This method is less reliable than observing the characteristics of soul beasts, as many soul beasts can change the color of their soul power.
At this moment, Ning Haiyan also provided his answer.
"The best way is to wait until your cultivation level is strong enough to judge based on the intensity of the soul beast's soul power, but it's not absolute. Ultimately, you need to rely on your own experience, which takes time to accumulate."
"I understand!" Xu Yang grasped that aside from learning, the only way to discern the age of soul beasts was through experience.
However, Xu Yang did not leave immediately; instead, he compared the characteristics of the wind baboon described in the book. This was the best time to accumulate experience, and he didn't want to miss it.
Ning Haiyan waited silently beside him, lost in his thoughts.
"Alright! Uncle Ning, let's go!"
After a while, Xu Yang stood up and smiled at Ning Haiyan, remembering that their main purpose for coming out was not just to study soul beasts.
As they walked further, the trees grew taller and denser, distinctly different from the surrounding forest.
Having researched the sunflowers, Xu Yang knew this was a characteristic area for sunflower soul beasts. Sunflowers can gather sunlight, so the flora around them is unusually lush and thriving—so much so that ordinary plants can become soul beasts.
After passing through this forest, they were greeted by a sea of sunflowers—an expanse as large as a basketball court. Various ages of sunflowers swayed their petals, gathering solar energy; not only did they absorb it themselves, but what they couldn't absorb was given to other plants.
The temperature here was noticeably higher than in other parts of the forest. The dense solar energy caused the surrounding air to distort with a sense of heat and a burnt smell.
"Wow, so many sunflowers and such an environment..."
In this setting, Xu Yang felt his solar martial spirit stirring within him; his soul power began to circulate. He sensed that cultivating here for a day equaled more than ten days elsewhere.
This was indeed the most suitable environment for his cultivation.
"This is the sunflower sea within the Sunset Forest. It has sunflowers ranging from ten years to ten thousand years in age. Finding a suitable golden-edged sunflower here is nearly impossible elsewhere."
Ning Haiyan smiled at Xu Yang's astonishment as he introduced this area.
"But Uncle Ning, with so many sunflowers here, even you can't be safe!" Xu Yang expressed concern.
He knew that golden-edged sunflowers were rare—there might not even be one among thousands—but this environment was too dangerous.
Do not underestimate this football field-sized sunflower sea; it housed tens of thousands of sunflowers. Although their cultivation levels were generally low—only hundreds or thousands of years—such a large number could unleash soul power that even a Soul Saint couldn't withstand.
The instinct of weaker soul beasts is to huddle together for warmth; thousands of low-level soul beasts gather for safety in the forest.
"You don't need to worry about this. Plant-type soul beasts are very different from animal-type ones. Before becoming ten-thousand-year soul beasts, they lack much intelligence and act primarily on instinct. Most rely on the ten-thousand-year Sunflower King for coordinated attacks.
Two years ago, I brought disciples from our sect here to hunt sunflowers. I know that the Sunflower King recently broke through ten thousand years; its intelligence is just beginning to form and its will is relatively weak. If I unleash my full Soul Saint aura, it will instinctively choose to retreat rather than fight. At that point, I'll help you obtain a suitable sunflower for you to kill and absorb its spirit ring!"
With confidence, Ning Haiyan looked toward the massive sunflower at the center of the sea with a smirk.
Following his gaze, Xu Yang saw a giant sunflower over five meters tall with twenty-one petals adorned with golden edges—just like a sunflower.
"Twenty-one petals and over five meters tall; it really is the recently matured Sunflower King!" After observing for a while and confirming its age matched what Ning Haiyan had said, Xu Yang smiled and said: "Then we just need to find an appropriate golden-edged sunflower!"
"Exactly!" Ning Haiyan nodded with a smile.
As long as you don't threaten their lives, plant-type soul beasts generally won't attack proactively. So they could first search outside and when they find one, Ning Haiyan would capture it for Xu Yang.
They circled around three times but unfortunately found no golden-edged flowers; however, there were plenty of silver-edged ones.
"Since there are none on the outskirts, we only have inside left!"
With a guess forming in their minds, they focused on an area next to the Sunflower King. Indeed, surrounding it were many golden-edged sunflowers ranging from hundreds to thousands of years old—a considerable number.
To see better, Xu Yang climbed up a tree about ten meters high for a better view. Soon he spotted one that seemed suitable but wasn't entirely sure. He shouted down to Ning Haiyan below.
"Uncle Ning! The seventh flower on the left side of the King; it's about one meter high with seven petals—it fits the characteristics of a seven-hundred-year golden-edged sunflower! But it's too far away for me to confirm completely!"
Upon hearing this, Ning Haiyan activated his soul power and leaped into the air beside Xu Yang. Following his finger's direction, he observed from afar.
Having reached Soul Saint level meant his body had transformed; his senses were incredibly sharp—akin to having four times magnification—far beyond what someone like Xu Yang could compare with.
"Indeed! This is definitely a seven-hundred-year golden-edged sunflower!"
"You have good observation skills! To accurately identify a soul beast's age on your first hunt!"
Ning Haiyan quickly confirmed that this sunflower met Xu Yang's requirements and praised him before launching like an arrow toward that golden-edged sunflower.
While still airborne, he suddenly wielded a large knife engulfed in red flames. Seven colored spirit rings rose beneath him as he ascended and unleashed an overwhelming aura akin to an erupting volcano.
At that moment when danger was sensed, the first flower bud to close up was indeed the Sunflower King at the center—it burrowed underground immediately. The other sunflowers quickly followed suit by closing their buds; however, they lacked the ability to escape underground like their king and could only hope this would help them evade danger.
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