Douluo: Martial Soul White Tiger, I am the White Emperor of Heaven

"This is a tracking soul tool, containing the residual aura of one of the test subjects sealed within. That test subject stayed at the base in Qingfeng Valley, and I collected the remnants of her soul power left on the inner wall of the container. As long as she remains within a hundred miles of the Holy Soul Mountain Range, this soul tool can provide directional guidance."

Su Chen looked at the small soul tool in her palm, the silver threads inside moving slowly like a small snake trapped in amber. He suddenly realized that Qian Renxue's meticulousness far exceeded his imagination; even in the chaotic battle of Qingfeng Valley, she still had the leisure to gather such subtle clues.

“Then we’ll have to rely on it,” Su Chen said.

When the tea stall owner came to collect the bowls, she glanced at them a couple more times, probably thinking that the four people's clothes and appearance were not those of ordinary people, but she didn't ask any more questions.

…………

By the time the carriage resumed its journey, the sun was already beginning to set. The driver cracked his whip, and the horses' hooves clattered crisply on the gravel road. No one spoke in the carriage; only the dull thud of the wheels rolling over stones and dirt, mixed with the sound of the wind seeping in through the gaps in the curtains, filled the air. Su Chen leaned against the carriage wall, his left hand resting on the brace of his right arm, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the cool touch of the metal surface. He could feel his bones slowly healing; a subtle itch rose from the depths of his marrow, as irresistible as the first sprout of grass emerging from the earth after the spring snow melts, yet so fragile that it needed to be carefully protected.

The scenery outside the window was changing; the hills were becoming increasingly undulating, and exposed rock walls and dense thickets began to appear on both sides of the road. Chen Hao had woken up sometime earlier, opened his eyes, and peeked out through the gap in the carriage curtain. He clicked his tongue and said, "This road is really bumpy; my old back is about to fall apart." Zhang Wan looked up from her soul array diagram and glared at him: "How old are you? And you already have an old back?" Chen Hao grinned: "I just took a sword strike; my vital energy is severely depleted."

Qian Renxue opened her eyes, her gaze calmly sweeping over the two of them. Her gaze wasn't sharp, but it immediately made Chen Hao drop his playful expression and sit up awkwardly. She unfolded the map in her hand and laid it on her lap, her fingertip pointing to a tiny indentation on the mountain's outline: "Twenty miles ahead, we'll enter the outer edge of the Holy Soul Mountains through this canyon. The canyon's cliffs are steep on both sides, a natural pass. The carriage can't go in; the rest of the journey will be on foot."

Su Chen leaned closer to take a look at the map. The canyon was marked by a long, narrow, dark fissure, with nearly vertical cliffs on both sides indicated by fine contour lines, like a crack in the mountainside cleaved by a giant axe. He quickly mentally simulated the terrain's offensive and defensive advantages and disadvantages, then asked, "Are there any ambush opportunities in the canyon? If there are ambushes on the cliffs, we're trapped like turtles in a barrel."

Qian Renxue shook her head: "I sent people to investigate three months ago, and they found no trace of any human intervention in the canyon. The cliff face is too smooth, with no footholds to climb. An ordinary Soul Master would need at least a Soul Douluo level to fly up there to set up an ambush. But the canyon is only two miles long. If there really were a Soul Douluo level enemy wanting to deal with us, there would be no need to specifically choose that section of the canyon to launch their attack."

Su Chen hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions. He knew Qian Renxue's cautious nature; since she said it was safe, then it was at least 70% safe. The remaining 30% was due to unforeseen circumstances, and unforeseen events are unavoidable; one can only rely on reaction time.

The carriage arrived at the canyon entrance before the sun had completely set. The driver reined in the black carriage, which came to a stop beside a crooked old locust tree. The four of them alighted, and Su Chen looked up at the canyon—the walls were indeed as Qian Renxue had described, smooth and steep as if carved by a knife and axe, the gray-black rock surfaces gleaming with a cold, hard luster in the twilight. At the bottom of the canyon was a dry streambed, covered with pebbles of various sizes, slippery underfoot and requiring extra caution. The evening breeze blew in from the canyon entrance, carrying the scent of rocks and withered grass; the temperature was considerably lower than on the plains, and there was already a hint of autumn chill in the mountains.

The coachman pulled a cloth bundle from under the seat and handed it to Qian Renxue, saying in a deep voice, "My lord, the supplies you requested are all inside. I'll wait for you under this old locust tree. If you don't return within half a month, I'll go back to the branch hall to report." Qian Renxue took the bundle, weighed it in her hand, and nodded, "Thank you for your trouble. If you don't return within half a month, don't wait. Go directly back to the branch hall and tell Li Yang to activate the contingency plan."

The driver didn't say much, jumped onto the carriage shaft, turned the horse around, and quickly disappeared into the twilight of the road they had come from. The sound of hooves grew farther and farther away, finally being completely swallowed up by the wind.

Chen Hao stretched his shoulders and neck, making two crisp cracking sounds. "Let's go, let's go. Before it gets completely dark, let's find a place to camp." Zhang Wan had already bent down and spread a palm-sized jade plate on the ground. She condensed a wisp of soul power as thin as a hair at her fingertips and poured it into the plate. A circle of pale blue light patterns appeared on the surface of the jade plate, slowly rotating for a few breaths before dimming. "No high-energy reactions within a two-mile radius," she stood up and dusted off her hands. "At least it's safe for now."

The four walked along the dry streambed deeper into the canyon. The sky darkened visibly, the narrow strip of sky overhead changing from pale blue to dark gray and then to inky blue. Just as the first star appeared directly above the canyon, they emerged, and a vast mountain basin unfolded before them, surrounded by towering mountains. Dense coniferous forests covered the basin, their dark green canopies undulating in the faint twilight like a frozen, dark ocean. The air was damp and crisp, carrying the scent of pine resin and humus.

“Let’s find a sheltered spot on the edge of the basin to set up camp.” Qian Renxue looked around, her gaze finally settling on the base of a slightly protruding hill in the northeast corner of the basin. There was a relatively flat area of ​​gravel there, with a steep rock wall behind it, an open view in front, and sparse bushes on both sides that could provide some cover. She led the three of them over, and Chen Hao and Zhang Wan quickly set up two small tents. Su Chen surveyed the area and, after confirming there were no signs of soul beast activity, sprinkled a thin layer of beast-repelling powder around the perimeter of the camp. The powder was made from three-hundred-year-old tiger-striped lizard scale powder and Crimson Flame Grass ash, capable of repelling most soul beasts under a thousand years old.

Night fell completely. The darkness in the basin was as thick as ink, but the starry sky overhead was exceptionally bright, with the Milky Way stretching across the horizon and countless stars appearing almost extravagantly. Zhang Wan lit a small campfire using dry tinder and pine branches she had brought with her. The flame was small, its orange-red light illuminating only a few steps around them before fading into the boundless darkness. The four of them sat around the fire, eating some simple dry rations and dried meat, and drinking some heated water. (End of Chapter)