Leaving Star Luo City

The pace of the matches in the Soul Ancestor group is much slower than that in the Soul Elder group.

The Soul Ancestor take longer to finish their matches, not only because they fight slower, but also because the scheduling is slower. There aren't many Soul Master at the Soul Ancestor level in Star Luo City to begin with, and even fewer are willing to participate in the Sparring Fight. After Ning Buhui finished his first match against Xiong Kuohai, he waited three days before his second match was scheduled. During those three days, he went to watch the matches every day as usual and cultivated in the tower at night.

The opponent in the second match was a level 41 Agility Attack System Soul Ancestor with the Wind Falcon as his Wind Falcon Martial Soul. This person was extremely fast, much faster than the Water Splitter Soul Elder from the Soul Elder group. Ning Buhui's regular chains couldn't keep up at all; every time the chains were fired, the opponent was no longer in the same spot. He tried to use Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind to trap the opponent, but the opponent reacted too quickly, and the cage hadn't even formed before the opponent dodged out of the coverage area.

In the first round, Ning Buhui was outflanked three times by his opponent. Although he wasn't seriously injured, the chains failed to hit him even once. Finally, he changed his strategy, intending to finish the battle quickly. He unleashed the Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind to its limit, covering the entire arena. Although this greatly depleted his Soul Power, it also gave him an opportunity to seize the opportunity. Sure enough, after entering the Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind, his opponent's speed was completely suppressed. Ning Buhui unleashed all six chains, binding his opponent tightly. His opponent's strength was insufficient to break free from the chains' restraints, thus ending the battle.

After the battle, Ning Buhui was drenched in a cold sweat. If his opponent had dragged the fight out in the Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind for a little longer and exhausted his Soul Power, he probably would have had no choice but to admit defeat.

The following matches were also tough battles. His opponents were Soul Ancestor level, with abundant Soul Power and rich combat experience. Many could see at a glance that his chains were vulnerable to super armor and area-of-effect attacks. Some opponents immediately activated super armor and charged in head-on, forcing Ning Buhui to rely on his agility to maneuver and then slowly wear him down with his fine chains. Some opponents used area-of-effect Soul Skill to cover the entire arena, forcing him to dodge and then closing in. Other opponents simply copied him, using control skills to counter his control skills. The two were locked in a tug-of-war on the arena for a long time. In the end, Ning Buhui used Butterfly Suppresses the Nether Spring to interrupt his opponent's Soul Power connection, barely winning by one move.

Over the course of half a month, Ning Buhui fought ten matches in the Soul Ancestor group, winning eight and losing two.

Of the two losses, one was against a level 45 Power Attack System Soul Ancestor. The opponent was too sharp, and the delicate chains were shattered by a single punch before they could absorb enough Soul Power. The other was against a level 46 Control System Soul Ancestor. The opponent's Martial Soul was a chain-type variant. The two fought for a long time, but in the end, the opponent's Soul Power was deeper, and he exhausted Ning Buhui's Soul Power first. He lost points, but he didn't care too much. Losing taught him more than winning.

After those two defeats, he worked even harder to cultivate his Soul Power every night. These two defeats made him realize that when facing opponents with higher Soul Power Level than him, his control methods would become less stable. The Invincible Body only provides immunity to control; it doesn't actually protect against the chains absorbing Soul Power. It's just that with the Invincible Body's enhancement, it's easier for the opponent to break his chains. If he had reached level 40 or higher, the situation would be different. Later battles against Soul Ancestor, who also used Control System, further highlighted the difference in Soul Power.

Another half month passed, Ning Buhui had been in the Soul Ancestor group for a month. In this month, he had experienced both wins and losses, but all of this had made him more proficient in his mastery of his Soul Skill. Both his timing and speed of casting had improved. He had achieved the desired effect in honing his Soul Skill, and it was time to leave and head to the Star Dou Great Forest.

That evening, after finishing his last match in the Soul Ancestor group and winning against his opponent, he went straight to the counter after leaving the backstage area.

"I'm not playing anymore." He handed the Silver Soul Badge back. "Please settle my points."

The steward was somewhat surprised, but didn't ask any further questions. He quickly settled the accounts, giving Ning Buhui the bonus and the money redeemed from points. Ning Buhui put the Gold Soul Coin into his ring and left the Soul Fighting Arena.

On his way back to the inn, he turned into a general store and bought some dry food, seasonings, medicine powder, and a few flints. The depths of the Star Dou Great Forest are not like the outer areas; once inside, one might not see a soul for ten days or half a month, so he had to bring everything he needed. Then he found a clothing store and bought two sets of sturdy leather armor and a pair of hard-soled boots.

Back at the inn, he took out the map again and carefully studied the route to make sure there were no problems. Then he lay down to sleep. He needed to be well-rested for their departure tomorrow, so he needed a good rest tonight, as he was afraid he wouldn't be able to get a good night's sleep for a while.

The next morning, after breakfast, he checked out of his room, found a secluded corner, and used the Thousand-Transformation Illusory Mask to change his appearance again, transforming himself into an average-looking young man in his early twenties. Then, he left Star Luo City through the east gate and headed northeast. This time, he didn't plan to take the main road, but instead chose the shortcut, heading straight for the Star Dou Great Forest.

This time, he plans to go deeper, directly to the central rocky mountain area. The density of Soul Beast there is high, and there are quite a few that are over ten thousand years old. He needs to grow up quickly in real life-or-death battles, which is much faster than simply cultivating and advancing on his own.

There were no roads in the wilderness. Underfoot were pebbles and withered grass, and occasionally a few narrow paths worn by wild animals could be seen, winding and leading to unknown directions. He traveled by day and tried to keep going at night, and when he was too tired, he would enter the tower to rest, so that he would not have to worry about encountering danger.

The wilderness to the northeast of the Star Luo Empire is flat and has a wide view, so there's no need to worry about getting lost.

After walking for four days, the forest gradually thickened. First, there were scattered bushes, then clumps of shrubs, and finally, the trees formed a continuous canopy, their branches and leaves intertwined, blocking out the sun. The humidity in the air gradually increased, and the pebbles underfoot turned into soft, decaying leaves. He knew that he was about to reach the Star Dou Great Forest.

He didn't rush in. He rested at the edge of the woods for a night, getting himself into top condition, and then plunged in early the next morning.

The middle layer of the Star Dou Great Forest was completely different from the outer layer he had previously stayed in. The trees were taller and thicker, with canopies as thick as roofs, completely blocking out the sunlight. The sun was almost invisible beneath the trees, with only a few occasional slivers of light filtering through and flickering on the ground. As he walked, he suddenly heard a sharp shriek overhead. Looking up, he saw a large bird with a wingspan of several meters swoop through the canopy, its wingtips sweeping down leaves like rain. The bird's Soul Power fluctuations were extremely strong; he estimated it to be at least five thousand years old.

He didn't provoke it and continued deeper into the area.

The deeper he went, the more Soul Beast he encountered. He constantly felt Soul Power fluctuations sweeping over him from the shadows, some strong, some weak, mostly between a thousand and ten thousand years old. There were a few extremely powerful auras that he dared not probe closely, for fear of being discovered. He avoided the areas with the strongest auras, specifically choosing places with moderate to high Soul Power fluctuations. His target was not the strongest Soul Beast, but rather the 5000-8000 year old Soul Beast most suitable for his training.

After walking for most of the day, he arrived at a rocky mountain area.

The rocky mountain rises abruptly from the mid-level forest, its grayish-white rocks piled up and scattered like the ribs of a giant beast. Sparse short grass and moss grow between the rocks, and the wind whistles through them. The terrain here is higher than the surrounding area, dry, and does not accumulate water, making it the favorite terrain for earth-attribute Soul Beast.

He found a secluded crevice in the rocks and crawled inside to rest. There was still more than half a water in his water pouch, and enough dry rations for a few days. He ate a compressed biscuit while keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings and carefully sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power around him.

The area around the rocky mountain was much quieter than the area he had just passed through, with far fewer auras of Soul Beast. But fewer didn't mean none. He sensed several weaker fluctuations wandering around the outer edge of the rocky mountain, which should be Soul Beast around 3,000 to 4,000 years old. There were also one or two extremely deep and thick fluctuations hidden deep within the rocky mountain, their exact location uncertain.

He rested in the crevice for half an hour to recharge, then crawled out and explored deeper into the rock face.

Not far along, a Rock Armor Lizard, about 4,000 years old, darted out from a crevice in the rocks. The creature was covered in grayish-brown scales, had short, thick limbs, and a tail as thick as an iron whip. As soon as it appeared, it pounced directly at Ning Buhui.

Ning Buhui dodged to the side, her Second Soul Ring igniting, and the Vine Locks the Nine Nether Regions unleashed three chains simultaneously. The Rock Armor Lizard reacted extremely quickly, sweeping its tail to shake off the first chain and then dodging the second. The third chain coiled up from the ground, binding one of its hind legs. It exerted its strength suddenly; the chain was stronger than it had expected, it didn't break, but it was pulled taut.

Ning Buhui flicked his wrist, activating his special ability. Now that he was truly training, with no outsiders around, he no longer needed to hide his strength. The exhilarating feeling of unleashing all his abilities surged forth.

Bound by chains, the Rock Armor Lizard Ning Buhui not break free for a short time. With his full power enhanced, Ning Buhui unleashed a Void Rending Slash, the invisible blade slicing through and severing the Rock Armor Lizard's head.

Ning Buhui loosened the chains and stepped forward to collect the spoils of war; these were all materials that could fetch a good price.

In the following days, Ning Buhui used the Yanshan area as his whetstone.

With his Wind Thunder Wings unfurled, pale white and blue light flowed from his left wing, while light black and purple lightning leaped from his right. He Warp between the rock walls, his speed more than twice as fast as when running on the ground. The Butterfly Dance Flowing Radiance, which he had dared not use in the Soul Fighting Arena before, was now always on his body, its amplification of all attributes making him faster and more accurate in his attacks. He had stacked two layers of Vine Armor Spring Life on himself, allowing him to withstand many attacks that he used to have to avoid. He practiced the Vine Locks the Nine Nether Regions Chains, from three to nine, from thick to thin, from light to dark, rotating them in turn, honing each usage until he could execute them without thinking.

On the fifth day, he encountered a Giant Rock Ape that was over 6,000 meters long.

The creature emerged from a crevice deep within the rocky mountain. It was grayish-brown, with long, powerful limbs, a slightly arched back, and arms that reached below its knees, its knuckles covered in thick calluses. Standing high above Ning Buhui, it pounded its chest with its fists and let out a deafening roar, causing rubble to fall from the rock face.

Ning Buhui looked up at it, mentally estimating its age. 6000 years old, earth element, strong and agile, capable of rock climbing, not easy to deal with. But it was perfect for testing what he had been practicing these past few days.

The Giant Rock Ape moved first. It leaped down from its height, slamming its fists into the ground, sending a yellowish-brown shockwave hurtling towards Ning Buhui. Ning Buhui pushed off with his right foot, his Wind Thunder Wings flapping wildly, and he transformed into a streak of blue-purple light, disappearing from his spot and reappearing on a rocky platform twenty paces away. The shockwave swept over his feet, sending shards of rock flying, and the platform shook violently.

Seeing its attack miss, the Giant Rock Ape turned and gave chase. It used all four limbs to climb the rock face with incredible speed, like a giant spider. Before it could get close, Ning Buhui's first three Soul Ring lit up. The Butterfly Dance Flowing Radiance and Wind and Wind Thunder Wing Shadow, their golden light entering his body, made him feel lighter. He pushed off with his feet and retreated again. Simultaneously, his Second Soul Ring lit up, Vine Locks the Nine Nether Regions, six chains shooting out at once, blocking the Giant Rock Ape's path from above, middle, and below. The Giant Rock Ape was bound by the chains to its limbs and waist, all six chains simultaneously absorbing its Soul Power. Its movements faltered for a moment, but then it roared, its Soul Power surging, forcefully severing all six chains.

Ning Buhui's pupils contracted slightly. This beast was stronger than he had imagined; it had only paused for a moment while struggling against the chains. He immediately changed his fighting style, activating his Third Soul Ring, Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind. Six pillars of lightning rose from the ground, trapping the Giant Rock Ape in the middle. The Giant Rock Ape's speed plummeted, its movements sluggish. Arcs of lightning struck every three seconds, the first bolt hitting its shoulder, numbing its entire body and freezing it for a moment.

Ning Buhui seized this half-breath. With a Void Rending Slash, a silver light flying out close to the ground, passing through the gaps in the Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind, and precisely slicing into the seam of the Giant Rock Ape's right shoulder fur. The silver light pierced through, blood splattered, and the Giant Rock Ape had a deep, bone-revealing wound on its shoulder. It roared in pain, slamming its fists into the ground, unleashing an even stronger earthen-yellow shockwave than before, shattering two of the lightning pillars in the Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind.

Ning Buhui calm and composed. With another flap of his Wind Thunder Wings, Warp to the other side. He replenished his Vine Armor Spring Life, and simultaneously, his First Soul Ring shone brightly again, triggering Butterfly Shakes the Nether Spring in the Nether Spring, interrupting the giant ape's next attack. With all attributes amplified, his speed was so fast that the Giant Rock Ape could barely keep up. He circled the edge of the cage, constantly harassing him with chains, sometimes wrapping thick chains around his legs, sometimes drilling thin chains into his wounds to absorb Soul Power. The Giant Rock Ape charged left and right in the cage, almost pouncing on him each time, but each time he dodged it with Warp.

When the Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind dissipated, the Giant Rock Ape's Soul Power had been reduced to only 10% by the chains, and its right shoulder wound was still bleeding, making it less agile than before. Ning Buhui gave it no chance to catch its breath, unleashing Vine Locks the Nine Nether Regions chains of the Nine Nether Vine Lock, binding all its joints from all directions, causing the Giant Rock Ape's struggles to weaken. Ning Buhui the opportunity, extending the tower to its maximum size and unleashing the Mountain Suppressing Falling Strike, crashing down from mid-air, its base striking the giant rock ape squarely on its back. The Giant Rock Ape was knocked to the ground by the impact, its limbs struggling to support itself several times without success.

Ning Buhui did not kill it. He retracted the chains, took two steps back, and watched as the Giant Rock Ape slowly got up and staggered into the depths of the rock crevice.

After the battle, he sat on the rocky platform, catching his breath for a while. He still had 40% of his Soul Power left. He closed his eyes and reviewed the battle: the timing of the Wind Thunder Wings ' Warp was more accurate than before; the superposition of Butterfly Dance Flowing Radiance allowed him to maintain precision even while moving at high speed; the control of the nine Vine Locks the Nine Nether Regions of the Nine Netherworlds when used together was more than twice as strong as that of six; and the efficiency of the fine chains in absorbing Soul Power from wounds was much higher than that from the surface of the body. The Void Rending Slash was still effective at breaking through the defenses of 6,000-year-old Soul Beast, but each use would consume 10% of his Soul Power, so it was not advisable to use it continuously, otherwise his Soul Power would not be able to withstand the consumption.

He stayed in the rocky mountains for another seven or eight days, fighting a total of more than a dozen battles against opponents ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 years old. In each battle, he tried to use all his techniques in rotation. He practiced the Wind and Thunder Wind Thunder Wings Warp until he could use it three times in a row without stopping, and he practiced the timing of the overlapping of Butterfly Dance Flowing Radiance and Flowing Radiance and Vine Armor Spring Life until it was almost instinctive. He could complete the thickness variation of Vine Locks the Nine Nether Regions in one strike. He even tried sprinkling water in the Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind, where water could conduct electricity, which had an unexpected effect. This gave him a new tactical idea.

On the fifteenth day, he discovered an underground river deep within the rocky mountains.

An underground river flowed from the mountain's belly, its water a deep blue, icy cold. He ventured deeper into the river and discovered a luminous moss growing on the stone walls on both sides, its bluish-white glow illuminating the entire riverbed. At the end of the underground river was a natural grotto with a crack in the ceiling through which moonlight leaked, illuminating a shallow pool in the center of the grotto.

He spent the night in the cave. When he emerged early the next morning, he found several extremely deep claw marks on the rock wall at the exit of the underground river. The claw marks were about half a foot wide, deeply embedded in the rock, with smooth edges, as if they had been repeatedly rubbed by something. He squatted down to examine them closely and then reached out to touch them. The rocks around the claw marks showed obvious signs of compression and deformation, indicating that whatever had made the marks possessed immense strength. Moreover, the claw marks were fresh, and the edges had not yet been eroded by moisture.

He followed the claw marks deeper into the rocky mountain. After walking for about half an hour, the terrain became increasingly lower, and the color of the rocks changed from grayish-white to dark brown. The air became increasingly humid, carrying a very faint fishy smell. He slowed his pace and listened carefully. There was breathing ahead, very deep and slow, with long intervals between each breath. There were also occasional friction sounds, like a huge body scraping against the rocks.

He clung to the rock face, rounding a bend, and his view suddenly opened up. Ahead lay a depression surrounded by rock walls, three sides of which rose high, while the other opened into a dense forest. In the center of the depression coiled a giant python. Its body was dark brown, its scales as large as tiles, gleaming with a cold, hard, matte stone-like sheen when the sunlight swept across them. The python's body was coiled into a round mound like a small mountain, its head resting in the center, eyes closed, breathing long and deep. With each exhale, the surrounding air trembled slightly.

Ning Buhui crouched behind the rock wall, holding his breath and carefully assessing the situation. The python's Soul Power fluctuations were terrifyingly profound, like a living mountain range, heavily pressing down on the depression. He roughly sensed that it was at least ten thousand years old.

He squatted behind the rock wall and watched for most of the hour, then silently retreated back into the underground river cave.

I'll rest tonight. Tomorrow, it's time to put some pressure on myself.