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As a border village of the Tian Hun Empire, Shanyang was naturally not far from the Star Dou Forest. Coupled with Ye Xuanji's Level 97 soul power enabling swift sword-flight, the two arrived at the forest's outer perimeter in less than half a day.
"Is this… the Great Star Dou Forest?"
Even before stepping inside, the sheer presence of the forest struck Junting with awe—vast, primordial, beyond words.
It felt like a hidden realm sealed off from the world. Towering trees formed a dense canopy that blotted out the sky, allowing only dappled sunlight to filter through the leaves. The ground was blanketed in thick layers of fallen foliage.
The trunks stood tall and gnarled, their branches interwoven into natural barriers that blocked line of sight, making it impossible to see more than a few meters ahead. The narrow trail beyond the warning sign looked like the gaping maw of an abyss, beckoning the unwary to their doom.
"The Star Dou Forest lies at the heart of the original three Douluo Empires," Ye Xuanji explained, dismissing his martial soul and folding his hands behind his back. "As the largest wild soul beast habitat on the continent, it's divided into five zones: the Outer Fringe, the Outer Ring, the Mixed Zone, the Core Zone, and—the most perilous of all—the Forbidden Deathland, where no human dares tread. Our target lies at the boundary between the Outer Ring and the Mixed Zone."
He stepped onto the path and gestured for Junting to follow.
"The Sword Douluo's first soul ring ten thousand years ago came from a hundred-year Terror Claw Bear, granting him the soul skill 'Sword Unsheathed.' We'll seek the same." (T/N: NOT the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear)
After walking for about a quarter of an hour, the trail vanished entirely—marking their passage beyond the Outer Fringe and into the Outer Ring proper.
"Though we need a hundred-year soul beast, Terror Claw Bears won't be found this deep in the Outer Ring," Ye Xuanji added. "Stay close to me from here on."
He began radiating his aura outward—a subtle but unmistakable warning to any weak or foolish soul beasts that might consider attacking them.
"Master," Junting asked, gripping the Seven Kill Sword tightly as he kept pace, "I recall the Terror Claw Bear is a subspecies of the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear. Couldn't we go for the Dark Gold instead?"
"You know more than I expected," Ye Xuanji remarked, mildly surprised but not truly shocked. "Indeed, the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is superior—but exceedingly rare. Relying on luck, we might search for months, even half a year, with no result. So the Terror Claw Bear—carrying much of the same offensive traits—is our practical alternative."
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
Junting, who'd remained on high alert since entering the forest, instantly swung the Seven Kill Sword toward the sound—only to see a streak of white light flash before his eyes.
"A mere hundred-year soul beast dares attack us?"
Ye Xuanji's lips curled into a faint smile at Junting's reflexes—but it vanished the next moment, replaced by cold displeasure at the creature's audacity. With a casual wave of his hand, the white light dissolved into nothingness.
"Is that a Wind Baboon?"
Junting peered in the direction of the attack. Perched on a branch was a baboon about a meter tall, brandishing razor-sharp claws, baring fangs, and glaring with feral aggression.
But something felt… off.
All other hundred-year soul beasts had fled at the mere hint of Ye Xuanji's aura. They hadn't seen a single one since entering. Yet this Wind Baboon…
"Are Wind Baboons really this bold?"
Before Junting could finish the thought, the baboon lunged again—a black blur hurtling toward them.
Ye Xuanji's fingers snapped together into a sword-finger. A thread of sword intent coiled around his hand, and he thrust forward with blinding speed.
Bzzz…
The faint hum of a sword's resonance filled the air—only then did Junting fully grasp what had happened.
Before Ye Xuanji's outstretched hand, the Wind Baboon hung frozen mid-air. No visible wound marred its body—but its eyes were already dull, lifeless.
Thud.
It crashed to the ground, a yellow soul ring hovering above its corpse.
"Did you feel it?"
Ye Xuanji didn't move to leave. Instead, he slowly dispersed the sword intent from his fingers and pointed toward the baboon's unmarked skull.
"I felt it," Junting said, suppressing his rising excitement as he nodded repeatedly. "Master… is this the legendary 'sword intent' from the storybooks?"
"Legendary? Not quite yet."
Without further words, Ye Xuanji slashed his sword-finger through the air.
A blade of sword qi cleaved through the underbrush ahead, carving a clean path. He gestured for Junting to follow as he explained.
"For most sects and martial soul types, 'intent' is a rare mastery. But for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, it's different. The method of cultivating sword intent has been passed down through generations. Mastering it doesn't just greatly enhance your combat power—it also allows you to create multiple self-created soul skills based on that foundation. All of this… you'll learn in time."
As Ye Xuanji spoke patiently, the two ventured deeper into the Star Dou Forest. Though his aura kept most threats at bay, numerous soul beasts now watched them from the shadows—none daring to strike like the Wind Baboon had.
Time passed swiftly. Half a day came and went.
Despite the Terror Claw Bear being far more common than its Dark Gold cousin, they still hadn't found one. Yet neither Junting nor Ye Xuanji showed any impatience.
By evening, they stopped their advance and set up camp, pulling a tent from Ye Xuanji's storage soul-guidance device. Confident in his own strength, Ye Xuanji even lit a campfire—unconcerned that the light might draw powerful predators.
Beside the flames, Junting didn't rest. Under Ye Xuanji's guidance, he began practicing the sect's top-tier meditation technique—a method refined over generations by the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's sword-type soul masters.
He meditated until the forest's gloom lifted, until faint white light began seeping through the dappled canopy. Only then did he stop.
They resumed their journey at dawn.
Along the way, Ye Xuanji gradually reined in his aura, allowing Junting to observe numerous soul beasts—some even reaching the thousand-year mark. Ye Xuanji took the opportunity to explain their traits, behaviors, and weaknesses.
Over the next few days, a flood of knowledge poured into Junting's mind. He witnessed firsthand the brutal laws of the jungle—predator and prey, territorial clashes, the raw savagery of survival. The Great Star Dou Forest revealed its true face: beautiful, deadly, and unforgiving.
Their hunt continued.
Buzzzz… buzzzz…
A sudden, rhythmic drone caught their attention—accompanied by a delicate, sweet fragrance drifting through the air.
"That scent… Got it!"
Recognizing both sound and smell instantly, Ye Xuanji seized Junting's arm and vanished in a blur, reappearing a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.
"Come! I know how to draw out the Terror Claw Bear."
Beneath a colossal ancient tree, they halted. Above them hung an enormous beehive, swarmed by countless bees.
"Master… you're going to use honey to lure the bear," Junting realized at once. He sniffed the air involuntarily—his mouth watering at the rich, intoxicating sweetness.
This honey… was no ordinary treat!
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