Zhu Mao's Name? The First Arrancar!

Lu Ming examined his first creation, growing more satisfied the longer he looked.

It retained the Human-Faced Demon Spider's most powerful weapons: four indestructible spider legs. At the same time, it possessed a human form and human intelligence.

Although its intelligence might currently only be comparable to that of a child a few years old, with a little guidance, it would undoubtedly become a formidable fighting force.

The Human-Faced Demon Spider's altered appearance would make it an absolute freak in the human kingdoms of Douluo Continent. It would probably be hunted down as an evil soul master.

Lu Ming silently mocked himself.

However, he had never intended to mingle with human soul masters. The path he wanted to take was one no one had ever walked before.

"What's your name?" Lu Ming tried to communicate with him.

"Na... me?"

The Arrancar tilted his head, his eight compound eyes filled with confusion.

He clearly did not understand what the word meant.

After thinking about it, Lu Ming realized that made sense.

In the world of soul beasts, there was only survival of the fittest. Where would names come from? Besides, the Human-Faced Demon Spider before him was not very intelligent. Asking him to name himself was clearly making things difficult for him...

"From today onward, your name will be Zhu Mao."

Lu Ming casually gave him a name. It was simple, direct, and suited his traits.

"Zhu... Mao..."

Zhu Mao repeated the name, seeming to struggle to understand and remember it.

I need to find him some clothes. He can't keep walking around naked like this.

Lu Ming looked at Zhu Mao's bare body, especially the distinctive hollow Arrancar hole in his chest, and found it rather hard on the eyes.

He looked around, his gaze landing on the enormous web the Human-Faced Demon Spider had shed.

Perfect.

He walked over and tugged at it. The web was exceptionally tough and elastic, making it a fine material.

Lu Ming grasped a piece of webbing and simply tore and pieced it together. A pair of plain black trousers and a short white shirt appeared in his hands.

The design was a little strange, but it was better than nothing.

"Put these on."

Lu Ming tossed the clothes to Zhu Mao.

Zhu Mao caught them clumsily. Imitating Lu Ming, he spent a long while before finally managing to put them on.

The short white shirt covered the hollow in his chest perfectly, while the black trousers made him look more like a "human."

Aside from the four savage spider spears protruding from his back and the eerie spider markings on his face...

Only after finishing all this did Lu Ming truly relax, and a deep exhaustion washed over him once more.

He found a clean spot to sit down and began meditating to restore his soul power.

Zhu Mao stood motionless at his side like the most loyal guard. His eight compound eyes vigilantly swept the surroundings, and no movement, however slight, could escape his senses.

While restoring his soul power, Lu Ming also considered more possibilities for Formless Transformation.

Transforming the Human-Faced Demon Spider nearly depleted my spiritual power, and the success rate doesn't seem high. It was full of risks.

He recalled the transformation process.

The Human-Faced Demon Spider's soul had been filled with brutality and chaos. If his own will had not been strong enough to forcibly suppress it, he would likely have suffered backlash from that primal beast nature in the end.

It seems not every soul beast can endure the transformation of Formless Transformation.

Lu Ming realized that there was one necessary condition for a soul beast to be successfully transformed.

Potential!

A soul beast's bloodline and age determined the upper limit of its strength after transformation.

Transforming an outstanding Thousand-Year Soul Beast like the Human-Faced Demon Spider had already been this difficult! If he used an ordinary ten-year or hundred-year soul beast instead, its entire body would likely collapse the moment the transformation began.

It seems I'll have to be more careful when choosing future transformation subjects.

Lu Ming opened his eyes and glanced at Zhu Mao beside him.

Still, this was a blessing in disguise!

With a Thousand-Year Soul Beast-level enforcer like Zhu Mao at his side, the safety of his upcoming journey would undoubtedly increase greatly.

"Let's go, Zhu Mao."

Lu Ming rose to his feet. His soul power had recovered by thirty to forty percent.

"Our destination is the Star Dou Great Forest!"

"Yes... Master."

Zhu Mao followed behind him and started walking.

Master and servant, two strange beings neither human nor soul beast, thus set out on their journey toward the paradise of soul beasts.

With Zhu Mao, his personal bodyguard, protecting him, Lu Ming's journey became much smoother.

Zhu Mao's awareness of the forest far surpassed Lu Ming's without the Myriad Essence Devouring Technique activated.

He could easily distinguish which soul beasts were weak and which were strong, allowing them to avoid much unnecessary trouble beforehand.

Whenever some foolish hundred-year soul beasts blocked their way, Lu Ming did not need to act at all. The four spider spears on Zhu Mao's back were the deadliest weapons.

Often, after only a single exchange, those hundred-year soul beasts would be pierced through and become Zhu Mao's food.

Zhu Mao retained the Human-Faced Demon Spider's feeding habits. He consumed his prey's bodily fluids and energy to replenish himself.

Lu Ming did not interfere with this.

Survival of the fittest was the law of this world.

Along the way, Lu Ming continued experimenting, searching for the next suitable target for transformation.

But the results were far from ideal!

Just as he had expected, the success rate of Formless Transformation was appallingly low.

He successively attempted to transform a five-hundred-year Ironclad Rhinoceros and an eight-hundred-year Three-Eyed Demon Wolf.

Without exception, both attempts failed.

The Ironclad Rhinoceros's will was too weak. It collapsed at the very beginning of the soul reshaping process and turned into a pile of rotting flesh.

The Three-Eyed Demon Wolf lasted somewhat longer, but its soul was filled with cunning and madness. During the transformation, it even tried to turn the tables and erode Lu Ming's mind.

In the end, Lu Ming had no choice but to forcibly halt the transformation and directly erase its soul.

The two failures caused no small shock to Lu Ming's spiritual power. They made him more cautious and also made him realize that "will" was likewise a condition for a soul beast to become an Arrancar...

It seems that age and potential alone aren't enough to find suitable transformation subjects. Will is far too elusive. There's no way to judge it from appearances.

Lu Ming felt somewhat troubled.

After traveling onward for several days, Lu Ming and Zhu Mao passed through the forest and arrived in an open hilly region.

Just as Lu Ming thought the road ahead would be smooth, a fierce gust suddenly swept past without warning.

"Master, be careful."

Zhu Mao immediately stepped in front of Lu Ming, the four spider spears on his back poised to strike.

Lu Ming narrowed his eyes as well and looked toward the source of the wind. A cyan shadow was darting rapidly between the hills, moving so fast that only a trail of afterimages could be seen.

The shadow did not seem hostile. It was merely frolicking in the wind, chasing it, enjoying its speed.

"Wind Spirit Leopard!"

Zhu Mao's compound eyes reflected the shadow's true form.

It was a sleek leopard covered in cyan fur, patterned with strange cloud-like markings. Its long tail ended in a shape resembling a feather fan.

A Wind Spirit Leopard was an extremely rare Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

They were darlings of the wind, born with the ability to control air currents. They were incredibly swift, yet relatively gentle by nature and disliked fighting.

Lu Ming's eyes immediately lit up. From this Wind Spirit Leopard, he sensed an aura unlike any other.

Freedom, purity, without the slightest trace of brutality or chaos.

Its soul was as clean and pure as the wind it chased...