Chapter 464: This Is All Thanks to Everyone

Li An gently stroked Guo Yao's hair: "This is all thanks to everyone."

At this moment, the entire castle was enveloped in the joy of victory. Li An had become the academy's hero, and his bond with Guo Yao had grown even more steadfast.

Yet a vague unease lingered in Li An's heart. He knew that many unknown dangers still awaited them in Yokai World. Especially Guo Yao—he worried she might encounter peril there.

"What should we do next?" Hermione asked, looking at Li An.

Li An drew a deep breath and said with a firm gaze: "We can't let our guard down—there's still plenty of danger in Yokai World. We must prepare ourselves and meet the new challenges head-on." After speaking, he turned to Guo Yao, his eyes full of concern: "Especially you, Guo Yao—you must be careful."

Guo Yao nodded and said with a faint smile: "I will. Don't worry."

"Guo Yao, you have to hold on—I will definitely find a way to lift your curse." Li An murmured softly, his voice full of anxiety and concern. His forehead was covered in beads of sweat, but he had no mind to wipe them away; he simply held Guo Yao tightly, as if doing so could give her strength.

At last, a massive market appeared before their eyes. At its entrance, two enormous lanterns emitted an eerie, ghostly glow, dyeing everything around them in a layer of mysterious color. Inside the market, all manner of strange-shaped yokai moved about—some with three eyes, some dragging long tails, others radiating an uncanny aura all over their bodies. A peculiar smell hung in the air, a blend of spices, herbs, and the scent peculiar to yokai.

Li An stepped cautiously into the market, his eyes sweeping alertly over his surroundings, both hands gripping the weapon at his waist. With every step, he could feel the strange gazes of the yokai around him—gazes filled with curiosity, wariness, even hostility. His heartbeat quickened beyond his control, and a nervous tension spread through his heart.

"So this is the yokai market…" Li An muttered under his breath, a faint, almost imperceptible tremor in his voice. He had never imagined that one day he would set foot in this mysterious world, let alone under such dire circumstances.

As they walked, Li An spotted a few yokai sitting around a stall, drinking and chatting. He drew a deep breath, stepped forward, and tried to make his voice sound as calm as possible: "Friends, I'd like to ask you something—do you know of any divine artifact that can lift a curse?"

Those yokai turned their heads and looked at him with a strange expression. One of them—short in stature with pointed ears—snorted: "Hmph, you? Looking for a divine artifact? Keep dreaming!" The other yokai burst into laughter along with him.

Li An's brow furrowed slightly, and a surge of irritation rose in his heart, but he held it in and said patiently: "I truly need it. If you can give me a lead, I'm willing to pay an appropriate price."

Another yokai—tall and broad, with a face full of flesh—rose to his feet and closed in on Li An step by step, a malicious grin on his face: "Pay? What could you possibly give us? Looking at your frail, half-blown-away appearance, you probably wouldn't even be enough to stick between our teeth!" As he spoke, he stretched out a thick, brawny arm, trying to grab Li An.

Li An quickly stepped back, dodging the yokai's attack, a flash of cold light in his eyes: "I don't want to make enemies of you, but if you insist on forcing my hand, then don't blame me for being rude!" His hand had already quietly gripped the hilt of his weapon; should the other party dare to make any further move, he would strike without a moment's hesitation..