In the blink of an eye, Yu Hong had spent seven days in Greenwood Forest.
Over those seven days, he had fought dozens of battles, large and small, and added no shortage of wounds to his body.
But his gains had been just as great.
His combat experience, reaction speed, and control over Soul Power had all improved noticeably.
That evening, Yu Hong found a hollow in a tree and prepared to spend the night there.
He took a Soul Beast he had hunted earlier from his storage pouch and began preparing it.
It was a hundred-year-old Fire-Tailed Pheasant, with tender meat and a good flavor.
Yu Hong skillfully cleaned the pheasant, then set it over the fire to roast.
Before long, the tempting aroma of meat drifted through the air.
"This smell should bring some uninvited guests, shouldn't it?" Yu Hong glanced at the darkness beyond the cave entrance, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
Lighting a fire and roasting meat in the forest was dangerous.
Both the firelight and the smell of meat would attract Soul Beasts, and one careless mistake could land you in danger.
But Yu Hong wasn't worried.
Over the past few days, he had gotten a clear sense of the area. There weren't any particularly powerful Soul Beasts nearby.
Even if one was drawn over, he was strong enough to handle it now.
Fat from the Fire-Tailed Pheasant dripped into the fire with a sizzling sound, and the aroma of the meat grew richer.
Yu Hong took some seasonings from his storage pouch and sprinkled them evenly over the roast.
He had prepared the seasonings especially before setting out. Conditions in the forest were primitive, but that didn't mean he had to forgo life's little pleasures.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the cave entrance.
Yu Hong narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn't move.
The footsteps weren't made by a Soul Beast. They belonged to humans.
And judging by the sound, there were two of them.
"Father, do you smell that? It smells amazing!" a boy said, his voice brimming with excitement.
"I do," another voice replied, low and deep. "Looks like someone up ahead is roasting meat."
"Let's go take a look! I'm starving!"
"Don't rush. Let's see who it is first."
The footsteps drew closer, and soon two figures appeared at the cave entrance.
Yu Hong looked up.
The one in front was a boy about his age, around eleven or twelve. He had delicate features and a pair of darting eyes that gave him a clever look.
A middle-aged man followed behind him, seemingly in his forties. He was tall, with a stern face, and exuded a gloomy air.
The man's gaze was sharp. With a single glance, he saw through Yu Hong's strength.
"An eleventh-level Soul Master?" The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes.
"Hey, little brother, mind if we sit with you?" the boy asked first, wearing an ingratiating smile. "My father and I have been walking through the forest all day. We're exhausted and starving. We can't go another step."
Yu Hong glanced at him, then at the middle-aged man behind him.
He couldn't see through the man's strength, but his instincts told him this person was powerful. Very powerful.
Still, the man didn't seem hostile.
"Go ahead." Yu Hong nodded to show they could sit down.
"Great! Thanks, little brother!" the boy cheered, plopping down beside the fire and staring fixedly at the Fire-Tailed Pheasant on the grill.
The middle-aged man came over as well and sat down opposite Yu Hong.
His gaze swept over Yu Hong, as if sizing him up.
"Little brother, are you alone in this forest?" the middle-aged man asked.
"Mm. I'm here to gain experience," Yu Hong replied briefly.
"To gain experience?" The middle-aged man looked surprised. "Your family is fine with you coming out here alone?"
"I'm used to it." Yu Hong shrugged.
The middle-aged man didn't ask any more questions, but the surprise in his eyes deepened.
This boy was no ordinary person.
"By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet." The boy slapped his forehead. "I'm Dugu Xin, and this is my father, Dugu Bo. What's your name, little brother?"
Dugu Xin? Dugu Bo?
Yu Hong narrowed his eyes slightly.
Those were names he knew all too well.
Dugu Bo, also known as Poison Douluo, was a renowned powerhouse on Douluo Continent.
His Martial Soul was the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor, and he was skilled in all kinds of poison arts. His methods were ruthless, and his name inspired fear.
However, according to the timeline of the original story, Dugu Bo hadn't become a Titled Douluo yet.
Even so, his strength was not to be underestimated.
As for Dugu Xin...
Yu Hong searched his memories but couldn't recall anything about him.
It seemed he was a character who hadn't appeared in the original story.
Dugu Xin was probably Dugu Bo's son, who had died young, and Dugu Yan's father.
He truly hadn't expected to run into the two of them here.
"My name is Yu Hong," he replied.
"Yu Hong?" Dugu Xin repeated the name. "That's a good name! Brother Yu Hong, which clan are you from?"
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan." Yu Hong didn't hide it.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?" Dugu Bo gave a slight nod and said nothing more.
"The meat's ready." Yu Hong took the roasted Fire-Tailed Pheasant off the rack and cut it into several pieces with a knife. "Help yourselves."
"Thanks!" Dugu Xin didn't stand on ceremony. He grabbed a piece and stuffed it into his mouth. "Mmm... delicious! It's so good!"
Dugu Bo also picked up a piece and took a bite. A trace of approval flashed through his eyes.
"It tastes good. Looks like you're a fine cook too, Brother Yu Hong."
"It's just some simple seasoning," Yu Hong said modestly.
The three of them ate the roast meat around the fire, and the atmosphere gradually grew more relaxed.
Dugu Xin was a chatterbox. He kept babbling as he ate.
"Brother Yu Hong, aren't you afraid, training alone in the forest? There are all kinds of fierce Soul Beasts here!"
"You get used to it," Yu Hong said calmly.
"You're really impressive!" Dugu Xin gave him a thumbs-up. "I could never do that. My father won't let me go out alone. He says it's too dangerous."
"That's because you're too weak," Dugu Bo said coldly from the side. "When you're stronger, I'll let you train on your own."
"Father!" Dugu Xin pouted in protest. "How am I weak? I'm already level twenty-two!"
"Level twenty-two? You have the nerve to brag about that?" Dugu Bo snorted.
Dugu Xin's face flushed scarlet. He wanted to say something, but when he saw his father's expression, he wisely went back to eating.
Watching them, Yu Hong's lips curled slightly.
The way these father and son got along was rather amusing.
"Senior Dugu, what brings you to Greenwood Forest?" Yu Hong asked curiously.
Dugu Bo glanced at him and pondered for a moment before replying, "I'm looking for a poisonous herb called the seven-star begonia. I heard there are traces of it deep in Greenwood Forest, so I came to take a look."
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