Chapter 227: Arriving at Sunset Forest, Tang San Notices Liu Yuan for the First Time
"Then let's go take a look."
Du Busi's voice was a low, decisive rumble that echoed through the martial arts arena. He did not waste a single second. Turning his imposing frame toward the disciple who had just delivered the intelligence, his gaze hardened.
"You lead the way," Du Busi commanded, his tone leaving no room for hesitation. "Once we reach the perimeter, you will remain on the outskirts. There is no need for you to venture inside."
The disciple swallowed hard, nodding rapidly before spinning on his heel and marching out of the arena. Du Busi followed closely behind, his towering figure casting a long shadow, while Liu Yuan and Long Aotian matched his pace in silent synchronization.
The four of them moved swiftly through the main thoroughfare of the Body Sect, passing the grand mountain gates before leaping into the boundless sky.
The disciple tasked with guiding them possessed a cultivation level hovering around the Five-Ring Spirit King realm. While his absolute power was nothing extraordinary within the sect, his foundational flying techniques were exceptionally solid and stable. He took the vanguard, his speed measured and sustainable, charting a flawless trajectory across the horizon. Du Busi anchored the formation right behind him, flanked by Liu Yuan and Long Aotian on either side.
Their destination, Sunset Forest, lay squarely on the rugged borders of the Heavenly Soul Empire, situated nearly two thousand miles away from the Body Sect's mountain gate. Under normal circumstances, Du Busi would have torn through the sky at maximum velocity, but he pragmatically throttled his speed to accommodate the Spirit King disciple's limited stamina.
The journey was a blur of rushing winds and fleeting landscapes. The quartet barely halted their advance. When hunger struck, they consumed dry rations mid-flight; when thirst parched their throats, they downed quick gulps from their waterskins. As night fell and the temperature plummeted, they sought out a wind-sheltered alcove among the mountain ridges, resting for a mere handful of hours before taking to the skies the moment the first light of dawn breached the horizon.
A day and a half of relentless travel finally brought them to the fringes of Sunset Forest.
From their high altitude, the forest appeared as a boundless, undulating sea of ancient trees. The vegetation was staggeringly dense, a chaotic mix of towering trunks and thick vines. Looking down, all one could see were overlapping canopies painted in a thousand different shades of deep, vibrant green.
The disciple slowed his ascent, pointing a trembling finger toward the shrouded depths of the ancient woods. "It is over there, Sect Master. Near a sheer cliff face. We left a specialized tracking mark in that vicinity during our last reconnaissance."
Du Busi gave a curt nod. Channeling his spirit power, he led Liu Yuan and Long Aotian into a steep dive, dropping their altitude until they were skimming just inches above the rustling treetops.
Meanwhile, on the complete opposite side of Sunset Forest, two distinct figures were weaving rapidly through the dense underbrush.
Taking the lead was a youth with a slender, agile build and refined, delicate features. A evident sense of burning urgency flickered within his glowing Spirit Eyes. Clad in a deep blue, close-fitting combat suit with a short blade secured tightly at his waist, his pace was relentless, bordering on a frantic sprint.
It was none other than Huo Yuhao.
Half a month prior, his grueling tenure as an exchange student at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy had officially concluded, allowing him to finally return to the familiar grounds of Shrek Academy. His return had marked a period of massive upheaval in his personal life.
Most notably, he and Wang Dong'er had finally cemented their relationship. The memory was still fresh in his mind—standing by the tranquil shores of Sea God Lake beneath a perfectly round, luminous moon. He had spoken words from the very bottom of his heart, and Wang Dong'er, her face flushed a brilliant crimson, had nodded in shy agreement. Since that night, the two were practically inseparable, their bond an open secret known to every teacher and student walking the academy halls.
It was also during this chaotic period that he crossed paths with Wang Qiu'er. Her temperament was a stark contrast to Wang Dong'er's; she was an iceberg of a woman, radiating a chilling aloofness and speaking only when absolutely necessary. Yet, her combat prowess was terrifyingly high. Huo Yuhao had interacted with her on a handful of occasions—they were not exactly close friends, but they had moved past the world of mere strangers.
The true catalyst for his current frantic rush had arrived just days ago in the form of a sealed letter from Tai Tan and Niu Tian. Those two formidable men were Wang Dong'er's senior elders, and the contents of their message had frozen the blood in his veins. The letter revealed that Wang Dong'er suffered from a lethal, congenital hidden ailment. The only known cure in existence was a mythical, heaven-defying plant known as the Lovesick Heartbroken Herb.
, this legendary herb grew in only one place in the entire mortal realm: the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, hidden deep within the most treacherous depths of Sunset Forest.
Upon reading those words, Huo Yuhao had not hesitated for a fraction of a second. He packed his gear and charged straight toward Sunset Forest. Along the way, Wang Qiu'er had intercepted him. After learning the desperate nature of his mission, she had silently chosen to accompany him into the danger zone.
And so, they moved through the ancient woods. Huo Yuhao maintained the vanguard, his boots crushing dry leaves, while Wang Qiu'er followed closely behind. Neither wasted breath on idle chatter, their entire focus poured into the grueling trek.
Huo Yuhao kept his Spirit Eyes fully activated. His spiritual detection blanketed the environment, stretching far ahead into the gloom, capturing the microscopic movements of insects and the subtle shifts in the wind.
"How much further?" Wang Qiu'er's voice broke the silence, crisp and devoid of emotion.
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes for a brief second, cross-referencing his spatial awareness with the mental map. "According to the topographical markings, we should be within a hundred miles of the target. The territory ahead transitions into the absolute depths of Sunset Forest. Human presence is virtually nonexistent there, and the terrain will become exceptionally hostile."
Wang Qiu'er offered no response, merely adjusting her grip on her weapon. The two simultaneously accelerated, their figures blurring into the shadows of the trees.
Far above the mortal plane, beyond the constraints of the Douluo Continent, a majestic, ethereal palace floated serenely amidst swirling, iridescent clouds. This was the God Realm.
Tang San sat at the center of a grand hall, a shimmering Water Mirror suspended in the air before him. The mirror's surface rippled, projecting crystal-clear images of the Lower Realm, specifically focusing on the sprawling expanse of Sunset Forest.
Behind his throne stood two towering phantom projections. One possessed a wildly burly physique, his arms thick with knotted, explosive muscles—Tai Tan. The other was leaner, yet radiated an aura of immovable stability—Niu Tian.
Tai Tan took a heavy step forward, cupping his massive fists in a respectful salute. "Lord Tang San, we have just received confirmation. Huo Yuhao has already mobilized and is heading straight for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Exactly as you instructed, we used the letter to plant the knowledge of the Lovesick Heartbroken Herb in his mind."
Tang San offered a slow, deliberate nod, a faint, calculating smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He had been waiting for this exact moment for a very long time.
His grand design had been set into motion the very second Huo Yuhao drew his first breath in the mortal world. He had coldly allowed Huo Yuhao's mother to endure endless suffering within the walls of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. He had ensured the boy tasted nothing but bitter neglect and freezing isolation throughout his formative years, carefully cultivating a desperate, hollow void in the child's heart—a ravenous longing for genuine love and validation. From there, he had subtly manipulated the threads of fate, guiding the boy step by step into the gates of Shrek Academy, orchestrating the exact circumstances for Wang Dong'er to develop deep, unshakeable feelings for him.
Now, with their romantic relationship officially confirmed, the trap was fully set. The most crucial chess piece had willingly stepped onto the center of the board.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was not just a location; it was the precise point where Tang San would violently pull the net closed. He needed Huo Yuhao to experience unimaginable trials within that valley—trials so harrowing and emotionally devastating that they would be permanently branded into the boy's soul. Only by breaking him down and reshaping his core would Huo Yuhao become a truly obedient tool, perfectly aligned with the destiny Tang San had painstakingly designed for him.
"Very good." Tang San's voice was soft, yet it connected with the chilling weight of absolute control. "Everything is proceeding flawlessly according to the grand design. Once Huo Yuhao breaches the perimeter of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, I will personally begin the taming process."
Tai Tan bowed his head in acknowledgment and stepped back into the shadows.
Tang San shifted his attention back to the floating Water Mirror. His slender, elegant fingers tapped a rhythmic, echoing beat against the armrest of his throne, his vast intellect already calculating the variables of his next three moves.
However, just as he prepared to disperse the divine projection, the image within the Water Mirror violently warped.
The perspective shifted to an entirely different quadrant of Sunset Forest. Several figures were tearing through the sky, flying dangerously close to the jagged treetops. Leading this unknown vanguard was a burly old man with wild, grayish-green hair, his left shoulder heavily bound in thick medical bandages. Trailing closely behind him were a young man and two youths.
Tang San's finger froze mid-tap. A rare twitch disrupted the calm of his eyelid.
With a mere thought, he commanded the Water Mirror to zoom in, magnifying the faces of the intruders. His brow furrowed into a tight crease.
"Who... are those people?" Tang San murmured, a genuine trace of surprise bleeding into his divine voice.
Tai Tan and Niu Tian leaned forward, their phantom eyes narrowing at the projection. Tai Tan instantly recognized the leading figure, his booming voice tinged with shock. "That is Du Busi, the Sect Master of the Body Sect! Why in the world would a madman like him be venturing into Sunset Forest?"
Niu Tian's expression darkened into a heavy scowl. "Look at their trajectory. Based on their current heading, they are making a direct line for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
Tang San remained completely silent. His piercing gaze swept over the intruders, analyzing them one by one, before finally locking onto the youth flying directly behind Du Busi.
The youth's eyes were terrifyingly unique. Within each eye rested three overlapping pupils, radiating a faint, captivating purple-gold light that seemed to devour the surrounding space.
"What a deeply peculiar youth," Tang San whispered, his frown deepening.
He had completely overlooked Liu Yuan's existence until this very second. Part of this oversight was due to his overwhelming duties managing the God Realm, but the primary factor was the ruthless distortion of time. One single day in the God Realm equated to an entire year on the Douluo Continent. From the moment Liu Yuan first awakened his power and began his meteoric rise, only a few mortal years had passed. To Tang San, sitting on his divine throne, that was merely a span of a few days. The window of opportunity to notice this anomaly had been infinitesimally small.
But now, with a single, focused glance through the Water Mirror, Tang San instantly recognized that the youth with the purple-gold eyes was something entirely outside of his control.
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