It was finally over.
Ye Qiu let out a long breath. After all, it was early morning—when yang energy was rising—and the entire ordeal had left him extremely agitated.
"Glug… glug…"
He drank several mouthfuls of cold water, finally feeling a bit calmer.
"Do you want some?" He handed the bottle toward her.
"I want—"
Her voice was clear and melodious, yet distant.
Seeing Ye Qiu bring the spout straight to his own lips, Zhu Yeqing quickly stopped him.
"What are you doing?! You already drank from that!"
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.
"It's fine. You already used the same pot."
"You— ugh! Glug—glug—!"
Before she could argue further, Ye Qiu pressed the spout to her lips, wiping it with his sleeve beforehand.
"Cough—cough!"
Caught off guard, she choked violently.
"You bastard!"
She glared at him furiously.
Ignoring her stare, Ye Qiu calmly wiped the spout again and put the kettle away.
Then he picked up the towel from the basin.
"What else are you planning to do?!" Zhu Yeqing panicked.
"I've already been cleaned!"
"You're— um…"
Before she could finish, Ye Qiu pressed the towel against her cheeks with both hands, squeezing her mouth into an "O" shape. Only her tongue moved helplessly.
"It seems your medicine works well," he said casually.
"Your speech has improved a lot already."
He sat cross-legged above her head, resting her face on his knees as he lowered his gaze to meet hers.
"But you should talk less for now. Just wash your face."
When he released her, she remained silent, feeling his breath brush against her skin.
The warmth made her cheeks burn.
Unwilling to show weakness, she stared back—until embarrassment overwhelmed her and she shut her eyes.
"I said, don't breathe so heavily," Ye Qiu added.
"You don't want the chest wound reopening."
"You—!"
Her dark eyes were filled with shame and anger.
"Alright," he said lightly.
"Put your clothes on and you'll be fine."
"Get dressed?!"
"What—are you planning to stay naked forever?"
"I wouldn't mind."
"Go to hell!"
She gritted her teeth.
"Help me get dressed later—and keep your eyes open, or I really will kill you!"
"Tch. Crying girls are the most troublesome."
"Damn it! This—this thing is on backwards!"
Zhu Yeqing exclaimed in fury.
There was clearly a design on her chest, yet he still managed to put it on backward.
The murderous intent in her eyes could have killed Ye Qiu several times over.
Not far from the cave—
Canbao and his group were slowly approaching.
A flying Soul Master descended from the air to scout.
"Big brother! There's a cave ahead—and blood at the entrance!"
"Move!"
Canbao led his dozen remaining men forward.
Moments later—
A scream erupted from the other side.
Back inside the cave—
After much effort, Ye Qiu finally finished pulling up her pants.
It was nearly noon.
"Grrr~"
"Huh?"
Ye Qiu frowned.
"Zhu Yeqing, did you hear something?"
"N-no… I didn't," she replied quickly, one hand pressing against her lower abdomen, her face red.
"Really?"
He was certain he heard it.
"No! Absolutely not!"
Seeing her flushed expression, Ye Qiu was baffled.
This time, he was sure it wasn't a hallucination.
His Sharingan activated, pupils turning purple as his gaze pierced through the rock wall—
Revealing a horrifying scene in the distance.
"A Shadow Spider swarm… and a Soul Master too?"
"What are you talking about?" Zhu Yeqing asked suspiciously.
Ye Qiu withdrew his gaze.
"Some unlucky idiots stumbled into a Shadow Spider lair and are running this way."
Zhu Yeqing's heart jumped.
Could it be them?
"How do you know?" she asked.
"My martial soul—the Sharingan."
He pointed at his eyes.
"…X-ray vision?"
"…Yes."
"Pah! Disgusting."
She spat lightly, glaring at him.
Ye Qiu covered his face.
He really shouldn't have said that.
"No time to argue. Let's leave and hunt something to eat."
"Grrr~"
Her stomach answered immediately.
Looking at her flushed face, Ye Qiu finally understood.
"So that's what you were hiding."
"L-let's go!" he said, lifting her into his arms.
Zhu Yeqing wrapped her arms around his neck, avoiding his gaze.
A red flash appeared in Ye Qiu's eyes as he recalled all the items back into the Divine Might Space.
She stared blankly as everything vanished.
How big is this guy's soul tool…? He even carries a bed?!
Ye Qiu didn't explain.
Divine Might was too dangerous to expose.
Carrying her, he disappeared into the jungle once more.
"Mountain Eagle! You bastard!"
The leopard roared in fury.
"Is this the cave you were talking about?!"
Because of faulty intelligence, they had barged straight into a spider nest—
And were now surrounded by thousand-year soul beasts.Of the people I brought, at least half have already died here.
"Brother… the eagle has been completely devoured."
"Damn it!"
"Everyone, follow me! Break through together—whoever can escape, escape!"
At Canbao's command, the remaining eight or nine men immediately closed ranks behind him.
His gloomy gaze swept the battlefield, searching desperately for a way out. Finally, a thousand-year Shadow Spider leapt into view.
"Everyone, stay close! Sato, attack with me!"
"Understood, big brother! Third Soul Skill—Death Coil!"
Sato's third spirit ring flashed. Thick, barbed vines burst from the ground, tightly binding the Shadow Spider.
"Third and Fourth Soul Skills—Low HP Amplification, Soul-Hooking Ghost Claw!"
The leopard sprang forward. A yellow and a purple spirit ring lit up in succession as enhancement and attack skills activated simultaneously.
Sharp claws pierced through the Shadow Spider's exoskeleton and smashed straight into its brain.
"Roooar—!"
With a final shriek, the beast crashed to the ground.
"Move! Now!"
Second Soul Skill—Dash!
Boosted by his speed skill, the leopard broke through the encirclement first. Sato and the others followed closely behind.
"Ugh—!"
"Big brother, save me!"
In the end, two more bodies were left behind.
Only seven escaped.
Their retreat path aligned perfectly with Ye Qiu's direction.
A Soul Master–led team losing over three-quarters of its members clearly showed how terrifying the Star Dou Great Forest truly was.
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