Following the scent upstream along the creek, the group soon spotted its source by the water.
A plainly dressed boy sat patiently roasting fish beside a campfire. A set of dripping-wet clothes hung nearby, and more than a dozen green fish lay on large leaves on the ground.
Naturally, the scent came from the fish the boy was roasting.
Tang Ya was just about to run over with a laugh when Bei Bei grabbed her.
Clearly, Bei Bei knew his teacher and lover's personality all too well.
The boy looked like he came from a poor family. He hadn't even brought enough dry rations for a long journey, so those fish were probably meant to feed him for the next little while.
With Tang Ya's carefree nature, she'd definitely drag Bei Bei and the others over to mooch some food. Then that boy wouldn't have much left to eat!
"Hey, little brother, would you be willing to sell us a few of those grilled fish?"
After quickly thinking it through, Bei Bei walked up to the boy and struck up a conversation.
"I-I can give them to you."
When Huo Yuhao saw Bei Bei and You Jie's group behind him, his face flushed a little. He then offered them the grilled fish in front of him.
"Come on, man. You prepared this food for yourself, and you haven't even had any yet. Giving it to us passersby would be unfair to you, any way you look at it."
You Jie stepped forward too and gently pushed Huo Yuhao's hand back.
After a little back-and-forth, the group all got to eat some grilled fish, along with a bit of the dry rations You Jie and the others had brought.
"Hey, man, did you come to the Star Dou Great Forest to get a Soul Ring?"
You Jie asked as he ate.
Huo Yuhao's grilled fish really did taste good, but it still fell short of the level in the original story, where it could rival Liu Maoxing and Xingping Soma without his astonishing culinary genius.
Still, it was more than good enough to win Tang Ya's heart through her stomach.
"Yeah. I just reached level ten Soul Power, so I came to the Star Dou Great Forest to try my luck."
Perhaps because You Jie looked closer to his own age, and spoke in a way that put him at ease, Huo Yuhao wasn't as reserved when talking to him.
"Little brother, your Martial Soul seems to be your eyes. It's a Mental Attribute Martial Soul.
"Spirit-type Soul Beasts are extremely rare, and their abilities are all unusual. With your strength, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to handle one.
"We're heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to get Soul Rings too. Since we ate your grilled fish, let us help you find a suitable Soul Ring."
Zhang Lexuan had already finished her fish quickly. She then made the offer to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao froze for a moment, seemingly recalling his mother's advice.
Only speak three parts of what you think to strangers; never bare your whole heart.
But for some reason, when he saw Zhang Lexuan looking at him so warmly, and You Jie already acting like a close friend, Huo Yuhao made a decision that went against his mother's advice.
Besides, he knew his own strength very well. Even a Ten-Year Soul Beast might easily kill him. And since Mental Attribute Soul Beasts were rare to begin with, getting his First Soul Ring would be even harder than he'd imagined.
After the group finished eating, they continued toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
They didn't encounter any Ten-Year Soul Beasts that jumped out at them along the way, let alone the god-slaying Ferocious Beast, the Wind Baboon.
Before long, though, the group all felt a strange fluctuation of spiritual power.
"Careful!" Zhang Lexuan immediately stepped in front of You Jie, shielding the others behind her as well. Two yellow, two purple, three black, and one red Soul Ring appeared almost instantly, and the imposing aura of a Soul Douluo burst forth.
Because of a certain Holy Spirit Cult Supreme Elder's utter irresponsibility, Zhang Lexuan had developed an especially vigilant habit, particularly when faced with something like a strange spiritual fluctuation on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
At the same time, You Jie's voice rang out.
"Brother Bei Bei, Tang Ya, fall back and protect Huo Yuhao!
"Sister Lexuan, I'm here to help!
"Rip open the darkness, burn heaven and earth to ashes, proud and peerless king!
"Show off your might, disdainful of all creation!
"Red Dragon Archfiend!"
As the three Soul Rings on You Jie's right arm lit up one after another, several monsters appeared in an instant, before transforming into green rings and a beam of light that shot straight into the sky—all before Bei Bei and the others could make out what was happening.
Then, a dark red dragon emerged from the beam of light and stood before the group.
But You Jie knew that this was the moment in the original story when Prisoner Huo and Sky Dream Ice Silkworm merged, and that Electrolux was about to arrive. There was also Di Tian deeper within the Star Dou Great Forest.
If he only brought out a Rank Eight monster, his current strength wouldn't be enough to win Electrolux over.
So You Jie gritted his teeth and continued the Synchronization.
"This isn't over!
"Demon King released from the darkness of the abyss, let your fury burst forth!
"Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss!"
In the next instant, the original dark red dragon turned into a beam of light. When the light faded, a mightier, more imposing dark red dragon stood where it had been.
Meanwhile, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had just successfully delivered a somewhat pretentious line in Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness. Now, seeing a human woman Soul Douluo before him, along with a dark red dragon whose aura seemed even more terrifying than Di Tian's, he was completely dumbfounded.
"No way, man. I just wanted to become that guy's Wisdom Soul Ring..."
Although Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had a million years of cultivation, its current fighting strength was downright pitiful.
What's more, it had a feeling that if it didn't surrender obediently, its fate might be even worse than getting sucked dry in the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Uh..."
Huo Yuhao stared in surprise at the giant bug that had suddenly appeared, unsure what to say.
Beside him, Bei Bei and Tang Ya had both collapsed unconscious from the spiritual shock. You Jie and Zhang Lexuan, meanwhile, were ready to attack at any moment. Zhang Lexuan's eighth Soul Ring even looked ready to light up.
"Yuhao, you decide. Should we blow this bug to pieces, or let it become your Wisdom Soul Ring?"
You Jie glanced back at Huo Yuhao, then looked toward the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The sky over there had already turned completely black. Di Tian had clearly sensed that something was wrong.
At the same time, a small gray orb appeared in the sky. It seemed to hesitate for a moment before flying straight into You Jie's Sea of Consciousness.
"Hold the sun and moon in my hands, pluck the stars from the sky—none in this world can compare to me!
"I never thought this old man would still have a wisp of a remnant soul left."
You Jie clenched his fist without thinking, his hand even trembling a little with excitement.
Electrolux, get da☆ze!
"Brother You Jie, I'm willing to let it become my Soul Ring."
Huo Yuhao didn't take long to decide.
A Soul Beast that could put a Soul Douluo powerhouse on guard must have an exceptionally powerful Soul Ring. That would make it much easier for him to grow strong and take revenge on the White Tiger Duke Mansion.
You Jie nodded, then looked toward the Star Dou Great Forest again.
Before you continue