Even if Rock and the others were willing, Mo Han and the others would feel uncomfortable about it themselves, and they certainly couldn't eat, drink, relieve themselves, and sleep all in there—they weren't some kind of demonic beast. Thus, Bai Ling's method was very well-received by Rock and Jack. Fortunately, Mo Han and the others had brought plenty of food this time, so there was no need to worry about provisions, as the benefit of the space ring meant they could store enough food to last them a year without issue.

After settling Rock and Jack, Mo Han and Bai Ling left the others behind and headed toward the distant Death Forest. Before departing, Mo Han was still uneasy and slipped several high-level magic scrolls to Jack, ensuring that even if they encountered some powerful demonic beasts, they would at least have a fighting chance.

Upon entering the Death Forest, Mo Han finally understood that everything Bai Ling had said was true. The trees in this forest were not only tall but also incredibly dense. Once they entered, most of the sunlight was blocked by the foliage, with only sparse rays penetrating the canopy to leave scattered spots of white light on the ground between the trees. While this light might have been too dim for ordinary people, it posed almost no hindrance to powerhouses like Mo Han and Bai Ling.

On the forest floor, centuries of accumulated fallen leaves had formed a thick carpet. When one stepped on it, the leaves would sink almost to calf-level, which made Mo Han very uncomfortable. This made it impossible to see the ground clearly beneath their feet, putting them at a disadvantage should they encounter a hidden trap or danger.

However, Bai Ling quickly resolved this difficulty. With a wave of her hand, several beams of white light floated down to Mo Han’s feet. Mo Han instantly felt his entire body lighten, as if he were floating. As a mage, Mo Han naturally recognized the spell Bai Ling cast as the 'Levitation Charm,' a common spell among high-level mages that significantly reduced one's body weight. This greatly conserved stamina, making it ideal for long journeys, though the effect varied depending on the caster's strength. Naturally, the 'Levitation Charm' cast by Bai Ling far surpassed the ability of ordinary mages.

Aided by Bai Ling’s charm, Mo Han could barely feel his own weight and stepped lightly onto the leaves, no longer worrying about sinking in. Mo Han had initially considered casting the charm himself, but since Bai Ling had already acted and he knew her magical proficiency was superior, he saved the effort, simply offering her a grateful smile.

Throughout their journey, to prevent getting lost, they made a mark on a tree at every significant location, ensuring they wouldn't backtrack unnecessarily and allowing them to find their way out quickly upon return, thus saving considerable time.

After searching for an entire day, Mo Han and Bai Ling found no useful clues. Yet, Mo Han wasn't disheartened, as he hadn't expected to locate the Ancient Blue Relics easily; otherwise, hundreds of years wouldn't have passed without any mercenary finding them. Mo Han even prepared for the worst: if they couldn't find the relics within a month, they would give up and return. He couldn't wander around aimlessly like a headless fly forever.

Mo Han had considered contacting Elder Guang Huo of the Church of Light, since the Church had previously found the Ancient Blue ruins and even ventured inside. Perhaps their records contained descriptions of the routes within the Death Forest. However, remembering that he had already severed ties with the Church without cause, Mo Han discarded the appealing idea, resolving not to seek their help unless absolutely necessary.

As twilight deepened, Mo Han and Bai Ling hastily chose a relatively thick tree for a temporary rest stop. After setting up a magical barrier around them, Mo Han cast several 'Illumination Charms' nearby. Since the ground was covered in dry kindling, starting a fire was impossible; it would risk burning down the entire Death Forest and roasting themselves in the process.

Wait—burning down? Something clicked in Mo Han’s mind. Why not start a massive fire and burn the entire Death Forest down? The ground was littered with dry leaves, perfect fuel. If he just lit a few spots, wouldn't that speed up his search significantly compared to aimlessly threading through the undergrowth?

Mo Han eagerly shared this captivating, radical idea with Bai Ling, only to find her completely unsurprised, as if she had anticipated him suggesting such a thing.

"If you can actually light the ground beneath us on fire, then I’ll be impressed," Bai Ling remarked mildly.

Hearing this, Mo Han felt a touch of indignation. Lighting a fire couldn't be that difficult, could it? Surely a Saint Magus like himself knew how to start a fire without failing.

"Miss Bai, are you looking down on me a little too much?" Mo Han countered, unable to hide his pique. "I am a Saint Magus, after all. Can I not even cast a few Fireballs? Aren't you just trying to provoke me?"

Bai Ling chuckled, giving him a look that seemed intended to tease him further. "I didn't realize you could be so childish sometimes, getting sulky. It’s not that I look down on you; I'm telling you, you won't be able to light it, so don't waste your effort. If you can set this patch of forest floor alight, you’ll be a Magic God."

Bai Ling's words nearly made Mo Han explode. He glared at her, annoyed. "If I do light a fire here, what will you do?" Seeing Mo Han on the verge of an outburst, Bai Ling found it amusing and dropped her usual cold demeanor, shaking her head with a smile.

"Save your energy. If you genuinely manage to ignite the leaves beneath us, I will grant you any one request. But if you fail, you must grant me any one request," she said. It seemed Bai Ling was utterly convinced that Mo Han could not possibly succeed in igniting the leaves beneath them, prompting her bold wager.

Mo Han, refusing to back down—as the saying goes, if one can endure this, what can't they endure?—felt compelled to accept. If he refused now, after a mere girl had challenged him, he might as well give up any pretense of reputation. He was about to agree when a thought struck him.

"Wait a moment, Miss Bai. Your magical power is far superior to mine. If you deliberately interfere, even if I exhaust myself, I won't be able to contend with you. You wouldn't be that underhanded, would you?"

Bai Ling looked both exasperated and amused. "Do you think everyone is like you, always scheming? Relax. Cast your spell; I absolutely will not interfere. If you can ignite that large patch of leaves beneath us using only your own skill, you win."

Hearing the certainty in Bai Ling's tone, Mo Han hesitated slightly. But things had reached this point; backtracking was impossible, and it went against his principles. With that, Mo Han readily accepted Bai Ling's proposal. If he couldn't light those leaves, he might as well find a rock to smash his head against.

Mo Han secretly rallied his courage. Furthermore, the thought of Bai Ling granting him any request gave him an inexplicable, almost undetectable thrill. Looking at Bai Ling’s stunningly beautiful face, Mo Han felt his heart suddenly begin to race. It was rare to see Bai Ling exhibit such delicate femininity, and it made his heart skip a beat or two.

Bai Ling, unaware of Mo Han's inner turmoil, simply smiled quietly after he agreed, watching him with a playful glint in her eyes. Being stared at like that only hardened Mo Han's resolve to light the fire. Besides, the promise of his choice of favor from Bai Ling was motivation enough; he decided he had to go all out. After all, when the goal is a beautiful woman, there’s no reason to retreat.

With his decision made, Mo Han acted immediately. He cast several Fireballs from the tree, aiming them at the dry leaves below. What happened next surprised him. The fireballs struck the leaves accurately and began to burn the material underneath rapidly. However, even after the magic power within the fireballs was completely depleted, the leaves below hadn't even changed color; they remained stubbornly black, emitting no smoke, showing no sign of catching fire.

Seeing this, Mo Han's heart sank. These leaves must be strange for some reason; no wonder Bai Ling looked so relaxed, showing no concern. Yet, Mo Han felt even more unwilling to concede. Could there really be wood in this world that fire could not ignite? Thinking this, Mo Han applied himself with greater effort.

He quickly cast several much larger fireballs, soaring toward the leaves on the ground. But the result was again disappointing: even after the massive fireballs exhausted their power, the black leaves showed no sign of ignition.

Next, Mo Han chanted several rapid incantations, unleashing a massive fire dragon that shot toward the leaves—his favorite fire spell, 'Fire Dragon Break.' The blazing inferno illuminated the surrounding forest in a deep red hue. The crackling sounds suggested an astonishing temperature. The immense dragon, wreathed in roaring flames, bore down upon the dry leaves. Under the dragon's fierce assault, the dead foliage began to crackle audibly, and a flash of smugness crossed Mo Han’s face; he thought he saw hope.

But Bai Ling maintained her languid expression, seemingly oblivious to what was happening below. Seeing her demeanor, Mo Han felt a surge of foreboding. Indeed, despite the intense heat, the dried leaves, while crackling, showed no inclination to combust. Instead, faint wisps of white mist began to slowly rise from the surface of the black leaves. Though barely visible against the fierce fire dragon, Mo Han, with his current strength, clearly perceived these subtle changes.

Witnessing this, Mo Han knew the outcome instantly. When the fire dragon finally dissipated into elemental fire particles, the black leaves lay there, completely unharmed, only emitting barely perceptible white mist from their surfaces.

"It seems you knew the result all along?" Mo Han asked Bai Ling, whose face held a gentle smile, feeling defeated. "No wonder you were so confident in betting against me."

Bai Ling simply smiled back, then slowly spoke. "Now you believe me, don't you? The trees in the Death Forest are peculiar; they seem to have an unbelievably strong resistance to fire elements. My Master once used the ninth-level single-target fire spell, 'Fire Dragon Roar,' and still couldn't ignite these strange leaves. So, did you really think your fifth-level 'Fire Dragon Break' could set them alight?"

Hearing Bai Ling’s explanation, Mo Han was greatly astonished. 'Fire Dragon Break' was a top-tier single-target offensive fire spell; its destructive power was in no way inferior to tenth-level fire magic. The only difference was that 'Fire Dragon Roar' concentrated its power over a smaller area. Because the energy of 'Fire Dragon Roar' was focused on a small region, its attack potency was absolutely unmatched by other tenth-level fire spells; perhaps only forbidden spells could exceed its single-target destructive force.

Perhaps only a forbidden fire spell could hope to ignite these strange leaves, Mo Han thought wryly. However, he would never resort to using forbidden spells for what was essentially a half-joking bet with Bai Ling. It would be overreacting, making it seem like he couldn't accept defeat gracefully. Regardless of whether forbidden spells could work, this was just a spur-of-the-moment wager. Moreover, Bai Ling had saved him numerous times; even without this bet, if she asked for a favor, how could he refuse? The answer was clearly no, Mo Han conceded inwardly.

Forget it, he told himself, if I lost, I lost. And losing to a powerhouse like Bai Ling isn't exactly a tragedy.

Bai Ling noticed Mo Han zoning out and chuckled. "Well? Have you conceded yet? Don't go back on your word. You promised to grant me any request if you lost."

The rare sight of Bai Ling speaking with such an intimate tone made Mo Han’s heart flutter. Since he had already lost, he played along playfully. "Miss Bai, since you insist, refusing to concede would be unreasonable. Go ahead, tell me what you want me to do. Just don't plot anything sinister against me; I'm very pure, you know!"

Because Bai Ling was being so approachable, Mo Han dropped his usual guarded tone and teased her. After making his statement, he deliberately struck a feigned pose of fear, clutching his clothes tightly. Seeing his expression, Bai Ling couldn't help but let out a sudden, joyous laugh.

"Give it up. With a face like yours, I’m not interested," Bai Ling retorted, deliberately challenging him with a look.

Mo Han immediately jumped up, indignant. "What? You dare say my appearance is ugly?" he exclaimed, feigning anger. "If my admirers outside knew, enough of their collective spit could drown you. If you don't believe me, I’ll stand closer so you can get a good look!"

This was a matter of his honor and looks, so Mo Han had to defend himself vigorously. If he let this girl get away with mocking him now, he wouldn't be able to hold his head up in front of her later. As he spoke, Mo Han aggressively closed the distance between them, pushing his face toward hers, insisting she look closely. Bai Ling simply smiled at his childish antics and even pretended to examine him seriously.

Finally, under Mo Han’s near-shameless badgering and sweet talk, Bai Ling reluctantly conceded that he was tolerably handsome, a conclusion Mo Han barely accepted. Mo Han's methods—like declaring, "If a beauty like you says I’m ugly, I'll immediately smash my head right here in front of you, it’s too heartbreaking..."—left Bai Ling both amused and frustrated. She knew he was joking and wouldn't actually commit suicide over her words. She had intended to tease him a little more, but seeing his genuinely boyish expression, her heart warmed, and she changed her mind, complying with his request.

Unconsciously, however, the distance between Mo Han and Bai Ling had closed dramatically. When Mo Han realized it, his face was less than a few centimeters from hers. At this range, Bai Ling’s beauty was even more breathtaking. Her skin, as white as snow, showed not a single blemish even under Mo Han's intense scrutiny. Illuminated by the 'Illumination Charms,' a faint white glow coated her face. Mo Han felt that no silk in the world could compare to the delicate smoothness of her skin. Coupled with her long, elegant lashes and eyes as bright as a clear spring, Mo Han felt his breath catching.

At this moment, Bai Ling’s tempting lips were only a fist's distance away. Mo Han could even feel the fragrant air exhaled from her nostrils, which seemed like the most wonderful scent in the world, filling his senses and leaving him feeling overwhelmingly comfortable and excited.

Suddenly, Bai Ling seemed to sense the impropriety. Seeing the unusual look in Mo Han's eyes, an instinctual voice screamed at her to pull back immediately. Yet, under Mo Han's close gaze, looking into his dark, deep eyes, Bai Ling found she didn't want to move. Instead, she enjoyed the peculiar, ambiguous tension between them, a feeling that surprised even her. A faint blush unexpectedly rose on Bai Ling’s cheeks. Under the light, the subtle crimson hue spreading across her pure white skin only enhanced her immense allure, making her look like a perfectly ripe peach that one couldn't resist biting.

At that moment, Mo Han felt that impulse—not to bite, but slowly, he began to draw his lips toward hers. Bai Ling trembled, seemingly wanting to retreat, but her body remained still. A look of confusion clouded her eyes, as if she had forgotten how to react.

Just as Mo Han’s lips were about to brush against Bai Ling’s, a sudden, piercing roar of a demonic beast echoed from the distance, violently shattering the subtle atmosphere between them. Both Mo Han and Bai Ling snapped back to reality. Bai Ling quickly turned her head in panic, putting distance between their faces, her cheeks burning red.

But Mo Han was, after all, a man, and far thicker-skinned than Bai Ling. He merely scratched his head in awkwardness, edged slightly away from Bai Ling, and began to speak casually, "The moon is quite full tonight, isn't it? Heh heh."

Following Mo Han's lead, Bai Ling turned her gaze towards the sky. The entire expanse was pitch black; hardly a star was visible, let alone the moon. This Mo Han truly had a knack for speaking nonsense, she thought. With a sigh, Bai Ling shot him a sideways glance but offered no reply.

Mo Han realized the idiocy of his statement the moment it left his lips, but his hide was made of something stronger than mere skin. He just chuckled awkwardly, pretending he hadn't noticed his gaffe, and swiftly changed the subject. "By the way, what kind of magical beast was that just now? That howl was certainly loud."

Bai Ling, not about to expose him, merely shook her head slightly. "The magical beasts in this Death Forest are not like those outside. Many rare, ancient magical beasts survive within these woods, so based on the sound alone, I couldn't possibly tell you what it was."

Mo Han had only been trying to change the subject and didn't actually care what the creature was. In fact, he was inwardly harboring resentment toward the beast. The damnable thing—why call out then, of all times? It was clearly deliberately trying to spite him. If he ever found out which creature it was, he'd surely roast it for dinner.

Lost in thought, Mo Han muttered aloud, "Heh heh, that fellow sure picked an inconvenient time to howl."

As soon as the words were out, Mo Han realized his blunder. He was stirring up trouble where none needed to be stirred. Mo Han felt an urge to slap himself. His usual eloquence had deserted him today, leaving him clumsy.

As expected, Bai Ling's face instantly flushed crimson upon hearing his remark, and she cast him a look of clear reproach.

Leaping to