Tang San Arrives?

The group cautiously advanced toward the inner region. The trees around them grew taller and denser, and the light became increasingly dim.

"Teacher Zhao, where did that Soul Beast go?"

After walking for dozens of minutes, Ning Rongrong truly could not go on any longer. Supporting herself on her knees, she asked unwillingly.

"We lost it. The Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake is incredibly slippery. The moment it entered the inner region, it vanished without a trace."

Zhao Wuji frowned deeply, his sharp gaze sweeping over the dark forest around them as he spoke in a low voice.

If they had been in the outer region, capturing a Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake would naturally have been no challenge with his cultivation as a Soul Sage.

But this was the inner region, where Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were everywhere and even Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were not unheard of. Even a Soul Sage like him had to restrain his aura, afraid of drawing the attention of powerful Soul Beasts.

"Teacher Zhao, since we lost it, why don't we return to the outer region first and make plans from there?"

Tang San suggested gravely.

He could sense several powerful auras nearby, each one more terrifying than Teacher Zhao's.

"No. Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snakes are rare finds. If we fail to catch it this time, who knows when we'll encounter another?"

Zhao Wuji shook his head, somewhat unwilling to give up.

Oscar was a food-type Soul Master with innate full Soul Power. He did not want such a gifted Soul Master to casually absorb just any Soul Beast.

"Alas!"

Hearing Teacher Zhao's words, Tang San sighed softly. How could he not understand that?

But he could not place everyone's lives in the hands of illusory luck.

If they encountered a Soul Beast that even Teacher Zhao could not contend with, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"We'll go a little farther. If we still can't find it, we'll return to the outer region."

Zhao Wuji spoke firmly. Then, without waiting for anyone to persuade him otherwise, he took the lead at the front of the group.

Tang San and the others exchanged looks and could only steel themselves and follow.

After traveling for about another incense stick's worth of time, Ning Rongrong suddenly stopped. She rubbed her eyes and pointed toward the distance in disbelief.

"Huh! Look, everyone! Up ahead... there's a cabin!"

"Rongrong, stop joking. This is the inner region of the Star Dou Great Forest. Who would dare build a house here?"

Dai Mubai turned around helplessly, but his words came to an abrupt stop when he saw the sight ahead.

"Th-this... there really is a cabin!"

Following Dai Mubai's gaze, everyone gasped sharply.

Deep within the dense forest stood a plain little cabin, quiet and still. It was utterly out of place amid the primitive wilderness, carrying an indescribable sense of eeriness.

Unlike the others' shock, Xiao Wu stared blankly at the cabin, her face filled with confusion and bewilderment.

"How could there be a cabin here? That's impossible!"

She muttered softly, her voice trembling with disbelief.

She had lived in the Star Dou Great Forest for ten thousand years and knew every blade of grass and tree here like the back of her hand.

She clearly remembered that this area had originally been the territory of a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. There had never been any trace of human construction here.

Could it have appeared during the years I was away?

"Xiao Wu, what did you say?"

Tang San, who had heard Xiao Wu muttering to herself, looked over at her in confusion.

"N-no, it's nothing."

Xiao Wu quickly composed herself and forced out a faint smile, gently shaking her head. Yet a trace of imperceptible worry flashed through her eyes.

"Teacher Zhao, what is going on?"

Puzzled, everyone could only turn their eyes toward Zhao Wuji.

"I... I don't know either."

Zhao Wuji shook his head, equally dumbfounded.

What kind of person built a house in the inner region of the Star Dou Great Forest?

What? Was living too long somehow a problem?

"Teacher Zhao, should we go take a look? If someone is living there, we can go inside and rest for a while!"

Ning Rongrong suggested excitedly. This was far more thrilling than merely searching for a Soul Beast.

"Mm... fine!"

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth and nodded.

With his cultivation as a Soul Sage, nothing unexpected should happen.

Probably... right?

"Ding, Shock Value +776!"

"Ding, Shock Value +123!"

"Ding, Shock Value +10086!"

"Ding, Shock Value..."

In the courtyard outside the cabin, Qin Feng, who was lying on a recliner basking in the sun, slowly opened his eyes upon hearing the Shock Value notifications in his mind.

When he saw the 10086 Shock Value that had been added on the system panel, his eyes widened in shock.

"Holy shit! It broke ten thousand?"

Qin Feng sucked in a breath and, without hesitation, skillfully opened the Shock Value details.

[Bald Qiang's Cabin +776]

[Bald Qiang's Cabin +123]

[Bald Qiang's Cabin +10086]

"The cabin again?"

Looking at the details on the system panel, Qin Feng scratched his head and looked outside the cabin, only to discover that there was no one there.

"There's nobody here?"

Qin Feng stroked his chin, the confusion in his eyes deepening. Could Di Tian have discovered the cabin?

After all, apart from Di Tian once contributing 9999 Shock Value, he had never encountered anyone who had contributed so much in a single instance. So this Shock Value was very likely contributed by Di Tian again.

With that thought, Qin Feng no longer had any interest in sunbathing. He shook the recliner beside him.

"What is it, Your Highness?"

Bald Qiang rubbed his eyes, turned over, and continued basking in the sun.

"..."

Seeing this, Qin Feng was completely speechless.

But he did not call Brother Qiang again. Instead, he brought over a ladder and climbed onto the roof.

As the saying went, the higher one stood, the farther one could see. Though he had no Soul Power and could not fly, he had a ladder and could climb onto the roof.

After reaching the roof, Qin Feng swept his gaze around and quickly spotted several figures in the distance. They were currently heading toward the cabin.

"Is that... Tang San?"

Although they were far away, Qin Feng recognized him at a glance.

"Could that 10086 Shock Value have been contributed by Tang San?"

Qin Feng fell into thought, and the more he considered it, the more likely it seemed.

After all, he was the Child of Fortune. It was understandable that the Shock Value he contributed differed from everyone else's.

"But... why did Tang San come to the inner region?"

Qin Feng kept his gaze fixed on Tang San. He remembered that in the original story, Tang San should have been helping Oscar hunt a Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake at this point.

Then Er Ming would seize Xiao Wu, and Tang San would unexpectedly obtain an External Spirit Bone.

Could his arrival have caused a butterfly effect?

Seeing Tang San's group getting closer and closer, Qin Feng did not think further. He leaped down from the roof and returned to the recliner.

At the same time, he began considering how to get more Shock Value out of Tang San.

After all, Tang San had contributed over ten thousand Shock Value at once. If he did not take advantage of that, he would feel bad about it.