第21章 暗流·启程

Early morning.

Quan Family Residence.

In the courtyard.

Quan Batian stood there.

His eyes closed in meditation.

His gaze suddenly sharpened.

That presence was still there.

It was not an illusion last night.

He raised his hand.

A streak of Destruction Thunder Force swept across the outer zone of the residence.

A muffled grunt came from the bushes.

A black shadow scaled the wall and fled.

Fast.

Quan Batian did not chase.

He withdrew his hand.

He looked in that direction.

Dark Soul Cult...

He paused for a moment.

Coming to scout out the bottom line.

Quan Cangtian walked over.

"Grandfather."

Quan Batian looked toward him.

"They came."

"That presence just now..."

"You felt it too?"

Quan Cangtian nodded.

"Dark Soul Cult?"

"Yes. They came to scout."

Quan Cangtian frowned.

"Why are they targeting the Quan Family?"

Quan Batian was silent for a moment.

"It's probably because of Heavenly Fire."

Quan Cangtian's gaze sharpened.

"Heavenly Fire?"

"Evil Soul Masters are very interested in Heavenly Fire. Last time in Tianhun City, you used Heavenly Fire. The people of the Dark Soul Cult saw it."

Quan Cangtian did not speak.

Heavenly Fire...

It was his problem.

"What should we do then?"

"First, go to the Star Dou Great Forest. We'll deal with the Dark Soul Cult's business when we return. They're only scouting and won't make a move for now."

"Good."

Quan Batian looked at him.

"This trip to the Star Dou Great Forest must be quick and decisive. Don't give the Dark Soul Cult any openings."

"Understood."

Morning.

Quan Cangtian gathered Huo Yuhao, Zixiao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao.

Everyone arrived.

"We leave today. To the Star Dou Great Forest."

Huo Yuhao asked.

"The Star Dou Great Forest?"

"You need your second and third spirit rings. Spirit Eye is a mental-attribute martial soul, so it requires mental-attribute soul beasts. The Star Dou Great Forest has the Mutated Twin Cyclops, top-tier mental-attribute ones."

Huo Yuhao nodded.

"Good."

Zixiao spoke up.

"I also need my fourth spirit ring."

Quan Cangtian looked toward her.

"Mn. A 20,000-year Thunder Vein Sub-Dragon."

Zixiao did not speak.

She only nodded.

"I'm going too."

"Me too."

Quan Cangtian nodded.

"Good. All of you are going."

Huo Yuhao asked.

"Big brother, how many years for the second spirit ring?"

"3,000 years. The third spirit ring will be 6,000 years."

Huo Yuhao was stunned for a moment.

"3,000 years? I'm at level 30, can I absorb that?"

"You can. I will use the Abundance Power to protect your meridians."

"...Alright."

Quan Batian walked in front of everyone.

Everyone looked toward him.

"The Star Dou Great Forest is dangerous."

He swept his gaze across everyone.

"The outer zone has ten-year and hundred-year soul beasts. They pose no threat to you, but don't be careless. The mixed zone has thousand-year and ten-thousand-year soul beasts, which are your targets. The core zone has ten-thousand-year soul beasts, and Zixiao's Thunder Vein Sub-Dragon is there. The great fierce land has hundred-thousand-year fierce beasts—don't go there."

He looked toward Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao, your second spirit ring is 3,000 years, and your third spirit ring is 6,000 years. The Mutated Twin Cyclops is a mental-attribute beast, located in the mixed zone."

"Yes."

He looked toward Zixiao.

"Zixiao, your fourth spirit ring is 20,000 years. The Thunder Vein Sub-Dragon is a lightning-attribute sub-dragon species, located at the edge of the core zone."

"Mn."

"I will guard the whole way. Cangtian will use the Abundance Power to protect Yuhao's meridians. When absorbing the spirit rings, Cangtian will be right beside you."

He looked at everyone.

"Did you all understand?"

"Understood."

Quan Batian nodded.

"Let's move out."

The Nine Heavens Thunder Roc took flight.

Huo Yuhao looked out the window.

"Yuhao, are you nervous?"

"Not nervous. Big brother is here."

Wang Dong looked toward Quan Cangtian.

Quan Cangtian looked out the window and did not speak.

Zixiao stood beside him.

She didn't speak.

Quan Cangtian looked toward her.

"What's wrong?"

Zixiao shook her head.

"Nothing."

Quan Cangtian smiled.

He reached out and pulled Zixiao in front of him.

Zixiao was slightly startled.

Quan Cangtian stood on tiptoe, wanting to pat her head.

He couldn't reach.

Zixiao squatted down.

Quan Cangtian's hand landed on her head.

He gently rubbed it.

Zixiao's face flushed slightly.

Xiao Xiao watched this scene.

She turned her head to look out the window.

She thought in her heart:

I must work hard too.

One day, I will also stand by his side.

Afternoon.

The Nine Heavens Thunder Roc flew above the Star Dou Great Forest.

Everyone looked down.

A massive forest.

It blotted out the sky and sun.

"We've arrived."

The Nine Heavens Thunder Roc landed.

Everyone got down.

Quan Batian looked toward the forest.

"Starting from here, it is the Star Dou Great Forest. The outer zone has ten-year and hundred-year soul beasts. They pose no threat to you, but don't be careless. The mixed zone is your target. Let's go."

Everyone followed Quan Batian into the forest.

Dusk.

The forest was dense.

It blotted out the sky and sun.

Quan Batian blazed the trail at the front.

Quan Cangtian walked beside Huo Yuhao.

Zixiao followed beside Quan Cangtian.

Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao followed behind.

The further in they went, the denser the soul beast presence became.

"We've entered the mixed zone. Keep your spirits up."

Everyone nodded.

Suddenly—

Quan Batian stopped in his tracks.

He raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.

He looked toward the front left.

"There is a mental-attribute soul beast's presence."

Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up.

"It's a Mutated Twin Cyclops. Around 3,000 years."

Quan Cangtian looked toward Huo Yuhao.

"Are you ready?"

"Mn."

"Let's go."

Everyone followed Quan Batian and advanced toward the front left.

Deep in the forest.

A low roar echoed.

Everyone slowed their pace.

Quan Batian was at the very front.

He lowered his frame, slipping through the bushes.

Quan Cangtian followed behind.

Huo Yuhao stayed close.

Zixiao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao brought up the rear.

Quan Batian stopped.

He squatted down, looking ahead.

The others squatted as well.

Ahead.

A clearing.

In the center of the clearing stood a soul beast.

Two heads.

On each head, a single eye.

A Cyclops.

No, two heads sharing a single body.

A Mutated Twin Cyclops.

Three thousand years.

It was huge.

Three meters tall.

Gray skin covered in rock-like patterns.

Two single eyes, one blue, one red.

It was gnawing on a large tree.

The trunk was torn to pieces by it.

Quan Batian spoke in a low voice.

"That's it. A Mutated Twin Cyclops. Three thousand years."

He looked at Huo Yuhao.

"You're up."

Huo Yuhao nodded.

He stood up.

Spirit Eye activated.

Mental Detection fully engaged.

He locked onto the mental core of the Mutated Twin Cyclops.

"Its mental core is in the left eye. The blue one."

Quan Batian nodded.

"Cangtian."

Quan Cangtian walked over.

He summoned the Abundance Martial Soul.

Emerald-green light enveloped Huo Yuhao.

Abundance Power poured into Huo Yuhao's meridians.

Huo Yuhao felt a warm sensation in his meridians.

Stable.

Quan Batian looked at Huo Yuhao.

"Make your move."

Huo Yuhao rushed out.

Spirit Eye mental power erupted.

The Mutated Twin Cyclops sensed it.

It turned its heads.

Both single eyes looked at Huo Yuhao.

The blue eye emitted a mental shock.

Huo Yuhao felt his head explode with pressure.

Yet he held on.

The mental power of the Skydream Ice Worm surged within the Consciousness Sea.

It helped him block the mental shock.

Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth.

The Spirit-Devouring Silver Knife unsheathed.

Silver-white blade light flashed.

He charged at the Mutated Twin Cyclops.

The blade slashed toward the blue eye.

The Mutated Twin Cyclops roared.

It swung its fist.

The massive fist smashed toward Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao sidestepped and dodged.

The blade grazed its arm.

The gray skin split open.

Yet no blood flowed.

Rock-like skin.

Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth.

Mental power condensed.

Spirit Eye golden light erupted.

He locked onto the blue eye.

The Spirit-Devouring Silver Knife thrust forward.

The silver-white blade light pierced the blue eye.

The Mutated Twin Cyclops shrieked.

Its mental core was pierced.

Both single eyes lost their light simultaneously.

It collapsed.

Quan Batian walked over.

He raised a hand, a wave of pressure crashing down onto the Mutated Twin Cyclops.

Huo Yuhao finished it off.

A soul ring floated up.

A purple soul ring.

Three thousand years.

Quan Batian looked at Huo Yuhao.

"Absorb it."

Huo Yuhao nodded.

He sat down.

Quan Cangtian walked over.

Abundance Power enveloped Huo Yuhao.

Emerald-green light protected his meridians.

Huo Yuhao began absorbing the soul ring.

[Joy Envoy Bullet Screen]: Mutated Twin Cyclops! A three-thousand-year soul ring! Huo Yuhao's second soul ring get!

Huo Yuhao absorbed the soul ring.

Purple light surged into his body.

His meridians expanded.

Yet the Abundance Power protected them.

Huo Yuhao felt his mental power climbing.

The Spirit Eye grew stronger.

The second soul ring absorption completed.

He opened his eyes.

His gaze brightened.

Quan Cangtian smiled.

"How is it?"

"Very strong. My mental power has at least doubled."

Quan Batian nodded.

"Not bad."

He looked toward the depths of the forest.

"There's another one. Six thousand years. The Bloodline Awakened Twin One-Eyed Giant King."

"Further in."

Quan Cangtian looked at Huo Yuhao.

"Rest for a moment. Then continue."

"Alright."