Entering the Soul Hunting Zone, Blood Blade Slays Baboon (First Update)

The next morning, at dawn.

On the outskirts of the Soul Beast Forest.

Lin Mo was fully prepared as he entered this dangerous place for the first time.

As he ventured in, low-level soul beasts occasionally darted about along the roads at the forest's edge.

Those soul beasts were too low in age, mostly Ten-Year Soul Beasts such as rabbits, wild boars, and baboons.

As he traveled, Lin Mo spotted a Wind Baboon hopping from side to side beneath a large tree, swinging its fists as though it had set its sights on him.

The Wind Baboon suddenly attacked, launching an impatient assault at him.

Seeing it truly pounce to bite him, Lin Mo's expression turned stern. He predicted the Wind Baboon's movements, and a dark crimson blood-colored curved blade appeared in his raised palm.

Squelch!

The Blood Curse Blade embedded itself precisely into the Wind Baboon's shoulder blade, then tore outward with a rip, directly severing the entire ape arm. Blood sprayed out and splattered across the grass beneath the tree.

Gravely wounded, the Wind Baboon abandoned its arm and hurriedly tried to flee.

You came all this way, and now you want to leave?!

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Mo charged forward in a single stride, gripping the Blood Curse Blade and driving it through the creature's heart from behind—

Swish!

Lin Mo decisively pulled out the blade, and blood gushed from the wound.

The Wind Baboon's body trembled before crashing to the ground. Blood flowed like a spring as its one-armed body continued crawling forward.

Before long, white mist gathered above the Wind Baboon's head, forming an ordinary white soul ring.

Standing nearby, Lin Mo slowly exhaled the foul air from his chest. The hand holding his blade trembled slightly, while blood dripped from its tip.

Ever since bathing in lightning and completing his tempering, his reaction speed had far exceeded his imagination.

God Slayer truly lived up to its name.

Lin Mo quickly calmed himself and swiftly left.

While in the Soul Beast Forest, he kept his guard at its highest level, remaining alert to any changes in his surroundings.

Lin Mo wandered around the outskirts of the Soul Beast Forest, still lacking a clear grasp of his own strength.

After using Ten-Year Soul Beasts for practice, his confidence was greatly boosted.

Further in was the range where Hundred-Year Soul Beasts roamed.

His first soul ring had to be at least a hundred-year level.

After adapting to the strength of the soul beasts on the forest's outskirts, Lin Mo began crossing the vague boundary and entered the area where Hundred-Year Soul Beasts were active.

He had not been there long before running into a team of soul masters.

There were two men and three women, all dressed alike, with steady auras.

The weakest among them were One-Ring Soul Masters, while two had even reached the level of two-ring Soul Grandmasters.

They were sitting together and resting, distributing dry rations and water. Clearly, they had come prepared.

Lin Mo deliberately slowed his steps, intending to go around them, but they still noticed him.

"Hm? Where did this little brat come from?"

A burly man with a scarred face noticed him. He set down his waterskin and looked Lin Mo up and down.

He wore coarse cloth clothes washed nearly white and looked no more than eight years old. The Soul Power fluctuations around him were weak. Clearly, he was not a soul master with rings, merely a Junior Soul Warrior.

"Coming to the Soul Hunting Forest alone? Where are the adults in your family?" The only woman in the group frowned, her tone carrying a hint of confusion.

What made them most suspicious was that this little brat was not carrying any luggage at all.

Judging by his clothes and bearing, it was hard to associate him with a storage Soul Tool.

"Looks like he sneaked out from some academy." A tall, thin young man beside them sneered, his eyes filled with disdain.

"He hasn't even grown all his hair yet. He probably doesn't even have a soul ring, and he still dares barge into the Soul Hunting Forest? He must not know how the word 'death' is written."

"I'd say he's just looking to die." The scar-faced brute snorted coldly.

"If he doesn't have the means, he should go outside and kill Ten-Year Soul Beasts for soul rings. Hundred-Year Soul Beasts appear in this area. Running into one at random would be nothing less than courting death."

"He may be young, but he's got guts. Shame his brain doesn't work very well."

The group spoke one after another, making no effort to conceal the contempt in their voices.

In their eyes, a child with no one to rely on and no soul ring entering the Soul Hunting Forest was no different from seeking death.

As for taking in a newcomer?

They had come to the Soul Beast Forest with their own purpose. With no benefit to gain, why would they have time to fuss over a child?

Lin Mo paid them no heed, his expression calm as if he had not heard their mockery.

He did not explain himself, nor was there any need to waste words on irrelevant passersby.

Lin Mo turned and headed toward the other side of the team. His figure quickly disappeared into the dense forest, without saying a single word the entire time.

"Heh, pretty arrogant." The tall, thin young man sneered.

"I bet he won't last through the night. Maybe he's already crying for his mother in fright."

"Forget him. You can't stop someone determined to die. Let's rest up and enter deeper after nightfall to look for our target soul beast." The scar-faced man who seemed to be the captain spoke in a deep voice, completely ignoring the child.

Lin Mo continued several miles deeper into the Soul Beast Forest.

This was the activity range of Hundred-Year Soul Beasts. It carried a certain level of danger, so he had to be careful.

After confirming that no one was nearby, he finally stopped.

Ancient trees grew densely here, and the terrain dipped slightly, offering excellent concealment. It was exactly the kind of place he wanted.

Lightning-attribute soul beasts were already rare. Searching aimlessly along the forest's outskirts was far too inefficient.

A trace of anticipation flashed in Lin Mo's eyes.

"It's time to try that ability."

[Special Skill: Weather Manipulation]

[Effect: Change the Weather within a radius of five hundred meters for a quarter of an hour. Cooldown: three days]

This was the trump card the system had granted him after his martial soul awakened.

Lin Mo took a deep breath and focused his mind into his dantian.

The originally gloomy sky suddenly began to churn at that moment.

Dark clouds gathered at a visible speed, piling layer upon layer like spilled ink, swiftly blotting out the last trace of daylight.

A fierce wind abruptly rose, howling through the forest and sending the branches and leaves swaying wildly.

The moisture in the air was violently stirred, condensing into fine strands of rain that fell from the sky.

Drip... drip...

The rain grew heavier and heavier, turning from a drizzle into a torrential downpour that battered the leaves and ground with dense pattering sounds.

Rumble—

Low thunder rolled through the clouds as streaks of purple lightning coursed like giant dragons, tearing apart the dim sky.

In mere moments.

The area within five hundred meters had become a thunderstorm.

Violent lightning energy filled the air, so dense it was nearly tangible.

Lin Mo stood in the curtain of rain, lightning flickering around his body as a trace of comfort appeared on his face.

Thunder Hell Vine cheered wildly within him like a beast that had been starving for ages, greedily Devouring the lightning energy in the air. His Soul Power surged at a terrifying rate.

"It worked. It really worked!"

Joy rose in Lin Mo's heart.

The rainstorm had arrived, and his purpose of drawing lightning had been achieved.

Almost the instant the thunderstorm took shape, the system's prompt suddenly rang out in rapid succession, and a translucent system panel appeared directly before his eyes!

[Ding! Detected a lightning-attribute plant-type soul beast within a radius of five hundred meters: Four-Hundred-Year Golden Thunder Bamboo]

[Soul beast location: Four hundred and thirty meters due west, in a low-lying area of the dense forest. Precise coordinates have been marked for the host]

Lin Mo's gaze sharpened abruptly. This system even had a tracking function?