Zhang Lexuan unconsciously recalled the scene from last night.
She couldn't let Zhang Yang have free rein; it could easily affect her fighting ability.
A Soul Master's state mattered too. If they got too close, she feared her heart would fall into disarray.
Before they reached the border between the Outer Zone and the Mixed Zone, she made a point of warning him, her gaze burning as she looked at Zhang Yang.
"This area is usually where Soul Emperors hunt. I'll be fine, but you must be careful!" Zhang Lexuan reminded him again and again.
"Don't worry, Eldest Senior Sister. Although I don't have a single Soul Ring, I can take care of myself. I won't hold you back." Zhang Yang remained calm and composed.
Those words weren't the slightest bit exaggerated.
Currently at level ten, he possessed the power of two laws.
Although it was also affected by his cultivation realm, the effect wasn't as pronounced as it was with Soul Power. He was a pure "overpowered monster."
Besides, he also had the Wings of the Goddess of Light. If he encountered a Soul Beast he couldn't beat, he could always run, couldn't he? Flying only consumed his stamina.
This was only the very edge of the Mixed Zone, after all. Unless his luck was terrible, he wouldn't encounter a threat he couldn't resist. He didn't believe he was that unlucky.
But things didn't quite go as hoped...
There was indeed no danger, but there was no reward either.
They spent an entire day wandering around, no different from their time in the Outer Zone, and found nothing.
"Strange. It shouldn't be like this. Even if the Charm Attribute is rare, can't we find a Mental Attribute one either?"
This time, even Zhang Lexuan was baffled.
She had a vague sense that something was very strange about the area.
That night, they returned to the border and lit a campfire on the side closer to the Outer Zone, preparing to rest.
As they ate dinner, they reviewed the day. Forget finding what they wanted-it seemed they had barely encountered any Soul Beasts over five hundred years old.
"Where did they all go?"
Zhang Lexuan frowned slightly.
Although the overall number of Soul Beasts was now declining as Soul Masters continued to hunt them,
they were still a long way from disappearing, let alone going extinct. There was no reason for there to be so few all of a sudden.
Could a group of powerful Soul Masters have finished hunting the Soul Beasts in the surrounding area just before she and Zhang Yang arrived?
"That's quite possible... It's all right. We'll try another direction tomorrow." Worried that Zhang Yang might get discouraged, Zhang Lexuan gently reassured him.
"There's no rush. Getting to travel with you is a special pleasure in itself, Eldest Senior Sister." Zhang Yang replied teasingly, unaware that his words struck right at what Zhang Lexuan was thinking.
She had already thought about it before they set out.
She would take the opportunity to spend a few more days with Zhang Yang while they were away.
The excuse she had thought of was precisely that Charm Attribute Soul Beasts were so hard to find that it took extra time.
So while the current situation looked strange on the surface, it wasn't bad as far as Zhang Lexuan was concerned.
"Zhang Yang, would you mind playing another piece?" Eldest Senior Sister's red lips parted slightly, a hint of shyness hidden in her voice.
"I'd be delighted. As many as you want." What else was there to say? Zhang Yang gladly agreed, just as he had the night before.
He took out his simple xiao, brought it to his lips, and began to play.
Naturally, he didn't forget to activate his Martial Soul and release the Law of Music at the same time.
With layer upon layer of charm bonuses, even though it wasn't Zhang Lexuan's first time listening, the music still left her heart refreshed and her spirit at ease.
[Zhang Lexuan's favorability +10, current: 80 (cannot check in again)]
Zhang Lexuan sat on the ground beside the campfire.
She propped her chin in one hand, resting it on her leg.
The slightly playful look she showed diminished her mature-woman air a little, but it couldn't conceal her grace and beauty.
On the contrary, even Zhang Yang couldn't help marveling. Seeing Eldest Senior Sister like this was even more appealing!
"To be safe, let's not use the sleeping bags tonight."
"You and I can sit closer together and rest against the big tree."
The biggest difference between today and yesterday was the area they were in.
Although this place still posed little threat to Zhang Lexuan, it certainly couldn't compare to the edge of the forest.
To avoid being caught off guard by a Soul Beast attack and putting the man she loved in danger, she pointed to the big tree beside the campfire.
In fact, if ordinary Soul Masters had been out hunting instead,
sitting in meditation to cultivate would have been the best choice on a night like this.
But what could they do? If neither of them slept, how could there be any intimacy?
That wasn't just what Zhang Yang thought. Zhang Lexuan felt the same way; each had their own thoughts.
She might have been short of sleep that morning, even sporting dark circles under her eyes, but she had enjoyed it all the more.
Naturally, Zhang Yang didn't object...
Soon, the two walked over to the big tree.
One on the left and one on the right, they sat leaning against it, shoulder to shoulder and pressed together, their movements smooth and fluid.
Compared to being separated by two sleeping bags, unable to feel each other at all, the contact was quite noticeable.
Even though they held themselves back and went no further, they still seemed close and intimate. It felt a little strange.
In particular, Zhang Yang deliberately reached out.
He clasped Zhang Lexuan's hand tightly, interlacing their fingers with practiced ease.
One did the teasing, and the other enjoyed it. Both of their thoughts wandered a little.
As a result, they failed to notice a pair of bright, lively eyes secretly watching them from the dark, gloomy bushes.
To be precise, they should have been called "three eyes."
Besides the normal pair, there was an additional vertical pupil.
It was a Soul Beast with a brilliant golden coat all over. Its fur was soft and translucent, with a crystalline texture; one look was enough to tell it would feel wonderful to touch.
In form, she bore quite a resemblance to a lion, but her paws were like dragon claws, each treading on golden flames. Overall, she looked lively and adorable.
The Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion!
It was just that Zhang Yang was busy raising favorability at the moment.
Had he noticed her, he would certainly have been shocked and then realized what was going on.
In the original story, when Huo Yuhao arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain his third Soul Ring, it was in the Mixed Zone that he encountered her.
Why had Zhang Lexuan been puzzled that something was wrong with the high-age Soul Beasts nearby, that there were obviously far too few of them? Because the Emperor Auspicious Beast was here!
This little one was practically the demon child of the Soul Beast world.
She wandered around causing trouble everywhere, and no one dared lift a hand against her.
Recently, she had happened to stay in this area, frightening away the vast majority of her kind.
Just as she was feeling bored, she happened to notice Zhang Yang. Maxed-out charm didn't work only on humans; it worked on highly intelligent Soul Beasts too.
She was instantly curious and puzzled. Why doesn't this human make me feel disgusted? Why do I feel a trace of interest instead, and why do I think he "smells" so good?
Who exactly is he?
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was utterly bewildered.
Under cover of night, she quietly drew closer.
In any case, she knew perfectly well that a powerful Ferocious Beast was guarding her from behind, so she wasn't worried about encountering danger at all.
She reached the border of the Mixed Zone and spotted Zhang Yang and Zhang Lexuan, just in time to hear the melodious music.
That was a manifestation of the Law of Music, inherently enchanting. How could the inexperienced Three-Eyed Golden Lion possibly resist it?
She was immediately immersed in the beauty of the music.
Unfortunately, Zhang Yang hadn't noticed her yet.
Otherwise, if he unlocked her favorability, its starting value wouldn't be low.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion watched secretly as Zhang Yang and Zhang Lexuan fell asleep, ripples stirring in her heart.
Why am I curious about a human? And I-I even think he smells good? This is too strange!
The woman beside him is powerful. It would be dangerous to get any closer, but I really want to smell him up close.
No, no! Humans are the enemies of Soul Beasts. I'm an Auspicious Beast; how can I think he smells good... B-but he really does smell nice!