Soul Hunting

By noon the next day, Hu Jiu and the other two finally arrived at Soul Hunting Forest.

"We're finally here. Traveling nonstop has been so boring!" Xiao Wu jumped down from the carriage and stretched lazily where she stood.

"You've worked hard, you've worked hard. Here, have a carrot first." Hu Jiu got down after her, standing beside her with a placating smile.

He couldn't act tough! They had come on this trip to Hunt Soul Ring for him. Xiao Wu and Tang San were both helping voluntarily.

"Little San, want one too?" Hu Jiu made another carrot and handed it to Tang San.

"I'll have one. I have to say, your carrots are crisp and tasty. They quench thirst and fill the stomach, and most importantly, you never have to worry about going hungry. That's great."

Tang San had been starved since childhood under Tang Hao's care, so he naturally felt this more deeply.

"You two, stop dawdling and hurry up to find a Soul Beast for Xiao Jiu." Up ahead, Xiao Wu was Bouncing Around as she turned back and waved at them.

The two exchanged smiles and hurried after her.

When they reached the entrance of Soul Hunting Forest, Hu Jiu took out Grandmaster's Spirit Hall token and easily led Tang San and Xiao Wu inside.

"Xiao Wu, slow down. Be careful, it's dangerous." Listening to the sounds of various Soul Beasts around them and sensing the faint presence of danger, Hu Jiu suddenly felt a little worried.

Originally, he had thought that with Tang San and Xiao Wu, two Battle Soul Masters, around, he would not feel fear.

But it seemed he had overestimated himself.

Walking through a dangerous place like this—he had never experienced anything like it, not in this life or his previous one!

Especially after his five senses had been strengthened, he could detect all sorts of auras in the forest that posed great danger to them.

It was like a little lamb walking among wolves, leaving him trembling with fear.

"Hehe, Xiao Jiu, so you're scared! Don't worry, Sister Xiao Wu will protect you."

When Xiao Wu turned back and saw the expression on Hu Jiu's face, it was as if she had discovered a whole new world.

Tang San, walking behind them, understood somewhat. In his eyes, Hu Jiu was only six years old. It was perfectly normal for him to be scared in a dangerous place like Soul Hunting Forest.

But Xiao Wu? This girl was really fierce!

"I'll lead the way. Xiao Jiu, stay in the middle, and Xiao Wu, bring up the rear. We'll protect Xiao Jiu together." Naturally, Tang San took command of the group.

"Okay." Once it came to serious business, Xiao Wu became serious as well. She obediently followed Tang San's instructions and stayed close behind Hu Jiu, afraid that something might happen to him.

"Don't make the atmosphere so tense. I may be a Support Soul Master, but I can fight too. At the very least, I can protect myself."

Hu Jiu raised the iron hammer in his hand and spoke unhappily.

He might not measure up to level-thirteen Xiao Wu and level-fourteen Tang San, but he was not that useless!

How about checking out level-five Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer?

At this level, Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer could unleash eighty-one consecutive strikes. The Final Hammer would carry five hundred jin of force, something even Tang San could not accomplish yet.

He was not weak either, right?

"It's just in case." Tang San, walking ahead, seemed afraid that Hu Jiu might take offense, so he even explained himself.

"No need to explain. I understand." By now, Hu Jiu had adapted to the atmosphere of Soul Hunting Forest, and his mood had calmed down.

"Go left. There seems to be a hundred-year Soul Beast on the right." As they walked, Hu Jiu, positioned in the middle, suddenly reached out and tugged Tang San, telling him to change direction.

"Okay." Tang San did not ask how he had discovered it and headed left Without Hesitation.

Xiao Wu behind them was quite curious. "How did you know there was a hundred-year Soul Beast on the right?"

"It's simple. One is its aura, and the other is its smell. They're both telling me there's a troublesome character on the right."

Only then did Hu Jiu realize that, in Soul Hunting Forest, the most useful of his abilities should be Touch.

With it, staying alive was practically guaranteed!

It was like a premonition. Whenever danger drew near, his body would react naturally, like an animal whose fur stood on end. Every part of him was telling him that there was danger in that direction.

Combined with the fishy stench reaching his nose, if Hu Jiu had been more knowledgeable, he could have directly identified what kind of Soul Beast it was.

"Your Perception Ability is so strong. You can actually detect a Soul Beast's aura in advance. With this ability, it looks like our Soul Hunting Operation will be much easier."

The most dangerous thing in Soul Hunting Forest was encountering a Soul Beast stronger than oneself. Hu Jiu's ability allowed them to discover Soul Beasts ahead of time, so it was no wonder Xiao Wu looked so astonished.

"Haha, it's the effect of a Soul Skill passed down through my family. Unfortunately, this Soul Skill can't be taught outside the family, or I would teach you two." Hu Jiu said.

It could not be taught outside the family, only within it. He had learned that from Tang San. That brat kept Tang Sect martial arts hidden so tightly, so Hu Jiu would not teach him either. Hmph!

With Hu Jiu's Perception Ability, what followed became much easier. Whenever they sensed the aura of a hundred-year Soul Beast, they would avoid it in advance.

Hu Jiu's target this time was the Sky Swallowing Toad. This type of Soul Beast was a small Soul Beast that could grow to no more than ninety-odd years in its lifetime. Their lifespans were not long, and living for several decades was already considered old age for them.

Moreover, Sky Swallowing Toads were not very strong and had always occupied the bottom of the food chain in Soul Hunting Forest.

Grandmaster had said that Sky Swallowing Toads liked to live in dark, damp places.

For this reason, Hu Jiu had begun studying information on Soul Hunting Forest while still at the academy. In the end, he discovered that only the southwestern edge of the forest suited the Sky Swallowing Toad's habitat. The terrain there was low, with many small pools of water. Because of the water sources, the trees grew densely, making it the perfect place for Sky Swallowing Toads to survive.

They were currently in the northwest. To reach that place, they would need to make a large detour.

Fortunately, Hu Jiu's senses were sharp. Whenever he detected a Soul Beast's aura, they avoided it in advance. Along the way, they had not encountered a single Soul Beast. It was as though this were not the dangerous Soul Hunting Forest, but their own backyard.

"Little San, go left." Along the way, Hu Jiu had Tang San, who was walking in front, change course.

Behind them, Xiao Wu pouted unhappily. Xiao Jiu was being far too cautious! It was only Soul Hunting Forest. Did they really need to be this careful?

"Something's wrong. We've been discovered. Prepare for battle."

Suddenly, Hu Jiu frowned. This time, they had failed to avoid it. Some Soul Beasts were charging rapidly in their direction.

The moment Hu Jiu spoke, Tang San and Xiao Wu stopped at once and warily faced the direction Hu Jiu was looking.

"Xiao Jiu, can you sense the specifics?" Tang San asked calmly.

"Mm. The aura isn't very strong. They aren't hundred-year Soul Beasts, but there are quite a few of them. Eight in total. They should be pack-dwelling Soul Beasts." Through the Five Senses Strengthening Technique, that was all the information Hu Jiu could sense.

"Eight Soul Beasts. That's a bit troublesome." Tang San frowned after hearing this, then turned and said, "I'll use my Martial Soul to control them later. Xiao Jiu, Xiao Wu, take the chance to attack."

"Okay." Hu Jiu and Xiao Wu nodded to show that they understood.

Hu Jiu gripped his iron hammer tightly while constantly sensing the pack's location. When they were about to arrive, he began swinging the hammer over and over, unleashing Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.

This time, he was going to unleash a big move.

Ever since Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer had risen to level five, he had never used it at full strength. This was the perfect opportunity to see its effect.

"They're here." Just as Hu Jiu's Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer had accumulated over seventy strikes, a trace of purple flashed through Tang San's eyes. At the same time, the Blue Silver Grass within him was released.

"Blue Silver Grass, Bind."