Return to Star Dou

"Here again..."

Standing atop a high slope less than five kilometers from the Star Dou Great Forest, Lang Lei gazed at the vast forest in the distance and sighed.

Just as he had said before.

He was entering and leaving forests a little too frequently...

"Let's go, Xuan Bing, Li Huo." Lang Lei gestured for the two maidservants behind him to follow, then carried Little Griseo toward the nearby gathering place for soul masters.

Soul masters intending to enter the Star Dou Great Forest for Soul Hunting would generally choose to rest here. Soul master team formations and trades were also often conducted here.

In the original story, the group from Shrek Academy had also famously declared here, "A soul master who doesn't dare cause trouble isn't a good soul master"—a classic conclusion that bullied the weak and feared the strong.

The Star Dou Great Forest was enormous, and there were actually many soul master gathering places like this around its perimeter. Lang Lei had his reasons for being certain that the group from Shrek Academy would pass through here.

First, according to the information Lang Lei had gathered from passersby, this was the shortest of all routes from Suotuo City to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Second, Lang Lei had specifically asked Zhao Wuji which route from Suotuo City to the Star Dou Great Forest was the most convenient. Since Zhao Wuji would be leading the group afterward, they would most likely choose the most convenient route as well.

Third, he had roughly calculated how long it would take to reach the Star Dou Great Forest by this route while traveling at a pace slightly faster than that of a level-twenty-six support soul master.

It was roughly the same as what had been described in the original story.

All that remained was to wait.

"Xuan Bing, Li Huo, rein in your auras a little. Don't scare the passersby," Lang Lei reminded them.

He had not come here to cause trouble. There was no need to bare his fangs and claws. A biting dog didn't bark, after all~

Though using that to describe himself felt a little strange...

"Yes, Young Master." ×2

Before long, Lang Lei's group of four arrived at an inn and prepared to check in.

"Sir, would you like one room?" The young man at the front desk wore a meaningful smile.

"..."

"Two rooms, thank you." Lang Lei did not elaborate.

"Hm? Will this little girl be staying in a room by herself? Wouldn't that be a bit unsafe?" the receptionist kindly reminded him.

Lang Lei could not understand the other man's train of thought at all.

"My sister and I will share a room," Lang Lei added.

The receptionist looked at Lang Lei in disbelief, then looked at Xuan Bing and Li Huo behind him, as if questioning Lang Lei's capabilities.

"Do your job. Don't overthink things, and don't ask questions." Lang Lei slapped Gold Soul Coins onto the counter.

"Of course, of course, I understand!" Realizing that he had meddled too much, the receptionist swiftly arranged the rooms for Lang Lei.

"Oh, and have a meal prepared and delivered to my room. The same for their room as well."

"Certainly. Please wait a moment."

--

"Two beauties, would you be willing to have lunch with this Young Master? There's no happiness to be found following that trash in front of you~"

Just as Lang Lei was about to return to his room, a frivolous voice rang out.

"Who are you?" Lang Lei's gaze turned icy.

"How could trash like you possibly deserve to have—"

"Bang!"

In an instant, all seven members of the other group were blasted out of the inn.

"You're not allowed to insult Brother Lang Lei!" Little Griseo huffed angrily as she tucked her paintbrush back into the small pouch at her waist.

"Uh..." Lang Lei looked at Little Griseo in surprise.

Had Little Griseo just made a move herself?

"Don't look at me like that! No looking, no looking!"

Perhaps embarrassed by Lang Lei's stare, Little Griseo pushed at his face with her hands.

"Alright, alright. I won't look."

Almost no one noticed that every one of the seven people sent flying had been left with a smudge of gray dust on their bodies.

Lang Lei was not someone who would swallow his anger. That would be far too stifling...

As for holding grudges?

Why hold a grudge when he could settle it on the spot?

"How you handle them is up to you." Lang Lei spoke to Xuan Bing and Li Huo. "I'll take Little Griseo upstairs first. Remember to clean up the scene."

"Yes." ×2

A cold glint appeared in Xuan Bing and Li Huo's eyes. Though they obeyed Lang Lei in everything, their true forms were proud dragons!

They obeyed Lang Lei, but that did not mean they were weak!

What was more, the other party had insulted their master!

Thus, after Lang Lei left the inn's main hall with Little Griseo, Xuan Bing and Li Huo exchanged a glance and walked out of the inn.

"Y-You... what are you going to do?"

Watching Xuan Bing and Li Huo approach step by step, the dandy lay on the ground and moaned weakly.

Although Little Griseo had held back and had not directly killed them, the seven men had still been severely injured in order to vent Brother Lang Lei's anger. At this point, even an ordinary person holding a sharp weapon could finish them off.

Before long, the area was filled with people murmuring among themselves.

It seemed that no matter where they were, watching drama was human nature...

"Leave. I will not say it a second time." Li Huo spoke, and a powerful pressure swept across the entire area.

Most of those present were soul masters. Upon feeling that aura, their expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly left this troublesome place.

Once the area had been cleared, Xuan Bing and Li Huo looked at the dandies on the ground...

Before long, waves of screams came from outside.

One hour later—

"Did you throw them far away?" Lang Lei pulled his eyes away from Little Griseo's painting and looked toward Xuan Bing and Li Huo as they entered the room.

"Mm, at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest," Xuan Bing replied.

"The Star Dou Great Forest..."

"What a perfect place to kill people and bury their bones..."

Lang Lei could not help but sigh.

Afterward, Lang Lei closed his eyes, and his spiritual power began spreading outward.

After being tempered by Immortal Herbs such as Dragon Burial Autumn Lament, coupled with the enhancement of items like the Eye of the Gods, Lang Lei's spiritual power could easily extend over a hundred li when condensed into a single stream.

Before long, Lang Lei found the dust he had left on those seven people.

With a thought—

"Ding, seven layers of Killing Aura accumulated."

Feeling power immediately surge through every limb and bone, Lang Lei understood that this was another passive skill that strengthened his normal combat power.

The sensation of clearly feeling himself grow stronger was truly intoxicating.

Lang Lei was gradually beginning to understand why Evil Soul Masters existed on the continent...

"Brother Lang Lei..."

At that moment, Little Griseo's voice came from his arms.

"Mm, what is it?" The coldness in Lang Lei's eyes swiftly faded, replaced by a gentle expression.

"Just now, Brother Lang Lei's arms were so cold."

Lang Lei froze for a moment, then somewhat understood what Little Griseo meant.

"Mm, I understand." Lang Lei smiled and rubbed Little Griseo's head.

Even if it was only so that he could keep holding Little Griseo, he could not allow himself to become consumed by slaughter.

At least when he was holding Little Griseo, his embrace had to be warm.