"Your Excellency, Scarlet King, may I ask why you've come here? We don't seem to have any grievances with you." Elder Lin hovered in midair and spoke to Scarlet King, who stood opposite him.
Scarlet King ignored him and let out a roar before charging at Elder Lin. Seeing that he couldn't communicate with Scarlet King, Elder Lin had no choice but to fight back.
BOOM—
A thunderous crash erupted above the Star Dou Forest. The shockwave from Scarlet King and Elder Lin's collision sent all the surrounding trees flying.
After that collision, Scarlet King's massive body merely staggered back a few steps. He hadn't been hurt.
Elder Lin, on the other hand, staggered back dozens of steps. Once he managed to steady himself, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
That single collision had shown Elder Lin just how powerful Scarlet King was among the Ten Ferocious Beasts.
By his conservative estimate, Scarlet King's cultivation was at least that of a ninety-fifth-level Titled Douluo. Elder Lin, a ninety-second-level Titled Douluo, was no match for him.
Elder Lin glanced toward the carriage, his gaze gradually hardening. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he charged at Scarlet King.
"Scarlet King, since we can't talk this out, then let's fight."
But as the battle continued, Elder Lin deliberately led Scarlet King deeper into the Star Dou Forest.
Scarlet King was no fool. Of course he could see what Elder Lin was trying to do. After all, if the Three-Eyed Golden Lion hadn't told him not to kill the human in front of him, Elder Lin would never have been able to hold out against him for so many rounds.
Scarlet King then played along with Elder Lin, moving the battlefield deeper into the Star Dou Forest.
Below them, the protective barrier Elder Lin had created with Soul Power to shield Liu Lin and the others was also shattered by the shockwaves from the battle.
The few people who had been continuously pouring Soul Power into the barrier suffered backlash when it broke. Their faces pale, they collapsed to their knees.
Inside the carriage, Liu Lin and Xu Jiujiu were unharmed thanks to Elder Lin and the others protecting them.
Seeing how easily Elder Lin had lured Scarlet King away, Liu Lin felt a little puzzled.
But she had no time to think about it. She turned from the window and prepared to take Xu Jiujiu out of the carriage so they could leave with Old Wang and the others, only to find Xu Jiujiu unconscious.
"Your Highness, Jiujiu, honey, wake up! What's wrong?" Seeing Xu Jiujiu unconscious, Liu Lin called out to her anxiously.
But no matter how much he called, Xu Jiujiu wouldn't wake up.
Liu Lin decided to get out and call for Old Wang and the others. He would have them abandon the carriage and take him and Xu Jiujiu away.
But when he got out, he saw that Old Wang and the other bodyguards were all unconscious. Despair filled his face.
When he'd first climbed out of the carriage, Old Wang and the others had still been awake. But in the time it had taken him to get out, they'd already lost consciousness.
"How could Scarlet King have been lured away so easily? There must be another Soul Beast working with him. It looks like I really am going to die here today."
But Liu Lin was puzzled about why Scarlet King and the others had attacked them. Was it because they'd killed a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? What a joke.
So many Soul Beasts died every day, yet Scarlet King had never stepped in. As Liu Lin pondered this, the likeliest explanation came to mind.
The next moment, his suspicion was confirmed. A small beast with reddish-gold fur, about one meter long, emerged from the forest. Its body resembled a lion's, its head looked like a dragon's, and the most striking feature was the vertical eye on its forehead.
"So it really is the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. Looks like my guess was right. But what's she doing here? Does she want a change of taste and feel like eating people?"
Knowing he couldn't escape, Liu Lin simply began to speculate about why the Emperor Auspicious Beast had come.
When he saw the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's gaze, he was surprised to find it full of complicated emotions: longing, delight, and a love she herself hadn't even noticed.
The moment Liu Lin saw that look, his mind raced as he tried to figure out why.
Drawing on his years of reading novels in his previous life, Liu Lin quickly came up with a theory: the Emperor Auspicious Beast had been reborn. In her previous life, she and he must have shared a deep bond, and that was why she had come looking for him after her rebirth.
While Liu Lin was still thinking, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion came straight over to him.
When Liu Lin saw the Three-Eyed Golden Lion teleport right beside him, he jumped back two steps in fright. Just as he was about to try to talk to her—
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion pressed the vertical eye on her forehead against Liu Lin's forehead, and he immediately fell unconscious before he could say a word.
When Liu Lin opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in a space of pure gold. He got to his feet and saw a golden-haired, red-eyed girl standing not far away.
The woman's long golden hair fell to her waist, and her features were so exquisite they seemed unreal. She wore a pure white dress that made her look like a celestial maiden descended from the heavens.
But what drew the most attention were her clear, brilliant eyes, like rubies.
Liu Lin stared at the stunning woman before him, completely dumbfounded. It wasn't just because of her beauty; he also felt as though he'd met her before.
"Do we know each other?" Liu Lin had only just woken up, and his mind was still hazy. He spoke to the golden-haired, red-eyed woman before him.
At his words, the woman couldn't help laughing.
"You've even forgotten who brought you in here, and now you're asking who I am?"
The woman's words brought Liu Lin back to his senses. Remembering what he'd just asked, he coughed awkwardly twice.
"Then why did you bring me in here?" Liu Lin steadied himself before asking the woman who had been the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
"Obviously, I came to find my future husband, Liu Lin."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion's shocking words made Liu Lin choke on his own saliva. His face flushed red.
"You just said that outright. And how do you know I'll believe you?"
Liu Lin had already suspected as much when he saw the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, but he was still surprised to hear her say it so bluntly.
"Why shouldn't I say it? Isn't love meant to be expressed? Besides, I brought you here, so of course I have a way to make you believe me."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion trotted over to Liu Lin with a grin and wrapped her arms around his.
"What way could you possibly have to make me believe we end up together?"
Liu Lin asked because he wanted to see whether the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had been reborn. After all, things had already gone differently from the plot he knew, so he needed to start making preparations as soon as possible.
"Of course, through memories." As she spoke, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion pressed her forehead against his.
After the Three-Eyed Golden Lion pressed against his forehead, even Liu Lin's ears turned red. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion wasn't doing much better; her face was also covered in a blush.
Just as Liu Lin was about to ask what she was doing, a stream of memories abruptly appeared in his mind.
The flood of memories left Liu Lin looking rather pale.
Seeing him like this, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion pulled him into her arms.
He caught a delicate fragrance, and the furrow in his brow eased considerably.