Forbidden Zone of Life Lake

Tang Xiao forcibly dragged Tang Hao to a healing-type Soul Master for an examination. The conclusion was that Tang Hao was in excellent health.

Tang Hao also said he was fine now. That unexplained bout of panic earlier had seemed like an illusion.

After confirming it repeatedly, the Tang brothers headed for the next town according to plan.

Unbeknownst to them, they passed Qian Mochen's carriage, with only two thousand meters separating them at their closest.

Qian Mochen and Ah Yin's carriage traveled toward the heart of Douluo Continent. After passing through bustling towns, the stone-paved road beneath them became a gravel path.

"Your Highness, where exactly are we going?"

The Blue Silver Grass in the surrounding fields told Ah Yin that the farther ahead they went, the stronger the aura of Soul Beasts became. She could not shake her unease.

Her strength had yet to recover. If Soul Beasts spotted her, she would practically be delivering herself to them on a platter—and she was a platter that could yield such fine treasures as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.

"The time has come."

Qian Mochen lifted the carriage curtain and gazed out at the endless sea of forest before them. "Leave the carriage ahead for now. The place we are going is called the Star Dou Forest."

Ah Yin gave an "oh" and asked curiously, "Could there be some treasure inside the Star Dou Forest?"

Ah Yin was no longer the ignorant girl she had been when she first emerged into the world. Over the past half month, she had often read books and had long since learned Qian Mochen's identity.

The Holy Son of Spirit Hall, a figure above all but one.

Qian Mochen already possessed all nine Soul Rings, so he could not have come out to hunt Soul Beasts. Any treasure that caught his eye had to be at least on the level of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

"To meet a good friend I've never met before, and see if I can pick up some benefits for you while I'm at it."

Qian Mochen paused, then looked at Ah Yin with disdain. "My maid has only just broken through to Soul Sage. Taking someone with that level of cultivation out would only embarrass me."

"Hmph, then don't take me! Wouldn't it be better if you just let me stay in the village?"

Having long figured out Qian Mochen's temperament, Ah Yin was no longer afraid of him and fired right back.

"Oh? The little maid has gotten bold."

Qian Xunji glanced at Ah Yin in surprise and said indifferently, "If you're so capable, don't crawl into my tent tonight."

Ah Yin huffed, gritted her silver teeth, and stomped hard on the stones beneath her feet, treating them as Qian Mochen and crushing them several times.

The Star Dou Forest was the most dangerous place on Douluo Continent. Over the years, even Titled Douluo had met their ends within it. She was only a newly advanced Soul Sage, a complete nobody, and she did not dare show off.

Never mind the claim that Soul Beasts did not eat Soul Beasts. She had now taken human form, and in the eyes of some Soul Beasts, she was already a traitor to their race, one they wanted dead as quickly as possible. The only person who gave her any sense of security was this infuriating Qian Mochen.

Ah Yin silently slung the tent onto her back and followed behind Qian Mochen.

To save trouble, Qian Mochen directly released the pressure of his Peak Douluo cultivation and led Ah Yin straight toward the center of the Star Dou Forest.

Along the way, the Soul Beasts were terrified by Qian Mochen's pressure. Not a single one dared provoke him. By evening, they found a cave, and Ah Yin silently pitched the tent before taking out pots and bowls to start cooking.

Qian Mochen deliberately said nothing and simply enjoyed the food in silence. When night deepened, the forest outside the cave began to grow lively.

Countless Soul Beasts emerged from their nests and began the day's hunt.

Ah Yin summoned the Blue Silver Emperor in her palm, and its two leaves swayed gently. At that moment, countless Blue Silver Grass plants at the bottom of the food chain outside the cave came alive at once, swiftly passing the surrounding information to their emperor.

Sensing quite a few Soul Beasts over fifty thousand years old prowling through the darkness outside the cave, Ah Yin looked pitifully at Qian Mochen.

"Your Highness~"

"Please, Your Highness~"

Ah Yin clasped her hands together. Her mature voice and coquettish manner made Qian Mochen abandon his principles once again.

"Come in. My tent is big enough for two people."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Ah Yin quickly crawled into the tent and lay in the innermost spot. Feeling the soft blanket beneath her, her body and mind relaxed, and she soon fell asleep.

Qian Mochen looked at her sleeping pretty face for a while, then could not help reaching out to pinch her nose. Ah Yin unconsciously frowned, slapped his hand away with a smack, turned her head aside, and continued sleeping.

Qian Mochen shifted to the side and lay down with his eyes closed. A trace of his aura spread out from the cave. Sensing that terrifying presence, as imposing as divine might, no hunter dared approach the area around the cave.

At dawn, Ah Yin woke to find that she had somehow rolled to the edge of the tent, her hands still tightly wrapped around Qian Mochen's shoulder.

A few streaks of crimson flashed across Ah Yin's face. She carefully undid the seal on Qian Mochen's arm, keeping her eyes fixed on him the entire time, afraid that any large movement would wake him.

Fortunately, she managed to leave the tent without making a sound and began preparing breakfast.

Ah Yin did not notice that when she left the tent, the supposedly sleeping Qian Mochen behind her slowly opened his eyes.

After Qian Mochen woke up, the two continued onward. As they ventured deeper into the center of the Star Dou Forest, Soul Beasts over fifty thousand years old became increasingly dense around them.

Feeling dozens of undisguised malicious auras around her, Ah Yin instinctively moved closer to Qian Mochen.

"What is it, my little maid? Are you scared?"

"N-No!"

Qian Mochen chuckled and swept his gaze around. Sensing several Soul Beasts over fifty thousand years old slowly closing in on him, he directly summoned his martial soul.

A twenty-meter-tall Holy Seraphim, radiating a faint glow, stood quietly behind Qian Mochen.

"Hold tight. If you fall later, I won't come back to pick you up."

Before Ah Yin could react, she felt her waist tighten, and her entire body was pulled into Qian Mochen's embrace. Then an irresistible force carried her into the air, while the arm around her waist showed signs of loosening.

Following her instincts, Ah Yin immediately clung to the nearest support.

Only after she came to her senses did she notice her posture. She was pressed tightly against Qian Mochen, as though she wanted to knead herself into the body of that hateful Highness. The pounding heartbeat by her ear grew louder and louder.

Just as Ah Yin was about to shift away a little, the wings of Qian Mochen's martial soul accelerated. One hand wrapped around Ah Yin's waist and pulled her closer.

"I'm not taking advantage of you. If you don't believe me, look."

Qian Mochen adjusted his direction in midair so Ah Yin could see the scene behind him.

A web over ten meters in diameter instantly covered the spot where Qian Mochen had just been.

Immediately afterward, a tree trunk dozens of meters tall swept across from the ground. Qian Mochen abruptly shot higher into the air, barely avoiding the trunk's sweep. The intense wind pressure made Ah Yin's heart race, and her hands instinctively clutched Qian Mochen's clothes.

A faint smile curled Qian Mochen's lips as he looked back at the Soul Beasts that had attacked. Today's task of teasing his little maid was complete, so he would spare these Soul Beasts.

When Qian Mochen flew over a river, all the Soul Beasts pursuing him relentlessly suddenly stopped, as though what lay ahead was an uncrossable abyss.