Star-Eating Sheep

Early the next morning, Lin Beiya, who had been too excited to sleep all night, arrived at Douluo Hall to wait for Qian Daoliu.

But the old man seemed to have no intention of showing himself again. Instead, the person he'd sent to take Lin Beiya on a Soul Hunt was the first to enter the hall.

After devoutly kneeling before the Angel Statue for a while, the middle-aged man shifted his eagle-like gaze to Lin Beiya.

"You're Lin Beiya, right? I'm the one Grand Pontiff sent to take you on a Soul Hunt. You can call me Yu Lin."

"Elder Yu, it's good to meet you."

The man wore the standard uniform of a Platinum Bishop, so calling him Elder was perfectly appropriate.

Yu Lin didn't object. After looking Lin Beiya up and down, he smiled and said:

"I don't have much time, so let's set out today!"

"Then I'm sorry for the trouble, Elder Yu."

Yu Lin led him outside Spirit City, where a carriage had already been prepared. The two climbed inside, one tall and one short, and the driver set off toward Star Dou Forest.

"Grand Pontiff told me your Martial Soul is somewhat unusual. Once we reach Star Dou Forest, you're to rely on your instincts to choose a suitable Soul Beast. Is that right?"

"That's right, Elder Yu. My Martial Soul has never appeared in the Douluo Calendar, so there are no precedents to use as reference."

"Understood. I'll give you plenty of freedom when we get there. Just follow your instincts and look for a suitable Soul Beast."

As the largest gathering place for Soul Beasts on the Douluo Continent, this was also a gathering place for all kinds of people. Mercenaries and independent cultivators alike converged in Soul Hunting Town, just outside the forest.

Given Lin Beiya's age, coming here alone would have been extremely dangerous. Fortunately, Yu Lin, a Platinum Bishop, was with him. Nobody across the continent would dare casually offend someone from Spirit Hall.

"Let's get some food and fresh water ready, then set out. The sooner we go, the sooner we'll be back."

"All right."

Lin Beiya had no objections. Getting a Soul Ring as soon as possible suited him just fine.

Since he didn't have a Storage Soul Tool yet, Yu Lin carried their food and fresh water. Lin Beiya couldn't help grumbling inwardly. Surely giving a Storage Soul Tool to a genius with Innate Full Soul Power was no big deal. How come he hadn't gotten one?

As he mused over it, neither of them stopped walking. After half an hour, towering trees appeared before Lin Beiya.

He couldn't help comparing the ancient-looking forest to the modern city of his previous life. All he could say was that the air in Star Dou Forest was countless times fresher than the air polluted by the exhaust of all kinds of machinery.

As they entered the forest, darkness fell around them. The enormous trees blotted out the sun, while countless Blue Silver Grass plants added flecks of light to the shadowy woods, creating a fantastical sight.

"From now on, don't stray more than three paces from my side. Soul Beasts could appear at any moment."

"I understand."

Even without Yu Lin's warning, Lin Beiya, who valued his life, had no intention of going far from him. He hadn't figured out what his Martial Soul could do yet, so he was basically helpless in a fight. Any Ten-Year Soul Beast could easily kill him in Star Dou Forest.

Yu Lin nodded in satisfaction. He thought Lin Beiya was far more mature than other children his age. The others who came to this gathering place of Soul Beasts either stood around in fear or got overexcited.

Qian Daoliu had ordered him to find a Soul Ring for Lin Beiya while making sure he stayed safe. Lin Beiya's maturity was undoubtedly a good thing for this trip.

After walking several kilometers, they came across a few Ten-Year Soul Beasts, including common ones like Nether Wolves and Soft Bone Rabbits, as well as a rare flying Soul Beast.

Without exception, as soon as the Soul Beasts appeared, they were intimidated by the aura radiating from Yu Lin and swiftly turned to flee.

"A Soul Master's First Soul Ring can generally withstand around four hundred years of cultivation. I'll let you know when we come across one around that age. If you don't think it's suitable, you can say so."

"Understood. Sorry for the trouble, Elder Yu."

They continued deeper into the forest without saying a word.

But when a tiger-shaped Soul Beast appeared in front of them, Yu Lin's first warning reached Lin Beiya's ears.

"A Crimson Flame Tiger, around three hundred and fifty years old. See if you think it's suitable as your First Soul Ring."

Lin Beiya didn't answer right away. Instead, he summoned the Athena Statue and began sensing.

Even Yu Lin was surprised to see such an unusual Martial Soul for the first time, but he didn't hurry Lin Beiya. He simply waited patiently.

For some reason, the moment the Athena Statue appeared, Lin Beiya sensed a presence calling to him from somewhere. But it wasn't coming from the Crimson Flame Tiger a hundred meters away. It came from somewhere much farther off, to the west of the forest.

"Elder Yu, this Soul Beast isn't suitable, but my Martial Soul is guiding me over there!"

Shaking his head to reject the Crimson Flame Tiger as his First Soul Ring, Lin Beiya pointed straight toward the west side of the forest.

Yu Lin was even more astonished. He'd never heard of a Martial Soul guiding someone to a suitable Soul Beast before.

"Oh? Your Martial Soul can do that? Well, no matter. Let's go take a look."

Yu Lin used his aura to frighten away the snarling Crimson Flame Tiger in front of them, and the two slowly headed west.

Near a lake, they found a variety of herbivorous Soul Beasts gathered together. A number of carnivorous Soul Beasts nearby were also picking out prey that caught their fancy.

Since the area was close to the lake, the Blue Silver Grass grew even more densely here. Its combined glow shone brighter, almost lighting up the entire forest.

Watching the Soul Beasts constantly munching on Blue Silver Grass, Lin Beiya inwardly grumbled about the fools courting death. At the same time, he searched for the target of their trip. This was exactly where the Divine Statue had pointed.

Seeing Lin Beiya searching back and forth for a target, Yu Lin didn't interrupt him. They were just a group of Soul Beasts, none more than a hundred years old. They posed no threat to him.

A few minutes later, Lin Beiya's gaze landed on a distant sheep with a deep-blue coat. Its head bore enormous curved horns that swept back toward its skull. Unlike its blue body, the horns shone with a golden glow like the stars.

"Elder Yu, do you recognize that Soul Beast?"

"Hm?"

Yu Lin followed the direction Lin Beiya pointed, and the sheep came into view.

After thinking for a moment with his hand on his chin, Yu Lin replied:

"It should be a Star-Eating Sheep. Its horns can absorb and store starlight. It's an extremely rare Soul Beast."

Hearing Yu Lin's assessment, Lin Beiya immediately felt like he'd struck gold. On his first Soul Hunt, he'd come across a rare Soul Beast.

"Rare?"

"It has little fighting ability, and its meat is delicious. Do you really think it wouldn't be rare?"

"..."

All right, Lin Beiya realized he'd misunderstood. It was rare because people had eaten so many of them. But somehow, he felt this Soul Beast was extremely well suited to his Martial Soul.

After confirming his choice again and again, Lin Beiya looked at Yu Lin with determination.

"That's the one. Sorry for the trouble, Elder Yu!"

"You..."