The outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest.
It had been quite a long while since Ye Han went into the mountains alone to hunt for a soul ring, and though Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling both said there was no need to worry too much, Qin Ming still decided to wait in place.
"There is movement." Osler suddenly raised his eyes and looked toward the horizon.
Qin Ming snapped his eyes open and stood up in one motion.
His Blazing Fire Wolf martial soul instantly possessed his body, and two yellow, three purple, and one black, six soul rings rose in succession from beneath his feet as he shouted in a deep voice, "Everyone, be on guard!"
Yet the next instant, that crimson figure broke through the tree canopy and dropped into everyone's vision, and the taut atmosphere immediately relaxed by more than half.
"It's the boss!" Yu Feng's eyes lit up.
The Fire Qilin's massive body slowly landed, and Ye Han leaped down from the Qilin's back, stepping steadily onto the ground.
At the Fire Qilin's feet, five soul rings quietly revolved: two yellow, one purple, and two black.
Everyone's gaze involuntarily fell upon those two ten-thousand-year black soul rings, their eye bases filled with envy.
Even Qin Ming was no exception.
His soul ring count was one higher than Ye Han's, making him already a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, yet his fifth soul ring was merely a thousand-year purple soul ring.
This had always been a regret deep in his heart.
In contrast, Ye Han's cultivation realm was clearly a full major tier lower than his, yet the number of ten-thousand-year soul rings had already surpassed his own.
"Boss, you're back!" Yu Feng, the most lively-tempered person in the team, rushed forward first, circled the Fire Qilin twice with his eyes rounded in amazement, "Five rings... truly five rings! A twelve-year-old Soul King!"
"Boss, how on earth do you cultivate? And furthermore, absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring for your fourth soul ring is simply too preposterous!"
As his voice fell, everyone's gazes converged on Ye Han.
Ye Han smiled faintly with a calm expression, having long since anticipated that everyone would have such questions.
He paused slightly and continued, "As for absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul beast for my fourth soul ring, it is because my martial soul itself is rather special."
Everyone nodded one after another.
After a moment of silence, Ye Lingling took the lead in speaking, tossing out another question: "A-Han, didn't you say before setting off that you would first severely injure the soul beast, then bring it over here so we could guard you while you absorbed the soul ring on the spot? Why did you get delayed for so long?"
Ye Han scratched the back of his head and pondered for a moment, still not bringing up Qian Renxue.
In the cognition of mainland soul masters, Qian Renxue, the former pope's only daughter, had already "passed away" back in her early childhood.
If he were to speak of Qian Renxue's existence, it would only invite endless trouble upon himself.
Ye Han casually explained, saying, "On the return journey, I ran into acquaintances. They are Tang Sam, an old acquaintance of mine from Notting Academy, and Xiao Wu. They are currently at Shrek Academy."
Qin Ming acutely caught the change in Ye Han's tone, instantly perceiving that something was likely amiss over on Shrek's side.
He hurried forward, his voice carrying urgency: "Shrek's people... what happened to them?"
Ye Han nodded. "Their encounter can be considered fine, yet also considered wretched."
"Do you all remember that massive disturbance in the Star Dou Great Forest not long ago?"
Everyone's expressions grew stern.
That roar which shook the forest depths and triggered a beast horde causing ten thousand beasts to flee-how could they possibly forget it?
"That commotion was triggered by the Titan Giant Ape, one of the two great forest kings of Star Dou," Ye Han said slowly. "The Shrek party unfortunately collided head-on with the Titan Giant Ape."
"What?!" Qin Ming's expression changed abruptly.
The rest of the Imperial Fighting Team were also filled with shock.
The Titan Giant Ape-that was the true overlord of the Star Dou Great Forest!
This group from Shrek actually faced the Titan Giant Ape directly?
"Fortunately," Ye Han continued, "when I ran into them, only Xiao Wu was snatched away by the Titan Giant Ape. The rest of them all kept their lives, and although some people were injured, they are temporarily out of danger."
He paused. "I advised them to leave the Star Dou Great Forest as soon as possible, and by now... they should have already retreated."
After listening to Ye Han's recount, Qin Ming was filled with worry.
"Only one person lost..." Qin Ming muttered in a low voice, his tone carrying bitterness, "To face the Titan Giant Ape directly and in the end only lose a single person, that can already be considered the greatest of misfortunes amidst tragedy."
Qin Ming remained silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh.
He turned around and looked at everyone in the Imperial Fighting Team: "Ye Han has successfully obtained the fifth soul ring, and this time's soul-hunting objectives are all complete. Everyone, immediately evacuate the Star Dou Great Forest!"
"Understood!" Everyone answered in unison.
With a thought in his mind, Ye Han recalled the Fire Qilin back into his body.
The group quickly packed up their belongings and marched at full speed toward Soul Hunting Town, following the formation they had used upon coming.
Upon returning to Heaven Dou City, Ye Han did not return to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy with the others, instead following Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling to the small courtyard.
Dugu Bo's emerald-green eyes swept over the three of them, confirming that everyone was safe and sound before he slowly relaxed his breath.
"You're back?" His voice carried a trace of care.
"Grandfather, we're back."
Dugu Yan hurried forward and sat down by Dugu Bo's side, while Ye Han and Ye Lingling also said, "Senior Dugu."
Dugu Bo sized up Ye Han, his brow lifting slightly. "Your soul power is much steadier. It seems this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest yielded quite a harvest."
Ye Han nodded. "Indeed, there were gains."
Dugu Yan chimed in at this moment: "Grandfather, you have no idea what we ran into in the Star Dou Great Forest!"
She recounted the matter of Ma Hongjun's provocative remarks from beginning to end, finishing with a cold snort: "If Ye Han hadn't stopped me, I would have released my poison right then and there to let those two fellows taste the flavor of the Jade Phosphor Purple Poison!"
After listening to Dugu Yan's account, Dugu Bo's expression sank bit by bit, chillness surging within his emerald-green pupils.
"Good, very good." Dugu Bo's voice turned cold. "Since when do two juniors who know neither heaven nor earth dare to bully the younger generation of Dugu Bo?"
He turned his gaze to Ye Han. "You didn't step in to teach them a lesson?"
"I taught them one," Ye Han nodded. "I beat them up with my hands, and they were scorched by the Fire Qilin's flames, making it very difficult for them to recover in a short time."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo's expression softened slightly, yet the anger in his eye bases still had not dissipated.
Seeing this, Ye Han spoke up to persuade him: "Senior Dugu, this is a dispute among us juniors; leave it to us to handle ourselves. If you were to make a move personally, outsiders would inevitably pin the label of the strong bullying the weak upon you."
"Rest assured, if I run into those two again in the future, I will beat them every time I see them, and I will definitely help Yanyan-jie and the others vent this deep anger!"
Dugu Bo glanced at Ye Han, remained silent for a moment, and finally gave a cold snort. "Very well, since you've put it that way, I'll leave it to you."
Ye Han felt slightly more at ease in his heart.
He persuaded Dugu Bo to stop not because he truly cared what others might say about the strong bullying the weak.
The real reason was that Tang Hao was hidden in the shadows most of the time, guarding by Tang Sam's side.
Although Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo, if he truly confronted the Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao, his chances of winning were not great.
Dugu Bo stroked his chin, his tone carrying a trace of amazement: "This brat's combat strength didn't already lose to an ordinary Seven-Ring Soul Sage before he even acquired his fifth soul ring. Now that he has obtained a thirty-thousand-year-limit soul ring, his strength will only become even more terrifying."
He looked at Ye Han and asked with an uplifted brow, "Am I right, old fellow?"
Ye Han smiled and did not deny it.
Ye Lingling spoke thoughtfully: "So this is why you no longer deliberately hide your strength?"
Her purple pupils shifted slightly. "Everyone in the Imperial Fighting Team witnessed with their own eyes that your fourth soul ring was a ten-thousand-year soul ring, and that you achieved the status of a Five-Ring Soul King at age twelve. Either of these two things, taken separately, has already broken the cultivation records of soul masters on the Douluo Continent."
"With both records falling upon the same person simultaneously..." Ye Lingling paused slightly. "It is not hard to imagine what kind of reaction the major factions will have once the news spreads."
Ye Han nodded slightly, his tone calm: "I cannot keep concealing my clumsiness forever. Just as Senior Dugu said before, without enduring wind and rain for tempering, it is difficult to grow into a true towering tree."
A trace of approval flashed through the depths of Dugu Bo's eyes.
Yet the next instant, as if recalling something, his brow furrowed.
"No."
Dugu Bo said slowly, "In the past, your conduct always sought stability; you would hide whenever you could and avoid whenever you could. How is it that you suddenly changed your style and no longer mind exposing yourself to everyone's gaze?"
Speaking up to this point, Dugu Bo suddenly remembered the spar the two of them had after Ye Han's martial soul evolved into the Fire Qilin.
At that time, he had even suffered a small loss!
Thinking of this, Dugu Bo leaned forward slightly, his emerald-green eyes locked tightly onto Ye Han: "Could it be that... you still have some trump card hidden away that you haven't told us?"
As Dugu Bo's voice fell, the courtyard instantly grew quiet.
Ye Han did not reply immediately, instead standing up slowly and walking over to the open space in the courtyard.
With a thought in his mind, a crimson radiance surged forth from within his body, and the Fire Qilin's massive figure manifested in the courtyard.
He raised his right hand, palm facing upward.
The Fire Qilin understood tacitly, lifting its forepaw and resting it gently against Ye Han's palm.
The next instant, a sudden transformation occurred.
Rich blood Qi rose from all around Ye Han's body, and simultaneously, white flames surged over the Fire Qilin, enveloping its entire body.
The blood Qi and the white flames slowly drew closer, blending with one another.
Two completely distinct forces intertwined at this moment like water and milk melding together.
When the last wisps of blood Qi and flames were thoroughly entangled, the separate figures of Ye Han and the Fire Qilin in the courtyard had already vanished.
Replacing them was a half-human form.
The figure grew slightly taller, and the muscle lines became increasingly distinct.
Fine, crimson-gold Qilin scales covered the surface of his skin, resembling a second layer of flesh and hide. His hands transformed into Qilin claws, and a pair of broad wings slowly unfurled behind his back.
The most captivating feature was his pair of eyes.
His originally pitch-black pupils had now transformed into beast-like vertical slits, with crimson flames dancing deep within those pupils.
The half-beast-form Ye Han stood quietly in place, and the coercion radiating from his entire body was worlds apart from before.
If previously, when Ye Han and the Fire Qilin appeared together, his aura still hovered at the level of a Five-Ring Soul King...
Then at this moment, even without activating any amplification soul skills, his aura in this form was already infinitely close to the realm of a Seven-Ring Soul Sage!
The courtyard was dead silent.
Dugu Bo abruptly stood up from his seat, his emerald-green pupils contracting sharply.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling widened their eyes even further, looking with disbelief at this figure standing in the courtyard.
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