Three Sages Visit Star Dou

Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City, Shrek Academy.

"Come at me, both of you." Little Fatty crooked his fingers at Li Hong and Qi Xiaomin in front of him, making a provocative gesture.

"You've gotten pretty cocky lately, kid! Qi Xiaomin, go teach him a lesson." Li Hong replied disdainfully, then turned to Qi Xiaomin.

"Why don't you go yourself?" Qi Xiaomin shot Li Hong a glance.

"Someone as powerful as me would finish Little Fatty in just a few moves if I attacked. I should leave him some dignity." Li Hong flicked his flowing long hair.

"I think you're just scared." Qi Xiaomin laughed.

"Don't try to provoke me. I won't bully someone weaker than myself." Li Hong said.

"Tell me, what exactly did you come looking for me for this time?" Little Fatty asked.

"Want to form a team and head into the Star Dou Great Forest?" Qi Xiaomin said.

"The Star Dou Great Forest?" Little Fatty said. "Looks like you've both been at your bottlenecks for a while. What, managed to hold yourselves back instead of immediately hunting Spirit Beasts for Spirit Rings?"

"Isn't that Grandmaster's theory?" Qi Xiaomin replied. "Even after reaching a bottleneck, continuing to cultivate lets Soul Power keep accumulating. Once we obtain Spirit Rings, that stored Soul Power will be released."

"Then let's get ready and set off tomorrow morning." Little Fatty said.

"Alright." Li Hong and Qi Xiaomin both nodded.

A few days later, Star Dou Great Forest.

"What kind of Spirit Beasts are you planning to look for this time?" Little Fatty asked.

"We'll take whatever comes our way." Qi Xiaomin waved a hand. "Our martial soul elements are highly specific. Li Hong can basically only absorb Spirit Rings from Wind attribute Spirit Beasts, while you and I can only absorb those from Fire attribute Spirit Beasts. I'm not asking for much—any Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast will do."

"According to He Qiang, there seems to be a Million Year Spirit Beast somewhere in the Star Dou Great Forest with basically no combat ability—the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. Want to try capturing it?" Little Fatty asked.

"Go by yourself if you want. We're not accompanying you to your death." Li Hong said irritably. "Around that giant bug, there aren't just Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts—there are six ferocious beasts. Even the Silver Dragon King, the Dragon God's incarnation, is there. With our current strength, that would be nothing but throwing ourselves into the fire."

"Shh." Qi Xiaomin suddenly issued a warning, and Li Hong and Little Fatty immediately concealed their auras.

"What did you find?" Little Fatty asked quietly.

"Look over there." Qi Xiaomin pointed into the distance. Li Hong and Little Fatty looked over and saw a blurry figure rapidly growing larger.

"That's... a Ten Thousand Year Wind Baboon!" Li Hong cried in delight. "This one is mine."

Little Fatty and Qi Xiaomin nodded and assumed fighting stances.

Though this Wind Baboon was a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast, it was not particularly strong. Working together, the three quickly subdued it.

Li Hong dealt the Wind Baboon the final blow. A black Spirit Ring slowly rose from its body.

The absorption process went smoothly. Before long, Li Hong finished absorbing the Spirit Ring and rose to his feet.

"How was it?" Little Fatty asked.

"Not bad. This Wind Baboon was around fifteen thousand years old." Li Hong smiled. "My Soul Power has risen to Level 53."

"Let's go. We should keep looking for Spirit Beasts suitable for the two of us." Qi Xiaomin nodded.

The three walked on slowly, and before they knew it, night had fallen.

"Let's set up camp and rest for the night. We'll continue tomorrow." Little Fatty said.

Qi Xiaomin and Li Hong both nodded. The Star Dou Great Forest was far more dangerous at night than during the day.

"This should be the boundary between the outer and inner regions of the Star Dou Great Forest. Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts are the main inhabitants here. Even Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts shouldn't be too old. Still, to be safe, we should take turns standing watch." Qi Xiaomin said.

Li Hong and Little Fatty nodded. Then Li Hong said, "Each of us will stand guard for three hours. We'll rotate every hour. That will ensure we have enough energy to stay alert."

"Then I'll take the first watch." Little Fatty said.

The three took out their provisions and ate. Afterward, they set up their tents and rested, leaving Little Fatty alone outside to keep watch.

Darkness and silence were the main themes of the Star Dou Great Forest at night.

No open flames could be lit in the Star Dou Great Forest. It was common knowledge among all soul masters. Naturally, Little Fatty would not court death by testing it.

Time passed, and soon it was the third hour of their watch rotation.

Li Hong walked around the tents with light steps, his attention fully focused as he remained alert to his surroundings.

Though the area was pitch-black, he was a soul master. Even in the darkness, he could notice the slightest movement.

Suddenly, Li Hong sensed faint vibrations coming from one direction. The airflow had changed slightly as well, accompanied by an extremely faint sound.

"Enemy attack!" Without hesitation, Li Hong immediately shouted.

Little Fatty and Qi Xiaomin burst from their tents at once, their martial souls possessing them immediately. At the same time, a flame rose in Little Fatty's hand, illuminating the surroundings.

When they looked around, all three involuntarily sucked in a cold breath.

Lions had already surrounded them from every direction, cutting off all routes of escape.

"They're Flame Lions." Qi Xiaomin said in a low voice. "What the hell? Why would these Spirit Beasts show up in the middle of the night?"

"No." Li Hong suddenly said. "It looks like there are two lion prides."

"These all seem to be Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts, but the leading males on both sides appear to be Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts." As Little Fatty spoke, several drops of cold sweat unknowingly appeared on his forehead. "Could two prides be fighting, and we just got caught up in it?"

"This is a gift delivered right to our doorsteps. We happen to need two Fire attribute Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings." Qi Xiaomin said. "What do you think? Are you confident we can take them?"

"It'll be difficult, and we'd better not confront them head-on." Little Fatty said. "There are too many Spirit Beasts. They're enough to give us a serious beating. And the longer the battle drags on, the more Spirit Beasts it will attract, putting us in even greater danger."

"But even if we break through, we'll still have to fight head-on." Li Hong said. "I could fly away alone, but taking the two of you with me would be beyond me."

"Enough talking. Shoot the horse before shooting the rider; capture the ringleader before the bandits. Leave this big fellow to me." Qi Xiaomin charged toward one of the male lions first.

"Then I'll deal with this male Flame Lion. Li Hong, cover us." Little Fatty said as he charged toward the other male lion.

At the same time, Li Hong swiftly rose into the air and unleashed his First Spirit Ability, Wind Blade Array, attacking the lionesses around them.

Qi Xiaomin's first, second, and third Spirit Rings lit up simultaneously. Resisting Fire Ring erupted first, forcing back the surrounding lionesses. Then he transformed into a Flame Vortex, enveloping the male Flame Lion within it.

Qi Xiaomin himself vanished as he transformed into flames, so naturally, no one outside could see what he was doing.

Before long, a massive orb of light condensed above the Flame Vortex. It was Huo Wu's Radiance.

The Flame Lion was no pushover either. Gathering its strength, it let out an angry roar and tried to break free of the encirclement.

At that moment, Qi Xiaomin's Fourth Spirit Ability, Huo Wu's Radiance, fully took shape and swallowed the Flame Lion whole.

As the firelight faded, the male Flame Lion was already lying on the ground, with a black Spirit Ring floating above it.

After Qi Xiaomin returned to human form, his face was pale. Clearly, he had expended a great deal of Soul Power.

Just then, several female Flame Lions attacked from the side.

However, before those Flame Lions could reach Qi Xiaomin, several wind blades from the air struck them first, knocking them to the ground.

"Thanks." Qi Xiaomin nodded, then immediately sat cross-legged to meditate and recover his Soul Power.

On the other side, Little Fatty's method was much more direct. He unleashed four Spirit Abilities in seamless succession, killing the male Flame Lion in one fluid motion. A black Spirit Ring floated out as well.

Seeing both male Flame Lions slain, the remaining female Flame Lions were furious, but they did not dare linger. They could only flee swiftly.

Li Hong did not pursue them. Instead, he stood guard over Little Fatty and Qi Xiaomin as they recovered their Soul Power.

After the two recovered, they began absorbing the Spirit Rings.

The process went very smoothly. No other foolish Spirit Beasts came to disturb them.

After absorbing the Spirit Rings, Little Fatty and Qi Xiaomin rose to their feet one after another, releasing the aura of Soul Kings.

"How was it?" Li Hong asked.

"Level 52. Not bad." Qi Xiaomin answered.

"I just reached Level 51." Little Fatty nodded.

"There's still quite some time before Early Morning. Should we stay here, or travel through the night?" Li Hong asked.

"We should leave this place first." Little Fatty said. "A major battle just happened here. Staying would probably be unwise."

Li Hong and Qi Xiaomin had no objections. The three immediately got up and headed out of the Star Dou Great Forest.