When Lin Jie first arrived by the lakeside, he immediately noticed how dense the natural energy was.
But now, standing inside this small mountainside cave, he realized the Spirit Power here was even richer than outside. If he trained here, Lin Jie was confident that his cultivation speed would increase significantly.
After bringing Lin Jie into the cave, Xiao Wu arranged for him to stay there for the time being.
Lin Jie himself had reasons for wanting to remain as well. So he told Xiao Wu that he planned to stay a while longer.
Xiao Wu was overjoyed to hear this. She usually spent her time here alone, which could get dull—now that Lin Jie was here to keep her company, how could she not be happy?
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
During those days, Lin Jie didn't focus on cultivation, nor did he mention hunting a Spirit Ring. He simply spent time with Xiao Wu.
She was delighted. They talked about all sorts of things, and she showed him around the forest—within a safe range, of course.
Meanwhile, Er Ming, the Titan Giant Ape, grew increasingly sulky. Normally, Xiao Wu rarely played with him to begin with—she was either cultivating or daydreaming. But now, ever since this human boy arrived, she didn't even glance his way.
Lin Jie and Xiao Wu spent their days like a couple—chatting, laughing, walking together, even building a house.
Yes, a wooden house.
Lin Jie thought it wasn't ideal for Xiao Wu to keep living in a damp cave, so he suggested building a proper shelter. Xiao Wu agreed with eager anticipation.
And in the Star Dou Great Forest, there was no shortage of timber—plus, they had a free laborer in the form of Er Ming.
After five days of hard work, a cozy wooden cabin was complete.
The moment it was finished, Xiao Wu was overjoyed. It was the first house she had ever helped build—with Lin Jie, no less.
Er Ming, watching them move into the new home hand-in-hand, couldn't help feeling annoyed.
He, a dignified forest overlord, still slept under the open sky. And the house was built using wood he had hauled over… but now only Lin Jie and Xiao Wu were living in it?
Of course he was bitter.
During this time, Lin Jie also came to understand that although Er Ming was incredibly powerful, he was also a bit… simple. Aside from being great at fighting, he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.
Thanks to Xiao Wu, Lin Jie got along reasonably well with Er Ming—they could at least talk casually. As for Da Ming, ever since he submerged into the lake, he hadn't come up again.
Another ten days went by.
Lin Jie still didn't cultivate. He continued spending time with Xiao Wu.
Time alone between two people often led to emotional intimacy—and with Lin Jie's natural charm, he easily nurtured their bond.
Unconsciously, Xiao Wu found herself becoming more and more attached to him.
She had grown accustomed to his presence in her life. These carefree, peaceful days… they felt truly blissful.
On the sixteenth day, Lin Jie sat by the lake in quiet meditation.
Not far away, Er Ming was crouched near a fire, holding a giant skewer in his hand.
A freshly killed soul beast was roasting over the flames, giving off waves of mouthwatering aroma. Er Ming sniffed the air thoughtfully, then added a bit more seasoning and continued to turn the spit.
Since the wooden cabin was built close to the lake, Xiao Wu sat by the window, resting her cheek on one hand and gazing at Lin Jie by the water. She didn't even realize how focused and serene her expression had become.
At that moment, Lin Jie opened his eyes. He looked at Er Ming in the distance and called out loudly:
"Er Ming! Want to have a spar?"
By now, he and Er Ming were familiar enough for such casual challenges.
Ironically, it was thanks to food that they'd gotten this close.
When Lin Jie had first arrived, he noticed something: despite being a mighty forest overlord, Er Ming still needed to eat.
Normally, when hungry, he'd simply hunt a soul beast and devour it raw—quick and efficient.
One day, Lin Jie had suggested roasting the meat instead. Using his knowledge of barbecue techniques, he cooked a batch of flavorful roasted meat.
After just one bite, Er Ming was stunned. Compared to what he had eaten before, this was heaven and earth.
After Lin Jie taught him the basics of cooking, Er Ming immediately ditched his raw-eating habits.
Now? He'd become a barbecue enthusiast.
Hearing Lin Jie's shout, Er Ming glanced at him—then simply shook his head and returned his focus to turning the skewer.
The meat sizzled enticingly. As the savory aroma spread, Er Ming closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his face full of bliss.
From his perspective, Lin Jie was far too weak.
If he gave him a light smack, he might accidentally kill him.
And Lin Jie was Xiao Wu's friend—how could he risk hurting him?
Besides… he was busy grilling meat! Who had time for sparring?
That said, Er Ming genuinely appreciated Lin Jie. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't have known that meat could taste this good.
Seeing how completely ignored he was, Lin Jie began to regret ever teaching Er Ming how to grill.
From the window, Xiao Wu shifted her gaze to Er Ming.
Watching him so immersed in his cooking, she giggled. She never expected Er Ming to fall so deeply in love with barbecue.
Lin Jie had originally wanted to test his limits through a spar with Er Ming.
But clearly, that plan was off the table today.
His fighting spirit extinguished, Lin Jie turned and looked at Xiao Wu sitting by the window.
He had made up his mind—it was time to leave.
Approaching her, he spoke gently:
"Xiao Wu… I'm getting ready to go."
"Huh? You're leaving already?"
Xiao Wu's expression was full of reluctance. She'd been so happy with him these past few days, and now he was just going to leave?
"Yeah. I've reached rank 50. I need to hunt for my fifth Spirit Ring and continue advancing."
When he mentioned hunting, a shadow passed through Xiao Wu's eyes.
She knew this was inevitable. Still, as a transformed soul beast, it was hard not to feel sorrow at the thought.
Lin Jie noticed the flicker of sadness in her gaze, but what could he say? This was the way of the world.
Even Er Ming, when hungry, hunted soul beasts to eat.
It was the law of survival—the strong devour the weak.
"Xiao Wu, I know you're different… but you also understand how this world works.
I promise you—I'll only hunt what I truly need."
"I understand, Lin Jie. You don't have to worry about my feelings."
Lin Jie stepped forward, gently stroking the rabbit ears atop her head.
"Thank you… for everything these past few days. I've really enjoyed them."
Xiao Wu blushed instantly.
Though she hadn't rejected Lin Jie's affectionate ear-touches, they still made her feel shy every time.
Suddenly, she had an idea—what if Er Ming helped Lin Jie find a suitable soul beast?
That way, fewer innocent lives would be lost.
And more importantly, she knew how dangerous the inner forest could be.
If Lin Jie went alone, he might get hurt.
In her heart now, Lin Jie had become the second most important person to her—after Tang San.
She didn't want anything to happen to him.
"Lin Jie… how about this? I'll help you find a suitable soul beast, and Er Ming can assist you."
Lin Jie's eyes lit up.
With Xiao Wu's knowledge of the forest, finding a match would be quick. And if Er Ming helped, he probably wouldn't even have to fight himself.
"You're sure that's okay? I mean… Er Ming…"
"Of course it's okay! It's settled—come on!"
Xiao Wu grabbed his hand and tugged him outside, laughing as she ran.
Outside, they found Er Ming happily munching on his freshly roasted meat.
"Er Ming," Xiao Wu called out gently.
"What is it, Sister Xiao Wu? Do you want some too?"
Er Ming held out his treasured skewer like an offering.
"Not this time. We're heading out. Lin Jie has reached rank 50 and needs a Spirit Ring. I'm going to help him find one."
Er Ming agreed without hesitation.
To him, only Da Ming, Xiao Wu, and a handful of friends mattered.
He wasn't as compassionate as Xiao Wu—he had hunted more soul beasts than he could count.
To him, helping Lin Jie hunt one more was nothing.
Besides, Lin Jie was Xiao Wu's close friend, which made him a friend by extension.
Hearing Er Ming agree, Lin Jie felt a wave of relief.
It seemed that all his effort to build rapport over the past few days had paid off.
Xiao Wu pulled Lin Jie into a leap, landing squarely on Er Ming's broad shoulder.
The giant ape didn't mind at all.
With a powerful sprint, Er Ming bounded away from the lake.
In truth, Er Ming knew the Star Dou Great Forest even better than Xiao Wu.
Within his territory, there were no longer any soul beasts over ten thousand years old—he'd bullied them all away.
So he took Xiao Wu and Lin Jie deeper into the forest.
As they left, gentle ripples stirred the surface of the lake.
A moment later, the water grew still once more.
It was clearly Da Ming who had stirred.
Though he had been sleeping all this time, nothing within his territory could escape his perception.
He had quietly observed Lin Jie for a while.
And only after confirming that Lin Jie bore no threat to Xiao Wu had he let down his guard.
As for Lin Jie needing to hunt a soul beast for his advancement—Da Ming didn't feel much about it.
Just like Er Ming, he only cared about what he cared about.