Star Dou Forest! Old Dragon Grilled Fish!

Dawn had just broken when Xu Tianchen and Long Xiaoyao, master and disciple, bid farewell to the others and set off toward the Star Dou Forest.

The two did not take any flying spirit tools, choosing instead for Long Xiaoyao to carry Xu Tianchen through the air. Ink-black spirit power formed a protective barrier that enveloped Xu Tianchen, and the two of them shot toward the Star Dou Forest like a streak of black light.

The speed of an Ultimate Douluo far surpassed any transportation of the current era. Mountains, rivers, and human cities flashed backward in Xu Tianchen's eyes, and in a mere two days, the master and disciple arrived at the Star Dou Forest.

The Star Dou Forest,

this ancient forest was not only the oldest, most expansive, and most spirit-beast-dense gathering place for spirit beasts on the continent, but it was also a forbidden zone for humans shrouded in terror and the unknown.

This forbidden zone spanned between the Heavenly Soul and Star Luo Empires, appearing on the surface to be a massive primeval forest, but its internal terrain was extremely complex, featuring dangerous landscapes such as wetlands and swamps.

Finally, Long Xiaoyao stopped in front of a small stream at the edge of the Star Dou Forest—a stream encountered just before fully entering the Star Dou Forest.

Let's rest here for a bit first. I can tell you that I've eaten the fish from here; they're big and plump. Although most of them only have a few years of cultivation, their taste doesn't lose out to ordinary century-old sea fish at all.

Last time I tasted the roasted meat you made, today I'll let you taste your master's cooking skills.

Long Xiaoyao set Xu Tianchen down and said to him, his tone full of the desire to share good food and confidence in his own culinary arts.

Xu Tianchen was very cooperative, directly expressing his anticipation for Long Xiaoyao's grilled fish.

Xu Tianchen watched as Long Xiaoyao stood by the river and waved a large hand, his spirit power directly transforming into a massive hand that grabbed the plump crucian carp swimming in the river. The crucian carp flew with the spirit-power hand onto a cutting board that Long Xiaoyao had taken out earlier.

Long Xiaoyao produced a set of utensils specifically for processing fish, and as a few flashes of a blade swept past, a crucian carp was prepped. Before long, all the crucian carp Long Xiaoyao had caught were fully cleaned.

Afterward, he summoned another wave of water flowing from the river before him, washing the prepared fish until they were spotless. Then, he retrieved some seasonings from his spirit tool and stuffed them into the bellies of the fish, brushing a layer of oil across their surfaces. Next, he pulled out skewers to run through the fish and placed them onto a barbecue rack.

Xu Tianchen looked at the surrounding environment and felt that eating grilled crucian carp here was a perfect match.

After all, this was the place where Xiao Huo's grilled fish made its first appearance in the original work, except that instead of eating Xiao Huo's grilled fish, they were eating old dragon's grilled fish.

Before long, a rich aroma spread through the place—a very thick fragrance that carried a unique temptation.

As a grilled crucian carp was handed over in front of Xu Tianchen, he saw that its surface was sprinkled with chili powder and white sesame seeds, the aroma rushing toward him with the flow of the air.

The fish skin was roasted until it curled slightly, looking quite crispy. Xu Tianchen tore off a small piece of fish skin and popped it into his mouth. It was very crisp, without a shred of excess juice, yet the skin wasn't flavorless; instead, it possessed a distinct taste of its own.

The fish meat was revealed as the skin tore away, snow-white and exceptionally tender with clear textures. With a single bite, the flesh was firm without being tough, and the unique charred fragrance of open-fire roasting seeped into the mouth along with the fish meat, a salty freshness carrying a faint hint of Sichuan peppercorn numbness that tasted utterly delicious.

An entire fish was devoured by Xu Tianchen in just a few bites, and even after finishing, he still felt a lingering sense of wanting more.

Seeing this, Long Xiaoyao felt genuinely happy.

After all, every chef loved seeing diners beam with joy from eating the delicious food they made.

Although a dozen or so fish were not particularly many, they were still quite a lot for two people, yet the pair quickly wiped them out.

I didn't expect Master's culinary skills to be so good.

Xu Tianchen rubbed his belly, leaning against a large tree beside the stream in an unrefined posture.

Of course. Your master's stellar culinary skills were honed when I was traveling across the continent back in my youth. This has been tempered through practical experience.

Long Xiaoyao spoke to Xu Tianchen while cleaning up the mess, his tone overflowing with pride in his cooking.

Xu Tianchen rested against the big tree for a while until Long Xiaoyao stood up, walked over to him, and said:

Alright, you've rested enough. Let's head into the Star Dou Forest to acquire your third spirit ring.

Hearing this, Xu Tianchen also stood up from the ground, patted the invisible dust off his body, and replied with a sound of agreement.

Long Xiaoyao uttered a hum, whereupon black spirit power radiated outward, enveloping Xu Tianchen within it and carrying him at high speed toward the Star Dou Forest.

Swish—

At Long Xiaoyao's speed, the two of them arrived at the mixed zone of the Star Dou Forest in no time at all.

Normally, spirit masters would not fly straight through a spirit beast forest like this. But Long Xiaoyao was no ordinary person; with his Ultimate Douluo strength, apart from Di Tian and the other few great fierce beasts, everything else in this Star Dou Forest was just a "speed bump."

The moment the master and disciple stepped into the area recorded on Xu Chengjing's map, Long Xiaoyao sensed a vigorous life aura and intense blood-qi fluctuations up ahead.

Long Xiaoyao immediately reined in his aura to avoid scaring off the golden-maned lion mastiff, and the two of them turned into silent ghosts as they crept forward.

Within moments, the master and disciple arrived at the location of the golden-maned lion mastiff.

It stood about three meters tall with a body length exceeding seven meters. It wasn't particularly massive, but its entire physique appeared extremely well-proportioned, every muscle seeming brimming with power. Its head was massive, resembling a giant lion, yet it bore a grotesque face with a black visage that outlined a demonic appearance.

A coat of golden fur dazzled brilliantly, shining under the sunlight. It also carried the coercion and dominance of a spirit beast overlord.

Although the golden-maned lion mastiff was renowned for its strength, its perceptual abilities were clearly not its strong suit, and it had not detected at all that two uninvited guests had entered its territory.

Long Xiaoyao looked at the golden-maned lion mastiff dozing on the ground and couldn't help sighing in praise, What an overbearing and majestic exotic beast.

Xu Tianchen gazed at this golden-maned lion mastiff, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. Not only was its appearance top-tier, but it also possessed a formidable aura.

This beast is an extreme fit for me. Since we've met, it means we are fated. I ask Master to make a move and capture it.

Rest assured, with your master's Ultimate Douluo cultivation, it won't be running away. Wait for my signal here.

Long Xiaoyao nodded, his tone lacking the slightest trace of apprehension toward the golden-maned lion mastiff, instead filled with interest in it.

As his voice fell, Long Xiaoyao released his aura and flashed to an open space fifty meters in front of the golden-maned lion mastiff.

The golden-maned lion mastiff snapped its eyes open, its dark gold pupils locking fixedly onto the challenger standing before it who had released his aura at it. It extended its front paws forward and lowered its body.

It sensed an unprecedented threat from Long Xiaoyao—the kind of fatal threat it had only felt in the core area from a certain black dragon and a giant bear.

Roar—

Accompanied by a roar that shattered the mountain forest, the golden-maned lion mastiff first unleashed its Dominating Domain, then transformed into a dazzling bolt of golden lightning as it charged at Long Xiaoyao.

The giant lion-mastiff claws tore through the air, carrying a harsh sonic boom as they viciously lashed toward Long Xiaoyao's head.