Hunting Soul Beasts, Theoretical Master

The next day!

Early in the morning, Qi Dao's family prepared water and dry rations before setting out for Soul Hunting Forest.

Soul Hunting Forest lay four hundred li northeast of Notting City and was one of the places within the Heaven Dou Empire where soul beasts were kept in captivity.

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The vast majority of low-level soul masters entered Soul Hunting Forest to hunt their first soul ring.

Of course, Soul Hunting Forest mostly contained ten-year and hundred-year soul beasts. Thousand-year soul beasts were exceedingly rare.

To obtain a soul ring over a thousand years old, one could only visit natural hunting grounds, such as Star Dou Great Forest, Sunset Forest, the Extreme North, and so on.

Moreover, Soul Hunting Forest had another drawback: its variety of soul beasts was relatively limited, especially rare soul beasts with powerful bloodlines.

However, Qi Dao did not believe that one's first soul ring had to come from some incredibly powerful soul beast.

What suited oneself was the best!

If he could increase the soul ring's age while keeping it suitable for himself, that would naturally be ideal.

But if he could not absorb a soul ring at the limit of his capacity, there was no need to dwell on it or stubbornly force the issue.

The three of them traveled by carriage for an entire day before reaching their destination.

Outside Soul Hunting Forest stood large stretches of houses and shops. Vendors' cries rose and fell, and the streets were bustling with activity.

After the carriage stopped, Qi Dao's family soon arrived before a house.

When they pushed open the door, they found five people inside, some sitting and some standing. All of them were members of Father Qi and Mother Qi's soul hunting group.

Though it was called a soul hunting group, there were only seven members in total, including Father Qi and Mother Qi.

When the five saw the three members of the Qi family, their gazes immediately turned toward them. The two who had been seated also rose to greet them.

"Captain, Vice Captain, you're here!"

Father Qi smiled faintly. "We'll have to trouble everyone this time!"

One gentle-looking woman smiled. "Captain, you're being too formal. Qi Dao is our nephew too."

The others echoed her words.

This was also one of the benefits of their soul hunting group.

Whenever a team member's child needed a soul ring, the soul hunting group would help hunt one unconditionally.

Another middle-aged, slightly plump man remarked with emotion, "I remember Qi Dao is only nine this year, right? He reached rank ten at nine years old—was there really no mistake in his soul power test when he awakened his martial soul?"

"Yeah. I had innate soul power rank two back then, and it took me a full six years to reach rank ten."

"Truly, each generation brings forth new talents. Qi Dao will definitely surpass us in the future and become a powerful soul master."

The members of the soul hunting group glanced at Qi Dao, their eyes filled with curiosity, but even more so with envy.

Especially when they compared Qi Dao to their own children, anger immediately rose within them, and their fists started itching.

After chatting for a while longer, Father Qi said, "All right, let's set out!"

Everyone nodded in unison and then left the house.

Before long, they arrived at the entrance to Soul Hunting Forest.

A squad of one hundred soldiers patrolled the area. When they saw Qi Dao's group, they immediately approached.

"Pass!"

Father Qi immediately took a token from his waist.

This token was a pass for Soul Hunting Forest and required the joint guarantee of three nobles to obtain.

Without a pass, one could not enter Soul Hunting Forest to hunt soul beasts.

Back then, Father Qi had only managed to obtain this pass after asking Headmaster Hans to intervene.

After inspecting the token in Father Qi's hand, the soldier immediately let them through.

"Go in!"

After entering Soul Hunting Forest, the gentle-looking woman from before asked, "Captain, do you have any targets in mind for Qi Dao's first soul ring?"

Father Qi looked at Qi Dao.

Qi Dao took the initiative. "Aunt Ye Hui, let me explain."

"For my first soul ring, I want to absorb a metal-element soul beast. An Ironclad Turtle, an Ironbone Wolf, a Silverwing Bird, or Golden Sword Bamboo would all work."

"Also, I hope my first soul ring can come from a soul beast over five hundred years old."

"Five hundred years?!"

In an instant, everyone except Father Qi and Mother Qi cried out in shock, their gazes snapping toward Qi Dao.

Ye Hui looked solemnly at Father Qi and Mother Qi.

"Captain, absorbing a soul ring is no trivial matter. If it fails, someone could die!"

The others also wore more worried expressions.

Most of the Soul Hunting Group members came from humble backgrounds, and their first soul rings had only been ten-year soul rings.

In their minds, even a first soul ring just over a hundred years old was already incredibly impressive.

Moreover, after living all these years, they had never heard of anyone whose first soul ring exceeded five hundred years.

Forget the first soul ring—among those present, even their second soul rings generally ranged only from three hundred to five hundred years.

That was precisely why they were so shocked upon hearing that Qi Dao wanted to absorb a first soul ring over five hundred years old.

Seeing their shocked expressions, Qi Dao's parents immediately revealed looks of complete expectation.

Qi Dao's father could only explain, "I know what everyone is worried about, but rest assured. Since Dao dares to absorb a soul ring over five hundred years old, he naturally has the confidence to do so."

"He's my son. I'm more concerned about his safety than any of you. If he weren't truly certain, how could I dare agree to help him hunt a soul beast over five hundred years old?"

With things put that way, although the others still found it somewhat absurd, they could only choose to believe him.

The group headed deeper into the Soul Hunting Forest. Though they encountered quite a few soul beasts along the way, most were merely ten-year soul beasts and posed no threat whatsoever.

After all, Qi Dao's parents' Soul Hunting Group was a team composed entirely of soul masters above level twenty-five.

Forget hundred-year soul beasts—even ordinary thousand-year soul beasts were nothing to fear when the seven of them worked together.

"Uncles, Aunties, Ironclad Turtles have a strong sense of territory and like to move around in shallow waters or on muddy riverbanks. We can first check near the waters of the mixed zone. We might find something."

Qi Dao suggested as he walked among the group.

The others looked at Qi Dao with mild surprise after hearing this.

Ye Hui said, "Dao, it seems you've got a pretty solid grasp of theoretical knowledge!"

Qi Dao humbly replied, "I liked reading when I was at the academy. My teachers taught me many things."

"Alright, then we'll listen to Dao and check the waters in the mixed zone first."

With a target in mind, the group immediately picked up their pace.

Several hours later.

A vast expanse of water appeared before them.

The Soul Hunting Forest was quite large. It had mountains and lakes, with all sorts of ecosystems.

"An Ironclad Turtle!"

A burly middle-aged man in the Soul Hunting Group pointed at a dark turtle lazily crawling along the shallows in the distance and shouted.

Another man shook his head.

"Unfortunately, judging by its size, it isn't even a hundred-year soul beast."

"No rush. We'll keep looking. This body of water is huge."

Qi Dao surveyed the area and offered his suggestion.

"If the Soul Hunting Forest truly has an Ironclad Turtle over five hundred years old, it must hold an exceptional position in these waters and occupy the most favorable territory for its daily hunting."

"Also, Ironclad Turtles are drawn to metal. If we can find ore containing metal, we can search around that area..."

After hearing Qi Dao's analysis and insights, looks of astonishment flashed across their faces.

One of them could not help saying, "This kid Dao really knows his stuff!"

"Even if he can't become a powerful soul master in the future, he can still become a theoretical master."

Qi Dao raised a brow at that.

A theoretical master?

That was hardly a compliment on the Douluo Continent!