Star Dou Great Forest

Even the referee was a few seconds slow in stepping up to announce the result of the Soul Fight.

"The Soul Fight is over. Soul Master Giant Strength wins!"

After the result was confirmed, Tie Li stepped down from the Soul Fighting Arena.

He first returned to the lounge, retrieved his belongings from the small cabinet, then went to the front desk to collect his Soul Fight reward.

He had earned ten Gold Soul Coins that easily, and his heart was filled with delight.

After returning to the wooden cabin, Tie Li continued meditating and cultivating as usual. When the agreed time arrived, he went to the shop as promised.

A clerk led Tie Li into the manager's office.

Besides the manager, there was another Soul Master in the office. The Soul Power fluctuations emanating from him felt exceptionally robust.

"I won't waste words. He is the leader of the Senluo Soul Hunting Group and can take on your task, but there will be some changes. Leader Senluo, explain it yourself!"

As he spoke, the manager gestured for Tie Li to sit opposite Senluo.

"I've accepted the task, but you'll need to add another hundred Gold Soul Coins."

Hm?

Tie Li frowned. The additional Gold Soul Coins somewhat exceeded his budget. If it were only fifty more Gold Soul Coins, he could have accepted it.

"I can guarantee that the Thunder Python we hunt will be over six hundred years old." Seeing Tie Li hesitate, Senluo immediately added.

Tie Li's tightly furrowed brow relaxed, and he took out six hundred Gold Soul Coins and placed them on the table.

"Leader Senluo, you won't mind if I take some of the Thunder Python's flesh and blood afterward, will you?"

According to the rules, a Soul Beast's corpse belonged to the Soul Hunting Group. The group merely helped the client obtain a Soul Ring.

"Of course not."

Seeing Tie Li be so straightforward, Senluo was naturally happy to agree.

After taking the money pouch and carefully counting its contents to confirm there was no mistake, Senluo took out sixty Gold Soul Coins in front of Tie Li and handed them to the manager.

Tie Li found this perfectly normal. This was a transaction to begin with, and only when both sides profited could a business last. It further confirmed the Senluo Soul Hunting Group's reliability.

"Then, Soul Master Tie Li, when do you plan to leave with us?"

"Any time."

"Good. My team members happen to be waiting for a task. Let's leave now!"

The two walked out of the shop. A short man stood outside, and he was one of the Senluo Soul Hunting Group's members.

"Gis, go back and notify everyone. Gather outside the city gates," Senluo said to him.

"Alright, Captain."

Tie Li took the opportunity to observe this Four-Ring Soul Ancestor. His clothing appeared to be made from the hide of some Soul Beast and was extremely tough. He had a towering build and stood over two meters tall.

Tie Li looked exceptionally skinny standing beside him!

While they had been in the shop, Senluo had given Tie Li a detailed explanation of his Soul Hunting Group's strength.

Besides himself, a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, there were two Three-Ring Soul Elders and five Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters.

Among the many Soul Hunting Groups, this strength placed them in the upper-middle tier.

With their teamwork, hunting a Thunder Python over six hundred years old would not be a problem.

Moreover, from Senluo's tone during their conversation, Tie Li had keenly sensed something.

They must have learned the location of the Thunder Python. Otherwise, how could they dare guarantee it was over six hundred years old?

They had confidence, which was why they dared name such a price.

Tie Li and Senluo left the city gates first. Before long, every member of the Senluo Soul Hunting Group had arrived.

Their clothing varied, but each wore a badge on his chest symbolizing the Senluo Soul Hunting Group.

"Boss, we're here!" the short man shouted excitedly. His Soul Power Level ranked near the bottom of the group, but he was always enthusiastic about every mission.

From the Soul Power fluctuations around them, Tie Li could roughly gauge their Soul Power Levels.

The group's two Soul Elders were likely the rugged, bearded man and the refined man in formal wear.

The formal wear he wore was badly tattered and covered in patches, while a faint smile hung on his face.

"Very good. Let's go!"

The Star Dou Great Forest lay south of Dragon Prosperity City. As an experienced Soul Hunting Group, they had prepared a large carriage for transporting the corpses of the Soul Beasts they hunted.

The horses responsible for hauling cargo were no ordinary horses. They were Hornscale Horses with Soul Beast bloodlines, and they were far from cheap.

There was no cargo in the carriage now, so everyone sat aboard chatting while the bearded man drove. The two Hornscale Horses possessed tremendous strength.

An ordinary carriage might need a full day to reach the town near the Star Dou Great Forest, but pulled by Hornscale Horses, they did not even need half a day.

After settling the Hornscale Horses in town, Tie Li followed the Senluo Soul Hunting Group into the Star Dou Great Forest.

The instant he stepped into the Star Dou Great Forest, its primitive aura made Tie Li's hair stand on end, and the circulation of Soul Power within his body accelerated by thirty percent.

"Haha, I was the same when I first entered the Star Dou Great Forest," the bearded man laughed.

Tie Li gave an awkward smile. The tension in his heart kept him constantly alert, watching every change around him.

Although they knew the area where the Thunder Python was located, everyone in the Senluo Soul Hunting Group remained extremely cautious.

After all, this was the Star Dou Great Forest. Even Thousand-Year Soul Beasts could appear in its outer regions.

Senluo took out a special powder from his pocket. It smelled foul, but he did not mind at all as he scattered it over everyone.

"Hehe, don't underestimate this stuff. One packet costs several Gold Soul Coins. Spread it on yourselves, and you won't have to worry about low-level Soul Beasts bothering you."

Hearing Senluo's somewhat lewd tone, Tie Li could guess that this was probably the dried, powdered dung of a high-level Soul Beast. Sprinkling it over oneself could indeed prevent many potential dangers.

As expected, every part of a high-level Soul Beast was valuable. Even its dung could sell for so much.

Perhaps because they were about to reach the Thunder Python's territory, everyone slowed their steps and cautiously watched their surroundings.

The scent of high-level Soul Beast dung could ward off low-level Soul Beasts, but entering another high-level Soul Beast's territory while carrying that scent was a blatant provocation.

And what the Senluo Soul Hunting Group was doing now was provoking the master of this territory.

"Screeech-roar!"

Hearing the roar from deeper within the forest, along with the sound of a massive body crashing through trees, everyone's expressions changed.

"Soul Master Tie Li, fall back first," Senluo immediately said to Tie Li.

Tie Li also understood his situation. Staying would not offer them any help; instead, it would only distract them.

He immediately retreated a hundred meters. When he turned around, he saw the Thunder Python's enormous body.

Then, dazzling Soul Rings rose beneath their feet.

Senluo's Martial Soul was a Giant Bear. His already burly body swelled again, nearing three meters in height. Brown fur gave him a heavy, imposing presence, and beneath his feet was a Soul Ring configuration of one white, two yellow, and one purple.

Next were the two Three-Ring Soul Elders. The bearded man possessed a Mammoth Martial Soul, a defense-type Martial Soul, with one white and two yellow Soul Rings.

The formal-wear man's Martial Soul was a long staff inlaid with three gemstones. The gemstones' colors corresponded to his Soul Ring configuration: one white, one yellow, and one purple.

The remaining Soul Grandmasters all possessed one white and one yellow Soul Ring.

Seeing the two Soul Rings radiating purple light, Tie Li's heart finally settled.