As they stepped into Soul Hunting Forest, Qi Lin immediately felt as if he had walked into a primeval forest from his past life.
The trees here weren't just dense—they pulsed with vitality and grew thickly all around. The fresh scent of grass and wood filled the air, washing over them like a natural breeze.
As they walked, Si Si turned to him and said, "Little Qi Lin, I specifically consulted Master Ma Xiu Nuo from Spirit Hall about your first spirit ring."
"Based on the nature of your Blue Silver Grass, Master Maxino believes you can go either the support-type or control-type Spirit Master path."
"If you choose support, you could look for plant-type spirit beasts like Moonlight Grass or Life Mushroom. They're gentle in temperament and not aggressive. You might gain a soul skill that heals wounds or boosts your teammates' defense."
"But if you choose control, then Ghost Vine or Thorn Vine would be good options. Ghost Vine specializes in entangling and restraining, while Thorn Vine has sharp thorns that not only restrain enemies but also cause decent damage."
Qi Lin scratched his head as he listened to her detailed analysis.
To be honest, he realized he was a bit greedy.
He wanted his first soul skill to have attack power, defense, and if possible—support abilities too.
But unless it was a hundred-thousand-year ring, a soul ring could only give one skill.
That made his decision much harder.
Sigh… it's tough to choose!
After some thought, Qi Lin decided to leave the decision to fate.
"Si Si-jie, I won't pick. Let's go with whichever soul beast we encounter first from the ones you mentioned."
"Really?" Si Si frowned slightly. But when she saw the carefree look on Qi Lin's face, she was left speechless.
"You… seriously. Do you even realize how important this choice is for a Spirit Master? Once you choose, there's no turning back!"
Su Yuntao, walking beside them, also tried to persuade him.
"She's right, Little Qi Lin. Listen to your sister Si Si and think this through carefully."
"You don't want to regret this later."
Qi Lin just smiled calmly in response to their concerned looks.
"Tao-ge, Si Si-jie, don't worry. I never regret the decisions I make."
Su Yuntao and Si Si looked at Qi Lin's confident smile and, strangely, felt reassured.
In the end, they decided to go along with his choice.
"That's odd… why does this brat seem so confident?" Su Yuntao muttered as he led the way, recalling Qi Lin's composed demeanor.
Si Si walked behind the group, keeping a sharp watch for any soul beasts that might attack from the rear.
Qi Lin, on the other hand, looked the most relaxed. He didn't seem like he was on a dangerous hunt at all—more like a young master out for a stroll.
Seeing his laid-back expression, Su Yuntao was exasperated.
"Little Qi Lin, you're not even a bit nervous?"
Qi Lin was admiring the scenery when he heard the question and paused for a moment before shaking his head.
"Nope, not nervous."
Su Yuntao sighed and began lecturing like an elder, "You can't keep being so carefree. Soul hunting is extremely dangerous. A soul beast can ambush you at any moment."
"That's why you must stay alert and always be on guard. Especially if you become a support-type Spirit Master, survival is everything."
After he finished, Su Yuntao looked at Qi Lin seriously, as if his words carried both his experience and his warning.
Si Si agreed from behind. "Your Tao-ge is right, Little Qi Lin. Soul hunting is no joke—stay vigilant…"
Before she could finish, Si Si's pupils suddenly shrank.
"Su Yuntao, watch out!"
A massive wolf with black stripes across its fur charged toward them at astonishing speed.
"Gale Demon Wolf!" Su Yuntao's expression turned grim.
This beast wasn't one of those docile types. It was fiercely aggressive and had strong combat power.
Fortunately, it was only around 300 years old. He and Si Si could handle it together—though Qi Lin's presence made things more complicated.
"Lone Wolf, Possess!"
With a low shout, Su Yuntao's forehead glowed faintly green, and his body transformed.
He grew more muscular, his hair lengthened visibly, and fur appeared on his arms. He looked like a full-on werewolf.
"Si Si, protect Little Qi Lin. Leave this beast to me!"
"Understood!" Si Si replied seriously.
She pulled Qi Lin close and kept her guard up, ready for any movement around them.
—
Meanwhile… deep within the Star Dou Forest.
A chubby, round-headed creature over a meter wide and seven to eight meters long lay tightly bound by several dark-golden chains. It could barely move.
It was the only known million-year-old soul beast on the continent.
Sky Dream Iceworm!
(The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King is still at 990,000 years!)
A few human figures surrounded the iceworm, constantly drawing energy from its body to cultivate.
Sky Dream Iceworm watched helplessly as his once plump body grew thinner and thinner. He wanted to escape, but it was impossible. All he could do was unleash endless verbal abuse at his captors.
But no matter what he said, none of the figures even looked at him.
"How long is this nightmare going to last? At this rate, I'm seriously gonna get drained dry."
"Heavens, please… save me already!"
"This place is hell! I can't stay another day!"
Just then, one of the figures—a tall, burly, white-haired man in a dark red robe—spoke in a deep voice.
"Sky Dream Iceworm, just accept your fate. Let us absorb your origin energy."
"You can't escape anyway."
"Ahhh! You guys are bullying me! I'm the only million-year soul beast on the continent! Don't I deserve some respect?"
When someone finally responded, Sky Dream Iceworm wailed even louder.
"No need to waste words, Xiong Jun," came a calm voice before the burly man could reply again.
The speaker was a tall, golden-haired man radiating a kingly aura of supreme dominance.
He was Di Tian, the Black-Gold Eyed Dragon King, the leader of the Star Dou Forest's Ten Great Beasts.
Hearing Di Tian's command, Xiong Jun fell silent, though he pouted slightly before continuing to drain the Iceworm's energy.
Sky Dream Iceworm, left without anyone to argue with, began cursing again in frustration.
But suddenly, a silver rift opened in the air above him.
A violent spatial force surged from the rift, pulling at the Sky Dream Iceworm with incredible suction.
The others instantly turned their eyes toward the rift.
"Not good! That spatial storm is pulling him in!"
One of the group—a strange, bewitching man—unleashed a powerful wave of spirit energy, trying to stop the Iceworm from being sucked in.
Di Tian raised his hand and sent a beam of black-gold light toward the rift, attempting to seal it.
But the rift erupted with a violent gust that shattered the light into countless fragments.
"This spatial wind… it's that strong?" Di Tian's expression turned grim.
His power was near god-level—even a casual attack from him could kill a Rank 95 Titled Douluo.
Yet the rift's force had torn his energy apart effortlessly.
"This is bad. Sky Dream Iceworm!" Di Tian's eyes narrowed.
Before he could act again, a cold voice echoed from deep underground.
"Di Tian, stay out of this."
"Yes… Master!"