Departure! Target, Soul Hunting Forest!

The system's chime shattered the warmth and tranquility within the Paradise.

Li Hao leaned against the doorframe, feeling the soul power surging within his body, only to be blocked by an invisible barrier.

A long-absent sense of urgency welled up in his heart.

He could no longer afford to be a slacker.

At least, not until he possessed the absolute ability to protect himself.

He took a deep breath and turned back toward the small wooden cabin.

Watching his family—one planning out the land, the other frolicking with a small deer—he spoke up.

"I need to go out for a while."

As soon as these words left his lips, the joyful atmosphere in the Paradise instantly froze.

Xiao Wu stopped chasing a butterfly and whipped her head around.

Her large eyes were instantly filled with unease.

Cailin, who had been surveying the terrain on the hillside, flickered and appeared silently before Li Hao.

Those golden vertical pupils held a hint of scrutiny.

"Papa, where are you going?"

Xiao Wu ran over, hugging his leg once more and looking up with a small face, terrified that he might vanish.

"To obtain my third soul ring."

Li Hao told the truth.

He pointed to himself.

"I'm stuck at level twenty-nine right now; I can't advance any further."

"I'll go with you!" Xiao Wu blurted out, "Xiao Wu is very strong now, I can protect Papa!"

"I shall accompany you as well."

Cailin's declaration was more concise, yet carried an indisputable sense of resolve.

"The human world is far more dangerous than you imagine."

Li Hao's head throbbed instantly.

Go together?

What kind of joke was that?

He looked at the two peerless beauties before him, one big and one small, feeling a massive headache coming on.

One was a little girl, carved from pink jade and cute enough to be a crime, yet she was essentially a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

The other was a cold, noble, and extraordinary woman, radiating an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance.

If this group walked down the street, the head-turning rate would be three hundred percent.

That wouldn't be going to hunt for a soul ring.

That would be like carrying a ten-thousand-watt searchlight and shouting to the whole world: "Come look! We have a great treasure here, come and snatch it!"

"No."

Li Hao's refusal was crisp and clean, leaving no room for negotiation.

This was the first time he had spoken to them in such a serious tone.

Xiao Wu's mouth pouted, and her eyes instantly turned red.

Cailin's golden pupils narrowed slightly, and the surrounding air seemed to drop by several degrees.

"Why?" Xiao Wu asked, feeling wronged.

"You two are too conspicuous."

Li Hao crouched down and patiently explained.

"Xiao Wu, do you remember that bad person from before? They are from the Martial Soul Hall, the most powerful organization in this world. They are certainly still searching for us everywhere."

"Both you and Sister Cailin are too unique."

"Once they discover us, none of us will be able to escape."

His words made Xiao Wu nod in a way that showed she only half-understood, yet she remained uneasy.

Cailin fell silent.

She certainly understood this logic.

She was simply worried about Li Hao being alone.

A master with only level twenty-nine soul power and almost zero combat experience entering the perilous Soul Hunting Forest alone—how was that any different from seeking death?

"You are in even more danger alone," Cailin said, hitting the nail on the head.

"I have my own methods."

Li Hao stood up, his tone carrying an unprecedented sense of confidence.

"Trust me, I am much better at staying alive than you imagine."

After all, playing it safe was his life creed.

Watching Li Hao's unshakeable posture, Cailin remained silent for a long time before finally compromising.

She knew that while this man usually appeared easygoing and laid-back, once he made a decision, no one could change it.

"Fine."

She uttered the single word and turned to walk into the small wooden cabin.

Xiao Wu looked at Li Hao, then at Cailin's retreating back, and ultimately chose to be obedient.

"Then... Daddy, you must come back early."

"I will." Li Hao smiled and ruffled her hair.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, as Li Hao prepared to set off, Cailin found him.

She handed over several small jade bottles of various colors.

"Inside are three types of lethal poison I refined from my own snake venom. They kill on contact; anyone below the level of a Title Douluo will die instantly upon exposure."

She then took out several other bottles.

"These are the corresponding antidotes, along with some pills that can neutralize a hundred poisons. Remember, do not use them unless absolutely necessary."

Her expression remained cold, but the concern in her words could not be hidden.

Li Hao solemnly accepted these trump cards for survival, a warmth spreading through his heart.

"Thank you."

Just then, Xiao Wu also ran over.

In her hand, she held a slightly crude bracelet she had woven overnight.

The bracelet was made from her own softest pink rabbit fur, carrying a faint scent of fresh grass.

She stood on her tiptoes and clumsily fastened the bracelet onto Li Hao's wrist.

"Daddy, with this, Xiao Wu can always feel you. You must also feel that Xiao Wu is accompanying you!"

Li Hao looked at the soft touch of pink on his wrist, feeling a place in his heart completely filled.

This was family.

This was the bond he wanted to protect no matter what.

After the final farewell, Li Hao went to the edge of Paradise alone.

He looked at the empty void and took out the unremarkable Karma Rod.

"System, if I fish for myself, what will happen?"

[Theoretically, the host can fish for any karmic concept related to yourself, including but not limited to: luck, inspiration, or a future opportunity... but it is equally possible to fish up a future disaster.]

[Do you wish to fish?]

"Since I'm already here, I have to try."

Li Hao steeled himself.

"Target: my good luck for the next three hours!"

He cast the fishing rod toward himself, a symbolic gesture.

The fishing line sank into his body, bringing a strange sensation.

A moment later, he gave a sharp tug.

[Ding!]

[Successfully fished a thread of your own future good luck. Within three hours, the probability of "accidents" occurring will be in your favor.]

It worked!

Li Hao felt his entire body lighten, as if some invisible, beneficial force had been bestowed upon him.

He did not delay any longer, changing into the most ordinary hunter's attire he had scavenged from the storage Soul Tool of the previously defeated Soul Saint, suppressing his own soul power fluctuations until they were almost imperceptible.

Then, he opened a tiny gap in the barrier of Paradise and stepped out.

The world spun.

The next second, he appeared in a dense forest on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest.

The long-lost air, filled with complex scents, rushed into his nostrils.

Following the direction in his memory, he walked toward the nearest human town.

Half a day later, a bustling small town appeared on the horizon.

The streets were filled with people and carriages, a scene of constant activity.

The hawking of vendors, the playful shouts of children, and the boisterous chatter of Soul Masters wove together into a cacophony filled with the vibrant atmosphere of human life.

Li Hao's social anxiety radar went off instantly.

He instinctively tugged at the bamboo hat on his head, wishing he could curl himself into a ball.

So many people.

Why were there so many people?

Did none of them have jobs?

He only wanted to pass through here quickly, finish his business, and return home immediately—back to that quiet Paradise where only his own kind existed.

He quickened his pace, practically fleeing through the small town until he reached his destination.

Soul Hunting Forest.

The massive archway was engraved with three bold, sweeping characters, and soldiers from the Martial Soul Hall stood guard at the entrance, conducting inspections.

A large number of Soul Masters had gathered at the forest entrance.

Some were in groups of three or five, appearing to be temporary teams.

Others were like him: lone wolves with fierce auras, traveling by themselves.

Li Hao paid the ten Gold Soul Coin entrance fee and was just about to blend into the crowd to enter the forest discreetly.

Just then.

"Stop! Don't run!"

"Damn it, catch that brat! How dare he steal from our Flying Divine Pig Group!"

A commotion and a volley of curses erupted violently from deep within the forest.

The crowd stirred, scattering to both sides to make way.

Li Hao instinctively stopped in his tracks.

He saw a figure in a wretched state come tumbling and scrambling out from a forest path, moving at an astonishing speed.

It was a boy of fourteen or fifteen, his clothes in tatters and his face filled with terror.

Yet, in his hand, he was clutching something tightly...

A sausage that was still steaming?

The boy seemed to have reached his limit; his legs gave way, and he lost his balance, falling straight toward Li Hao.

"Help! Murder!"

The shrill scream echoed throughout the entrance of the Soul Hunting Forest.