Sunset Forest

With Chen Xin there, passing through the checkpoint was naturally a smooth affair.

The guard commander clearly recognized the renowned Sword Douluo and treated him with great respect, even personally escorting them to the relay station inside the pass.

Inside the pass was an entirely different scene.

The streets were wide, the shops lined up one after another, and the crowds flowed like a woven tapestry. Merchants, Soul Masters, and commoners from all directions gathered there, bringing accents and goods from every corner of the land. The place was bustling and lively, brimming with vigor.

It was utterly different from the solemn atmosphere of the military stronghold outside the pass.

They rested at Jialing Pass for one night, then continued north the next day. Before long, a primeval forest appeared ahead of their carriage, and Ning Rongrong introduced it to Tang Yin.

"This is Sunset Forest. The kinds and ages of the Soul Beasts inside can't compare to those in the Star Dou Great Forest, but it's still a hunting ground for many Soul Masters."

Tang Yin had been somewhat absent-minded, but at the words "Sunset Forest," his eyes flashed and his spirits lifted.

So this was the famous Sunset Forest!

It was a wonderful place. One could say that a great deal of the credit for Tang San and the others from Shrek ascending to godhood in the original story came from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well hidden beneath Dugu Bo's poisonous mist in Sunset Forest.

It was practically the greatest land of opportunity on Douluo Continent. Tang Yin just couldn't understand how it had ended up in the hands of one of the weakest Titled Douluo.

"There's a fluctuation of Soul Power. It's quite substantial. It seems some Soul Masters are hunting a Soul Beast." Chen Xin gazed into the depths of the forest, his tone calm. To a Titled Douluo like him, this sort of minor skirmish was inconsequential.

Still, Chen Xin went outside the carriage and sat beside the driver. The driver, who had always been treated like thin air, was overwhelmed by the honor.

After they traveled another hundred meters or so, they saw exactly what Chen Xin had described: a fierce battle unfolding in a clearing among the trees.

One side of the battle consisted of seven or eight Soul Masters in matching uniforms. Their chests bore emblems embroidered with motifs such as crowns, shields, and swords.

There were both men and women among them, and they all looked young. Most were between Soul Master and Soul Grandmaster in cultivation, while one had even reached Soul Elder. They worked together with considerable coordination, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner.

They were surrounding a giant rhinoceros covered from head to toe in dark golden scales. A single horn grew from its head, and its body was over three meters long.

"It's a Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino. Judging by its size and aura, it's at least fifteen hundred years old." Tang Yin and Ning Rongrong had also stepped out of the carriage.

As soon as Tang Yin left the carriage, he recognized the Soul Beast they were surrounding.

"Wow, Brother Lan Yin, how can you tell a Soul Beast's name and age at a glance?" Ning Rongrong's eyes shone. Lan Yin had said he came from a small village, but after all their conversations over the past few days, Ning Rongrong had come to admire his knowledge of Soul Beasts.

"I've just been lucky enough to read a few more books!" Tang Yin called it luck, but the slight upward curl of his lips showed how pleased he was. After all, who could resist a pretty girl's praise?

"Hmph!" Chen Xin snorted beside them. He couldn't stand the way that boy showed off, or the look Rongrong gave Tang Yin.

But to restore his standing in Rongrong's eyes, he held back. Still, he couldn't resist needling him. "So you know a lot about this Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino, do you?"

"I know a little." With his back to Chen Xin, Tang Yin had no idea what was on his mind, and instinctively began explaining the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino's traits.

"The Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino is a powerful Earth-attribute Soul Beast with both defensive and offensive capabilities. Its entire body is covered in dark golden scales, making it extremely difficult for a Soul Master of the same rank to break through its defenses. And the horn on its head isn't just for show; it's skilled in Spirit Skills like savage charges, and it has a volatile temperament."

"The higher its age, the darker its scales. A normal adult is already nearly two meters long. After that, its body grows ten centimeters for every hundred years. This one is close to three and a half meters, so I judge it to be around fifteen hundred years old."

"Then what's its weakness?" Ning Rongrong's eyes shone even brighter as she looked at Tang Yin.

"Its eyes and belly are its weak points. That's obvious enough: its eyes have no scales, and the scales on its belly offer the weakest defense. But..." Tang Yin paused slightly. "Few people know that the joint between the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino's horn and its frontal bone is another weak point. A precise strike there can leave it dazed for a short time."

"Of course, its heavy build and poor ability to deal with agile Soul Masters are traits shared by armored Soul Beasts, so there's no need to mention them!"

Tang Yin had rattled off a whole string of theories, making Chen Xin feel even worse. One casual remark from him had somehow let that boy show off in front of Rongrong again. Infuriating.

While Chen Xin silently stewed, Ning Rongrong noticed the others' uniforms and said:

"These people are from Heaven Dou Royal Academy. It looks like an academy-organized Soul Hunting Operation, but why are they all students? Where are their instructors?"

Ning Rongrong was puzzled. According to Ning Fengzhi's arrangements, she would most likely enroll in Heaven Dou Academy in the future and build connections while studying, so she knew a little about it.

Normally, when hunting a thousand-year Soul Beast, there would be at least one Soul Ancestor above level forty leading the team. But the strongest person here was only a Soul Elder, and even he was dressed like a student.

While Ning Rongrong was wondering about this, something went wrong with what had been an orderly encirclement.

The Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino seemed enraged by the humans before it. It threw back its head and let out a deafening roar as dark golden light surged around its body. Lowering its head, it charged at the weakest point in the Soul Masters' formation—the support-type Soul Master. Lightning coiled around the horn on its head, and its momentum was astonishing.

Under the leadership of the one high-year student who had reached Soul Elder, the students immediately changed formations. All kinds of Spirit Skills flew, attempting to slow and disrupt the beast.

But the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino's charge was terrifying. Just as the formation seemed about to break apart, the student Soul Elder leading the team turned pale. He clearly hadn't expected the beast to be so difficult to handle.

"Grandpa Sword, shouldn't we help them?" Ning Rongrong asked, reminding him of the others' uniforms.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy could practically be considered part of the Crown Prince's faction, and the Crown Prince was Ning Fengzhi's disciple. Seeing them in trouble, she instinctively wanted to lend a hand.

"Do I need to step in for a mere fifteen-hundred-year Soul Beast?" Chen Xin crossed his arms, looking imperious. But remembering that Ning Rongrong had asked, he quickly dropped the pose and patiently explained, "When another Soul Master team is hunting, outsiders shouldn't interfere lightly. It's an unwritten rule among Soul Masters. If you encounter a situation like this in the future, keep it in mind: unless they ask, absolutely don't step in. Otherwise, you might mean well but make things worse, and end up making enemies for no reason."

"Besides..." Chen Xin glanced toward the depths of the woods. "Besides, there's already a level fifty-one Soul King watching from the shadows."

As if to prove his point, just as the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino was about to hit the support Soul Master, a figure suddenly appeared, stepping between the Soul Master and the rampaging beast.

"First Spirit Skill, Canglang Blazing Flame."

At the sound of a young, resolute voice, a figure with both hands wreathed in crimson flames punched the Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino where its horn joined its frontal bone.

Moo—

The Golden-Armored Unicorn Rhino, which had been charging forward like a truck, suddenly stopped. It let out a cry of pain, slid some distance, then collapsed unconscious on the ground.

"Mentor Qin Ming, you're here!" The panicked students seemed to have found their anchor and hurried over to him.

"Teacher, I'm sorry. I was careless this time." A burly young man walked toward Qin Ming with his head lowered, looking unable to face his teacher.

If their teacher hadn't intervened, the support Soul Master in the team would have been seriously injured, or even had their life put at risk. As the team leader, he couldn't escape responsibility.

Qin Ming shook his head, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes. "Shi Mo, I reminded you again and again that this trip was to get a third Soul Ring for your younger brother, Shi Mo. I never thought you'd make this sort of mistake. You and your brother are both pure defensive Soul Masters, yet you let the enemy break through to the support Soul Master so easily."

"Mentor Qin Ming, it wasn't my brother's fault. He only lost formation because he was protecting me." Shi Mo saw his brother being reprimanded and hurriedly stepped forward.

"Enough. Shi Mo, you all protect your younger brother while he absorbs the Soul Ring." Qin Ming waved a hand, then turned his gaze toward Tang Yin and the others.