Star Dou Forest: I'll Use Myself as Bait!

Zhu Zhuqing turned to look at Dai Yunzhao.

But Dai Yunzhao merely raised a hand and ruffled her soft hair.

"You should stay in the military camp too. General Xiong Ao is trustworthy."

"I won't be gone for long. Wait for me to return."

Zhu Zhuqing had many things she wanted to say, but they all dissolved before leaving her lips.

Dai Yunzhao was far too gentle with her.

Having grown up amid her family's slaughter and strife, she had never felt such warmth.

Zhu Zhuqing clenched the hem of her clothes with both hands, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "Mm."

Xiong Ao patted his chest.

"Rest assured, Your Highness. Ever since I helped you raise a private army, I have long since cast life and death aside."

"I will definitely accomplish whatever you command."

Dai Yunzhao straightened up and bowed deeply to everyone.

"Everyone, years ago, you followed me into battle. We braved mountains of corpses and seas of blood together."

"Now, we need to fight another battle side by side. Victory means titles and glory; defeat means our corpses left to rot in the wilderness."

"Anyone who wishes to leave may do so now. Go home and care for your parents properly. I, Dai Yunzhao, will never hold it against you."

Not one of the eight hundred men moved.

Only the fierce border winds howled, making their scale armor clash together like war drums!

Dai Yunzhao laughed brightly. "Good! Then I ask these eight hundred brave men to join me once more on the battlefield and win the entire world!"

Bang!

The eight hundred warriors simultaneously raised their fists and struck their right breastplates.

"Long live Your Highness!"

Zhu Zhuyun was utterly stunned by the sight.

Eight hundred people—how could they possibly win?

Yet as they stood there, they gave off an unwavering resolve to claim victory.

Dai Yunzhao stood before them, bold and unrestrained.

He was merely a youth, yet he seemed like the pillar keeping everyone steady.

Zhu Zhuyun was certain that Dai Weisi did not possess such presence or courage.

Dai Mubai had even less!

The Dai Yunzhao standing here had been praised throughout the court and the land for years.

Was he truly this sharp and dazzling?

Even after Dai Yunzhao left, Zhu Zhuyun remained unable to recover for a long while.

Her Soul Power was once again suppressed by Xiong Ao, leaving her completely unable to move.

Her gaze fell on Zhu Zhuqing, her expression incomparably complicated. "Little sister, did you know all along that he had a chance?"

For the first time in all these years, Zhu Zhuqing saw this side of her sister.

Zhu Zhuqing was still lingering over the gentleness from before. Her voice was like the wind, easing all the pain she had endured over the years.

"I simply chose him without hesitation."

The expression on Zhu Zhuyun's face grew even more complicated.

In the end, she lowered her head. "He can't win."

It was unclear whether she said it for Zhu Zhuqing to hear or to reassure herself.

But Zhu Zhuqing's voice drifted into her ears. "He has never lost."

Dai Yunzhao and Shadow set out for the Star Dou Forest.

Dai Yunzhao did not yet have a Soul Ring of his own.

Storm Nebula Split and Wild Thunder Vajra Fist also required Soul Rings and Soul Power to bolster them.

Shadow silently followed behind Dai Yunzhao.

Dai Yunzhao spoke very softly. "Shadow, do you want to break through to Soul Sage?"

Shadow was taken aback at first, then shook his head.

"I have no means of breaking through to Soul Sage."

Shadow was a conscious puppet, and he was absolutely loyal to Dai Yunzhao.

He was also the person who had accompanied Dai Yunzhao the longest.

Dai Yunzhao had long regarded Shadow as family.

After all, his family all wanted to kill him. Only Shadow truly stood by his side!

Dai Yunzhao continued onward as his voice rang out. "I have a way to help you break through to Soul Sage."

Shadow remained dull and expressionless.

"Things like rare herbs are useless to me."

A smile curved Dai Yunzhao's lips as he stared intensely at Shadow.

"I can grant you a Martial Soul!"

Shadow's steps paused.

He seemed to be processing those words. Once he had fully processed the information, he looked at Dai Yunzhao.

"What grade of Martial Soul?"

Dai Yunzhao had not been boasting when he said he wanted to forge a powerful army of Soul Masters.

After completely awakening his two War King Martial Souls, he discovered that he could grant all the soldiers under the War Kings to others as Martial Souls.

Anyone could be granted a Black Panther Beast or Black Iron Beast!

Both the Black Panther Beast and Black Iron Beast were quite formidable Martial Souls.

When Dai Yunzhao awakened the Black Panther Beast, he had only shown half a level of Soul Power, mainly to conceal his true abilities.

Otherwise, this steel-bodied beast Martial Soul, a fusion of weapon and beast Martial Souls, would certainly not be weak.

As for the Martial Soul he would grant Shadow, Dai Yunzhao had already decided on it.

Golden Iron Beast!

Among all the Machine Beast Race warriors under the War Kings, it possessed the highest growth potential, greatest strength, and strongest loyalty.

With Golden Iron Beast's enhancement, combined with Shadow's original Shadow Martial Soul, he could completely break through the shackles of Soul Emperor!

Shadow was Dai Yunzhao's greatest source of confidence when facing everything.

Beneath Shadow's black armor, his eyes turned toward Dai Yunzhao.

"It can break through the shackles!"

Hearing Shadow's words, Dai Yunzhao slapped Shadow's thigh.

"Wonderful!"

Shadow was puzzled. Shouldn't he have slapped his own thigh?

But he remained loyal to Dai Yunzhao and simply felt that Dai Yunzhao must have had his reasons for doing so.

Dai Yunzhao said, "Only after obtaining a Soul Ring can a general-class Martial Soul like this be granted. Time is of the essence. Let's go!"

Shadow carried Dai Yunzhao on his back and headed straight for the Star Dou Forest.

Shadow was incredibly fast. Wherever there were shadows, he could travel through them.

Where there were no shadows, he released black mist himself to create them.

The first time Dai Yunzhao saw Shadow, he had nearly thought he had seen a ghost.

And... Shadow's first Soul Ring had been purple!

His puppet body allowed him to withstand the ravages of Soul Rings better than ordinary people.

Shadow's Soul Rings were terrifyingly configured: two purple and four black.

Though he was also a Soul Emperor, Shadow could easily crush others.

Even if his opponent were a Soul Sage, they might not be able to suppress Shadow.

Shadow had yet to fight a Soul Sage, but according to Dai Yunzhao's estimate, an ordinary Soul Sage could do nothing to him.

Three days later, the two finally arrived at the Star Dou Forest.

But...

Dai Yunzhao wandered through the forest for a full day and night without seeing a single suitable soul beast.

Even stronger soul beasts refused to approach them.

What was the problem?

Hmm...

Crack!

Shadow stepped on a dead branch.

Dai Yunzhao suddenly turned to look at Shadow.

Shadow was somewhat confused.

At that moment, Dai Yunzhao finally realized what was happening.

Soul beasts had some brains, after all. With Shadow beside him, any suitable soul beast would avoid them.

Dai Yunzhao stroked his chin, then finally said with a smile, "Shadow, hide yourself and let the soul beasts come eat me."

Shadow froze. "Does Master wish to die?"

Dai Yunzhao's head filled with black lines.

Puppets might possess consciousness, but this consciousness was still rather inflexible.

"I'm using myself as bait. When a suitable soul beast appears, kill it!"

Only then did Shadow nod.

The two continued onward.

But this time, Shadow vanished into the darkness.

To the senses of every soul beast, only a young Soul Grandmaster remained!