Chapter 11: Restless Pink Ladies

For Jiang Beibei’s safety, the two of them did not move quickly.

Whether it was the overwhelming aura of Liu Erlong or Beibei’s improved ability to control her charm at will, they encountered very few “unfriendly” soul beasts along the way.

After about two hours, they reached the outskirts of the Sunset Forest, a region where millennium-old soul beasts mainly roamed, and occasionally a few ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts would come by for a casual visit.

“Beibei, if you see the Pink Lady clan, you must control the range of your charm release, or you might attract some very powerful soul beasts,” Liu Erlong warned, still worried after the strange events of the previous night.

If Jiang Beibei were to unleash her full charm, who knew what formidable beings might be drawn to her?

“Don’t worry, Mom. If you tell me not to act, I definitely won’t cause trouble!” Beibei promised.

Sure, right! If they came across a clan without a Pink Lady, she would find a way to create one herself.

Her first soul ring was already a thousand years old, but the second was only seventeen hundred years—truly embarrassing for a member of the time-traveling army!

“Good girl, Beibei!” Liu Erlong affectionately pinched her adorable little cheek, unaware that beneath the obedient facade lurked a mischievous little demon.

They pressed on, and the forest grew denser.

A rustling noise approached steadily.

Liu Erlong signaled for Beibei to hide, and they slipped behind a massive tree, peering sideways to see a sea of pink. Just a glance stirred an enchanting, strange sensation.

No doubt, these soul beasts engaged in indescribable activities were exactly the Pink Ladies they had been searching for.

The peculiar allure they radiated was somewhat similar to Beibei’s restless charm but also distinctly different—perhaps “fiery” would be a more fitting description.

“Mom, what are they doing?” asked the cheeky little girl, knowingly asking a question.

Liu Erlong was momentarily speechless. How was she supposed to explain this to a six-year-old?

After a moment’s thought, she came up with a supposedly suitable explanation: “They’re… feeding each other. It’s a special way soul beasts eat.”

***

Beibei burst into laughter, her face turning purple from holding it in. Luckily, Liu Erlong, caught in embarrassment, turned away in time, or else she might have caught a glimpse of Beibei’s mischievous side.

Time passed awkwardly, and the Pink Ladies’ “group activity” seemed to be winding down.

“Can it end just like this?” Beibei thought, not forgetting the purpose of their visit. Taking advantage of Liu Erlong’s momentary inattention, she quietly released her charm.

With the aid of the “Spirit Fox Mark,” she had much better control over her allure.

This time, she limited its effect to only some of the slightly older Pink Ladies.

The once calm group of soul beasts seemed to revive with a flash of energy after receiving her subtle support.

Suddenly, the scene before them grew even more restless and chaotic than before.

“Go for it!” Beibei silently urged herself, shifting slightly with a victorious expression as if she had done a good deed and was now stepping back.

“Uh… Beibei, soul beasts take a long time to eat. Attacking them now is dangerous. Let’s keep our distance to avoid being spotted,” Liu Erlong said, puzzled by the Pink Ladies’ endurance, forcing an excuse as she pulled Beibei away.

“Mom, look! That Pink Lady over there seems different—much bigger than the others!” Beibei exclaimed.

Liu Erlong stopped immediately, pushing all distracting thoughts aside, and focused on the soul beast clan.

Sure enough, as Beibei said, among the Pink Ladies, one was extraordinarily special—not only significantly larger, but the others willingly offered themselves to it for consumption.

“That’s… the Pink Lady Queen!”

“Pink Lady Queen? Mom, is it a more powerful soul beast?”

“Yes, Beibei. The Pink Lady Queen is a variant of the Pink Ladies and the strongest among them. Their cultivation is at least three thousand years old, having evolved after devouring hundreds of their kin.”

After briefly explaining the origin of the Pink Lady Queen to Beibei, Liu Erlong’s brows furrowed with a conflicted expression.

The dilemma was that Pink Lady Queens were rare, and encountering one was extremely uncommon. Yet, she wasn’t sure if Beibei’s body could withstand the soul ring of such an age.

The strength of a soul beast increases in stages every thousand years. Surpassing three thousand years means it transcends low-level soul beasts and enters the ranks of mid-level soul beasts.

Usually, soul beasts of this age become clan leaders like this Pink Lady Queen.

More importantly, once a Pink Lady mutates into a Pink Lady Queen, it no longer allows others in the clan to evolve.

In other words, in this very clan, there wasn’t a single Pink Lady over a thousand years old, let alone one at seventeen hundred years!

With such a rare opportunity before them, settling for anything less, then searching for another Pink Lady clan might be futile.

“Mom, Mom?” Beibei tugged gently at her mother’s sleeve, worried she would be forced to leave.

Liu Erlong was roused, took a deep breath, and looked at her with a serious expression.

“Beibei, we have two choices now: one, we take advantage of this clan’s weakened state and attack immediately, making that Pink Lady Queen your second soul ring; or two, we leave now and search for another suitable soul beast.”

Liu Erlong decided to let Beibei make the choice.

The best judge of her own body’s limits was none other than Beibei herself.

In the future, similar decisions would have to be made by Beibei alone to become a true powerhouse.

Whatever decision her daughter made, Liu Erlong would respect and support her.

“Well… Mom, with Little White’s help, I should be able to bear the soul ring of the Pink Lady Queen. Let me try!” At the crucial moment, invoking the voluntary sacrifice of the Wind Spirit Fox Little White was more convincing than any other reason.

“Alright. I’ll take care of most of the soul beasts, including the Pink Lady Queen. You try to use your newly acquired soul techniques in battle.”

No doubt, Pink Ladies were excellent practical training for novice soul masters like Jiang Beibei.

“Okay, thank you, Mom!” With permission to act, Beibei’s lips curved into a subtle smile.

She just hoped her mother wouldn’t be so surprised later that she dropped her jaw.