Chapter 33: The Shadow Assassination Guards, The Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique, and Records of the Great Sumeru Hammer Technique?!

The Outer Regions of the Great Star Dou Forest

Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Fan had sprinted for some distance, but to ensure they retained enough soul power to handle any unexpected situations, they gradually slowed their pace.

Dai Chengfeng finally had time to curiously observe his surroundings.

Towering trees blocked out the sky, and sunlight struggled to penetrate the dense foliage, casting dappled patches of light on the ground.

The earth beneath their feet was soft and damp. With each step, they could feel the softness of fallen leaves, and occasionally stepping on wet leaves would produce a faint "rustling" sound.

"This is the Great Star Dou Forest?"

"It doesn't seem much different from the Tiger's Might Forest—except that the Great Star Dou Forest is far more vast."

However, Dai Chengfeng quickly shook his head with a smile. After all, as someone who had transcended worlds, he knew well that these were only surface-level differences.

In the Tiger's Might Forest, the most powerful soul beasts were only around ten thousand years old.

But in the Great Star Dou Forest, soul beasts with cultivation levels exceeding one hundred thousand years were not uncommon.

For instance, the two publicly known hundred-thousand-year soul beasts residing at the heart of the Great Star Dou Forest: the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape.

Not to mention the many other formidable soul beasts hidden within, such as the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Di Tian.

Despite the strength of these soul beasts, Dai Chengfeng wasn't overly concerned. After all, he simply intended to pass through the outer regions of the Great Star Dou Forest and head toward the Tian Dou Empire.

Thinking this, Dai Chengfeng suddenly turned to Zhu Fan. "Uncle, by the way…"

"Based on the route I planned earlier, we'll first cross the outer regions of the Great Star Dou Forest, then pass through Sword City, Xilu City, and Jialing Pass, before finally reaching Tian Dou City."

"How long will it take?"

"That's hard to say." Zhu Fan shook his head. "After all, there's no telling what might happen along the way."

"If everything goes smoothly, it should only take a few months."

"But if things don't go well… Hmm?"

Before he could finish, Zhu Fan's brows suddenly furrowed, and a hint of caution appeared in his eyes.

At the same time, Dai Chengfeng also sensed something unusual.

When he had first practiced the Innate Qi Technique, he opened the Jade Pillow Pass in his spiritual sea.

Since then, he had been able to enter a state of heightened awareness, perceiving even the tiniest details around him.

Ever since entering the Great Star Dou Forest, Dai Chengfeng had maintained this heightened state, and almost nothing escaped his perception.

Just moments ago…

He clearly detected several extremely faint fluctuations of soul power, but they vanished in an instant.

"Was it just my imagination?"

"Or could it be a soul beast with exceptional stealth abilities, or perhaps…?"

Dai Chengfeng pondered silently.

But soon, he was certain that it wasn't his imagination.

After all, his heightened awareness allowed him to perceive even the smallest details. Without the influence of soul power, how could he easily misinterpret his senses?

"So it seems we're being followed!"

With this thought, Dai Chengfeng glanced at Zhu Fan and gave an imperceptible nod.

Seeing this, Zhu Fan nodded back.

But his eyes were filled with astonishment.

Zhu Fan couldn't understand!

He was an 83rd-rank Soul Douluo, yet just moments ago, he had only vaguely sensed something amiss.

On the other hand, his nephew, merely a Soul Grandmaster, had somehow also noticed the anomaly?

Though puzzled, Zhu Fan couldn't help but marvel internally upon seeing Dai Chengfeng's confident expression. "It seems Chengfeng truly sensed it too…"

"Just how many hidden talents does our young prince possess that I, as his uncle, don't know about?!"

Despite his internal awe, Zhu Fan maintained an outward appearance of calm and continued traveling with Dai Chengfeng.

Until they reached a massive ancient tree that perfectly concealed their figures.

Exchanging a knowing glance, they silently communicated: "Things are about to change!"

Meanwhile, behind them, not far away.

The group of black-clad individuals who had previously appeared at the campsite were still stealthily tracking Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Fan, completely unaware that they had already been discovered.

At this moment, one of them approached their leader and whispered, "Master, when do we strike?"

The black-clad leader lightly shook his head, his voice icy. "Zhu Fan is a Soul Douluo, and his martial soul is the agile Netherworld Spirit Cat."

"If he refuses to comply with His Majesty's orders, we won't be able to deal with him."

As he spoke, he looked up at the sun in the sky. "We'll wait until nightfall. Then we'll directly capture the prince. By then, Zhu Fan will have no choice but to follow quietly…"

"Capture me?"

Just as they were whispering and discussing their plans, a curious voice suddenly interrupted.

"At first, I thought you were sent by my eldest brother or perhaps my foolish third brother."

"But I didn't expect that instead of killing me, you intend to capture me…"

"So it seems you must have been sent by Father Emperor, right?"

Upon hearing this sudden inquiry, the leader of the black-clad group instantly turned pale.

He had been so careful—how could he have been discovered?

Clap, clap, clap~

The leader clapped his hands and looked at Zhu Fan standing on a tree branch. "As expected of Commander Zhu Fan—your intuition is indeed sharp."

Hearing this, Zhu Fan chuckled and shook his head. "Old Three, you're mistaken."

With that, Zhu Fan jumped down from the branch, no longer on high alert. Instead, he acted casually, as if greeting an old friend. "I did notice you all, but it wasn't me who alerted the prince."

"How could that be?"

If Zhu Fan had noticed them, Shadow Three could accept it, given that Zhu Fan was a Soul Douluo, twenty levels higher than him.

But their prince?

Didn't he only have soul power in the teens?

Still, he knew Zhu Fan's character and didn't think he would lie.

"No wonder His Highness Prince Chengfeng has earned such attention from His Majesty—he truly is extraordinary!"

Shadow Three silently observed Dai Chengfeng, his eyes filled with admiration.

At this moment, Dai Chengfeng also jumped down from the tree and curiously asked Zhu Fan, "Uncle, do you know them?"

Zhu Fan nodded. "Know them? That's an understatement!"

"When I was the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guard, I frequently dealt with them. We're very familiar."

As he spoke, Zhu Fan pointed to the man he called "Old Three" and introduced him. "He's one of the sharpest blades in our Star Luo Empire, operating in the shadows under the direct command of His Majesty—the Vice Leader of the Shadow Assassination Guards, Shadow Three."

"Directly under Father Emperor's command?"

Dai Chengfeng shook his head helplessly. "I even went out of my way to take the Great Star Dou Forest route, yet Father Emperor still managed to send people after me."

"I can only say—it's no surprise coming from the Emperor of Star Luo!"

At this moment, Shadow Three stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Dai Chengfeng.

"Shadow Three greets His Highness, the Fourth Prince."

Then, he retrieved a tray from his spatial soul-guidance device and presented it to Dai Chengfeng. "Your Highness, this is what His Majesty instructed me to deliver to you."

"You went through all this trouble just for this?"

Dai Chengfeng gave Shadow Three a half-smile while glancing at the items on the tray.

They were books.

But at a single glance, Dai Chengfeng's pupils contracted sharply. "Blazing Light Sword Technique, Star Earth Tremor, Fierce Tiger Fist, Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique, Record of the Great Sumeru Hammer Technique…"

"What… What is this? How is this possible?!"

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