"Unfortunately, my Martial Soul mutated, leaving me stuck at this level with no way to advance."
Lin Qingfeng sighed. "I'm afraid I'll never reach the Soul Douluo realm in my lifetime."
Hearing his father's words, Lin Fan's heart stirred.
Since his father's Martial Soul had a problem, could the Evolution Light help it evolve and let him break through to the Soul Douluo realm?
Before any Titled Douluo made a move and before the Spirit Hall started causing trouble, a Soul Douluo was already considered a formidable master across the entire continent.
I'll find a chance to solve this problem for Dad.
I just don't know whether the Evolution Light can make Martial Souls and Soul Rings evolve for free, or if I'll have to expend Soul Power.
If it costs my Soul Power, I'll have to raise my level first before I can evolve Dad's Martial Soul.
After all, Lin Fan was an adult, so he thought things through more carefully and wouldn't act rashly.
"Enough about that."
Lin Qingfeng was in good spirits. He changed the subject and continued, "Your Martial Soul has a rather special function. Other Martial Souls absorb Soul Rings to strengthen a Soul Master's physique and grant their Martial Soul specific abilities."
"But your Martial Soul can't be used for combat. It's just a tool for capturing Spirit Beasts. I really don't know what kind of Soul Ring you should absorb for it."
"Then let's find out."
Lin Fan didn't mind at all. Smiling, he said, "We'll just find a Spirit Beast that's around the right age and absorb its Soul Ring. We'll see what changes it brings to the Poké Ball Martial Soul. Once we figure that out, we'll know what to do when absorbing Soul Rings in the future."
Though he said that, Lin Fan already had a hunch.
He was much like the people in Pokemon, the Digital World, or Roco Kingdom, whose main job was to buff their pets and manage their moods.
If so, it was obvious what kind of Soul Rings he should absorb.
Support-type Soul Rings!
Besides, as a modern person, Lin Fan had no desire to charge into battle and fight to the death with others.
He could absorb more support-type Soul Rings and, when a fight broke out, summon hundreds or even thousands of Spirit Beasts at once. With his support abilities activated, he could happily eat fruit and watch the show.
These days, success wasn't about strength. It was about having a following!
As a highly educated young man of the new century, Lin Fan had no taste for fighting and killing. If anyone had something to say, they could take it up with the Spirit Beasts he raised!
"By the way, Dad, where are we going?"
After chatting for a while, Lin Fan suddenly asked.
"The Star Dou Forest!"
Lin Qingfeng said solemnly, "Since your Martial Soul needs Soul Power to condense those things you call Poké Balls, we can't afford to waste them."
"We'll go straight to the Star Dou Forest. The Spirit Beasts there are stronger, and once captured, they can be put to use instead of going to waste."
"Besides, the Spirit Beast populations in the Star Dou Forest are better than those in the Soul Hunting Forest, and there are more of them. It shouldn't be hard to find one of a suitable age."
"With me there, those Spirit Beasts won't be able to hurt you."
Lin Fan raised an eyebrow, savoring once again the perks of being a second-generation heir.
It was his first time traveling beyond home, and, with the novels he'd read influencing him, he was quite curious about the world of the Douluo Continent. After only a few exchanges, he lifted the carriage curtain and took in the scenery along the road.
There were no towering skyscrapers, only rolling mountains and lush green woods, giving him a special sense of closeness to nature.
As the carriage raced onward, time slowly passed.
The stars shifted, and by the next morning, a town came into view. Even before they drew near, Lin Fan could see many figures and hear the bustle.
This must be the gathering town near the Star Dou Forest!
In any world, people made their living from whatever the land offered them. It was as true as water flowing downhill. Just like tourist attractions, such places could spring up on their own without anyone organizing them.
With Lin Qingfeng's strength, there was no need to form a team or rest, and they already had everything they needed. So the carriage didn't stop in town but continued onward.
After passing the town, however, the carriage slowed down.
They passed another town, and this time the carriage stopped. Lin Qingfeng found the driver an inn and told him to wait there, then continued on with Lin Fan.
Farther in, the trees grew together in dense stands, blocking out the sky and sun and creating a oppressive feeling.
They rarely encountered other Soul Masters on the road, and aside from the occasional sound of a Spirit Beast, the forest was eerily quiet.
"We're almost at the Star Dou Forest!"
Only then did Lin Qingfeng's expression turn grave. He lowered his voice and warned, "Fan'er, the Star Dou Forest stretches across two empires, and the Soul Masters we meet there may come from all sorts of backgrounds. Be careful. Don't get close to anyone, or they might ambush you."
"Sometimes people are far more dangerous than Spirit Beasts!"
"If you see a Spirit Beast that seems suitable, tell me at once. If we miss it, it'll be hard to find again."
At his words, Lin Fan looked up at the towering trees and nodded.
It wasn't even night yet, and they had only just entered the Star Dou Forest, but the surroundings were already dim. Visibility was barely two yards. If they missed a Spirit Beast, it really would be hard to find it again.
Seeing Lin Fan nod, Lin Qingfeng brushed his left index finger's ring with his right hand. A night pearl dropped into his palm, giving off a faint glow.
The light was dim, but it was still much better than before, just enough to make out the things around them.
"Let's go!"
Lin Qingfeng took Lin Fan by the hand and continued deeper into the forest. This time, though, he was no longer as relaxed as before. His eyes constantly swept over their surroundings, and he moved with great caution.
There was good reason for his vigilance. In just a moment, a low growl suddenly rang out beside them.
A tiger's roar shook the forest!
Even as a transmigrator with an adult soul, Lin Fan's heart tightened when he suddenly heard the roar.
Whether on the Douluo Continent or back on Earth, tigers were no harmless creatures!
"This Soul Power fluctuation should be around a thousand years old!"
Lin Qingfeng's eyes lit up with excitement. "This is perfect. We can see if the Poké Ball can capture it. Come on, let's take a look!"
As he spoke, Lin Qingfeng pushed off the ground with the tips of his feet. Even with Lin Fan in tow, he shot toward the source of the roar like a bolt of lightning.
Before long, a fierce tiger with reddish-yellow fur came into view. It was gnawing on a Spirit Beast, blood pooling across the ground as a sharp, pungent stench filled the air.
"A Diamond Tiger?"
"No, wait!"
As if sensing Lin Fan and Lin Qingfeng's arrival, the tiger turned around. Its eyes gleamed blood-red, and a deep violet light shimmered within them.
With a roar, its fur bristled, and it took a fighting stance toward Lin Qingfeng.
"It has double pupils! This is a mutated Spirit Beast!"
"And it's still a juvenile!"
"Excellent, excellent! Fan'er, if you can capture this Spirit Beast, ordinary Soul Masters definitely won't be your match!"
It was still a juvenile, yet it already had a cultivation of nearly a thousand years. Its bloodline was clearly extraordinary.
Even Lin Fan felt a surge of anticipation.
Even in a game, he would choose rare and powerful pets when catching them. How much more so now that he was in the Douluo Continent?
With a thought, Lin Fan took a Poké Ball from his Storage Soul Tool and held it in his hand, waiting for Lin Qingfeng to injure the mutated Diamond Tiger!
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