Chapter 106: Emerging from the Forest

“Exactly. Now that you can leave this forest, you just need to cross over the mountain ridge on my side, and then you will reach your destination. Of course, if it weren’t for the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon, I wouldn’t have given you brats any face,” the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast said with a sigh. Both he and the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon were ancient tribes from the primordial era, so there was a sense of kinship between them.

Mo You heard the old bull beast being disrespectful despite his age and smiled. “I say, at your age, can’t you be a bit more low-key?” Mo You said with a hint of disdain toward the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast, for he was truly acting arrogantly, relying on his seniority.

The Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast chuckled at Mo You’s remark and replied, “Forget it, you better cross your own narrow bridge. You’re blocking my sunlight.” He did not want to argue with the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon. According to their tribes, the dragon was far more sacred than he was.

Hearing that the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast had agreed to let them pass, Ye Zihan was naturally overjoyed. He patted Mo You’s back and smiled, “Brother Yan Chen, let’s move on now. The elder has already given us clearance, and I don’t think he’ll go back on his word. After all, he is a respected senior.”

Yan Chen smiled and nodded. “Brother Ye Zihan is right. Since the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast no longer pursues us, we should leave. This isn’t a place we belong. We should reach our destination soon.” Thinking about passing the second challenge, Yan Chen was nearly bursting with excitement.

Chen Yiyan had already put away his weapon, the broad axe, since the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast no longer intended to trouble them. There was no need to provoke the elder, so Chen Yiyan had to lower his stance, a necessary choice he made.

“Thank you for your understanding, elder. Let’s go,” Ye Zihan said, stepping out of the forest first. They had been wandering in the woods for quite some time, and it was time to leave, for their energy should be focused on the next challenge.

If it weren’t for Mo You, the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon, Ye Zihan’s group would never have passed so easily. Even so, much time had been wasted. Ye Zihan was puzzled, especially since the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast seemed very respectful toward Mo You, partly because of the dragon’s prestige. This made Ye Zihan cherish Mo You even more, as a brother and friend.

“Hurry up and leave before I change my mind. I might very well regret it,” the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast said with a sly grin. For him, encountering the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon was indeed unfortunate. The dragon’s awe-inspiring presence was beyond his ability to resist, so he went with the flow—and even gained a favor from Ye Zihan’s group.

“Alright, we’ll leave first. Thank you, elder,” Yan Chen said, following Ye Zihan’s lead. To them, the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast was truly formidable.

“No need to thank me. I won’t see you off,” the bull beast said begrudgingly. He was puzzled too, as he gained nothing this time. He rarely killed—only accepted bribes—because he was a collector of treasures like many ancient beasts.

Chen Yiyan glanced at the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast and left without much feeling—neither fondness nor dislike. That was simply who Chen Yiyan was: cold and distant, not skilled in socializing. Ye Zihan would surely teach him better in time.

***

Lin Dong hadn’t expected to clear this challenge so smoothly. Even so, they spent considerable time, as the forest was vast—far beyond ordinary—and resembled a labyrinth. Ordinary people would never find their way out.

Like Chen Yiyan, Lin Dong said little and simply followed Ye Zihan’s group. Chen Yiyan had initially planned to fight the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast, but now there was no need; the beast had already allowed them through.

“Brother Yan Chen, I didn’t expect our little Mo You would help us so much,” Ye Zihan laughed heartily. To him, Mo You was adorable, and crucially, had come through for them at a pivotal moment.

Given the strength of Ye Zihan and Chen Yiyan, they could have crossed the mountain ridge and exited the forest, but not without injury. The Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast was no ordinary demon beast—it belonged to an ancient tribe like Mo You, but the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon was far more formidable.

Had the bull beast refused their passage, Ye Zihan’s group might not have needed to fight; Mo You’s dragon roar alone would have forced the bull beast to bow down. The dragon’s aura was simply overwhelming.

In the Phantom God Continent, demon beasts and magical beasts had ranks. Higher-ranked beasts held many privileges, so the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon was naturally superior to the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast, exerting far greater pressure—a fact that could not be overturned.

“Brother Ye Zihan, we’re about to reach the end. It’s surprising that we faced no real danger. But now, we’re stepping into the next challenge. I wonder where it will be?” Yan Chen was curious, for although he wasn’t a prodigy, he was no ordinary person either.

Ye Zihan looked ahead toward the mountain ridge marking the forest’s boundary. They had finally passed the challenge safely, and he was very pleased—especially Yan Chen, who disliked fighting and killing. This smooth passage was beyond their expectations.

“Haha, Brother Yan Chen, it’s already great that we passed so smoothly. No need to get greedy,” Ye Zihan said, patting Yan Chen’s shoulder. For them, this was a significant gain, and they were drawing closer to the final decision point, their hearts growing more tense with fear of failure.

From the start, Ye Zihan hadn’t dared to guarantee a full success in gaining control of Nameless City. This was no ordinary feat. Even as a genius, his strength was average, making victory seem very unlikely.

Yan Chen looked toward the forest’s end with a brighter spirit. If they succeeded in claiming control of Nameless City, it would be cause for great joy. It was the fruit of their efforts, and they had met many people in the Beast Domain, especially Ye Zihan, who had reached the ** realm—a truly shocking achievement.

Chen Yiyan glanced at the elated Yan Chen and smiled. He was happy too, though he had missed the chance to battle the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast. He knew his own strength well and suspected he would have lost, as the bull beast was no ordinary demon beast but an ancient species. Though not as noble as the Thousand Shadow Blood Illusion Dragon, its sacredness was undeniable.

***

What puzzled Ye Zihan was that the powerful figures of Nameless City treated the Mountain-Guarding Bull Beast as a major obstacle. Without a freak like Mo You, a fight would have been inevitable. Though they eventually won, battling such a beast was no trivial matter.

“Brother Ye Zihan, we have reached the end and seem to be starting toward the next destination,” Chen Yiyan said, eyeing the plaques. Only a few of them were here; apparently, others hadn’t arrived yet.

Ye Zihan looked at the plaques, recognizing them instantly since they had seen them before. Yet, surprisingly, none of the Phantom God Continent cultivators had reached this point. This was strange, as last time other cultivators arrived first, and Ye Zihan’s group had nearly been last.

“Hey, there’s a plaque here that seems to be about us!” Yan Chen suddenly exclaimed. Before him appeared a plaque inscribed with all four of their names.

“Congratulations. You are the fastest team in history to complete this challenge, and also the most perfect,” Yan Chen read aloud, astonished. The characters weren’t written with a pen but with a mysterious lesser technique—definitely the work of a powerful being.

“Haha, I didn’t expect we’d be the fastest in history! No wonder we hadn’t seen other cultivators—they were probably stopped by the fierce beasts,” Ye Zihan laughed joyfully, finally understanding why others hadn’t reached this point.

Ordinary cultivators might get lost in the forest or fail their mission, ultimately falling prey to beasts. Yet Ye Zihan, Chen Yiyan, and their group had completed the task in the shortest time—an unexpected achievement.

Chen Yiyan held the plaque bearing the inscriptions, his hands trembling. He understood that the one who wrote them was a super-strong entity who had been tracking them all along.

Ye Zihan and Lin Dong felt the same. This writing was no ordinary penmanship or even psychic script; only a top-tier cultivator on the Phantom God Continent could wield such powerful spiritual energy.

“Hmm, we can’t afford to be complacent. Let’s keep moving,” Ye Zihan said, pressing onward. They still had to face the next challenge.