking these beast people for easier tracking later.
Since he had already decided to protect Hong Ye and the others, adding a few dozen more beast people made little difference to Bai Luo.
“Your servant will follow your arrangements.”
Xue Ji refrained from asking Bai Luo for help in avenging her clan.
She understood the nature of the massacre—the invading beast tribes came from two large villages. To oppose them would mean opposing both eastern and western tribes.
If her situation put Bai Luo in danger, wouldn’t that be ungrateful?
Xue Ji despised those who broke trust and acted dishonorably.
“There will be opportunities in the future.”
Bai Luo’s words brightened Xue Ji’s eyes, and she quietly followed him, her gratitude growing stronger.
Bai Luo didn’t intend to involve himself in internal conflicts among beast people.
But Xue Ji could.
If Xue Ji wished to avenge her clan in the future, Bai Luo wouldn’t stop her.
The eastern and western tribes destroyed Demon Fox Village. If Xue Ji sought revenge by destroying these two villages, it would be karma.
Bai Luo wasn’t a Buddha, incapable of uttering nonsense about endless cycles of vengeance.
Even if he were a Buddha, he couldn’t represent Xue Ji’s deceased kin.
“He’s right ahead.”
Soon, under Bai Luo’s lead, they found Yue Dan lying on the ground.
Sharp claws emerged from Xue Ji’s hands, their latent magic leaving no doubt about their sharpness—they could tear through the wolf youth’s throat in an instant.
“Farewell, Yue Dan.”
Recalling past memories, surrounded by the current devastation, and accepting the cruel reality of her mother’s death,
Tears streamed down Xue Ji’s cheeks, and before they fell, her hand pierced through Yue Dan’s chest, shattering his heart.
Bai Luo didn’t think the girl was cruel.
If she could forgive the person who killed her mother, such a saintly hypocrite would make Bai Luo feel nauseous.
Not to mention, Yue Dan had tried to kill her moments ago.
As for extracting information from Yue Dan,
Among the many beast people in the village, surely a couple knew the inside story.
In fact, in just that brief moment, Bai Luo, with his enhanced hearing, had already picked up keywords like ‘sect’ and ‘secret medicine.’
“Forgive me for showing you my wretched state.”
Xue Ji stood up, her clothes soaked in blood, her trembling hands revealing her inner turmoil.
“Alas~”
Bai Luo shook his head helplessly, lamenting the brutality of the world he had transmigrated into.
What kind of place was this?
Just when he finally met someone he could communicate with, massacres and clan exterminations kept happening.
Did it have to be this brutal?
“Is this another world?”
Bai Luo sighed: “A bit scary, isn’t it?”
“Huh?”
Prepared to leave with Xue Ji, Bai Luo suddenly stopped.
“Someone’s coming.”
At that moment, an unfamiliar magic presence abruptly entered Bai Luo’s perception.
This magic moved extremely fast.
Although it was outside the village just a second ago, the next second, its owner had already rushed into Demon Fox Village and was rapidly approaching their location.
“What incredible speed.”
Before Bai Luo could analyze further, the sudden disappearance of numerous magic presences made him frown: “Did the eastern and western tribes send their experts?”
The vanished magic belonged to the adult beast people from the eastern and western tribes within the village.
‘That doesn’t make sense.’
Bai Luo was confused: ‘Why would the eastern and western tribes kill their own people?’
But if it wasn’t them, then who?
“The sect?”
Bai Luo recalled the sect mentioned by Yue Dan: ‘This sect seems formidable, able to send out such powerful individuals.’
Even without meeting face-to-face, Bai Luo could confirm through magic perception that the newcomer was far superior to Yue Dan, the black-clothed swordsman, and the beast people.
“Master Bai Luo?”
Xue Ji lacked Bai Luo’s powerful perception and opened her mouth to inquire upon seeing him stop.
“They’re here!”
“What?”
Xue Ji was startled and followed Bai Luo’s gaze.
“BOOM!!!”
The next moment, a deafening explosion erupted into the sky.
Sky-high flames parted, hundreds of houses shattered instantly, and countless stone fragments surged towards them like a tsunami.
“This?!?”
Xue Ji’s pupils contracted sharply.
Despite the dire situation, Xue Ji had neither time to react nor evade. She didn’t even understand what had happened.
Surprisingly, Bai Luo noticed that instead of fleeing, Xue Ji’s first instinct was to shield him, willing to use her body to withstand the explosive impact, albeit slowly.
“Boom!”
Bai Luo’s lips curled slightly, and silver-white magic enveloped Xue Ji.
Before the explosion reached them, a brilliant silver light tore everything in front apart in an instant.
Amidst the sound of metal clashing, a channel running from south to north, spanning the entire Demon Fox Village, was forcibly carved out by the silver light overpowering purple magic.
“Ha ha ha~~”
An immature yet arrogant laugh echoed from ahead.
There stood a boy wearing a paper bag on his head, with only two slits cut out for his eyes.
Through the slits, the boy’s sharp gaze was firmly locked onto Bai Luo, who had blocked his probing attack.
“Magic Power!”
“Such immense magic power!”
To the boy, Bai Luo was like a dragon exuding overwhelming might.
Simply standing there, Bai Luo made every cell in the boy’s body thrill with excitement.
“Interesting!!!”
Cid had been hunting bandits to accumulate funds for Shadow Skill User’s activation.
Noticing the movements of the beast people in the northern part of his territory, Cid crossed the mountains and successfully slaughtered all the bandits in the village.
However, Cid never expected that what started as a routine stroll would lead to encountering such an existence.
“Zzzt! Zzzt!”
In mid-air, Bai Luo’s palm clashed against a pitch-black sword.
The collision of magic powers sparked showers of sparks.
“Hmm?”
After a brief standoff, seeing Bai Luo remain perfectly still, Cid was shocked but filled with joy.
“Is this real?”
Xue Ji’s pupils trembled violently. The instantaneous clash of magic powers just now: “Is this truly the magic power humans can possess?”
The sheer magnitude of the magic storm generated by the mere collision between the two left Xue Ji awestruck.
Had Bai Luo not been there to block the other’s momentum, she was certain Cid’s scattered magic alone could have flattened Demon Fox Village.
“Bang!”
Suddenly, the slime-formed sword in Cid’s hand shattered.
“What?”
In the next instant, the boy’s pupils contracted sharply.
In his vision, Bai Luo’s palm, carrying immense force, effortlessly shattered the protective magic barrier he had erected.
“Too strong!”
Cid knew Bai Luo was strong, but he hadn’t anticipated such overwhelming power.
The quality of that magic surpassed even his current level!
“Boom!”
Bai Luo’s palm descended, delivering a seemingly ordinary strike that left behind a massive crater several dozen meters wide.
That exaggerated destructive power left Xue Ji stunned, despite having mentally prepared for Bai Luo’s strength.
“Something worth noting.”
Bai Luo waved his hand and honestly said to the boy standing at the edge of the crater: “But not much.”
‘So, this is the world.’
Upon seeing the boy, Bai Luo realized the nature of the world he had transmigrated to.
The boy’s attire resembled almost identically to the protagonist of a novel called ‘Wants to Become a Shadow Skill User’ that Bai Luo had read before his transmigration.
‘Vast magic power, roughly half of mine (one-twentieth), but considering his age…’
‘Shadow’s magic growth grade must exceed SR+1.’
Judging by Cid’s appearance, he was likely between 8 and 10 years old, whereas Bai Luo was already 20.
With a gap of six to seven years, it was natural that Cid’s current magic power was less than Bai Luo’s.
It seemed Shadow’s talent wasn’t as exaggerated as Bai Luo had imagined.
“Magic control is unknown for now, but in terms of magic growth, probably around SR+4 or +5.”
Impressive, but not as extraordinary as Bai Luo had initially thought.
‘Apparently, the value of SSR is higher than I imagined.’
With this thought, Bai Luo prepared to approach for a conversation, but Cid asked first: “Are there strong thieves like you?”
“Thieves?”
Bai Luo paused, quickly understanding.
He remembered that in the original story, Shadow hunted thieves and human traffickers everywhere.
Given the present situation, it was evident that Cid mistook him for one of the invaders of Demon Fox Village.
But as Bai Luo sensed the vanished life energies in the village: ‘Did this guy kill everyone?’