Deep in the Soul Hunting Forest: A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Terrifying Encounter
The road to the Soul Hunting Forest was more oppressive than they had imagined. Many more Spirit Hall deacons were stationed at the town checkpoints along the way. Dressed in identical black uniforms, they scrutinized passing Soul Masters with sharp eyes, and the air was thick with the tension of an approaching storm.
"Keep your Soul Master certificates ready, and try not to speak," Flender cautioned in a low voice. A broad bamboo hat concealed most of his face, while Zhao Wuji deliberately hunched his back, pretending to be an ordinary escort.
Their carriage was stopped at a county-town checkpoint nonetheless. A goateed deacon rapped on the carriage wall. "Everyone inside, come out. Routine inspection."
Tang San and Lin Ye exchanged a glance and were the first to step down. Tang San quietly concealed the presence of his Blue Silver Grass, making himself look no different from an ordinary plant-type Soul Master. Lin Ye completely reined in his Golden Crow Power, leaving only a faint warmth about him, like a mild-mannered support-type Soul Master.
"From an academy?" The goateed deacon looked over their uniforms, his gaze lingering for a moment on the word "Shrek." "Going to the Soul Hunting Forest?"
"Yes. Our teachers brought us here to obtain Soul Rings," Tang San replied, neither servile nor overbearing, as he handed over his Soul Master certificate.
The deacon took the certificate and examined it from every angle, then swept a suspicious gaze over Dai Mubai and the others as they stepped out. When his eyes fell on Xiao Wu's face, a trace of greed flashed through them. Over the past six months, Xiao Wu had grown even more graceful and lovely, and the lively charm of her rabbit Martial Soul was plain to see in her.
"This little girl's quite pretty." The goateed deacon licked his lips and reached out to pinch Xiao Wu's chin. "How old are you? What's your Martial Soul?"
"Get lost!" Dai Mubai's eyes turned cold. The Hell Spirit Cat's presence erupted instantly, and he slapped the deacon's hand away.
The deacon staggered back two steps, shocked and furious. "You dare hit me? Do you know who I am?"
"A mere deacon, and you dare behave so outrageously here?" Zhao Wuji straightened up and abruptly unleashed the imposing presence of a level-thirty Soul Elder. The goateed deacon turned deathly pale and stumbled backward.
"Go!" Flender barked, motioning everyone back into the carriage. The driver snapped his whip, and the rapid beat of hooves faded into the distance, leaving the deacon stamping his feet in fury.
Inside the carriage, Xiao Wu clutched Tang San's sleeve, still shaken. "They're awful."
"Don't mind them," Tang San comforted her. "We'll be safe once we reach the Soul Hunting Forest."
Lin Ye, however, frowned. He could sense that although the Soul Power fluctuations from the deacon had been weak, they carried a trace of the same chill as Xie Yue's-a special Soul Power mark used by Spirit Hall. It seemed Spirit Hall's influence had already reached every corner of the continent, and their movements had likely been exposed long ago.
"Pick up the pace. Let's try to reach the core area of the Soul Hunting Forest before dark," Flender called to the driver. "Spirit Hall's people wouldn't dare venture in there lightly."
The core area of the Soul Hunting Forest was utterly different from its outskirts. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sky, allowing almost no sunlight through. The air was thick with Soul Power and a faint scent of blood. Enormous vines coiled around the trunks like pythons, and the roars of unknown Soul Beasts echoed through the woods, full of primal wildness.
"Everyone, be careful. The Soul Beasts here are at least a thousand years old." Yu Xiaogang took out a map and pointed to the markings on it. "According to our information, there's a five-thousand-year-old Dark Demon Evil God Tiger in Black Wind Valley to the east, suitable for Tang San's control type. To the south, there's a six-thousand-year-old Crimson Armored Fire Turtle at Flame Cliff. Lin Ye's Golden Crow Fire can counter its shell. To the west, in the Mist Swamp..."
"Grandmaster, I'll go to the Mist Swamp," Dai Mubai suddenly said. "There's a four-thousand-year-old Hell Spirit Cat King there. Its Soul Ring is just right for me."
Yu Xiaogang nodded. "All right, but the miasma in the Mist Swamp is potent. Take Oscar's Antidote Sausage. Xiao Wu and Tai Long will come with me to Thunder Bluff in the north. There's a five-thousand-year-old Thunder Bear there whose Soul Ring is suitable for Tai Long. Oscar, stay close to me and be ready to provide support at any time."
With their targets assigned, everyone agreed to meet at the lake in the center of the forest in three shichen. Then they split into three groups and vanished into the depths of the dense woods.
Lin Ye headed to Flame Cliff alone. The Three-Legged Golden Crow's senses were especially sharp in areas teeming with Soul Beasts, and he could clearly distinguish harmless plants from hidden dangers. Several thousand-year Soul Beasts foolishly crossed his path, but he easily drove them off with Golden Crow Fire.
Flame Cliff certainly lived up to its name. The closer he got to the cliff face, the hotter it became. Even the rocks glowed red from the heat, and the air reeked of sulfur. Scorching currents of air surged from cracks at the top of the cliff, charring the surrounding vegetation black.
"The Crimson Armored Fire Turtle should be somewhere nearby." Lin Ye released the Golden Crow's phantom, its golden light dispelling the heat around him. "Come out. I know you're there."
The moment he finished speaking, the ground suddenly shook violently. An enormous turtle crawled out from behind the rocks. Its crimson shell was as large as a round table and covered in lava-like patterns, while its eyes resembled blazing fireballs. It was the six-thousand-year-old Crimson Armored Fire Turtle.
"Roar!" Upon seeing Lin Ye, the Crimson Armored Fire Turtle let out a deep bellow. It pushed off with all four limbs and charged at him, shattering rocks and sending sparks flying in its wake.
Lin Ye remained calm. He swayed aside to avoid the charge while forming a seal with both hands. "Golden Crow Fire, burn!"
Golden flames poured down like a waterfall, landing on the Crimson Armored Fire Turtle's shell. Unexpectedly, the fire failed to scorch it at once. Instead, the lava-like patterns on its shell absorbed most of the flames.
"Interesting." Lin Ye raised an eyebrow. The Crimson Armored Fire Turtle's shell was not only tough but could also absorb fire energy. No wonder it had survived at Flame Cliff for so long.
Seeing that its attack had failed, the Crimson Armored Fire Turtle opened its mouth and spat out a thick column of magma straight at Lin Ye's face.
"Golden Crow Radiant Sun!" Golden light flashed in Lin Ye's eyes, and the Three-Legged Golden Crow's phantom erupted with a brilliant radiance, forcing the Crimson Armored Fire Turtle to squeeze its eyes shut. In that instant, he concentrated the Golden Crow Fire into a single point, forming a slender golden needle that shot precisely into the slit between the turtle's tightly closed eyelids!
"Hiss!" The Crimson Armored Fire Turtle let out a pained cry. Its column of magma veered off course and struck the rocks nearby, splashing into a sea of fire.
Lin Ye seized the chance. Moving like lightning, he circled behind the Crimson Armored Fire Turtle, to the weak point its shell could not cover. He poured all his Soul Power into his right fist. Golden Crow Fire blazed around it as he slammed it down!
Bang!
With a muffled impact, the Crimson Armored Fire Turtle's massive body shuddered violently, and the lava patterns on its back instantly dimmed. Lin Ye did not stop. His left fist followed, and heavy blows rained down on its tail in relentless succession.
The Crimson Armored Fire Turtle's defenses finally collapsed. It let out a mournful cry, and its massive body slowly toppled. A deep-yellow Soul Ring gradually appeared above it-the color unique to six-thousand-year Soul Beasts.
Breathing hard, Lin Ye looked at the Soul Ring hovering over the Crimson Armored Fire Turtle's corpse. A trace of fatigue flashed through his eyes, but there was more excitement than anything else. He reached out and guided the Soul Ring slowly into his body.
Warm, domineering energy flowed throughout his body. His Golden Crow Fire became more concentrated, and even the Three-Legged Golden Crow's phantom grew somewhat clearer. A new Soul Skill appeared in his mind-"Golden Crow Nirvana." It could burn Soul Power for a short time, greatly increasing his speed and attack power, at the cost of leaving him weakened afterward.
"I finally broke through." Lin Ye clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him, then turned and hurried toward the lake where they had agreed to meet.
When he reached the lakeshore, Tang San was already waiting there. A dark-purple Soul Ring floated beside him, and a new black pattern ran along his Blue Silver Grass, emitting a faint oppressive pressure.
"Did everything go smoothly?" Lin Ye asked.
Tang San nodded, a trace of lingering fear flashing through his eyes. "That Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was cunning. It disguised itself as an ordinary Soul Beast to launch a sneak attack. Fortunately, my Blue Silver Domain sensed it beforehand. What about your Soul Ring?"
"A six-thousand-year-old Crimson Armored Fire Turtle. The new Soul Skill isn't bad." Lin Ye smiled. "Dai Mubai and the others aren't here yet?"
No sooner had he spoken than hurried footsteps sounded in the distance. Dai Mubai came stumbling toward them, covered in mud, his left arm still bleeding and his face pale.
"Something's happened!" Dai Mubai clutched his wound, panting rapidly. "There are Spirit Hall people in the Mist Swamp! They seem to be capturing Soul Beasts for experiments. They found me, and I had to fight my way out!"
Lin Ye's and Tang San's expressions changed at once.
"How many of them are there?" Tang San asked urgently.
"At least ten. Their leader is a masked woman with very strong Soul Power, at least level sixty!" Dai Mubai said through gritted teeth. "They seem to be looking for a... rabbit Soul Beast with a horn on its head."
"A rabbit Soul Beast?" Lin Ye's heart skipped a beat. He looked sharply in the direction from which Xiao Wu might return. "This is bad. Xiao Wu's in danger!"
The three exchanged glances, each seeing the anxiety in the others' eyes. They waited no longer and raced toward Thunder Bluff in the direction Dai Mubai indicated.
The closer they got to Thunder Bluff, the stronger the smell of blood became, mingled with the faint sounds of clashing Soul Power. Lin Ye spread his Golden Crow Perception to its limit and clearly picked up familiar presences ahead—Xiao Wu and Tai Long, as well as Yu Xiaogang and Oscar! But there were also several powerful, unfamiliar presences. One was chilling and sinister: the masked woman Dai Mubai had described!
"Faster!" Tang San shouted. Blue Silver Grass spread beneath their feet, carrying the three swiftly forward.
They rounded a mountain ridge, and the sight before them made their eyes nearly split with fury-
At the foot of Thunder Bluff, Tai Long lay on the ground, his fate unknown. Oscar was bound by several black chains, his face contorted in pain. Yu Xiaogang stood protectively in front of Xiao Wu, covered in wounds, his Soul Power weak. Opposite them stood a woman in a silver mask. Behind her, ten black-clad Soul Masters were closing in with vicious grins.
The woman's gaze fell on Xiao Wu, a trace of fervor in her eyes. "It really is a Soft Bone Charming Rabbit, and a hundred-thousand-year one at that... Her Holiness the Pope will surely be pleased."
"Who are you?!" Lin Ye roared. Golden Crow Fire erupted as he charged at the woman in a blaze of fury.
The masked woman turned, her voice carrying a hint of raspy laughter. "Spirit Hall. Ling, maidservant to Yue Guan, under Chrysanthemum Douluo." Looking at Lin Ye as he lunged at her, she flashed a contemptuous glance. "A Three-Legged Golden Crow? What a pity. You're going to die before you've grown."
She flicked her slender fingers, sending a ribbon of pink Soul Power shooting out. It suppressed Lin Ye's Golden Crow Fire in an instant!
Lin Ye felt a strange energy invade his body, throwing his Golden Crow Fire into chaos. With a muffled grunt, he was sent flying backward.
"Lin Ye!" Tang San's expression changed drastically. Blue Silver Grass erupted wildly, and the Blue Silver Overlord Spear took shape, stabbing toward Ling with a fierce rush of wind.
Ling neither dodged nor retreated. With a wave of her other hand, countless pink petals appeared out of thin air. Sharp as blades, they sliced through the Blue Silver Overlord Spear layer by layer, breaking it apart in an instant.
"Is that all you can do?" Ling shook her head and walked toward Xiao Wu, one step at a time. "Come quietly, and perhaps I'll spare their lives."
"Don't even think about it!" Xiao Wu broke away from Yu Xiaogang's protection, a determined look flashing in her eyes. Her Soul Power surged, showing faint signs of a breakthrough.
Surprise flashed in Ling's eyes, followed by a cold sneer. "You want to self-destruct? Too late!" She formed a seal with both hands, and pink Soul Power formed an enormous cage, trapping Xiao Wu inside.
"Let her go!" Dai Mubai roared and charged forward, only to be stopped by the black-clad Soul Masters. He was soon at a disadvantage.
Watching Xiao Wu struggle in agony inside the cage, Tang San and Lin Ye were beside themselves with fury, but Ling's Soul Power held them firmly in check, leaving them unable to get close. Yu Xiaogang struggled to rise, only for a black-clad Soul Master to kick him back to the ground.
An air of despair hung over Thunder Bluff.
Just then, an aged, commanding voice suddenly rang out through the forest:
"You Spirit Hall youngsters dare bully my Shrek people. Did you ask this old man first?"
As the voice fell, a streak of golden light shot across the sky like a meteor and landed behind Ling in an instant!