Forest of Breeding

Not only did the evil faction know the route he was taking, but they had also anticipated his ambush... Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing immediately thought of the traitor from Dark Night Rose. But what he could not figure out was how that traitor had passed the information. Leaving secret markers along the path was understandable. Yet judging by the evil faction's swift countermeasures, they had clearly known in advance that he would lie in wait right here—and setting this ambush had been a spur-of-the-moment plan. The traitor could not have planted signs in this forest ahead of time. *The mole used a method I know nothing about...* Reality gave him no time to ponder. Right then, eerie vortexes suddenly rippled deep in the eyes of the eight Illusionists, brimming with power that could devour human souls. In an instant, vivid illusions assailed Zhang Yuanqing's senses: countless blades thrust at him, raging fires engulfed him, and arrows rained down like a tempest... They were all insubstantial phantoms, yet they inflicted genuine, tangible damage upon his spirit body. It was the most fundamental skill of an Illusionist, as well as the one with the greatest growth potential—Mental Strike! Leaving aside the three Illusionists ranked among the top five, even eight ordinary level-3 Illusionists joining forces were enough to slay an equal-level Night Wanderer in spirit body form. Under the combined assault of eight Illusionists of his level, Zhang Yuanqing's spirit body deteriorated rapidly, letting out an agonizing, soundless roar. He had intended to spring an ambush, claim a kill, and leave, but he had walked straight into a trap and found himself in dire peril. Just then, the Ghost Bride's red gown billowed as she stepped in front of her husband. Her red bridal veil fluttered, unleashing a shrill, piercing shriek. In a flash, terrifying yin energy descended in a suffocating wave. Frost crystallized across the ground, plunging the area into the dead of a freezing winter. "Ugh..." *He actually has such a powerful spirit servant...* Caught off guard, the eight Illusionists took the brunt of the Ghost Bride's shriek. It struck them like a cudgel to the skull, and warm crimson liquid gushed from their nostrils. Their spell was broken instantly. The other evil walkers nearby, who had just moved to assist them, felt an inexplicable tremor rock their souls. Their brains throbbed with sharp, pounding pain, as if they had downed toxic, counterfeit liquor. Fighting through the dizziness and headache, the chubby young man drew a black glove from his inventory, slipped it on, and clenched his fingers tightly. The glove was a relic left behind by his former leader, possessing the power to amplify a target's internal emotions. It was one of an Illusionist's signature capabilities. *Run. Flee, quickly! I can't stay entangled here, or I'll die...* A sudden, inexplicable tremor seized Zhang Yuanqing's heart. Just as he intended to seize the opening to reap lives with his blade, a coward's urge to turn tail welled up within him. Once the thought took root, terror exploded through his chest. He completely lost the will to fight. Leading the Ghost Bride, he drifted at top speed toward the outside of the dense fog. Ahead, the thin mist stirred. The barefoot Nothing Is Taboo, who seemed to have been waiting for this moment, suddenly charged out to bar Zhang Yuanqing's path. "Yuanshi Tianzun, you're not getting away!" He chuckled softly, and a twisted, grotesque rune surfaced deep in his pupils. Zhang Yuanqing's consciousness buzzed and rattled, briefly robbing him of the capacity to think. Unlike Witch Doctors, whose mental strength was unremarkable, a Bewitching Demon's signature skills could exert a noticeable influence on a spirit body. Seeing this, My Fate Is Mine, Not Heaven's reached out and produced a brass mirror carved with dragons and phoenixes, turning its face forward. A beam of bright amber light shot straight toward Zhang Yuanqing. Once again, the Ghost Bride interposed herself before her husband. Raising a pale, delicate hand, she erected a barrier of yin energy in front of her. *Sizzle...* Illusory wisps of blue-green smoke rose as the yin energy rapidly melted away, but it successfully halted the mirror's beam on the outside. *Thud, thud, thud...* Heavy, hurried footsteps pounded the earth as a figure tore through the thin mist like a truck, barreling straight toward the mature woman holding the mirror. The thick mist abruptly parted to reveal an exquisitely featured young woman, her gaze cold, ferocious, and predatory as a beast of prey. My Fate Is Mine, Not Heaven's backed away rapidly, but as an Illusionist, how could she outpace a Bewitching Demon? Blood Rose closed the distance instantly. Pivoting on her left leg, she snapped her waist and whipped her long leg out violently. *Bang!* The mature woman crossed her arms over her chest and took the blow full-on. Her arm bones snapped instantly, and she was hurled backward uncontrollably. The beam from the brass mirror vanished. The Ghost Bride dipped and charged forward, her bridal gown fluttering as she turned into a dark specter pouncing toward My Fate Is Mine, Not Heaven's. Seeing this, the seven Illusionists around them simultaneously turned their eyes into vortexes, launching Mental Strikes at the Ghost Bride to prevent her from reaching the woman. Under the crisscrossing storm of potent mental turbulence, the Ghost Bride's "body" was easily torn apart, dissipating like smoke. It was an illusion fabricated by illusory magic! With the status of a pseudo-level-4, the Ghost Bride had conjured an illusion convincing enough to deceive a crowd of Illusionists. *Damn it, we've been tricked!* The chubby young man's heart skipped a beat. A split second later, a crisp *crack* sounded behind him. Several Illusionists whipped their heads around, only to see the middle-aged man whose arms were covered in tattoos—Human Nature Is Inherently Evil—raising his own hands to grip both sides of his face, then twisting violently in the same direction. His head was forcibly wrenched all the way around to his back. Only the Illusionists could see that clinging to Human Nature Is Inherently Evil's back was a female ghost in a bridal gown. It was she who held his hands and snapped his neck. Having suffered a fatal strike, Human Nature Is Inherently Evil did not die immediately. Instead, on the brink of death, his latent potential flared. His trembling fingers clawed at empty air, pulling a wooden bracelet from the void. At this moment, realizing they had been duped, the Illusionists' eyes surged with vortexes. Their mental power swelled and intertwined into a telekinetic onslaught aimed specifically at wraiths. This forced the Ghost Bride to abandon her possession and dart up into the canopy to evade the surging, chaotic telekinetic force. Human Nature Is Inherently Evil seized the moment to slip on the wooden bracelet, activating the item's healing effect. But just then, a pure, bright beam of moonlight pierced through the treetops and shone down on Zhang Yuanqing. All at once, his critically weakened aura surged upward, returning to its peak, climbing higher still, and shattering his limits. He instantly broke free from the Bewitching Demon's control and drove the Bloodthirsty Blade forward in a howling arc. *Squelch!* The indestructible blade pierced through Human Nature Is Inherently Evil's crown. The middle-aged man with tattooed arms widened his eyes in shock, and the light within them went out. The figure ranked fourth on the wanted list had fallen just like that. Immediately after, darkness welled up in Zhang Yuanqing's eye sockets. Opening his mouth, he inhaled and swallowed the Illusionist's spirit body into his stomach, though he did not digest it immediately, instead wrapping it in lunar energy. Spirit Devouring would shock his own spirit body, making it unsuitable to perform mid-combat. *I can't drag this out. Retreat now!* Having gained the upper hand, Zhang Yuanqing did not hesitate to issue a retreat order to his yin corpse and the Ghost Bride. The thick mist obscured their vision, and the Ghost Bride's earlier shriek had disoriented the Witch Doctors, whose mental fortitude was ordinary, preventing them from reinforcing immediately. Yet if he delayed any longer, while he and the Ghost Bride might escape, Blood Rose certainly would not. Right at that moment, the head of a Bewitching Demon pursuing Zhang Yuanqing tumbled off without warning. The one minute was up! *So soon?* The evil walkers paled in fright, reflexively freezing in place. The Ghost Bride unleashed another silent shriek, rocking the souls of the spirit realm walkers present. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Yuanqing manipulated Blood Rose to flee into the dense forest. *Buzz, buzz!* Suddenly, he heard the high-frequency hum of flapping wings. Right after, the mist shook violently as a gu beast skimmed the ground at flying speed. His amber pupils were hollow and indifferent, his muscular contours fluid and carrying terrifying destructive power like a born warrior, with facial features faintly bearing the traces of a handsome youth. In just a blink, he caught up right behind Blood Rose. *A-Yi?* Zhang Yuanqing immediately braced himself to cut his losses like a lizard shedding its tail—abandon the yin corpse and flee with the Ghost Bride. Suddenly, a figure bolted in from the flank, blisteringly fast, slamming heavily into the gu beast A-Yi and tumbling away with him in a tangle. The person had handsome features, thick eyebrows, and bright eyes—it was none other than Kou Beiyue. Bewitching runes surfaced in his eyes, instantly immobilizing A-Yi, and the military knife in his hand stabbed toward A-Yi's throat without hesitation. *Bang!* A-Yi was dazed for merely an instant before regaining his senses, slapping Kou Beiyue away with a swing of his hand. By the time A-Yi rose to his feet, all he could see was Blood Rose's back as she disappeared into the dense woods. A-Yi did not pursue her into the forest. Once one ventured into the deep woods and strayed from the correct path, it was very likely they would be lost in this bizarre forest. Five minutes later, the dense fog slowly dispersed. Looking at the two corpses on the ground, the evil faction walkers fell into silence. Human Nature Is Inherently Evil, the Illusionist ranked fourth on the wanted list, had died just like that. With both arms dangling limp, My Fate Is Mine, Not Heaven's frowned and said, "The intel was wrong. How could Yuanshi Tianzun have such a powerful spirit servant?" If that female ghost in the bridal gown had not blocked attacks for Yuanshi Tianzun time and again, the Illusionists' combined might would have killed him long ago. Exhaling a breath, the chubby young man said helplessly, "We failed. No wonder Yuanshi Tianzun dared to ambush us alone—he had this trump card. He hid it so well that he never used it before." A-Yi came back to his senses, his gaze chilling as he stared at Kou Beiyue. "Why did you stop me?" He did not deactivate his gu-transformation, because he might need to kill a Bewitching Demon. Kou Beiyue frowned. "I was hit by an illusion. I mistook you for my enemy." This was the excuse he had thought of before making his move. Whether they believed it or not, he would stick to it to the end. "He must have fallen under that female ghost's illusion," the chubby young man said, stepping between the two. Seeing that A-Yi refused to let it go, he added displeasedly, "It couldn't be helped. What's with that attitude? Are you planning to lay a hand on my boss?" A-Yi stared at him coldly. At that moment, Dropout Fish, who had watched the ambush and counter-ambush unfold, said impassively, "Personal grudges can be settled outside the trial. Don't delay our progress." Neither he nor I Alone Am Supreme, nor the few other orthodox rogue walkers, had joined the fray against Yuanshi Tianzun. While they did not fear spirit bodies, they lacked effective means to counter them. Moreover, there was no need to muddy the waters; Saint slots depended on points, not kill counts. These orthodox rogue walkers had no desire to burn bridges with Yuanshi Tianzun. Nothing Is Taboo shook his head. "A-Yi, drop it." Only then did the hollow-eyed youth retract his gaze. "Fuck! Tried to steal a chicken and ended up losing the rice! So many of us, and we couldn't even take down Yuanshi Tianzun!" The evil walkers spat and cursed, unable to accept the reality. *** "Huh? Yuanshi Tianzun's score became 348!" Peony Fairy called out happily in the team. The moment she spoke, her colleagues, who had been closely watching the leaderboard, also noticed the change. "Human Nature Is Inherently Evil was removed from the list... Holy shit, Yuanshi Tianzun killed Human Nature Is Inherently Evil?" The Little Match Boy was dumbfounded. Hearing this, the official walkers, immersed in the joy of the score change, immediately searched for Human Nature Is Inherently Evil among the top ten. Sure enough, his name was gone. Removal meant death. "How much was the bounty on Human Nature Is Inherently Evil again? Anyway, it's a huge sum of money, an Extra-Quality item, C-rank merit points..." In an instant, the heavy, worried atmosphere vanished. They conversed excitedly, their morale soaring now that their hopes had been answered and realized. The reason they checked the leaderboard constantly, aside from worrying about Yuanshi Tianzun's safety, was that everyone secretly hoped he could kill a top expert from the evil faction. Such as someone in the leaderboard's top ten, or the wanted list's top ten. Because these experts were figures who posed a genuine threat and could easily kill them. Eliminating a top-ten wanted criminal brought them far more joy than killing ten ordinary evil walkers. Yuanshi Tianzun had delivered; he had not let them down. Guan Ya let out a soft breath, the weight in her heart finally lifting. Just then, she saw World Returns to Fire walking over. *** "Yuanshi Tianzun has reclaimed the top spot!" Yuan Ting, who had kept a constant eye on his debtor, suddenly beamed with delight. Leading the advance, Zhao Chenghuang halted and opened the leaderboard to check. "Did a clash break out between them? The two teams are quite far apart, though..." "Could it be that Yuanshi Tianzun attacked the evil faction? That's great! With him shouldering the pressure, we can navigate the labyrinth without distraction." "The one who died was actually Human Nature Is Inherently Evil! Haha, what a satisfying blow!" *348 points...* After checking the leaderboard, a strong sense of urgency surged in Zhao Chenghuang's heart. He said in a deep voice, "Cut the chatter. Focus on moving forward!" *** Guan Ya stopped in her tracks. Looking at World Returns to Fire as he approached holding a torch high, she said with stern undertones of warning, "You must stop right there, unless you want your head blown open." Sure enough, World Returns to Fire halted seven or eight meters away. "Is he back?" Guan Ya remained cold and unyielding. "That's none of your concern." Sensing that Guan Ya's tone was off, Asano Ryo quietly stepped forward a few paces to put herself between them, resting her hand on her hilt in an Iai stance. At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing, who was slumped on Guan Ya's back, opened his eyes. Gazing steadily at World Returns to Fire, he chuckled. "I'm back. No need to worry! If you're worried about your bottle, you don't need to be either. I didn't lose it, but it's on my yin corpse. I'll return it to you once she catches up." Asano Ryo and Guan Ya showed smiles of relief. Immediately after, Guan Ya felt the arms Zhang Yuanqing had wrapped around her neck tighten slightly. *He has reservations...* She caught Zhang Yuanqing's subtle hint at once and did not set him down. "I didn't come for the bottle. If it's lost, just compensate me with another item," World Returns to Fire said. After pausing for a few seconds, he instinctively lowered his voice. "There's something I think I should tell you." Zhang Yuanqing took a gentle sniff against Guan Ya's fair, jade-like neck, putting on the pretense that he was merely taking liberties with her and unwilling to get down. In a half-infatuated, half-casual tone, he asked, "What is it?" Goosebumps broke out across Guan Ya's neck, but she forced herself to endure it. World Returns to Fire scrutinized him and said, "I think The Little Match Boy is suspicious." Zhang Yuanqing raised an eyebrow, offering no opinion as he asked, "That Wood Demon? What's suspicious about him?" World Returns to Fire said gravely, "I noticed that every set distance, he touches the roadside trees. It follows a distinct pattern, not like he's doing it at random." Zhang Yuanqing appeared thoughtful. "What do you think is wrong with that?" World Returns to Fire shrugged, his tone somewhat laden with meaning. "I'm just telling you what I saw. As for what's wrong with it, I don't know. You can treat it as nonsense if you like." With that, he turned around and said over his shoulder, "Remember to return my item." He strode away. Once World Returns to Fire had walked a good distance away, Zhang Yuanqing's voice suddenly turned frail as he whispered, "Sister Guan Ya, my ambush was betrayed. I almost didn't make it back." Guan Ya's supple body stiffened slightly before relaxing. Moving forward slowly, she responded in a hushed voice, "Impossible!" Then she added, "Unless that traitor has a special communication item—something like a cell phone." Only then could intel be transmitted in real time, allowing the evil faction, trapped in the dense fog at the time, to know that Yuanshi Tianzun was lying in wait outside. Zhang Yuanqing said helplessly, "What kind of item could that be?" In this regard, his lack of experience put him at a disadvantage. Since becoming a spirit realm walker, he had never seen an item like a cell phone that could relay information over long distances in real time. In a modern era with advanced technology, such items were completely redundant. "I don't know..." Guan Ya hitched his limp body up a bit, her brows furrowing as she asked gently, "Are you badly hurt?" "Yeah," Zhang Yuanqing grunted. His spirit body had taken severe damage, and on top of that, he had forcibly unleashed Roar to the Moon, putting a double burden on him. His head throbbed as if it were splitting open, accompanied by intense vertigo and nausea. Fortunately, his chronic illness flared up frequently in normal times, giving him a high pain tolerance for headaches; any other Night Wanderer would have passed out long ago. Along the way, following the connection between master and spirit servant, he had returned to his physical shell. "Don't worry, I have Life Essence. If things get truly dangerous, I'll use it to recover," Zhang Yuanqing consoled her. Guan Ya nodded gently, trailing slowly behind the team without speaking to disturb him. As Zhang Yuanqing rested, his thoughts churned. One detail struck him as odd: Nothing Is Taboo had not used that secret item. The only explanation was that the item had usage conditions; it was not the type one could take out at any moment in battle. *The more an item is like that, the more dangerous it is...* Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yuanqing breathed in Guan Ya's scent and let out a tired, comfortable laugh. "Sister Guan Ya, I just realized something." "What?" she responded reflexively. Zhang Yuanqing chuckled. "Turns out even the sweat on a beauty smells sweet." Guan Ya scoffed. "All I have on me is sweat and the hormones secreted after trekking through rough terrain. When animals go into heat, they become especially sensitive to the opposite sex's pheromones and find them pleasant. So you finding me sweet doesn't mean my sweat smells good; it means you're in heat." "Ah, as expected of Sister Guan Ya. Still managing to talk dirty even at a time like this." Zhang Yuanqing's face was full of admiration. Guan Ya gritted her teeth in annoyance. "You dare turn it back on me! "Forget it, I won't argue with you when you're practically crippled. Let's talk business. I was observing World Returns to Fire just now. From a Scout's perspective, he wasn't lying—at least, I couldn't tell that he was. "However, what he said is very problematic. Based on what you ran into, the traitor likely used a higher-grade item. Leaving marks along the way doesn't fit your experience, and it would easily leave behind evidence—I'm not the only Scout in the team. "It makes no sense for The Little Match Boy to do that." Zhang Yuanqing listened and asked, "So, you suspect World Returns to Fire is the mole?" Guan Ya nodded. "Assuming he's the mole, upon realizing the counter-ambush failed, he knew that the presence of a traitor in our team could no longer be kept secret. Thus, he wanted to strike and kill while you hadn't returned yet. "Perhaps you returned too quickly, or perhaps my guard was too high, and he noticed that I was wearing an equipment set and protected by Asano Ryo. Unable to find an opening to strike, he had a flash of inspiration and decided to divert suspicion elsewhere." She caught her breath and continued analyzing: "As you know, Dark Night Rose possesses special methods of concealment, and lie-detecting items don't work against them. Under those circumstances, isn't it perfectly reasonable that I couldn't tell he was lying?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded in agreement. "In that case, your mask probably won't work either, meaning the method of questioning everyone one by one is off the table. To determine whether World Returns to Fire is dirty, we need to see if The Little Match Boy is truly acting as he claimed. "However, even if The Little Match Boy really is displaying bizarre behavior like World Returns to Fire said, we can't definitively conclude he's a spy. If we kill him by mistake, the fallout will be immense." First, mistakenly killing a teammate was an egregious offense that the official organization would never overlook. After all, it was a living person, an elite member; a mere claim of suspecting him of being a spy would never suffice to brush it aside. Second, mistakenly killing an innocent person was an affront to their own worldview and morals. Lastly, such an act would shatter mutual trust, dispersing morale and making the team impossible to lead. It would have a devastating impact on the rest of the trial, directly affecting their own survival. At this point, Guan Ya understood Zhang Yuanqing's choice. "You want to wait until he shows his own tail?" "We've already cleared two-thirds of the Labyrinth Forest, and the mountaintop isn't far. The mole won't be able to sit still and will definitely make a move..." Before Zhang Yuanqing could finish, a familiar quest notification chime sounded in his ear: [Ding! You have entered the Forest of Breeding. Please observe your surroundings carefully and leave as early as possible.] *Forest of Breeding...* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, feeling an inexplicable unease at the name. *It wouldn't happen to be that kind of... um, that kind of forest, would it?* He quietly tightened his hold on Guan Ya and murmured, "Sister Guan Ya, don't be afraid. I'll protect you." "P-Piss off..." Guan Ya's voice was actually trembling. "Forest of Breeding?" Asano Ryo's little face turned pale. God only knew what she was imagining, but she kept crying out, "*Yada, yada...*" Ahead, a piercing shriek suddenly rang out, interrupting Asano Ryo's wild imagination. The three poked their heads up to look. In the deep night, illuminated by torchlight, Niulanshan Little Fairy—her hair tied in a bun—had a flushed face. Her somewhat flat chest was swelling like a balloon, straining tightly against her clothes. Astounding! In a matter of mere seconds, she had ascended from an ordinary A-cup to a magnificent, peerless existence. At the same time, the female walkers in the group let out soft whimpers as their faces flushed and their chests swelled in unison. They became distinctly more voluptuous, softer and fuller, resembling nursing mothers. The men around them stood dumbfounded, completely unprepared for such a bizarre scene. Then, an even more terrifying spectacle unfolded: the men's chests also began to swell like balloons, puffing up their garments into prominent bulges that continued to expand and fill out... A sudden itch spread across Zhang Yuanqing's chest. Looking down in utter disbelief, a quintessential expletive burst from his lips: "Holy fucking shit!!" He voiced the collective cry of every single man present.