Entering the Star Dou Great Forest

Half a month later~

The Star Dou Great Forest stretched across both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires. Vast in area, it was one of the continent's three great Soul Beast habitats, home to countless Soul Beasts and fraught with danger. Even powerful Titled Douluo dared not venture too deeply inside.

At a Soul Hunting Town several dozen li from the Star Dou Great Forest, the streets bustled with people. There were many residents, and passing Soul Masters chatted and laughed, making the town exceptionally lively.

An ancient-looking carriage rolled through clouds of dust under the driver's guidance, its hoofbeats echoing across the wilderness. Seeing the Soul Hunting Town drawing closer, the driver pulled the reins and slowed the carriage.

"Sir, we've arrived at Soul Hunting Town."

The driver stopped the carriage outside Soul Hunting Town and respectfully called to the carriage compartment. The curtain was lifted, and Gu Shenggo leaned out. Looking at the bustling town before him, he nodded slightly and stepped down from the carriage.

"Thank you. This is your payment."

Gu Shenggo took out a pouch of Soul Gold Coins from his Soul Tool. The driver hurriedly accepted it, joy appearing on his dark face. What a generous customer—there had to be at least several dozen gold coins in that pouch!

After paying the fare, Gu Shenggo entered Soul Hunting Town.

Soul Hunting Town was extraordinarily lively. The moment he entered, Gu Shenggo heard all sorts of cries rising from both sides of the street and echoing through the town.

"Soul Replenishing Medicine! Produced by an auxiliary-type Soul Ancestor! One bottle restores half the Soul Power of a Soul Grandmaster!"

"Come take a look! Premium Ice Cang Wolf pelts! Smooth fur and snow-white coats!"

"Forming a team to hunt Thousand-Year Soul Rings! We have a Soul King expert! Two spots left—first come, first served!"

The vendors along both sides of the street shouted their wares with all their might, drawing in Soul Masters who had come to Soul Hunting Town to rest and resupply. At the same time, many fully equipped Soul Masters headed toward the Star Dou Great Forest in groups.

Watching this bustling scene, a faint smile appeared on Gu Shenggo's lips. This was human society!

If Bibi Dong had not visited him often during those five years in the secret chamber, he would probably have gone mad already.

Now that he had returned to human society, emotions stirred in Gu Shenggo's heart, refusing to settle for a long time.

"Smells amazing!"

Suddenly, Gu Shenggo caught the scent of cooked food, and his appetite was immediately aroused. He had not eaten proper food in over five years.

For the past five years, he had eaten only specially prepared food. It had little flavor and served only to fill his stomach—enough to keep him from starving to death.

Now that he could smell real food, he had to feast properly!

Following the aroma, Gu Shenggo arrived at a restaurant and walked straight inside.

Two hours later, Gu Shenggo left the restaurant, full and satisfied, leaving behind stunned restaurant attendants and a mountain of stacked dishes.

He could eat way too much!

"Burp~~~"

The moment he stepped out of the restaurant, Gu Shenggo let out a loud, satisfied burp, drawing the attention of those around him. They all stared at him with strange looks.

Gu Shenggo rubbed his round belly, so full that he could not eat another bite. His face was filled with satisfaction. This was what real life was all about!

Full and content, it was time to sleep.

He casually found an inn and rented a room. Gu Shenggo collapsed onto the soft bed and sank into a deep sleep.

He had not rested properly in the bumpy carriage, instead spending the journey studying Void Archive's abilities and the knowledge stored within it.

In the blink of an eye, the night passed.

Strands of sunlight streamed through the window into the inn room, shining upon Gu Shenggo's pale, handsome face.

Feeling the glare of the sunlight, Gu Shenggo slowly woke up. His eyes were still bleary, and there was even a trace of drool at the corner of his mouth. He had slept wonderfully. He had dreamed of Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Hu Liena. Truly wicked.

Gu Shenggo shook his head, dispelling the lingering drowsiness. He rose and looked at the bright window. It was another beautiful new day.

After getting dressed and washing up, Gu Shenggo left the inn.

He did not linger in Soul Hunting Town. His destination was the Star Dou Great Forest. With his strength, as long as those Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts did not make a move, he would be safe enough in the Star Dou Great Forest.

After purchasing an updated map of the forest in Soul Hunting Town, Gu Shenggo headed for the Star Dou Great Forest.

A few minutes later, a figure suddenly appeared at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, as though he had teleported there, an astonishing sight.

Gu Shenggo wore a magnificent dark-gold military uniform. The Golden Clock in his left eye gleamed brilliantly, radiating golden light. Its hand turned and settled on the mark of [One], accelerating Gu Shenggo's personal time and allowing him to teleport. In only a few minutes, he had crossed several dozen li to reach the Star Dou Great Forest.

Kekeddi's twelve abilities were all different, each one a powerful time-based ability.

Bullet of One (Aleph):

Accelerates the target's time. Can be used for teleportation.

Bullet of Two (Bet):

Slows the target's flow of time.

Bullet of Three (Gimel):

Causes the target to grow.

Bullet of Four (Dalet):

Rewinds the target's time.

Bullet of Five (Hei):

Foresee the near future.

Bullet of Six (Vav):

It could transfer his consciousness into his past self.

Bullet of Seven (Zayin):

The time of the struck target came to a standstill.

Bullet of Eight (Het):

It materialized versions of himself from different points in the past and stored them within his shadow. Though they did not possess the same strength as the original body, they could die in his stead.

Bullet of Nine (Tet):

It linked his consciousness with versions of himself existing on different timelines.

Ten Strikes (Yud):

It transmitted memories of the past to the struck target.

Bullet of Eleven (Yud):

After directly devouring all Soul Power, it sent the target into the future.

Twelve Strikes (Yud):

After directly devouring all Soul Power, it sent the target into the past.

Back then, Gu Shenggo had trusted Bibi Dong too much. She had bound him with Soul Sealing Chains and sealed his martial soul, leaving him unable to use Kekeddi. Otherwise, he could have hung Bibi Dong up and beaten her senseless.

Looking at the Star Dou Great Forest, fraught with danger and teeming with soul beasts, Gu Shenggo felt no fear at all. He entered the forest as though teleporting.

The Star Dou Great Forest was lush with vegetation, its trees growing in dense stands and soaring toward the sky. Their thick, flourishing branches and leaves blocked out the sunlight like a natural canopy, allowing only a few rays to filter through the gaps and fall into the forest.

The forest air carried a fresh fragrance absent from the outside world, leaving one clear-headed and invigorated. Its oxygen content was extremely high—carelessness could easily lead to oxygen intoxication.

Gu Shenggo walked across the slightly damp earth, one palm held open. Void Archive floated above it, radiating a soft golden glow as it slowly turned. At times, it transformed into liquid and flowed across Gu Shenggo's palm; at others, it became a regular hexahedron that hovered and spun, utterly mystical.

While other soul masters would have treaded carefully through the perilous Star Dou Great Forest, Gu Shenggo strolled about as if in a leisurely courtyard, paying its dangers no heed.

He might not have been a match for a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but if he wanted to leave, not even Di Tian could stop him.

"Hmm~ What should I choose for my first soul ring~?"

Gu Shenggo looked around the forest's outskirts, considering what to choose for his first soul ring. Lightning? Devouring? Or poison?

(Ice Thorn Vine for binding and restraining, lightning for entanglement!)