Chapter 255.2. The Setting Sun Forest


    Soul masters would only truly enter the realm of high-level soul masters when they got their seventh soul ring. For people like Huo Yuhao and Wang Qiuer, who were both prodigious soul masters with Ultimate martial souls, their respective strengths wereparable to that of a seven-ringed soul master.


    They were deep within the Setting Sun Forest after racing forward for about two hours, and the vegetation became increasingly dense the further they went. However, what made Huo Yuhao surprised was that they had already gone deep into the Setting Sun Forest, yet he still hadnt detected any powerful soul beasts with Spiritual Detection. They rarely came across any thousand-year soul beasts, let alone ten-thousand year soul beasts.


    The asional thousand-year soul beast that dared toe near with malicious intentions were chased away in fright when Wang Qiuer released a little bit of her aura. They hadnt had a single fight after traveling for two hours, an experience thatcould even be described as unimaginable.


    Lets take a break. Huo Yuhao had regained hisposure after fusing with the soul bone before this. Wang Donger still had more than two years before her injury would take her life, and this matter wasnt that urgent. Huo Yuhao had also seen how incredibly powerful Niu Tian and Titan were with his own eyes, and if a powerful individual like Niu Tian said that this ce was filled with dangers, then it couldnt be false.


    Even though they hadnt encountered any trouble with soul beasts on their journey thus far, Huo Yuhao still decided to take a break after travelling for a certain duration of time so that they could recover to their optimal states before they pushed forward. He had been inside many ces inhabited by soul beasts, and his experience told him that maintaining his best condition was the number-onew of survival. His abilities were rtively formidable, but they still paled inparison to a world filled with soul beasts.


    They found a ce that was higher than the areas around it so that they could conveniently survey their surroundings, and make it harder for them to get ambushed. They rested while munching on their rations at the same time.


    How far are we? Wang Qiuer asked.


    Huo Yuhao answered, Not far. The sky is still bright, so its easy to tell the direction. We will probably be nearing our destination within two hours.


    Wang Qiuer nodded and said, Yuhao, I dont know why, but I feel as if something is not right.


    Eh? Huo Yuhao was astonished, and he had always been impressed by Wang Qiuers senses. She had the Golden Dragons Perception, which was probably more sensitive and at a higher level than his Spiritual Detection. After all, Spiritual Detection could only detect tangible things and real things, while Wang Qiuers Golden Dragon Perception had some irvoyant abilities.


    Whats wrong? When did it begin? He hurriedly pursued the issue.


    Wang Qiuer answered, I cant quite put a finger on it. Theres this unsettling feeling in my heart, and its there even though its not serious. It began a few moments ago... it seems like the Setting Sun Forest does have some abnormal entities.


    Huo Yuhao frowned and said, Can you tell where this unsettling feeling ising from?


    Wang Qiuer nced at him and said, Itsing from the direction we are moving towards. This is the reason why I asked how far we are from our destination. Im getting this ominous feeling even when were still two hours away, and that means this unsettling feeling will be an rming and perilous feeling if we continue forward. I suggest we turn back. Wang Qiuers attitude was extremely solemn when she uttered these words.


    Huo Yuhao went silent and began to contemte. This was the first time since he had met her that this girl had shown such subtle fear. Yes, shes right. We still have two more hours to go, and her Golden Dragon Perception is already sensing danger. How perilous will the dangers we face on this expedition be?


    Wang Qiuer didnt push him, and returned to silently eating her rations.


    Huo Yuhao gobbled his rations in a few mouthfuls, and he drank some water before he started to rest. He didnt meditate, as resting like this could also help him recover his expended soul power, and he could also prepare himself.


    Wang Qiuers eyebrows knitted slightly. She couldnt tell what decision Huo Yuhao had made from his expression, but she was sure that he was considering her words. This fellow had always been quiteposed.


    Fifteen minutes went by.


    Huo Yuhao opened his eyes once more, and Wang Qiuer opened her eyes at the same time, as if she had felt something, and looked in his direction.


    Go back. Huo Yuhao muttered calmly.


    Alright, Wang Qiuer stood up, and a rare smile appeared on her face. Composure is a virtue. She turned around towards where they hade as she spoke.


    She took but a few steps before she unwittingly stopped in her tracks and turned back. Huo Yuhao was not there anymore, but he wasnt behind her. He was moving forward in the opposite direction, which meant he was going towards their initial destination.


    Hey! Did you not say that were going back? Wang Qiuer shouted. She sounded a little mncholic.


    Huo Yuhao didnt stop moving as he said, You can go back by yourself. You didnt have to apany me on this dangerous adventure in the first ce. Mind your own safety on the way back  goodbye. He began to pick up the pace and sped deeper into the Setting Sun Forest as he spoke.


    Wang Qiuer was rooted to the spot. She could feel an unprecedented aura from Huo Yuhaos body, and she felt as if his frame had be a lot bigger than before in that instant. She felt as if nothing could stop him on his path forward.


    Who is he trying to save thats making him so stubborn and persistent? Family, perhaps? But he doesnt have any family, all he has left are his enemies. A strange look flickered across her eyes, as if she had just recalled something. Wang Qiuer rubbed her fist and finally stomped on the ground as sheunched herself in Huo Yuhaos direction.


    Wang Qiuer was a lot faster than Huo Yuhao in terms of short distance explosiveness, and she caught up with him in no time.


    Thank you, Huo Yuhao said without even turning back.


    What are you thanking me for? Wang Qiuers tone didnt sound very pleasant.


    Huo Yuhao said solemnly, That you can chase me down means you are now my friend in my heart.


    Wang Qiuer sounded a little depressed as she said, So you havent been treating me like a friend this whole time?


    Huo Yuhao said, No. Im talking about a good friend that is deserving of my trust. We havent known each other for that long, after all.


    Hmph! What makes you think Im not trying to drag you back? There was a tinge of threat in Wang Qiuers voice.


    Huo Yuhao chortled and said, Youd be doing it for my own good even if you attempted to drag me back. Of course, I would resist.


    Wang Qiuer grew quiet, but she had already arrived beside Huo Yuhao, and was looking sideways in his direction.


    Huo Yuhao turned around and gave her a doubtful look. He met her radiant and piercing gaze, and he immediately felt a little embarrassed. You staring at me at such a close distance gives me a lot of pressure.


    Wang Qiuer lowered her voice and said, Its really very dangerous! Is it truly worth it?


    Huo Yuhao tilted his head slightly, and his eyes turned diagonally upwards to the sky. He spoke with a calm voice, almost as if this was a matter of fact. Ive thought about losing her and what would be of me. I realized that my entire world would turn gray, and I would no longer have any vitality. Perhaps, I might even lose the will to live. Thats when I realized, to my surprise, that her life had be more important than my own.


    Wang Qiuers eyes grew ck. Her big blue eyes flowed with incredulity.


    How how is that possible? How can someone elses life be more important than your own? Is there something wrong with your brain?


    Huo Yuhao gave her a doubtful look and said, Why are you agitated? We will always have someone whose life is more important than our own. If my mother was still alive, her life would be more important than mine in much the same manner.


    Wang Qiuers powerful body started to quiver faintly. She lowered her head and muttered under her breath, A a sentiment like this actually exists, where other peoples lives are more important than your own? But only the strongest will survive, and we should do anything we can do continue living, whatever the means. We only live once, and we wont get this life back once its gone.


    Huo Yuhao answered inly, Youre right, we only live once. What youre talking about is thew of the jungle, but not thew of humanity. Humans have flesh, blood, and emotions. We are not soul beasts, and neither are we animals. We are humans. If everyone attempts to survive by doing anything he or she can whatever the means, and if everyone views his or her own benefits and interests as more important than anything else, how different would we be from wild beasts? The main thing that distinguishes us from beasts is our emotions and our sentiments, and the fact that we know how to love.


    Wang Qiuers eyes werepletely nk. Her eyes werent just nk, it felt as if she was in a daze, and her emotions began to destabilize.


    Huo Yuhao had no idea why she was how she was, but he thought about it for a while and understood how she felt. Perhaps she encountered one too many dangers during that year she was living inside the Great Star Dou Forest by herself, and those dangers gave her this desire to survive.


    He tried his best to make his tone a little gentler as he said, You dont have to think so much. Everyone has their own ways to live. Perhaps the reason why you havent experienced what Im talking about is because you havent truly loved someone before. Think about it: our parents gave birth to us and raised us since we were born. How much suffering, effort, sweat, and tears did they have to put in? Did they want anything from us? No. Parental love is unconditional and selfless. Even though I lived in poverty as a kid, and Ive never had a father, my mothers love for me was no less than what other parents had for their own children.


    Wang Qiuer suddenly raised her head vigorously and said angrily, Nonsense! My parents never took care of me. They abandoned me from the day I was born, and they left me to live in a foreign environment. Do you know how much pain and suffering Ive been through to survive? Have you experienced the istion, the helplessness, the panic that nobody is around to help you, that you can just die at any moment? I only love myself! She was almost growling when she reached thest sentence.