Five days later.
Somewhere near Heaven Dou city, high up in the skies, Rayne and his group were travelling in a flying soul mecha, which has a stealth function.
The group consisted of Rayne, Shui Xin'er, Ah Yin and Xiao Wu.
Rayne brought Ah Yin and Xiao Wu along with him, and strangely, Shui Xin'er hasn't said anything till now, other than asking their names and identities.
With this, he has officially left Nuoding city, which is akin to that of a novice village in games.
Of course, he has left behind a clone of his to look after Xiao Chenyu's gang of eight. Since he started something, he needed to see it through to the end.
Those eight were technically the first members of his organization, so he didn't want to half-ass it.
After reaching the vicinity of Heaven Dou city, he and the women got off from the flying mecha, after which he put it back to his treasure storage.
Soon they entered Sunset forest, which is one of the three biggest soul beast gathering areas on Douluo continent. The other two include Great Star Dou Forest and the Far North Region.
No, now there is actually a soul beast gathering place called "Divine Punishment Meteor Fall Region", located near Star Dou Empire, which was formed during Rayne's time as God of Contracts. It is also now the biggest soul beast gathering place known to mankind.
Of course, this is because humans lack a thorough knowledge of the true terrors of both Great Star Dou Forest and Divine Punishment Meteor Fall Region.
But this is a story for later.
The Sunset Forest is a forest extremely hidden, very close to Heaven Dou City, home to many monsters. In its core is also the location of Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Still a large forest, on the surface it might not be much different from the Great Star Dou Forest, but if you looked carefully, the Great Star Dou Forest counted as a tropical rainforest, while here were more northern trees and plants.
The only part that was the same was that this forest was covered with blue silver grass. Truly the most dominant and populated plant race on the planet.
Although not considered polar climate, but Sunset Forest's temperature was much lower than Great Star Dou Forest, this resulted in more of its plants belonging to the northern temperate vegetation.
There weren't as many spirit beasts who had managed to cultivate to ten thousand years and beyond due to the unrestrained hunting by soul masters, and the majority's cultivation remained in between one thousand years and ten thousand years, lacking in major powers among its spirit beast population.
This scarcity, in addition to the more refreshing and dispersed vegetation, also allowed for easier traversal and the use of fires at night.
As soon as they entered the sunset forest, Xiao Wu and Ah Yin looked visibly happier.
The abundant spiritual energy of heaven and earth, in places like Sunset forest and Star Dou Great forest, are much more purer than in other human occupied lands.
Although much inferior compared to the Great Star Dou Forest, the spiritual energy concentration was still above most other places.
"I've always heard that the sunset in the Sunset Forest is a rare sight. We've come here anyway. Let's take a short break today. It won't be too late to go to Young Master's destination tomorrow." Ah Yin said, while also looking at Rayne for his opinion.
Rayne didn't have much to say about this.
Xiao Wu looked around with curiosity.
"Sunset Forest… I heard of it from my mother. But this is the first time I've come here. I wonder, what kind of soul beasts are here?"
Hearing Xiao Wu's words, Shui Xin'er added from the side.
"The Sunset Forest, like other wild spirit beast forests, is divided into three areas: the periphery, the mixed area, and the core area."
"There are many different kinds of soul beasts that cannot be seen in those soul hunting forests. And, compared to Great Star Dou Forest, the soul beasts here are much weaker, hence becoming the soul beast gathering place most visited by many forces."
"Oh…" Xiao Wu responded in a dull voice, obviously not happy about human's exploitation of this forest.
As the group continued to go deeper into the Sunset Forest, the soul beasts they encountered along the way became stronger and stronger, but most of them were 100-year-old soul beasts.
Soul beasts of this level were hardly a match for them, except for Xiao Wu.
Because of the sight seeing, Rayne didn't rush directly to his target, but took his time.
Until two days later, when Rayne's group advanced all the way to the junction of the mixed zone and the periphery.
The Sunset Forest during the day and at night are two completely different places.
Night is the time period for carnivorous soul beasts to hunt. Walking inside the Soul Beast Forest at night is not a wise choice in itself, let alone making a fire and barbecuing meat in broad daylight.
But, Rayne's presence alone deterred anything that came close to them, regardless of humans or soul beasts.
So, these two days were like a picnic or camping, with the joy of night camping and barbecue.
Rayne won the stomachs of two women and one little with courtesy of his remarkable cooking skills.
Finally, the next day came and they were closer to their destination of this trip.
Xiao Wu looked happy and started to hop around and walked ahead.
Seeing this, Ah Yin exchanged a glance with Rayne and followed Xiao Wu, to look after this little troublemaker.
Seeing this Shui Xin'er looked at Rayne.
She was finally alone with Rayne. She had so many things to ask.
Rayne was slowly walking forward while enjoying the fresh forest breeze, when Shui Xin'er put her hand in front of him.
Guessing her simple request, Rayne held her hand and kept moving forward.
Feeling the warmth in her hand, Shui Xin'er couldn't help but smile sweetly.
But soon, she put away her smile and sneaked a glance at Rayne, then asked in a casual tone,
"Rayne, who are those two pair of girls?"
"Hm?" Rayne looked at his mother, then said, "Didn't I introduce you to each other earlier, mom? The big one is Ah Yin, who is currently a Soul Saint. The little one is Xiao Wu, currently six years old, at least physically."
"As for their real identities, they are transformed soul beasts."
Shui Xin'er was once again speechless. Especially after she heard about Ah Yin's former status as Tang Hao's wife.
Speaking of which, that man Ordeaz, Rayne's father died at Tang Hao's hands.
Now Tang Hao's wife has been kidnapped by Rayne.
Does this count as some sort of revenge?
Shui Xin'er shook her head and asked.
"I already know that. What I meant is, what are those two girls to you…? Is there… any relationship..?"
As she spoke, her voice was getting lower and lower, and it revealed some uneasiness.
Rayne slightly laughed at this and said, "Don't think too much, mom. Don't you see my age right now? I'm not in a position to have ambiguous relationship with women right now! I'll have to wait a few more years."
"So there will be something when you are older?" Shui Xin'er asked in a shaky tone.
She gritted her teeth and barely managed to keep her calm.
She slowly asked again, "What are they to you now?"
Rayne looked at Shui Xin'er silently. As the cultivator of 'Records of Primordial Evil' technique, he is very sensitive to things like emotions, positive and negative energies.
Although he can't pinpoint other's thoughts just from this, he can get a basic grasp of what they are feeling at the moment.
So, Rayne isn't exactly oblivious to his mother's somewhat excessive emotions towards him.
He was raised to be a kind-hearted and good man in his past life, but obviously, he hasn't lived up to that expectation very much.
In his past life, very early, he had already understood that kindness and good principles alone aren't enough to survive in the rotten world. Especially considering the kind of ambitions he had.
He is a harem-seeking scumbag, a very selfish person at core, an arrogant man, and even somewhat hypocritical at times.
He didn't know how others viewed him. But,
He is a selfish person who prioritizes his own happiness over everything else. Only if he and his loved ones are happy, will he bother to share some of it to the world.
If his own happiness is taken away from him, Rayne didn't know what kind of things he'll do.
But even for him, there are some things he can't bring himself to do.
If it was any other beautiful woman with appropriate character, Rayne wouldn't be so troubled.
After staying silent for a moment, Rayne looked at his mother helplessly and said.
"Don't worry, mom. I don't have any inappropriate relationship at the moment. It'll have to wait till I am of this world's legal age."
Shui Xin'er didn't respond to this, but kept staring at Rayne.
Sighing, Rayne said, "Okay, fine. Ah Yin is my maid now."
Shui Xin'er: "Just maid? Or the kind of maid that those nasty nobles have?"
Rayne: "… Mom, I'm only six right now! Even if you doubt my character, you can't doubt my physical age."
Shui Xin'er: "Then what about that girl Xiao Wu?"
Rayne: "Hmm… Xiao Wu… I'm not sure. The maid of my maid? Well, a trainee maid? She doesn't have much common sense of human society, nor any knowledge of etiquette as of now. So it's hard to judge her position."
"I bet it's child bride?" Shui Xin'er couldn't help but ask sarcastically.
Rayne: "…"
"Rayne, do you really.."
Before Shui Xin'er could finish her words, Rayne interrupted her.
"Mom, we're close to the place I said. Let's speed up."
Rayne walked forward to Ah Yin and Xiao Wu.
Shui Xin'er sighed and followed.
She knew Rayne was avoiding the topic, but she couldn't really do anything about it.
…
At the same time, at Divine Realm.
Within an ancient temple with gloomy killing aura and divine presence.
A man dressed in black and red robes, with blood red hair and pointed ears, sat in a blood red throne that seemed to be made of bones.
This evil and gloomy man was one of the God kings of Douluo Divine Realm.
Asura God King!
"How troublesome! This shouldn't have happened. That damn Chains of Heaven!"
"If those three judgement gods go down to Douluo planet, all my plans will be revealed! Even if I tell them about the guidance of Laws of the Universe, they won't care at all!"
"But, intercept and get rid of them? This is not feasible at all. Their combat prowess itself is not something I can deal with in a silent manner. Not to mention the possible means left behind by Ouroboros on them."
Asura God muttered to himself with a troubled expression.
"For now, let's take a look at Tang San. I didn't think I would observe him again so soon."
Asura God tried to connect with the divine consciousness he left in Tang San.
After Tang San's martial soul awakening, Asura God had decided to check up on him again after six days (six years in Douluo continent). But his plans couldn't keep up with the unexpected changes.
Suddenly, Asura God's expression changed.
"What?!"
"What's going on?! The divine consciousness I left on Tang San is gone?! That's not all! I can't feel the divine powers I put on Tang Hao and that 100,000-year-old rabbit as well!"
"It's gone!! Gone without a trace?! How?! Why didn't I get any feedback after my divine consciousness was destroyed?!"
"I am a peak level God King!! Wiping out my divine consciousness and divine power without my knowledge! Who is even capable of such a thing?!"
"One thing after another! Everything is going against me!"
…
Back to Douluo continent.
Into the core area of Sunset forest.
Rayne and his group had reached the destination.
In front of them was massive dark poison barrier that covered a lot of space, almost like a massive dome.
In the vicinity of this poison barrier, a lot of skeletons and remains of various soul beasts were present, displaying some of the lethality of the poison barrier.
"Well, this is it. Our destination of this trip."
....
Author Notes:
Which character from soul land 2 should I chose as the new group chat member?
...
Please support me in
Patreon.com/Nightsky076
And get access to chapters in advance.