Chapter 287: Returning to the Old Grounds

Di Yun'er's voice was very clear and cold.

"Di Yun'er, rank sixty assault-system Soul Emperor, martial soul Golden Dragon, needs a sixth soul ring."

Hearing her say her martial soul was the Golden Dragon, Huo Yutong was slightly startled.

Tang Wulin had not previously told her what Di Yun'er's martial soul was; upon hearing that the other's martial soul was actually the Golden Dragon, her feelings inexplicably became somewhat strange.

After everyone finished introducing themselves, Zhang Lexuan made arrangements.

"Alright, I believe everyone should have a preliminary understanding of each other, so let's assign the formation. I will lead the way at the front, Tang Wulin and Huo Yutong will be in the middle to adapt as needed, Li Yongyue and Han Ruoruo on the left, Di Yun'er on the right, Dean Cai at the rear, and Mo Xuan will follow beside her. Do you all understand?"

Everyone nodded silently.

Zhang Lexuan's arrangement is easy to understand; naturally the most dangerous is opening the path at the front, so she, with the highest cultivation, takes on the duty of opening the path.

Conversely, the safest positions are the middle and the rear; the middle needs no explanation, and the rear is because Cai Meier follows behind.

Thus she placed the most important Tang Wulin and Huo Yutong in the middle, and the weakest Mo Xuan at the rear.

Everyone was an inner courtyard disciple; even if they weren't very familiar with each other, once they moved they did not dawdle. After leaving Shrek City, they each deployed their formation as Zhang Lexuan had arranged and rushed straight to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Along the way, no one particularly showed off their speed; under Zhang Lexuan's deliberate control, the formation remained very intact.

Just as Cai Meier said, these inner courtyard disciples were not visiting the Star Dou Great Forest for the first time; they could be said to be quite familiar with this place. On the road, they rarely communicated, simply marching on in silence.

On the way there, Tang Wulin and Huo Yutong kept watching Di Yun'er's actions; she spoke little, and at first glance she seemed very gentle and quiet, but if one saw her eyes, they would be startled by the chill in them.

She merely marched on in silence; although she could not have failed to notice Tang Wulin's and Huo Yutong's gazes, she gave no reaction whatsoever.

Shrek City is indeed close to the Star Dou Great Forest; even without exerting their full strength, they had already arrived smoothly by noon.

Zhang Lexuan's command was very concise.

"Everyone, rest a bit, eat something, adjust your conditions to the best, and in half an hour we'll enter the Star Dou."

We are already near the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest; after passing those warning signs, moving forward means entering the Star Dou Great Forest proper.

Upon hearing Zhang Lexuan's instruction, everyone dispersed, sat down where they were, and began to rest.

Looking at the notice board hanging on a tree not far away, Huo Yutong's eyes flashed with a hint of nostalgia; she lightly embraced Tang Wulin's arm and spoke softly:

"Wulin, do you know? This is the place I passed through when I first came to the Star Dou Great Forest."

She could never forget this place.

Because not long after passing through here, she met Bei Bei and Tang Ya, encountered the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, and then met the most important person in her life.

When she first arrived here, her heart was still full of hatred, wanting only to destroy the Duke's Mansion to avenge her mother; but now her heart has been filled with happiness.

"Since then, my days have been very happy."

"...... Mm."

Tang Wulin heard the satisfaction in Huo Yutong's words and gripped her hand tightly.

"I will make you even happier in the future, for sure."

Regarding Huo Yutong's satisfaction, he did not feel particularly happy about it.

Because in his eyes, Huo Yutong's days could not be considered very wonderful.

Especially during his two years of "death," Tang Wulin could not even imagine how she had gotten through it.

A few days earlier, her crying in his arms seemed still to echo in his ears; he swore in his heart that he would never let her be that sad again.

Huo Yutong lifted her head, looked at Tang Wulin with a somewhat hazy gaze, and gave a sweet smile. "Mm, I believe you."

In her eyes, Tang Wulin could only see his own reflection, just like her heart.

Tang Wulin felt his heartbeat suddenly quicken.

Even though he had broken his promise, causing her to suffer for two whole years, she still willingly believed him; this fact moved him.

His gaze was firmly drawn to her, and without realizing it, the distance between them grew ever closer.

Huo Yutong also understood what he intended to do; she gently closed her eyes, slightly opened her lips, and prepared to respond.

Just then.

"Cough cough!"

The lips of the two, about to meet, instantly separated like lightning.

Zhang Lexuan looked at them speechlessly.

"I say to the two of you, having a good relationship is good, but please be aware of the setting."

Most of the people present were basically single.

Faced with this scene, Cai Meier and Han Ruoruo showed auntie smiles, their faces full of relief; Li Yongyue widened his eyes in shock, unable to believe what he had seen; Mo Xuan covered his eyes with his hand, yet peeked through his fingers toward them.

As for Di Yun'er, she remained cold-faced, showing nothing; merely sitting not far from her, Zhang Lexuan seemed to sense that her aura had become even icier.

Only then did the two realize what they had just done, both blushing.

Huo Yutong gently poked Tang Wulin with her elbow, full of reproach.

It's all Tang Wulin's fault; this period he keeps kissing her on a whim, making her accustomed to it, even forgetting the occasion.

What she didn't know was that her adorable expression made Tang Wulin's heart flutter again, almost making him unable to resist leaning in once more.

Seeing Huo Yutong's expression like that, Li Yongyue quietly said to Mo Xuan: "Hey, Mo Xuan, did you see Huo Yutong's expression like that? Is that really Huo Yutong? Or is it her twin or something?"

What Huo Yutong usually looks like is known to the inner courtyard disciples; he truly never imagined that one day he would see her in such a delicate, dependent manner.

What kind of person is Tang Wulin, that he could turn this ice-snow goddess who had downed countless inner courtyard male disciples into this appearance.

Mo Xuan gave him an annoyed look.

"Who knows, you ask me, I ask who?"

Li Yongyue staggered a moment, then suddenly recalled a rumor he had once heard.

"Wait, Mo Xuan, I remember you……"

"Shh."

Mo Xuan quickly gestured for him to be quiet, gave a wry smile, and said: "It's all in the past; don't bring it up again—I doubt she even remembers me at all."

A year ago, he was urged by his good friend to confess to Huo Yutong, and, as expected, he ended up frozen into an ice sculpture.

He also participated in the Sea God Fate, so he heard every word Tang Wulin said at that time, in his ears.

At that time he knew he had no chance at all, so he decisively gave up and did not get involved in the final bride‑snatching segment.

Seeing how affectionate Tang Wulin and Huo Yutong were, he felt conflicted yet also breathed a sigh of relief; at last he could completely give up hope.

(End of chapter)