Journey to the Star Dou Great Forest

When Bibi Dong's figure vanished at the end of Holy Spirit Village, the Wooden Token carved with Earth Vein patterns in Yang Jun's palm still retained a trace of warmth. He had never expected this token to become the key that entwined their fates once more, nor had he foreseen that this bond would lead them toward tempestuous waves capable of shaking the entire Douluo Continent.

Three months later, the cold wind of early winter carried a secret Letter into Yang Jun's thatched hut. The paper bore the Dark Iron Luster unique to Spirit Hall, and its handwriting was sharp as a blade—it was written by Bibi Dong herself. The Letter read: "Southeastern corner of the Star Dou Great Forest. The Earth Veins are stirring; an ancient array appears to be reviving. Bring the method recorded in the token's patterns and come at once." At the end of the writing, a drop of ink had spread outward, as though concealing urgency and words left unsaid.

Yang Jun's pupils constricted. The Star Dou Great Forest was a dangerous land inhabited by soul beasts, and disturbances in the Earth Veins signified an even greater crisis. He clenched the Wooden Token, recalling Bibi Dong's words when she had departed: "If there are records of the Earth Vein Guardian in Spirit Hall's archives, please tell me." At this moment, she had clearly discovered something deep within Spirit Hall and might even be in danger. He looked toward the gray sky beyond the window as his father's teachings echoed in his ears: "An Earth Vein Guardian protects the land, but also the hearts of people." Taking a deep breath, he tucked the Wooden Token close to his body, slung the specially crafted double-bladed farming tool of his Hoe and Sickle Spirit over his back, and set out with Azure Stone Marrow in his arms. He silently buried his parents' worried reminders in his heart. He knew that this journey concerned not only the safety of the Earth Veins, but also the girl who had sought his help in that Letter.

He crossed dense forests layer upon layer, with the roars of soul beasts ringing endlessly in his ears. Relying on his perception of the Earth Veins, Yang Jun avoided dangerous regions while the faint glow of the stone marrow flowed across his palm and guided his path. Deep within the forest, he suddenly stopped—before him, the soil had turned an eerie purplish-black, vegetation had withered, and rotting miasma hung in the air. He crouched and lightly touched the ground with his fingertips. Earth Vein Power trembled through his meridians. "The Earth Veins have been polluted... and there are traces of Soul Power forcibly interfering with them." His heart sank. Spirit Hall's methods were far more ruthless than he had imagined.

At last, before a swamp shrouded in foul miasma, he saw Bibi Dong.

The girl wore the black robes of a Spirit Hall deacon. The coldness in her eyes had deepened, yet it could not conceal her exhaustion. She pointed at a Bronze Ancient Array faintly visible at the center of the swamp. "Spirit Hall scouts discovered that the Earth Veins here were in disarray. The array patterns resemble the Earth Vein Soul Locking Array recorded in ancient texts. The array core... requires an Earth Vein Guardian's spirit to open." Her voice was slightly hoarse, and blood seeped through the bandages around her right wrist. She had clearly endured a fierce battle.

Yang Jun stared at the ancient array as his Hoe and Sickle Spirit emerged under the urging of Soul Power. The array patterns were actually seventy percent similar to those on the Wooden Token! His heart jolted, and he blurted out, "This array isn't a seal. It's a conversion hub for Earth Vein energy! If it's forcibly destroyed, the Earth Veins will erupt, and half the living beings in Star Dou Forest will be wiped out!" Before his words could fade, a deafening roar burst from the depths of the swamp. A Millennium Rock Rhinoceros covered in armor charged through the rotten mire and headed straight for the ancient array!

"Absorbing a Spirit Ring requires focus. I'll buy you time!" Bibi Dong's Death Spider Emperor appeared abruptly. Eight Spider Lances pierced into the rhinoceros's armor, while spider silk wrapped around it like a cage. Yang Jun bit his fingertip and let blood drip into the array's pattern core, driving his Hoe and Sickle Spirit into an Earth Vein node. The ghostly light of a Spirit Ring instantly enveloped his entire body. Pain tore through him as though ten thousand ants were gnawing at his bones—Earth Vein Power and Spirit Ring energy collided madly within him! He clenched his teeth as the farming formula his father had taught him surfaced in his mind: "Plow with the Earth Veins, transform against Soul Power..." The scientific mindset from his previous life and the Earth Vein inheritance fused amid the agony, and he suddenly understood: the true essence of an Earth Vein Guardian lay in balance, not conquest!

Bibi Dong split her focus to control the spider silk. The instant the rhinoceros broke free, its horn carved a deep wound across her left shoulder. Her blood dripped into the swamp and unexpectedly stirred up an eerie green radiance. Yang Jun caught sight of it through the agony and suddenly recalled an ancient record: "The blood of an Earth Vein Guardian can activate an ancient array's resonance!" With a roar, he poured Soul Power into his spirit. The Hoe-Sickle split open an Earth Vein Fissure, and the energy of the millennium Spirit Ring finally fused with the Earth Veins!

The ancient array hummed as Bronze patterns lit up, and the rhinoceros was instantly imprisoned by Earth Vein Power. Bibi Dong staggered back, surprise flashing through her eyes. "You succeeded... A Spirit Ring resonating with the Earth Veins can actually control the array's conversion power." A Dark Purple Spirit Ring silently slipped from her sleeve, its Soul Power fluctuations as heavy as the pulse of the earth. "This is a clue I found in Spirit Hall's library—the Earth Vein Guardian must absorb an Earth Vein Spirit Ring to control the ancient array's power. But this Spirit Ring's age far exceeds all reason... absorbing it is extremely dangerous."

Yang Jun looked toward the Spirit Ring, his throat tightening. He knew this might be his only chance to break through the shackles of Half-level Soul Power, but the risk was equally fatal. A barely detectable tremor entered Bibi Dong's voice. "If you refuse, I'll use the Spider Emperor Spirit to suppress the ancient array for now, but I can delay it for no more than three days. If a Spirit Hall Bishop arrives in person..." She did not finish, but Yang Jun understood. Delaying would only place more people in danger.

"I'll take the gamble." Yang Jun gritted his teeth and slowly drew the Spirit Ring toward himself. The instant its Soul Power entered his body, he felt as though he had been thrown into a molten purgatory. His bones cracked under unbearable strain. Bibi Dong's spider silk wrapped around his swaying body as she sent Soul Power into his meridians to stabilize his mind. Their Soul Powers intertwined and unexpectedly triggered the ancient array's resonance. The Bronze patterns emitted a gentle golden glow, slowly taming the Spirit Ring's violent energy...

When the agony receded, Yang Jun opened his eyes to find his Hoe and Sickle Spirit bursting with unprecedented golden light. Strengthened by the Spirit Ring, Earth Vein patterns spread across a hundred miles. He raised his hand and closed it in the air. The polluted miasma within the rotten swamp was drawn away by Earth Vein Power and transformed into clear air that rose into the sky. Bibi Dong watched the scene as her Spider Emperor Spirit quietly faded. "You succeeded... but Spirit Hall has already noticed the disturbance here. We must uncover the ancient array's true purpose as soon as possible. Otherwise, Star Dou Forest will become a battlefield."

The two entered the core of the ancient array. Using his spirit as a key, Yang Jun opened the Bronze Door. Within the Secret Chamber, a yellowed Parchment Scroll came into view, recording a secret that chilled them both: the Earth Vein Soul Locking Array had originally been created a thousand years ago by the Earth Vein Guardian lineage to purify the lingering malice left behind after soul beasts died violently, preventing the Earth Veins from being polluted. Yet at some unknown point, Spirit Hall had stolen the array and intended to transform it into a Soul Power Refining Furnace—one that would devour the Spirit Rings of soul beasts and soul masters to provide itself with endless power!

"Spirit Hall's ambitions go far beyond this." Bibi Dong's voice was icy as a Jade Slip slid from her sleeve. "I also discovered in the library that the Bishop has joined forces with Evil Soul Masters, intending to use the Earth Vein Soul Locking Array as a sacrifice to open the Abyssal Rift. Ancient texts say that the rift connects to another world filled with evil energy. If it opens, Douluo Continent will fall into eternal night."

Yang Jun clenched the scroll as Earth Vein Power surged through his palm. "We have to stop them! But with our current strength..." Before he could finish, a crushing Soul Power pressure descended from the distant sky. The figure of the Black-robed Archbishop appeared amid the dark clouds, and the pressure of a Soul Douluo bore down upon them like Mount Tai!

"Activate the Earth Vein Protection Array! Protect the scroll!" Bibi Dong summoned her spirit again. Eight Spider Lances stabbed into the ground, while spider silk and Earth Vein Power interwove into a shield. Yang Jun tucked the scroll into his clothes, and his Hoe and Sickle Spirit split open the Earth Veins. Golden light shot into the sky and formed a barrier. The Archbishop's furious roar shook the heavens. "Insects! You dare steal Spirit Hall's secrets!" Soul Power condensed into a blade and crashed down, making the Earth Vein barrier tremble violently.

The old wound on Bibi Dong's left shoulder split open, and her blood dripped onto the protection array, unexpectedly triggering an eerie resonance. Yang Jun's heart jolted as he recalled the record of the Guardian Blood Sacrifice Array in the ancient texts. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Bibi Dong, use blood as the catalyst. Let our Soul Powers resonate!" They both dripped blood into the array core, and the Earth Veins' golden radiance surged, forcibly withstanding the Archbishop's second strike. Determination filled Bibi Dong's eyes. "Jun, if the Source of Earth Veins cannot stop the rift, I'll detonate my Soul Core with the Spider Emperor Spirit and buy you time."

Yang Jun shook his head fiercely as the Earth Vein Hoe-Sickle split open a fissure. "An Earth Vein Guardian is never alone. We... will awaken the source together!" Before his words could fade, the two leaped into the Earth Vein Fissure. Blue-gold and dark-purple light ultimately merged into a blazing dawn that protected the continent.

Deep within the Earth Veins, Yang Jun used the newly comprehended Earth Vein Soul Guiding Technique to absorb a second Spirit Ring. His Hoe and Sickle Spirit erupted with intertwined blue-gold light. Bibi Dong's spider silk ensnared a Spirit Hall Soul King who had launched a sneak attack, and spider venom entered his meridians. "The Bishop has come in person, at least at the Soul Douluo level... How long can your second soul skill last?" She caught sight of the cold sweat on Yang Jun's brow, yet saw unprecedented resolve in his eyes.

The road of escape was also the road of awakening. Whenever danger drew near, Yang Jun used the Earth Veins as a shield while Bibi Dong used the Spider Emperor as a spear, and their tacit understanding gradually deepened. During one breakout, Bibi Dong's spider silk captured a Spirit Hall elder. A Jade Slip recording the coordinates of the Abyssal Rift was hidden in his clothes. The elder awoke midway and revealed a shocking secret: "The Spirit Hall Bishop has allied with Evil Soul Masters. They intend to use the Earth Vein Soul Locking Array as a sacrifice to open the rift and let evil souls invade! They... want to reshape Douluo Continent's Soul Power order!"

Yang Jun's heart shook violently as the Earth Vein Hoe-Sickle split apart the final pursuer's soul skill. The coldness in Bibi Dong's eyes faded, and for the first time, she revealed unwavering resolve. "Jun, if the Source of Earth Veins cannot stop the rift, I'll detonate my Soul Core with the Spider Emperor Spirit and buy you time." A Spider Emperor Soul Core appeared at her fingertips, its dark-purple radiance flowing. It was the foundation of a soul master's life.

Yang Jun abruptly grabbed her hand, sending Soul Power into her meridians and forcibly suppressing the restless Soul Core. "An Earth Vein Guardian is never alone. We... will awaken the source together." The two exchanged smiles and leaped into the Earth Vein Fissure. The evil energy of the Abyssal Rift was already churning deep within the Earth Veins, coiled like a black dragon. Bibi Dong's spider silk wrapped around the edge of the rift while Yang Jun crushed the Azure Stone Marrow and fused it into his Soul Power. His Hoe and Sickle Spirit erupted with unprecedented blazing light, and the Earth Veins rose like a dragon's spine, forcibly tearing apart the Soul Power shackles set by the Archbishop!

At the core of the rift, Yang Jun finally saw the Source of Earth Veins—a blue crystal embedded in a Bronze altar, covered in soul marks left by the Guardian ancestors. He dripped his blood onto the blue crystal. Earth Vein Power awakened with a thunderous roar, and his Hoe and Sickle Spirit transformed into a Golden Great Scythe that slashed toward the evil energy of the rift. Bibi Dong's Spider Emperor Spirit unleashed the ultimate form of the Eight Spider Lances. Her Soul Power merged with Yang Jun's Earth Vein Power, forming a curtain of light that stretched between heaven and earth.

The Archbishop and the Evil Soul Master alliance finally arrived, their soul skills pouring down like torrential rain. Yang Jun and Bibi Dong stood back-to-back as Earth Vein golden light and Spider Emperor purple radiance interwove into a shield. Bibi Dong saw blood seeping from the corner of Yang Jun's mouth, yet he still gritted his teeth and maintained the Earth Vein Resonance. Something within her silently snapped. "You could have escaped alone..." Yang Jun gave a bitter smile. "An Earth Vein Guardian protects the land, but also the hearts of people. Aren't you... the same?"

Their Soul Powers erupted, and Earth Vein golden light surged into the sky, actually causing every Earth Vein in Star Dou Forest to resonate! The Archbishop shrieked in terror. "Impossible! The Earth Vein Guardian lineage has long since been exterminated!" Golden light blazed in Yang Jun's eyes. "What has been exterminated is only your greed!" The Hoe and Sickle Spirit came crashing down, and Earth Vein Power became a golden river that completely annihilated the rift's evil energy.

When the battle ended, Bibi Dong collapsed onto the ground, her Spider Emperor Spirit hovering faintly behind her. Yang Jun handed her a Healing Pill, his gaze sweeping over the fresh wounds on her wrist. "Next time, don't always think about detonating your Soul Core." The corner of Bibi Dong's lips lifted slightly, but she coughed up blood. "You really are meddlesome... Still, Lord Earth Vein Guardian, what do you plan to do next?"

Yang Jun looked toward the rising sun in the distance. Earth Vein Power flowed through his meridians like a river. "Go to Spirit Hall. The Earth Vein secrets they stole should be returned to the earth." A strange light flashed through Bibi Dong's eyes as spider silk quietly wound around his sleeve. "I... might be able to help you dismantle their scheme from within."

Their figures gradually moved farther away, while Earth Vein golden light spread behind them to form a road. The cooking smoke of Holy Spirit Village, the vitality of Star Dou Forest, and the faintly visible spider silk beneath Bibi Dong's black robes quietly wove together into a net that protected the continent. Though the threat of the Abyssal Rift had subsided, an even greater storm was already brewing in the shadows of Spirit Hall.