The Dawn of the New World

*Growl*

It came from somewhere very close by but even if it was right next to him, Hao Xuan's inhuman reaction times gave him more than enough time to react appropriately.

"Shh, quiet down!" he hushed even her thoughts into silence. Her ears perked up as she listened intently but couldn't hear anything even after a few seconds.

"What is it?" she whispered into his ear.

"The growl from just a few seconds ago! It was almost right next to us."

"....What growl? I didn't hear anything..."

Hao Xuan paused midstride for a second before increasing his speed even more.

"Nevermind then. I guess it was just me..."

Even Hao Xuan himself had forgotten that he was able to hear the voices and other sounds from beyond the veil. He had hoped it would be fixed by now but that was too much to ask it seemed.

Hao Xuan's speed kept increasing bit by bit. His senses were sharp enough that he could follow behind the others even from several kilometers away without maintaining visual contact but since the hunter and its 'puppets' were right behind them, there wasn't much space to test it out.

Ma Jiang stayed silent after, allowing Hao Xuan to concentrate on keeping her thoughts out of his head. He tried to focus on other things in the meantime.

The cold nightly air, the smell of the trees, the crunch of the leaves, the soft ground that gently pushed back against the soles of his shoes. With just a little bit of effort he could feel so much right now.

He had to fight back the impulse to strip naked from head to toe and run around, letting the air cuddle him like a long-lost lover. His instincts guaranteed that it would feel heavenly but his human mind considered such thoughts to be irrational.

Hao Xuan knew his bloodline would bring about some physical changes but he didn't expect it would even change how he felt.

Right now he felt so very restricted by every little thing. To say that his skin was sensitive would be akin to saying the sun's core is a 'little hot'. He could feel every fiber of his shirt brushing against his skin.

Even though he didn't feel it now, it truly irritated him to no end. And as more and more of his Lycan bloodline coursed through his veins, the stronger this effect became.

His eyes, ears, and nose did not even feel his own anymore. So much about him had changed that he felt like a guest in his own body...

Smattering rays of moonlight cut in through the thick canopy, shedding morsels of white light onto the surroundings. Hao Xuan's head jerked to the right.

He was able to 'see' a small rodent-like creature to the side, about 20 meters away. It was sleeping half a meter underground but Hao Xuan could feel everything from its body heat to its small thumping heartbeat.

He could 'even feel' what it was feeling, what it was dreaming. It was able to dream?!

In front of him barely two dozens meters away was Jarek. Hao Xuan sped up and caught up to him.

"Is it close yet?" he inquired softly.

Jarek looked behind them and shook his head, "Small ones only."

Hao Xuan didn't need to look for himself. He could hear their rough movements from several hundred meters away.

He stayed at the back for the remainder of the journey, making sure that they didn't catch up. Ma Jiang seemed to have calmed down as well, coming up with several ludicrous plans in case Hao Xuan was there for her.

Some 20 minutes later Hao Xuan heard them slow down and a few seconds after that the forest came to an end. The wide-open grassland started.

Hao Xuan recognized a few landmarks and the distance and knew they were on the last stretch before reaching the barbarian camp. He remembered the unruly princess that brought him there in the first place and became slightly apprehensive.

What if she tried to do the same thing again?

He waved his hand in an attempt to summon the Scorpion King and felt the seals waning by the second. One, maybe two hours maximum before he could call them out again.

It appeared that his mental energy was replenishing quite quickly now. Although he didn't know if that was a side effect of his bloodline or just the ease he felt upon returning to this world, but it was most welcome either way.

Less than three minutes later they had arrived at the camp's outer layer of defenses.

The party came to a swift halt upon noticing the approaching guard. A barbarian in every sense of the word.

He stopped a few feet away from them. His jaw hanging low.

"P-Price!? What happened to you?! Where is everyone?" he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Hao Xuan walked up beside him, putting down Ma Jiang as she fixed her dress and hid behind him.

Burak smiled wryly, shaking his head.

"It is a long story. Is my sister here?"

"The princess? Of course, it's only been a few hours since she returned."

Burak frowned, "Returned? From where?"

The guard seemed confused, "From the meeting with the human and demihuman tribes.. You were with her."