After dealing with the enemy, Lin Ze'an dusted off his clothes, brushing away the dirt that had gotten on them.
Hu Liena and Xie Yue had also separated, and all three stared at him in surprise.
None of them were blind. They had seen it clearly.
The Soul Ancestor's attack had shattered the moment Lin Ze'an shouted.
What was going on?
As if he had seen their confusion, Lin Ze'an took the snacks he'd packed earlier out of his ring and nibbled at them. "It's a trait of my Martial Soul. As long as something's a plant, it can't hurt me."
At that, the three of them froze and looked at one another.
What did he mean, plants couldn't hurt him?
"Wait..." After a long moment, Hu Liena finally reacted, her eyes wide. "Are you saying all plant-type Soul Skills are useless against you?!"
Lin Ze'an nodded. "Mm. As long as it's plant-type, it can't hurt me."
But then his little face darkened, and he said reproachfully, "I mean, Senior Hu Liena and Senior Xie Yue."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two of them. "Next time, could you stop gawking and take a look at what's happening around you first?"
Hu Liena and Xie Yue froze. They clearly hadn't expected their seemingly well-behaved junior schoolmate to suddenly speak in that tone.
Lin Ze'an frowned. "I was fighting for my life while you two stood there spacing out."
If this had happened in the Soul Fighting Arena, that would've been one thing. But this assassin had clearly come to kill them. How could they still stand there daydreaming?
If these deadweight teammates could change, fine. But if they couldn't, he didn't want to get himself killed alongside them.
A trace of embarrassment crossed Hu Liena and Xie Yue's faces. They apologized, "Sorry, Junior."
It was the first time they'd seen someone with a Soul Ring configuration like Lin Ze'an's, so they'd been distracted for a moment.
Now that they thought about it, it really was frightening. If that Soul Ancestor hadn't been just as stunned and had instead interrupted the fusion of Demon Charm...
After they'd finished tidying up the battlefield, and with no carriage available, they had no choice but to walk toward the depths of Sunset Forest, chatting as they went.
As time passed, the path grew narrower and the trees around them thicker. A strange scent began to fill the air.
"Wait." Yan suddenly stopped and pointed ahead. "What's that?"
Not far ahead, a dense bank of poisonous fog shrouded a vast area like an enormous barrier.
"That's an incredibly strong miasma." Yan's eyes widened in disbelief. "How could there be a place like this in Sunset Forest?"
Lin Ze'an was stunned too.
He stared blankly at the area enveloped by the poisonous miasma, disbelief written all over his face.
Was this the script for Reborn as the Chosen One? He'd just entered Sunset Forest, and he'd already stumbled across it?
But... since they were already here, they couldn't just leave, could they?
Lin Ze'an turned to the other three. "Come closer."
They looked at him in confusion but came over anyway.
Lin Ze'an raised his hand, and a verdant glow slowly flowed from his palm.
"Vmm—"
A pale green barrier spread out from Lin Ze'an, enveloping all four of them.
The barrier was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it radiated a rich vitality, sharply contrasting with the poisonous miasma around them.
"Let's go," Lin Ze'an said softly, leading the way into the miasma.
Hu Liena and the others exchanged glances, surprise in their eyes, but quickly followed after him.
Yan couldn't help asking, "Junior, can your barrier hold back this miasma?"
Lin Ze'an nodded confidently. "It's fine, Senior. Don't worry."
As they spoke, they had already entered the poisonous miasma.
As if sensing their approach, the strange fog began to roil violently, exuding a chilling aura.
"Hiss—"
An astonishing sight unfolded!
The instant the poisonous fog touched the barrier, it recoiled as if it had encountered something terrifying.
In the blink of an eye, it all scattered, opening a passage for them.
"That's incredible!" Hu Liena's eyes widened as she watched the poisonous fog part around them, utterly astonished.
Even she hadn't been confident she could withstand this miasma, yet Lin Ze'an had brought all three of them through it alone...
They continued onward, and before long, the view ahead suddenly opened up.
The dense poisonous miasma vanished, replaced by a carefully tended garden.
At the center of the garden was an enormous pool that immediately drew the eye.
One half of the water was a strange icy blue, the other a fiery red. The two colors remained distinct yet coexisted in harmony, emanating the auras of ice and fire.
All around the pool grew various strange plants and oddly shaped herbs, every one of them radiating powerful Soul Power fluctuations.
"What is this place?" Yan stared in astonishment at the strange sight before him.
Xie Yue frowned and pointed into the distance. "Judging by the traces around us, this place must belong to someone, right?"
The instant he finished speaking, a sinister voice rang out from the garden. "A few youngsters actually managed to cross the poisonous miasma and make it here?"
At the sound of that voice, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan all froze, almost instinctively stepping in front of Lin Ze'an.
"Who are you?!" Hu Liena activated her Martial Soul Possession and warily scanned their surroundings.
Just then, an elderly man in a dark green robe walked toward them. His face was gaunt, and his eyes were sinister.
Beneath his feet, nine Soul Rings slowly lit up, like the steps of a staircase leading to hell.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!
A terrifying pressure bore down on the four of them like a tangible force.
Hu Liena and the others turned deathly pale, cold sweat sliding down their foreheads. "A Titled Douluo?"
The pressure of a Titled Douluo made even breathing difficult.
At this critical moment, Lin Ze'an suddenly stepped forward and said, "Please wait, Senior. May I ask if you are Poison Douluo Dugu Bo?"
At that, the old man froze, and the terrifying pressure around him eased slightly.
A flicker of surprise passed through his sinister eyes. He regarded Lin Ze'an with interest. "Oh? You know me?"
Lin Ze'an bowed slightly. "I've only heard of Senior's great reputation from my elders. I never expected to have the honor of meeting you today."
Come to think of it, his master really had mentioned this fellow.
Though... calling it a great reputation? That was hardly deserved, was it?
Curious, Dugu Bo asked, "Oh? Your elders?"
Hu Liena and the others stepped forward as well and said respectfully, "We've long admired your reputation, Poison Douluo."
Lin Ze'an hesitated, then turned to Hu Liena and the others. "Senior Hu Liena, Senior Xie Yue, could you please wait a little farther away? I have something to discuss with Poison Douluo."
The three of them froze. Yan couldn't help lowering his voice. "Junior, you..."
Hu Liena raised a hand to stop Yan. She looked deeply at Lin Ze'an, worry flashing in her eyes, but still nodded. "Be careful."
She turned to Xie Yue and Yan. "Let's wait over there."
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo should be nearby, so nothing should happen.
Xie Yue furrowed his brows, but since his younger sister had already made up her mind, he said no more. He simply signaled to Lin Ze'an with his eyes to be careful.
After they had walked away, Dugu Bo watched the scene with interest. "Boy, you've got some nerve. Sending your companions away—what is it you want to tell me?"
Before you continue