Development Direction

For snake-type martial souls, tracing their lineage back far enough, they all ultimately needed to evolve in the direction of dragons.

Dragons possessed an innate bloodline suppression over snakes. "Dragon transformation" was the highest evolutionary goal for snake-type martial souls.

Of course, this goal was not so easily achieved. Planning, opportunities, lucky encounters, and fortune—none could be lacking.

For a snake to successfully transform into a dragon, its soul rings naturally had to be chosen from draconic soul beasts whenever possible.

The soul rings of dragon-type soul beasts contained true dragon aura. Only by accumulating dragon aura could a martial soul gradually evolve.

At the same time, dragon-type soul rings had high attribute compatibility and caused little rejection during absorption. The soul skills gained would also match one's own needs to the greatest extent.

The Golden Python was already a top-tier snake soul beast. Its bloodline originated from the "Golden Dragon" and followed the path of ultimate strength.

Zhang Fei's intended development was as a strong attack and defense type, so seeking out a strength-type draconic soul beast for his first soul ring could not have been more suitable.

Looking at She Long's back ahead of him, he said, "Grandpa, I want a draconic soul beast, preferably a strength-type one."

A trace of approval appeared in She Long's eyes. "Oh? Tell me why."

"My Golden Python has a strength attribute, so I want to find a strength-type draconic soul beast."

"So you intend to follow the extreme path." After hearing him out, She Long gave a soft hum. "That's a good choice, but your offensive methods will be rather limited in the early stages. Have you thought it through?"

"I have. I want my early soul skills to all be enhancement-type."

"Good. But ideas are one thing; putting them into practice is far from simple. Most draconic soul beasts are fierce and exceptionally rare. You need to be patient."

Zhang Fei obediently gave an "Mm."

She Long continued clearing the way ahead while teaching Zhang Fei as they walked.

"First, let me tell you about the terrain divisions in Sunset Forest. We're currently on the outskirts. The outermost layer is where ten-year soul beasts roam, though the occasional century-old soul beast also appears."

"Another thirty or forty li inward is the territory of century-old soul beasts. Millennium soul beasts are farther in, while ten-thousand-year soul beasts... generally stay hidden in the deepest core region."

"So our target is the transition zone between century-old and millennium soul beasts."

"See those footprints on the ground?" She Long used the tip of his spear to point at a row of fist-sized hoofprints in the soft earth. "Those are traces of a Red-horned Rhinoceros, a soul beast just over a hundred years old. Thick hide, tough flesh, but slow. Its defenses are strong."

As Zhang Fei looked around, he listened carefully as well, striving to commit every word his grandfather said to memory. Every detail concealed the laws of survival in the forest.

"In a soul beast forest, the most important thing is neither speed nor strength. It's vigilance."

"Looking around like you are now is right. Don't just stare ahead. Soul beasts could be hiding overhead, under your feet, or behind you. Countless soul masters have died in the jaws of soul beasts while hunting soul rings."

Zhang Fei unconsciously moved a little closer to She Long and swept the dense woods on either side with the corner of his eye.

The corner of She Long's mouth curved almost imperceptibly as he continued, "Before you understand the situation, don't use your soul power carelessly. Hide your presence as much as possible. In the forest, soul power fluctuations are like announcing to every soul beast around you, 'There's a human here.'"

She Long continuously imparted all kinds of survival knowledge to Zhang Fei. Half an hour later, the two arrived at a relatively sparse patch of woods.

She Long suddenly stopped, and Zhang Fei accidentally bumped into his back.

Zhang Fei immediately moved to his side and followed She Long's gaze.

At the base of an ancient tree ahead, half of a grayish-brown back was faintly visible. It was as thick and sturdy as a calf and rose and fell slowly, seeming to be foraging.

She Long tilted his head and whispered to Zhang Fei, "That's an Iron-backed Tusked Boar, around fifty years old. Earth attribute. Strong defense, simple attacks—it relies on charging."

Zhang Fei's hand clenched unconsciously, and his heart began pounding.

This was his first time truly facing a soul beast. It would have been a lie to say he was not nervous.

She Long said lightly, "Want to give it a try?"

Zhang Fei was a little confused. "Grandpa, I don't have any soul skills yet. How am I supposed to try?"

"After a beast martial soul possesses its host, you gain some of its traits. Your strength and defense will both increase greatly. You can still fight."

"Oh!" Zhang Fei was helpless. This old man was really nasty. But he would have to face this sooner or later, so he might as well give it a try.

Zhang Fei summoned his Golden Python martial soul.

"Martial soul, possess me!"

He shouted in his heart, sinking his consciousness into his body and instantly stirring the Golden Python's soul power.

Tangible soul power condensed behind him into the phantom of a massive golden python. Its body coiled into a ring, its head raised high, and a pair of golden eyes slowly opened.

Immediately afterward, patterns of golden scales emerged over his arms, neck, and the edges of his cheeks.

His pupils also became vertical slits, and his vision abruptly became incomparably clear.

Finally, an intense numbness surged through his legs. From the knees down, his legs rapidly merged and lengthened, while dense golden scales emerged over the surface of his skin.

They ultimately transformed into a thick, powerful snake tail over four meters long, completely covered in gilded golden scales.

His entire body now looked like it was in a "half-snake man" form.

"Whoa!"

Zhang Fei tried swishing his snake tail and discovered that it was completely connected to his mind, as though it had naturally grown from his body. If he wanted it to move left, it moved left; if he wanted it to move right, it moved right. That marvelous sense of control made him unable to resist swinging it twice more.

The feeling of strength flooding into him was incredibly strange.

Zhang Fei could clearly feel that after the Golden Python martial soul possessed him, all his physical abilities had been comprehensively enhanced. His strength, speed, flexibility, and even the sharpness of his senses had all risen significantly.

He clenched his fist, and his knuckles crackled sharply. The grip strength in his palm was more than twice what it had been before.

"This feels pretty awesome." Zhang Fei looked down at his hand covered in golden scales and could not help muttering.

She Long slapped Zhang Fei on the back of the head. "Stop dawdling. Go subdue it already."

Zhang Fei took a deep breath. His snake tail slithered along the ground as he glided forward.

With the snake tail replacing his legs, his movements became strange yet fluid. His body barely rose or fell as he silently approached the ancient tree.

The Iron-backed Tusked Boar's ears suddenly twitched. Sensing some unusual threat, its enormous head whipped around with a whoosh.

Two streams of heavy white vapor burst from the boar's nostrils. Its tusks bared forward, and one front hoof scraped the ground, scattering dirt.

Zhang Fei continued gliding forward, lowering his upper body slightly.

The Iron-backed Tusked Boar let out a low, muffled snort. Its four hooves abruptly drove into the ground, and its massive body charged straight at Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei's first rational instinct was to dodge, but that impulse was replaced by an inexplicable excitement.

He straightened his back, crossed his arms before his chest, and rammed head-on into the charging boar.

"Boom!"

A dull collision exploded through the forest.