On the other side, Paimon and Yu Keke were sprawled over the table conjured by Aether, happily munching on snacks and taking on the role of dedicated feeders.
"Traveler, try this! It's super tasty!"
Paimon handed a slice of cake to Aether. Without much expression, he slightly opened his mouth. "Mhm, it's good."
"Gege, this one too! It smells really nice~"
Yu Keke scooped up a spoonful of slime-like jelly with a tiny wooden spoon. Aether closed his eyes, swallowed it down with tears welling up—it slid right down his throat before he even had the chance to taste it.
"Mhm… this one's good too."
"Waaah! Traveler, and try this! Ah~ open wide…"
"Gege, here, just one more bite~"
"…I'm going to check on Zhu Zhuqing and Gui Mei—they seem to be up to something!"
Aether felt like if he kept eating any more, he'd burst. How in the world were these two able to put away so much food? Seizing the moment as the soul fluctuations from Zhu Zhuqing and Gui Mei began to settle, he swiftly excused himself.
"Old Ghost, how'd it go?"
Yue Guan asked anxiously, noticing Gui Mei's soul power had completely withdrawn into his body.
"…Level 96."
Gui Mei clenched his fist and whispered the words.
He had finally broken through—reaching the realm of a Hyper Douluo!
"Your voice…"
Yue Guan was shocked but then realized something—Gui Mei's voice was no longer that rasping, hoarse growl.
"It seems… my body has recovered."
Gui Mei had always hidden beneath black robes and a mask. Ever since awakening his martial soul, his appearance had been neither human nor ghost—horrifying and deformed.
He rolled up his sleeve, staring at the now-normal-looking arm in disbelief.
With a trembling hand, he reached up and touched his own face, feeling the long-lost sensation of skin. Slowly, he pulled off the black hood, revealing a rugged, solemn face, weathered by time but unmistakably human.
"It's true! You've really recovered!"
Yue Guan was even more excited than Gui Mei himself, marveling at his no-longer-skeletal comrade.
"Looks like your martial soul has completely fused with your body."
Aether approached them, nodding slightly. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, my lord!"
Gui Mei bowed deeply. His breakthrough and the restoration of his body—all of it was thanks to the orb Aether had given him.
"My lord's kindness—we two brothers shall never forget it!"
Yue Guan cupped his fists and bowed as well. Ever since his sister passed away, Old Ghost had been his only true friend in this world. Seeing Gui Mei recover and advance made him genuinely happy. And they both knew: none of this would've been possible without the man standing before them.
Aether smiled and nodded. The little blue marker above Gui Mei's head had vanished, and a segment of his internal seal had receded.
Looks like we're getting closer and closer to unlocking that seal…
Even Gui Mei was now able to provide quests. Yue Guan, you better catch up soon!
Aether glanced at the rather delicate Yue Guan, a quiet jab forming in his thoughts.
"Your Excellency! I did it! I even jumped four levels!"
A clear, crisp voice rang out. Zhu Zhuqing bounded up to Aether, her pretty face glowing with joy.
"Mhm, well done, Zhuzhuqing~"
Aether looked at her—wait a second, why did she seem taller than him now?
Could increasing soul power… actually help with height growth in Douluo Dalu?
The hell?! No one told me this!
"Heehee~"
Zhu Zhuqing really wanted to hug Aether then and there, but out of respect for his identity, she held herself back.
Her gratitude wasn't just for the help he had given her. Something deeper, more personal, was growing within her.
She had to fight for everything herself. She needed to grow stronger—stronger than anyone else!
What she wanted to fight for in the future… only she knew.
"Uh… Keke and the others are still eating. Maybe you should go join them?"
Aether felt a bit overwhelmed by Zhu Zhuqing's intense gaze and could only offer the suggestion as a polite escape.
"Huh? Oh! Right~"
Zhu Zhuqing snapped out of her trance, her face instantly blushing a deep pink. She skipped off toward Paimon.
"Yaaay! Zhuqing's back! Here, try this—it's super good!"
"Thank you, Paimon…"
"Zhuqing-jiejie! This one too, here~"
"Thanks, Keke~"
Aether turned back and glanced at the table. Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing had successfully taken over his spot, he let out a huge sigh of relief.
ROOOAAAR—!
Suddenly, a beastly roar echoed from afar, making everyone turn in its direction—even Paimon and Aether froze.
"Big Brother, that was Fire Meow Meow! It sounds like something happened!"
Yu Keke rushed to Aether's side, worried.
No one knew Fire Meow Meow better than her. The moment she heard that furious roar, she immediately recognized it—and sensed the anger in its tone.
"It's definitely him. Let's go—quickly!"
"Mhm!"
"My lord, we'll go on ahead!"
Yue Guan knew that Aether moving with the group might slow things down. Exchanging a glance with Gui Mei, the two of them disappeared in a flash.
"Let's move."
Aether packed away the table and snacks into his pot, then quickly led the girls toward the source of the sound.
Though Fire Meow Meow was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, they were already deep within the central region of the Star Dou Forest.
Anyone or anything living here was either a Titled Douluo or one of the beast kings.
It must've run into some real trouble this time.
Still, with Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo getting there first, it should be okay…
…..
Meanwhile… things were not going well for Fire Meow Meow.
Restricted by two overlapping domains, Fire Meow Meow was sent flying once again by a powerful punch from the Titan Giant Ape.
The ape charged forward, aiming to pin Fire Meow Meow down, but a hastily-formed fireball forced it to retreat for a moment.
"Come on then! Let's see how much more fire you've got! I'll rip that smart mouth of yours right off!"
The Titan Giant Ape, its charred body still smoking, barely dodged the fireball. Roaring with fury, it raised its massive fists, ready to pound Fire Meow Meow into the ground.
With the Slow Domain and Gravity Domain in effect, the ape had every advantage. Fire Meow Meow was already struggling to hold it off.
"It's those other two soul beasts—both over a hundred thousand years!"
Gui Mei was the first to arrive at the Lake of Life. His eyes scanned the battlefield, identifying the beasts locked in combat.
"That ape—we've seen it before. Its domain is tough to handle…"
Yue Guan frowned, eyes locked on the furious ape relentlessly attacking Fire Meow Meow. Even as he spoke, he launched himself toward the fight.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Chrysanthemum Sever – Lacerate!"
Just as the ape's fist was about to strike again, a wave of thorned chrysanthemum vines erupted toward it.
Caught off guard, the Titan Giant Ape had to abort its attack. Its massive body flipped in the air before crashing to the ground, glaring in the direction the vines had come from.
"Who dares sneak attack me!? Come out and die!"
Suddenly, the Lake of Life's surface surged violently. A massive serpent body rose from the waters, lifting a bull-like head high into the air.
It glared coldly at the revealed Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo and declared in a deep, cold voice:
"Humans… this is not your place to tread!"
_
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