First Encounter with an Evil Soul Master!

As he said this, his gaze fell upon Bai Lan, carrying a hint of inquiry.

For the past three months, the "special treatment" Bai Lan received was no longer a secret in the outer courtyard.

Unlimited Soul Gathering Pills, monthly personal guidance from Elder Mu, and special attention from Dean Yan Shaozhe...

Some were envious, some were jealous, and others were simply curious.

Bei Bei was one of the curious ones.

What exactly was special about this six-year-old boy that could make the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion take action personally?

"Let's go." Bai Lan did not offer much explanation, simply nodding, "When are we leaving?"

"Now." Xu Sanshi crossed his arms, uncharacteristically dropping his arrogant expression, "Everything is prepared; we're just waiting for you."

Bai Lan returned to his room to pack briefly before following the three of them out of the dormitory.

Outside Shrek City, on the periphery of the Star Dou Great Forest.

This was the third time Bai Lan had entered a Soul Beast Forest.

The first time, he was just a six-year-old child who had just awakened his Martial Soul, holding a sickle and cautiously wandering the outermost edge, where he contracted a ten-year Guzhu.

The second time, he was level 26, possessing two contracted beasts: a three-thousand-year Arrow Bamboo and a fifty-thousand-year Void Butterfly King.

But he said nothing, merely following silently behind Bei Bei.

"The mission this time is to collect Moonlight Grass."

"That thing only grows deep in the forest, near water sources, and it only blooms at night."

Bei Bei explained as they walked.

"So we have to spend the night in the forest?" Tang Ya asked.

"Correct." Bei Bei nodded, "It blooms at night, so we harvest at night and rest during the day."

Xu Sanshi curled his lip, "Troublesome."

"If you think it's troublesome, you don't have to go." Tang Ya retorted.

"I didn't say I wasn't going!" Xu Sanshi pouted.

Listening to the two bicker, the corners of Bai Lan's mouth lifted slightly.

These three teenagers, who were a few years older than him, each had their own personality, yet getting along with them was unexpectedly comfortable.

There was no backstabbing, no schemes or deceit.

They were simply companions.

He had never seen such a thing in his previous life.

In this life, he wanted to cherish it well.

By dusk, the four of them arrived beside a stream.

The stream water was clear, and both banks were overgrown with unknown wild grasses.

The collection point for the Moonlight Grass was marked on the map Bei Bei had obtained from the Mission Hall, located not far upstream.

"Let's set up camp first." Bei Bei looked at the sky, "It's almost dark; we'll go once the moon comes out."

The group divided the work, quickly setting up simple tents and lighting a campfire.

Tang Ya took dry rations from her pack to distribute to everyone, Xu Sanshi leaned against a tree with his eyes closed to rest, and Bei Bei sat by the fire, his gaze falling on Bai Lan.

"Bai Lan." He suddenly spoke up.

Bai Lan looked up, "Hm?"

"Bai Lan, I remember you saying your Martial Soul... the Contract Book, allows you to contract one soul beast every ten levels, right?"

With nothing better to do, Bei Bei suddenly asked.

Xu Sanshi and Tang Ya also turned their gazes toward him.

Bai Lan thought for a moment, deciding not to hide too much, "Yes, one for every ten levels."

Bei Bei's eyes flickered, "So you're level 29 now, which means you should have already contracted two?"

Bai Lan nodded, "Yes."

"Can we see them?"

Bai Lan was silent for a second.

Yan Shaozhe had told him that from the second one onwards, he should keep them hidden if possible.

But Bei Bei...

He looked up at the other boy.

The light of the campfire reflected on Bei Bei's face; in those eyes, there was no greed, no probing, only pure curiosity and goodwill.

"Very well."

Bai Lan suddenly smiled.

There was no hiding the matter of his Soul Beasts for the time being.

He raised his hand, and the Contract Book materialized in his palm.

The pages flipped open, and on the first page, the mark of the Arrow Bamboo lit up.

A cyan-green light shot out from the pages, landing beside him and transforming into a bamboo stalk three or four people tall.

The bamboo body was cyan-green, with faint golden patterns circling the nodes, and the leaves were slender, with flowing light shimmering between the veins.

"This is an Arrow Bamboo, three thousand years old," Bai Lan said.

Bei Bei's pupils constricted.

Three thousand years?

A two-ring Great Soul Master possessing a three-thousand-year contract beast?

Tang Ya leaned in, her eyes wide. "Wow... this is too cool!"

Xu Sanshi stopped pretending as well; he opened his eyes to stare at the bamboo, his jaw nearly hitting the ground.

Bai Lan did not stop, moving his mind once more.

On the second page, the silver butterfly mark lit up.

This time, no physical form appeared; only a streak of silver light flashed before everyone's eyes and vanished.

"Void Butterfly King," Bai Lan said. "Fifty thousand years old."

Silence.

A deathly silence.

The campfire crackled, and the stream flowed with a gentle murmur.

Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Xu Sanshi stood as if struck by a binding spell, unable to move.

After a long while, Bei Bei spoke with difficulty:

"Fifty... fifty thousand years?"

Bai Lan nodded.

Xu Sanshi shot to his feet. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Bai Lan looked at him without saying a word.

Xu Sanshi met those calm eyes and suddenly realized he wasn't joking.

"A fifty-thousand-year contract beast..." Tang Ya murmured. "Then your second Soul Ring..."

Bai Lan did not answer, merely releasing a faint ripple of Soul Power.

In that instant, the three of them simultaneously sensed the aura of the Soul Rings on his body.

The first Soul Ring was purple.

The second Soul Ring was black.

A two-ring Great Soul Master, both over a thousand years old, with the second ring being a fifty-thousand-year-level beast.

Tang Ya covered her mouth.

Xu Sanshi plopped back down onto the ground.

Bei Bei remained silent for a long time, then smiled.

"No wonder Elder Mu took action personally," he said. "No wonder Dean Yan tilted resources toward you."

He looked at Bai Lan, his gaze complex.

"Bai Lan, do you know what you are right now?"

Bai Lan thought for a moment. "Someone who needs to keep a low profile?"

Bei Bei was amused.

"Correct," he nodded. "Someone who needs to keep a low profile, someone who would be targeted by the entire continent if their true strength were known."

He stood up, walked over to Bai Lan, and extended his hand.

"From today on, I will help you keep this secret."

Tang Ya stood up as well and nodded vigorously. "Me too!"

Xu Sanshi huffed and turned his head away. "...Me too."

Bai Lan looked at the three of them, a warmth welling up in his heart.

He reached out and grasped Bei Bei's hand.

"Thank you."

The night was deep.

Moonlight spilled down, casting silvery ripples across the surface of the stream.

Moonlight Grass bloomed quietly along the bank, each tiny white flower emitting a faint, glowing luminescence.

"Start gathering," Bei Bei whispered. "Be careful, don't alert the nearby soul beasts."

The four of them spread out, each beginning to collect the plants.

Bai Lan crouched by the stream, reached out to pluck a stalk of Moonlight Grass, and placed it into the cloth bag on his back.

Suddenly, his body stiffened.

The Spatial Perception of the Void Butterfly King sent out a dangerous warning.

With no time to think, he threw himself into a roll to the side!

BOOM!

A beam of black light grazed his shoulder and struck the spot where he had just been crouching, blasting a large crater into the ground!

"Enemy attack!" Bei Bei's shout came from the distance.

Bai Lan flipped to his feet, his gaze sweeping toward the depths of the darkness.

From there, several black shadows were slowly emerging.

Leading them was a middle-aged man in a black robe with a sinister face, his body wreathed in eerie black mist.

Behind him followed four others in similar attire, each of them possessing a formidable aura.

"Evil Soul Masters." Bai Lan's pupils constricted.

The black-robed man looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling into a twisted smile.