Wang Dong’er gave Huo Yuhao this fantastic feeling not because she was pretty, but because their hearts were so close together. Huo Yuhao had only gradually developed this romantic feeling after the Sea God’s Fate, but discovered that he was improving very quickly in this aspect. He was always so happy, and he always felt so fortunate when Wang Dong’er was with him.
Perhaps Wang Qiu’er looked more like the Goddess of Light, and perhaps she also gave him a strong sense of familiarity. However, she couldn’t be compared to Wang Dong’er at all, who occupied all the space in Huo Yuhao’s heart at this moment.
The golden light radiating from Wang Qiu’er not far from them began to recede at this moment, and one soul ring after another began to rise from her body.
Two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings! When her sixth and final soul ring rose up, the golden hues around her had completely withdrawn into her body.
It was complete!
Wang Qiu’er had completely absorbed the fifty-thousand year Bloody Baboon King’s soul ring. The entire process only took roughly six hours; it was an incredible and frightening speed for a Soul Emperor, and yet, she had accomplished it so easily!
Wang Dong’er whispered, “Her body is so ferocious. She can actually absorb a fifty-thousand year soul ring so quickly. Since that’s the case, why does she have two hundred-year and two thousand-year soul rings before that?”
Huo Yuhao paused to think. Wang Dong’er was just making a casual comment, but it made a lot of sense. Wang Qiu’er’s Golden Dragon martial soul had to be the reason for her toughness and ferocity, but since that was the case, why did she have two hundred-year soul rings?
Wang Dong’er could absorb a thousand-year soul ring as her second ring, and the main reason for that was because she had twin martial souls. She had mentioned to Huo Yuhao before that her second martial soul was the Clear Sky Hammer, which greatly strengthened her body and was the reason why she could absorb a thousand-year soul ring as her second ring. Wang Qiu’er only had one martial soul, but it was apparent that her body was probably tougher than his own and Wang Dong’er’s, too! Did she have some hidden troubles she hadn’t voiced?
They were observing Wang Qiu’er at the same time. Wang Qiu’er concluded the absorption process and looked over towards them. When her eyes met Huo Yuhao’s gaze, she nodded her head faintly, but she didn’t look at Wang Dong’er at all.
Her action naturally fell into Wang Dong’er’s eyes, and a look of surprise flowed from her eyes. She snapped her head back around at Huo Yuhao and said, “Why did she nod at you?”
Huo Yuhao didn’t hide anything from Wang Dong’er, and he told her about when he gave Wang Qiu’er the meat sandwich, and how he was infuriated after she had tossed the baked bread onto the ground. The only thing he didn’t say was that he and Wang Qiu’er had alternately eaten from the piece of baked bread. Sometimes, white lies could avoid a lot of trouble...
Wang Dong’er’s eyes seemed to melt after Huo Yuhao told her about the story of the baked bread and of him and his mother. She didn’t care about the others around her, and cuddled deeper into his embrace as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.
“Auntie is so nice. I wonder if I can be as good as she was. However, if the day comes when we are about die from starvation and there’s only one piece of baked bread, then I will definitely eat it.”
“Eh?” Huo Yuhao stared at the girl in his embrace in faint astonishment.
Wang Dong’er had closed her eyes by now. She used a voice that only the two of them could hear and said, “Because, I hope you will have me by your side in your last moments. I don’t wish to see you hurt because of my death, and I want to die after you so that I can take another look at you…”
Her gentle words instantly filled every corner of Huo Yuhao’s heart. He never thought that a person would express his or her love for another like that. Wang Dong’er made his heart overflow with happiness.
He subconsciously hugged her even tighter, but his throat seemed to be tied into a knot, and he couldn’t speak a single word.
Wang Dong’er could feel his excitement, and the feeling of being in his embrace became very real and exceptionally warm.
Wang Qiu’er stood not far from them as she stared at them blankly. She felt a sensation that she had never felt before at the break of dawn in this dimly-lit forest. The two of them were leaning against each other, and they seemed to fuse into each other to become one, and what astounded her was the emotions that flowed between them.
The group woke up from their meditation one after another, and everyone could see the two lovebirds in an embrace. The two of them had their eyes closed at this moment, as if they had fallen asleep.
Nobody disturbed them. The forest was full of life energy at this moment, and the two of them just sitting there was so harmonious with their surroundings, as if everything was just a masterful painting.
Wang Qiu’er finally turned her eyes away from them and walked up to Zhang Lexuan.
“How’s it looking, Qiu’er?” Zhang Lexuan asked.
Wang Qiu’er answered, “It’s alright. I know where to find soul beasts suitable for him, shall I lead the way?”
Zhang Lexuan asked, “Are you very familiar with the Great Star Dou Forest? Where is this place?”
Wang Qiu’er turned around and gazed into the distance, before she turned towards the sun that was gradually rising from beyond the horizon. “I once trained in the Great Star Dou Forest for an entire year. I’ve been to the Peripheral Regions, the Hybrid Regions, and the outer areas of the Core Region.”
“One year, continuously?” Zhang Lexuan asked again, surprised. This was the Great Star Dou Forest, the residence of the most famous soul beasts on the Continent! More than half of the Ten Great Savage Beasts resided here, and this was not a place that could be described as peaceful or quiet.
Soul masters adventuring into the Great Star Dou Forest were normal, as this place had the most soul beast species, and the most powerful ones. This place by itself was almost enough to generate soul rings suitable for every single soul master.
However, using this place for training, and this training lasting for an entire year, was something that was almost unimaginable. It didn’t mean that Zhang Lexuan didn’t have the ability, or that she wouldn’t have a problem living in the Peripheral Region with her cultivation. However, encountering soul beasts every single day continuously without a chance to rest or relax was just so insufferable...
Spending one or two days like this was still reasonable, but wouldn’t one’s mind just collapse if this continued for an entire year? Furthermore, higher-level soul beasts might appear in the lower-level regions; anything was possible if one lived there for an entire year. Wang Qiu’er was such a delicate and pretty lady, and yet she was able to live in this place for an entire year... it wasn’t hard to imagine the effort she had to put in.
Wang Qiu’er nodded and said, “One year by myself.”
Zhang Lexuan took a deep breath and said, “Your success hasn’t come about without good reason, than. It seems like that you’re probably more familiar with the forest than every one of us here. Which soul beasts are suitable for Yuhao?”
Wang Qiu’er contemplated momentarily before she said, “There are several species that fit the description. At least, these species are more suitable for him than the Bloody Baboon. However, these soul beasts almost all live within the Core Region, and every single one is extremely powerful. We’ll have to be very careful.”
Zhang Lexuan pondered for a while. “Alright, you take point.” Even though Wang Qiu’er had just joined the academy, she was still part of the inner courtyard. She had to have seen some things if she spoke with such confidence. The Core Region was much more perilous than the Hybrid Region, and there would be a lot more pressure on everyone’s shoulders. However, this team at their strength could definitely venture inside for a little while, and they should be fine as long as they didn’t enter the Slaughtering Grounds. The truth was that there were hardly any soul masters who had walked into the Slaughtering Grounds and returned alive.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong’er finally woke up from their sweet moment. They were a little embarrassed when they noticed everyone’s stares, but when they looked back into each other’s eyes and they saw their own reflections, all that unspoken love and affection returned.
Zhang Lexuan altered the formation when they got back on the road. Everybody was astounded when they saw that Wang Qiu’er was now standing in front of the group. She had taken over Zhang Lexuan’s position, while Zhang Lexuan took over Wang Qiu’er’s initial position.
In terms of martial souls, Zhang Lexuan was an assault-type soul master, but she was most adept with mid-range to long-range attacks, and close-combat wasn’t her forte. Not even Huo Yuhao’s Ultimate martial soul could compare with Wang Qiu’er’s Golden Dragon in terms of close-combat. Of course, the Golden Dragon’s element was pure strength, and the Golden Dragon itself was thus an Ultimate martial soul. If Wang Qiu’er’s cultivation was the same as Zhang Lexuan’s, she would undoubtedly be the most suitable person to be standing in front.
Nobody objected to Zhang Lexuan’s new arrangement, and everyone was more careful and vigilant when they got back on the road. The previous night’s problems and disturbances gave them personal experience with the Hybrid Region’s dangers and perils, while what they had to do next was to proceed forward and venture deeper into even more hazardous areas.
Wang Qiu’er walked in front of the group. She had taken down her veil, and her blue wave-like hair was woven into a ponytail. Everyone looked on in surprise as she retrieved a weapon from her storage-type soul tool.
A soul master’s best weapon was his or her own martial soul. Soul engineers typically used weapons, but soul masters hardly used any. In the end, weapons weren’t a part of one’s body like a martial soul was, and there would be a negative backlash if one didn’t have complete control or coordination with his or her martial soul.
Wang Qiu’er’s weapon was a long spear. It was about 3.6 meters long, and had a brilliant golden color that was identical to her martial soul. However, her weapon didn’t contain any metal at all, it seemed to be made from wood. The spear emanated a life energy so dense and strong that the feeling was comparable to Huo Yuhao’s Life Gold. Even though it wasn’t as strong as the Life Gold’s life energy, it contained a stranger and more peculiar element.
Wang Qiu’er’s spear was different from typical spears. It was sharpened on both ends, and its entire body was like a long and narrow shuttle, while Wang Qiu’er’s hands were gripping it in the center.
Wang Qiu’er’s icy aura became even sharper when she took out the spear. She stood at the very front of the group and raced forward, and didn’t seem like she had any intention of slowing down.