41: Chapter 41 Sunset Forest Liu Erlong

After leaving the mountains of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Bai Qi headed alone towards the Sunset Forest. Fortunately, the Sunset Forest wasn't far from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. At Bai Qi's normal walking pace, he could reach it before dawn.

Along the way, Bai Qi kept pondering the purpose of this trip.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—that was where Tang San truly began his rapid cultivation.

It was filled with countless rare treasures. According to Bai Qi's memories from his previous life reading Douluo, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was also the place formed after the fall of the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King.

If Bai Qi could find it and sign in there, the rewards would at least double his current strength. As for Dugu Bo... wasn't the solution right there on the surface? If all else failed, a good beating would make him behave.

Thinking of this, Bai Qi quickened his pace.

At dawn, Bai Qi stepped into the area of the Sunset Forest.

The trees here were denser than in the Star Dou Great Forest, and the air occasionally carried the low growls of Spirit Beasts.

Bai Qi slowed his pace, released his Soul Power to expand his perception range, and proceeded cautiously inward.

After walking for about an hour, a group of people suddenly entered Bai Qi's perception range. Through his senses, he determined it was a teacher leading a group of students. The lead teacher was over level 50, and even the students were generally around level 30.

Moreover, in Bai Qi's perception, there were a few people in the group who looked somewhat familiar.

He was puzzled to see them fleeing as if in a disaster. Logically, with such a lineup in this area, they shouldn't need to run so fast unless they encountered a ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast or a large beast tide.

Because neither of those things were within Bai Qi's perception range.

Curiosity drove Bai Qi to walk towards the direction they were fleeing, and he even began walking faster and faster.

After walking for about another quarter of an hour, figures finally appeared within Bai Qi's perception range.

Bai Qi immediately slowed his steps because what he saw were figures engaged in combat. As the distance closed, the sounds of fighting grew louder in his ears.

Boom—!

A tree collapsed with a crash.

Seeing this, Bai Qi's eyes narrowed, and he quickly hid behind a relatively thick tree nearby, peeking slightly to the side.

In a clearing ahead, a woman was fighting a large lion-shaped Spirit Beast.

The woman had a beautiful face, though it was currently etched with anger. She was tall and slender, her clothes accentuating her curvaceous figure.

What surprised Bai Qi the most were the spirit rings around her.

Two yellow, two purple, three black—a full seven spirit rings swirling around her.

Seven rings, a Spirit Saint!

After seeing this, Bai Qi withdrew behind the tree. Combining the fleeing teacher with several students—some of whom looked familiar—plus the seven-ring female Spirit Saint before him and her fierce combat style, a name surfaced in his mind: Liu Erlong.

Once he figured out who it was, Bai Qi peeked out again, focusing his gaze. It seemed like a fierce, evenly matched battle between the woman and the beast, with the surrounding clearing expanding from the force of their fight.

In reality, the lion Spirit Beast was being overpowered. With just over twenty thousand years of cultivation, how could it be Liu Erlong's match? The reason it looked like an even fight was that Liu Erlong had only released her spirit rings, not her Spirit. The lion Spirit Beast wanted to flee but couldn't. Clearly, Liu Erlong was either enjoying the fight or wanted her students to get farther away—though Bai Qi leaned toward the former.

Liu Erlong's appearance also gave Bai Qi a new idea.

Thinking of this, Bai Qi decisively stepped out from behind the tree.

Seeing this, Liu Erlong punched the Spirit Beast, sending it staggering back. The Spirit Beast roared at her once before darting into the forest.

Liu Erlong didn't pursue further. She retracted her spirit rings, shook her hair, and cursed in the direction the Spirit Beast had fled.

"Damn it, that wretched thing ran away too fast."

Then, she dusted off her clothes and turned to Bai Qi, saying,

"Kid, you came to the Sunset Forest alone. Seeing us fight and not running away—what are you up to?"

In truth, she had noticed Bai Qi the moment he appeared. She had wanted to see what this kid was up to, but the next second, he ducked back behind the tree. After a while, he actually walked right out, forcing Liu Erlong to let the Spirit Beast escape.

Bai Qi walked over and said to Liu Erlong,

"Senior, impressive skills. But since I dared to enter the Sunset Forest alone, I do have some means to protect myself."

Hearing this, Liu Erlong raised an eyebrow, used her Soul Power to probe Bai Qi, and after a moment of surprise, looked him up and down before saying,

"Over level 50? Kid, how old are you?"

Bai Qi answered truthfully,

"Fourteen."

Liu Erlong froze for a moment, scrutinized Bai Qi a few more times, then directly grabbed his wrist, intending to check his bone age. But no matter how she probed, she couldn't determine anything.

Seeing this, Bai Qi smiled and teased Liu Erlong,

"Senior, what are you doing? Men and women shouldn't touch each other unnecessarily."

"Ahem."

Hearing Bai Qi's teasing, Liu Erlong blushed, instinctively withdrew her hand, and pretended to cough twice.

But the next second, she regained her composure, snorted, waved her hand, and said,

"Cut the nonsense. Tell me, how old are you really? I couldn't determine your bone age from your hand."

Bai Qi still replied helplessly and truthfully,

"Senior, no matter how many times you ask, my age remains fourteen."

Thinking Bai Qi still wasn't telling the truth, Liu Erlong changed the subject and asked,

"Then why did you come to the Sunset Forest?"

Bai Qi continued smiling and said,

"To train. I didn't expect to run into you, Senior."

"Oh? So you know who I am?"

Hearing this, Liu Erlong immediately grew interested and asked,

"The Slaughter Horn of the famous Golden Triangle—I do know of you."

Liu Erlong chuckled lightly and said with a hint of teasing,

"I didn't expect someone as young as you to know the name of the Golden Triangle."

Hearing this, Bai Qi knew his opportunity had come. Pretending to be respectful, he said,

"After all, I also know another member—the one known as the invincible theorist, Great Master Yu Xiaogang."

Upon hearing this, Liu Erlong instantly lost focus, a flash of pain appearing in her eyes. For her, who hadn't heard any news of Yu Xiaogang in twenty years, this was like a bolt from the blue. Subconsciously, she grabbed Bai Qi's shoulders and asked, her voice trembling in a way she herself didn't notice,

"You... you know Xiaogang?"

Bai Qi, now being gripped tightly, said in pain—though he was faking it to gain sympathy—

"Of... of course. If I had to say, he could be considered my teacher."

Regaining her senses, Liu Erlong immediately released Bai Qi and asked cautiously,

"Then do you know where he is?"

Freed, Bai Qi pretended to rub his arm and answered truthfully,

"Well, I haven't seen him for over two years either. The last time was at Notting Academy, but it seems he's left now."

"Notting Academy, Notting... Nuoding City."

After repeating the words, Liu Erlong shook her head with a bitter smile and muttered to herself,

"So far away... Xiaogang, was it worth running that far just to avoid me?"

After saying this, she looked at Bai Qi, who was still pretending to grimace and rub his shoulder, and a hint of apology flashed in her eyes. She said,

"Alright then, if you're planning to train here for a few days, I'll accompany you."

Hearing Liu Erlong's words, Bai Qi smiled inwardly, knowing he had succeeded.