Star Dou Forest

There were quite a few people in this soul-hunting party. For safety's sake, the teachers put on Shrek Academy's exclusive insignia shortly after leaving Shrek City, lest some ignorant little punks jump out and waste their time.

The party, composed entirely of Soul Masters, moved quickly. Before long, the famed Star Dou Forest appeared before them.

Qin Yue stood in the middle of the group, looking around with great interest. His first three Soul Rings had all come from Thunder Cliff, so this was his first time seeing and personally entering the Star Dou Forest.

Unlike Thunder Cliff, where thunder filled the sky all year round, the Star Dou Forest had especially pleasant weather. Aside from being fresher than outside, the air here carried a heavy sense of moisture.

At some point, Ling Luochen slowed down and appeared beside Qin Yue. Without looking away, she explained softly, "We're still in the Outer Zone of the Star Dou Forest. Ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beasts are mainly active here, while Thousand-Year Soul Beasts are rarely seen."

"The students hunting Soul Beasts this time are mostly Soul Ancestors and Soul Kings, so we'll keep going deeper until we reach the Mixed Zone, where Thousand-Year and Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts mainly dwell, before slowing down."

Seeming to notice the confusion on Qin Yue's face, Ling Luochen added blandly, "Before we left, Qin Yan asked me to look after you."

Qin Yue suddenly understood. No wonder this Senior Sister Ling seemed somewhat different from the one in the original work. So Qin Yan's efforts to win her over had worked.

Just then, the teacher leading the group suddenly stopped and said, "Fifteen hundred meters to the left front, there's an Earth-Splitting Stone Turtle around four thousand years old. It can provide an excellent defensive soul skill. Does anyone need it?"

The three Defense System Soul Ancestors in the party brightened at once, but two of them quickly chose to give up, leaving the opportunity to the Defense System Soul Ancestor named Lu Renjia.

After receiving an affirmative response, the leading teacher immediately changed direction. Before long, a huge old turtle over three meters tall appeared in everyone's sight. Sensing danger approaching, it opened its mouth, intending to spit something at the Shrek group, but the leading teacher punched it back down. It collapsed unconscious onto the ground.

Half a minute later, the Defense System Soul Ancestor named Lu Renjia had released his Martial Soul and activated his Soul Rings. His Martial Soul was an earth-colored giant turtle, perfectly matched in both attribute and species. No wonder he had made his decision as soon as they entered the Mixed Zone.

After Lu Renjia finished absorbing it, the soul-hunting party traveled farther into the Mixed Zone. They did not stop to make camp until sunset. During that time, several newly advanced Soul Ancestors found suitable Soul Rings. Ling Luochen even took the initiative to freeze a Lightning Cat that had tried to escape the encirclement with its speed, displaying considerable strength.

The first day of soul hunting went visibly smoothly.

But on the second day, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse. They barely found one suitable Soul Beast by evening. Everything else either had incompatible attributes or was too low in age, and all of them narrowly escaped disaster.

By the third day, the soul-hunting party finally reached the location Qin Yue had designated: beside a small lake at the boundary between the Mixed Zone and the Core Zone. The Wind-Thunder Giant Ape Qin Yue had long had his eye on was hiding here.

"What did you say? You want to try fighting that Giant Ape first?" Zhang Lexuan pressed her lips together, instinctively wanting to reject Qin Yue's suggestion.

After all, a Soul Ancestor who had yet to absorb his Fourth Soul Ring wanted to fight a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast with home-field advantage one-on-one. No matter how she thought about it, it was far too absurd. If word got out, people might think Zhang Lexuan was using the soul hunt as an excuse to eliminate dissidents.

But at that moment, Ling Luochen, who had come with Qin Yue to see Zhang Lexuan, spoke up to vouch for him. "Senior Sister, let him try. Although the Wind-Thunder Giant Ape has an extraordinary bloodline, this one hiding here is only eighteen thousand years old. I guarantee I can restrain it before it hurts anyone."

Zhang Lexuan fell silent for a moment at those words. After weighing the pros and cons, she nodded. "Then you must be careful. There's another Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in this lake with even greater cultivation. It would be best if you avoid alarming it."

There was another Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? Qin Yue frowned slightly. His intelligence had not mentioned this at all, but it was not a major problem. Qian Duoduo, a rank ninety-four Soul Douluo, was nearby testing Soul Tools, and three more Soul Douluo were close at hand. It would be fine if the other Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast stayed hidden, but if it foolishly attacked, everyone would be having an extra meal.

With his safeguards in place, Qin Yue slowly walked to the lakeshore. He paused as he looked at the undisturbed surface, and finger-thick Lightning Serpents streamed from beneath his feet, all plunging into the lake.

He was not some brute who only knew how to activate Thunder Armor and charge in. Naturally, he did not lack scouting methods.

A moment later, ripples began to spread across the previously tranquil lake. They rapidly grew larger, eventually forming a whirlpool. A pale monkey head rose from its center, its scarlet eyes fixed firmly upon Qin Yue on the shore.

The fragmented information hidden within its bloodline told it that if it could eat the human before it, it would no longer have any shackles!

The instant their gazes met, both understood the killing intent in the other's heart. Crackling sounds belonging to two different owners rang out at once. Already clad in Thunder Armor, Qin Yue lunged forward and charged straight into the lake!

His lightning-wreathed hands seized the monkey's head tightly, as though he intended to tear it right off its body. The Wind-Thunder Giant Ape was shocked and enraged. It leaped out of the whirlpool on its own initiative, swinging both arms straight down at Qin Yue. It had actually chosen to trade blows!

But upon further thought, that made sense. Qin Yue only had three Soul Rings, while it was a noble Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. How could it possibly fear trading blows with him?

Qin Yue grinned at the Giant Ape that had voluntarily emerged from the water. His hands shifted from pulling to embracing as his Third Soul Ring flashed. A thunderous roar exploded, and the caught-off-guard Wind-Thunder Giant Ape was lifted bodily by the sudden immense force before being viciously smashed toward the shore!

Third Soul Skill: Thunder Self Explosion Bomb!

BOOM!!!

Great swathes of earth, stone, and trees were blasted into the air. A massive crater over ten meters wide appeared before Ling Luochen's eyes. Even more eye-catching was the gigantic ape within it, its entire body charred black as it continued roaring madly.

The Wind-Thunder Giant Ape's already scarlet eyes became completely crazed. It imitated Qin Yue, spreading lightning across its entire body, then kicked off with both legs and leaped from the crater. Its two fists, each as large as Qin Yue himself, punched out with all its strength, determined to completely smash this hairless monkey that had brought it such immense humiliation to death!

Ling Luochen saw the terrifying power of the attack and stepped forward, just about to intervene, when she saw the lightning armor around Qin Yue become increasingly distinct. Thunder roared deafeningly, and every strand of his hair stood on end.

Thunder Armor: Full Power Burst Mode!