Shadows Beneath the Skyvault Bamboo, Two Beasts Appear

Gu Rong stroked his chin, his knuckles clicking softly.

"So it's far safer than simply absorbing a Soul Ring. But why have I never heard of such a secret art among Soul Beasts?"

Lu Xue sighed.

"The Clouded Deer have always lived in seclusion. The Secret of Symbiosis can succeed only when one of our direct bloodline and a human Soul Master treat each other with genuine sincerity. There have been only a handful of cases in ten thousand years."

Xiao Shenghe looked at Lu Yao, his gaze steady.

"Yao'er and I will cherish this bond. We won't betray the trust of Chief Lu or the high priestess."

Lu Xuan nodded slightly.

"Next, Shenghe must accompany me to our sacred grounds to complete the final inheritance imprint. Only then can your Martial Soul fully accept the power of the Clouded Deer."

Chen Xin smiled.

"In that case, Gu Rong and I will wait here. Shenghe, don't squander this opportunity."

"Yes!"

Xiao Shenghe answered and walked beside Lu Yao, following Lu Xuan toward the Clouded Deer's sacred grounds.

Their intertwined silver-and-jade halos cast long shadows along the forest path, illuminating their resolute figures.

"Let's go."

Xuan Zi interrupted the three of them, then added,

"There's another place we need to visit. Come on."

Skyvault Bamboo Forest.

The breeze carried the damp scent of grass and trees. Xiao Shenghe and Lu Yao walked side by side in front, their intertwined silver-and-jade halo swaying gently with each step and casting a faint glow over the fallen leaves beneath their feet.

Lu Xuan walked in the middle, the hem of his blue-gray robe brushing through the grass without a sound. The composure of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form made the air around him seem especially still.

Lu Xue followed last. Though her complexion had not fully recovered, her steps were steady. Now and then she brushed a hand over a nearby shrub, leaving tiny jade-green specks of light to sink into its leaves—the Clouded Deer's instinctive kinship with nature.

"Skyvault Bamboo Forest is the barrier around our sacred grounds and the most unusual region on the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest."

Lu Xuan broke the silence, his gaze passing over the bamboo growing denser ahead.

"The bamboo here naturally contains Soul Power. The oldest stalks aren't much younger than I am."

Xiao Shenghe looked up. The forest was already faintly visible in the distance.

"These stalks are far taller than ordinary bamboo, with straight, soaring trunks. Their leaves are pale blue-gold and gleam softly in the sunlight. From afar, they look like a golden sea of clouds suspended in midair. No wonder they're called 'Skyvault.'"

"Would so much bamboo filled with Soul Power attract a lot of Soul Beasts?"

Lu Yao asked curiously, her green eyes full of interest. She had grown up in the heart of the Clouded Deer's territory. Though she had heard of Skyvault Bamboo Forest, this was her first visit.

Lu Xue explained softly.

"The Soul Power in Skyvault Bamboo is gentle. It doesn't suit Ferocious Beasts, but Soul Beasts inclined toward defense or support find it welcoming. Two 'overlords' live here, though, so other Soul Beasts don't dare approach lightly."

She had barely finished speaking when a deep rumble came from within the bamboo forest. The ground trembled. The once-calm air grew restless, and the wind carried two utterly different auras.

One was fresh with the scent of vegetation, steady and weighty. The other brimmed with savage strength and a faint, scorching heat.

Lu Xuan stopped, his expression turning grave. "It seems the masters of this place have sensed us."

Before his words had faded, two figures burst from the bamboo forest and blocked the path, one on either side.

On the left stood an enormous bamboo Soul Beast. Its trunk was as thick as an ancient tree, its branches spread wide, and pale green halos glimmered among its blue-gold leaves. Most striking was the indistinct outline of a human face at its crown. Its eyes were calm but held an authority that brooked no trespass. It was the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Skyvault Bamboo King.

On the right stood a jet-black panda, more than three times the size of an ordinary one. Its limbs were thick, its claws sharp as blades, and its slightly upturned mouth revealed pointed fangs. Its eyes glowed a fiery orange-red, as though flames burned within them. It was the Tigerfang Blazing Panda, which had likewise reached a hundred thousand years of cultivation.

"Clouded Deer, what are you doing on my territory?"

The Skyvault Bamboo King's voice sounded like wind rustling through bamboo leaves, yet it carried straight into everyone's minds.

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda was far more irritable. It scraped a forepaw across the ground, kicking up dust.

"Are you after the Skyvault Bamboo? I'm telling you, not a chance!"

Lu Xue stepped forward, her tone mild.

"Bamboo King, senior Panda, we mean no harm. We're only taking this child to our sacred grounds to complete an inheritance."

She gestured toward Xiao Shenghe.

"He and my daughter have just completed our clan's Secret of Symbiosis. We have no intention of offending you."

"The Secret of Symbiosis?"

The outline of the Skyvault Bamboo King's face shifted slightly.

"The secret art that forms a bond without killing a Soul Beast?"

"Exactly."

Lu Xuan added,

"Our art is founded on equal coexistence. It's nothing like a Soul Master killing a Soul Beast to obtain a Soul Ring."

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda gave a derisive snort.

"Hmph. Human Soul Masters are rotten to the core! You talk about equality, but who knows what you're plotting behind our backs?"

Its orange-red eyes fixed on Xiao Shenghe, and the savage aura around it grew stronger.

"This brat has human Soul Power and the scent of your deer clan. He's using symbiosis as an excuse to come here and take what he wants!"

Xiao Shenghe frowned and stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Lu Yao.

"You misunderstand, senior. I've never meant to offend anyone here. Trust and equality are the heart of the Secret of Symbiosis. Yao'er and I are bound in soul and share life and death. I would never kill a Soul Beast."

"Words prove nothing!"

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda roared and lunged at Xiao Shenghe on a blast of scorching wind. Faint orange-red Soul Power flared around its claws. It meant business.

"Stop!"

Lu Xue's expression changed, and she moved to intervene, but Lu Xuan raised a hand to hold her back.

"Let Shenghe handle it himself."

Lu Xuan's gaze remained calm.

"The power of the Secret of Symbiosis needs to be honed in battle. And only if they see it for themselves will their doubts be laid to rest."

Xiao Shenghe's heart tightened, but he did not panic.

He could clearly feel Lu Yao's Soul Power flowing through him. Their symbiotic bond pulled taut, and their silver-and-jade halo blazed brighter.

Rather than attack, he activated the symbiotic art he had just grasped. He fused his Soul Power with Lu Yao's and formed a translucent shield before them.

Bang!

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda's claws slammed into the shield. Savage force burst outward, and the shield shook violently but held. Silver-and-jade light rippled across it like water, shedding most of the impact.

Xiao Shenghe felt his arm go numb, but he did not give ground. Lu Yao's Soul Power poured steadily into him, while his Heaven Soul Martial Soul trembled faintly, as though answering the power of symbiosis.

"Hm?"

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda was surprised. It had not used its full strength, but that strike should still have been enough to gravely injure an ordinary Soul Master in the twenties. It had not expected Xiao Shenghe to block it so easily.