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Upon entering the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiao Wu completely let loose, embodying the phrase "a newborn calf is unafraid of tigers."
However, Ye Wen knew the real reason behind her relaxation—this was her homecoming.
As Ye Wen had previously investigated, the Parasitic Fungus Demon had indeed been hunted to near extinction. After a full week of searching the outer regions of the Star Dou Great Forest, the family hadn't encountered a single insect-type soul beast parasitized by the Parasitic Fungus Demon.
At the same time, Ye Wen truly grasped the sheer scale of the soul beasts in this era and the vast expanse of the soul beast forest.
What gave Ye Wen some comfort, however, was that Xiao Wu hadn't summoned her two little brothers, Da Ming and Er Ming. If she had, Huo Yu'er's family wouldn't have stood a chance. Not every Soul Sage was as reckless as Zhao Wuji, daring to face off against a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. And this particular hundred-thousand-year soul beast could fight at that level even when it was only ten thousand years old.
"Sigh, this damn Parasitic Fungus Demon is really hard to find. Let's call it a day," Huo Rui complained.
By now, night was falling, so Ye Wen's group found a relatively safe corner of the forest to set up camp.
Seeing Huo Rui, who had once been quite elegant, now looking weary from days of rough living, Ye Wen felt a pang of guilt. After all, Huo Yu'er's family had gone out of their way to help him, only to come up empty-handed after a week. It was undeniably disappointing.
Ye Wen even considered lowering his standards and settling for any random attribute-based soul beast. After all, it was just his first soul ring—it wasn't like it would make or break him.
Huo Rui was a perceptive woman and clearly noticed Ye Wen's downcast mood.
As Ye Wen busied himself with setting up camp, Huo Rui patted his shoulder and softly consoled him:
"Don't worry. I promised to help you find it, and I will. It's normal for soul masters to spend over ten days hunting for soul beasts. You don't need to blame yourself. We're all family here; mutual support and understanding are what matter."
Ye Wen's heart warmed, and he was about to express his gratitude.
But at that moment, rustling sounds came from the nearby forest.
Huo Jing and Ye Qingyu instantly activated their martial souls and turned toward the source of the noise.
Even Huo Rui's heartbeat surged as she entered a state of high alert.
In the soul beast forest, especially at night, it was prime time for nocturnal soul beasts to wreak havoc—and also for unsavory soul masters to act without restraint. These soul masters, more familiar with human behavior than soul beasts, were particularly despised by righteous soul masters.
Though Ye Qingyu's eagle martial soul granted her excellent vision, Huo Jing's eye martial soul had been further enhanced by his soul rings, giving him superior sight. He spoke up:
"Mother, it's humans."
Upon hearing this, Huo Rui no longer concealed her soul power, unleashing her peak Soul Sage-level strength and sternly declaring:
"Friends ahead, please show yourselves. Otherwise, don't blame me for any misunderstandings!"
It was well-known that a Soul Sage could dominate the outer regions of the Star Dou Great Forest. However, soul beasts had perception far superior to humans—sometimes dozens or even hundreds of times better. Displaying overwhelming strength was counterproductive for soul masters hunting soul beasts, so powerful soul masters usually kept a low profile in these areas.
But when encountering other soul masters, the simplest solution to any conflict was often a test of strength.
Huo Rui was using her formidable cultivation to intimidate the unknown soul masters.
After a brief silence, the source of the disturbance unleashed their own power.
Ye Wen's expression grew serious.
Though his own strength was still weak, his perception of elements and energy was exceptionally sharp. He realized that the opposing side was no weaker than their group.
Soon, a slightly aged voice emerged from the nearby bushes: "My apologies. Your soul power feels familiar. Might you be Sister Huo Rui?"
Instantly, the tense atmosphere dissipated. Huo Rui, momentarily stunned, then brightened with joy and withdrew her oppressive aura.
"Brother Meng Shu, is that you?"
"Hahaha, my instincts were right—it really is you, Sister Huo Rui!"
Shortly after the hearty laughter, three figures appeared before Ye Wen's group.
Seeing Meng Shu, whose imposing figure was tempered by streaks of white in his hair, Ye Wen was surprised to learn that Huo Yu'er's family had ties with such a renowned individual.
As for the two others accompanying Meng Shu, Ye Wen guessed correctly—they were his partner, Snake Matriarch Chao Tianxiang.
Hmm, and there was also a young girl of about ten or eleven. Due to the effects of soul rings on development, Ye Wen couldn't be sure of her exact age, but she was likely Meng Yiran, who would later become infamous for her kiss.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, everyone began chatting animatedly.
Though lively, in the presence of a Soul Douluo and a peak Soul Sage, Ye Wen's group truly had nothing to fear in the outer regions of the Star Dou Great Forest.
However, amidst the conversation, Ye Wen remained somewhat reserved, and even Xiao Wu seemed unusually restrained. Ye Wen knew she was wary of Meng Shu discovering her true identity.
Xiao Wu's inner thoughts were probably something like: 'Who can understand my pain, guys?! I was just out for a casual stroll, and now we've run into a Soul Douluo. One wrong move and I might not make it back alive!'
Through Huo Rui and Meng Shu's conversation, Ye Wen learned that they had traveled together for a period during their youth, forming a bond.
In fact, if not for Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang's spirit fusion technique, the two might have ended up together.
At this point, Ye Wen couldn't help but internally rant: In this feudal and extraordinary world, it wasn't uncommon for men to have multiple wives.
Yet, under the influence of Tang San—the god of pure love—top-tier experts in 'Douluo continent either remained unmarried or practiced monogamy. It was absurd.
Even Qian Xunji, the most criticized character, had only acted despicably toward Bibi Dong and seemingly had no other illegitimate children or scandalous rumors. Truly baffling.
Though Ye Wen remained silent, it didn't mean others wouldn't approach him.
Ye Wen's handsome features, coupled with an intellectual demeanor far beyond his peers, made him naturally attractive to younger, more naive girls.
Sure enough, Meng Yiran soon couldn't resist and approached him.
"Little brother, hello. Can you tell me your name?"
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