A New Day! Deeper Into the Forest!

The next day.

Before dawn had fully broken, the first cry of a soul beast came from the distant woods.

The sound was clear and lingering, like some bird-type soul beast announcing the arrival of a new day.

Soon after, more sounds joined in.

Hisses, roars, chirps, and low calls.

They rose and fell, weaving together into a morning symphony unique to Star Dou Forest.

Qing Mufeng opened his eyes just as the horizon began to pale.

He sat up and stretched his somewhat stiff neck.

Though animal-hide bedding had been spread over the rocky ground, sleeping on it was still far less comfortable than sleeping in his bed at home.

Still, he had slept well.

The previous night, he had fallen asleep while circulating the Azure Dragon Method. Soul Power flowed slowly through his meridians, and even in sleep, his cultivation had not stopped.

That was another benefit of the Azure Dragon Method: it could circulate automatically.

Although it was far slower than cultivating actively, it was enduring, and small gains accumulated over time.

Liu Yunlan was already awake.

The old woman crouched beside the stream by the campsite, splashed her face with the clear water, then took out a comb and pinned her silver hair back up.

Her movements were brisk and capable, nothing like those of someone in her seventies.

Qing Hongyuan and Shen Wanqing woke one after the other as well.

The couple went to the stream and washed up simply before returning to the campsite to pack away the animal-hide bedding they had spread out the night before and the remaining dry-ration wrappers.

Qing Zhengyue was the last to rise. Before getting up, the old man swept the area within a hundred zhang with his spiritual power. Only after confirming there was no danger did he stand and walk to the stream to wash his face.

Breakfast was simple.

Liu Yunlan took several scallion pancakes from her storage ring. They had been cooked at home before they left. Though cold, they still tasted quite good.

The old woman took out another jar of pickled vegetables and opened it, letting their salty fragrance drift through the air.

Shen Wanqing boiled a pot of water and poured each person a bowl.

The five sat around the campfire, eating pancakes, drinking hot water, and chewing pickled vegetables. No one spoke, but the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

Qing Mufeng ate two scallion pancakes and drank a bowl of hot water, feeling strength return to his body.

After watching him finish, Liu Yunlan stuffed another pancake into his hand.

"Eat more. We have a long way to go today," the old woman said.

Qing Mufeng did not refuse. He took the pancake and ate it slowly.

After finishing his last bite, Qing Zhengyue lifted his bowl, took a sip of water, then set it down and swept his gaze over everyone.

"Once you're full, pack up and get ready to leave."

A quarter of an hour later.

Five figures departed from the campsite and continued deeper into the forest.

Qing Zhengyue still walked at the front, his saber drawn three inches from its sheath as his sharp gaze scanned the woods ahead.

The deeper they went, the denser the trees became, the dimmer the light grew, and the stronger the scent of decay in the air became.

Qing Hongyuan followed close behind, his right hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his waist, his gaze steady.

His conversation with his father last night had made his goal even firmer—he wanted to fly, he wanted Dragon Transformation, and he wanted to become more like a dragon.

Liu Yunlan walked in the middle, holding her grandson's hand. The old woman's steps remained light.

Her gaze occasionally swept across the shrubs on either side, while her right hand remained clenched around the poisoned dagger.

Shen Wanqing walked behind her husband, the phantom image of her Jade Orchid martial soul appearing and fading above her head, ready at any moment to support the group.

The five moved at a measured pace, coordinating flawlessly without a single unnecessary motion.

From dawn until noon.

The five traveled through the forest for a full four hours.

The path grew increasingly difficult.

Vines and shrubs on the ground became denser and denser. At times, Qing Zhengyue had to personally slash a path open with his saber just to create a barely passable route.

The canopy overhead grew thicker and thicker, allowing almost no sunlight through. The forest was as dim as evening.

The wood-element energy in the air grew increasingly rich, to the point where every breath carried the fresh fragrance of vegetation.

The wind carried moist vapor and the scent of earth. Occasionally, they could even catch a faint bloody smell—the scent markings left behind by large soul beasts.

Qing Mufeng kept his Azure Dragon Pupil half-open, a faint golden radiance gleaming within his eyes.

He could clearly sense the flow of wood and wind elements in the surrounding environment.

That invisible energy surged through the air like streams. The farther forward they went, the denser it became.

"We're close." Qing Zhengyue suddenly stopped and looked ahead.

Everyone stopped as well and followed the old man's gaze.

The terrain ahead had changed.

The flat forestland gradually disappeared, replaced by an undulating valley.

Two low hills enclosed a sunken valley. Waist-high wild grass grew throughout it, with several enormous ancient trees rising from its center, their crowns spread like canopies.

Two massive boulders stood at the valley entrance like natural gateposts.

Looking inward from the entrance, they could see even denser vegetation and taller trees in the depths of the valley. A faint layer of pale green mist drifted through the air.

That was not mist.

It was wood and wind elemental energy so concentrated that it had nearly condensed into substance.

Qing Zhengyue crouched down, pinched up some soil with his fingers, and brought it to his nose.

The earth was damp and gave off a rich scent of vegetation, mixed with an unusual trace of odor.

It was the lingering aura of soul beasts.

"The scent of Wind Wood Dragons." The old man's eyes lit up. "And there's more than one."

Qing Hongyuan stepped forward, crouched beside his father, and smelled the soil as well.

"At least three different scents," he said. "Their ages and sizes are different."

Qing Zhengyue nodded, rose to his feet, and examined the surrounding terrain.

The terrain here was more treacherous than the valley from yesterday.

The two hills were like natural walls enclosing the valley, with only the entrance and the far depths serving as routes in or out.

Once they entered the valley, steep slopes would hem them in on both sides, dense woodland lay ahead, and the only retreat would be behind them.

"This terrain is easy to defend and hard to attack," Qing Zhengyue analyzed. "If the Wind Wood Dragons are inside, it would be best to lure them out and fight them here. Don't go in. The space inside is too narrow, which puts us at a disadvantage."

Qing Hongyuan nodded. "I'll go in and lure them out. Father, you lead the others and set an ambush outside."

Qing Zhengyue glanced at his son and nodded.

"Be careful." He said only two words.

The five did not rush into the valley. Instead, they found a concealed spot in the woods outside the entrance, hid themselves, and observed the situation within.

Qing Mufeng lay behind a boulder, his Azure Dragon Pupil fully open. The golden light in his eyes was even richer than usual.

His gaze passed through the green mist at the valley entrance and extended into its depths.

The valley was far larger inside than he had imagined.

From the outside, it looked like nothing more than an inconspicuous valley.

But once inside, it became clear that the space was extremely broad.

The valley stretched roughly three hundred zhang long and a hundred zhang across at its widest point. Tall trees covered the surrounding slopes, their layered canopies sealing off the sky above the valley completely.