Chen Xuanqing smiled faintly and reassured her, "Don't worry, Zhu Zhuqing. With me here, these soul beasts won't be a problem."
Chen Xuanqing continued, "The Sunset Forest isn't divided into inner and outer regions. The soul beasts you encounter upon entering are relatively old, but since it's much smaller than the Star Dou Great Forest, there aren't many truly ancient soul beasts."
As the three ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, the soul beasts they encountered grew increasingly older.
Some powerful soul beasts began daring to attack them.
A huge Golden-backed Black Bear charged out of the bushes, roaring as it lunged at Chen Xuanqing.
Chen Xuanqing's gaze turned cold. He stepped forward twice and threw a punch without dodging.
The two fists, one large and one small, collided. In an instant, the Golden-backed Black Bear was sent flying, smashing through several trees.
"Hmph. You overestimated yourself," Chen Xuanqing said coldly.
Severely wounded, the black bear let out a piercing roar before swiftly fleeing into the depths of the forest.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu clapped and laughed. "Brother Xuanqing, you're amazing! You chased that huge bear away with just one punch."
Chen Xuanqing shook his head and said calmly, "We still need to stay alert at all times. We're almost there."
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu both nodded at his words, watching their surroundings warily.
With light steps, the three continued along the winding mountain path, soon climbing five hundred meters in elevation.
At last, they reached the edge of the summit. The view suddenly opened up, revealing an inverted cone-shaped hollow before them.
A thick blanket of fog lay between the summit and the hollow, separating the two worlds.
Dense, damp heat rose from the hollow.
The heat also carried a trace of sulfur's distinctive smell, pungent