Chapter 243: The Mutation in the Star Dou Forest

  “That person?”

  Ning Fengzhi was momentarily stunned, his expression suddenly changing. “Qin Xiao, has he returned?”

  “I just sensed a powerful aura flicker and disappear from the direction of Liu Erlong's courtyard. No matter how hard I tried to perceive it afterward, it felt as if the courtyard had shifted into another world. This is a technique far beyond the abilities of ordinary gods,” Qian Daoliu said, shaking his head slightly, his face showing a trace of inferiority.

  “Sect Master, it must really be that kid, Qin Xiao, who has returned. Just now, I also felt a familiar aura fsh by,” Sword Douluo added in a deep voice from the side.

  Ning Fengzhi calmed down and suddenly smiled. “He has returned at the right time. Recently, the strange occurrences in the Star Dou Forest have been worrying us, but now we no longer need to fear. With Qin Xiao here, even if a God King were to emerge from the Star Dou Forest, there’s no need for concern.”

  Qian Daoliu interjected, “However, I think we should avoid disturbing Qin Xiao for now.”

  Ning Fengzhi nodded in agreement. “You're right. There's no urgency at the moment. We can wait until Qin Xiao comes to us on his own.”

  “Sect Master Ning, I’ve said all I need to say for now. I’ll take my leave,” Ning Fengzhi csped his hands in a formal salute as he spoke.

  Qian Daoliu slightly nodded. “Sect Master Ning, feel free to go. I won’t see you off.”

  After Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo left the hall, Qian Daoliu exited through a back door.

  He approached a quiet courtyard and knocked on the door.

  “Who is it?”

  “Xiaoxue, it’s me.”

  “I’m coming.”

  As soon as the voice inside finished speaking, the door opened.

  Qian Renxue poked her head out, surprised. “Well, isn’t this odd? It’s not windy today. Grandpa, what brings you here?”

  Qian Daoliu: “…”

  What’s with the sarcastic tone?

  He couldn’t help but admit that over the past two years, after Qian Renxue had id down her burdens, her personality had changed quite a bit. She had become more lively and cheerful.

  “Heh, I actually had something important to tell you, but since you don’t seem interested in inviting me in, I suppose I’ll leave.” Qian Daoliu waved his hand in mock disappointment and started to turn away.

  “Wait,” Qian Renxue called after him.

  “What is it? Changed your mind?” Qian Daoliu smiled slightly.

  “Why don’t you first tell me what this important matter is?”

  “Hmph, does news about Qin Xiao interest you?”

  “Grandpa, since you’ve already come, why not come inside and sit for a while?” Qian Renxue said as she pulled Qian Daoliu into the courtyard.

  Qian Daoliu: “…”

  Two years. It had been two full years since he had stepped foot into this little courtyard.

  When he took a closer look at the setup within the courtyard, he was startled.

  Everywhere, there were paintings. Tall ones, short ones, rge ones, small ones, all sorts of different sizes.

  And when Qian Daoliu took a closer look at the content of the paintings, he was stunned again.

  Simply put, every painting depicted a single person.

  More importantly, the figure in each painting had different postures, clothing, and even settings, but the face was the same in every painting.

  They were all of Qin Xiao!

  The more Qian Daoliu looked, the angrier he became. What kind of spell had that annoying brat cast over his granddaughter? And to think that he had disappeared for nearly three years without taking responsibility!

  “I see now why you didn’t want anyone to enter your courtyard. You were hiding this little secret, huh?”

  “Have I done anything so terrible that I don’t deserve even a single painting?” Qian Daoliu grumbled discontentedly.

  “Well, uh…” Qian Renxue’s eyes darted around guiltily. She couldn’t deny that this was her fault. But what could she do?

  In her mind, there was no one else but Qin Xiao.

  However, Qian Renxue was quick-witted, and a thought came to her. “Grandpa, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not that I didn’t want to paint you. It’s just that I feel my skills are too shallow, and I’m not yet capable of capturing your majestic presence. That’s why I’ve hesitated to start.”

  “It’s been nearly three years… Look, I’ve filled the courtyard with paintings of Qin Xiao, and none of them are quite right. I need more practice. Once I’ve honed my skills, I’ll definitely paint a masterpiece worthy of you!”

  Her words were filled with fttery, and Qian Daoliu couldn’t help but feel a bit eted. Even though he knew Qian Renxue was merely giving him an excuse, he happily accepted it.

  Qian Daoliu suddenly asked, “Xiaoxue, do you know what your greatest strength is?”

  Qian Renxue tilted her head and thought for a moment before answering earnestly, “My high talent, beautiful looks, and graceful temperament?”

  Qian Daoliu: “…”

  Good grief. Is that how one praises oneself?

  He suddenly realized that Qian Renxue had not only changed her mindset but also her level of shamelessness...

  “None of those are your greatest strengths.”

  Qian Daoliu shook his head slightly, “I think your greatest strength is your honesty...”

  Qian Renxue: "..."

  She thought to herself that her grandfather's shamelessness was as impenetrable as a city wall.

  "Grandfather, what were you just saying about Qin Xiao?" Qian Renxue, unwilling to continue with the pleasantries, asked directly.

  Qian Daoliu’s expression grew serious, “You’ve been preparing for nearly three years. The time is ripe.”

  Qian Renxue's body trembled, disbelief filling her eyes. “You mean... Qin Xiao, he...”

  “That’s right, he has returned. He’s at Liu Erlong’s residence…”

  “Then I’m going to find him right now!”

  The moment Qian Renxue heard this, she couldn’t wait any longer. She turned, ready to leave the courtyard immediately. She could barely suppress the overwhelming desire to rush to Qin Xiao's side.

  However, Qian Daoliu stopped her. "You've waited for years; there’s no need to be hasty now. My suggestion is to write him a letter and invite him to a banquet tomorrow. Prepare carefully and show yourself in the best light. Won’t that make the brat fall head over heels for you?"

  Looking at the courtyard full of paintings, Qian Daoliu secretly mused that it would be a shame if Qin Xiao never saw all of these.

  Upon hearing his words, Qian Renxue’s face flushed bright red. She stomped her foot lightly and muttered, "Grandfather..."

  ...

  Meanwhile, in another courtyard,

  Ning Rongrong looked at Ah Yin, who was sitting by the small ke in the back garden, and asked curiously.

  She had noticed that Ah Yin had been unusually quiet and distracted all day.

  "Sister Ah Yin, what's the matter? You seem a bit out of it today."

  "It’s nothing." Ah Yin smiled gently.

  Her nature was to always present her best side to others.

  “If there’s something wrong, you must tell us.”

  “I will,” Ah Yin nodded lightly.

  At that moment, Dugu Yan, Meng Yiran, and Zhu Zhuqing approached from the other side.

  The three had just finished a day's cultivation, freshly bathed, their hair still damp.

  Their outfits weren’t fancy, just simple silk robes draped over their bodies, revealing their graceful figures.

  The sheer silk robes clung to their forms, hinting at their beauty beneath, enough to dazzle anyone.

  Since there were no servants in this courtyard, the girls naturally felt no need for restraint, acting however they felt most comfortable.

  Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped through the courtyard.

  The wind blew their robes into disarray, revealing more than they intended.

  In a panic, the girls tried to cover themselves with their hands.

  But the wind was too strong.

  "Sister Ah Yin, please help us!" Dugu Yan cried out in arm.

  The wind was too mischievous, as if deliberately trying to strip them.

  Among them, Ah Yin’s cultivation was the strongest, and with the support of the will of the world, she could easily change the wind’s direction.

  However, her response surprised the group. "I can’t help you with this..."

  "What?"

  They were all taken aback.

  "Master, how long do you pn on teasing them?" Ah Yin said with a pyful smile.

  "Master?"

  As soon as Ah Yin said this, everyone froze.

  A figure immediately popped into their minds.

  "Qin Xiao, you scoundrel! You’ve returned and yet haven’t shown yourself, and now you’re even teasing Zhuqing and the others. That’s too much!" Ning Rongrong fumed, pcing her hands on her hips.

  In the next instant, the wind stopped.

  A hearty ugh echoed in the air.

  “Hahaha!”

  With the sound of the ughter, a purple streak of light appeared in the garden, nding on the stone bridge.

  The women turned to look, and sure enough, it was the figure that had haunted their thoughts.

  “You still dare to ugh?” Ning Rongrong frowned.

  Faced with her accusation, Qin Xiao awkwardly scratched his nose, “I was just trying to lighten the mood, to ease everyone’s tension.”

  “Your Excellency…”

  “Qin Xiao…”

  At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing, Meng Yiran, and Dugu Yan all spoke up almost simultaneously, rushing towards him like swallows returning to their nest.

  "Hmph, so shameless... and that scoundrel just takes all the advantage..."

  Ning Rongrong snorted and rushed over with astonishing speed, worried she might miss her chance to cim her spot.

  Holding all of them in his arms, Qin Xiao couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion.

  After nearly three years, everyone had changed a lot.

  Yes.

  Mainly in terms of their figures.

  They had all grown up.

  What followed was a moment of intimacy that sted until te into the night. Even with Qin Xiao's strong physique, he couldn’t help but feel a bit exhausted.

  It couldn’t be helped.

  It wasn’t that he was overly enthusiastic.

  But after a suggestion from Ning Rongrong, the girls showcased all sorts of “new tricks,” even surprising Qin Xiao.

  No wonder their cultivation progress had slowed—they’d been putting their effort into studying this instead!

  But he had to admit.

  He thoroughly enjoyed it.

  The next morning.

  When Qin Xiao woke up, he noticed that the women were no longer beside him.

  It was as if st night’s events had been nothing more than a dream.

  Yes.

  A beautiful dream.

  One that he wished would never end.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  A light tapping came from the door, and Ah Yin entered.

  Just like in the old days, she gently assisted Qin Xiao in freshening up.

  Of course, Ah Yin was busy with her tasks, while Qin Xiao… well, he was “busy” with his. The two didn’t interfere with one another.

  But as Ah Yin’s body temperature rose and her breath quickened, just when Qin Xiao was about to take things further, she slipped away from his grasp.

  Biting her lip, she shook her head. “Master, it’s still early… Besides, the others aren’t here, and I… I can’t handle it alone…”

  As she spoke, she hastily pulled out a letter from her robe. “Master, a letter arrived te st night. Please take a look…”

  She handed the letter to Qin Xiao and quickly fled the room.

  Qin Xiao chuckled, shaking his head as he opened the letter.

  Upon reading its contents, he froze.

  “The letter is from Qian Renxue, inviting me to a banquet…”

  Qin Xiao slowly folded the letter and felt a moment of nostalgia.

  It had been a long time since he had st seen Qian Renxue.

  “I should indeed visit her. And while I’m at it, I should also meet with Qian Daoliu, Bo Saixi, Ning Fengzhi… Now that I’m back, it’s time to catch up with them.”

  With that thought, his immense spiritual power swept through the entirety of Thunder Emperor’s inner city, leaving no one and nothing unnoticed. In the minds of those he wished to see, his voice echoed.

  They immediately set aside their affairs and made their way to the council hall.

  Meanwhile, in the Star Dou Forest.

  “Azure Bull Python requests an audience with the lord!”

  At the outskirts of the Lake of Life, the Azure Bull Python respectfully spoke, its eyes flickering with a hint of worry.

  It was hard to imagine that the former ruler of the Star Dou Forest would now be so humble.

  After a short moment, a deep, resonant voice responded.

  “Enter.”

  Overjoyed, the Azure Bull Python lowered its massive body and slowly slithered forward through the dense forest, returning to the shores of the Lake of Life.

  Several figures appeared before it.

  One was a Dark Gold Dreadcw Bear, its fur dark gold and its body towering over 30 meters tall.

  Beside it stood an Emerald Swan, its feathers a radiant green.

  And between them sat a magnificent throne, crafted from glittering gemstones.

  Seated upon this throne was an ethereal beauty in a white dress, resting her chin on her hand, her other hand rhythmically tapping the armrest.

  Her aura was otherworldly, as if she didn’t belong to this mortal pne.

  The Azure Bull Python only dared gnce at her briefly before hastily averting its gaze.

  What should be seen, it saw. What shouldn’t be seen, it dared not look at.

  A woman like her—just one more gnce felt like a bsphemy.

  Standing on either side of the throne were two more figures, a man and a woman.

  The man was draped in a bck robe, his features sharp and commanding, his long bck hair flowing over his shoulders. But what stood out most were his eyes—dark golden vertical pupils that radiated an oppressive presence.

  He exuded authority without needing to show anger.

  As for the woman on the other side, she wore a deep purple dress with a plunging neckline, revealing a deep, seemingly endless ravine at her chest.

  Her beauty was undeniable, but what made her even more alluring was the purple scale on her forehead, adding a touch of mystique to her already enchanting appearance.

  However, unlike the pristine aura of the woman in white, who seemed untouchable, this woman in purple exuded a constant air of seduction.

  She ignited primal desires in those around her.

  But even so, the Azure Bull Python dared not look at her for too long, knowing full well that any improper thoughts could lead to it being torn apart within moments.

  “How’s the task I gave you coming along?” the bck-robed man asked, his voice low and den with pressure.

  The Azure Bull Python didn’t dare dey and quickly responded, “Reporting to Lord Di Tian, I’ve come to inform you. As per your instructions, I’ve mobilized the beast tide and driven all the soul masters out of the core region of the Star Dou Forest…”

  Di Tian nodded approvingly. “Well done. It won’t be long before strong humans arrive.”

  Hearing this, the Azure Bull Python was puzzled. “If you wish to target the humans, why not expand the scope of the beast tide and invade the human world directly?”

  (End of Chapter)

  ? Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! ?

  Hello, beloved readers and supporters!

  I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:

  ? Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regur readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!

  ? Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.

  ? Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!

  Patreon.com/anish_44