On the evening of the fifth day.
"Damn, this is seriously weird."
Lin Qing leaned against an ancient tree to rest, unable to stop himself from complaining.
"Why was it so hard to find a soul beast over a thousand years old, with a decent temperament and an ordinary bloodline?"
It felt like when there was someone you did not want to see, and they kept showing up in front of you every day.
But when you actually wanted to find them, ha, there was not even a shadow of them to be found!
Damn life—no, damn Star Dou Great Forest. It really needed some "discipline"!
Lin Qing grumbled silently to himself.
He considered whether he should venture a little deeper, toward the edge of the mixed zone, to try his luck.
But the risks there were greater.
With Er Ni by his side, he had to think it over more carefully.
"Ah Qing, it's getting dark."
"Mm. Let's call it a day."
Left with no choice, Lin Qing selected a relatively open clearing in the forest as their temporary camp.
A campfire was quickly lit.
Dry branches crackled in the flames, driving away the dampness of the woods and the unease brought by the darkness.
The two of them set up a simple little tent.
Though crude, it could at least keep off the dew.
Lin Qing also carefully scattered several rings of specially made insect-repelling powder and beast-repelling powder around the camp.
The powders gave off scents that soul beasts hated and could effectively scare off most low-level soul beasts.
That was not all.
He quietly set up several trigger-type Soul Tools he had made himself in hidden locations.
Some were Rank Two, while others were Rank Three, each with different functions.
Some could emit sharp explosions and intense flashes of light, serving as both deterrents and alarms against approaching intruders.
Others could instantly launch metal nets with a paralyzing effect.
Still others could simulate the oppressive aura of a soul beast when triggered.
These arrangements were enough to make most ill-intentioned "visitors" retreat in the face of difficulty.
They could also buy them precious time to react when true danger arrived.
"Er Ni, go sleep in the tent first. Get some proper rest."
Lin Qing poked at the campfire, making the flames burn brighter.
Then he said to Er Ni, who sat beside him, "As usual, I'll keep watch tonight."
Er Ni opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something.
Perhaps, "I can keep you company," or, "You should get some rest too."
But when she saw the unquestionable look in Lin Qing's eyes, she swallowed her words.
After all, she had only recently entered the world of soul masters. Meditation cultivation could not yet completely replace sleep for her.
After traveling and searching for several days in a state of constant tension, she was indeed noticeably exhausted.
"Okay, then... Ah Qing, be careful."
"Go sleep."
Er Ni obediently crawled into the little tent.
Before long, even and gentle breathing drifted out. She was clearly exhausted and fell asleep quickly.
Lin Qing sat cross-legged beside the campfire, but he did not immediately enter deep meditation.
He merely closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing, keeping both his body and mind in a relaxed yet alert state.
His immense Spiritual Power spread silently outward from him like invisible mercury, covering an area nearly a hundred meters around the camp.
No rustle of wind or grass, nor any abnormal fluctuation of Soul Power, could escape his perception.
Time slowly flowed through the quiet yet danger-filled forest night.
The campfire flickered, casting shifting shadows across Lin Qing's face.
From afar came the occasional rustling of nocturnal soul beasts, or a brief cry from some unknown bird.
It only made this campsite seem all the more peaceful.
The moon rose high overhead.
At the darkest hour of the night—
"Buzz!"
An exceedingly familiar, utterly unmistakable faint tremor suddenly appeared within Lin Qing's perception.
And it was... right beside him!
"!!!"
Lin Qing abruptly opened his eyes and instantly entered a combat state, Soul Power surging through his meridians.
Yet when he clearly saw the scene before him, he froze completely.
His tense body relaxed as well.
In its place came a look of utter astonishment.
At the edge of the campfire's flickering light, less than a meter from his toes—
A pitch-black, ancient-looking Ash Urn sat quietly there.
Firelight flowed across its smooth surface, reflecting a faint, ghostly gleam.
In this wilderness deep within the forest, it looked especially abrupt, even somewhat... horrifying.
[ Ding! You have received the relics of "Lin Qing of the White Tiger Duke Mansion"! ] [ Would you like to listen to the final words immediately? ]
The system prompt sounded in his mind as punctually as ever.
"???"
Lin Qing stared at the Ash Urn, remaining stunned for a full three or four seconds before slowly blinking, confirming that he was not hallucinating.
He looked at the Ash Urn.
Then he looked up at the pitch-black forest around him, where tree shadows loomed all around.
"This thing... can actually reorganize itself out in the wild?"
He muttered softly, greatly surprised.
He had always subconsciously assumed that the system's delivery service for "his own inheritance from Parallel Worlds" was fixed-location delivery, limited to "residential addresses."
After all, the previous ones had all appeared at the place he lived—his "home."
He had not expected it to be able to make such a precise airdrop even here in the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Looks like this system's 'delivery' rules are even more casual than I imagined. Or rather, it can reach anywhere."
Lin Qing rubbed his chin, quickly analyzing the situation in his mind.
Still, this was an unexpected delight, and definitely a good thing.
It meant that no matter where he was in the future, he might be able to receive relics without having to return to a fixed residence.
"Perfect. I'm getting annoyed from searching for a suitable soul beast anyway, and I've got nothing better to do."
He glanced at the quiet tent. Er Ni was sleeping soundly.
"Let's see what story, or what good stuff, this brother from the 'White Tiger Duke Mansion' has brought me."
He adjusted his sitting position, making himself more comfortable.
Lin Qing silently recited in his mind:
"Listen to the final words."
[ Ding! Playing final words! ]
A familiar light screen unfolded before him, dispelling some of the darkness beyond the campfire's reach.
[ My name is Lin Qing. ]
The narrator's voice rang out, calm and carrying a coolly rational quality, quite different from the previous versions of "himself."
[ I was reborn and transmigrated to the Douluo Continent. ]
On the light screen.
A baby who appeared to have been born not long ago lay in a room that was reasonably furnished, though far from luxurious and even somewhat plain.
The room's decorations and furnishings revealed the foundations of a noble estate.
[ When I was six, I awakened my martial soul—the "Heavenly Eye"—with Rank Eight Innate Soul Power. ]
The scene shifted to the martial soul awakening ceremony.
When the crystal ball used to test Soul Power erupted with dazzling light in the hands of that frail but precociously sharp-eyed boy—
The collateral members of the clan around him first fell silent, then erupted into immense surprise and clamor.
"Genius! He's a child from our branch, with Rank Eight Innate Soul Power!"
"Wonderful! Our branch has finally produced a promising talent!"
"Quick! Report this to the main family! A genius like this must be sent to the main family for focused training. He'll definitely become a powerful soul master and bring glory to our branch!"
The young Lin Qing in the scene stood quietly in the middle of the crowd.
There was no particular expression on his face.
He calmly watched the excited adults around him.
But upon closer inspection, one could see a trace of bewilderment deep in his eyes.
The narrator's voice sounded at just the right moment, explaining his thoughts.
[ Because I was from a collateral branch of the Duke Mansion, I was not discriminated against or treated coldly because my martial soul was not the "Evil Eye White Tiger." ] [ On the contrary, Rank Eight Innate Soul Power represented genius anywhere. It was enough for me to receive attention and a greater share of resources within the family. ] [ But what truly shook me was that the place I was in was actually the White Tiger Duke Mansion. ] [ This was the hometown of that future cheat Huo Yuhao from the era of Peerless Tang Sect!!! ]
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