Five of Them Hunt Soul Beasts on Their Own

Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded slightly. "Rest assured, Your Holiness. I will personally set up the defenses."

Snake Lance Douluo nodded, then turned and flew toward the perimeter.

Bibi Dong turned to Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei.

"Elder Chrysanthemum, you will handle the outer perimeter. Elder Ghost..."

Gui Mei's shadowy figure leaned forward slightly.

"You will conceal yourself in the shadows and secretly observe the performance of those five."

Gui Mei said nothing. He merely nodded slightly, and his figure vanished as though it had melted into the air.

Bibi Dong turned to face the five of them.

The Pope's majesty faded from her expression, replaced by a scrutinizing, contemplative look.

"Today's soul beast hunt will be completed by the five of you alone."

Yan was the first to jump out.

"Your Holiness, we're going by ourselves?"

Bibi Dong glanced at him, her tone calm, as though she were discussing something trivial.

"Yes. The five of you will enter the forest alone, hunt soul beasts, and obtain your respective Soul Rings."

The training ground instantly fell silent.

Not because they were afraid, but because they were surprised.

Yan opened his mouth, Hu Liena's brows drew together slightly, and Xie Yue's cold expression all revealed their nervousness.

Then again, it made sense. They were still just children.

Even Qian Renxue, the eldest among them, was only nine years old. Feeling nervous was perfectly normal.

Neither Qian Renxue nor Fang Mo showed any emotional reaction.

Qian Renxue was used to being alone. She had only recently become close with Fang Mo and the others.

As for Fang Mo, he understood Bibi Dong's intentions.

Sending the five of them to hunt soul beasts was also a test for them.

Bibi Dong's gaze swept across the five as she continued.

"Someone will protect you from the shadows and ensure that your lives are not in danger, but..."

Her tone grew slightly heavier.

"They will not intervene. Unless you are on the verge of a life-or-death crisis, no one will help you.

"You must choose your own targets, devise your own tactics, and then resolve the battle yourselves."

"Your Holiness."

Hu Liena spoke, her voice steady. "Are there any requirements for our target soul beasts?"

Bibi Dong nodded slightly, took out a parchment scroll from her robes, and casually tossed it into the air.

The parchment unfurled in midair, revealing a highly detailed map of soul beast distributions before the five of them.

"There are many types of soul beasts here. Based on your needs, I have marked the areas where your target soul beasts can be found."

Bibi Dong pointed to several locations on the map.

"Qian Renxue, for a sacred-attribute third Soul Ring, your target age is between three thousand and five thousand years.

"Deep in the forest lies a territory of Radiant Sky Deer. They are the most suitable soul beasts for the Six-Winged Angel."

Qian Renxue nodded slightly.

"Hu Liena, Xie Yue, for your second Soul Rings, your target age is between nine hundred and thirteen hundred years.

"In the forest's northeastern corner is a Moon Shadow Fox habitat. Their attributes are the most compatible with yours."

Hu Liena and Xie Yue exchanged a glance.

"Yan, your second Soul Ring should likewise be between nine hundred and thirteen hundred years.

"On the western side of the forest is a volcanic rock region inhabited by a group of Magma Lizards. Their numbers are small, but their attributes are suitable."

Her gaze finally fell on Fang Mo.

"Fang Mo..." She paused. "You choose your own target. Know your limits."

Fang Mo was slightly startled.

There was a deeper meaning in Bibi Dong's eyes, one only he could understand.

She knew that Fang Mo had his own plans. Rather than forcibly assigning him a target, it was better to let him decide for himself.

Fang Mo fell silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"This disciple understands."

Bibi Dong turned away, her back to the five of them, and her voice regained the Pope's authority.

"Rest briefly, then depart at once. Return here to gather before sunset."

She took several steps forward, then suddenly stopped without turning back.

"Remember, you do not represent only yourselves. You represent Spirit Hall's future."

A quarter of an hour later.

Fang Mo stood at the edge of the forest and glanced back at the camp.

Bibi Dong was watching them from afar, her battle armor gleaming with a cold light beneath the sun.

Fang Mo could sense at least three Title Douluo-level auras covering the entire area like an invisible net.

Safe, but without intervention.

"Everyone ready?"

Fang Mo turned to look at the other four beside him.

Qian Renxue stood at the front, her golden ponytail tied high, exposing her slender neck.

"You don't need to worry about me."

Qian Renxue's tone was calm, though the corners of her lips curled slightly.

Hu Liena adjusted her cuffs nearby, a trace of surprise in her purple eyes.

"Fang Mo, are you sure you want to act alone?"

"Mm." Fang Mo nodded. "My target is different from yours."

Yan crossed his arms, looking thoroughly puzzled.

"You're only level eighteen, and you're going deep into the forest alone? Aren't you afraid a soul beast will slap you to death?"

"Don't worry." Fang Mo glanced at him. "I know what I'm doing."

Xie Yue said nothing, merely nodding slightly in acknowledgment.

"Then we split up."

Fang Mo looked at Qian Renxue.

"Xue'er, if you run into something you can't handle, fire a signal flare immediately."

Qian Renxue nodded slightly. "You be careful too."

Fang Mo nodded slightly.

"You too."

Fang Mo headed north alone.

The depths of the forest were darker than its outskirts. The trees grew far denser, and the sunlight was almost completely blocked out.

The air was highly humid, carrying the smell of decaying vegetation.

Fang Mo slowed his pace.

The Azure Soul-Condensing Orchid had strengthened Dong'er's soul form. As his Martial Soul, Dong'er in turn expanded the range of his spiritual perception.

"There's a three-hundred-year Gale Wolf ahead. Kill it and devour it directly."

Dong'er's voice rang out in his mind.

"First Soul Skill, Dark Hidden Erosion."

Fang Mo did not hesitate in the slightest. After using his first Soul Skill, he summoned the Rakshasa Scythe and charged forward.

Fang Mo's cultivation method had determined his way of doing things.

Hunt soul beasts, devour them to grow stronger, increase Soul Power, and indirectly raise the age of his Soul Rings.

He would not claim that he hunted only evil soul beasts. Killing was killing; there was nothing to explain.

Thus, the soul beasts within Sunset Forest entered their darkest hour.

While hunting soul beasts, Fang Mo raised both his Soul Power Level and the age of his first Soul Ring.

After hunting several soul beasts, Fang Mo's cultivation successfully reached level twenty.

His first Martial Soul, Rakshasa God Bibi Dong, had seen the age of its first Soul Ring rise to eight hundred years.

Now that he had reached level twenty, it was time to consider obtaining his second Soul Ring.

However, Fang Mo did not know that his teacher, Pope Bibi Dong, had been watching him from the shadows all along.

Fang Mo did not know, but Spirit Dong'er knew perfectly well. Still, she did not tell him.

Seeing Fang Mo improve so quickly, Bibi Dong could not help feeling a trace of surprise.

When Bibi Dong learned that the soul within the Martial Soul was herself, she knew her future self had good judgment, so she allowed Fang Mo to improve so rapidly.

As for rapid cultivation causing an unstable foundation, she trusted that Fang Mo and she herself would know their limits.