Child Bride

"You little rascal, don't look so reluctant. Even if you were willing, that boy might not take a liking to you." Dugu Bo curled his lip, unconcerned.

Dugu Yan glared at her shameless old grandfather. She knew he thought highly of Lin Ye, but there was no need to rush into offering his granddaughter to him. Was she adopted or something?

Then she turned back to Lin Ye and said softly, "Don't listen to him. He can be pretty unreliable and shameless sometimes. You'll get used to it."

Lin Ye smiled. "So, Sister Yan, are you willing?"

"Ah!" Dugu Yan froze for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "Xiao Ye, do you mean...?"

"Sister Yan, I really like you. What do you think of me?"

Once she understood, delight appeared in Dugu Yan's eyes. Happiness had come so suddenly.

Dugu Bo, standing nearby, was even more excited. He swept his hand through the air and settled the matter on the spot, as if afraid Lin Ye might change his mind.

"Good lad, you've got excellent taste. I approve of this match."

With that, Dugu Bo burst into hearty laughter.

Dugu Yan was beaming too. Her gaze turned tender as she looked at Lin Ye. "Hurry up and grow up. Your big sister will be waiting for you."

To avoid missing her chance, Dugu Yan set aside a girl's modesty and stopped worrying about things like robbing the cradle.

Lin Ye smiled. Getting a wife for free—what could be better?

He wasn't about to pretend to be some gentleman. After all, his life's goals were to eat, drink, have fun, and chase girls, while beating up Little Scumbag and kicking Yu Xiaogang.

"Grandpa Dugu, can you check how old a Soul Ring I can absorb now?"

After eating the Whale Rubber, Lin Ye's physical strength had improved tremendously. Combined with the Ice Fire Tempering Golden Body, he could definitely withstand a Soul Ring far beyond what an ordinary Soul Master could absorb as their First Soul Ring.

At that, Dugu Bo took his hand and sent Soul Power into his body to examine him.

He might not have noticed anything at first, but a closer look shocked him. Worried his assessment was wrong, Dugu Bo squeezed Lin Ye's arm and calf as well.

After checking repeatedly, he stared at Lin Ye as if he'd seen a ghost. "How can your Physical Body be so powerful? Even a Beast Martial Soul Soul Elder can't compare to you!"

A Soul Elder? Did that mean he could now pin Yu Xiaogang to the ground using nothing but his physical strength? The thought crossed Lin Ye's mind, but he shook his head. Why compare himself to that washed-up old loser? It would only lower his standing.

For now, Lin Ye was most concerned about his Soul Ring. "Grandpa Dugu, how old a Soul Ring do you think I can absorb?"

Dugu Bo thought for a moment and gave him a fairly conservative estimate: around three thousand years.

"Good. Then there's no time to waste. Let's set off now. Grandpa Dugu, Sister Yan, I have some other things to take care of while I'm out this time, so I'll be gone for a while. You don't need to wait for me."

"In such a hurry? All right, let's go," Dugu Bo said.

Lin Ye waved him off. "I have other things to take care of this time, and I'll be gone for a while. Grandpa Dugu, take Sister Yan back first. You don't need to wait for me."

Dugu Bo fell silent. Since Lin Ye hadn't said what he was doing, it must be something he couldn't discuss. Dugu Bo didn't press him.

"Will you be gone for a long time? Why don't you come with me to Heaven Dou City when you get back? Please?" Dugu Yan couldn't hide her reluctance.

"About a month, I guess. I'll pass on Heaven Dou City; I still have things to do here," Lin Ye replied.

"Honestly, I don't understand you. What's the point of staying in a little place like this?"

Lin Ye: "..."

He couldn't exactly tell her that he was here lying in wait, preparing to set Tang San up.

"All right, Sister Yan. When I have time, I'll come visit you in Heaven Dou City."

After a pause, Lin Ye took out the Herb Catalogue from the Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant, flipped to a page, and tore it out.

"Sister Yan, the Earth Dragon Golden Melon is indeed an Immortal Herb, but it's still a little young. When you get back, eat this too. It'll help with your cultivation later on."

The Immortal Herbs in the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well had already been harvested once by Lin Ye after he traveled through time to the future. The ones growing there now were all regrown from a second planting, so they naturally couldn't compare to the first crop he had with him.

Dugu Yan took it and looked down.

"Eight Petal Immortal Orchid. Its medicinal properties are gentle and it can cleanse impurities from the body..."

Besides the written description, there was an illustration: an eight-petaled orchid, pure white and crystalline, with an aloof, otherworldly air.

After bidding farewell to the grandfather and granddaughter, Lin Ye set off at once with the Snow Empress and Ice Empress, heading for the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest was the largest Soul Beast Forest on the Douluo Continent, and home to the most terrifying Soul Beasts on the continent.

It was around nine in the morning, with bright sunshine.

Lin Ye and the two Empresses had reached the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.

A warning sign stood beside the road.

"Fifty li ahead, you will enter the Star Dou Great Forest. Soul Beasts have been sighted. Please take care."

The closer they got to the Star Dou Great Forest, the cooler the air grew.

This was a place that Soul Beasts feared. The Star Dou Great Forest was like a Soul Beast opening its enormous jaws, waiting for young lives to enter. No one knew whether they would find opportunity inside—or be swallowed by death.

But with the Snow Empress and Ice Empress at his side, Lin Ye could practically do as he pleased in the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest could be divided into three major areas, mainly according to the strength of the Soul Beasts found in each.

The Outer Area was home only to ten-, hundred-, and thousand-year Soul Beasts. Ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts were rarely seen there.

Beyond the Outer Area lay the Mixed Area, which had the greatest variety of Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest.

It was generally home to thousand- and ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts. Hundred-year Soul Beasts could only appear in the Mixed Area by relying on the strength of their groups.

Beyond the Mixed Area was the Core Area. Although this region was also quite vast, it had far fewer Soul Beasts than the Mixed Area.

That was because hundred-year Soul Beasts were practically nonexistent in the Core Area, and thousand-year Soul Beasts were uncommon. Ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts were the norm.

Of course, one could sometimes spot a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast there as well.

The region at the very center of the Core Area belonged to the true kings of the Star Dou Great Forest. It wouldn't be wrong to call it the Core Circle within the Core Area.

After entering the Star Dou Great Forest, Lin Ye and the two Empresses hurried straight into the Mixed Area without stopping.

Although he was eager to see what his Soul Skill would be, Lin Ye wasn't in too much of a rush. Psychic-type Soul Beasts were rare to begin with, and finding one that met his requirements would be even harder. He was already prepared for a long search.

The farther they went, the taller the trees grew and the denser the forest became.

The trees were so thick that several people couldn't wrap their arms around one.

Each one also towered into the clouds, standing at least several hundred meters tall.

Their enormous crowns blocked out the sky. Even with the sun high overhead, the forest remained rather dark and damp.