Re-entering Star Dou

A battle at the level of a Titled Douluo had erupted outside Nuoding City, and the news quickly spread throughout the Heaven Dou Empire. Even Spirit Hall sent people to investigate.

Other than a bare, devastated clearing, they found nothing. As time passed, the matter gradually faded away.

However, none of this had anything to do with Dugu Chen and the other two. After several days of travel, they had already returned to Heaven Dou City.

Time flew by. Another year had passed since their last trip to Nuoding City.

Over the past year, Dugu Chen had spent every day diligently improving his Soul Power, practicing combat techniques, and studying the uses of Spiritual Power.

Ning Fengzhi occasionally came to visit, while Dugu Bo maintained an attitude that was neither close nor distant.

Everything was developing in a positive direction.

Dugu Chen's small courtyard.

"Brother Chen, I've broken through to Level 20."

A soft, syrupy voice came from behind him. Every time Dugu Chen heard it, he could not help but shudder.

Dugu Chen, who had been practicing Soul Power control, turned around and said helplessly to the newcomer.

"Oscar, could you stop calling people in that voice?"

The newcomer had a face as fair as jade, handsome and refined. His peach-blossom eyes were deeply set, giving him an air of depth. Though he was still only a nine-year-old boy, he looked every bit like a young nobleman.

This was precisely the result of Dugu Chen asking the butler to search back then. Although they had found only Oscar, this was a deal with guaranteed profit—finding even one meant they had struck gold.

Still, whenever Dugu Chen looked at that bitchy face and heard that soft, syrupy voice, he wanted nothing more than to throw him out.

With that face and that voice, if Oscar grew his hair long, even Dugu Yan would have to concede defeat.

"B-But, Brother Chen, I don't want it to be like this either!"

Oscar scratched his head in distress. He did not want this either! But he had been born this way, and he could not change it.

"Forget it. Since you've already broken through to Level 20, I'll tell Teacher. Tomorrow, we'll head to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain Soul Rings for you and Senior Sister."

Dugu Chen was only teasing out of habit. Dugu Yan had broken through to Level 40 half a month ago, accomplishing the remarkable feat of reaching Level 40 at the age of twelve. On the entire continent, perhaps only Qian Renxue had been faster than her. Dugu Chen, meanwhile, was a little slower due to his Ultimate Attribute, but he had still reached Level 36. After all, Immortal Herbs had not been eaten for nothing, nor had his meridians been opened up for nothing.

Oscar grinned and followed after Dugu Chen.

The next morning.

A small town outside the Star Dou Great Forest. The town had not changed at all; mercenaries' shouts echoed everywhere.

Dugu Chen's party of four, fully prepared, stepped down from their carriage and headed toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

On the way, Dugu Chen said to Dugu Bo, "Teacher, let us handle it ourselves this time."

Dugu Bo pondered for a moment before saying to the three little brats, "This old man won't interfere with Soul Beasts below ten thousand years. Deal with them yourselves."

After hearing this, Dugu Chen arranged their formation with Dugu Yan and Oscar: he would lead the way, Oscar would stay in the middle, and Dugu Yan would guard the rear.

"Oscar, keep your sausages ready at all times," Dugu Chen reminded him.

Dugu Chen had no psychological burden regarding Oscar's Soul Skills. In the Star Dou Great Forest, they had to remain in peak condition at all times. Oscar's first Soul Skill was recovery, an extremely practical ability.

Oscar nodded solemnly. The three then headed deeper into the forest, while Dugu Bo trailed above their heads.

As one of the three great wild Soul Beast habitats, this was naturally the place Soul Masters most hoped to visit, because every trip here meant they were about to advance. No one could say how many years the Star Dou Great Forest had existed on Douluo Continent, but once one entered the forest, its dense canopy that blotted out the sky was enough to reveal its ancient history.

The last time Dugu Chen had come, Dugu Bo had flown him in from above. This time, as Dugu Chen looked upon the green ocean before him, he still could not suppress the shock in his heart. The towering trees before his eyes were at least twenty meters tall, and this was only the outermost region. The dense forest had no paths at all. Layer upon layer of shadows from the trees obscured its true depths.

Once they entered, the air became even more pleasant, but that also meant danger could strike at any moment.

After traveling for some distance, Dugu Chen saw Oscar lightly panting behind him. Though Oscar's physical constitution had been strengthened by a piece of Thousand-Year Whale Rubber, as an auxiliary Soul Master, his body was ultimately no match for Dugu Chen's or Dugu Yan's.

Oscar handed each of them a sausage. Once the sausages entered their stomachs, they turned into surging currents of heat that restored the three's stamina.

"Let's rest for a while first," Dugu Chen said. Naturally, the other two had no objections.

At that moment, Dugu Bo descended and said to them, "I'll watch your rear later."

The three had no objections. Once they had finished resting, they continued onward.

Along the way, they encountered many ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beasts, but none of them made a move, continuing deeper instead.

Just then, Dugu Chen stopped and said to the other two.

"A Soul Beast is approaching. Be careful."

Although they could not see anything, out of trust, the two quickly tensed their bodies.

A rustling sound grew louder and louder from ahead. They could clearly sense that the unknown creature was rapidly drawing closer.

Dugu Chen's eyesight was excellent, and once he saw what was coming, his expression turned strange.

"It's a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, around eight or nine hundred years old. Oscar, your Soul Ring is here."

Oscar's face lit up with joy. Though he had consumed a piece of Whale Rubber, as an auxiliary Soul Master, physical strength was not his specialty. There was no need for him to absorb some limit-pushing Soul Ring, and his second ring would already surpass those of ordinary Soul Grandmasters.

"It's here!"

A snake over four meters long but less than five shot out from ahead. It was three meters above the ground and incredibly fast.

Seeing this, Dugu Yan at the rear instantly used Martial Soul Possession. Her second Thousand-Year Soul Ring lit up, and a purple poisonous mist spread forward. The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent immediately dodged upon seeing the toxic fog, but it still inevitably inhaled quite a bit.

The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's body stiffened somewhat, and its speed slowed. Seizing the opportunity, Dugu Chen leaped into the air with explosive force. He raised his right hand, transformed into a dragon claw, and slammed it hard onto the serpent's head. With a deafening bang, the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's charging body came to an abrupt halt. Its massive body twisted in midair before crashing to the ground.

Dugu Chen rushed forward and pinned down the serpent's thrashing body. A faint dragon's might erupted, suppressing the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. He raised a hand and struck its fleshy crest, knocking it unconscious at once.

"Oscar, hurry over," Dugu Chen called.

Oscar excitedly drew his dagger. At this moment, the roughly nine-hundred-year-old Soul Beast before him was nothing more than a lamb awaiting slaughter. His Second Soul Skill was within reach, and his hands trembled with excitement.

He drove the blade into the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's vital spot.

A moment later, a Soul Ring tinged with faint purple light floated above the serpent's body.

Oscar sat down beside the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. Raising his hand, he summoned his Big Sausage. Shrouded in pale pink light, he guided the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's Soul Ring into his body and began absorbing the second Soul Ring of his life.

Half an hour later, Oscar had finished absorbing it, the entire process having been effortless.

"Oscar, what is your Second Soul Skill?"

Seeing that Oscar had finished, Dugu Yan asked impatiently.

"Uh, Boss Lady, you can't laugh at me."

Oscar then recited the soul incantation, and a Mushroom Sausage appeared in his hand.

Dugu Yan had already buried her face in Dugu Chen's shoulder, her body trembling slightly. She was a professional; she had promised not to laugh, so she would not laugh—unless she could not hold it in.

Oscar looked helpless. There was nothing he could do about it. After all, Dugu Yan held a rather lofty position in the household, and he had no choice.

Fortunately, Dugu Chen stroked Dugu Yan's head and asked, "What are the effects of this Soul Skill?"

Oscar said proudly, "My Second Soul Skill has two effects. One lets me grow wings and fly at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's speed for one minute. The other lets me forgo the wings and increase my speed by thirty percent for one minute."

Dugu Chen was somewhat stunned after hearing that. How could it have two effects? It seemed that absorbing a Soul Ring beyond one's level truly came with many benefits!

Dugu Yan smiled as well, looking at Oscar with surprise.

"Of all the Food System Soul Masters this old man has seen over the years, Oscar, your talent is the greatest," Dugu Bo said with some emotion.

"Thank you, Senior." Oscar thanked Dugu Bo excitedly. This was recognition from a Titled Douluo!

"Alright, let's continue. We still haven't found a Soul Ring for Senior Sister."

The group composed themselves and continued deeper in. For Dugu Yan's Soul Ring, anything below ten thousand years would do. A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring carried spiritual shock, and Dugu Chen was not sure whether Dugu Yan could withstand it. To be safe, one around eight or nine thousand years would suffice.

By this point, the four of them had entered the Mixed Zone, where thousand-year Soul Beasts were no longer uncommon.

Their search lasted three days.

Dugu Chen, walking at the front of the group, suddenly wrapped an arm around Dugu Yan's slender waist. But he had no time to savor its soft feel as he swiftly retreated to the side.

Almost the instant everyone moved away, countless crystalline yellow spider threads surged wildly from the ground, like a prison woven from Spider Webs.

The threads were coated in an extremely viscous liquid that solidified upon contact with air. In the blink of an eye, the threads became as hard as steel, forming a true spider prison.

With an arm around Dugu Yan's slender waist, Dugu Chen said to Dugu Bo, who had arrived behind them carrying Oscar, "Teacher, our target is here."

"Do you need this old man to act?" Dugu Bo asked in a deep voice.

"Teacher, let me try on my own. Please watch my back and don't let it escape," Dugu Chen said, giving Dugu Yan a reassuring look.

Dark crimson light lit up from his Brow Center. Red flames swirled around him, his arms transformed into thick Dragon Claws, and his body expanded slightly. His sleeves turned to ash as one yellow and two purple Soul Rings revolved around him.

Dugu Chen's gaze was solemn as he swept his eyes around. His thick right arm swung sideways, releasing a sweeping slash condensed from flames that forced back the cunning Soul Beast which had concealed itself in the shadows and launched the attack.

As the red flames swept past, a gray spider-type Soul Beast emerged from the shadows. Yellow strands hung around its body, identical to the spider threads that had attacked them.

It was an eight-thousand-year Cave Spider.