Entering the Star Dou Great Forest! The Tremor in the Tent!

(Image of Ma Xiaotao)

She wore a black miniskirt on her lower body, the hemline ending just past the base of her thighs, revealing a stretch of fair skin.

On her legs were a pair of white over-the-knee socks, the elastic bands creating a faint indentation in her flesh that perfectly accentuated the softness of her thighs.

Her hair was tied into two buns by some unknown force, standing atop her head on the left and right, round and plump.

Paired with her stunningly beautiful face, it added an unexpected touch of cuteness.

Ma Xiaotao was completely stunned.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say.

The two women looked at each other, both seeing the same meaning in the other's eyes: How did you change too?

Lin Ye stood to the side, his eyes fixed in a stare.

A white shirt, a black pencil skirt, fishnet stockings, red high heels, gold-rimmed glasses...

And a maid outfit, hair buns, white over-the-knee socks...

Damn, what is going on?

What did this system do?

He rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.

But when he opened them again, those two figures were still standing there clearly—one intellectual and mature, the other cute and alluring; their styles were vastly different, yet both made it impossible to look away.

Wang Dong'er and Ma Xiaotao's faces were burning red.

A sense of shame surged into their hearts like a tide, drowning them both at once.

They looked at each other, and a thought rose in both their minds simultaneously:

Could she have a system too?

And does she also have a "destined person"?

Is that destined person also Lin Ye?

The two remained silent for a moment, their gazes shifting simultaneously to Lin Ye, who was leaning against a tree with a dazed expression.

Lin Ye felt a chill down his spine under their stares and hurriedly raised his hands, shaking his head with an innocent look:

"It wasn't me, it wasn't me, I don't know anything..."

Wang Dong'er and Ma Xiaotao withdrew their gazes and looked at each other.

Neither of them spoke again.

It wasn't that they didn't want to argue, but that they didn't dare to.

The system had said that if they argued again, their outfits would be automatically cleared.

What did "cleared" mean?

Neither of them dared to think any further.

Lin Ye naturally gained two chances to draw a prize.

He glanced at the number on the system panel; his current system points had risen to 199, quite a smooth number.

Shrek City and the Star Dou Great Forest were both located in the central region of the three great empires.

The Star Dou Great Forest lay to the southwest of Shrek City; it wasn't too far, but it wasn't exactly close either.

After leaving Shrek City, they followed the main road west and then turned south. In just over half a day, the three of them stepped into the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Towering trees blocked out the sky, and the dense canopy sliced the sunlight into countless fragmented spots, scattering them across the leaf-covered ground.

The air was humid and sweltering, mixed with the scent of soil, decaying leaves, and unknown wildflowers.

Occasionally, low beast roars echoed from deep within the woods, reminding visitors that this was not a place for humans to tread lightly.

The three slowed their pace, moving forward while keeping a close watch on their surroundings.

Ma Xiaotao walked in the lead, her pale pink eyes flickering with vigilance amidst the shadows of the trees.

Although she was usually flamboyant in her actions, even a six-ring Soul Emperor dared not be arrogant upon entering the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Lin Ye, what kind of soul beast do you want for your second soul ring?" she asked without looking back.

Lin Ye walked behind her, his gaze sweeping across the bushes on both sides, and he pondered for a moment before speaking:

"I can't be sure about the specific soul beast, but I want a thousand-year soul ring."

Ma Xiaotao's footsteps faltered slightly.

Wang Dong'er was walking beside Lin Ye; upon hearing this, she whipped her head around to look at him, her powder-blue eyes filled with surprise: "A thousand-year soul ring?"

"That's right." Lin Ye nodded. "Dong'er, wasn't your second soul ring a thousand-year one? I'm sure I can do it too."

Wang Dong'er opened her mouth to say something, but swallowed it back.

That was true; her second soul ring was indeed of the thousand-year level.

That was only because she possessed twin martial souls and had consumed heavenly treasures since childhood, giving her a physique far superior to ordinary people, which allowed her to withstand the impact of a thousand-year soul ring.

The limit for an ordinary person's second soul ring was around seven hundred years; exceeding this limit would lead to soul ring backlash, resulting in damaged meridians at best, or death by bodily explosion at worst.

Although Lin Ye's talent was not lacking, but...

"But that is incredibly difficult!" Wang Dong'er's tone carried a hint of worry.

Ma Xiaotao turned around at this moment, looking at Lin Ye with her brows slightly furrowed.

"Isn't the limit for a second soul ring around seven hundred years?"

Her gaze lingered on Lin Ye for a moment before shifting to Wang Dong'er, looking her up and down several times with a complex expression in her eyes.

She only then realized that this seemingly delicate and tender girl had actually absorbed a thousand-year-level soul ring for her second one.

What kind of physique must that be?

Ma Xiaotao curled her lips slightly.

As someone who respected strength above all else, she began to look at Wang Dong'er with newfound respect.

Lin Ye sensed the subtle change in atmosphere between the two women but pretended not to notice, merely smiling faintly.

"Limits are meant to be broken, aren't they?"

As he said this, his gaze drifted toward the depths of the forest, his deep eyes appearing exceptionally bright amidst the dappled light and shadows.

Watching his resolute expression, a string deep within Wang Dong'er's heart was gently plucked.

She nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Ma Xiaotao also turned back around to continue leading the way.

The three of them wandered the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest for several days like this.

They searched for soul beasts by day and set up camp to rest by night.

The soul beast that met Lin Ye's expectations never appeared.

Either the age was insufficient or the attributes were wrong, and on the rare occasions they encountered one or two that were barely acceptable, Lin Ye would complain that they weren't good enough.

Ma Xiaotao was so annoyed by his picky behavior that she rolled her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

After all, her mission was to "accompany Lin Ye to successfully obtain his second soul ring"; as for what kind he wanted, that was his own business.

That night.

The moon climbed above the treetops, and the cold moonlight spilled through the gaps in the canopy, casting dappled silver-white patches on the ground.

The camp was small, consisting of one tent and a campfire.

Ma Xiaotao sat by the fire, leaning against a thick tree with her arms crossed, eyes closed as she rested.

She was keeping watch.

Inside the tent, Lin Ye and Wang Dong'er lay side by side.

The tent was small; with the two of them lying down, there was only a fist's distance between them.

Lin Ye's eyes were closed and his breathing was steady, making it look as if he were already asleep.

Wang Dong'er, however, was not asleep.

Her eyes were wide open in the darkness, staring at the roof of the tent, wondering what she was thinking.

After a while, she turned on her side to face Lin Ye.

In the darkness, she could not see his face clearly, only his blurred silhouette.

Her heart began to race.

That delicate little hand reached out quietly, fumbling until it rested gently on Lin Ye's waist.

Lin Ye's body stiffened slightly.

He opened his eyes, his bright pupils looking at Wang Dong'er in the darkness with a hint of surprise and confusion.

"Dong'er? What are you..."

Wang Dong'er did not answer.

She did not pull her hand back; instead, she moved it up along Lin Ye's waistline until it pressed against his chest.

Her palm could feel his powerful heartbeat and the warmth radiating through his clothes.

"Lin Ye..." Her voice was very soft, as light as a whisper in the wind, carrying a hint of trembling and a touch of shyness, "I miss you..."