Hunting Soul Beasts

The next morning, Tuoba Yan sped toward the Soul Hunting Forest under the guidance of his grandfather, Tuoba Xi.

The Soul Hunting Forest lay a thousand li from Spirit City. Even so, with Tuoba Xi's swift pace, they could leave in the morning and arrive by evening.

Ordinary people who wished to enter the Soul Hunting Forest had to go through cumbersome procedures, repeated inspections, and registration before being allowed inside.

But Tuoba Xi was no ordinary man. He wore a noble five-pointed platinum crown and a magnificent crimson robe—the signature attire of a Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall.

With such an eminent identity, grandfather and grandson entered the mysterious forest without obstruction.

The moment they crossed the iron fence, Tuoba Xi's expression turned grave. He solemnly instructed, "Once we enter the forest, do not stray more than twenty meters from me." Tuoba Yan nodded. "All right, Grandpa."

After a night of adjustment, Tuoba Yan had already accepted his new identity.

In his previous life, he had lived in a world where every industry was saturated and competition was fierce. Trying to rise above the rest had been as difficult as reaching the heavens. Even without transmigrating, he would only have drifted through life in mediocrity.

This life was entirely different. His grandfather was a Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall's Soul Hunting Squad, while he himself had awakened Twin Martial Souls from the very start—the Saint Martial Spirit and Golden Eyes. His future was filled with limitless possibilities.

The moment they entered the forest, the clamor vanished. Fresh air washed over them, refreshing and invigorating.

Tuoba Xi activated Martial Soul Possession. Eight soul rings gleamed beneath his feet, and his pupils turned golden. He asked again, "Yan'er, are you truly not considering absorbing the Exploding Blazing Flame Right Arm Bone?"

That right arm bone had originally been Ma Hongjun's future opportunity.

Tuoba Yan answered without the slightest hesitation, "Better none than something inferior."

The human body could absorb only six primary soul bones, and every one of them was crucial. Absorbing a soul bone early could strengthen the body and help one absorb higher-year soul rings, but Tuoba Yan was in no hurry.

The soul bone's attributes suited Tuoba Yan, and its attached soul skill barely satisfied him. Only its age was too low—merely thirty thousand years.

In Tuoba Yan's plans for the future, every soul bone he obtained had to be at least sixty thousand years old.

If he could not acquire six soul bones that met his standards in his lifetime, then Tuoba Yan would rather leave those body parts empty.

Tuoba Xi patiently persuaded him, "Yan'er, if you absorb this soul bone, you will have a very good chance of absorbing a thousand-year soul ring. A soul master only has nine opportunities to obtain soul rings in a lifetime. It is not too late to change your mind."

Tuoba Yan tilted his head slightly and met the gaze of his doting grandfather. After thinking for a moment, the corners of his lips rose, and golden light flickered in his eyes. "Grandpa, how could I possibly stop at nine soul rings in this life?"

The instant those words fell, the golden light in Tuoba Xi's eyes intensified.

Back when he had personally awakened Tuoba Yan's martial soul, his own pupils had also glowed gold during Martial Soul Possession. Coupled with Tuoba Yan's mutated martial soul, he had assumed his grandson had awakened only one martial soul.

Now, seeing golden light in Tuoba Yan's eyes even without him using the Saint Martial Spirit, he blurted out, "Twin Martial Souls?"

"That's right. Besides the Saint Martial Spirit, I also awakened the Golden Eyes martial soul yesterday."

"Who else knows?"

"Other than you, no one."

"Yan'er..."

Tuoba Xi placed a large hand on his grandson's shoulder and earnestly instructed, "Remember this: before becoming a Soul Sage, you must never reveal the secret of your Twin Martial Souls to anyone."

Tuoba Yan naturally understood that wealth should not be flaunted, and he solemnly agreed.

Then Tuoba Xi asked what his grandson required for his first soul ring.

Tuoba Yan said, "My martial soul has twelve charm slots. I hope my first soul ring will come from a Horse-type Soul Beast. Its attribute does not have to be fire, but its quality cannot be too low."

Last night, combining the original owner's memories with his understanding of the Saint Martial Spirit, he had guessed that a soul ring from a Horse-type Soul Beast might grant him a healing-type soul skill. The higher the soul beast's rank, the stronger its healing ability might be.

Tuoba Xi readily agreed. "All right, as you wish."

As he led his precious grandson through the forest, Tuoba Xi was especially cautious. He slowed his pace, his sharp eyes vigilantly sweeping every dark corner as he carefully checked for hidden dangers.

The powerful aura radiating from him frightened off many ten-year soul beasts, leaving them too afraid to approach.

As the sky gradually darkened, Tuoba Xi said, "It seems we will have to camp in the forest tonight."

Tuoba Yan looked around.

They were on a small plain. The terrain around them was flat, and a pool of water lay not far away.

Tuoba Xi took a glass bottle from his Soul Tool and handed it to his grandson. "This is snake-repellent powder made from realgar and other medicinal ingredients. Scatter it evenly around the area."

Tuoba Yan did as instructed.

By the time he had finished spreading the powder, Tuoba Xi had already set up simple traps around the camp and was patiently explaining them.

"These traps can capture soul beasts and defend against enemies. The snake-repellent powder drives away snakes and insects, while the traps can block beasts that are not afraid of the powder. Bells need to be tied to these red ropes, just in case. Even if a powerful soul beast manages to avoid the traps, it will trigger the bells and warn us."

It was Tuoba Xi's first time bringing his grandson to spend the night in the wilderness, so he used the opportunity to impart all the survival experience he had accumulated over his lifetime.

As one of Spirit Hall's four great Platinum Bishops and the commander of the Soul Hunting Squad, Tuoba Xi was incomparably experienced when it came to hunting soul beasts.

After everything was arranged, he lit a campfire and roasted a deer-type soul beast to nourish his grandson's body. Once dinner was over, he sent Tuoba Yan to rest.

In the dead of night, Tuoba Yan was awakened by a disturbance outside.

When he stepped out of the tent, he saw Tuoba Xi seize a Celestial Horse and throw it before him.

"Yan'er, a herd of Celestial Horses came to the pool to drink just now. This one is four hundred years old, perfect for your first soul ring. Are you satisfied?"

Tuoba Yan was overjoyed. "I am! A Celestial Horse is still a horse. I choose it for my first soul ring!"

"Good. Kill it yourself and absorb the soul ring here. I will stand guard for you."

Tuoba Yan took a dagger from his Storage Soul Guide Device. The Celestial Horse had already been drained of strength by Tuoba Xi and was barely alive, its eyes only just able to remain open.

With a swift motion, Tuoba Yan drove the dagger into the Celestial Horse's throat and pierced its heart.

The Celestial Horse convulsed a few times before falling still. A yellow soul ring marked by four runes slowly rose into the air.