On a woodland path in the Northern Star Dou Great Forest,
Morning dew slid down the leaves and struck the ground carpeted with rotting foliage, splashing into tiny droplets.
Qian Daoliu walked at the front, pale golden soul power flickering around him. It shielded those behind him from the forest's dampness while he constantly monitored the deep blue energy within Xiao Wu’s Mother.
Bibi Dong supported Xiao Wu’s Mother on one side. The twenty-year-old spoke cheerfully about the amusements of Spirit City:
"Auntie, you have no idea how skilled the sugar painting shop in Spirit City's central square is. They can draw all sorts of soul beasts with melted sugar. Xiao Wu will definitely love it. And there's the Rose Garden in the west of the city. The flowers bloom at this time of year, and you can smell their fragrance from far away..."
Xiao Wu clung to her mother's arm, her big eyes sparkling:
"Big Sister Bibi Dong, what's a sugar painting? Does it taste better than carrots?"
"It's much sweeter than carrots."
Bibi Dong smiled and ruffled her hair. Her gaze swept over Xiao Wu’s Mother’s pale profile, and she added,
"Once your injuries are a little better, I'll take you both to try all the snacks in Spirit City. There's also honey cake made especially for children. It's soft and chewy."
Xiao Wu’s Mother gave a weak smile and said softly:
"Thank you, Dong'er."
She could tell that Bibi Dong was deliberately keeping the mood lively while quietly soothing her unease. After all, Xiao Wu had already become Qian Daoliu's disciple and would be going with him. For her, a soul beast nearing a hundred thousand years of age, this ultimately meant stepping into human territory.
The mood on the other side of the group was rather somber.
Golden Crocodile walked along the outer edge, his thick arms folded across his chest, his fists clenching from time to time. His level 98 soul power had failed to stop an eighty-thousand-year soul beast. It felt as though a ball of fire had lodged in his chest.
Guang Ling carried his longbow on his back, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of his quiver. The moment before the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger vanished into the spatial rift replayed over and over in his mind. Even at level 97, he had failed to pin it down for good with a single arrow.
Jiang Mo kept jabbing the end of his Coiling Dragon Staff into the ground, striking hard enough to send dirt flying as he muttered:
"That beast's spatial abilities are too damn uncanny. Next time I run into it, I'll smash every bone in its body!"
Qian Daoliu glanced back at the three females chatting and laughing, then turned toward Golden Crocodile and the others. His voice was low, but his words were directed at the three men:
"That Dark Demon Evil God Tiger is no ordinary creature. Not only does it command six attributes-evil, space, time, lightning, wind, and strength-but more importantly, its intelligence far surpasses that of ordinary soul beasts."
He paused without slowing his steps, his voice reaching everyone's ears clearly:
"Did you notice how well it played to its strengths and avoided its weaknesses during battle? It used its spatial abilities to evade powerful attacks and evil energy to disrupt our soul power. It even knew to sacrifice part of its strength at a critical moment to escape. More troublesome still, it possesses the ability of devouring evolution. After it devoured Mad Wolf's evil power, its aura grew noticeably stronger."
At his words, Golden Crocodile and the other two grew solemn.
Only after Qian Daoliu's analysis did they grasp more fully how terrifying that Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was.
With six intertwined attributes, exceptional intelligence, and the potential for devouring evolution, the consequences would be unthinkable if it were allowed to grow.
"Leave that beast alive, and it will become a great calamity."
Golden Crocodile spoke in a low, grave voice.
"Next time we meet it, we'll tear it into ten thousand pieces!" Jiang Mo said through gritted teeth.
Guang Ling said nothing, but the cold glint in his eyes sharpened, and his grip on his bow tightened.
Qian Daoliu lightly tapped his palm with his fingertips:
"Once we return, have the Spirit Hall Intelligence Department investigate whether any similarly sinister soul beasts have appeared in the Star Dou Great Forest over the past century."
"Yes."
The three answered in unison.
They continued in silence, accompanied only by their footsteps and birdsong among the trees.
Perhaps the overwhelming auras of Qian Daoliu and the others had cowed everything nearby, for not a single soul beast dared approach. Even low-ranking soul beasts kept their distance, sparing the group considerable trouble.
When a sunlit gap appeared in the forest ahead, offering a faint glimpse of the plains beyond, Xiao Wu could not help cheering:
"Mom! We're out!"
This was Xiao Wu's first time leaving the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Holding Bibi Dong's arm, Xiao Wu’s Mother gazed at the wide-open world and let out a gentle breath.
The Spirit Hall Branch in the Northern Star Dou Great Forest stood on a hillside at the forest's edge. Its gray stone walls bore Spirit Hall's distinctive architectural style. When the two soul masters at the entrance saw the clothing worn by Qian Daoliu's group, they froze before their expressions changed drastically.
Thud.
Both dropped to one knee:
"Greetings, my lords!"
Qian Daoliu waved a hand:
"Rise. Find two of your roomiest carriages, ones that ride smoothly, and prepare some clean water and medicine for injuries."
The branch bishop hurried over upon receiving the news. A trace of confusion flashed through his eyes when he saw Xiao Wu's mother and a Soft Bone Rabbit beside Qian Daoliu.
But at the sight of the three men's stern expressions, he immediately lowered his head, not daring to ask questions, and answered hastily:
"Yes, yes! I'll see to it at once!"
A short while later, two gray carriages stood outside the branch hall. Their compartments were spacious, and their wheels were wrapped in thick cotton padding. Clearly, they had been specially selected for a smooth ride.
Bibi Dong helped Xiao Wu’s Mother into the first carriage, with Xiao Wu following close behind. Just as she was about to hop inside, Qian Daoliu called her back.
"Come in."
Qian Daoliu opened the second carriage's door and motioned for her to board.
Xiao Wu hesitantly looked at her mother, who gave a weak nod:
"Go on. Stay with your teacher."
Only then did Xiao Wu climb into the second carriage. She had barely settled into her seat when Golden Crocodile, Guang Ling, and Jiang Mo boarded one after another.
Then Guang Ling picked Xiao Wu up and set her on his lap.
Guang Ling took a translucent fruit from his soul tool and handed it to her:
"Here, eat this. It's a Dewdrop Fruit from the outskirts of Star Dou. It's sweet."
Xiao Wu accepted it and murmured a thank-you, then held the fruit and began nibbling at it.
Qian Daoliu sat furthest inside, resting with his eyes closed, faint golden light curling around his fingertips. He was continuously suppressing the evil-effect energy within Xiao Wu’s Mother while also maintaining the barrier masking Xiao Wu's aura.
The carriages slowly began moving, their wheels rolling over the gravel road with gentle jolts.
In the first carriage, Bibi Dong wiped the thin sheen of sweat from Xiao Wu’s Mother’s forehead while softly describing Spirit City's layout:
"It takes three days to reach Heaven Dou City from the branch hall. There are soft cushions in the carriage, so sleep for a while if you're tired. I'll watch over you."
Xiao Wu’s Mother shook her head to indicate that she was not sleepy yet, but she looked puzzled.
"Heaven Dou City?"
"Yes. Our destination on this trip is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
In the second carriage,
Guang Ling was telling Xiao Wu amusing stories about his archery, while Jiang Mo chimed in with jokes and a tale of how he had once sent three thousand-year soul beasts flying with his Coiling Dragon Staff.
Xiao Wu listened, enthralled, temporarily forgetting the sorrow of parting.
Qian Daoliu opened his eyes and looked out the window.
The carriages had already left the Star Dou Forest behind and were heading toward Heaven Dou City. Boundless plains stretched ahead, with the faint outlines of mountains visible along the distant horizon.
Before you continue