Strategic Intimidation

Under the mental influence of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, the Hundred-Year Soul Beasts on the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest had either hidden themselves or fled. Unless they ventured deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest, they simply couldn't find suitable Soul Beasts to hunt.

The outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest were home to large numbers of Hundred-Year Soul Beasts and a few Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. Bai Cai didn't want to risk entering the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Why did most Soul Masters hunt Soul Beasts in groups? Obviously, for safety.

The corpses of Soul Beasts often attracted nearby Soul Beasts. On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, Hundred-Year Soul Beasts could become the overlords of their territories, and the boundaries between their domains rarely changed.

The Soul Beast Bai Cai planned to hunt had to be at least five hundred years old. Ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beasts could dominate a territory, but what about a five-hundred-year-old one?

After hunting such a Soul Beast, she wouldn't have to worry about nearby Soul Beasts interrupting her while she absorbed its Soul Ring. Soul Beasts followed a strict hierarchy. Weak Ten-Year Soul Beasts, cowed by the aura of such a creature, generally wouldn't dare approach. Ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beasts had already developed basic intelligence; even if they noticed something amiss, they wouldn't provoke the Soul Master who had hunted such a creature.

And what of Hundred-Year Soul Beasts that were five hundred years old—or even older?

A Soul Beast's territory grew along with its age and strength. On the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, within an hour, neighboring Hundred-Year Soul Beasts that were five hundred years old or older wouldn't notice one of their neighbors had died.

However, once they entered the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest, the distribution of Soul Beasts changed drastically. Ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beasts could only be underlings. They either banded together to claim a territory or wandered aimlessly without a home.

Hundred-Year Soul Beasts that were five hundred years old or older either submitted to certain herbivorous Thousand-Year Soul Beasts for protection or hid in every corner to avoid becoming food for predatory Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

The sizes of Thousand-Year Soul Beasts' territories varied according to their species, strength, and age. Powerful predatory Thousand-Year Soul Beasts might even invade the territories of other Thousand-Year Soul Beasts to hunt.

Ralts could handle ordinary Hundred-Year Soul Beasts. Thanks to the strange nature of Confusion, she could even wear down powerful Hundred-Year Soul Beasts over five hundred years old.

Don't be fooled by Tang San's impressive record into thinking Hundred-Year Soul Beasts were pushovers. In truth, the Datura Snake's poison was potent, and its defense was its next strongest asset. If not for Grandmaster's Soul Skills hitting it twice and enraging it, Tang San wouldn't have had a chance to kill it.

To put it simply, Grandmaster had dealt all the damage and successfully brought the Datura Snake's health bar down.

The Datura Snake focused all its attacks on Grandmaster, who fell to the ground, on the brink of death. Tang San moved with flashy finesse, taunting the Datura Snake from a distance with his Hidden Weapons. The Datura Snake lost its reason and tried to bite him to death. Tang San used Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon to sneak in an attack, then evaded the Datura Snake's desperate final counterattack.

Awareness, skill, and luck—all were essential. If the Datura Snake's attack had landed, Tang San would have been dead.

Tang San's Second Soul Ring came from a Ghost Vine, which completely countered his Blue Silver Grass and Hidden Weapons. Other than fire, ice, and lightning, plant Soul Beasts had no obvious weaknesses. They weren't afraid of physical attacks, and poison was useless. Grandmaster had invited a Soul Ancestor to subdue the Ghost Vine. Like a defeated general on the brink of death, it had no strength to fight back and was left at their mercy. Tang San had merely delivered the final blow.

What about a Man Faced Demon Spider?

Blue Silver Grass lacked the binding strength to hold one, and poison was useless. The Man Faced Demon Spider's strength and defense were practically perfect, its poison was potent, and its webs were incredibly sticky. If Tang San hadn't used the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, even with the Clear Sky Hammer as his Second Martial Soul, he would have ended up in the spider's belly. Without an added Soul Ring, the Clear Sky Hammer couldn't pierce the Man Faced Demon Spider's defenses or inflict a fatal wound.

The four Soul Skills of Ralts's Life Soul Ring either consumed too much energy to use properly or leaned toward support, dealing no damage at all.

Now consider Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. Predatory Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were fast, hit hard, had strong defenses, and possessed other special abilities.

If they encountered one of these Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, Ralts's Confusion wouldn't be able to deal effective damage in a short time. If even one of the creature's attacks landed, the excess damage would be enough to badly injure Bai Cai.

A Beast Martial Soul possessed the body and enhanced its physical abilities, greatly increasing its defense and resilience. A Martial Soul that left the body had no such effect. Bai Cai was as fragile as a support-type Soul Master.

Ralts and Bai Cai were like mages, while predatory Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were like warriors or assassins. A mage fighting a warrior or assassin one-on-one would have to be out of their mind.

With Telepathy, Ralts and Bai Cai could still manage against Hundred-Year Soul Beasts that were five hundred years old or older. But if they encountered a Thousand-Year Soul Beast, especially a predatory one, they wouldn't even be able to run.

So Bai Cai had no chance to hunt a suitable Soul Beast, and lacked a Soul Skill that could disguise her or change the color of her Soul Ring.

"A red, red Soul Ring!"

The sound of a notebook hitting the ground rang out. Lin Yun stared blankly, as if he'd been struck by Medusa's petrifying Soul Skill.

"Unbelievable!" Lin Yun exclaimed in shock. "A God-Bestowed Soul Ring? A Soul Beast's sacrifice?"

Bai Cai shook his head. "First Soul Ring, First Soul Skill: Imprison. It seals the chosen target's Soul Skills that are already in use."

"First Soul Ring, Second Soul Skill: Healing Wish. It consumes all of my current Soul Power to heal the chosen target."

Since she couldn't hide the color of her Soul Ring, she might as well reveal two Soul Skills she could use normally and turn the tables by concealing the existence of her Life Soul Ring.

The pink and red Soul Rings weren't very different in color. Apart from lacking the imposing aura of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, they were almost indistinguishable. Their colors were similar, and both had two Soul Skills.

Asked about its age: a hundred thousand years.

Asked how it came to be: she didn't know.

Asked about the Soul Bone: she'd never seen one.

Bai Cai felt nothing inside as she answered briskly.

"All right." Lin Yun took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Can I test the effects of the Soul Skills?"

"Of course." Bai Cai nodded.

"Sky Wolf, possess me!" Lin Yun activated his Martial Soul. Silver-white fur covered his body, his hands transformed into icy claws, and his wolf tail, like a steel whip, lashed the ground without him realizing it.

"Lin Yun, Martial Soul: Sky Wolf. Power Attack System Battle Soul Emperor. Soul Power: level sixty-six."

Two yellow, two purple, and two black Soul Rings slowly appeared. His pupils abruptly contracted. Lin Yun said gravely, "I'd like to test the Soul Skills myself. A Soul Grandmaster's Soul Skills can't cause me any significant harm, so don't worry."

"I'll use a Sixth Soul Skill to test the sealing effect of Imprison. After that, I'll test Healing Wish's healing effect." Lin Yun kindly warned her, "Don't stand too close. My Sixth Soul Skill is an area attack."

Bai Cai hurriedly picked up Ralts and stepped back a few paces.

"Sky Wolf Rend!" Lin Yun growled. His muscles bulged, and his Sixth Soul Ring flashed and melted, enveloping his right claw in an ominous gray-black aura.

Lin Yun suddenly swung his right claw and struck his left arm. The hard, metal-cast ground rapidly split apart, jagged cracks spreading across it.