After a long while, the charging Mammoth finally came to a halt. I must have shaken them off, I mused internally.

The continuous high-speed gallop had lasted six hours, and even the Mammoth showed signs of fatigue, panting heavily.

"Good fellow, thank you," I hopped down from the Mammoth’s back, patting its massive head before surveying our surroundings.

En! Roar!

The Mammoth subtly shook its huge head, then looked around as if assessing the situation. The surroundings were still a dense expanse of towering trees, deep, shadowed, and at this moment, the Mammoth and I were perched atop one of them.

It was only now that I had a moment to truly rest. Frankly, the ambush by Mo Luo Aotian and his six companions was the most perilous encounter of my life. Had the Mammoth not suddenly appeared, I would surely be dead by now. Even so, the boundless emptiness, the exhaustion, and the lingering tremor of fear washed away much of the relief of survival.

It was time for a proper rest. I casually brushed the debris from a sturdy branch, sat down, and leaned heavily against the massive trunk, slowly beginning to regulate the chaotic, faint energy within my body.

The Mammoth, meanwhile, was sprawled out on the branch, its eyes half-closed. Its two pointed ears twitched constantly, swiveling like twin antennas, clearly monitoring every movement around us. The instincts of a ferocious beast far surpass ordinary humans; they might not even be inferior to a Heavenly Demon Warrior. Having such a super bodyguard nearby offered considerable peace of mind.

I pulled the fruit wine and bread from my waist pouch. The recent ordeal had left me sore, tired, and hungry; if I didn't rest and eat soon, I was truly finished.

Hoo! A gulp of fruit wine rushed down my throat, and I felt instantly revived, letting out a satisfied, booming burp! This fruit wine was something like modern cola—it made my stomach bubble with gas, but I loved the taste and the sensation. Thus, I kept a considerable stock in my spatial pack.

En-hoo! Just then, the Mammoth suddenly let out a deep, muffled roar. Its large eyes stared unblinkingly at the fruit wine in my hand, its massive nose twitching continuously, clearly captivated by the fragrant aroma. It even looked utterly drooling.

"Drink? You want some too, big guy?" I asked, slightly curious.

Roar! The Mammoth seemed to understand me perfectly, nodding repeatedly and even licking its thick, scarlet tongue!

"Ah! This fellow, is he a drunkard?" I wondered, a little perplexed. But regardless, he was my savior; if he liked it, I’d let him have some.

Without delay, I fumbled in my spatial pack, pulled out several large casks of fruit wine, and filled a huge wooden tub, placing it before the Mammoth.

Roar! The Mammoth let out a joyous cry, its thick, scarlet tongue carefully dipping into the tub to sample the fruit wine.

Then it closed its eyes, seemingly savoring the aftertaste, before its brow smoothed, revealing an expression of utter bliss.

Ah! This creature really is a drunkard! Such a human-like expression appearing on the face of such a terrifying, massive beast felt unsettlingly paradoxical, but it was undeniably a massive discovery!

A Mammoth that drinks wine—this was an unprecedented marvel!

"Heh heh, tastes good, doesn't it?" I chuckled lightly.

En-hoo!

The Mammoth grunted softly twice and nodded slightly, clearly agreeing deeply with my statement. Then, it balanced on its hind legs and sat up like a person. It grabbed the large wooden tub with its two forepaws, lifted it to its mouth, tilted its head back, and drank it dry in one go. Afterward, it looked at my spatial pack with an expression of lingering desire—it was clearly not satisfied and knew where I kept the rest of my wine.

"Good heavens, no way! Still wants more?" I nearly fainted. If it drank any more, I'd drain my entire stock of fruit wine.

En-hoo! The Mammoth glared slightly and nodded, clearly aware I had more hidden in my pack. It seemed displeased with my stinginess.

"You... you are strong," I conceded, reluctantly pulling out the last few canisters of fruit wine and pouring them into the wooden tub.

Gulp. Another swig, drunk entirely dry, and both large eyes remained fixed on me.

"That's it," I spread my hands wide and patted my spatial pack. The last few canisters were gone, all consumed by him. This was provisions I had specifically packed for a long journey, and he’d finished it in two gulps.

En-hoo! The Mammoth let out two dissatisfied roars and shook its head sullenly.

"How about some bread?" I raised the loaf in my hand.

Roar! The Mammoth shook its head disdainfully; the bread held absolutely no appeal for it.

Then, with a powerful kick of its hind legs, its massive body vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Ah, you've got to be kidding me!" I was utterly astonished. It just left me behind.

Roar! From a distance, I heard a few faint roars from the Mammoth, growing fainter as it clearly bolted away!

I was left to sullenly gnaw on the bread and mutter my complaints, hoping this creature was just finding food and would return soon.

Taking slow bites of the bread and sipping the only remaining bowl of fruit wine, I began plotting my next move.

Sure enough, not long after, several piercing beast roars echoed through the forest, followed by a faint whistle as the Mammoth’s huge body shot back like an arrow to the tree where I was hidden, its mouth clamping down on a fat, snowy-furred forest yeti.

So, it had gone hunting! I had worried for nothing. Seriously injured as I was, I relied on it for protection. Its return brought immense relief!

En-hoo!

The Mammoth gave a soft, low growl twice, then deliberately tore off a large, bloody leg from the yeti and placed it before me. Clearly, this leg of the forest yeti was the return gift for my fruit wine!

"..............." I stared dumbfounded, taking a long moment to recover. The gruesome sight of the bloody yeti leg nearly made me throw up.

Doesn't this guy know anything about visual pollution? I thought irritably, but I still spoke apologetically, "Big guy, there’s no need for such formality, is there?" I waved the bread in my hand. "I'll just eat this. You enjoy that leg."

Roar!

The Mammoth gave a soft low growl, making no pretense of politeness, snatched the leg, and swallowed it whole! It finished by licking its bloody tongue and lips with evident longing. If you don't eat it, that's your loss!

Good heavens, a leg the size of a grown man swallowed in one bite! Thinking about that massive mouth once holding me sent a fresh wave of terror down my spine.

Truly worthy of being the supreme beast, the Mammoth possessed an incredible appetite! I secretly wiped a bead of cold sweat.

And so, the Mammoth and I settled in—one large, one small—one nibbling bread, the other tearing at the snow yeti’s flesh.

I then began a thorough analysis of everything that had transpired.

I was extremely curious as to how Mo Luo Aotian had pinpointed my exact location. My first thought was that the Blood Wolf Legion had leaked my route, as they were the only ones who knew my destination was Man City, and the Lingfeng Bridge was an unavoidable path to get there.

However, this idea was quickly dismissed. The Blood Wolf Legion and the Seal Demon Empire were mortal enemies; betraying me offered them no advantage.

But besides them, I truly couldn't fathom where the mistake occurred. Then I recalled the Mammoth sensing Mo Luo Aotian’s pursuit earlier, carrying me away for some distance.

Could they have a way to track my movements? The thought sent chills down my spine. Had I left some scent they could exploit?

Beep-beep-beep!

A hurried sound came from my waist!

It was the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission! I quickly pulled it out.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Chi Long's voice sounded anxious.

"Nearly died," I replied irritably.

"Your Highness was ambushed by the Aotian Legion?" Chi Long sounded tense.

"How did you know?" I asked, greatly surprised.

"We just found out," Chi Long hurried on. "The Demon Dragon Royal Family contacted our Blood Wolf Legion via Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission and informed us. General Jidu has also arrived in the Seal Demon Empire and is searching for Your Highness."

"Ah! General Jidu?" I exclaimed in shock. "He came to the Seal Demon Empire too?"

"Yes," Chi Long continued. "There is vital intelligence that your nation's Prophetess specifically asked me to relay: the Aotian Legion possesses Tracking Necklaces. By using these necklaces, they can precisely monitor Your Highness's movements. Therefore, after escaping, Your Highness must not linger in one place for too long, as they will soon catch up."

"Tracking Necklaces," I suddenly understood. "Damn it, so that’s how they tracked me."

"How is Your Highness's situation now? Are you injured?" Chi Long's voice was laced with worry.

"Severely injured," I said with a wry smile. "They almost killed me."

"Ah! Where is Your Highness now?" Chi Long sounded urgent. "Can you still move?"

"I've passed the Lingfeng Bridge," I calculated internally. "My body has recovered significantly; at least escaping shouldn't be a problem."

"That's good, but Your Highness must be careful," Chi Long warned. "They ride Mammoth Beasts from Cang Yue. Even our Blood Wolf Knights would struggle to evade their tracking in the jungle."

"I see," I finally understood why they managed to reach the Lingfeng Bridge ahead of me to set the ambush. But with the Mammoth's help, I should be able to shake them. However, being locked onto by their Tracking Necklaces remained a huge issue. "What should I do next?"

"For now, Your Highness should focus on reaching Man City so the High Priests can remove the Scent Tracers on Your Highness. That way, they can't use the Tracking Necklaces to locate you. We can plan the rest afterward."

"Tracking Necklaces, Scent Tracers," I pondered to myself. Simply running away defensively wasn't a long-term solution. As I calmed down, a good idea struck me. Since they could use Tracking Necklaces to locate me, why not turn the tables and wipe out the Aotian Legion in one fell swoop? "Chief Chi Long, I have an idea to capture the entire Aotian Legion."

"Capture the entire Aotian Legion?" Chi Long’s voice held clear astonishment.

"Yes," I quickly explained. "Listen carefully. Use the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission to contact General Jidu and the two High Priests, telling them to rendezvous at Crazy Wind Valley to set an ambush there. In a few days, I will lure Mo Luo Aotian to Crazy Wind Valley, and then we will strike them."

"Ah! Ambushing the Aotian Legion?" Chi Long was startled, but quickly realized the feasibility of my plan. "If Your Highness and General Jidu join forces, plus our two High Priests, the chances of a successful ambush are very high."

"Exactly," I affirmed.

"We will use the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission to contact General Jidu and the Prophetess to devise the optimal plan, and then we will notify Your Highness." Chi Long sounded extremely excited.

"Then I’ll leave it to you," I continued. "For the time being, I will continue playing hide-and-seek with them. Let me know once you are ready, and I will bring them to Crazy Wind Valley."

"Understood," Chi Long replied. "We will coordinate with the Prophetess and General Jinyue using the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission to establish the best ambush strategy. This time, we must ensure the Aotian Legion is utterly finished. But, Your Highness, are you confident in shaking off the Mammoth Beasts' tracking? You currently have no mount; even the speed of a Heavenly Demon Warrior might not be enough to escape the Mammoths."

"Don't worry about that." Looking over at the Mammoth still enthusiastically enjoying its meal, I said confidently, "My mount is far superior to their Mammoth Beasts. They won't be able to catch me."

"...A mount?" Chi Long sounded bewildered. "Where did Your Highness get a mount?"

"Heh heh, you'll find out when the time comes," I said smugly. "That’s all for now. Notify me once arrangements are made."

"Understood." Although Chi Long sounded uncertain, worry lingered in his voice. "Your Highness, be careful."