Encountering a Beast Tide

Oscar abruptly turned to look at Xue Tianxing as well, his mouth hanging wide enough to fit an egg and his eyes rounded in shock—Soul Elder?

This prince, who looked two years younger than him, was already a Soul Elder?

Oscar blinked hard, then pinched his own arm to make sure he was not dreaming before swallowing nervously.

He had only known that Xue Tianxing possessed Innate Full Soul Power, which had already seemed astonishingly gifted. Yet he had never imagined that in little more than a year, the other boy had already reached Level 30 and become a Soul Elder!

That kind of speed was even more outrageous than the "monsters" the headmaster always talked about.

The last traces of hesitation in Oscar's heart vanished completely, replaced by secret relief.

Good thing I didn't do anything stupid last night. If I can follow someone like His Highness, what could I possibly have to worry about in the future?

He hurried two steps closer, tilted up his face, and grinned.

"Your Highness, once I join the Balak Kingdom, I'll be counting on you to look after me!"

Seeing the unconcealed excitement in his eyes, Xue Tianxing knew that he had finally made up his mind. He laughed heartily and patted Oscar on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, Little Ao. As long as you come, you'll have cultivation resources, Soul Rings, and Soul Bones. Whatever the kingdom has, you will not receive a bit less. From now on, we're companions. I certainly won't treat you poorly."

"Yeah!"

Oscar nodded vigorously, his face blossoming with a smile. His previous reluctance to leave Shrek had long since been buried beneath his anticipation for the future.

Watching from the side, Flender felt both amused and exasperated. He gave a light cough to interrupt them.

"Alright, alright. His Highness is still looking for a Soul Ring. Stop whispering to each other for now."

Though Flender had also been greatly shocked by Xue Tianxing's progress, the matter at hand took priority. He immediately composed himself and said to the two of them.

"Let's head farther in. In places where ice-attributed Soul Beasts are more concentrated, we might come across something truly exceptional."

Xue Tianxing and Oscar quickly agreed, following Liu Tianfeng and Flender as they continued deeper into the forest.

This region, where ice-attributed Soul Beasts gathered, was far more vast than they had imagined. The dead branches and fallen leaves beneath their feet were covered in a thin layer of ice, crunching underfoot, while the cold air stung their noses red.

Long icicles hung from the branches, refracting sunlight into rainbow-colored gleams. The sight had a crystal-clear beauty to it, but no one had the mood to appreciate it—they were searching for a top-tier Soul Beast worthy of the Ice Phoenix Spirit.

Xue Tianxing's Ice Phoenix Spirit was itself a peak existence among Extreme Ice Martial Souls. Ordinary ice-attributed Soul Beasts did not even catch his eye.

Over the past three days, it was not as if they had failed to encounter Soul Beasts of suitable age.

There had been an eight-thousand-year Ice Armor Bear, thick-skinned and brimming with Soul Power, but its ice attribute was muddled with traces of earth energy. There had also been a seven-thousand-eight-hundred-year Ice Pattern Python, incredibly swift and possessed of tyrannical ice venom, but it was ultimately an ordinary beast, nowhere near the word "top-tier."

Each time, Xue Tianxing merely took a distant look before shaking his head and moving on.

Liu Tianfeng was in no hurry. As he cleared the way ahead, he reassured them.

"Don't rush. Top-tier Soul Beasts are hard to find in the first place. For a Martial Soul like the Ice Phoenix, struggling to find a suitable Soul Ring is only natural. Let's head farther north. There's a Frozen Canyon over there. They say that, in earlier years, rare Soul Beasts with extremely cold attributes appeared there."

Flender also spread his wings and circled low overhead to scout, dropping down from time to time to report.

"There's an Ice-toothed Pig to the east. Its age is suitable, but its Martial Soul is too ordinary... That Ice Feather Eagle in the west is decent, but it's only a little over six thousand years old. It falls somewhat short."

Three days passed. They had practically turned the entire region upside down, yet they still had not found a Soul Beast that satisfied them.

That evening, the group rested beneath an ice-covered rock sheltered from the wind. Oscar was passing around the Recovery Sausages he had just made, while Xue Tianxing gazed at the frozen stream in the distance, an idea gradually forming in his mind.

Xue Tianxing pondered to himself.

Though the Star Dou Great Forest is vast, it is ultimately dominated by Soul Beasts of mixed attributes. Top-tier ice-attributed Soul Beasts are already scarce here. Rather than waste time, I might as well go elsewhere—the Land of the Extreme North is the homeland of ice-attributed Soul Beasts. Not only does it have kings of Extreme Ice like the Snow Empress and Ice Empress, but ordinary Soul Beasts there are mostly pure ice attribute. Top-tier rare variants are even common. There are far more choices there than here.

With that thought, Xue Tianxing made up his mind.

We'll search the Star Dou Great Forest for another three days. If we still find nothing suitable, we'll head straight for the Land of the Extreme North. With Grandpa Liu beside me, the journey may be far, but it will be safe. That is still better than wasting effort here.

"Grandpa Liu,"

Xue Tianxing then turned to Liu Tianfeng and said,

"Shall we take a look at Frozen Canyon tomorrow? If we still don't find anything... why not try the Land of the Extreme North?"

Liu Tianfeng was briefly stunned. Then he stroked his beard and nodded.

"The Land of the Extreme North would indeed be a good destination, though it is quite far away. But you're right. Rather than waste time here, we should change locations. Fine, we'll do as you say. We'll keep looking for three more days, and if there is truly nothing, we'll go to the Land of the Extreme North!"

Flender, listening nearby, also agreed.

"The Land of the Extreme North is certainly better suited to His Highness's Martial Soul. But the environment there is harsh. If we truly intend to go, we'll need to prepare cold-weather supplies in advance."

Xue Tianxing nodded, the weight in his heart finally lifting. No matter where they went, they would find a suitable Soul Ring. He had no intention of being delayed at this stage for too long.

Early the next morning, before the sky had fully brightened, Xue Tianxing set off for Frozen Canyon with Liu Tianfeng and the others. The closer they drew to the canyon, the heavier the chill in the air became. Even the dead branches and fallen leaves beneath their feet were coated in thin ice, crunching as they walked.

But the moment they reached the canyon entrance, they abruptly stopped—the sight before them was completely unexpected.

From deep within Frozen Canyon came a frantic series of roars. Then, packs of Soul Beasts came charging out as if they had gone mad—Ice Pattern Leopards, Cold Moon Wolves, and even several massive Ice Armor Bears. Normally fierce and savage, they now had their tails tucked between their legs, not daring to look back as they fled forward desperately, as though murderous ghosts were chasing them from behind.

Dust billowed through the canyon, and ice shards flew everywhere. A small-scale Beast Tide had erupted.

"Watch out!"

Liu Tianfeng reacted with incredible speed. He grabbed Xue Tianxing around the waist, kicked off a tree trunk, and carried him onto the crown of an ancient tree nearby. Flender swiftly seized Oscar as well, spreading his Soul Power as he followed. The two men pressed the children into the dense foliage and whispered.

"Don't make a sound."

Clinging to a branch, Xue Tianxing looked down and saw an endless stream of Soul Beasts pouring out of the canyon. Among them were even several powerful Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, yet they too fled in disarray, not even stopping to lick the wounds on their bodies.

"Grandpa Liu,"

Xue Tianxing lowered his voice and asked Liu Tianfeng,

"From the looks of it, were they being hunted by some powerful Soul Beast?"

Liu Tianfeng stared into the depths of the canyon, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Most likely. To force so many Soul Beasts into this state, to make even Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts afraid to resist, whatever is hunting them must be extraordinarily powerful."

He paused, a glimmer of anticipation flashing through his eyes before he continued.

"If that Soul Beast is ice-attributed, Tianxing, your Soul Ring may finally have a lead."

Xue Tianxing nodded and clenched his fists, his gaze fixed tightly on the canyon entrance.