"Little Chen, the Star Dou Great Forest is full of soul beasts, with danger lurking on every side. Be extra careful, don't wander off, and stay close to these two soul masters. Understand?"
Outside the crown prince's residence, Qian Renxue cautioned Meng Chen. Even the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest were far more dangerous than the Breeding Forest.
For that reason, she had specifically assigned two Soul Emperors from the Imperial Soul Master Corps to accompany Meng Chen.
Of course, only one Soul Emperor would be present openly; Porcupinefish Douluo would also follow in secret.
"Mm, don't worry, Brother Xue. I won't wander off."
Meng Chen patted his chest in assurance. Qian Renxue pinched his cheeks and told him to get into the carriage first.
Then Qian Renxue instructed the two Imperial Soul Masters, "If you encounter danger, no matter what that child asks of you, you must bring him away safely."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The two Imperial Soul Masters respectfully acknowledged her orders, then boarded the carriage as well.
Under Qian Renxue's watchful gaze, the carriage receded into the distance until it vanished from sight.
Yet, for some reason, a faint unease lingered in Qian Renxue's heart. She kept feeling that this trip to Star Dou would not go smoothly.
The journey from Heaven Dou City to Soul Hunting Town outside the Star Dou Great Forest took a full five days.
After resting in Soul Hunting Town for a night, the two Imperial Soul Masters escorted Meng Chen into the Star Dou Great Forest.
As a gathering ground for soul beasts that spanned both Heaven Dou and the Star Luo Empire, the Star Dou Great Forest was lush beyond measure. Towering trees blotted out the sky and sun, while its varied terrain-hills, swamps, poisonous pools, and treacherous ground-held danger at every turn.
Even on the outskirts, hundred-year and thousand-year soul beasts were everywhere. With bad enough luck, a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape might even spring out of the bushes.
The two Imperial Soul Masters guarded Meng Chen, one in front and one behind. Whenever they encountered soul beasts, they left them alone unless they attacked first.
"Young Master Chen, the maximum age for a soul master's first soul ring is around four hundred years. Your martial soul is the Soft Bone Rabbit, a beast martial soul, so I recommend absorbing a soul ring from a four-hundred-year beast."
The Imperial Soul Master walking ahead turned to address Meng Chen. Meng Chen, however, shook his head.
"Four hundred years isn't enough. My body has undergone the Ice and Fire Golden Body tempering, and it's already comparable to a Soul Elder's. I think I can try absorbing a higher-quality soul ring."
Both Imperial Soul Masters were startled.
Although they had no idea what the Ice and Fire Golden Body was, Meng Chen claimed his physique rivaled a Soul Elder's. How was that possible?
Seeing their disbelief, Meng Chen stopped and scanned his surroundings. His gaze settled on a large rock nearly as tall as he was, which he estimated weighed eight or nine hundred kilograms.
Then Meng Chen walked over to the rock and wrapped both arms around it.
Under the two Imperial Soul Masters' astonished gazes, he lifted it with a single heave, displaying astonishing arm strength far beyond that of an ordinary soul master!
"Gasp..."
The Imperial Soul Master who had advised Meng Chen on hunting a soul beast was dumbfounded.
Wait, could this be right?
A child whose martial soul had awakened less than five days ago had actually lifted a boulder weighing nearly a thousand kilograms. Even an ordinary Two-Ring Agility Attack Soul Grandmaster might not manage that!
Terrifying beyond belief. This child truly was terrifying beyond belief!
No wonder His Highness the crown prince had adopted him.
Boom!
Meng Chen hurled the rock forward. A tremendous crash rang out, followed by a series of snapping sounds.
Several large trees ahead were crushed and broken. Dust billowed and leaves scattered, startling numerous weak soul beasts into fleeing in every direction.
"Well?" Meng Chen turned to ask the two Imperial Soul Masters.
They nodded repeatedly, abandoning any thought of persuading him otherwise.
Time flew by, and evening soon arrived.
A suitable soul beast could not be found at a moment's notice. Seeing that it was getting late, the Imperial Soul Masters asked Meng Chen to return to Soul Hunting Town with them and resume the search in daylight.
Meng Chen did not make things difficult for them and readily accepted their suggestion.
Meanwhile, in the Core Area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Unlike the complex terrain of the outskirts, the Core Area held only an exquisitely beautiful lake. Its azure waters resembled the most perfect sapphire set into the earth.
Moonlight shone across the lake's surface, which reflected the towering trees around it. The waters were calm and brimming with life, while the blue silver grass along the shore grew exceptionally thick.
Whoosh!
A black-robed figure appeared among the trees, spying on the Core Area.
"Hmm? That little soul beast that took human form isn't here?"
The Black-Robed Figure's disguised, rasping voice carried a trace of puzzlement.
Logically, as a soul beast-and one that had taken human form at that-where else could it go if it did not stay in the Core Area?
Splash...
As the Black-Robed Figure pondered, ripples spread across the lake, and an azure bull's head larger than a house emerged from the Lake of Life.
Clear lake water streamed down the grooves of the bull's head. A terrifying pressure spread outward, bending even the blue silver grass along the shore.
It was none other than the Sky Azure Bull Python!
The instant the Sky Azure Bull Python surfaced, his enormous eyes snapped toward the Black-Robed Figure's hiding place.
Towering fury flooded his eyes. The moment he opened his mouth, Azure Thunder brimming with destructive power blasted out without an instant's windup, hurtling toward the Black-Robed Figure like a cannon shell!
"Human! You dare come here again!"
Seeing the Azure Thunder hurtling toward her, the Black-Robed Figure snorted coldly. Purple soul power surged, vast as the sea.
At the same time, nine soul rings rose beneath her feet: two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red! The Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring revolved, scarlet as fresh blood, eerily radiant and emanating terrifying fluctuations of soul power.
"Hmph! Since that soul beast that took human form isn't here, you'll serve just as well!"
The Black-Robed Figure darted aside, easily evading the Azure Thunder. Seeing the vast stretch of dense forest behind her razed to the ground, she transformed her arms into Scythe Blades. Shrouded in the aura of death, she shot toward the Sky Azure Bull Python like a streak of purple light!
The Sky Azure Bull Python's fury burned even hotter. He had never expected this human to be so arrogant that she would actually try to hunt him!
"Human, do you truly think the Star Dou Great Forest is yours to bully? Today, I'll make sure you never leave alive and avenge Aunt Rou!"
The Sky Azure Bull Python's roar shook the heavens as he soared upward and charged at the Black-Robed Figure!
A Titled Douluo possessing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and the sovereign of the Star Dou Great Forest collided violently. A great battle erupted!
The battle in the Core Area soon affected the other soul beasts in the forest, rousing countless beasts from their sleep. They all looked toward the Core Area in bewilderment and alarm.
Which bastard deserving a thousand cuts had angered those brothers this time?
Couldn't a beast get any sleep around here?
The soul beasts growled toward the depths of the forest in discontent, though they dared do no more than growl a few times.
But as the battle in the Core Area grew fiercer, large numbers of soul beasts were disturbed. Unwilling to become fish caught in someone else's disaster, they began fleeing toward the outskirts, soon affecting Meng Chen's party as they withdrew from the forest.
One Imperial Soul Master spread his eagle wings and flew high into the sky.
"This is... a Beast Tide?!"
The Flying Eagle Soul Emperor gazed into the distance, his eyes filled with astonishment.
An enormous throng of soul beasts came charging out of the forest's inner reaches, surging like a mighty flood. Everything in their path was crushed and shattered beyond recognition, while thousands upon thousands of bestial eyes gleamed with an eerie light. It was a horrifying sight.
Even though the Beast Tide was still some distance from Meng Chen and his companions, they could already feel its savage, murderous aura. Like towering waves of malice, it swept across hundreds of miles, shrouding the forest in a haze of bloodlust!
The Beast Tide soon reached the outskirts.
Many weaker soul beasts met with disaster. Like stones by the roadside, they were trampled over again and again by the Beast Tide, their flesh mangled and their bodies covered in wounds.
After landing, the Flying Eagle Soul Emperor urgently reported that a sizable Beast Tide was surging in their direction...
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