Dai Chengfeng inwardly sighed in relief, knowing this hurdle had been temporarily overcome.
His expression softened, and he nodded. "Let's go down. Grand Priest and Rongrong are probably already waiting."
"Mm."
Hu Liena responded, but couldn't help glancing at Dai Chengfeng again. Seeing him walk ahead toward the stairway with a tall and composed figure, her lingering doubts dissipated further.
"Could it be… I was wrong?" she muttered to herself, following behind.
The two descended the stairs one after another and indeed saw Grand Priest Zhu Hongye and Ning Rongrong already seated at the dining table in the first-floor hall.
The breakfast was simple but fragrant with steaming meat porridge and pastries.
Ning Rongrong was sipping her porridge in small bites. When she saw Dai Chengfeng and Hu Liena come down, her eyes blinked, lingering on Dai Chengfeng for an extra moment, but she said nothing.
Zhu Zhuqing soon joined them, sitting quietly at the table.
She was more reserved than usual, keeping her head low, focusing intently on the bowl and spoon in front of her as if they held some hidden beauty.
A faint blush still lingered at the tips of her ears, barely noticeable.
Grand Priest Zhu Hongye calmly scanned the group and said indifferently, "Everyone's here. Let's eat and set off immediately afterward."
"Yes, Grand Priest," the group responded.
Breakfast passed in a subtle atmosphere of quiet.
Zhu Zhuqing rarely looked up, and Hu Liena unusually kept quiet, occasionally casting curious glances at Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Zhuqing.
Ning Rongrong wanted to say something but glanced around, sensing the odd atmosphere, and ultimately chose to focus on her meal.
Dai Chengfeng remained calm, eating quickly, his thoughts seemingly already drifting to the Great Star Dou Forest.
After finishing breakfast and settling the bill, the four left the modest inn and headed toward the Great Star Dou Forest.
Just outside the inn's entrance, Ning Rongrong's sharp eyes spotted something and suddenly pointed excitedly:
"Hey? Look over there!"
They followed her finger and saw another group preparing to enter the forest edge.
These individuals wore matching attire and exuded a distinguished aura. Two stood out particularly—a man and a woman.
The woman, dressed in fiery red, was tall and beautiful, with an unapologetic arrogance in her brows. She was none other than Huo Wu from Blazing Fire Academy.
Beside her stood a tall, handsome man with a carefree demeanor—Feng Xiaotian from Shénfēng Academy.
"Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian?" Hu Liena raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Ning Rongrong pursed her lips and muttered softly, "Talk about coincidence, enemies always meet."
"I wonder if we'll run into them again inside the Great Star Dou Forest..."
Dai Chengfeng shook his head. "The Great Star Dou Forest is vast. It's not strange to encounter others at the entrance areas."
"We'll go our way, and they'll find their own spirit beasts. We might not even cross paths."
Ning Rongrong thought for a moment and nodded. "That's true."
"The Great Star Dou Forest is boundless. Even if we enter together, a slight deviation in direction might mean we never meet again."
"Hopefully, we won't run into them and avoid trouble."
Grand Priest Zhu Hongye merely glanced at them briefly before withdrawing her gaze. She cared little for the disputes among these young soul masters.
"Let's go," she took the lead, heading deeper into the forest.
Dai Chengfeng and the others immediately followed, taking a slightly different path from Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian's group.
Soon, they disappeared into the dense jungle without any interaction.
...
Inside the Great Star Dou Forest, the light and noise from the outside were filtered and isolated by layers of treetops. The surroundings became deep and silent.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and the dampness of soil, along with an underlying sense of lurking danger.
With the Grand Priest, a Title Douluo-level powerhouse, leading the way, a strong presence subtly radiated outward.
Many weaker spirit beasts had already fled at the mere hint of her presence, allowing them to move swiftly and avoid unnecessary trouble.
Zhu Zhuqing gradually recovered from the morning's awkwardness, returning to her usual aloof and focused state, vigilantly observing the surroundings.
Hu Liena and Ning Rongrong also remained alert.
After all, the Great Star Dou Forest was no place for leisure. Any oversight could bring fatal danger.
As they proceeded, Dai Chengfeng mentally recalculated the objectives of this trip.
The group followed their planned route, heading deeper into the forest.
Along the way, they encountered some spirit beasts suitable for Zhu Zhuqing, but either their age didn't meet expectations or their attributes weren't the best fit. Thus, they refrained from acting hastily.
Choosing a soul ring was crucial. They preferred spending more time finding the most suitable one rather than settling.
Time slipped away amidst travel and searching. The towering trees blocked the sunlight, making it hard to judge the time accurately.
But the forest's light noticeably dimmed, signaling the approach of evening.
Grand Priest Zhu Hongye stopped, sensing the surroundings, and spoke, "Night is falling. Traveling deep in the Great Star Dou Forest at night significantly increases risks."
"We'll find a suitable spot to camp here and continue searching tomorrow."
Dai Chengfeng nodded in agreement. "Grand Priest is right."
Soon, they found a relatively open clearing backed by a large rock wall. The higher terrain and decent visibility made it ideal for camping.
Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Zhuqing efficiently started clearing the area, while Hu Liena assisted Ning Rongrong in retrieving tents and supplies from their soul tools.
Just as they finalized the campsite and prepared to pitch the tents—
Shh—!
An extremely swift sound, carrying a slight sharp tearing noise, came from nearby in the woods!
The sound was astonishingly fast, like an invisible arrow slicing through the air, rapidly approaching their direction!
Dai Chengfeng instantly became alert, his gaze sharply turning toward the source of the sound, his soul power quietly activating.
Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena also immediately entered combat stance, while Ning Rongrong instinctively moved closer to Dai Chengfeng and Grand Priest.
However, upon hearing the sound, Grand Priest Zhu Hongye showed no sign of alarm. Instead, a gleam of excitement lit up her otherwise calm eyes!
She turned to look at Zhu Zhuqing beside her, her tone tinged with subtle joy:
"Zhuqing, you've got good luck."
"This speed, this level of soul power, and its ability to hide within the wind…"
"It seems your destined spirit beast has come knocking on its own!"
Her gaze seemed to penetrate through the dense layers of trees, seeing the rapidly darting figure in the woods. With certainty, she continued:
"If my senses aren't mistaken, this should be a 'Nether Shadow Panther' with nearly four thousand years of cultivation!"
"This type of spirit beast excels in speed and concealment, with a short burst capability that aligns perfectly with what Chengfeng envisioned for you!"
"If you can successfully absorb its soul ring, your third soul skill will undoubtedly be immensely powerful!"
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)