No Soul Rings

After the Beast Tide attack that night, the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire clearly took the matter far more seriously. Large numbers of troops began moving into the cities near the Star Dou Great Forest to guard against another Beast Tide.

Spirit Hall also dispatched a large number of personnel to assist.

Yet just as all the arrangements were completed, everyone suddenly discovered something horrifying.

Some of the slain Soul Beasts had not formed Soul Rings. This discovery shook the entire continent.

"Xiao Han, Uncle Zhao just sent word! Every organization has started sending people into the Star Dou Great Forest! Also, some of the Soul Beasts that died outside didn't have Soul Rings!" Lia said gravely.

Ye Han frowned. "Get ready! The Beast Tide has stopped, so we'll head straight for the inner region. All the answers will be there!"

Everyone quickly packed up and once again headed for the inner region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The moment they entered this time, they felt a lingering sense of dread. Ye Han gritted his teeth. "Something is warning us! Keep moving!"

Under immense pressure, the seven of them slowly advanced. Ye Han could already vaguely make out the famous lake of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Just as they continued onward, a cry suddenly rang out from the sky.

Ye Han quickly looked up and used Appraisal. "Azure Winged King, 150,000 years." Seeing this information, everyone warily watched the Azure Winged King before them.

"Humans, get out. The Star Dou Great Forest is not a place you can enter!"

"Greetings, honorable Azure Winged King. We entered because of the recent Beast Tide in the Star Dou Great Forest, hoping to investigate the cause!" Ye Han said respectfully.

The Azure Winged King was the first living Soul Beast Ye Han's group had encountered since entering the Star Dou Great Forest. Moreover, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts had developed intelligence, so they naturally could not let this opportunity pass.

"What Beast Tide? The Star Dou Great Forest never launched any Beast Tide!" The Azure Winged King frowned and spoke unhappily.

Hearing that, Ye Han hurriedly said, "Haven't you noticed that all the Soul Beasts from the middle region to the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest have vanished? And yesterday's Beast Tide emerged from the inner region!"

"Hmph! I don't know what you're talking about. There is nothing wrong outside. I can sense the auras of the Soul Beasts out there! If you don't leave now, then die here!" the Azure Winged King said coldly.

His words stunned Ye Han and the others. They had walked in from the very edge of the forest. How could they know less about what was outside than this fellow?

Yet the Azure Winged King was clearly insisting that nothing was wrong outside. What could have caused such a situation?

"Wait! I know the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python! Could you show us the way to them?" After thinking it over, Ye Han decided they could not simply leave like this.

The Azure Winged King gave Ye Han a long look before saying, "Follow me!"

They soon reached the edge of the lake. With a cry, the Azure Winged King flew away.

A massive Soul Beast suddenly emerged from the lake. It was the Sky Azure Bull Python. Meanwhile, the one racing toward them from the distance was the Titan Giant Ape.

"Human! You say you know us?" the Sky Azure Bull Python asked coldly.

Ye Han took a deep breath and said calmly, "Greetings, my name is Ye Han. I know Xiao Wu!"

Sure enough, the moment they heard Xiao Wu's name, the auras of both Soul Beasts instantly locked onto Ye Han.

"Is Sister Xiao Wu in danger?" the Titan Giant Ape roared.

Seeing the Titan Giant Ape's imposing manner, Ye Han hurriedly explained, "No. Haven't you two noticed something strange about the Star Dou Great Forest?"

At Ye Han's words, both the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape looked at him in confusion. "Human, what exactly are you trying to say? The Star Dou Great Forest has not changed at all! It is just as it has always been!"

Hearing the Sky Azure Bull Python's words, Ye Han sucked in a breath. The Azure Winged King might have lied to him, but could these two Soul Beasts be lying as well?

"Don't you know that a Beast Tide erupted from the inner region last night?" Ye Han asked in disbelief.

The Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape exchanged a glance, then replied calmly, "Not at all. But if it is about this matter, I can give you a clue!"

The somewhat disappointed Ye Han's eyes lit up when he heard that the Sky Azure Bull Python had a clue.

"Er Ming, take them straight from here to find the Red Scale Snake King!" the Sky Azure Bull Python said calmly.

The Titan Giant Ape was somewhat displeased, but he still said, "Since you know Sister Xiao Wu, I'll give you a ride!"

"Thank you!" Ye Han said with a smile.

With the Titan Giant Ape leading the way, their journey was exceptionally smooth. The surrounding Soul Beasts did not dare approach them at all.

They soon arrived at the territory of the so-called Red Scale Snake King.

"Roar!"

With a furious roar, a massive python crawled out of the forest, wisps of flame still clinging to its body.

"What are you doing here? And why have you brought humans?" The Red Scale Snake King's tone was clearly hostile.

"Red Scale, these people have something to ask you!" The Titan Giant Ape was utterly blunt.

"Hmph! What do I have to say to humans? Take them away now, and I'll spare them for your sake. Otherwise, they need not leave at all!" Red Scale was clearly not so easy to talk to.

Seeing this, Ye Han hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "May I ask why Senior Red Scale bears such great hostility toward us?"

Ye Han's words seemed to strike a sore spot. Red Scale roared emotionally, "Why? While I was undergoing my tribulation, you wiped out my entire clan! You humans certainly have excellent methods!"

Everyone drew in a sharp breath at Red Scale's words. This was no minor matter! Wiping out an entire family was simply outrageous!

"So, Senior Red Scale, you launched the Beast Tide to attack humans?" Ye Han asked doubtfully.

Unexpectedly, Red Scale replied directly, "That's right. I launched it. So what?"

After hearing Red Scale's words, Ye Han briefly felt that this mission was too easy. Yet after waiting for a while, he found that the mission showed no reaction at all.

He suddenly remembered what Zhao Lei had said: some had Soul Rings, while some did not even have Soul Rings.

"Senior Red Scale, are you certain that humans slaughtered your clan?" Ye Han asked seriously.

"What are you talking about? Other than you humans, who else would do such a thing? The Star Dou Great Forest is only so large! Are you saying it was the Titan Giant Ape or the Sky Azure Bull Python?" Red Scale clearly could no longer hold back.

Ye Han hurriedly said, "Senior Red Scale, could you take me to where your clan was killed? This matter is extremely important!"

Ye Han knew that saying this was excessive, not only to Red Scale, but even to the Titan Giant Ape.

"Boy! You're courting death!" Red Scale lunged forward, but fortunately, the Titan Giant Ape stopped him in time.

"Senior, since they were your clan, their numbers could not have been small. During the time you were undergoing your tribulation, someone killed them all within the Star Dou Great Forest. What level of strength do you think that would require?" Ye Han asked solemnly.

At that, both Red Scale and the Titan Giant Ape understood.

Although two or three Soul Douluos could wipe out Red Scale's clan, where was this? This was deep within the Star Dou Great Forest. If anyone had truly entered, they would have been discovered long ago.

And if Soul Douluos really came here, they might have been killed outright. Most bizarrely, no Soul Beast had noticed anything when Red Scale's clan was slaughtered.

It would have been understandable if it happened in the outer region, but this was the inner region!

Seeing that Red Scale had calmed down, Ye Han pressed on. "Senior, a Beast Tide appeared in the inner region of the Star Dou Great Forest last night, but both the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape say nothing like that happened!"

"Impossible. The Soul Beasts I sent out left from the middle region. How could they have come out from the inner region?" Red Scale directly denied Ye Han's words.

This sent Ye Han into deep thought, and several ideas began forming in his mind.

"Senior, in that case, why not come with us to the middle region and take a look? When we came in, all the Soul Beasts in the middle region had disappeared!" Ye Han said seriously.

Red Scale hesitated for a while, then nodded. Soon, everyone left the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest. The instant they entered the middle region, Red Scale and the Titan Giant Ape froze.

"Why can't I sense the aura of any Soul Beast?" The Titan Giant Ape looked around in horror.

Ye Han immediately caught the key point in the Titan Giant Ape's words. "You mean you can't even sense Senior Red Scale?"

The Titan Giant Ape nodded. Red Scale was standing right in front of him, yet he could sense nothing at all.

Ye Han turned to Red Scale. "It's the same for me. The Titan Giant Ape is clearly standing right in front of me, but I can't sense anything from him. If I couldn't see him with my own eyes, I wouldn't know what was going on!"

"Thank you for your help, Senior! We need to discuss this. Please make yourself at home!"

After saying that, Ye Han turned to Lia and the others. "Any thoughts?"

"We need to figure out two things! First, why have all the Soul Beasts disappeared? Second, why can the auras of these Soul Beasts be sensed in the inner region?" As King of Britain, Lia saw the issue clearly.

"What do the rest of you think?" Ye Han looked toward the others.

"Xiao Feng, the Noble Phantasm you used to save us from that Evil Soul Master back then—try using it now!"

Yoruichi's words awakened him from his daze. The Demon Piercing Red Rose—no matter what kind of special magical space this was, he could use it to test the truth.