Depart for Star Dou, Shrek Seven Devils

The next day, it wasn't until sunlight spilled across the window that Ye Guchen and Ma Xiaotao awoke from their bed.

She looked at the messy room and then at Ye Guchen, who was watching her with a look of utter satisfaction on his face.

Memories of last night came rushing back, and Ma Xiaotao couldn't help but move closer to Ye Guchen, her eyes filled with contentment.

Last night, although she had been the one to tease first, wanting to try the most primal way to vent her fire, after a few rounds, the evil fire had been completely purged. They had already rested, yet somehow, she had been pulled back in to vent a few more times.

Just as Ma Xiaotao was preparing to engage in some morning exercise, Ling Luochen's voice came from outside the door.

"Xiaotao, Guchen, what's going on? It's time to set off!"

Hearing this and looking at the chaotic room, Ma Xiaotao didn't even care if she was dressed; she sprang up and hurriedly began tidying the room.

Ye Guchen, on the other hand, watched with great interest.

At that moment, a shoe flew through the air and slammed directly into Ye Guchen.

"What are you looking at? If Ling Luochen sees this, we're finished! Hurry up and help."

Her voice was hurried, yet kept very low.

"Understood."

Only then did Ye Guchen slowly rise to his feet.

After a frantic, high-intensity cleanup, Ye Guchen and Ma Xiaotao finally appeared before Ling Luochen.

With a calm expression, they asked, "Are we setting off already?"

Ling Luochen looked at the two of them with a face full of suspicion.

"Why are you so slow? You two never had the habit of sleeping in before."

Facing her good sister's questioning, Ma Xiaotao felt a bit nervous and had no choice but to change the subject.

"We overslept. Let's go quickly! Otherwise, we'll get scolded."

With that, she grabbed Ye Guchen and hurried away.

Ling Luochen felt it was all very strange. She glanced into the room, sensing an indescribable, odd aura lingering there.

Not thinking too much about it, she followed the two of them toward the assembly point.

Still, why was Xiaotao's gait a little strange?

Soon, they arrived at the assembly point. This training mission was to be led by Yan Shaozhe.

This couldn't help but make Ye Guchen breathe a sigh of relief.

As long as it isn't a Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult!

Having transmigrated here, Ye Guchen had already experienced just how unreliable Xuan Zi could be.

"Since everyone remembers the mission for this training, let's move out! Remember, I will not appear unless there is a life-threatening danger!"

The group responded in unison.

"Yes!"

Immediately, the eight of them marched toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

Yan Shaozhe followed closely behind the team, guarding against any sudden crises.

However, as his gaze swept over Ma Xiaotao, he noticed something amiss.

For a man who had been a legendary lover in his youth—passing through thousands of flowers without a single leaf touching his body—such a subtle transformation could not escape his discerning eyes.

He couldn't help but reveal a knowing, auntie-like smile.

They've grown up!

The eight maintained a loose yet orderly formation.

Dai Yueheng and Xi Xi were in the lead, responsible for clearing the path for the team. Ling Luochen covered the right flank, Chen Zifeng the left, while Ma Xiaotao and Ye Guchen brought up the rear, responsible for controlling the overall situation and providing support at any moment. They kept the support-type soul master Gongyang Mo protected in the center of the formation, with Yao Haoxuan accompanying Gongyang Mo to handle any emergencies.

Since they were still on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, although the team had a formation, they hadn't fully raised their guard, and the overall atmosphere remained relaxed.

Ling Luochen quietly inserted herself between the two, occasionally glancing at Ma Xiaotao's walking posture.

"What are you looking at?"

Ma Xiaotao felt unnerved by the staring and glared at Ling Luochen.

"Nothing."

Ling Luochen retracted her gaze with an expressionless face, paused, and then added, "I just think the way you're walking today... looks like you've been riding a horse for three days and three nights."

Ma Xiaotao stumbled over her own feet.

Ye Guchen reached out to steady her, his expression remaining as usual:

"Sister Luochen, your observation skills are truly sharp. Sister Xiaotao did indeed invent a new body-tempering technique yesterday, but she isn't proficient with it yet, which is why she injured her foot."

"Is that so~?" Ling Luochen deliberately drew out her voice, looking at the two of them with a playful expression. "If there really is such a good method, doesn't Xiaotao plan to bring it out and let everyone learn it?"

Ma Xiaotao glared at Ye Guchen, then looked at Ling Luochen, reverting to her usual fiery temper.

"Enough with the nonsense! Get back to your position!"

Yet, Ling Luochen acted as if she hadn't heard, slowly walking to Ma Xiaotao's side and lowering her voice.

"Could it be...? You're not being loyal, Xiaotao. To think you'd keep it all to yourself."

Hearing this, Ma Xiaotao's face turned instantly red, and she slapped Ling Luochen on the hip.

"What are you saying! Be careful or I won't be polite to you."

After saying this, she even shook her fist at Ling Luochen to show her strength.

But the more Ma Xiaotao tried to evade, the more Ling Luochen felt that something had definitely happened between the two.

Once a person's gossiping heart is stirred, they become restless, and Ling Luochen was no exception.

She was determined to get to the bottom of it.

At this moment, Ye Guchen could no longer hold back; if he let her keep asking, they would be exposed sooner or later. He summoned the Fire Luan Bird, which crouched down before Ye Guchen and Ma Xiaotao.

"Sister Xiaotao, are you tired? Let's get on and sit for a while!"

Seeing that Ye Guchen was sensible, and also truly afraid of Ling Luochen, Ma Xiaotao jumped onto the back of the Fire Luan Bird without hesitation.

"Hey...? You two..."

Seeing the two leave as if fleeing, Ling Luochen could only point in the direction they left, gritting her teeth and stomping her foot.

Yao Haoxuan saw Ling Luochen returning to the team alone and looking dejected, so he quietly approached her.

"Sister Luochen, what happened?"

"Get lost!"

"Alrighty then."

"What's wrong?"

Gongyang Mo was also full of confusion; how did she come back with such a long face after just going over there?

"I don't know, maybe it's because Guchen took Xiaotao for a ride on the bird and didn't take her!"

"I see."

"Stay alert, we have reached the ten-thousand-year spirit beast zone!"

As Dai Yueheng's voice, infused with spirit power, rang out, the group entered the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"It's time for me to make my entrance!"

Immediately, Ye Guchen spread out his mental power and activated his first spirit skill, Mental Detection and Sharing.

As his words fell, all the information in the surroundings appeared in perfect detail, flooding into the minds of the Shrek Seven Devils.

"This is!?" The seven of them gasped in unison, all looking toward the source of this mental power.

"Ye Guchen?"

Dai Yueheng, usually calm, looked at Ye Guchen with an expression of utter disbelief.

Seeing the shocked expressions of the group, although he felt a bit smug inside, Ye Guchen kept his expression as usual.

"Everyone, no need to panic; this is my new ability."

However, he couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth. Of course, this detail was simultaneously transmitted into everyone's mental sea via the mental network, and with everyone's attention focused on him, this subtle expression was infinitely magnified.

The first to lose her composure was Ma Xiaotao, who was right beside him.

She slammed a palm heavily onto his back.

"Wipe that smirk off your face!"

Ye Guchen winced in pain, rubbing the spot where he had been hit, and looked at Ma Xiaotao with a face full of resentment.

"What's wrong, Sister Xiaotao?"

This scene was synchronously transmitted into everyone's mental sea, causing them all to burst into laughter.

The only exception was Ling Luochen; for some reason, seeing the two of them bickering so intimately made her feel a sourness in the bottom of her heart.