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Although Zhu Zhuqing didn't say anything, standing quietly to the side, her clear and cold gaze also fell on Dai Chengfeng's face.
Hu Liena swayed gracefully forward, covering her mouth with a light laugh. Her eyes sparkled, and her voice carried a bewitching lilt:
"Yes, it seems we still underestimated the charm of His Highness, the Fourth Prince."
"Not only is he handsome and elegant, but his strength is unmatched among his peers. It's no wonder he's so popular wherever he goes, attracting beauties to invite him willingly."
"Tsk tsk, it seems we need to keep a closer eye on His Highness from now on. Otherwise, one day he might be 'stolen' away, and we'd have nowhere to cry."
Dai Chengfeng looked at these three girls—each beautiful and outstanding in their own way—who were now "united" in teasing him. He felt both annoyed and amused.
He knew that explaining at this moment would only make things worse. Instead, it was better to quickly break this subtle "trial" atmosphere.
He deliberately put on a stern face.
"Oh? Still daring to tease me? Looks like you want to experience some house rules!"
As he spoke, a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes, and without warning, he moved.
With his current skills, how fast was his speed? Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Hu Liena only saw a blur before they felt a not-too-light, not-too-heavy slap on their pert bottoms.
"Smack!" "Smack!" "Smack!"
Three crisp sounds with a hint of ambiguity rang out clearly in the quiet forest clearing of the early morning.
Immediately following were three cries of surprise and embarrassment.
"Ah!"
Ning Rongrong, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, let out a startled cry. Her pretty face instantly turned red, like a ripe apple.
Instinctively, she covered her backside with both hands, jumped back a step, and glared at Dai Chengfeng with a mixture of shame and anger, stamping her foot:
"Dai Chengfeng! You... you rogue!"
Zhu Zhuqing also stiffened, two rosy blushes spreading across her clear and cold face, reaching her ears.
She glared at Dai Chengfeng with eyes as icy as fire, but unusually, she didn't lash out immediately. Instead, she bit her lower lip and turned her head to the side.
But her bright red earlobes betrayed her inner turmoil.
Even the usually bold and charming Hu Liena didn't expect Dai Chengfeng to suddenly do something like this.
Caught off guard, a charming blush spread across her face. She instinctively reached back to cover herself, giving Dai Chengfeng an accusing glance.
As her eyes twinkled, that hint of reproach seemed to turn into deeper spring water, her voice carrying a slight tremor:
"Dai Chengfeng... you... your method of enforcing house rules is just too... too bullying, isn't it?"
Dai Chengfeng couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the three girls' embarrassed and flushed faces.
The stern expression he had deliberately put on softened, and he teased: "You three little troublemakers, instead of learning good things, you gang up to be jealous together?"
"She was just being polite and expressing thanks."
"What nonsense about being captivated? What are you thinking about all day? Jealousy for no reason deserves punishment!"
His somewhat domineering actions dispelled the subtle jealousy and tension caused by Huo Wu, replacing it with a more intimate, even slightly ambiguous playful atmosphere.
Ning Rongrong pouted playfully, pretending to hit Dai Chengfeng;
Zhu Zhuqing still turned her head away, but the corners of her tightly pressed lips loosened slightly; Hu Liena's eyes sparkled, looking at Dai Chengfeng, deep in thought, a meaningful curve forming on her lips.
After the laughter subsided, under the leadership of the Grand Priest, the group set off again, heading deeper into the mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest...
Their goal was to find a suitable fifth soul ring for Hu Liena.
Perhaps the residual aura of the Golden-Horned Giant Ape hadn't dissipated yet, because throughout the entire day, the group did not encounter any powerful soul beasts over ten thousand years old.
At most, some thousand-year-old soul beasts peeked from afar, quickly retreating after sensing the powerful presence of the group.
Nothing happened along the way until dusk approached once again, the sunset's afterglow dyeing the forest a warm golden color. They found a clearing near a stream to prepare for camping overnight.
Dai Chengfeng and others began to skillfully clean the area, pitch tents, and light a campfire.
However, at this moment, Dai Chengfeng's eyebrows suddenly furrowed sharply, his previously calm expression turning serious in an instant.
He abruptly turned his head, his sharp, hawk-like gaze piercing through the thickening twilight, staring intently toward a certain direction deep in the forest.
In his spiritual perception, an extremely faint, almost imperceptible, yet chillingly evil, icy, and desolate aura was vaguely coming from far away.
This aura was not ostentatious, even deliberately restrained, but the negative energy it contained was pure and terrifying.
It was filled with ominousness, destruction, and a strange sense of playing with life.
What made Dai Chengfeng's heart race was that within this evil aura, there was an indescribable... sense of familiarity.
Dai Chengfeng's face instantly darkened, his eyes becoming incredibly sharp and alert.
He muttered softly, his voice so low that only he could hear, carrying a weight as if facing a great enemy:
"This nauseating aura... cold, evil, full of the desire for destruction... Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!"
Almost at the same time Dai Chengfeng detected this evil aura, the Grand Priest, who had been calmly directing the camp setup, suddenly changed expression.
She swiftly turned around, looking in the same direction as Dai Chengfeng, her body instantly tensing. Powerful soul power fluctuations uncontrollably spread out, causing the fallen leaves on the ground to move without wind.
"Be on guard!"
The Grand Priest's voice was low and urgent. Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Hu Liena almost simultaneously released their martial souls.
In an instant, the glow of various soul rings lit up in the forest clearing, powerful soul energies intertwining, filling the air with a deadly atmosphere.
At this moment, Ning Rongrong instinctively moved closer to Dai Chengfeng, nervously grabbing the hem of his clothes. The Nine-Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was already in her hand, glowing with a luminous treasure light.
Zhu Zhuqing exuded a cold Nether aura, her eyes sharp as knives, her body slightly leaning forward, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.
Hu Liena's charming face was all seriousness, the virtual image of a fox tail swaying behind her, pink light flowing in her eyes, full of vigilance.
"Grand Priest, what's going on? What is it?" Hu Liena asked gravely.
The Grand Priest didn't answer immediately but stared fixedly into the depths of the forest. Her spiritual power spread out like a tide, trying to more clearly capture the source of that aura.
After a moment, she slowly exhaled a breath, her voice carrying a trace of disbelief and hoarseness:
"This aura... cold, evil, full of destruction and ominousness...!"
"I don't know what it is, but it's definitely very powerful!"
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