Soul Hunting Begins!!

Nalan Yanran walked silently off the auction stage.

She headed toward the Misty Cloud Sect group in a daze. Out of the corner of her eye, she happened to spot Xiao Yan standing off to one side.

He was leaning casually against the wall, watching the lively Martial Soul Awakening ceremony with a calm expression. He wasn't even looking her way.

But Nalan Yanran was already in turmoil. Taking his indifference the wrong way, she felt anger surge through her.

Damn him! He won't even look at me now! Does he think I'm not even worthy of being his opponent?!

Xiao Yan!!

She shot him a vicious glare, then pushed through the crowd and ran out, her eyes reddening.

Every gaze in the hall swung toward Xiao Yan.

Countless curious eyes fixed on him, eager to see what would happen next.

Xiao Yan awkwardly rubbed his nose, caught between laughter and tears.

"Uh... Can I say I have no idea what just happened?"

Yao Lao's teasing voice sounded in his mind.

Hahaha, Little Flame, that girl probably hates your guts now.

Xiao Yan had plenty to say about that, but all he felt was helplessness.

Teacher, I didn't do anything! I deliberately avoided looking at her because I was afraid she'd think I was mocking her. And somehow that caused trouble anyway.

Seriously... What is wrong with that woman? Nothing I do is right.

Onstage, Dugu Bo turned to Yun Yun, eager for gossip.

"Your disciple and that kid have a grudge?"

Weariness showed between Yun Yun's brows. She sighed softly.

"Something like that. Yanran didn't want an arranged marriage, so she went to break off the engagement herself. Instead, Xiao Yan publicly repudiated her. The whole Jia Ma Empire was talking about it."

Dugu Bo didn't know what to say. All he could think was that Sect Master Yun had a mild temper.

If some country boy had repudiated Yanyan like that, he would have wiped out the boy's entire family, down to the last chicken and dog.

Below them, the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony continued in full swing.

Without a Dou Technique, Xiao Yi Xian could only watch longingly from outside.

Her clear eyes stayed fixed on the people awakening onstage, full of envy.

Whenever someone awakened a beautiful Martial Soul, her gaze lingered a little longer.

Should I try digging around in the Magical Beast Mountain Range? What if I find something valuable? Could I start cultivating then?

Before long, most people had finished awakening.

Some were delighted, others dismayed. A few had even awakened mutated Martial Souls.

Lu Chuan glanced at those waiting to hunt Soul Beasts. Among them were Misty Cloud Sect disciples and members of various families.

A faint smile touched his lips, and he raised his hand, forming contracts before them.

"Sign these, and I'll send you to hunt Soul Beasts!"

Golden contracts floated before the crowd. They clearly spelled out the price they would pay, the dangers of the hunting grounds, and every rule they would have to follow.

Even so, they pressed their thumbprints to the contracts without hesitation.

Hum—

Everyone who had signed felt a portion of their Dou Qi forcibly drained away. Their cultivation dropped by a minor stage, leaving even their bodies weak.

Then white light flashed. With a whoosh, several figures vanished from the auction house floor, leaving nothing behind.

The entire auction house fell silent.

Yun Yun, Jia Xingtian, and Fa Ma stared at Lu Chuan, their pupils contracting sharply.

The spatial power to transport so many people in an instant!

Was he carrying a Secret Realm with him? Or had he reached the Dou Zong realm?!

While they were still reeling, elsewhere...

In Star Dou Forest on Douluo Continent.

Everyone looked around curiously.

The towering trees were unlike anything they had seen in the Jia Ma Empire. Far off in the forest, a dark shape flickered between the trunks.

"So this is the Soul Hunting ground?"

The Misty Cloud Sect disciples were tense too. Gripping their swords, they gathered back to back.

Until they knew what surrounded them, they couldn't act rashly.

But several mercenaries and young members of the various families could no longer contain their curiosity.

Thinking that moving first would let them claim better Spirit Rings, they exchanged signals, drew their weapons, wrapped themselves in Dou Qi, and split into groups to probe the surrounding woods.

Rotting leaves rustled underfoot. Towering trees blotted out the sky, leaving the forest dim. From time to time, low beastly roars echoed through the distance.

Those who stayed behind watched the groups disappear among the trees. Some called out to stop them, but it was no use.

The groups kept moving deeper into the forest.

The layer of rotting leaves was thick beneath the dark trees. An eerie silence hung over everything, with scarcely a whisper of wind.

Just as everyone began to let down their guard—

Hiss!!

A piercing serpent's cry suddenly tore through the air!

A dark-green shape shot out from the shadows beneath the trees, moving so fast it left only an afterimage!

Its diamond-shaped pupils were cold and bloodthirsty, its sharp fangs gleaming white.

Without warning, it lunged straight for the neck of the mercenary at the front!

The mercenary's face changed. Dou Qi surged through him as he hastily raised his blade to block!

Clang!

Metal rang out. The mercenary was sent flying into a tree trunk and spat a mouthful of blood.

"Damn, that snake's strong! It's at least as powerful as a Dou Shi! Watch out!"

Several Misty Cloud Sect disciples immediately rushed to help, their movements light and graceful.

Their swords flashed from their sheaths. Fierce green Dou Qi coiled around the blades as they closed in from all sides.

"Everyone, regroup and form up! Don't scatter! That beast is immensely strong and venomous. Don't try to overpower it!"

The lead disciple shouted, flicking his sword through several feints before driving a focused thrust toward the Mandala Snake's vital point, seven inches below its head.

The others followed close behind. Intersecting sword strikes cut off the venomous snake's routes of escape and attack as they tried to suppress the Ferocious Beast with precise Dou Techniques.

Shhk—

The giant snake fell and died.

A purple Spirit Ring slowly appeared above it.

"So that's a Spirit Ring?"

Greed flashed in a mercenary's eyes. He hurried forward and reached for the ring.

But his hand passed straight through it. He grasped at empty air, unable to touch it at all.

The others sneered when they saw.

"Give it up. The contract made it perfectly clear: only whoever lands the killing blow on a Soul Beast can absorb its Spirit Ring. It doesn't matter if anyone else touches it.

Why else would we let you try?"

The mercenary's face turned red, then pale. Still, he wasn't about to leave empty-handed.

He picked up his broadsword and began butchering the Mandala Snake. Carefully slicing open its body, he removed the gallbladder, fangs, and every valuable material he could find, packing each piece into the cloth bag he carried.

A Misty Cloud Sect disciple stood nearby with his sword in his arms, watching in disdain. He snorted.

"Hmph. You're treating that junk like treasure."

To the Misty Cloud Sect disciples, the remains of a mere snake weren't worth a second glance.

The mercenary kept working and shot back without turning around.

"You might not want it, but that doesn't mean it's worthless. This is a Soul Beast's gallbladder and fangs! I can make a tidy sum selling them to collectors!"

"Yeah! This guy's got the right idea!"