Alright.
No point overthinking it.
Su Linfeng pulled his gaze back and finally walked over to the table, joining the Golden Generation in celebrating their championship.
"Big Sis Yan."
While eating, Li Kai asked, "I heard your spirit power already broke through to the fortieth rank. Shouldn't you be getting your fourth spirit ring soon?"
Dugu Yan nodded. "Yes. When pressured by Zhu Zhuyun's Netherworld Cat, my spirit power unexpectedly broke through level thirty-nine. Now, I'm only a single spirit ring away from advancing to the Spirit Ancestor realm."
As soon as she finished speaking—
Everyone's eyes turned toward Su Linfeng.
After all, he was always the one who helped Dugu Yan hunt for spirit rings in the past.
"Red-Tailed Serpent."
Su Linfeng had already planned out her fourth spirit ring. "In the Star Dou Great Forest, there's a large serpent-type spirit beast, an ancient variant even rarer than the Jade Phosphor Serpent. It possesses dual attributes of Space Distortion and Dark Devouring."
"Red-Tailed Serpent?"
Dugu Yan frowned slightly. "I don't recall such a spirit beast being mentioned in The Hundred Spirit Beast Compendium. My grandfather never spoke of it either."
"The Red-Tailed Serpent is extremely rare. Ordinary spirit masters rarely encounter one."
Su Linfeng explained: "Even at the thousand-year level, they live deep within the Star Dou Great Forest. Their bodies stretch dozens of meters, thicker than palace pillars. Their dark-golden scales are inscribed with blood-red runes, and between the scales seeps ghostly violet flame. Even ten-thousand-year spirit beasts avoid them."
"I'll take you to find one when the time comes."
Dugu Yan nodded, her heart pounding with anticipation.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but swallowed it back down. If Su Linfeng hadn't brought it up first, she wouldn't have dared to ask.
Noticing her thoughts, Su Linfeng smiled calmly. "Since your spirit power has already reached the fortieth rank, let's directly hunt the Red-Tailed Serpent. If you return to Heaven Dou with Spirit Hall and then come back, it'll take at least a month. You'd be wasting precious cultivation time."
"Tell Senior Dugu your reason, and separate from the team at the Balak Kingdom border."
"I'll come find you three days later."
Hearing this—
Dugu Yan's eyes lit up instantly.
Three days later, he would take her to the Star Dou Great Forest?
She turned to glance at the Golden Generation.
"Big Sis Yan, I won't be going."
Hu Liena spoke first. "In the battle against Star Luo Royal Academy, I gained a lot of insights. I should break through to level forty-two within the next few days. So, I'll have to trouble Brother Su to handle it alone."
The rest of the Golden Generation also nodded in agreement.
With Su Linfeng around, there was no need for everyone to mobilize just to hunt a thousand-year beast. Besides, they had all benefited from the tournament and needed time to digest their gains.
"J-just me and Linfeng?"
Dugu Yan stole a glance at him. "Isn't that… not so good? He has his own matters. Maybe I should ask Grandfather instead…"
"No problem!"
Su Linfeng laughed. "Why are you being so polite with me? I'll be heading to the Star Dou Great Forest soon anyway. Helping you hunt the serpent is just a convenient task. It's settled."
Dugu Yan wasn't worried about the trouble.
But the thought of being alone with Su Linfeng made her tense.
Her heart was unsettled—half nervous, half expectant.
Before long, after three rounds of drinking!
The Golden Generation had drunk quite a bit. They were young, spirited, and had just won the very first Soul Master Tournament championship. Tonight, they indulged themselves completely.
Looking at his drunken companions sprawled around, Su Linfeng turned his eyes to the darkened sky outside and the dimly lit Supreme Pontiff's Palace. The trilateral meeting between the three great powers should have ended by now.
Taking a deep breath of the cool night air, Su Linfeng quietly slipped out of the courtyard.
Tonight, he was supposed to meet Qian Renxue.
But as fate would have it, just as he stepped out of the side hall, he bumped into Bibi Dong returning. Truly, coincidence never failed to strike at the worst times.
If she calls me over and asks where I'm going in the middle of the night, I'll be completely exposed.
In a flash of desperation, Su Linfeng concealed his aura and crouched behind an old tree near the side hall, waiting for Bibi Dong to return to her room.
"These little brats…"
Bibi Dong glanced toward Hu Liena's side hall, helplessly smiling. "So full of energy. Drinking this late into the night."
Shaking her head, she walked toward the main hall, not planning to disturb them.
Suddenly—
Su Linfeng felt a chill on his back. Instinctively, he turned his head.
Dugu Yan!!!
Why was she here?
Under the night, their eyes locked—staring blankly at one another, the scene strangely eerie.
"Out here in the middle of the night—"
Dugu Yan opened her mouth, ready to question what he was sneaking around for. But the moment she spoke, an unexpected change occurred.
Su Linfeng spun his palm, and before she could react, he clamped his hand over her mouth.
In one swift motion, he pressed her down into the grass beneath the tree.
"Who's there?"
The noise instantly drew Bibi Dong's attention. She hadn't gone far. But the next second, silence returned.
"How strange."
She frowned, glancing back toward the side hall. "I could've sworn I heard something… Maybe I'm just too on edge."
With a shake of her head, she turned and walked into the main hall.
Hearing her footsteps fade away, Su Linfeng finally let out a sigh of relief. Good thing we weren't discovered.
Dugu Yan, however, was completely stunned by the sudden attack.
Her mind went blank.
But panic didn't last long. As soon as her senses returned, her instincts kicked in. She raised her hands, trying to push him off.
Su Linfeng's scalp tingled. He tried to lift himself away, but with one hand still covering her mouth, he lost balance.
Instead of getting up—
He fell forward, pressing tightly against her.
Their eyes met.
The faint masculine scent mixed with wine washed over Dugu Yan, and her mind went dizzy, her eyes wide in shock.
L-Linfeng…
A wave of panic and shame surged through her.
Her body reacted on instinct, wanting to resist.
The feeling beneath him made Su Linfeng's heart jolt. Damn it, what a mess. Lowering his gaze, he saw her flushed, delicate face. Her slight movements only pressed their bodies even closer together.
Awkward.
A massive social death scene.
Their faces were so close that Su Linfeng could almost feel her breath.
If he released her now, she would definitely scream, loud enough for Bibi Dong to hear.
Unless he had absolute certainty, he couldn't risk letting go.
What now?
Should he explain that this was just a misunderstanding, that he only acted out of urgency?
Would she believe it?
Of course not!
Soon, Dugu Yan stopped struggling. Her face turned bright red—completely crimson.
"L-Linfeng… you… You're drunk."
This was the very first time she had ever been this close to him.The feeling was… strange.