Three days later, all eight great elders of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect assembled in the main hall. The atmosphere was heavy, tense with the weight of what was to come.
This trip could shape the sect's future.
"So… you two want to go too?" Ning Bowen glanced at Chen Junting and Ning Tian standing side by side. Though slightly surprised, he didn't object.
After all, every top combatant in the sect would be on this mission. With such protection, the two wouldn't be in danger.
Once preparations were complete—including the delivery of powerful ice-attribute soul tools—the group of Titled Douluo, along with Sect Master Ning Bowen, Chen Junting, and Ning Tian, set out for the legendary Sunset Forest.
Located east of Tiandou City, the Sunset Forest lay nestled in the north. Though not in a frigid zone, its temperate climate and location within the Tianhun Empire's borders made it accessible from Jiubao City. They left that afternoon, and by evening, they reached a small border town near the forest.
"Sunset Town's just up ahead," Ning Bowen said while steering his flying soul guide down. "We'll take a quick break here, gather any intel, then head straight in."
The others quickly concealed their auras and stayed airborne while Ning Bowen, Ye Xuanji, Chen Junting, and Ning Tian descended into the town.
But when they touched down… they froze.
Gone were the usual crowds and bustling traders. Sunset Town, once lively and noisy, now seemed ghostly. Shops were shuttered. Market stalls were deserted. The central plaza—usually buzzing with soul hunting teams—was eerily empty.
"What happened here?" Ning Tian asked, brows furrowed. She glanced at Chen Junting, concern flickering in her golden eyes. "It's way too quiet. Could the soul beasts have gone extinct?"
"I don't think so," Chen Junting said, tilting his head. "Look over there."
Ning Tian followed his gaze and saw a group of figures wearing forest-green cloaks and masks standing in a circle, interrogating a villager. The emblems on their uniforms were unmistakable.
"Shrek Academy…" she muttered. "Those are their enforcement agents."
"Members of the Shrek Supervisory Group," Ning Bowen confirmed with a quiet nod. "If they're here, something's definitely gone wrong."
Before Ning Tian could ask further, a figure materialized silently beside them—Zhang Ming.
"Sect Master," he said, bowing slightly. "I questioned one of their agents. Half a month ago, people began disappearing from Sunset Town. No signs, no bodies. Just… gone. It kept happening—men, women, even entire families. At first, folks blamed soul beasts. But even with precautions, the vanishings continued."
He paused, expression grim. "The town's been on edge ever since."
The news hit hard.
Chen Junting narrowed his eyes. "Sounds like the work of an evil soul master."
Ning Bowen and Ye Xuanji exchanged glances. Their silence was enough—he was likely right.
Still, as much as they despised evil soul masters, they had a mission: the immortal herb in the Sunset Forest.
"We can't get involved," Ning Bowen said finally. "The Shrek team's already investigating. Our goal is the treasure land. Let's move now."
"Understood." Ye Xuanji nodded. Turning to Junting and Ning Tian, he said, "Ready yourselves. We leave immediately."
In a flash, he placed one hand on each of their shoulders and activated his soul power. The three vanished, a streak of starlight trailing behind them through the darkening sky.
Moments later, Zhang Ming vanished with Ning Bowen as well.
Back in the town square, the Shrek Supervisory Group continued their work. One cloaked member turned toward her leader.
"Big Sis, anything useful?"
"Nothing concrete," came the reply. The leader's eyes narrowed as she looked toward the dark tree line beyond the town. "But all signs point to the Sunset Forest."
"The forest?"
They all knew what that meant.
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The next morning, a thick fog had settled over the Sunset Forest, its shadows long and quiet.
Chen Junting and his party had already entered, carefully navigating through the twisted trails recorded in the map leading to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
But things looked worse than expected.
Even low-level soul beasts were rare now, let alone stronger ones. The forest, once teeming with life, felt abandoned.
"This place is deteriorating fast," Ning Bowen muttered. "The miasma's suffocating the entire ecosystem."
"It's deliberate," Yang Zihan said coldly. The elder's sharp gaze scanned the heavy mist. "This isn't natural decay. These toxins are from the Green Phosphorus Seven Absolutes and Nine Absolutes. I'd bet anything on it. No beast could survive this level of venom."
Her voice was low, furious.
"If we don't stop this, the Sunset Forest will vanish completely."
Suddenly, a green streak sliced through the fog.
Qinglan landed gracefully in front of the group. "We found it. The miasma field is just ahead."
"Then we go," Ning Bowen ordered.
He activated his soul guide and soared skyward. The rest of the Titled Douluo followed in a flash, silent and swift.
Ye Xuanji called forth his three Star Saint Swords and brought Chen Junting and Ning Tian up with him.
As they ascended, the murky haze below seemed to peel away. A cold wind swept across the treetops, and for a moment, the vast expanse of the forest revealed itself.
What they saw made their blood run cold.
The inner forest was swallowed by mist—thick, multicolored clouds that obscured everything below. Trees were barely visible. The deeper one looked, the more dangerous it seemed.
What lay within… no one could say.
But one thing was certain—
Whatever secret the Sunset Forest held, they were now flying straight into it.
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(End of Chapter)
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