On the second day of being stuck at level twenty, Lin Xueli agreed to Lin Yao's plan to hunt for a Soul Ring in the Star Dou Great Forest. However, because the Douling Royal Family had made other arrangements, only a guard from the Lin Mansion could accompany Lin Yao to the Heavenly King Star Dou Great Forest.
The guard was only a Soul Emperor, but Lin Xueli trusted him. He was a child Lin Xueli had rescued from a slave market in the Dou Ling Empire years ago, and he had shared Lin Xueli's meals and home for his entire life. They were practically brothers, despite having no blood ties.
The guard didn't seem to like talking much in Lin Yao's presence. Lin Yao didn't offend the old veteran; instead, he remained courteous along the way and kept him in high spirits with his compliments.
Lin Yao wasn't the sort of young master who got cocky just because someone was nominally employed by him. In a world where extraordinary powers existed, he knew better than to offend someone nearby who was stronger than him.
The journey passed without much incident. Lin Yao sat in the carriage, watching the scenery ahead through the window.
"The Star Dou Great Forest is dozens of times more complicated than the Heaven and Earth Dragon Valley you visited before. Many powerful beings dwell there. To them, even I'm no more than an ant." The Soul Emperor finally spoke, his tone cautious as he carefully warned Lin Yao.
Lin Yao nodded. Whether because he was a transmigrator or because he had studied the information about the Star Dou Great Forest in this life, he knew the man wasn't exaggerating.
There was no need to mention the Ferocious Beasts in the forest's core area. Even the mixed area was home to several Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts and many high-ranking Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
A Soul Emperor truly amounted to little in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Lin Yao could only smile wryly. He didn't have much to say in response, so he simply nodded to show he understood.
Seeing that Lin Yao didn't object, the Soul Emperor relaxed. Then he said, "Once we enter the Star Dou Great Forest, we must stay as cautious and quiet as possible. The less we draw the Soul Beasts' attention, the less likely we are to encounter anything especially powerful."
Lin Yao nodded, then politely said, "Uncle Lin, once we enter the Star Dou Great Forest, I'll leave the route to you. As for what Soul Beast to hunt, I'll decide for myself. How does that sound?"
The Soul Emperor considered it for a moment, then nodded. He cautioned Lin Yao, "Even so, you should be careful when choosing a Soul Beast. The master said you could try challenging a thousand-year Soul Beast, but don't overestimate yourself. You should know your own body best."
Before the hunt, Lin Xueli had specifically examined Lin Yao. In truth, it had been a test of his meridian strength. According to Lin Xueli's assessment, Lin Yao's meridians were now strong enough to withstand a three-thousand-year Soul Beast and absorb a three-thousand-year Soul Ring.
A thousand-year Second Soul Ring would bring great honor to both Lin Xueli and the Lin Family.
Generally speaking, only the highest-ranking nobles could raise their children to this level.
If Lin Xueli really managed to raise Lin Yao to the point where he could obtain a thousand-year Second Soul Ring, it would elevate the Lin Mansion's standing enormously.
Lin Yao himself was interested in the matter too, though not for the sake of the Lin Mansion's standing. He was thinking about his own potential for future growth.
From a transmigrator's perspective, Lin Yao wasn't particularly far ahead anymore. His First Soul Ring was an ordinary hundred-year one; surely his Second Soul Ring couldn't be worse than Wang Dong's.
Lin Yao had no authority to look into the White Tiger Duke Mansion's situation in the Star Luo Empire, so he naturally had no idea what Huo Yuhao was up to. He didn't dare consider intercepting the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, either.
A few days later, when the carriage reached a town near the Star Dou Great Forest, the Soul Emperor took Lin Yao to stay at an inn. After arranging for the carriage to be stored, he led Lin Yao into the forest.
There was no way to take a carriage into the Star Dou Great Forest. Never mind the obvious risk of attracting Soul Beast attacks; even the horses pulling the carriage would likely collapse to their knees in terror as soon as they sensed the Soul Beasts' presence. They'd be utterly useless.
As he entered the Star Dou Great Forest for the first time, Lin Yao couldn't help spreading his arms and taking a deep breath.
The forest's fresh air made him feel invigorated. The dense undergrowth, the abundant life, the feeling of all things bursting forth and competing to flourish—none of that could be found in the city.
Of course, it was only pleasant as a brief escape. If he had to live here permanently, Lin Yao would never be able to take it.
Since their target was a thousand-year Soul Beast, preferably one of the dragon kind, Lin Yao and the Soul Emperor made it their top priority to head straight for the mixed area instead of wasting time in the forest's outskirts.
The mixed area was the most unpredictable part of the entire Star Dou Great Forest. It bordered both the outer and core areas and contained Soul Beasts at almost every level, from Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts to those only several thousand years old.
The two spent a full day crossing the outer area before entering the mixed area. As night drew near, the Soul Emperor picked a dead tree that had been struck by lightning and hollowed it out for them to rest in.
Though the lightning strike had killed the tree, its trunk remained extremely solid. Even the Soul Emperor had to use some Soul Power to hollow out a hole.
Inside the tree, they could guard against attacks from three directions and focus only on the front. It was an excellent place to keep Soul Beasts at bay and get some rest.
Nothing happened during the night. The next day, Lin Yao and the Soul Emperor entered the mixed area of the Star Dou Great Forest. The stench of blood was noticeably stronger there than in the outer area.
They walked for another half-day. At noon, as they stopped to rest beside a pool, Lin Yao looked across to the opposite bank.
A pitch-black draconic beast stood there, its massive body covered in deep-purple scales across its claws. Its pair of vertical pupils were crimson, and it stared back at Lin Yao and the Soul Emperor.
The moment the Soul Emperor saw it, delight flashed in his eyes. "It's a Shadow Earth Dragon! You're really lucky."
Lin Yao nodded slightly. He had already read every illustrated compendium of Soul Beasts in the Lin Mansion's collection, so he had recognized the beast at once. But it had only shown its head so far, making it impossible to judge its exact strength.
The Soul Emperor, however, was confident in his own abilities. He could also sense something of the Earth Dragon's strength. Turning to Lin Yao, he said, "We'll find out exactly how strong it is once we drag it out and take a closer look. Wait here. I'll pull it out in a moment..."
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