Behind Zhu Zhuqing.
An enormous Soul Beast was pursuing her relentlessly.
It was a pitch-black Nether Wolf, its eyes shining with an eerie green light.
Judging by its size, it had at least twenty thousand years of cultivation.
The Nether Wolf was incredibly fast, leaving deep claw marks in the ground with every leap.
Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth, constantly dodging between the trees.
But her Soul Power was depleted, and her movements began to slow.
The Nether Wolf let out a low roar.
It suddenly sprang into the air.
Its claws tore through the air, heading straight for Zhu Zhuqing's back.
Zhu Zhuqing had nowhere to dodge.
Resolve flashed in her eyes.
Two Yellow Soul Rings lit up beneath her feet.
Hell Stab.
Zhu Zhuqing forcibly twisted her body and charged into the Nether Wolf's attack.
It was a desperate gamble with her life.
At that instant, with her life hanging by a thread.
The sky abruptly turned crimson.
A mass of Gold-Red flames descended from the heavens like divine punishment.
Boom!
The flames struck the Nether Wolf with perfect precision.
There was no struggle, no sound.
The twenty-thousand-year-old Nether Wolf vaporized the instant it touched the Gold-Red flames.
Not even a trace remained.
A scorching wave of heat swept outward, instantly withering the surrounding trees.
The heat wave drove Zhu Zhuqing back several steps before she fell to the ground.
Her eyes were filled with astonishment.
She watched the Gold-Red flames gradually die away.
These flames.
This fiercely searing temperature.
Only one person in the entire world possessed them.
Zhu Zhuqing abruptly raised her head and looked up.
Chen Jin's tall, slender figure floated down from the treetops.
He landed steadily before Zhu Zhuqing, Gold-Red light fading into the hem of his clothes.
"Chen Jin?"
Zhu Zhuqing called out.
Her voice carried a tremor even she had not noticed.
Chen Jin's expression was calm.
"What are you doing here?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the young man before her.
After several days apart, Chen Jin's bearing had become even more restrained.
Simply standing there, he gave the impression of a towering mountain one could only gaze up at.
Zhu Zhuqing struggled to her feet and brushed the dirt off herself.
"I came out to train."
Zhu Zhuqing's voice was low.
"The training at Shrek Academy doesn't suit me."
"If I want to grow stronger, I can only come to the Star Dou Great Forest on my own."
Chen Jin looked at her.
Stubbornness showed in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
"What about Dai Mubai?"
Chen Jin asked casually.
At that name, disgust flashed in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
"All he does is drown himself in drink or complain at the academy."
"He thinks you used underhanded methods to defeat Ma Hongjun."
"Tang San thinks so too."
Zhu Zhuqing gave a self-mocking smile.
Her smile was filled with disappointment in everyone at Shrek.
"They think you're nothing but a traitor, a weakling who became strong through luck."
"But I know they're just jealous."
Chen Jin's expression was cold.
"What they think has nothing to do with me."
"The barking of the weak cannot halt the steps of the strong."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Chen Jin.
There was no smugness on the young man's face, only boundless indifference and calm.
It was utter disregard for Shrek.
"What did you come here for, then?"
Zhu Zhuqing asked.
Chen Jin turned and looked deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.
"To find my Fourth Soul Ring."
Just six simple words.
Yet to Zhu Zhuqing, they struck like a thunderclap.
Zhu Zhuqing froze in place.
Her eyes widened, her mind blank.
"Your Fourth Soul Ring?"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice trembled.
"You... you're already at level forty?"
How was that possible?
How long had it been since Chen Jin left Shrek?
She was still struggling in the thirties.
Yet Chen Jin had already reached level forty!
Such a cultivation speed surpassed Zhu Zhuqing's understanding.
Even Spirit Hall's greatest geniuses could not make such a leap in so little time.
Chen Jin said nothing.
He merely willed it.
Three Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.
Yellow.
Yellow.
Purple.
Though it was the most standard Soul Ring Configuration.
The Soul Power fluctuations flowing through the Soul Rings were incomparably dense.
Gold-Red light coursed over the Soul Rings, radiating an astonishing pressure.
Zhu Zhuqing stared at those three Soul Rings.
Though their colors were ordinary, the power within them made the Nether Civet Martial Soul inside Zhu Zhuqing tremble.
She even felt an urge to fall to her knees in worship.
Level forty.
He truly was at the peak of level forty.
Zhu Zhuqing felt bitterness in her mouth.
Those people at Shrek spent all day clamoring that Chen Jin was trash.
Yu Xiaogang had even declared that Chen Jin would never amount to anything in his life.
But now.
Chen Jin had slapped every one of them across the face with the truth.
A level-forty Soul Ancestor.
At his age, such people were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns across the entire continent.
"You..."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Chen Jin, not knowing what to say.
The Star Dou Great Forest.
Ancient trees towered into the sky.
Sunlight filtered through the thick foliage, scattering dappled light and shadow across the damp ground.
Zhu Zhuqing sat on a Giant Rock covered in moss.
Her well-tailored, tight black leather outfit had been damaged in several places during the earlier fierce battle.
In particular, the Nether Wolf's sharp claws had torn a long gash through the leather over her right thigh.
Her fair skin was exposed to the air, with several bloody marks remaining on it.
In the dim forest, that patch of fair skin was especially striking.
Zhu Zhuqing had an excellent figure.
Her slender waist and full contours formed graceful curves beneath her tight-fitting clothes.
Even in her current disheveled state, she exuded considerable charm.
Chen Jin stood nearby.
He stood tall and straight, radiating a steady presence.
Chen Jin walked over.
Every step was measured, without any unnecessary sound.
Chen Jin crouched down, his gaze settling on the wound on Zhu Zhuqing's thigh.
"The wound is still bleeding. It'll leave a scar if it isn't treated."
His expression remained composed.
Zhu Zhuqing's pretty face reddened, and she embarrassedly tried to draw her leg back.
"It's just a minor wound. It's nothing."
Zhu Zhuqing lowered her eyes as she answered.
Chen Jin gave Zhu Zhuqing no chance to withdraw.
He reached out with his right hand and held Zhu Zhuqing's knee in place.
His palm was broad and warm, carrying a scorching heat.
Zhu Zhuqing's delicate body trembled.
A strange electric current spread from her knee throughout her body.
A pink flush quickly spread over her fair skin.
Chen Jin took a White Jade Porcelain Bottle from his Storage Soul Tool.
He pulled out the stopper.
A cool medicinal fragrance filled the air.
Chen Jin dabbed some Jade-White Ointment onto his fingertip and spread it over Zhu Zhuqing's wound.
As the ointment touched her skin, the burning pain faded, replaced by a cooling sensation.
Zhu Zhuqing bit her red lip, her flustered eyes fixed on Chen Jin.
Having grown up amid the brutal competition of the Star Luo Empire, she had never been treated so gently.
Dai Mubai only knew how to run away and had never cared about her injuries.
Watching Chen Jin's focused expression, Zhu Zhuqing felt something stir deep in her heart.
From this angle, she could clearly see Chen Jin's handsome profile.
His expression was earnest, without a trace of distracting thoughts.
His eyes were as still as water.
After applying the ointment, Chen Jin took out a smooth, lustrous medicinal pill.
"Take this. It'll quickly restore your Soul Power."
Chen Jin held the pill out before Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing reached out and took it.
Her fingertips brushed across Chen Jin's palm, bringing a warm sensation.
Zhu Zhuqing put the pill into her mouth.
It melted on contact, turning into a warm torrent that flowed through her limbs and bones.
Her depleted soul power began to replenish rapidly.
Warmth spread through Zhu Zhuqing's body, sweeping away her earlier exhaustion.
She put on her leather boots and stood up.
Her feet rustled against the soft fallen leaves.
"Thank you, Chen Jin."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the young man before her.
Chen Jin stood up, his expression calm.
"It was nothing."
The two continued through the forest.
Zhu Zhuqing followed silently behind Chen Jin.
Looking at the young man's broad, straight shoulders, Zhu Zhuqing felt a reassuring sense of safety rise within her.
It was something she had never felt with Dai Mubai.
"Chen Jin, what happened to you after you left Shrek?"
Zhu Zhuqing voiced the question on her mind.
"Why has your strength increased so quickly?"
"And your martial soul..."
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated.
She still remembered that Chen Jin had once possessed the Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul, just like Ma Hongjun.
Though powerful, that martial soul carried an unpleasant aura of evil.
Now, however, the fiery aura radiating from Chen Jin was sacred and searing.
The darkness and evil of before were gone.
Chen Jin kept walking, his tone calm.
"Just a fortunate encounter."
"My martial soul was purified through a chance opportunity."
"As for the rest, I can't say much."
Chen Jin's words were brief, revealing no specific details.
Zhu Zhuqing was a clever woman and immediately understood what he meant.
"I spoke out of turn."
"Everyone has their secrets. I shouldn't pry."
Zhu Zhuqing knew when to stop, and no displeasure showed on her face.
She lowered her head and looked at the path beneath her feet.
"By the way..."
"I've always believed in you."
Zhu Zhuqing kept her head lowered, her voice firm.
"Back at Shrek, Ma Hongjun kept saying you'd betrayed the academy, that you were a traitor."
"Tang San was always judging you with that superior attitude, too."
"But I knew you weren't that kind of person."
Zhu Zhuqing raised her head and looked at Chen Jin's back.
"They treated you unfairly. Yu Xiaogang's prejudice ruined your future at the academy."
"Your departure was Shrek's greatest loss."
At the mention of Shrek, a self-mocking look flashed through Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
"That place has changed."
"Dai Mubai spends all day indulging in drink and women. He does nothing but complain about his fate."
"They even think you used some underhanded means to defeat Ma Hongjun."
"How ridiculous."
Chen Jin listened to her outpouring without breaking stride.
"Their opinions have nothing to do with me."
"Shrek is nothing but a bunch of frogs at the bottom of a well."
Chen Jin spoke mildly, as though discussing something utterly insignificant.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Chen Jin.
There was no smugness on his face, only calm.
That composure filled Zhu Zhuqing with sincere admiration.
"Wait for me."
Zhu Zhuqing called softly.
Distracted, Zhu Zhuqing accidentally stepped on a round stone covered in moss.
Her foot slipped, and she lost her balance.
"Ah-"
Zhu Zhuqing cried out as she pitched forward.
Chen Jin reacted with extraordinary speed.
In that hairbreadth instant, Chen Jin turned, extended an arm, and caught Zhu Zhuqing around her slender waist.
She felt incredibly soft beneath his hand.
Zhu Zhuqing fell into Chen Jin's arms, her body pressing against his broad chest.
The momentum sent them colliding.
Through their clothes, Chen Jin could feel the warmth of Zhu Zhuqing's skin.
Zhu Zhuqing's breathing quickened.
Her warm breath, carrying a delicate fragrance, brushed Chen Jin's neck.
Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, the blush spreading even to her earlobes.
"S-sorry..."
Flustered, Zhu Zhuqing tried to straighten up.
Yet the more flustered she became, the harder it was to find her footing.
After slipping several times on the fallen leaves, Zhu Zhuqing only pressed closer to Chen Jin.
Chen Jin steadied her, his expression clear and composed.
"Get your footing."
Applying strength with both hands, Chen Jin helped Zhu Zhuqing upright.
At a loss, Zhu Zhuqing took a step back.
Her hands nervously gripped the hem of her clothes, and she held her legs together uneasily.
"Thank you."
Zhu Zhuqing spoke with her head lowered.
An intimate tension settled over the forest.
Chen Jin said nothing more and turned to lead the way again.
Zhu Zhuqing followed behind, her heart beating like a drum.
The two ventured ever deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.
The surrounding trees grew increasingly tall, their canopies blotting out the sky and sun, leaving the light dim.
An oppressive heaviness hung in the air.
Suddenly.
Chen Jin, walking in front, stopped.
He thrust his right arm across, keeping Zhu Zhuqing behind him.
Zhu Zhuqing's expression sharpened, and she immediately went on guard.
The Nether Civet martial soul possessed her, and soul rings slowly revolved beneath her feet.
Rumble-
The ground ahead suddenly shook violently, its trembling growing ever fiercer.
It was as though a slumbering ancient beast were awakening.
Within mere breaths, the temperature began to soar.
The damp, cool Star Dou Great Forest became like an enormous furnace.
Wave after wave of heat came surging toward them with mountain-toppling, sea-overturning force.
Zhu Zhuqing felt the moisture in her body rapidly evaporating.
Every breath drew in scorching air.
Even her lungs burned.
Just as Zhu Zhuqing was about to reach her limit, a gentle, sacred Gold-Red light enveloped her.
That terrifying heat was kept outside.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Chen Jin in surprise.
A faint suggestion of a Phoenix Cry emanated from him—the aura of Ultimate Fire.
Chen Jin's flames suppressed the approaching heat waves through their superior nature.
"What an astonishing fire-attribute aura..."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes were filled with shock.
To Zhu Zhuqing's senses, it was as though a blazing sun were approaching from ahead.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Heavy footsteps rang out incessantly as the ground split.
Vast swathes of ancient trees ahead toppled.
Towering trees so thick it took outstretched arms to encircle them withered in the rolling heat.
Then they ignited, turning into roaring flames.
Firelight filled the air, illuminating the dim forest in crimson.
An enormous creature tore through the sea of flames and appeared before them.
It was a gigantic lion.
Its body was over ten meters long, and it stood a full five meters tall.
Thick Gold-Red scales covered its entire body.
Every scale had a streamlined shape and bore ancient, mysterious flame patterns.
Crimson flames constantly danced and burned across its scales.
Around its enormous head, a mane of fire shone as brilliantly as the blazing sun, swaying with its movements.
Its eyes, each the size of a water vat, flashed with a red light of savagery and destruction.
With every breath, black smoke and sparks spurted from its nostrils.
"Flame King Lion!"
Zhu Zhuqing cried out in alarm.
The Flame King Lion was an overlord among fire-attribute soul beasts.
Possessing a pure fire-attribute bloodline, it ranked among the finest soul beasts of its level in strength and destructive power.
This Flame King Lion was in a state of fury.
It had not noticed Chen Jin and Zhu Zhuqing concealed in the shadows.
It merely rampaged through the forest, recklessly venting the power within its body.
"Roar-"
The Flame King Lion raised its head and roared furiously at the sky.
The sound waves mingled with rolling heat, forming visible red ripples that spread in every direction.
The surrounding burning trees were shattered by the roar.
They turned into sparks that filled the air, dancing through the sky.
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