Tang Jian was somewhat lost in thought when he realized his lapse in composure. He quickly looked away, scratched the back of his head, and lowered his voice, his tone unusually serious and concerned:
" Lingling, it's cool in the valley at night, you... you and Zhu Zhuqing mustn't catch a cold. If... if you need anything, just call me right away, I can hear you very well!"
Tang Jian pointed to himself, trying to appear more reliable.
Ye Lingling looked up at Tang Jian. In the moonlight, she could see the genuine sincerity in the tall young man's eyes.
That careful and considerate concern warmed Ye Lingling's heart slightly. She nodded gently and smiled, "Okay, I understand. Thank you, Brother Tang Jian. You should get some rest too."
After saying that, Ye Lingling and Zhu Zhuqing bent down and entered the tent one after the other.
A silly grin crept onto Tang Jian's face as he walked briskly toward his and Oscar's tent.
On the other side, Tang Feng had also returned to his tent, slowly closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and entered a meditative state.
As night deepened, the valley returned to silence, save for the occasional soft crackling of the campfire.
The next day, as dawn broke and the morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, everyone packed their bags, extinguished the embers of the campfire, and prepared to set off.
Following yesterday's successful Soul Hunting and Zhu Zhuqing's acquisition of External Soul Bone, the entire team was even more spirited than before, their brows furrowed with a sharpness and confidence.
They set off again, heading towards " Emerald Hot Spring Valley " in the central area of Sunset Forest. Dugu Bo led the way, Yang Wudi protected the flanks, and Tang Lie brought up the rear. The five young people walked in the middle, but the atmosphere among them was subtly different from before.
Zhu Zhuqing followed in the group, her movements still light and swift, but she would occasionally drift off into her own thoughts.
Whenever Zhu Zhuqing recalls the scene of her impulsive embrace of Tang Feng yesterday, her cheeks would uncontrollably flush slightly, and an indescribable sense of shame would well up in her heart.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but glance quickly at Tang Feng, who was walking diagonally ahead of her, out of the corner of her eye. When she saw Tang Feng's tall and straight back, she would immediately look away like a startled deer, secretly regretting her loss of composure. At the same time, she felt a strange, inexplicable feeling, as if her heartstrings had been gently plucked.
Although Tang Feng outwardly remained calm as he led the way and whispered the route to Dugu Bo, how could the perceptive Tang Feng not notice the occasional gazes cast from behind, each carrying complex emotions?
Every time Tang Feng felt Zhu Zhuqing's gaze, he would feel a little uncomfortable, his back would unconsciously straighten more, and the sudden hug and warm touch from yesterday would flash through his mind.
Tang Feng could only cough lightly, focusing more on the road ahead and the surrounding vigilance, trying to dispel the awkwardness with his actions.
Between the two, there seemed to be a thin, unbroken window paper separating them, and a subtle tension permeated the air.
In stark contrast to their "awkwardness," the atmosphere on Tang Jian and Ye Lingling's side was gradually warming up.
After these few days of traveling together, especially Tang Jian's clumsy yet incredibly sincere care—such as proactively clearing the way for Ye Lingling, immediately offering help when encountering difficult paths, silently handing her water bag and dry rations during rest, and always lingering a little longer near her tent when keeping watch at night—we've come to appreciate his kindness.
Ye Lingling 'Ye Lingling aloof protective shell seemed to have melted away somewhat. She began to respond to Tang Jian's brief conversations, and occasionally a faint smile would appear on her lips when Tang Jian talked about interesting things about the Clear Sky Sect or her own embarrassing cultivation experiences.
Tang Jian was even more enthusiastic, as if he wanted to write "protect Lingling " on his face. As the two walked side by side, the distance between them unconsciously closed a lot.
Oscar, as always, stayed by Tang Feng's side like a little follower.
Oscar felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and admiration for Tang Feng. His eyes were almost always following Tang Feng Tang Feng he listened attentively to every word of Dugu Bo discussion, silently learning from Tang Feng's way of handling things and his composure far beyond his years.
For Oscar, Tang Feng was not only a benefactor who gave him the opportunity, but also a role model he was determined to follow and learn from.
Led by Dugu Bo, the team chose a suitable route, avoiding several known powerful Soul Beast territories, and traversed the complex terrain of Sunset Forest efficiently and safely.
Three days later, the surrounding air became noticeably more humid and warm, the vegetation became more lush and verdant, and the number of exotic flowers and plants increased.
"We've arrived." Dugu Bo stopped at the entrance to a mountain valley shrouded in dense vines and mist, pointing ahead. "Beyond this 'mist barrier' lies the ' Emerald Hot Spring Valley.' The valley has a unique environment, nurturing many rare plants and gentle Soul Beast. However, the ' Emerald Spirit Deer ' is wary by nature, preferring cleanliness and disliking filth, and only lives in the deepest part of the valley, where the spring water is purest. We must enter carefully, without disturbing it too much, lest it be frightened and flee."
Upon hearing Dugu Bo's words, everyone's spirits lifted, and their gazes turned to the entrance of the mountain pass shrouded in misty white fog. The fog was not ordinary water vapor; it carried a faint, obstructive force, similar to the fluctuations of Soul Power, clearly possessing a natural deceptive and protective effect.
"Stay close to me, don't get separated. There's something fishy about this fog."
Dugu Bo gave a brief instruction and took the lead in stepping into the white mist. A faint emerald green halo emanated from his body, and wherever he passed, the dense mist quietly retreated to both sides as if encountering its nemesis, clearing a clear path.
Yang Wudi and Tang Lie positioned themselves on the left and right, slightly releasing their Soul Power to protect the sides and rear of the group. Tang Feng signaled the others to follow closely behind.
Upon entering the fog, visibility was immediately obstructed; even with Dugu Bo clearing the way, the visibility was less than ten zhang (approximately 33 meters).
The air was filled with a moist warmth and a stronger smell of sulfur, mixed with the rich fragrance of various exotic flowers and plants, making one feel as if they were in a combination of a giant natural steamer and a garden.
Beneath your feet lies soft, damp moss and the tangled roots of temperate plants, and occasionally you can hear the tinkling of spring water and the clear chirping of unidentified birds.
Fortunately, with Dugu Bo as their "living map," the team didn't lose their way. After walking for about fifteen minutes, the view suddenly opened up before them.
A white mist closed in behind them like a curtain, revealing a breathtaking valley before them.
The valley isn't particularly vast, but the scenery is breathtaking. In the center lies a turquoise hot spring lake, its rising steam refracting a rainbow of colors under the sunlight.
The lake was surrounded by lush, green plants, many of which were rarely seen in the outside world. Some of them even emitted faint fluctuations of Soul Power, clearly rare medicinal herbs.
Dugu Bo loved collecting various herbs throughout his life, so he must have discovered this place while collecting herbs.
The air was filled with a pure, life-giving energy that was invigorating and made one 'Soul Power flow more smoothly.
The valley is home to many gentle small Soul Beast, such as the glossy-furred Spring Ferret and the Moonlight Deer with its sparkling little antlers. They are not particularly afraid of humans, but rather curiously observe these uninvited guests before leisurely lowering their heads to drink water or play.
"It's truly a paradise on earth," Oscar couldn't help but exclaim. Even the usually aloof Zhu Zhuqing and Ye Lingling showed admiration in their eyes.
" The Emerald Spirit Deer prefers cleanliness and often roams near the clearest springs." Dugu Bo's eyes flashed like lightning as he scanned the lakeshore, quickly locking onto his target. "Look over there."
Following the direction pointed out by Dugu Bo, the group saw several elegant, emerald-green spirit beasts, their bodies adorned with silvery-white spots on their hooves and antlers, leisurely grazing on the moss growing on the rocks at the far end of the Soul Beast, near a clear, shallow beach where a small waterfall flowed in.
Their auras were pure and powerful. The leader was larger, with more elaborate and ornate antlers, and the life energy fluctuations surrounding it far surpassed those of its companions.
"That's it, the leader, its age is around 16,000 years," Dugu Bo said in a low voice.
Capturing an Emerald Spirit Deer, known for its healing and spirituality and possessing virtually no aggression, is far easier for this team than dealing with Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
To avoid disturbing other creatures in the valley and damaging this precious environment, Tang Lie and Yang Wudi did not even take direct action.
After Dugu Bo used his exquisite Soul Power to block its possible escape routes, Tang Feng and Tang Jian cooperated, one using exquisite grappling techniques to restrict its movements, and the other using just the right amount of force to gently subdue it.
The entire process was completely silent, without even causing much of a commotion to the other Emerald Spirit Deer in the distance.