In the Star Dou Great Forest, ancient trees towered into the sky, their dense canopies blotting out the sun. Rich Life Spiritual Energy filled the air as though it had substance, while the concealed auras of thousand-year and ten-thousand-year soul beasts rose and fell deep within the Dense Forest.
Compared with Spirit Grass Valley, where they had trained before, this deep region, never extensively explored by human Soul Masters, felt far more primordial and mysterious. Every inch of soil brimmed with magnificent vitality. Exotic flowers and rare herbs carpeted the ground, and thousand-year spirit herbs grew everywhere, far surpassing anything found outside.
Holding Su Qingyuan's and Yue Huaxi's hands, Lin Chen steadily advanced toward the forest's heart, following the increasingly clear call within him while two Soul Douluos secretly escorted them.
Thick fallen leaves lay beneath their feet. Everything around them was silent except for the rustle of wind through the foliage, yet endless dangers lurked beneath that stillness. Countless powerful soul beasts held sway in the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest. Even a Titled Douluo had to tread carefully here; the slightest misstep could bring utter destruction.
Yet strangely, throughout their journey, Lin Chen's party suffered no soul beast attacks. Instead, they encountered numerous thousand-year and ten-thousand-year soul beasts. Some perched on branches, others lay upon the ground, but all restrained their savage auras. With gentle eyes that even held a trace of reverence, they gazed at Lin Chen like subjects bowing before their sovereign, not daring the slightest offense.
A snow-white Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Deer slowly approached Lin Chen, bent its knees, and lowered itself to the ground, gently nuzzling the hem of his clothes with utter docility. Seven-Colored Spirit Birds circled above his head, their crisp, melodious calls seeming to guide his way. Even a ten-thousand-year tiger soul beast, normally ferocious beyond measure, lay in the distance with lowered eyes, showing no intention of attacking.
The sight left Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi stunned. Even the two Soul Douluos protecting them from the shadows stopped in their tracks, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"Th-this... what is going on? Why are the soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest so docile? They're even bowing to Lin Chen!" Su Qingyuan covered her mouth, her face filled with astonishment.
Both women knew that soul beasts were naturally hostile toward human Soul Masters. High-level soul beasts, in particular, would attack humans on sight. Yet the attitude these powerful creatures now showed Lin Chen defied everything they understood.
Yue Huaxi's eyes flickered, and her gaze softened as she looked at Lin Chen. "It must be because Lin Chen's Life Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is connected to this forest's Life Origin. The soul beasts sensed that primordial aura, which is why they're showing such reverence."
Lin Chen nodded slightly, already understanding what was happening.
He could clearly feel the Life Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul within his dantian merging perfectly with the surrounding Life Spiritual Energy. The aura of life emanating from him was purer and more primordial than that of the forest's soul beasts. To them, he was like the ruler of this forest, naturally inspiring the urge to bow before him.
"Let's keep going. The closer we get to the heart of the forest, the stronger the soul beasts become. Everyone, stay alert and don't disturb them unnecessarily," Lin Chen warned solemnly, continuing deeper without breaking stride.
As they advanced, the soul beasts around them grew ever more powerful. Ten-thousand-year soul beasts appeared everywhere, and they even sensed the auras of two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
Deep within the Dense Forest, an enormous serpentine figure slowly emerged, its scales black as ink and its eyes scarlet. It was the Black-Armored Giant Snake, a subordinate of the Sky Azure Bull Python, the hundred-thousand-year soul beast dwelling in the Star Dou Great Forest. Yet even as a subordinate of such a beast, the snake merely lay respectfully on the ground and watched Lin Chen's party leave, not daring to obstruct them in the slightest.
Within the hearts of the two hidden Soul Douluos, towering waves of shock had already surged.
They had lived more than half their lives, yet never witnessed anything so strange. A human Soul Master could actually make the soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest bow in worship. Even the legendary Soul Beast Co-Ruler could hardly have done more!
"The secrets this Lin Chen carries are far more terrifying than we imagined. His martial soul is certainly no ordinary blue silver grass!" one Soul Douluo murmured, his gaze upon Lin Chen filled with awe.
The deeper they went, the denser the Life Spiritual Energy became, almost condensing into liquid. Even the lowest-grade spirit herbs growing on the ground were ten thousand years old, and faint immortal radiance suffused the air. They had reached the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest's forbidden ground, a place where even Titled Douluos had never set foot.
The call within Lin Chen's heart also grew incomparably strong. That vast, boundless aura of life streamed endlessly from somewhere just ahead, resonating intensely with his Life Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. The icy markings on its leaves shone ever more brilliantly, while the soul power within his dantian began circulating on its own, rapidly increasing.
"The forbidden ground is just ahead. I can sense an aura inside that far surpasses a hundred-thousand-year soul beast," Lin Chen said, stopping and gazing solemnly at the Dense Forest shrouded in seven-colored radiance before him.
This Dense Forest was entirely different from the world outside. Radiance swirled through it, and spiritual energy soared into the sky. No soul beast dared approach, as though this were the forest's sacred domain. An invisible barrier separated the inside from the outside, one that even a Soul Douluo could not easily breach.
Standing beside Lin Chen, Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi felt that immense pressure and involuntarily tightened their grips on his hands, their hearts filled with both nervousness and anticipation.
They knew that the secret of his martial soul, which Lin Chen had been pursuing all this time, lay within this forbidden ground. The answer was now within reach.
Lin Chen took a deep breath, slowly extended his hand, and reached toward the radiant barrier before him.
The instant his fingertips touched the radiance, something extraordinary happened!
The seven-colored light seemed to come alive, parting to either side on its own. The once-impenetrable barrier instantly opened a passage, and Life Spiritual Energy ten times denser than that outside rushed into their faces. Within his dantian, the Life Blue Silver Grass danced wildly in excitement, as though it had returned home.
"Come on. Let's go inside."
Without further hesitation, Lin Chen held the two women's hands and stepped into the forbidden ground.
The two Soul Douluos tried to follow, but the radiant barrier blocked them. No matter how they channeled their soul power, they could not take even half a step inside. They could only stand guard outside the forbidden ground, remaining alert to the dangers around them.
Once they entered the forbidden ground, the scene before them resembled an immortal paradise.
Hundred-thousand-year spirit herbs covered the ground, immortal springs flowed, birds sang, and flowers filled the air with fragrance. There was not a trace of savagery, only life energy of the utmost purity. At the center stood an ancient stone platform. Upon it grew an emerald-green immortal herb wreathed in seven-colored radiance, with a tiny figure nestled atop it.
That vast, boundless aura of life was emanating from this very immortal herb!
Lin Chen and the two women slowly approached, then froze the moment they clearly saw the figure.
It was a little girl who appeared only five or six years old. She wore a green dress, her skin was fairer than snow, and her eyes were like clear gemstones. Seven-colored light of life surrounded her as she lay quietly atop the immortal herb, sleeping in perfect peace. Her aura was gentle yet carried supreme majesty—the oppressive might of one who stood at the pinnacle of all soul beasts!
The moment Lin Chen looked at her, the little girl slowly opened her eyes. Those eyes seemed to contain the vitality of the entire Star Dou Forest. Looking at Lin Chen, she curved her lips into a sweet smile and spoke softly. Her voice was like a heavenly melody, yet it reached his ears with perfect clarity:
"Child, you've finally come..."
"I've waited for you for a hundred thousand years..."
As her words fell, every spirit herb within the forbidden ground swayed in unison. Throughout the entire Star Dou Great Forest, every soul beast prostrated itself upon the ground and let out reverent murmurs, as though bowing before their co-ruler!
The Life Blue Silver Grass within Lin Chen's dantian instantly flew out of his body and hovered in midair, resonating with the Seven-Colored Immortal Herb upon the stone platform. Green light intertwined with seven-colored radiance, and dazzling brilliance flooded the entire forbidden ground!
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