Star Dou Great Forest

After giving her instructions, Xu Jiujiu looked at Yin Chen, a faint, barely perceptible anticipation in her tone:

"Yin Chen, your talent is unprecedented. Your first Soul Ring is of utmost importance; we absolutely cannot settle for just anything. We must find the most suitable Soul Ring for you. Time-attribute Soul Beasts are indeed rare and difficult to find, but wind, light, and spatial Soul Beasts related to them—even certain mental-attribute Soul Beasts—may grant you powerful soul skills. We must obtain your first Soul Ring as soon as possible."

The instant Xu Jiujiu finished speaking, a cool, aloof voice rang directly within the depths of Yin Chen's mind. It was Istaroth, sleeping within his spiritual space.

"How can the power of mortal Soul Beasts taint time itself?"

Istaroth said little, but Yin Chen understood everything at once. His Martial Soul stood at an exceptionally high level; the power of Soul Beasts could not affect it. No matter what attribute of Soul Ring he absorbed, his soul skills would not change. They would only be of the Time System.

In other words, the source of his soul skills depended entirely on his Martial Soul itself. Soul Rings were more like keys or catalysts for energy.

Likewise, no matter what age of Soul Ring he absorbed, it could not cause his Martial Soul to evolve. Unlike other Soul Masters, whose Martial Souls could potentially evolve after absorbing high-level Soul Rings.

But Yin Chen did not mind. This only further proved the strength of his Martial Soul. Even a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring could not transform it, proving just how exalted its status was.

As for the safety of their journey to the Star Dou Great Forest, Yin Chen was not worried.

With Nebula Douluo Manyi, a powerful Title Douluo, protecting them, as long as they did not venture deep into the Core Area and provoke those terrifying beings, they could practically do as they pleased in the Mixed Area and outer regions.

Xu Jiujiu had her own reasons for making this decision as well.

She looked at Yin Chen and added:

"Actually, I happen to need my third Soul Ring as well. We can take care of both matters during this trip."

Hearing that, Yin Chen looked at Xu Jiujiu with slight surprise.

A Soul Elder at twelve years old? Her talent was indeed top-tier.

After all, Xu Jiujiu's Martial Soul was the top-tier support-type Martial Soul—the Star Crown.

Support-type Soul Masters inherently cultivated more slowly than battle Soul Masters, and the Star Crown Spirit had an additional special restriction.

It could only achieve peak cultivation efficiency at night, by drawing upon the power of the stars.

Under such harsh cultivation conditions, Xu Jiujiu had still broken through to the Soul Elder realm at the age of twelve. In the entire inheritance history of the Star Crown Spirit, she was undoubtedly among the very best.

"So Your Highness needs a Soul Ring as well. Then this works out perfectly."

Yin Chen nodded in reply.

At the fork ahead, the carriage changed direction and sped toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

Inside the carriage, Xu Jiujiu looked at Yin Chen across from her. He had withdrawn his Martial Soul and returned to his quiet demeanor, filling her heart with anticipation.

She was incomparably curious. Once this boy, who seemed to embody countless miracles, obtained his first Soul Ring, what kind of time-based soul skill would he reveal to astonish the world?

And she herself would officially become a three-ring Soul Elder during this journey to the Star Dou Great Forest.

The road ahead seemed all the more captivating because of the white-haired boy beside her.

The Star Luo Empire's territory was vast. Traveling from Yuming City on its western border to the Star Dou Great Forest in the center of Douluo Continent took nearly three days, even in an exceptional royal Soul Guidance Carriage traveling day and night.

When the carriage finally came to a gradual stop and Yin Chen followed Xu Jiujiu out, a warm breeze carrying the fragrance of earth, the freshness of plants, and a certain primitive wildness rushed toward them. It was completely different from the dry, metallic-smelling wind of Yuming City.

Before them stretched an endless sea of lush green.

Towering ancient trees rose from the earth, their crowns blotting out the sky like canopies. Vines coiled and hung like giant pythons, while all manner of exotic flowers and plants competed in splendor, overflowing with vigorous life.

Yet beneath that thriving vitality, the faint roars of unknown beasts and the piercing cries of birds constantly reminded every visitor that countless dangers and opportunities lay hidden here.

This was one of Douluo Continent's most famous and vast Soul Beast habitats—the Star Dou Great Forest.

Xu Jiujiu stood beside Yin Chen, gazing over the boundless forest sea before them, a trace of solemnity in her violet eyes.

She turned toward the white-haired, golden-eyed boy beside her, who was quietly observing the forest. Remembering that he was only six and likely knew little of the common knowledge of the Soul Master world, she naturally took on the role of guide, her voice crisp and clear:

"Yin Chen, this is the Star Dou Great Forest, one of the largest and most dangerous Soul Beast forests on Douluo Continent."

She raised her hand and pointed at the endless green expanse ahead.

"They say it is larger than some duchies. Countless Soul Beasts of all kinds live within it, from the lowest ten-year Soul Beasts to legendary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts capable of rivaling Title Douluos. You might encounter any of them here."

She paused, then continued:

"Based on the cultivation age and danger level of the Soul Beasts, Soul Masters generally divide the Star Dou Great Forest into several regions. The outermost area is the edge area, where most of the Soul Beasts are low-level ten-year and hundred-year ones. It is relatively safe and where many low-level Soul Master teams obtain their first and second Soul Rings."

"Further inward lies the Mixed Area."

Xu Jiujiu's expression grew much more serious.

"That is where hundred-year and thousand-year Soul Beasts live in a mixture, and the danger rises sharply. Soul Beasts with cultivation levels of several thousand years often appear there. It is generally explored by teams of Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors seeking their third and fourth Soul Rings, and even they must proceed with utmost caution."

"Further in lies the Core Area."

When she spoke those words, Xu Jiujiu's tone carried obvious, deep apprehension.

"That is a forbidden land for the weak. It is said to be home to powerful Soul Beasts over ten thousand years old and even... terrifying beings beyond the Hundred-Thousand-Year level. Unless one is a Title Douluo-level powerhouse, entering the Core Area is almost certainly a death sentence."

"Besides the Star Dou Great Forest, the other two famous Soul Beast habitats on the continent are the Evil Demon Forest in the Sun Moon Empire and the Far North Ice Plains in the Extreme North."

Xu Jiujiu added.

"Each has its own characteristics, but in terms of the variety and sheer number of Soul Beasts, the Star Dou Great Forest ranks first."

She looked at Yin Chen and concluded:

"So, the range of our activities this time will mainly be the edge area and the outer reaches of the Mixed Area. With Grandma Manyi here, as long as we do not deliberately provoke especially powerful beings, our safety is assured. All you need to do is stay close to us and do not act on your own. Do you understand?"