Arriving at Sunset Forest, Killing the King of the Earth in an Instant

A week passed before they finally reached Sunset Forest.

It was much smaller than Star Dou Great Forest.

From the outskirts, they could see the canopy blotting out the sky and sun. A damp smell of rotting leaves drifted from deep within the woods.

The place was full of venomous insects and miasma.

"What medicine is so precious that it grows in Sunset Forest?"

"You wouldn't know it even if I told you."

"You!" Qian Renxue was at a loss for words for a moment and glared at him.

"Fine, then go in by yourself. I'm not looking after you."

"Mm."

Feng Ling strode straight into the forest.

Qian Renxue stood there in a daze for two seconds, then gritted her teeth and followed.

"Why are you walking so fast?! I told you to stay close to me! You're an ordinary person, and you're charging ahead—is death not coming fast enough for you?!"

Feng Ling didn't stop, but the corner of his mouth twitched.

The two entered Sunset Forest, and Feng Ling followed a dried-up creek bed.

Qian Renxue followed behind him, spreading out her spiritual power and keeping watch on their surroundings.

Not long after they entered, a Ten-Year Soul Beast suddenly sprang from the bushes ahead.

Zhu Ganglie!

He looked like a wild boar, with long tusks, and charged straight at Feng Ling.

Qian Renxue was just about to act, but Feng Ling stepped aside.

The boar charged right past him, slammed into a tree, and fainted.

"Pig brains, just as I thought."

"You weren't scared?"

"He was just a wild boar." Feng Ling's expression didn't change.

Qian Renxue didn't think much of it. Ten-Year Soul Beasts really weren't much different from fierce wild animals.

The two continued onward.

They didn't encounter any more Soul Beasts along the way.

The sky had already grown dark, so they stopped in a spot sheltered from the wind and pitched a tent.

Qian Renxue hesitated, but ultimately lit a campfire. Although the light might attract Soul Beasts, Feng Ling was an ordinary person. Without a fire at night, who knew how badly he might freeze?

Drawing on his memories from before he transmigrated, Feng Ling found a few seasonings nearby.

He had Qian Renxue quickly skin and cut up the Ten-Year Zhu Ganglie from earlier.

Then he threaded the meat onto sticks himself and set the skewers to roast by the campfire.

Qian Renxue crouched beside him, watching with curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Grilling meat skewers."

"Meat skewers?" Qian Renxue leaned closer for a look.

"You can eat meat like that?"

"Yes." Feng Ling sprinkled on the seasonings and turned the skewers a couple of times. Before long, oil was sizzling and dripping from them, and their fragrance drifted out.

At the smell, Qian Renxue's stomach betrayed her with a growl. She hurriedly coughed to cover it up.

A few minutes later, the skewers were done.

Feng Ling handed her two.

Qian Renxue took them, blew on one, and took a bite. After a couple of chews, her eyes went round.

The outside was crisp and fragrant, while the inside was tender and juicy. The seasonings were savory with a touch of spice. It was on a completely different level from the exquisitely prepared palace dishes she usually ate.

Without a word, she finished one skewer in a few bites and picked up the second, eating it even faster than the first.

Feng Ling took a skewer for himself. Seeing the way she ate, the corner of his mouth twitched.

"I didn't expect you to look so cute eating skewers."

With her mouth full of meat, Qian Renxue gave a muffled reply.

"None of your business."

Feng Ling smiled.

He continued making skewers.

Two hours later.

Qian Renxue sat on the ground, her belly full and her mouth glistening with grease.

"I didn't expect you to be such a good cook. I wonder which young lady will get lucky in the future."

Feng Ling smiled.

"Maybe that young lady has already gotten lucky."

Qian Renxue froze for a beat. When she caught on, her face grew hot, and she glared at him.

"You-"

Feng Ling stood up, brushed the dust from his hands, and turned to duck into the tent.

"I'm going to sleep. You keep watch."

Qian Renxue sat by the fire, grinding her teeth.

This guy's just an ordinary person. How can he be so unafraid of death?

He actually dares to order me around?!

Even so, she didn't drag him out of the tent. She sat obediently outside and kept watch.

As she gazed at the moonlight, her mind was full of images of Feng Ling.

This guy!

Even if he's an ordinary person, he's pretty good.

The night grew deeper, and the roars of beasts in the forest gradually quieted.

Qian Renxue leaned against a tree trunk. Her eyelids began to grow heavy, and her head nodded.

Just then.

Feng Ling came out of the tent, crouched down, and lifted her into his arms, then carried her toward the tent.

Qian Renxue blearily opened her eyes halfway and mumbled, "What are you doing..."

"Sleep for a while. I'll keep watch."

Feng Ling put her down in the tent and was about to get up when Qian Renxue caught his sleeve and, as if possessed, mumbled something.

"Hold me while we sleep."

Feng Ling paused.

Qian Renxue herself froze after saying it. Her mind cleared a little, and she silently cursed herself for what she'd said.

But drowsiness overtook her, and her eyelids drooped again.

She no longer had the strength to explain.

Feng Ling was quiet for two seconds. Then he lay down beside her, tentatively put a hand on her waist, and gently held her.

Qian Renxue kept her eyes closed, her face buried in the crook of his shoulder, and cursed herself eight hundred times in her heart.

But this is the first time I've felt protected like this.

Just then, the ground shook violently.

The campfire outside the tent was jolted, sending sparks flying. A dull thud followed from outside.

Qian Renxue snapped awake and sat up. Feng Ling sat up too, and the two exchanged a look.

"What was that?" Qian Renxue lifted the tent flap, intending to go out and look.

But Feng Ling stopped her.

"Stay in the tent. Don't come out. I'll take a look."

With that, Feng Ling got up and walked out of the tent.

In the moonlight, a giant scorpion more than two zhang tall crashed out of the bushes. Its entire shell was earth-brown, and each slam of its two enormous pincers left a pit in the ground. Its tail was raised high, and its venomous stinger gleamed.

The King of the Earth, a Soul Beast unique to Sunset Forest.

Feng Ling glanced at it, his brows furrowing slightly, but said nothing.

He raised a hand and pressed forward.

A rift opened silently in space, and a dark purple void poured out of it, engulfing the King of the Earth in the blink of an eye.

The King of the Earth let out a roar of rage.

All around it became a gloomy void. There was nothing beneath its feet, and the presence pressing in from every direction made its shell creak.

The King of the Earth suddenly had a bad feeling...

Feng Ling followed it inside, no longer suppressing his presence.

He walked toward the King of the Earth step by step, his boots making the sound of breaking glass as they touched the void.

"Little bug."

"Do you know the price of disturbing this emperor?"

The King of the Earth lay on the ground, trembling all over, its eight legs curled together.

Under the bloodline suppression of the Heaven-Defying Demon Dragon Emperor, it couldn't even muster the thought of running.

The void churned behind Feng Ling, and two Heaven-Defying Demon Dragons poked their heads out. A dim light glimmered on their purple-black scales, and one sweep of their draconic eyes made the King of the Earth piss itself.

The two dragons pounced. One bit into the front half of the scorpion, while the other tore open its rear shell.

The sound of the shell shattering rang throughout the space.

In the blink of an eye, it was devoured completely by the Heaven-Defying Demon Dragons.

Feng Ling stood to the side and watched, casting a disgusted glance at the traces left on the ground.

Only then did he turn and step out of the void.

By the time he returned to reality, the rift was slowly closing behind him.