Several hours later, the group arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest.
The two Titled Douluo released their spiritual power at full force to scout the area, sweeping through every Soul Beast in a large portion of the forest's outskirts.
Before long, they found a Soul Beast suited to Han Yu's Second Martial Soul.
It was a butterfly Soul Beast about the size of a palm, with milky-white wings marked by four pale-gold stripes apiece. Using its silver antennae to sense the flow of Soul Power through the air, it searched for a safe place to forage.
Gu Rong stopped and introduced it from nearby. "Han Yu, this is a Spirit-Attracting Butterfly."
Han Yu followed his gaze and curiously studied the tiny butterfly Soul Beast. How had something so small cultivated to become a Hundred-Year Soul Beast?
"Spirit-Attracting Butterfly Soul Beasts are gentle by nature. They live in groups and dislike fighting. The spirit patterns on their wings can stabilize Soul Power, and they're extremely sensitive to fluctuations in it.
"They're a support-type Soul Beast with no offensive abilities. It's said that in ancient times, they were often used to stabilize formations and gather spiritual energy. They're natural formation amplifiers.
"This Spirit-Attracting Butterfly is just over four hundred years old, placing it right below the limit for a First Soul Ring."
Gu Rong calmly shared what he had learned from the ancient texts he'd consulted the day before.
Han Yu listened with rapt attention. He knew far too little about Soul Beasts, especially rare ones like this.
"Thank you, teacher."
Han Yu spoke sincerely, his gratitude heartfelt. It was clear that Gu Rong had specifically consulted the texts for the sake of his Second Martial Soul. Otherwise, there was no way he would know so much about a Soul Beast that suited Han Yu's Martial Soul so perfectly.
Gu Rong nodded indifferently, put an arm around Han Yu's shoulders, and instantly appeared beside the Spirit-Attracting Butterfly.
The poor little butterfly was so frightened by the Titled Douluo's pressure that it dropped onto a tree trunk, not daring to move even its wings.
Before Gu Rong, the Spirit-Attracting Butterfly—which had only just reached four hundred years—was like a speck of dust. He barely moved a finger, and it promptly fainted.
A ball of milky white landed in Han Yu's palm, its body curled up, barely half the size of his hand.
Ning Rongrong leaned over to get a better look, her eyes wide as she studied the adorable little creature. She curiously poked at it with a finger, then asked, her voice tinged with reluctance, "It's so cute. Do we really have to kill it?"
As she spoke, she gave Han Yu's sleeve a gentle tug, her gaze soft.
She had grown up with her two grandpas and knew the iron law that Soul Masters and Soul Beasts were like fire and water: one or the other had to die. But now that she was about to witness the death of a poor, weak Soul Beast with her own eyes, she couldn't help feeling reluctant.
Gu Rong and Chen Xin silently stepped back behind the two children and watched, quietly keeping track of the time.
When Gu Rong had killed his first Soul Beast, he had hesitated for a full sixty breaths.
Chen Xin had received guidance from his father and had been much faster, taking only thirty breaths.
A powerful Soul Master needed an unshakable will. It was an indispensable step on the path to becoming strong. Indecisive Soul Masters with weak wills would remain trapped at a certain level for their whole lives, tormented by their own inner demons.
If Han Yu hesitated too long here, it would mean he wasn't cut out to be a Soul Master. Having Twin Martial Souls didn't guarantee that he would reach the Titled Douluo realm and become invincible.
Han Yu covered Ning Rongrong's eyes with one hand and summoned the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords. Without hesitation, he thrust one toward the Spirit-Attracting Butterfly on the ground. The Evil-Warding Divine Thunder easily tore through its skin as the blade passed through.
He stared without blinking at the lifeless body, his face full of curiosity.
Only when specks of yellow light began to appear and gather above the Spirit-Attracting Butterfly's body did they form a yellow Soul Ring—not too pale, not too deep—that rotated slowly.
Five breaths.
Aside from the time Han Yu spent covering Ning Rongrong's eyes, he had taken only three breaths to decide to strike.
The usually composed Chen Xin could barely keep still. His brows knitted slightly as his thumb slowly rubbed against his palm, and a storm surged within him.
Only three breaths—ten times faster than he had been. What did that even mean?
His father had called Chen Xin a swordsman who devoted himself wholeheartedly to the sword, without a single distracting thought. Yet Han Yu had been even more decisive. Could he and Old Bone really teach a killing god like this?
"This kid was born to be a Soul Master." Gu Rong came back to himself, his voice full of admiration.
He was decisive when dealing with enemies, never hesitating for an instant, yet he also considered his teammates and looked after the weak. Gu Rong felt deeply gratified to have taken such a genius as his disciple in his later years.
"Han Yu, absorb the Soul Ring the way I taught you. We'll stand guard," Chen Xin said.
Ning Rongrong sprang away as if jolted by electricity and darted behind Chen Xin, her little hand touching her flushed cheek.
At Chen Xin's words, Han Yu immediately sat down.
He closed his eyes and focused, directing his Soul Power to circulate.
An unseen force drew the Soul Ring toward him. It came to a precise stop above his head, then expanded in an instant and enveloped him.
The fusion went surprisingly smoothly. Not even half an incense stick's time had passed.
Han Yu easily completed the fusion. A yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring revolved around his feet, moving in rhythm with his Soul Power.
Chen Xin smiled, looking as if he had expected this.
He had already noticed it while teaching Han Yu how to absorb a Soul Ring. He simply hadn't expected the process to go so smoothly.
"Teacher, I'm at level eleven."
"Oh? I thought you had to absorb Soul Rings for both Martial Souls before you could level up," Gu Rong asked, suddenly puzzled.
"I don't know either," Han Yu answered, blinking.
"Forget it. What's your Soul Skill?"
Fortunately, Gu Rong had only asked out of curiosity and didn't pursue the matter.
Han Yu looked pleased as he explained, "My Soul Skill is an enhancement type, but it can only affect formations. It increases a formation's spiritual-energy-gathering speed and duration by one hundred percent, and lasts for half an hour. It can't stack. I call it Spirit Attraction."
The two teachers exchanged a glance, still unsure what to make of it. What use was that?
They knew nothing about the long-lost art of formations, and this Soul Skill could only be used on formations.
Seeing their reaction, Han Yu lightly tapped the Mystic Array Disk Martial Soul with his fingertip, then flicked it at several spots. The long-lost Spirit Gathering Array appeared once more.
A moment later, the Soul Power in the surrounding area grew denser than before. When his First Soul Ring lit up, its concentration instantly doubled, reaching a third more than the original level.
Gu Rong and Chen Xin stared in shock, their faces filled with disbelief.
Increasing the concentration of Soul Power in the surrounding area—wasn't that similar to the effect of a Mimicry Cultivation Environment? And Han Yu could set one up for others. This was an indispensable need for all Soul Masters.
"Han Yu, you must never use this formation in front of outsiders," Gu Rong warned sternly, fixing his gaze on Han Yu.
Han Yu nodded.
"Next, we'll find a Soul Beast for your other Martial Soul. Since you've already become a Soul Master, I'll raise the age limit a little." Gu Rong clearly knew a thing or two about Soul Beasts. Unaware that Han Yu's meridians were far beyond ordinary, he adjusted Han Yu's Soul Ring plan based on his own experience.
As he watched Han Yu absorb the Soul Ring just now, the idea had occurred to him. Since cultivating one Martial Soul first wouldn't work, why not use the Second Martial Soul as a stepping stone and raise the limit of his main Martial Soul?