Night fell. The crowns of towering ancient trees overlapped in layers, with only specks of moonlight filtering through the branches and leaves.
The surroundings were far from peaceful either. Low roars from Soul Beasts sounded in the distance from time to time.
"Looks like we've used up our good luck."
Chu Feng stood atop a giant tree, looking around.
Since Ning Rongrong had obtained her Soul Ring, they had not found a single Soul Beast suitable for Zhu Zhuqing.
"Perhaps now is a more suitable time," Zhu Zhuqing said softly.
Her Martial Soul was the Hell Spirit Cat, so shadow-type agility-attack Soul Beasts suited her better.
And Soul Beasts of this kind generally came out at night.
"Let's rest here for a while."
They could not find one right away, so they might as well rest first.
At Chu Feng's words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and began pounding their sore bodies.
Walking all day was still exhausting for them.
"Little Ao, hurry up and give me a sausage." Even Ma Hongjun's voice sounded weak.
For a fatty like him, walking all day was a little more than he could bear.
To find a suitable Soul Ring sooner, they had not stopped for even a moment.
"I Have a Big Sausage." Oscar recited his soul incantation, summoned Recovery Big Sausages, and handed them out.
"I told you not to recite that soul incantation anymore." Chu Feng lightly smacked Oscar on the head.
Every time he heard Oscar's soul incantation, the sausage in his hand became disgusting.
Over the years, he had long since helped Oscar break that habit.
Holding her sausage, Ning Rongrong lifted it with some distaste and shook it.
"That's so disgusting. Say that again next time, and I'll throw this thing at your head."
They were both support-type Soul Masters, so how could Oscar's soul incantation be so disgusting?
Other food-type Soul Masters were not like this either.
Oscar crouched on the ground, clutching his head. "Habit. It just doesn't feel right without the incantation."
"Then can't you come up with a better incantation, like Rongrong's?"
Tang San forced himself to eat the sausage.
Even though he believed in practicality, he still found Oscar's soul incantation nauseating.
"Hehe." Oscar chuckled, not daring to say anything else, lest he get scolded again.
Disgusting as they were, everyone still ate the sausages to restore their stamina and relieve their fatigue.
"Hey, wait a minute. Boss, can't you use Soul Skills too?"
As soon as Ma Hongjun finished eating, he slapped his thigh, remembering that Chu Feng could also use Oscar's Martial Soul.
And combined with Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul, it did not have to be so disgusting.
Tang San looked at Chu Feng.
He also remembered how Chu Feng had used a Soul Skill to heal his injuries and restore his stamina back then.
The process had certainly not been as disgusting as Oscar's.
Seeing that he had been exposed, Chu Feng pretended to have a sudden realization.
"Oh, I forgot."
"Besides, you need to get used to Little Ao's Soul Skill."
"If there's an emergency, are you going to refuse to eat it?"
At Chu Feng's words, the corners of Tang San's and the others' mouths twitched. Several times, they wanted to speak but stopped.
For the first time, they felt that Chu Feng was utterly shameless.
They had clearly seen that Chu Feng had not eaten a sausage.
Whoosh!
Just as Chu Feng was feeling a little awkward, a sound came from the dense forest around them.
"Something's coming."
"Little San, take a look and see what it is."
When it came to sharp eyesight, Tang San, who had cultivated the Purple Demon Eye, was still the one to rely on.
Tang San immediately went on alert. The internal power of his Mysterious Heaven Skill circulated through his eyes as he activated the Purple Demon Eye, and the pitch-black forest peeled away layer by layer in his vision.
The figure prowling around them revealed its true appearance.
"It's a Shadow Night Lynx!"
"Zhu Zhuqing, your Soul Beast is here."
"Oh no, it's going to run!" Tang San shouted. At the same time, he instantly activated his Blue Silver Grass, trying to stop the Shadow Night Lynx that had sensed danger.
"Zhu Zhuqing, handle it yourself."
Chu Feng applied three layers of buffs to Zhu Zhuqing as before.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded and used Hell Stab, charging into the dense forest.
"Let's go take a look too."
Fortunately, they had just eaten sausages to restore their stamina.
In the dense forest, the Shadow Night Lynx moved so fast that only afterimages could be seen. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass could not bind it.
"Roar!" The Shadow Night Lynx turned and roared at Zhu Zhuqing behind it, hoping to scare her off.
But how could Zhu Zhuqing let a Soul Beast that had delivered itself to her door escape?
She deeply yearned for a Contract Soul Ring.
"First Soul Skill, Hell Stab."
Zhu Zhuqing's figure became a pitch-black afterimage. With Chu Feng's speed buff, she darted above the Shadow Night Lynx in the blink of an eye.
Sensing someone above it, the Shadow Night Lynx did not stop moving. It twisted around and kicked out its claws, the sharp claws on its hind legs lunging straight for Zhu Zhuqing's chest.
Zhu Zhuqing turned sideways and narrowly dodged, but her momentum sent her crashing into a tree.
The tree shattered outright.
Before Zhu Zhuqing could react, the Shadow Night Lynx vanished ahead of her, then suddenly sprang from the darkness at her side a second later.
Zhu Zhuqing instinctively ducked, avoiding the attack.
The Shadow Night Lynx's sharp claws gouged several deep furrows into the ground, sending gravel and fallen leaves flying in all directions.
Its strike missed. The instant the Shadow Night Lynx landed, it retreated into the darkness again, coming and going without a sound.
Zhu Zhuqing's brows furrowed slightly.
This Shadow Night Lynx's concealment ability was too powerful. She could not locate it right away.
Although she currently had a shield around her, she still had to watch out for the Shadow Night Lynx's ambushes.
But a Soul Beast like this is exactly what suits me, Zhu Zhuqing thought.
The Shadow Night Lynx's powerful concealment ability was a perfect match for her Martial Soul.
"Zhu Zhuqing, above you!"
Chu Feng's urgent voice rang out.
Zhu Zhuqing instinctively rolled forward.
The Shadow Night Lynx's descending strike missed. It tried to conceal itself again, but countless strands of Blue Silver Grass sprouted from the ground and bound its limbs.
Chu Feng had already told Tang San to bury Blue Silver Grass underground in advance, waiting for the Shadow Night Lynx to land.
"Let it go. I'll fight it myself." Zhu Zhuqing's gaze hardened, and phantom claws appeared over her fingers.
"But..." Tang San was about to say that the Soul Beast would run away if he released it, but Chu Feng raised a hand to interrupt him.
"Let her handle it herself."
"We just need to seal off this area."
Chu Feng knew that Zhu Zhuqing was the most independent of everyone in Shrek.
Perhaps it was because she had faced danger alone all these years.
Watching Zhu Zhuqing's serious expression, Dai Mubai wanted to speak but stopped, a pang of bitterness rising in his heart.
With his hand in his pocket, he viciously pinched his own thigh.
It's all my fault. My cowardice made Zhu Zhuqing become like this.
Dai Mubai hated his former self.
Why had he been so cowardly before, letting a girl bear all of that for him?
"There's still a chance now." Chu Feng walked over and patted Dai Mubai's shoulder.
All these years, he had constantly corrected Dai Mubai's rotten habits.
That, too, was because he did not want to see him become a scumbag.
"Mm!" Dai Mubai nodded solemnly.
For the days ahead, he secretly swore that he would never let Zhu Zhuqing suffer the slightest grievance again.
Bang! On the battlefield, Zhu Zhuqing's fight with the Shadow Night Lynx began again.
Once again, Zhu Zhuqing crashed into a tree while dodging the Shadow Night Lynx's attack.
"Zhu Zhuqing, this Shadow Night Lynx is at least five thousand years old. Don't clash with it head-on," Chu Feng called out in warning.
Zhu Zhuqing's wrists tingled slightly, and she was inwardly startled.