Chapter 129: Highway Robbery

Duanmu Meng'er was still somewhat shaken, but upon seeing that the person before her was Chu Han, she finally felt at ease. She then glanced at Simon, the lingering fear still evident in her eyes.

"Brother Simon, stop glaring like that; you're scaring the poor girl," Chu Han said with a helpless smile. Simon chuckled, putting on a clumsy, endearing expression, which made Duanmu Meng'er burst into laughter.

Chu Han had her sit down so he could tend to her wounds. Although the injuries she sustained in the previous skirmish were not critical, they were enough to hinder her mobility.

"By the way, Chu Han, what happened to that Taotie? And how do you know this Brother Simon? How did you know I was here and manage to arrive just in time?" Duanmu Meng'er blurted out a barrage of questions. Chu Han was left between laughter and tears. She was incredibly curious; knowing that the Taotie had pursued him, she had been deeply worried, certain that Chu Han was no match for the beast. Yet, here he was, unscathed and acting like brothers with a powerful magical beast.

Chu Han recounted the events, explaining how he had tricked the Taotie and rescued Simon. Simon chimed in to fill in the details, leaving Duanmu Meng'er in a state of sudden realization.

"I am very familiar with your aura, and with Brother Simon’s speed, finding you wasn't difficult. I just didn't expect those guys to be so despicable, stopping at nothing to pass the trial. Fortunately, I arrived just in time."

Chu Han nodded, feeling nothing but contempt for Qiao Wang and his group. He walked over to their remains and began to loot them, taking everything of value. To Chu Han, these were merely spoils of war; since they were already dead, there was no point in leaving their belongings behind.

With that done, Chu Han and Duanmu Meng'er each took a shoulder on Simon, and they began their journey toward the exit. They encountered many other trial-goers along the way, all of whom were dealt with by Simon. Although Simon was a disciple of the Taiyi Sect, his predatory, bloodthirsty nature as a magical beast had not changed; he showed no mercy to anyone they encountered.

Soon, their reputation spread throughout the Phantom Forest. Every participant knew that two people—a man and a woman—were controlling a giant brown bear, and that they would mercilessly kill anyone they crossed paths with. Panic set in, and everyone began to avoid them.

Duanmu Meng'er looked up at Chu Han, her eyes unblinking. After spending so much time together and sharing a bond forged in the face of life and death, she felt a sudden stirring in her heart—a sensation she had never experienced before in all her years.

*If only I didn't have this status, how wonderful it would be. Then, perhaps, I could be with you without any pretense. Alas, life is unpredictable,* she thought, feeling a touch of melancholy. Chu Han, however, remained oblivious, far too preoccupied with the excitement of collecting his loot to notice her.

After several hours of Simon’s relentless sprinting, the trio finally reached the exit. Chu Han signaled for a stop; he had something major to do. Duanmu Meng'er and Simon were puzzled, but they didn't ask. For Simon, one place was the same as another, and for Duanmu Meng'er, she was content just to watch Chu Han quietly.

Soon, they understood his intent. A moment later, five people came rushing from the distance. Upon seeing Chu Han, his companion, and the beast, they turned pale with fright and immediately scrambled to flee.

"Stop running! There is only one exit to the Phantom Forest. If you don't leave through here, you'll be trapped forever. Come back; I won't kill you."

Chu Han’s booming voice stopped them in their tracks. Reluctantly, they turned and slowly approached, their bodies still trembling. It was clear how terrifying his reputation had become in the forest. To these participants, Chu Han was like a demon king who could claim their lives at any moment.

"Don't worry, I'll let you pass the trial. The ones I killed earlier were blind and attacked us first. But you can't just pass the trial so easily, can you? You ought to show some appreciation."

Chu Han spoke slowly, then held out his right hand, rubbing his fingers together. Duanmu Meng'er and Simon immediately understood—he was setting up a toll booth. Both felt rather helpless at his methods.

Indeed, Chu Han was repeating the same tactic he had used in a previous trial—only back then, he had masqueraded as a Taiyi Sect elder to collect bribes. This time, he was using raw power to shake them down.

The group had no choice but to hand over everything they had. To them, these were just material possessions; keeping their lives was what mattered most.

Chu Han weighed the loot in his hands, nodded in satisfaction, and waved them off. The five thanked him profusely and fled as if their lives depended on it.

Looking through the items, Chu Han found a beautiful necklace made of pure red crystal. It contained fire-attribute energy and was quite stunning.

"Here, take this. It suits your temperament."

Chu Han tossed the necklace to Duanmu Meng'er as if it were worthless trash. She picked it up, stunned; it was the first time she had ever received such a gift. Watching Chu Han’s arrogant demeanor, she chuckled, put on the necklace, and beamed with happiness.

From then on, Chu Han turned the exit into a toll station. Not a single person who approached escaped being cleaned out. It was truly a case of "this road was built by me, these trees were planted by me." Even though the participants were furious, they had no choice but to comply to survive.

Chu Han was profiting immensely. Soon, the number of people arriving dwindled. The Phantom Forest was dangerous, he had already killed many, and with those who had perished elsewhere, there weren't many left.

"Haha, I doubt there are many left now. Let's go. We've passed the trial, and the haul this time is quite substantial."

Chu Han laughed heartily, counting his loot like a miser, his face radiant. Once finished, he stored everything in his spatial ring.

Just as they were about to leave, they discovered the exit was blocked by a thin, shimmering barrier. Simon was stunned and struck it with a punch, but the barrier didn't even ripple. If his strength couldn't break it, Chu Han’s certainly wouldn't.

"What is going on? Are they not letting us pass the trial?"

Chu Han was shocked. He feared his extortion had been discovered by the Taiyi Sect, and they were barring him from completion. That would be a huge loss; for all the goods he had collected, they paled in comparison to the benefits of the Taiyi Sect's Yin-Yang Realm.

"No, that shouldn't be it. The aura on this barrier is incredibly powerful—far stronger than any of the sect's elders. The trial examiners are only elders, so this can't be the work of the Taiyi Sect."