The promised trial turned into a honeymoon?

Early the next morning, Qin Yao pulled Qian Renxue deeper into the mixed zone.

Yesterday's battle with that 48,000-year-old Green-Eyed Golden Eagle had helped him gauge his limits: he could withstand two or three direct hits from a 50,000-year-level soul beast, but his stamina drained too quickly, meaning he needed to fight smarter.

His goal for today was clear: find something over 50,000 years old.

Qian Renxue had no objections. Having just broken through to Soul Emperor, she had yet to use her sixth soul skill, Angel's Roar, in actual combat and needed a worthy opponent to test it.

As the pair walked about three miles east along a dried-up creek bed, Qin Yao suddenly stopped and raised a hand to signal Qian Renxue to stay put.

In a patch of flattened forest ahead, a massive, deep-green giant python was coiled atop a pile of rubble; its body was as thick as a water vat, and its scales reflected a dull, metallic luster in the morning light.

The snake's head was triangular, with a diamond-shaped, dark red pattern on its forehead.

"Green-Patterned Python King," Qian Renxue whispered. "At least 53,000 years old."

Qin Yao nodded.

A soul beast of this age was roughly equivalent to a Soul Saint in strength, though its defense was far superior, making it the perfect whetstone for him.

"You go first, or should I?" Qin Yao asked.

"You go first," Qian Renxue said, stepping back two paces. "I'll watch from the sidelines and take over if you can't hold it."

Qin Yao nodded, instantly activating his first soul skill, Amethyst Lion King Body.

He took the initiative, crushing a stone beneath his feet; the cracking sound startled the Green-Patterned Python King.

The giant python raised its head, its vertical pupils locking onto Qin Yao as it hissed, spraying a foul, fishy mist from its maw.

Without a word, Qin Yao activated his third soul skill, Lion King's Might, maxing out all his attributes.

The Green-Patterned Python King's fighting style was completely different from the eagle's.

It didn't rely on speed, but rather on constriction and toxic mist.

When its tail swept across, the surrounding trees snapped like wheat stalks.

Qin Yao dodged the tail sweep, closed the distance, and unleashed a Lion's Fang at point-blank range.

The purple flame-wreathed lion head slammed into the python's midsection, blasting away a patch of scales and exposing charred, curled flesh, though the wound wasn't deep.

The defense of a 50,000-year soul beast was far stronger than that of a soul master.

Stung by the pain, the Green-Patterned Python King's body contracted violently. Its head locked onto Qin Yao, and it lunged to bite.

Qin Yao channeled his Amethyst Body Protection, crossing his arms to block.

The fangs struck the Amethyst Armor with a dull thud, sliding him back seven or eight meters.

Two clear fang marks appeared on the armor, but it hadn't been breached.

"Alright, this Green-Patterned Python King is truly strong," Qin Yao said, shaking his numb arms and steadying his breathing.

He changed tactics, opting not to trade blows head-on. Instead, he opened up the distance, using Lion's Fang for ranged attrition while observing the snake's weak points.

After about ten minutes of fighting, Qin Yao found the pattern: whenever the Green-Patterned Python King initiated a constriction, the scales three feet below its neck would briefly open—that was its weak point.

Seizing the opportunity, he charged his Amethyst World-Destroying Claw to the limit and tore through that vulnerable area.

The Green-Patterned Python King thrashed wildly, its maw opening wide to spray a cloud of deep-green toxic mist.

Qin Yao retreated quickly, and Qian Renxue made her move.

Her fifth soul skill, Holy Sword, descended from the sky, golden holy light cleaving through the toxic mist and striking the python's head.

It didn't kill the beast in one blow, but the Python King was clearly severely wounded and began to flee into the depths of the dense forest.

Neither Qian Renxue nor Qin Yao used their full strength, nor did they pursue.

After all, they had agreed this was for training, not hunting; otherwise, letting a soul ring go to waste would be a pity.

Qin Yao sat down, panting. He had consumed nearly seventy percent of his soul power in this fight, and his Amethyst Body Protection armor was mostly shattered, yet he hadn't sustained any injuries.

Having undergone Ice and Fire Body Tempering, Qin Yao was immune to all poisons; the Green-Patterned Python King's toxins posed no threat to him at all.

Qian Renxue walked over and crouched to check his injuries. After a thorough examination, she was even more shocked to find that Qin Yao wasn't hurt at all—he had only exhausted some soul power.

"Xiao Yao, are your physique and protective soul skill too monstrous? You didn't even get hurt after taking several hits from the Green-Patterned Python King?"

Qin Yao smiled. "Xue'er, I have a mutated beast martial soul. My skin is thick and my defense is very high."

Watching Qin Yao's casual demeanor, Qian Renxue grew curious about his true combat power. He hadn't even used his domain or his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone skill yet.

If he fought with everything he had, what kind of strength would he display?

Over the next three days, the two fought two to three battles almost every day.

Their opponents ranged from 50,000 to 60,000 years old. One 69,000-year-old Iron-Armored Rhinoceros had nearly slammed Qin Yao into a cliff face.

That time, it was Qian Renxue who forced the rhino back with Angel's Roar, allowing Qin Yao to crawl out from the pile of rubble, covered head-to-toe in mud.

Qian Renxue stood by, watching his disheveled state. She didn't say a word, but her eyes were clearly filled with amusement.

Qin Yao brushed the stone debris off his body. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing."

"You are clearly smiling."

"I am not." Qian Renxue turned away, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Qin Yao couldn't be bothered to argue with her, so he sat down on the ground and began to circulate his energy to recover.

But in his heart, he was actually quite happy.

Qian Renxue usually presented a side that was calm, decisive, and deeply calculating.

Having started her undercover mission in the Heaven Dou Empire at the age of nine, maneuvering among a group of old foxes in the imperial palace, anyone would become sensitive and suspicious after staying in such an environment for so long.

Yet, over these past few days in the Star Dou Great Forest, she had clearly relaxed a great deal.

She would lift her chin slightly because she had defeated a 60,000-year soul beast, she would walk over to press on his wounds and ask if it hurt when he was injured, and she would occasionally tease him a few times.

This was what a young woman in her early twenties should look like.

Qin Yao had lived for over twenty years in his past life; in terms of experience and mental age, he was actually about the same as Qian Renxue.

He knew very well that the reason Qian Renxue was willing to lower her guard in front of him was because he had done something no one else had ever done...

Qin Yao had seen through what she truly wanted in her heart, and instead of using that to control her, he had chosen to stand by her side.

Once this kind of trust was established, it was stronger than any bond of interest.

On the evening of the third day, after the two of them finished off a 68,000-year Storm Hawk, Qian Renxue's soul power was severely depleted, and she sat by the stream to circulate her energy and recover.

Qin Yao stood guard nearby, taking the opportunity to process a wild rabbit they had hunted today.

He found two thick branches to build a simple grill, used his Purple Fire to precisely control the temperature, and placed the cleaned rabbit meat on it to roast slowly.

In his past life, he had lived alone for several years; his cooking skills weren't exactly top-tier, but he could at least roast meat until it was cooked and fragrant.

After transmigrating to this world, controlling the temperature of the Purple Fire was much more convenient than a stove; he could have high heat or low heat as he pleased, precise to every inch.

The skin of the rabbit meat slowly turned golden yellow, the fat dripped onto the flames with a sizzling sound, and the aroma of the meat drifted away with the wind.

Qian Renxue was circulating her energy when her nose twitched.

She opened one eye and saw Qin Yao squatting by the fire, seriously sprinkling some kind of powder onto the rabbit meat.

"What are you doing?"

"Roasting a rabbit." Qin Yao didn't even look up. "Hungry? Wait a little longer."

Qian Renxue opened both eyes. She was indeed hungry. These past few days in the forest, they had only been eating dry rations—hard, tasteless biscuits with water that filled the stomach but lacked any flavor.

"You know how to roast meat?"

"A little."

Qian Renxue ended her cultivation and walked over to sit by the fire.

She stared at the rabbit meat on the grill for a long while; the skin was already roasted to a crispy, glistening golden brown, and the powder sprinkled on top was salt and some unknown spices Qin Yao had dug out of his Ruyi Treasure Pouch.

"Where did you get the seasonings?"

"I had Dugu Yan prepare them before we set off." Qin Yao flipped the meat. "If you don't eat something decent after staying in the wild for a few days, how can you keep going?"

Qian Renxue said nothing and waited quietly.

A few minutes later, Qin Yao took the roasted rabbit off the grill, placed it on a large leaf, and handed it to Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue took it, hesitated for a moment, then tore off a small piece and put it in her mouth.

Then, she couldn't stop.

It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, perfectly salted, with juices bursting between her teeth. It was completely different from the exquisite dishes she ate at the Crown Prince's Residence; this rugged roasted meat carried a unique, wild freshness.

Seeing her eat quickly, Qin Yao roasted another one.

After finishing half the rabbit, Qian Renxue finally stopped, her fingers stained with oil. "Did you often roast things in the past?"

"Occasionally." Qin Yao gnawed on his own portion of rabbit leg. "I'll roast fish for you next time; there are plenty in the stream."

Qian Renxue nodded.

She didn't say anything, but the next morning, she took the initiative to catch three fish from the stream and placed them in front of Qin Yao.

Qin Yao looked at the fish jumping around on the ground, then at Qian Renxue's indifferent expression, and couldn't help but laugh.

This was the young lady of Martial Soul Hall herself going into the river to catch fish.

All just to have him roast them for her.

Qin Yao said nothing, dutifully processed the fish, wrapped them in mud, and placed them into the fire to bake.

At the top of a tree, Qin Xiong watched this scene, his expression quite colorful.

He had followed Qin Yao the entire way; this kid turned into a chef every day after fighting soul beasts, finding all sorts of ways to make food for Qian Renxue. Roasted rabbit, baked fish, mushroom soup, and he even made a sweet soup using stream water and wild fruits.

Qian Renxue ate everything clean every single time.

The two were looking more and more like a married couple.