Dawn Forest

Over the next while, Chen Xilin kept looking for a suitable chance to leave, but it was rather difficult. After all, a living person had vanished—a genius with Level Seven Soul Power, no less. The Spirit Hall Main Hall would definitely explode into an uproar.

Chen Xilin desperately wanted to obtain a spirit ring. He could simply absorb a suitable one, which would be the safest and most reliable option, but absorbing only a four-hundred-year spirit ring would be too weak.

Chen Xilin knew his physical condition well. If he took a gamble, he could absorb a spirit ring that had just entered the thousand-year range.

After staying at the Spirit Hall Main Hall for a month, Chen Xilin had more or less read all the books he needed to read and learned all the knowledge he needed. He then returned directly to Chen Chen's residence.

Just as Chen Xilin had expected, Chen Chen was gone again. Who knew where he had gone to seek romance and pleasure this time.

Chen Xilin did not care about that. He wanted to obtain his First Spirit Ring as soon as possible, break through his bottleneck, and allow the Muscle Tendon Classic to advance. Being unable to break through had been truly unbearable.

"Hmph, hmph~" Upon hearing that soft hum, Chen Xilin knew that his Old Master had returned from his romantic exploits.

Sure enough, Old Chen Chen came in shortly afterward. When he saw his precious grandson, he said with a chuckle, "Oh, Xiao Lin's here. Grandpa will go prepare dinner."

Chen Xilin followed Old Chen Chen into the kitchen to lend a hand. Old Chen Chen's eyesight was not always very good, and he would sometimes mix up salt and sugar. It was awful.

After entering the kitchen, Old Chen Chen suddenly recalled something and placed several yellow chunks on top of a cabinet. They carried a fishy odor.

"Old Master, what is this? It smells a little strange." Chen Xilin frowned.

"Haha, this is good stuff! It's a special substance produced in the brains of whale-type spirit beasts, a supreme tonic of utmost yang energy. It can keep Grandpa's spear standing tall!

"Xiao Lin, don't eat it. You're not old enough to use this stuff yet, hehe. Grandpa bought it specially.

"The girls at Yiyue Tower have such flavor, but Grandpa's getting old and needs a little help. Sigh, you wouldn't understand even if I told you. You'll understand when you're older.

"Oh, right, Xiao Lin. After dinner, Grandpa will be leaving for a few days—probably ten days or half a month. Can you take care of yourself? If not, I'll have Hans look after you for a while?"

Chen Xilin's heart leaped with joy when he heard that. Whale rubber? If Old Chen Chen had not mentioned it, he would have forgotten there was such a useful thing.

"No need, Grandpa. I can take good care of myself. Uncle Hans is a Black Bishop and very busy, so we shouldn't bother him." Chen Xilin refused. While Chen Chen turned around to get something, he took a piece of whale rubber.

After dinner,

Old Chen Chen left as planned. Chen Xilin went to the kitchen and put the whale rubber he had secretly taken into a pot to cook.

In this era, whale rubber had only one use: as an aphrodisiac. Its true purpose would not be discovered until ten thousand years later.

Of course, Chen Xilin had not learned this himself. Back when he had read Douluo Continent, he had still been an elementary school student, and he had heard it while chatting with his classmates.

At the time, they had been discussing absorbing spirit rings beyond one's limit. One "expert" who had read the second part had produced the book to silence all opposing views, becoming the center of the conversation.

It was only after that that Chen Xilin learned that taking whale rubber was an excellent choice for absorbing spirit rings beyond one's limits.

However, it seemed that eating this stuff would make one's spear stand straight as a pillar. Still, that was not necessarily a bad thing. It was just that he apparently did not have that ability yet—he had not even begun developing.

Whale rubber could be considered a Heaven and Earth Treasure. After consuming it, it could strengthen a spirit master's physique, allowing them to choose spirit rings with higher cultivation levels when absorbing them.

Encountering something like this now was truly timely rain for Chen Xilin, who was about to obtain his First Spirit Ring. After all, he planned to absorb a thousand-year spirit ring as his first.

Still, Chen Xilin had reservations about whether he could actually absorb it. A thousand-year spirit ring was a qualitative transformation, and he also intended to absorb a Sub-Dragon Spirit Beast. That would be far too difficult.

Although Chen Xilin possessed the protective divine art known as the Muscle Tendon Classic, his Muscle Tendon Classic was still only at the beginner Foundation Establishment stage. If it ended up bursting him to death, that would be quite the joke.

This whale rubber was also a form of insurance. A six-year-old body was still too frail, so why not use whale rubber to improve his physical condition?

While Chen Xilin was thinking, the yellow whale rubber gradually shrank, becoming gelatinous as its color turned golden. Chen Xilin could even smell a pleasant fragrance.

"It should be almost ready."

After waiting a little longer, Chen Xilin used chopsticks to take out the whale rubber. It was incredibly soft when he picked it up, truly like jelly.

Chen Xilin remembered that it seemed to be taken orally, so he swallowed it directly.

The whale rubber melted the moment it entered his mouth. A powerful fishy taste rampaged through Chen Xilin's mouth, but it quickly faded, replaced by an exceptionally rich fragrance.

Only a few breaths after swallowing it, Chen Xilin felt warmth bloom in his lower abdomen before turning scorching hot.

Chen Xilin felt the yang energy enter his body and knew he needed to guide it immediately. He sat down in the kitchen and began circulating the Muscle Tendon Classic to transform that yang energy.

As Chen Xilin cultivated, he felt the whale rubber nourishing his body. He had never taken any Heaven and Earth Treasures, cultivation aids, or medicinal baths.

Chen Xilin possessed the Muscle Tendon Classic. Its beginner stage tempered one's essence, energy, and spirit, so he was no worse off than the great clans with vast resources at their disposal.

After cultivating to a certain point, black substances began seeping from Chen Xilin's pores. They gave off waves of foul stench.

Chen Xilin cultivated continuously until dawn the next day, when he finally woke.

"Hiss, that stinks. I need to wash up right away."

Chen Xilin immediately took a bath and scrubbed himself until he could no longer smell the odor on his body.

After getting dressed, Chen Xilin sensed the changes in himself. He had become much stronger, and his body seemed to have grown noticeably taller. He was now nearly one meter forty tall.

Perhaps because Chen Xilin was a beast martial soul spirit master, his body developed much faster than that of weapon martial soul spirit masters.

"Time to set out!"

Chen Xilin changed into fitted black clothing, put on a metal mask, and left the house.

However, before hunting spirit beasts, he still needed to visit the Blacksmith Shop to pick up his weapons.

Two Short Daggers and one Nine-Ring Broadsword. Chen Xilin had ordered them from the Blacksmith Shop while he was still reading at the Spirit Hall Main Hall.

At present, he was somewhat lacking in offensive power. The Muscle Tendon Classic would only further improve his combat strength upon reaching the Third Cycle, the Red Tier Futu.

For now, he was merely a child with a decent physique.

Half an hour later,

A short figure wearing a metal mask and carrying a broadsword left Fasnuo City.

At this moment, Chen Xilin had a Nine-Ring Broadsword strapped across his back, three leather pouches hanging from his waist, fitted black clothing on his body, and a gray metal mask over his face.

Chen Xilin held a map in his hand—a map of the Heaven Dou Empire.

The place Chen Xilin intended to hunt spirit beasts this time was neither the Star Dou Great Forest nor the Sunset Forest, but a spirit beast forest called Dawn Forest.

As everyone knew, Chen Xilin lived in Fasnuo City of Fasnuo Province. Fasnuo Province was one of the easternmost provinces of the Heaven Dou Empire and also a coastal province. To its north lay Idefu Province.

Vast Sea City, a city well known to many Transmigrators, stood at the easternmost edge of Fasnuo Province!

As for Nuoding City, it was at the southernmost end of Fasnuo Province, close to the Star Luo Empire.

Fasnuo City was in the northern part of Fasnuo Province. Its south and east were blocked by a mountain range called the Xiling Mountain Range.

Chen Xilin's destination this time lay northeast of Fasnuo City: a spirit beast forest named Dawn Forest.

Dawn Forest sat at the border between Fasnuo Province and Idefu Province, beside the Xiling Mountain Range. It was an enormous spirit beast forest, and ten-thousand-year spirit beasts existed within it.

Since Fasnuo Province and Idefu Province were the easternmost provinces of the Heaven Dou Empire, where the sun shone first, this spirit beast forest was named Dawn Forest.

Although Dawn Forest had ten-thousand-year spirit beasts, they were not numerous, and none exceeded fifty thousand years. Most were Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts and Hundred-Year Spirit Beasts.

But it was still a spirit beast forest, and small-scale beast tides occasionally occurred. This was also why Fasnuo City had so many Soul Saints.

First, they defended against invasion from the Star Luo Empire. Second, they prevented beast tides from Dawn Forest.

Since Dawn Forest was largely mountainous, its spirit beasts were mainly sheep-type, cat-type, and eagle-type.

Sub-Dragon Spirit Beasts were highly adaptable and could theoretically survive in most kinds of environments. Therefore, Chen Xilin planned to try his luck in Dawn Forest.

After walking for roughly two days, Chen Xilin arrived at a market. Rows of buildings—or rather, shops—had been built there. All kinds of cries rang out one after another, while simple manmade paths crisscrossed the area.

"Forming a team to hunt strength-type spirit beasts! Need two more people!"

"Hunting agility-type spirit beasts! Six looking for one! Ten Gold Soul Coins!"

"Come take a look! Herbs that prevent Mandala Snake venom! Five Gold Soul Coins!"

"Information on a strength-type spirit beast! Two Gold Soul Coins!"

"A freshly slaughtered six-hundred-year Mountain Goat! Price negotiable!"

Similar cries rose and fell continuously. Most of the shops sold weapons, armor, food supplies, herbs, spirit beast materials, and other goods.

Chen Xilin looked over the market. He planned to seek out some information.

Chen Xilin came to a small wooden house that collected spirit beast intelligence. Numerous sketches of spirit beasts and their information were posted outside.

Chen Xilin carefully examined the information on these spirit beasts.

Sub-Dragon Spirit Beast: Dark Pattern Python, over six hundred years old. Clue and location. Price: 50 Gold Soul Coins.

Sub-Dragon Spirit Beast: Nether Demon Flood Dragon, Thousand-Year Spirit Beast. Clue and location. Price: 200 Gold Soul Coins.

Sub-Dragon Spirit Beast: Black Armor Flame Lizard, around seven hundred years old. Clue and location. Price: 60 Gold Soul Coins.

Sub-Dragon Spirit Beast: Black Fire Demon Snake, around four hundred years old. Clue and location. Price: 20 Gold Soul Coins.

Chen Xilin looked them over and felt that they were expensive. Just the information and locations cost so much. The prices for hiring a team to hunt spirit beasts were also clearly listed here.

There was even a friendly reminder that the owner of this Information House was a Soul Ancestor. A Soul Ancestor was quite formidable; if one had sufficient potential, earning a viscount title in the Heaven Dou Empire would not be difficult.

Chen Xilin studied the spirit beast information. It was truly impossible to tell whether it was real or fake, but having a rough location was enough.

Spirit beasts could move, after all. There was no guarantee that they would still be in the same place.

Moreover, Chen Xilin was focused solely on Sub-Dragon Spirit Beasts. Any spirit beast containing Dragon Blood was extremely powerful, and Sub-Dragon Spirit Beasts were generally high-tier spirit beasts.

These spirit beasts possessed exceptionally strong vitality and combat power, so both their information and hunting fees were costly.

For example, information on this Thousand-Year Nether Demon Flood Dragon alone cost two hundred Gold Soul Coins. Hiring someone to help hunt it would cost two thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Chen Xilin did not know this spirit beast forest well, so he intended to buy some things. Dawn Forest covered a vast area and counted as a large spirit beast forest.

He needed to learn about it properly. Otherwise, if he ended up buried in a spirit beast's maw, that would be quite the joke.

"Boss, give me a distribution map of Sub-Dragon Spirit Beasts. Price is negotiable." Chen Xilin's voice emerged hoarsely from behind his mask.

Though he was quite short, his hoarse voice made the shop clerk unable to identify him clearly.

After all, people varied greatly in height. Some were very short due to the effects of their martial souls.

"Hehe, Sub-Dragon Spirit Beasts aren't cheap. This is your first time here, right? Let's say five hundred Gold Soul Coins." The clerk smiled.

"The price is negotiable. This is the deposit. Let this old man inspect the map first." Chen Xilin placed a pouch of Gold Soul Coins on the table.

Five hundred Gold Soul Coins was no small sum. Chen Xilin's entire fortune was only three thousand Gold Soul Coins, most of which had been given to him by Hans.

If he could hunt that Thousand-Year Nether Demon Flood Dragon, then spending five hundred Gold Soul Coins would still be very worthwhile.

Once his strength improved, would earning money not be easy?

"Thank you for your patronage. Here is the map. Please inspect it!" The clerk happily handed the map to Chen Xilin, thinking, Another sucker—and a rich one at that.

The clerk's voice was loud. Quite a few people were checking intelligence here, and several had already set their sights on Chen Xilin.

Those who lingered around spirit beast forests were not just Soul Hunting Teams. There were also people who specialized in hunting other spirit masters and robbing them of their wealth.

After examining the detailed map of Dawn Forest, Chen Xilin tossed the remaining Gold Soul Coins to the Information House clerk.

Then he turned and left.

Chen Xilin walked straight toward Dawn Forest, getting farther and farther away from the market.

Behind Chen Xilin, several furtive figures continued following him.

"Big Brother, looks like we've found a big fish. If luck is on our side, this haul will be enough for us brothers to enjoy ourselves in Fasnuo City for several months."

One of the shifty-eyed men said with a grin.

"Second Brother's right, Big Brother. I heard that Yiyue Tower in Fasnuo City has a top courtesan surnamed Liu. They say she's a real beauty. I want to have some fun with her." The speaker was a fat man with an ugly face and a lecherous expression.

The man called Big Brother nodded. "Once we finish this job, us brothers will definitely enjoy ourselves properly. With my Soul Grandmaster's eye, that old man's Soul Power fluctuations aren't very strong.

"I'm a Soul Grandmaster, and you two are spirit masters. We have a chance! But we should still be careful. We'll strike once he falls asleep."

The three men stealthily tailed Chen Xilin, waiting to make their move when he rested.

Chen Xilin, walking ahead, twitched his ears and silently thought, *Five people. The three in front are one group, while two more are hanging far back.

Judging from their Soul Power fluctuations, the strongest among the front group is a Soul Grandmaster. The two at the very back are spirit masters. Interesting. Looks like my First Pot of Gold is coming.

Chen Xilin gave a wicked smile. He also wanted to test the quality of the spirit masters here.