Chapter 705
Ren Xue
A cool, refreshing wave emanated from the Tear of the Wind God on her chest, like a clear spring extinguishing the fire in her heart. Bibi Dong took a deep breath, suppressing her surging emotions. She couldn't act rashly; now was not the time.
"Continue surveillance, but be extremely careful. Tang San is accompanied by that rabbit, a 100,000-year-old soul beast, and two members of the Golden Iron Triangle; their senses are quite strong. The depths of the Star Dou Great Forest are fraught with danger, and they may not succeed. Have our people set up surveillance on the perimeter, focusing on gathering information, especially regarding any possible contact they might have with special beings," Bibi Dong calmly ordered.
"Yes, teacher." Hu Liena accepted the order, but did not leave immediately. She looked up at Bibi Dong, hesitating to speak.
"Is there anything else?"
Hu Liena bit her lip and finally asked, "Teacher, recently there have been many rumors on the continent about strange phenomena appearing in various places, and some people even say... that they are miracles. What is our Spirit Hall's opinion on this? Should we... take any action?"
Bibi Dong gave her a deep look. Hu Liena also keenly noticed the change in wind direction.
"The talk of miracles is ethereal and unfounded, but there's no smoke without fire," Bibi Dong said slowly. "The Spirit Hall has already sent people to investigate. Nana, you are the Holy Maiden, and you will bear more responsibilities in the future. Remember, any extraordinary power, whether it's an opportunity or a trap, must be treated with the utmost caution. Power itself is neither good nor evil, but the way and purpose of acquiring power determines whether you ultimately reach the pinnacle or fall into the abyss."
Hu Liena seemed to be deep in thought, and respectfully replied, "This disciple will remember the teacher's teachings."
"Go down. Focus on your cultivation. Your soul power has reached a bottleneck and you are about to break through. Don't be too distracted."
"Yes." Hu Liena bowed and left the hall.
The palace doors closed again, and Dai Chengfeng stepped out from behind the curtain, his expression slightly solemn: "The Star Dou Great Forest... indeed holds many secrets. Tang San's choice to go there at this time is no accident. Nana seems to have some worries on her mind as well."
“She clashed with Tang San in the Advanced Soul Master Competition, and later in the City of Slaughter… they also had some entanglements.” Bibi Dong rubbed her temples. “As for the younger generation, as long as it doesn’t damage the Spirit Hall’s foundation, let them be. But Tang San…” A fierce glint reappeared in her eyes, “His growth rate must be curbed. Even if we can’t eliminate him immediately, we must create enough trouble for him.”
What do you want to do?
"Isn't he going to the Star Dou Great Forest?" Bibi Dong's lips curled into a cold smile. "Send orders to the 'Dark Night' team operating near the Star Dou Great Forest, tell them to have some 'fun.' No need for direct conflict, just create some 'accidental' soul beast riots, or lure a few troublesome forces to areas they might pass through. Also, secretly leak the information that Tang San and his group might be carrying valuable treasures (hinting at Xiao Wu's identity) to a few greedy and powerful soul master groups or mercenary groups active in the forest. Remember, do it cleanly, make it seem like a natural struggle."
"Using someone else to do the dirty work, using one wolf to devour another." Dai Chengfeng understood: "A good plan. Even if we can't severely damage them, we can greatly delay their journey and exhaust their energy. I'll get on it immediately."
“Wait,” Bibi Dong called out to him, her tone softening slightly, “You yourself… are you really alright after going back this time? Judging from your complexion, you seem to have suffered quite a bit.”
Dai Chengfeng felt a warmth in his heart, walked back and embraced her, his chin gently brushing against the top of her head: "It's just dealing with some old hidden dangers, using up a lot of my essence, I'll be fine after a few days of recuperation. Don't worry." Bibi Dong was quiet in his arms for a moment, then whispered: "I'm always a little uneasy about the matter of divine inheritance. Although the Rakshasa God's will has been suppressed by the Tears of the Wind God recently, the occasional fragments of information that come through are full of violence and chaos, as if the divine realm is not peaceful at all."
Dai Chengfeng paused for a moment, then hugged her tighter: "The part about the divine realm in my inherited memories is also vague and incomplete. But I vaguely remember that the divine realm is not monolithic; there are also conflicts between different gods and different pantheons. Inheritors in the lower realms are sometimes just pawns and bargaining chips. Dong'er, no matter what, protect yourself. Avoid using the Rakshasa inheritance if you don't have to. I will continue to nurture and activate the Tear of the Wind God for you; it might become your true reliance."
"Mmm," Bibi Dong responded softly. The two embraced quietly, drawing moments of peace and strength from each other amidst the increasingly treacherous situation.
Starry Sky Forest, a vast land where life and wilderness intertwine.
Tang San and his group's journey was not smooth. Not long after entering the mixed zone, they encountered several waves of unusual soul beast attacks. The normally relatively docile thousand-year-old soul beast clan became inexplicably frenzied, and several powerful soul beasts with cultivation approaching ten thousand years seemed to have been deliberately lured onto their predetermined route.
“Something’s not right.” Master Yu Xiaogang frowned as he looked at the enraged Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear that had just been driven back by Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing. “This bear’s territory should be in a deeper area, and its condition seems to be that it has been strongly stimulated or driven away.”
Liu Erlong stood protectively by Xiao Wu's side, her fiery temper making her want to immediately find the culprit: "Someone must be causing trouble! Is it those persistent ghosts from the Spirit Hall?"
Tang San activated his Purple Demon Eyes to their maximum, carefully scanning the surrounding jungle. He shook his head: "I found no obvious signs of human intervention, and the aura of the soul beasts is very natural, not like they were directly controlled. But their movements are indeed suspicious." He felt a chill in his heart. The Spirit Hall's influence was everywhere, and this subtle and insidious method of interference made them even more troublesome.
Xiao Wu approached Tang San somewhat uneasily. The Star Dou Great Forest was her home, and she felt the strangeness here even more deeply: "Brother, I feel that the forest is 'very restless,' as if something is making them uneasy." As a 100,000-year-old soul beast in human form, she had a vague sense of the emotions of high-level soul beasts.
Oscar made several giant recovery sausages and distributed them to everyone, looking distressed: "We've only just arrived and we're already facing so much trouble. Who knows how far away the place we're looking for is?"
Their journey was indeed guided by a secret message provided by Ning Fengzhi. Ancient texts of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School mention that near the Lake of Life at the core of the Star Dou Great Forest, there might exist an ancient sacrificial site related to "nature deities" or "the origin of life," perhaps connected to the recently rumored divine inheritance. Ning Fengzhi judged that this could be an opportunity for Tang San to further break through, and also a window into understanding the movements of the deities.
Dai Mubai swallowed the sausage, his tiger-like eyes flashing with menace: "Who cares who's causing trouble? Bring it on! Little San, are you sure about that spot?"
Tang San unfolded an ancient leather map with simple and blurry lines, pointing to an unmarked area southwest of the Lake of Life: "Based on the information given by Uncle Ning and the comparison with the map, it is roughly in this direction. But the specific entrance will require careful investigation once we get nearby."
"Everyone be careful, the road ahead is likely to be even more treacherous," the master said in a deep voice. "Adjust the formation. Mu Bai and Zhu Qing in front, Hong Jun and Er Long on the flanks, Xiao San in the center for support, and Xiao Wu and Oscar in the middle. Stay alert and increase your speed." (End of Chapter)