Re-entering the Star Dou

Once they entered the forest, the team moved in their established formation.

Qing Hongyuan led the way, clearing the path.

His Azure Snake Dragon Wing was half-spread, the azure feathers flickering in and out of sight through the gaps in the canopy, illuminating the path ahead.

The soul power of a level 56 Soul King surged within him, ready to erupt at a moment's notice.

With his long blade, he hacked through the vines and shrubs blocking their way, his footsteps steady and swift.

Shen Wanqing followed behind her husband.

Her martial soul, the Jade Orchid, was already released; a translucent, emerald-green orchid hovered above her head, emitting a faint green glow.

The glow transformed into tiny motes of light that settled upon Qing Hongyuan in front, as well as Liu Yunlan and Qing Mufeng behind her.

The Jade Orchid's support effects—increased soul power recovery, reduced physical exertion, and heightened reaction speed.

Three-fold support, released simultaneously. Her soul power was depleting rapidly, yet her pace remained steady.

Liu Yunlan held her grandson's hand as they walked in the middle of the formation.

The old woman gripped a poison-tipped dagger in her right hand, her gaze sweeping across the thickets on both sides.

Her sixth soul ring had yet to be acquired, but the soul power of a level 60 quasi-Soul Emperor was already coiled and ready within her.

If any blind soul beast dared to approach, she wouldn't mind getting some practice in.

Qing Mufeng walked beside his grandmother, his Azure Dragon Pupil active the entire time.

His golden slit pupils were particularly striking in the dim forest, with azure wind patterns swirling deep within them.

His Wind Perception enveloped a radius of a hundred zhang; any creature entering this range would disturb the airflow, allowing him to detect it instantly.

Qing Zhengyue brought up the rear.

His spiritual power radiated outward, forming a dual layer of coverage with his grandson's Wind Perception—one relying on soul power, the other on bloodline; one internal, one external, perfectly complementing each other.

The pressure of a level 70 quasi-Saint was released subtly, enough to make most low-level soul beasts shy away without attracting the attention of high-level ones.

The five of them were moving much faster than last time. It wasn't because the road was easier, but because everyone had grown stronger.

Qing Zhengyue had advanced from level 69 to 70 and gained an external soul bone.

Liu Yunlan had gone from level 59 to 60, crossing a major threshold.

Qing Hongyuan had climbed from level 50 to 56 and gained a pair of wings.

Shen Wanqing had risen from level 46 to 48, and the casting speed of her support soul skills had nearly doubled.

Qing Mufeng had gone from level 30 to 34, gaining his third soul ring and third divine ability.

The same team, but with vastly different strength.

Qing Zhengyue walked at the back, watching his family ahead, an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

A few months ago, this team had been cautious even when facing a 5,900-year-old Wind Wood Dragon; now, their target was a 40,000-year-old Wind Wood Dragon, or perhaps even a 100,000-year-old Ancient Life Tree.

The speed of change felt unreal even to him.

But the path beneath his feet was real, the scent of vegetation filling the air was real, and the distant roars of soul beasts were real.

Everything was real.

They walked from dawn to noon, and from noon to dusk.

The five of them trekked through the forest for an entire day, arriving at the outskirts of the Hurricane Wood Mountain Range just as the sky began to darken.

Qing Zhengyue found a suitable spot to camp—a natural stone cave facing south, shielded by rock walls on three sides, leaving only one side to guard. Liu Yunlan scattered a circle of Beast Repellent Powder at the entrance, while Qing Hongyuan and Shen Wanqing laid out animal-skin mats inside.

Qing Mufeng stood at the cave entrance, his Azure Dragon Pupil gazing toward the Hurricane Wood Mountain Range ahead.

In the twilight, the mountain range looked like a sleeping giant beast lying across the horizon. The terrain was rugged, the vegetation dense, and the air was thick with the rich scent of plants—more intense and potent than when they had last visited. This was the scent of the deeper regions, the territory of higher-year soul beasts.

Qing Mufeng took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze, and turned to walk into the stone cave.

The night passed in silence.

The campfire burned at the entrance all night long, and Liu Yunlan got up twice to add wood. Qing Zhengyue's spiritual power remained covering a radius of a hundred zhang, and no soul beasts approached.

The next morning, the five figures set out from the camp to venture deeper.

Qing Zhengyue walked at the very front, his pace unceasing.

A 40,000-year-old Wind Wood Dragon wouldn't come to them; they had to go find it.

Deep within the Hurricane Wood Mountain Range, in the habitat of the Wind Wood Dragons, they had only reached the edge last time and hadn't ventured further. Because their target last time was a 5,900-year-old Wind Wood Dragon, they didn't need to go that deep. But this time was different—a 40,000-year-old Wind Wood Dragon would certainly be in the deepest part.

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

Fallen leaves had piled up on the ground for who knew how many years; stepping on them felt soft, like walking on thick cotton batting. Moss covered the tree trunks, and thick vines hung down from the canopy like azure snakes, swaying gently in the wind.

Qing Mufeng kept his Wind Perception at its maximum range, his Azure Dragon Pupil also fully active. His golden slit pupils flickered in the gloom, capturing every movement in the surroundings.

Then, he sensed something was wrong.

Three hundred zhang ahead, his Wind Perception caught a violent disturbance in the airflow—it wasn't the wind; it was some kind of large creature moving. It was massive, its movements swift, and it was heading straight toward them.

"Grandfather," Qing Mufeng said in a low voice, "something is approaching from three hundred zhang ahead, and it's moving very fast."

Qing Zhengyue raised his right hand, and the team came to a halt.

The old man closed his eyes, extending his spiritual power forward. The range of a level 70 quasi-saint's spiritual power far exceeded Qing Mufeng's Wind Perception, yet the information he gathered was the same as his grandson's—a massive creature was approaching rapidly at high speed, and its mood seemed quite intense.

It had not discovered them; it was simply running.

It looked as if it were chasing something, or perhaps being chased by something.

Qing Zhengyue opened his eyes and made a prompt decision: "Scatter and hide."

Five figures dispersed rapidly, each finding cover—Qing Zhengyue hid behind a large tree, Liu Yunlan crouched behind a boulder, Qing Hongyuan leaped into the canopy, Shen Wanqing ducked into a thicket, and Qing Mufeng ascended silently, hovering beneath the canopy layer with his Azure Dragon Pupil locked onto the direction of the air disturbance.

A moment later, the thing appeared.

It was a Wind Wood Dragon.

Its size was a circle smaller than the 30,000-year Wind Wood Dragon they had hunted last time, but its aura was sharper and its movements more ferocious. It sprinted wildly through the forest, its four claws digging into the earth, sending up sprays of mud and fallen leaves with every stride. Its breathing was ragged, its golden vertical pupils filled with terror, and its scales were marred by multiple wounds; fresh blood trickled from the gashes, and several of the spines on its back were broken.

It was fleeing for its life.

Qing Zhengyue's pupils constricted sharply.

A Wind Wood Dragon over 30,000 years old was practically at the top of the food chain in the outer reaches of the Star Dou Forest. What could possibly make it this afraid?

The answer appeared soon enough.

A sharp, piercing screech erupted from the direction the Wind Wood Dragon had come, penetrating the dense forest and causing leaves to shower down in a rustle. The sound was not that of a Wind Wood Dragon, nor was it the cry of any soul beast Qing Zhengyue had ever heard.

It was sharp, grating, and carried an indescribable sense of oppression.

High in the air, Qing Mufeng looked toward the source of the sound. His Azure Dragon Pupil pierced through layers of canopy, catching sight of the owner of that voice—a blurred, massive, pitch-black shadow, sweeping across the treetops at an astonishing speed, pursuing the Wind Wood Dragon.

The shadow was several times larger than the Wind Wood Dragon, with a wingspan exceeding ten zhang; every beat of its wings whipped up a gale, forcing the treetops to sway violently.

Qing Mufeng could not see the creature's full form clearly, but he could feel it—the aura radiating from that direction caused the Azure Dragon Martial Soul within his body to tremble slightly.

It was not fear.

It was the will to fight.