More than an hour later, daylight had fully broken, and the town had completely awakened.
With Xiao Wu, Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong, Zhao Linchuan descended the stairs from their second-floor guest rooms, calm and unhurried.
Jin Da had already asked the hotel to set out a sumptuous, refined breakfast on a clean table by the window.
They took their seats and began to eat.
Ning Rongrong's big eyes darted around, her face unable to hide her excitement and curiosity.
She scooped up a spoonful of porridge, leaned toward Xiao Wu, and said with a beaming smile in a lowered voice:
"Xiao Wu, I never would've guessed you could fight so well, when you look so tiny and delicate!"
"That blond guy yesterday was so big, but you went 'whoosh' and charged right at him, then 'bam!' One punch and you sent him flying! That was so cool!"
She paused, then seemed to remember something and asked curiously, "Oh, right. Yesterday, I saw you 'whoosh' and appear by the stairs, then 'whoosh' again and you were right in front of that blond guy. It was just like teleporting!"
"How did you do that? Was it a Soul Skill? But I didn't see you summon a Soul Ring!"
Xiao Wu swallowed her food and explained with a smile:
"Mm, it's one of my Soul Skills. But my young master taught me a special secret art that lets me use Soul Skills directly without manifesting a Soul Ring."
"Ohhh, so there really is a secret art like that!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes sparkled with amazement. "That's incredible! No wonder—"
She sneaked a glance at Zhao Linchuan and swallowed the words "your young master," then turned to him and asked in a lively tone:
"Hey, where are we going after breakfast? There doesn't seem to be anywhere fun left near the Star Dou Great Forest."
Zhao Linchuan replied:
"After breakfast, you and Zhuqing can stay at the hotel or have a look around town. Don't wander too far."
"Xiao Wu and I have something to do. We're going out alone for a while."
"Going out alone?!"
Ning Rongrong immediately caught the key phrase. A knowing smile bloomed across her little face, and she drawled in a teasing, sing-song voice:
"Oooh~~~ Big brother, are Zhuqing and I getting in the way of you and 'little sister Xiao Wu' taking care of some 'important business'?"
She blinked her big eyes and deliberately spoke in a very considerate tone. "If you think Zhuqing and I are in the way, you can just tell us beforehand~"
"Zhuqing and I will be very understanding and make sure you have plenty of time and space, so you can take care of your 'important business' slowly and in peace~"
"Will an hour be enough for you~? If not, we can wait a little longer~"
"Just eat your food!" Zhao Linchuan shot her an exasperated look. He couldn't be bothered with the mischievous Little Demoness and went on eating.
Meanwhile, at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
With Dai Mubai and the others, now changed into clean clothes, Zhao Wuji made his way along a forest path toward the depths of the woods in silence.
All five had their heads lowered and hurried along, the atmosphere as oppressive as the dead calm before a storm.
No one spoke. No one blamed anyone else. They barely even exchanged glances.
Yet it was precisely this eerie silence that seemed to freeze the air. Humiliation, anger, lingering fear, resentment, and all their other tangled emotions fermented and swelled within them until they threatened to burst their chests.
Only after they had officially entered the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest and felt the increasingly dense, primeval atmosphere and the faint threat of Soul Beasts around them
did Zhao Wuji manage to pull himself together. In a hoarse voice, he gave a stiff reminder to stay safe and remain alert.
By midday, sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, scattering dappled spots of light across the ground.
The group was about to find somewhere to rest and recover their strength when a sudden, hurried rustling came from the bushes ahead and to one side.
"Something's moving!" Zhao Wuji immediately grew alert and ordered in a low voice, "Tang San, your eyes are sharp. Go see what it is!"
Tang San nodded. A flash of purple lit his eyes as he circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill, then sprang lightly upward like an agile ape.
After a few leaps, he silently climbed high into a tree and focused his Purple Demon Eye on the distance.
A moment later, he reported in a lowered voice, excitement creeping into his words: "Teacher Zhao, it's a snake-type Soul Beast! Judging by its appearance, length, and the fleshy crest on its head, it should be a thousand-year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent!"
"A Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent?!" A spark finally lit Zhao Wuji's dim eyes. He turned sharply to Oscar, the only one in the group who needed a Soul Ring. "Xiao Ao! Your luck's finally turned!"
He quickly explained, "The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is unusual among snake-type Soul Beasts. It isn't poisonous, and it has a fairly limited range of attacks, relying mainly on constriction and charging."
"But it has one defining trait—it's incredibly fast!"
"If you can get its Soul Ring for your third Soul Ring, your Soul Skill will very likely have something to do with speed!"
"Whether it boosts your own speed or lets you make sausages that accelerate people, either ability would be extremely useful!"
Oscar had been downcast because of what happened last night and the injuries he'd suffered. At this news, his face flushed with excitement, and he nodded over and over.
"Great! Teacher Zhao, then let's hurry and catch it—"
"...Stop!"
At the same time, by the Lake of Life in the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest.
With Zhao Linchuan and Jin Da accompanying her, Xiao Wu arrived at this sacred ground of Soul Beasts.
The lake was blue as a mirror, brimming with immense life energy. Ancient trees towered around it, and spiritual energy shimmered in the air.
Sensing Xiao Wu's presence, two enormous figures, radiating terrifying pressure, slowly rose from the lake and emerged from the depths of the forest.
They were the two overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest—the Azure Bull Python, Da Ming, and the Titan Giant Ape, Er Ming.
Yet these two overlord-level Soul Beasts did not rush to greet Xiao Wu affectionately.
Instead, they fixed wary, guarded eyes on the towering, silent, burly man at her side and the black-haired youth who seemed harmless, his presence unremarkable.
Da Ming's lantern-sized ox eyes were filled with solemnity.
It could clearly feel the terrifying power within the burly man, like an erupting volcano. The sheer purity and dominance of that power made even Da Ming's heart tremble.
But what sent shivers through its very soul and made it feel oppressed was the youth!
The faint, almost imperceptible aura naturally radiating from him seemed like a gaze from the very pinnacle of life itself. Even as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, Da Ming found it hard to breathe. The awe and fear rising from its bloodline were nearly impossible to suppress!
Er Ming lowered its massive body, letting out an uneasy growl as it stared fixedly at Zhao Linchuan. Its beastly instincts told it that he posed a lethal threat.
Only when Xiao Wu called out brightly and cheerfully, "Da Ming! Er Ming!" and ran over to them, explaining the situation, did their taut nerves ease a little. But the reverence in their eyes did not fade.
Before you continue