Nightmare Beast

Early morning settled over the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, and thin mist drifted slowly between the trees.

The three had left Soul Hunting Town early, passed through the wooden fence outside town that marked the boundary, and officially entered the Star Dou Great Forest.

Jiang Che walked at the front, his spiritual power spreading in every direction like an invisible web. Every blade of grass and tree, every Soul Beast within several miles, was within his perception.

Huo Yuhao followed behind him. His Spirit Eye Martial Soul was quietly active. Though his spiritual power was nowhere near as vast as Jiang Che's, it still covered an area nearly a hundred meters around him.

Ice Empress brought up the rear, her hands clasped behind her back as she listlessly surveyed the scenery.

"Senior, which way are we going?" Huo Yuhao asked.

"South." Jiang Che looked toward the depths of the forest. "The southern region of the Star Dou Great Forest has the greatest variety of Soul Beasts. There are also plenty of records of thousand-year mental-type Soul Beasts there, so we have the best chance of finding one that way."

The three crossed a broadleaf forest, dry leaves crackling softly beneath their feet.

The thick canopy blocked out the light, leaving the forest somewhat dim. The air was heavy with the smell of soil and rotting leaves. Now and then, a few low-year Soul Beasts darted out of the bushes, then fled in panic at the sight of the three.

Jiang Che suddenly stopped. Before them stood a stand of Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo. He stared at it for a while, then sighed and muttered, "So this is the First Soul Ring that almost made someone a god back then. If the God King had listened to Grandmaster back then, this Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo would have been something everyone fought over."

Since Jiang Che had stopped and was staring at the bamboo grove, Ice Empress and Huo Yuhao stopped too, though they had no idea what was going on.

"Senior, is there something in that grove?" Huo Yuhao asked. Thinking they might be facing a powerful enemy, he spoke with great caution.

"No. I'm just feeling sentimental because of the scenery. You wouldn't understand. Come on, let's keep looking," Jiang Che replied.

Huo Yuhao glanced at the bamboo grove again, baffled about what scenery had stirred Jiang Che's feelings. But Jiang Che and Ice Empress had already gone on, and he had no time to dwell on it. He hurried after them.

After about half an hour, they reached a clearing where a huge thousand-year Iron-Back Rhino was nibbling on the tender leaves of a shrub.

Its body was covered in thick, iron-gray hide, and a row of bony plates rose high along its back. A pair of short, curved horns gleamed with a metallic sheen. It was clearly a defensive-type Soul Beast with a cultivation of around fifteen hundred years.

Sensing someone approaching, the Iron-Back Rhino raised its head and looked at Jiang Che. Confusion flickered in its bell-like eyes.

It couldn't sense Jiang Che's Soul Power. All it saw was an ordinarily dressed young man and two children, so it relaxed and lowered its head to keep eating.

Huo Yuhao tensed instinctively, ready to deal with an attack from the Iron-Back Rhino at any moment.

"Don't be nervous." Jiang Che patted Huo Yuhao twice on the shoulder. "It won't attack us."

Huo Yuhao reluctantly let his Soul Power recede. Sure enough, the Iron-Back Rhino acted as if it hadn't seen them at all. It ambled toward the depths of the forest without even looking back.

"Senior, what was that..." Huo Yuhao stared at Jiang Che, bewildered.

"The natural suppression of low-level Soul Beasts by high-level Soul Masters," Jiang Che explained. "Soul Beasts have much sharper senses than humans. They can't sense my Soul Power, but instinctively avoid anything that could threaten them. It's a fear carved into their bloodline."

Ice Empress gave a soft snort from behind them. "Why say so much? It just comes down to the bigger fist being right."

Jiang Che smiled at her summary but didn't argue.

The three continued deeper into the forest. The farther they went, the higher the Soul Beasts' cultivation years became.

Hundred-year and thousand-year Soul Beasts grew more common, and every so often they could sense the aura of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast coming from farther within.

Jiang Che kept his spiritual power spread over a wide area. Whenever he sensed the presence of a mental-type Soul Beast, he led Huo Yuhao over to investigate.

Unfortunately, the first few attempts didn't go well. The first mental-type Soul Beast he sensed was an eight-thousand-year Purple Spirit Wolf. It was small, with purple fur covering its body and a bushy tail like a broom.

The Purple Spirit Wolf excelled at Mental Interference and could create illusions to confuse its prey. It would have been a good choice for Huo Yuhao.

But its cultivation was too high. Huo Yuhao couldn't absorb it.

The second one they sensed was a twelve-hundred-year Phantom Moon Cat.

It was an extremely rare mental-type Soul Beast. Its silvery-white fur glimmered with a dreamlike moonlight beneath the moon, and its slit-pupil eyes seemed to reflect a crescent moon.

The Phantom Moon Cat's Soul Skill was "Moonshadow," which created multiple illusions indistinguishable from its real body, confusing its enemies' sight and senses. It was practically a perfect match for Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eye Martial Soul.

Unfortunately, the Phantom Moon Cat was too alert. Before Jiang Che and the others had come within a hundred paces, it sensed danger, sprang up into the canopy, and vanished among the branches after a few bounds.

Seeing how clever the Phantom Moon Cat was, Jiang Che couldn't be bothered to act. Besides, even if he let it run first, what did it matter? The moment he made a move, it would be on its knees.

"Fast little thing," Ice Empress remarked, watching the direction the Phantom Moon Cat had disappeared in. It was rare for her to offer praise.

Huo Yuhao trudged along behind them, dejected. He felt like a jinx; nearly every Soul Beast they encountered ran away.

Jiang Che wasn't worried. The Star Dou Great Forest was enormous. Mental-type Soul Beasts were rare, but they weren't impossible to find.

He led Huo Yuhao farther south. After they crossed a dense bamboo grove, the terrain ahead gradually opened up. A clear stream wound through the forest, its surface glittering in the sunlight. The tinkling of the water sounded especially pleasant in the quiet forest.

Jiang Che stopped and sent his spiritual power upstream. A moment later, he halted his search.

"Found one," Jiang Che said with a smile.

Huo Yuhao's spirits lifted. "What Soul Beast?"

"One that's just as suitable for you!" Jiang Che said, glancing at Huo Yuhao beside him.

When Huo Yuhao followed Jiang Che's gaze and spotted the small white creature drinking by the stream, he found himself unable to look away.

It was a pure-white little creature, about the size of a house cat. It was curled up on a greenish stone beside the stream, its fluffy tail dangling down, the tip lightly touching the water and sending out ripples.

Its eyes were closed, but its ears twitched slightly, as if it were carefully listening to the breeze and every rustle around it.

"What kind of Soul Beast is that?" Huo Yuhao asked in a lowered voice, afraid of startling it.

"A Nightmare Beast," Jiang Che said. "An extremely rare mental-type Soul Beast, skilled in mental attacks and controlling dreams. Its Soul Skill, 'Nightmare,' can invade its prey's Sea of Consciousness and create its most terrifying dream, killing it in its sleep with almost no pain."

Huo Yuhao was slightly startled, then pleased. If he could make such a powerful mental-type Soul Skill his Second Soul Ring, his strength would increase tremendously.

"This Nightmare Beast is about thirteen hundred years old, just right for you," Jiang Che continued.