The Elusive Soul Spirit

The morning in Shrek City was shrouded in a thin mist.

Yun Ming stood in the underground treasury of the Sea God Pavilion, his brows tightly locked.

This was the accumulation of Shrek Academy over thousands of years; the shelves were filled with all manner of precious classics, Soul Tools, and rare treasures.

On the innermost row of shelves, twenty-some spheres the size of a fist were arranged neatly.

These were the artificial soul spirits stored by Shrek.

Yun Ming's gaze swept over those spheres one by one.

Not suitable.

Most of these soul spirits were thousand-year level, with only a few reaching the ten-thousand-year level, but the attributes of those few were all wrong.

There was a Blazing Suanni, a Purple Lightning Eagle, and an Earth Frenzy Bear; each was a top-tier soul spirit choice, yet none were suitable for Yun Jingheng.

A moon-attribute martial soul required a moon-attribute soul spirit.

Shrek did not have one.

He looked over the crystals on the shelves once more, finally sighed, turned, and left.

Half an hour later, he appeared at the Tang Sect.

The Tang Sect and Shrek had a long-standing friendship, with close relations spanning generations.

As the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, Yun Ming naturally held a certain level of clearance within the Tang Sect.

The one who received him was the current Vice Sect Master of the Tang Sect, a figure of significant standing on the Douluo Continent.

"For the Pavilion Master to come in person, is it for that child's matter?"

He handed over a cup of tea.

Yun Ming nodded: "His martial soul is unique and requires a suitable soul spirit. Shrek's inventory lacks one, so I wished to see what the Tang Sect has."

Zang Xin pondered for a moment, then rose and walked toward the back hall.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he returned holding three soul spirits.

"These are the three best currently in the Tang Sect's possession."

Yun Ming took them and sensed them one by one.

The first, an eight-thousand-year Cyan Jade Bird, wind-attribute; it had agility in abundance, but had nothing to do with moonlight.

The second, a twelve-thousand-year Ice Crystal Phoenix, ice-attribute; it was somewhat similar to lunar radiance, but ultimately not of the same origin.

The third, a fifty-thousand-year Dark Night Demon Tiger, dark-attribute; it was indeed related to the night, but its aura was cold, sinister, and violent, completely different from the cool, tranquil charm within Yun Jingheng's martial soul.

Yun Ming was silent for a long time before gently placing the three soul spirits back on the table.

"None of them are suitable."

Zang Xin was not surprised, merely sighing: "Moon-attribute martial souls are rare to begin with, and moon-attribute soul beasts are even rarer."

"Since the founding of the Tang Sect, the moon-attribute soul spirits we have handled can be counted on one hand; at present, we truly have none."

Yun Ming rose to express his thanks and took his leave.

When he walked out of the Tang Sect, the sky had already darkened.

He stood outside the mountain gate, watching the last trace of the evening glow sink below the horizon, when a thought suddenly occurred to him.

The Spirit Pagoda.

On the Douluo Continent, when it came to the accumulation of artificial soul spirits, if the Spirit Pagoda claimed second place, no one would dare claim first.

Although that organization had a delicate relationship with Shrek, they were ostensibly in an alliance.

If he, Yun Ming, went in person, Leng Yaozhu should not fail to show him some respect.

At noon the following day, Yun Ming appeared at the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda.

Leng Yaozhu came out to welcome him personally.

The Pagoda Master of the Spirit Pagoda appeared to be in her early thirties, with delicate features and a gentle temperament, yet deep within those eyes hid the sharpness of one who had long held a high position.

She was an old acquaintance of Yun Ming; after meeting, there were no superfluous pleasantries, and she led him directly into the inner hall.

"For Pavilion Master Yun to visit in person, is it for that child's soul spirit?"

News traveled fast indeed.

Yun Ming nodded: "Neither Shrek nor the Tang Sect has a suitable one, so I had to come to the Spirit Pagoda to try my luck."

Leng Yaozhu smiled lightly: "I would like to meet the child who could make the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion run errands himself."

"There will be an opportunity in the future."

Yun Ming did not take the bait.

Leng Yaozhu did not mind, rising to walk to the wall and pressing a mechanism.

The wall slid open slowly, revealing a secret chamber inside.

In the secret chamber, over a hundred soul spirit crystals were arranged neatly, each suspended within an individual Soul Tool protective barrier, emitting light of various colors.

Yun Ming walked inside, his gaze sweeping across the crystals.

Fire attribute, ice attribute, lightning attribute, wind attribute, earth attribute... every element was present, with ages ranging from a thousand to ten thousand years.

A flicker of joy rose in his heart, and he began to sense them carefully.

A quarter of an hour.

Two quarters of an hour.

Half an hour later, Yun Ming stopped in his tracks.

Still no luck.

The attributes of those spirit souls were all wrong—there were ice attributes, dark attributes, and mental attributes, but not a single one was a pure moon attribute.

Ice and moon were ultimately different, and darkness and moon did not share the same origin.

Yun Jingheng's martial soul had too strong an affinity for moonlight; if a spirit soul with ordinary attributes were fused into it, it would either be rejected or would contaminate that pure power of moon essence.

"Not suitable?"

Leng Yaozhu's voice came from behind him.

Yun Ming turned around and shook his head.

Leng Yaozhu looked at him, a strange glint flashing in her eyes: "Pavilion Master, that child's martial soul... what exactly is it?"

Yun Ming did not answer.

Leng Yaozhu did not press the issue, merely nodding thoughtfully: "Moon-attribute spirit souls are indeed rare; in the history of the Spirit Pagoda, only three have ever been created. The most recent one was purchased decades ago, and it has yet to be replenished."

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning: "If it were a naturally born moon-attribute spirit beast, they would be even scarcer."

Leng Yaozhu spoke as if it were a casual remark, then turned and walked toward the exit: "It is rare for the Pavilion Master to visit; stay for a meal before you go."

"There is no need."

Yun Ming's voice was calm. "I appreciate the Pagoda Master's kindness, but I shall thank you another day."

With that, he strode away.

That night.

Yun Ming stood alone by the window, watching the bright moon in the sky.

Ya Li walked up from behind and leaned gently against his shoulder: "Still nothing?"

"Mm."

"Then what do you intend to do?"

Yun Ming was silent for a long time.

"I want to make a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest."

Ya Li's body stiffened slightly.

"I know it is dangerous there."

Yun Ming turned around to look at her. "But Jingheng's martial soul cannot wait. This is the period when his martial soul grows the fastest; if we miss this window, it will be difficult to make up for it later."

"But..."

"I am only going in to look for a spirit beast, not to start a fight."

A hint of a smile touched Yun Ming's voice. "Although that old fellow Di Tian finds me annoying, he wouldn't go so far as to fall out with me over a matter like this."

Ya Li looked at him for a long moment before she whispered, "Stay safe."

Yun Ming lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I will."

Three days later, Yun Ming's figure appeared on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

He did not enter through the main gate, choosing instead a secluded path.

Moonlight, like water, spilled into the woods, stretching the shadows of the giant trees into long, distorted shapes.

Yun Ming's steps were light, so light that his footsteps were almost inaudible.

He had suppressed his aura to the absolute limit, moving through the forest as silently as an ordinary night traveler.

The deeper he went, the denser the aura of the spirit beasts became.

The thousand-year spirit beasts that reigned as kings on the outskirts could only cower in the corners here, trembling.

Ten-thousand-year auras began to appear.

Twenty thousand years.

Thirty thousand years.

Fifty thousand years.

Yun Ming's speed remained constant, like a wisp of wind, as he skirted the edges of those powerful soul beasts' territories.

His destination was the deepest part of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The place known as the Core Area.

Every soul beast there exceeded one hundred thousand years in age, and every one possessed intelligence no less than that of a human.

The king of that place was named Di Tian.

An old monster who had lived for a very long time.

Yun Ming and Di Tian had dealt with each other a few times; it could not be called a friendship, but they did acknowledge one another.

A Limit Douluo and a top-tier fierce beast, standing at the pinnacle of this continent, both knew the other's weight.

Precisely because they knew, they would not easily resort to violence.

An hour later, Yun Ming came to a halt.

Before him lay an expansive lake, its surface as calm as a mirror, reflecting the bright moon in the sky.

The lake water shimmered with a faint silver hue, as if it were liquid condensed from moonlight.

He had reached the Core Area.

Just as Yun Ming was about to step forward, he suddenly paused.

In the darkness all around, auras began to rise.

One hundred thousand years.

Several figures slowly emerged from all directions, surrounding Yun Ming in the center.

At the very front was a humanoid figure.

It was a woman of extreme beauty, with hair like a purple waterfall, dressed in a long purple gown, standing barefoot on the grass.

Her eyes were a deep, profound purple, and when she looked at someone, it was as if she were observing an interesting toy.

"A rare guest."

She spoke, her voice cold and clear, "The Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, what brings you to our backwater?"

Yun Ming looked at her: "I am not here to cause trouble."

"Then what are you here for?"

Zi Ji tilted her head, "A stroll? To admire the moon? Or do you want to reminisce with us?"

The surrounding figures let out low chuckles.

Yun Ming ignored the laughter and simply said calmly: "I want to see Di Tian."

"Hmph, see Di Tian? You have ill intentions."

Another voice rang out, this time from a man with a burly frame, a head of golden hair, and eyes like burning gold.

"Bear Lord," Yun Ming looked at him, "what if I force my way in?"

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

The auras of the surrounding fierce beasts surged, and killing intent flooded the area like a physical force.