Obtaining a Soul Ring

It was not impossible. If this guess was correct, perhaps he could start developing some emotion-based combat techniques right now.

Huo Yuhao recalled that Dong'er and Qiu'er had also said before that after entering the Star Dou Great Forest, everything he made had become more delicious. He had not paid much attention to it then, but thinking back now, perhaps there really had been a difference.

Ever since the first time he grilled fish for Tang Ya, he had always cooked with beautiful feelings in his heart. Not once had he held any negative emotions toward those eating his grilled fish.

The dishes he had just made all came from Blue Star, so perhaps he had unconsciously infused them with his feelings for his family in that world.

This... was the power of emotions?

A realization dawned on Huo Yuhao. Perhaps the fact that the original Huo Yuhao could inherit the position of Emotion God had been destined from the start.

Just as Huo Yuhao was deep in thought, he felt a pair of jade-like hands gently press against either side of his face, kneading it over and over and interrupting his train of thought.

"You too—you need to look forward. There are still so many beautiful things in this world. Don't stay trapped in the past."

Ju Zi's story had just made the atmosphere heavy. Ke Ke loudly tried to comfort them both. Once Ju Zi's mood had improved, Ke Ke saw that Huo Yuhao was still lowering his head in silent thought and assumed he was still immersed in sorrow. She earnestly consoled him, and Huo Yuhao froze for a moment before gently nodding.

Although Huo Yuhao did not intend to replicate the Hao-Dong Three Wonders from the original story, he still felt that the power of emotions was a path for combat techniques worth exploring.

Nothing more was said that night. The next morning, after breakfast, the group set off again. This time, they did not travel using flying Soul Tools. In a Soul Beast habitat like the Jingyang Mountain Range, the skies were dangerous as well, and they could easily become targets. Unless one was confident of suppressing the entire area, it was best not to do so.

"Let me see the power of this new Fixed Soul Tool already!" Ke Ke said excitedly, taking a metal tube from her storage Soul Tool. It resembled an enormous lance, except its spearhead had been replaced by a cannon barrel for firing ammunition.

"Soul Tool Electromagnetic Cannon field combat test, begin!"

An electromagnetic cannon? Huo Yuhao glanced at the weapon in surprise. Was it the kind of weapon he was thinking of? If so, the imperial princess who had participated in its design was very likely a transmigrator.

Interesting.

The three advanced while keeping watch on their surroundings. Metal-attributed Soul Beasts received a certain boost within the Jingyang Mountain Range. In the original story, two three-thousand-year Golden Tigers had been enough to frighten away a ten-thousand-year wind-attributed Qingpeng, which showed just how domineering metal-attributed Soul Beasts were here.

By the same logic, metal-attributed Soul Masters should also be strengthened here. In Huo Yuhao's memories, the person best suited to this place was Xiao Hongchen. Not only did he possess a metal attribute, but he could also use his talent to manipulate metal—and the Jingyang Mountain Range was full of mineral veins.

"Careful, a Soul Beast is coming!" Huo Yuhao warned in a low voice. Through Imprint, he sensed a Soul Beast using a soul skill, then pointed in the direction he had detected.

Ju Zi and Ke Ke headed toward the direction Huo Yuhao indicated. There, they found a huge lion with black iron-colored mane locked in battle with a golden giant elephant. The two Soul Beasts appeared to be fighting fiercely.

The soul skill Huo Yuhao had sensed came from the golden giant elephant. Aside from its teeth, the elephant's entire body was golden. It raised its left foot and slammed it viciously into the ground.

Stomp. It was an area-of-effect soul skill, effectively forcing the black-maned lion back several steps. Yet the lion refused to be outdone. Its black iron-colored mane suddenly flared up like a mass of bristling spikes before shooting toward the golden elephant.

"A thousand-year Golden Armored Elephant and a thousand-year Steel-Maned Lion?" Ke Ke recognized the battling Soul Beasts at once. "We'll use you two as test subjects, then."

Ke Ke loaded a metal ball into the cannon barrel, then raised the cannon and took aim—

Bang!

An orange beam shot forward. Even standing to the side, Huo Yuhao could feel the shockwave produced as the orange ray tore through the air, whipping his clothes about. The orange light struck the thousand-year Golden Armored Elephant directly, blasting it away and leaving behind a mangled, bloody wound.

The Steel-Maned Lion immediately followed its beastly instincts and turned to flee.

"Phew, not bad. That's top-tier attack power among fourth-grade Fixed Soul Tools. It actually broke through a Golden Armored Elephant's defenses in the Jingyang Mountain Range," Ke Ke said with great interest. "And the ammunition isn't even expensive. Though its rank isn't high, it has great research value. What a pity we didn't keep the Golden Armored Elephant. Those tusks are excellent materials for making Soul Tools."

"Let's keep going. Along the way, let's keep an eye out for spiritual-attributed Soul Beasts for Yuhao," Ju Zi said, remaining alert to the other directions.

Huo Yuhao followed the two deeper into the mountain range. On the next peak, they encountered a wolf-type Soul Beast whose body was entirely silver-white. Its fur was like metal, reflecting a brilliant gleam beneath the sunlight.

Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up at once, and he gave Ju Zi and Ke Ke one final confirmation.

"Senior sisters, what kind of Soul Beast is that?"

Ju Zi focused her gaze and spoke in surprise. "It's actually a Silver Wolf. That's a rare Soul Beast, but this one doesn't seem to have reached a thousand years of cultivation yet."

It really was a Silver Wolf!

Silver Wolves were Soul Beasts unique to the Sun Moon Empire. They possessed both chaotic and metal attributes, consuming Mithril to strengthen their affinity with the elements before using powerful spiritual power to manipulate them. They appeared capable of controlling the six elemental attributes of water, fire, earth, wind, light, and darkness, but in truth, they could only use them in basic ways. Of course, once their cultivation reached ten thousand years, they could gain an additional rare attribute.

"Senior sisters, I want this one as my Soul Ring."

With that, Huo Yuhao charged straight at the Silver Wolf.

"Is it spiritual-attributed... Hey! Wait! Don't rush in by yourself! You don't even have any combat soul skills!" Ke Ke shouted anxiously. In her eyes, Huo Yuhao was a Soul Master whose first soul skill excelled at making Soul Tools but who lacked combat ability. Seeing him charge in directly, she could not help worrying for him.

By the time Ju Zi reacted, Huo Yuhao had already run more than ten meters. She immediately chased after him, only to see silver light blaze from the Silver Wolf's body before it spat out a silver sphere of light toward Huo Yuhao. Her heart tightened, and she tossed two orange balls resembling kumquats behind her.

Bang! Bang!

Ju Zi used the explosive force to propel herself forward. After all, Huo Yuhao only had one ring, and without soul skills or fused Soul Power to enhance him, he was not particularly fast. He had barely run any distance before Ju Zi caught up and tackled him, shielding him beneath her body.

"Careful!"

The silver sphere of light suddenly transformed into more than a dozen cyan wind blades. Ke Ke was helpless now. Her attacks covered too wide an area, and if she acted, she might very well injure Ju Zi and Huo Yuhao.

Hearing Ke Ke's warning, Ju Zi immediately activated her Soul Tool barrier. Yet the cyan wind blades did not fly toward her. Instead, they shot toward the Silver Wolf.

Ke Ke was stunned. What was this Silver Wolf doing? Why was it attacking itself?

Could spiritual attributes make Soul Beasts stupid?

The Silver Wolf shook its head and let out whimpering cries as it desperately tried to dodge the wind blades.

"S-Senior sister, you're really heavy."

Hearing Huo Yuhao's voice, Ju Zi's face turned red with anger. Yet she realized the expected attack had not arrived. Looking up, she saw only the Silver Wolf dodging the wind blades.

Ju Zi climbed to her feet, and only then did Huo Yuhao rise as well. He continued rushing at the Silver Wolf, secretly swiping with Dragon God's Claw and ending its life. A yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring rose from the Silver Wolf's corpse.

"Trying to play elemental affinity in front of me? How many dishes did you eat to get this drunk?"