Crisis!

"Have you made up your mind?" the System asked.

"Mm, I have!" Long Yun nodded, his eyes filled with joy and anticipation. It would definitely be interesting once these two things became his martial souls!

"Alright," the System said.

The instant the System's voice fell, Long Yun felt a warmth surge through his body, as though something had been added to it. Then every muscle in his body felt as if it were being scorched by fire. It was somewhat uncomfortable, though not overly painful. After the burning sensation passed, Long Yun felt that his muscles had become much stronger and harder than before. Before he could examine the feeling closely, it vanished, and everything returned to calm.

"Th-That's it?" After a moment, Long Yun realized that aside from his muscles becoming harder, nothing else seemed to have changed. He could not help asking.

"It's done," the System replied.

"Really?" Long Yun was overjoyed. He excitedly looked at his hands and tried summoning his two martial souls, only to find that neither would come out. He could not even feel any change within his body.

"What's going on?" Long Yun frowned. Wasn't it supposed to be done? Why is there no reaction at all?

"Could it be that I'm using the wrong method?" Long Yun pondered. Just as he was about to ask the System how to summon his martial souls, the System seemed to know what he was thinking before he could speak.

It said, "There's no need to try. Your martial souls haven't even awakened yet. How could you possibly summon them?"

The scene suddenly fell silent. Nothing was more frightening than the air suddenly turning quiet. It was so quiet that Long Yun could even hear his own heartbeat.

Awkward! Extremely awkward!

Long Yun's expression suddenly froze. He did not know what to say. Right now, he truly wanted to find a hole to crawl into. This was far too embarrassing!

After a while, Long Yun recovered. Rubbing his head, he chuckled sheepishly. "Then, System, hurry up and awaken my martial souls for me! I can't wait any longer!"

"I can't help you. The System does not have that function," the System said decisively.

"Ah! How can you be like this? If you're going to help someone, help them all the way! I believe you can do it!" Long Yun said with a bitter expression.

"..." The System.

"Then what am I supposed to do without awakened martial souls? This looks like a Soul Beast Forest. If I run into soul beasts, wouldn't I have no ability to resist at all?" Long Yun asked anxiously.

Unfortunately, the System still did not answer him.

"Sigh! Forget it. Looks like you really can't help me." Long Yun sighed, but a smile soon appeared on his face again. "Then, System, how much Innate Soul Power do I have?"

"Innate Level 20 Soul Power," the System said.

"Really?" Long Yun's eyes lit up.

"Mm," the System said.

"Hehe! At least I've found a little comfort!" Long Yun said with a smile.

Long Yun rubbed his hands together and grinned. "Then, System, since I'm already at Level 20 Soul Power, can I draw a Titled Douluo now?"

"No! You must obtain soul rings first," the System said.

"Why? I won't draw two. One should be fine, right? Didn't you say I could draw once every time I advanced by a major rank? I'm already Level 20. I've advanced by one major rank!" Long Yun said urgently.

"No," the System said.

"Then what am I supposed to do? My martial souls haven't awakened, and I don't have a Titled Douluo protecting me. How am I supposed to get out?" Long Yun collapsed onto the ground and spoke in despair.

He had originally placed his hopes on drawing a Titled Douluo. No matter how strong that Titled Douluo was, they would at least be at the Titled Douluo level—a true powerhouse. Protecting him out of this forest should have been no problem. But now... sigh!

Long Yun had ten thousand curses he wanted to hurl at the System, but he did not dare!

It was truly suffering in silence!

"Then how do I get out?" Long Yun said, as though speaking to the System, yet also to himself.

"Rely on yourself," the System said.

If I could rely on myself, why would I be asking you? Long Yun was furious. It had brought him to this dangerous Soul Beast Forest and now expected him, someone currently powerless, to walk out on his own. What kind of joke was this? Did it really think he was the protagonist, blessed with plot armor, able to walk all the way out without encountering a single soul beast?

You might believe that, but I don't. Still, it seems there's no other way but to rely on myself now! I can't stay here forever, can I?

"Why didn't you teleport me to a city outside, or at least some open ground? Why did it have to be this forest? Aren't you just trying to get me killed?" Long Yun complained.

"Sigh!"

"I'd better be careful and try walking outward."

Long Yun had just been about to move when he stopped. "System, I want to ask one final question. If I die in this world, I won't really die for real, right?" Long Yun asked cautiously.

"Yes," the System said.

Long Yun's eyes instantly widened. "Fuck!" The body he had just been about to move immediately recoiled. He had better think this through first.

"Why is it like this? You're being way too irresponsible! How about teleporting me again, this time to a city?" Long Yun said to the System.

This time, the System did not respond.

"Hey! System, say something! Did you die?" Long Yun shouted anxiously.

"I'm really speechless! This is way too irresponsible!" Long Yun rolled his eyes. He truly did not know what to say about this System. At such a crucial moment, it had actually gone silent.

"What do I do? If I go out, I might die. If I don't, I'll probably starve to death. Either way, it feels like I'm going to die!" Long Yun lay on the ground with a miserable expression.

He suddenly felt that his life was so bitter! How had he ended up in a situation like this?

Ten minutes later

"Why are these bushes so damn troublesome? I finally crawled out!" Long Yun stood up, patted the dust off himself, and looked at the bushes behind him.

After a fierce internal struggle, he still decided to get out! At least going out gave him a chance to live. If he did not try, he would either starve to death or be discovered by soul beasts and become their food. He might as well take the risk!

Looking at the ancient trees towering into the clouds around him, Long Yun became lost. "Which direction leads out?" The trees all looked more or less the same, and he had no sense of direction. How to proceed was now the biggest problem facing him.

"System, which direction leads out?" Long Yun asked.

"System, stop staying silent. It's time for you to speak! Hurry up!" Long Yun urged.

"Southwest," the System said.

"Don't just tell me southwest. How am I supposed to know where southwest is? Just tell me which direction on the clock to go, alright?" Long Yun could not help rolling his eyes at the System. Standing here, how was he supposed to tell which way was southwest? He did not have a phone. Did it really think he was a compass?

"Three o'clock," the System said.

"See? Was that so hard?" Long Yun said. Then he cautiously headed toward three o'clock. Along the way, he tried his best to hide behind large trees and carefully check whether there were any soul beasts ahead. Only after confirming there were none would he continue onward. If he spotted a soul beast, he would immediately hold his breath, quietly skirt around it, and find another path.

To him, any random soul beast in this forest might be capable of killing him. He could not afford to be careless. One mistake, and he would really be dead.

Although Long Yun's method was very safe, it was also extremely time-consuming. More than four hours had passed, yet he had only covered one or two kilometers through the forest. His progress was painfully slow.

Along the way, he encountered several soul beasts. To avoid being discovered, he hid in a thicket for nearly an hour. After those soul beasts left, he waited another ten-odd minutes. Only when he was completely certain they had gone did he emerge and continue forward.

Grrr!

"Stop growling. I know you're hungry, but there's nothing I can do right now! I haven't seen a single fruit along the way. As for hunting rabbits or something, don't even think about it. Forget whether I'd encounter one—even if I did, I wouldn't dare make a move. If I attracted some powerful soul beast, that would be terrible! Just endure it for now. Once we get out, I'll find a way to make it up to you," Long Yun said as he rubbed his rumbling stomach.

"Sigh! When will I finally get out?" Long Yun softly sighed as he looked at the towering trees.

He was truly exhausted now. He was so hungry that he barely had any strength left.

"Mm?" Long Yun suddenly felt a chill run through his heart. A sense of crisis surfaced within him. It seemed as though something was watching him, and he quickly turned around.

The sight nearly frightened Long Yun into collapsing. His heart was filled with panic and terror.

A hundred meters behind him, a Purple Giant Wolf was staring at him. This Purple Giant Wolf was even larger than the tigers Long Yun had seen at the zoo. It stood around one and a half meters tall, with a massive body and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Its jaws were open as it watched Long Yun with the gaze of a predator eyeing its prey, making cold sweat pour down Long Yun's back.