Chapter 325
What a licking machine!
Long Gong Meng Shu, a powerful Soul Douluo-level expert, acted like a junior meeting his idol in front of Lin Xia, his words filled with concern and unbelievable surprise.
Lin Xia looked up at this old customer who had once spent lavishly on many fine soul tools in her shop, a faint smile still on his face, and casually said:
"Mr. Meng, you're too kind. I've been staying in Gengjincheng for too long, so I came out for some fresh air."
"I see! I see!"
Meng Shu nodded repeatedly, as if every word Lin Xia spoke contained profound meaning.
He was about to continue the pleasantries when the Snake Granny Chaotianxiang seized the opportunity, stepped forward, her face beaming with gratitude as if she had survived a calamity, and raised her voice slightly, deliberately expressing her emotion:
"Old man! You've finally arrived!"
"We really owe a debt to Lord Lin this time! If it weren't for Lord Lin's righteous intervention, helping Yi Ran find this thousand-year-old blue crystal three-tailed snake and enabling her to successfully absorb the soul ring and break through to the Soul Master realm, my grandmother and I... sigh, we don't know how much trouble we would have encountered in this forest!"
As she spoke, she patted her chest forcefully, as if still shaken, while subtly giving Meng Shu a wink.
Flander stood to the side, his lips twitching uncontrollably as he internally ranted.
'Thanks to City Lord Lin? He helped Yiran obtain a spirit ring? How difficult could it be for a Soul Emperor and a Soul Douluo to find a thousand-year spirit ring for their granddaughter on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest?'
'This is supposed to be a life-saving favor? This old hag... she's really shameless enough to cling to Lin Xia! What a performance!'
Meng Shu was a man of great stature; he instantly understood what his wife meant!
A glint flashed in his eyes, and the surprise on his face immediately turned into immense gratitude and lingering fear. He abruptly turned to Lin Xia, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply to her, his waist almost bent at a ninety-degree angle, his voice loud and filled with sincere gratitude.
"Lord Lin! I am deeply grateful!"
Meng Shu's voice even trembled with a hint of "choking up".
"You...you've truly provided a lifeline in my time of need, saving my Yiran's path of cultivation!"
"You don't know this, but the Blue Crystal Three-Tailed Serpent is extremely rare, and its attributes are also extremely compatible with the Serpent Staff Martial Soul. My wife and I have been searching for it in this forest for many days without success, and we are really worried about it!"
"I never expected that a benefactor would appear like you! Not only are you incredibly powerful, but you also helped Yiran find the soul beast she had been dreaming of with ease, and even protected her so she could absorb it safely... I, Meng Shu, and my Meng family will never forget this kindness!"
"If Lord Lin ever needs my services in the future, I, the peerless dragon and snake, will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
His words were sincere and moving, elevating what was originally not a difficult matter for them to the level of "a debt of gratitude for their salvation".
It seemed that without Lin Xia, the Meng family's genius granddaughter would have been stuck at the Great Soul Master realm for the rest of her life.
The Shrek members, including Oscar, were all dumbfounded.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with "Is this even possible?"
Tang San and Xiao Wu also twitched their lips slightly, barely suppressing their laughter.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, on the other hand, had expressions of being used to it, after all, they had seen it all during this period of time!
Flander turned his face away, unable to bear to look any longer. He felt that this usually renowned Dragon Lord was now ten times more skilled at flattery than his old woman!
Lin Xia looked at the couple in front of her, whose acting skills were superb and who were working in perfect harmony, as well as Meng Shu's huge gift that almost touched the ground. A very faint, almost imperceptible smile flashed across her deep eyes.
Lin Xia waved her hand casually, as if brushing away an insignificant fallen leaf, her voice remaining calm and unwavering.
"Alright, alright, Elder Meng, you flatter me. It was just a small favor, a chance encounter. Get up, there's no need for that."
"Lord Lin is magnanimous; I admire him greatly!"
By this time, the last rays of the setting sun had been completely swallowed by the dense forest, and sparse stars began to dot the deep blue sky. The light in the forest quickly dimmed, and the rustling sounds of nocturnal animals and the faint roars of beasts in the distance began to replace the daytime birdsong.
Lin Xia looked up at the sky, which was fragmented and torn apart by the tall tree canopy, and said:
"It's getting late, and there are too many uncertainties to travel through the Starry Sky Forest at night. Let's rest here for today and head back tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, everyone naturally had no objections.
Having experienced the daytime battles, the absorption of spirit rings, and the series of unexpected events, both the Shrek Academy students and the Gaishi Dragon and Snake family were somewhat exhausted.
The Starry Forest is fraught with danger at night, so resting on the spot is the safest option.
The group quickly cleared a relatively dry clearing in the forest.
Then I quickly ate dinner.
After the day's adventures and gains, the atmosphere relaxed, and the young people chatted in hushed tones, their conversation revolving around Oscar's hilarious soul spell and Tang San's newly acquired abilities.
A little further away from the campfire, Lin Xia, Flander, Meng Shu, and Chao Tianxiang sat together.
The flickering firelight illuminated their faces, each with a different expression.
Flander pushed up his crystal glasses, gazed at the depths of the forest where the shadows of the trees and the campfire cast shifting light and shadow, and sighed softly, his tone tinged with a sense of感慨 and reminiscence.
"Now, even the Star Dou Great Forest is starting to become desolate."
He paused, his gaze seemingly transcending the barriers of time and the dense forest.
"Many years ago, when I was young, I often came here to gain experience."
"Back then, even on the outskirts of the forest, traces of thousand-year-old soul beasts could be seen everywhere. Various soul beast clans thrived, and although danger lurked everywhere, life was vibrant, making it a treasure trove for soul masters and a paradise for adventurers. But now..."
He shook his head and didn't continue, but his meaning was clear.
Nowadays, finding a suitable thousand-year-old soul beast on the outskirts of the forest often requires going deeper, spending more time, and even relying on luck.
Meng Shu stroked his thick beard, nodded in deep agreement, and lowered his booming voice, which carried the vicissitudes of time.
“Dean Flander is right. I have traversed the world of Soul Masters for decades and have entered and exited this Star Dou Great Forest countless times. In the last one or two decades, I have felt it particularly strongly.”
"The traces of powerful soul beasts are becoming increasingly difficult to find, especially those with rare attributes and suitable age, which are even more rare and hard to come by."
"I don't know if they've all migrated to deeper, more dangerous areas in the heart of the forest, or... for some other reason."
Chaotianxiang chimed in, her voice hoarse.
“Soul beasts have a difficult time cultivating and grow slowly. Perhaps it is the change in environment that has forced them to shrink inward.”
Their sentiments carried the older generation of Soul Masters' nostalgia for a prosperous past and a vague concern for the present, but more than anything, they were a vague speculation attributed to natural changes or the habits of Soul Beasts. (End of Chapter)