The moment the intruders made their presence known, a tense silence blanketed the clearing where Li Nan was absorbing the soul ring.
Dugu Bo tensed, instinctively shielding Hanrui who didn't even flinch, while Su Lian stood bravely beside Li Nan, covering her.
Meanwhile, Xue Li, Han Mei, and Wu Tian formed a protective circle around him, wary of the intruders' intent.
Hanrui felt a mix of warmth and helplessness at his family's instinctive reaction and signaled them to lower their guard.
Hanrui's gaze returned to the two intruders, who remained silent—one eyeing him with a mixture of reverence, doubt, and submission; the other offering a warm smile that seemed capable of healing wounds with a single glance.
"So, I presume you must be Zi Ji—the Abyss Demon Dragon—and Bi Ji—the Emerald Swan, respectively," Hanrui said, surprising them both into silence.
Xue Li and the others stiffened, their vigilance sharpening.'These 2 women are soul beasts?' They thought simultaneously.
"You... how do you know about us?" Zi Ji blurted out impatiently, confirming their identities. Bi Ji simply shook her head in amusement and helplessness.
Hanrui smiled quietly. Suddenly, the Azure Dragon resting on his shoulder stirred, flicked its tail, and bonked Zi Ji gently on the head before settling back into sleep.
Zi ji squatted down holding her head in pain but didn't make a sound again. While Bi Ji who is silent all this time couldn't help but laugh lightly at her companion's predicament while also growing curious over this little creature that can make a soul beast like Zi Ji feel pain.
While the rest of the Hanrui group silently averted their gazes, suddenly finding the forest so beautiful and talking to each other animatedly, knowing full well not to make fun of the intruders lest Hanrui will fall in danger.
"My apologies, my Dragon tends to get violent if its sleep is disturbed or i was disrespected." Hanrui apologized to Zi ji before he continued.
"While I don't know 'everything', I know a lot of things, don't dwell on that subject, since you 2 are here, that means Silver Dragon King is awake?" surprising them both.
Zi ji pouted at his apology but couldn't retort, unusually enough, she didn't want to. "What's happening to me?" she wondered, confusion creasing her brow.
"It's as if my very blood screams not to offend this boy—and to treat him with respect. And how was I hurt by such a small dragon's tail whip?"
But then hearing him mention Silver Dragon King, Zi Ji and Bi Ji look at each other in surprise and shock.
Bi Ji's curiosity deepened—for a boy who appeared no older than eight, he seemed remarkably aware of their existence and unnervingly calm in their presence.
'It's true I'm not good at fighting but i can still deal with that woman who seems to have just reached level 90 and others, while Zu Ji can deal with that grey haired title douluo.
So how come this cute little boy does not feel the slightest bit threatened. Surely it's not because of that little creature?' Bi Ji mused.
"Since you know of us and our Master, you must understand why we've come," Bi Ji said with a sigh, masking her rising curiosity about the boy.
"Well, I'm not completely sure but if I have to guess, she wants to invite me to meet her for some reason,?" Hanrui replied.
Bi Ji's eyes lit up with surprise again as she replied.
"Yes, Master might've felt curious about your martial soul Awakening, after all it did cause quite a commotion at the time.
So she ordered us to look out for your aura and when you appear in Star Dou Forest, invite you to meet her." She said as she observed the Little Dragon, finally realising it's the boy's Martial Soul.
The little Azure Dragon, sensing the curiosity of the women and her protective aura floated over to her and landed on her shoulder. Then it cast its first soul skill, Dragon Kings Grace, on her without even summoning the soul ring.
She gasped in surprise, as she felt her cultivation increase by 1000 years with just that soul skill. 'incredible. I've never seen a soul skill that can increase others' cultivation before.
Let alone one that can increase a soul beast's cultivation.' she thought as she looked at the little dragon perched on her shoulder and then at its Master.
Zi Ji who was still sulking at the side looked at this scene dumbfounded. The blatant favoritism displayed by this little creature wounded her pride.
She stared daggers at Hanrui, who chuckled and cast the soul skill on her, boosting her cultivation by 2000 years. Being a Dragon, her affinity doubled the skill's effect.
Satisfied, she smirked at the little dragon, who promptly released a small puff of fire from its nose, daring her to provoke it—which silenced her immediately.
'Hmph, just you wait, little thing. I'll make your master favor me over you someday.' Zi ji declared in her mind defiantly. Not realising her own thoughts are deviating from her personality.
Hanrui and Bi Ji watched their antics with amusement, laughing lightly.
"I accept the invitation, but as you can see, my companion is busy," he said, gesturing toward the girl still absorbing the soul ring.
"We can leave once she is finished,"Hanrui added with a casual smile.
Bi Ji nodded and stepped aside with Zi Ji to wait patiently.
An hour slipped by before Li Nan finally completed her soul ring absorption.
As she opened her eyes and rose to her feet, Hanrui approached with a gentle smile. "How do you feel, Li Nan?"
Li Nan beamed with energy. "I feel great, Master! My strength feels at least doubled, and just like Sister Lian, I think a shackle inside me broke."
Her voice rang with even more enthusiasm than her fellow maid's
"What is your soul skill?" Hanrui asked, nodding slightly.
Li Nan's eyes sparkled as she replied with pride. "It's called Satiating Broth. Whenever I use it, my cooking pot brews a warm, glowing broth that instantly refreshes whoever drinks it.
It restores stamina, drives away fatigue, and even helps the body recover faster. Perfect for keeping everyone in top shape during long battles—or right after one."
Hanrui nodded appreciatively. "Not bad."
Then he turned to the others, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Let's go."
With a subtle wave of his hand, he gestured for the two soul beasts to lead the way.
Following Zi Ji and Bi Ji, the group ventured deeper into the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The air grew thick and humid, heavy with the scent of damp earth, blooming night flowers, and something wilder—an ancient, untamed energy that prickled the skin.
Towering trees with bark like wrinkled stone formed a dense canopy overhead, their massive leaves filtering the moonlight into shifting patterns of silver and shadow on the forest floor.
Strange, luminous fungi pulsed with a soft, ethereal glow, casting a blue-green light on the tangled roots and moss-covered ground.
The silence here was different; it was not an absence of noise but a living presence, broken only by the whisper of leaves, the distant cry of an unseen beast, and the soft crunch of their own footsteps on the damp soil.
As they traveled, the air began to shimmer with a faint, life-giving mist. The sounds of the outer forest faded, replaced by a gentle hum that seemed to resonate from the very earth itself.
Ahead, through a curtain of hanging vines beaded with dew, a soft, silver light beckoned.
Parting the final veil of foliage, they stepped into a clearing that stole their breath.
Before them lay the Lake of Life, its surface as smooth and reflective as polished mercury, mirroring the star-dusted sky above.
The water glowed with an internal luminescence, casting a tranquil, silver radiance that illuminated every blade of grass and every petal of the impossibly vibrant flowers lining its banks.
The air was pure and sweet, filled with a life force so potent it felt like breathing in pure soul power.
In the center of the lake, a small island floated, shrouded in a gentle, golden mist—a sanctuary of peace in the heart of the wild forest.
Just then, two massive soul beasts stirred, sensing the disturbance.
From the shimmering waters of the lake emerged a colossal python with the head of a bull—its scales glistening wetly, eyes burning with ancient fury.
Opposite it, a towering ape seemingly carved from jagged stone rose, muscles rippling beneath a rocky, bark-like hide.
They fixed their gaze on the humans trespassing in their domain. The bull-headed python's enormous jaws parted in a snarl, and the stone ape's roar rumbled through the air, but the moment their eyes met Zi Ji's, their arrogance faltered.
The words the ape had been about to bellow caught in its throat as primal fear gripped its heart at the aura exuded by the soul beasts in human form.
Suddenly, a petite girl peeked from behind the massive ape, curiosity shining in her eyes.
Seeing her, Hanrui waved his hand to her with a smile. Then he turned his attention back to the giant ape and bull python.
"Your boss summoned me," Hanrui said coolly, eyes flashing.
"I'll deal with you two idiots later, in the meantime if you dare touch my family..."
His voice trailed off as immense golden chains of shimmering Chakra erupted, binding the giant ape and bull python in place.
Surprising everyone as a 6 year old can actually lock up 2 soul beasts of 100,000 year cultivation without soul power.
While the 2 soul beasts struggled for a while but failed to break the chains.
"As you can see, you won't be able to do anything if i want to do something to you, So behave yourselves while I'm gone." he warned before releasing the bindings, turning back to his group
Zi ji getting Curious was about to ask Hanrui what those chains are but gets stopped by Bi Ji who finally started to see how extraordinary this young boy is.
"Don't worry. I'll be back soon. Wait here for now," Hanrui reassured them, then leapt gracefully into the lake alongside Bi Ji and Zi Ji.
The moment the trio of Hanrui, Bi Ji, and Zi Ji vanished beneath the placid surface, the massive soul beasts visibly relaxed.
'Are those two one of the fierce beasts Mother mentioned?' the trio of siblings wondered in silent unison.
Dugu Bo glanced briefly at the towering creatures and, finding no need for further action, settled beneath a nearby tree.
Xue Li, Han Mei, and Wu Tian studied the beasts intently, their interest piqued by firsthand sight of entities they had only heard about in passing.
Yet, none of them noticed the slight figure cautiously peering from behind the giant ape.
Beneath the lake's shimmering veil, guided by Bi Ji and Zi Ji, Hanrui quickly spotted a pulsating portal framed in ancient runes.
After a moment's scrutiny, the three stepped through in unison.On the other side, fierce beasts tormented a Sky Dream Ice Worm, its crystalline form shimmering weakly.Choosing discretion, Hanrui allowed the women to lead silently.
But trouble rarely respects such decisions. From the shadows, a three-headed lion—the 8th ranked fierce beast—blocked their path, lips curled in a snarl as it lunged to strike the intruding human.
Hanrui sighed, resigned, his Azure Dragon transformed, growing from a small, coiled serpent to a majestic thirty-meter colossus, wings unfurled and scales shimmering with primal energy.
Unleashing its bloodline's formidable pressure and domain powers, it pinned the three headed lion to the ground, delivering precise slaps to each snarling head until the beast lost consciousness.
The display stunned every soul beast within earshot, including the legendary Di Tian, poised to intervene.
The little Azure Dragon then reverted to its playful, diminutive form and curled contentedly around Hanrui's neck rubbing its head on Hanrui's cheeks.
Hanrui, who noticed its pale complexion, took out a few medium grade void crystals from his inventory and fed it to his dragon, relieving its fatigue.
"Hey don't look at me, my lil dragon is over protective of its master."Hanrui shrugged as he was being stared at.
Bi Ji and Zi Ji come back to their senses shortly after and smile wryly.
'I really underestimated that lil creature' They thought simultaneouslyas they led him to their Master's Chamber.