Operation Begins

"Get ready."

Watching Ouyang Ling and his accompanying Soul Saint depart for the Star Dou Great Forest, Qian Renxue withdrew her gaze. At this moment, her eyes were no longer filled with worry, but with coldness and chilling killing intent.

"Yes."

Ci Xue and She Long agreed and then disappeared.

Qian Renxue then tidied herself up and entered the palace as a maid.

Because Xue Qinghe will be going hunting in three days.

So…

After years of undercover work, the time is ripe! It's time to switch the goods!

……

A few days later.

As the midday sun shone down, a carriage slowly drove into the town outside the Starry Sky Forest, stopping as the dust settled.

"Young Master, we've arrived."

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Ouyang Ling was the first to jump out. He looked up at the sky, his face expressionless.

It wasn't that he wasn't excited about the second ring of the millennium being within reach, but rather about Qian Renxue's operation in Tiandou City.

He keenly sensed that Qian Renxue was going to replace Xue Qinghe.

Thinking back, more than two months ago, when he broke through to level 20, Qian Renxue didn't have anyone take him to obtain a spirit ring. Instead, she had him intensify his training and consume more whale glue, delaying the process until a few days ago. This was undoubtedly to keep him away from the vortex.

Although we know the outcome and there's no need to worry, but...

I just can't stop thinking about it.

"Ha-hoo-hoo!"

Take a deep breath, inhale—exhale—

Ouyang Ling looked at the accompanying Soul Saint who had just paid the bill, "Senior, the air near the Star Dou Great Forest is so fresh."

The Soul Saint did not respond, but instead asked:

"Young Master, shall we enter the Star Dou Great Forest now?"

Ouyang Ling didn't reply, but instead stroked his chin.

"How long do you think it will take us to find the soul beast we need?"

The sudden question left him stunned.

It wasn't until Ouyang Ling glanced at him out of the corner of her eye that she said, "Hmm? Senior, why aren't you saying anything? You're experienced enough, take a look and estimate."

Fortunately, the accompanying Soul Saint was indeed experienced; his earlier surprise was merely an illusion and had vanished. Instead, he was calculating the distance after considering the map's contents.

"...It will take about ten days."

"Ten days, is that enough?" Ouyang Ling asked back.

The accompanying Soul Saint remained silent. "That's enough."

"But we can't use it, can we?"

Accompanying Soul Saint: "..."

Seeing that he remained silent and acted purely businesslike, Ouyang Ling could only shake her head. "Then let's set off. The timing is perfect."

Then he looked at the dense primeval forest, "If we're quick enough, we might be able to spend a few more days experiencing the local customs and culture in the town."

"How is it? Not bad, right?"

"…OK."

"It's a deal then, I'll treat you to a drink later, senior."

After confirming the exact location of the required soul beast, Ouyang Ling and the accompanying Soul Saint headed towards the forest. They entered the forest in no time, with the latter leading the way and the former following closely behind.

Unlike last time,

To prevent any foolish soul beasts from getting close, the accompanying Soul Saints displayed their auras so powerful that 99% of those on the periphery dared not approach.

Since the goal has been set, there's no need to look at anything along the way.

Meanwhile, also on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Teacher, when do we need to find it?"

A middle-aged man swung his hand to clear away the vines blocking his path, then turned to the chubby boy following behind him with an annoyed look. "You think finding a suitable spirit ring is easy? It could take ten days or half a month, let alone two days and you're already complaining."

"ah!?"

Upon hearing that it would take so long, the chubby boy's vision went black.

He's so regretful now; he should have gone to the Soul Beast Forest. It's all Xiao Ao's fault! He kept saying the soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest were better, which really got him hooked.

As a master, he knows exactly what his disciple is up to, no matter how he bends over.

With just one glance, the middle-aged man guessed his thoughts. However, he didn't offer any further advice, only coldly saying:

"So, are you going to continue the search?"

"Find it! Of course we'll find it!"

Upon hearing this, the chubby boy immediately shuddered.

Despite the complaints, I still need the spirit rings.

He still wants to become a powerful Soul Master and bring glory to his ancestors!

"If you're looking, stop talking nonsense and get going!"

Just then, the middle-aged man suddenly stopped. His gaze behind his glasses instantly locked onto a certain spot, and his originally round pupils switched to sharp vertical pupils, like a raptor poised to pounce.

A red light flashed past under the trees in the distance.

As the red light lingered, a bright red rat came into the middle-aged man's view, constantly alert to its surroundings.

Fire Rat, a spirit beast that has been around for over three hundred years.

The middle-aged man made his judgment at a glance.

"How lucky you are to have found a soul beast that suits you."

Upon hearing this, the chubby boy, before the middle-aged man could even remind him, immediately...

"real!?"

Unable to contain his joy, he shouted out.

The huge commotion startled the fire rat. Without even looking to see who it was, it transformed into a streak of red light and fled into the distance!

You can't let go of prey that you've finally caught.

Before he could scold the chubby boy, the middle-aged man grabbed him and chased after him.

Unfortunately, the forest was dense, and the fire rats, being small and extremely fast, could easily dart through it.

On the other hand, even though the middle-aged man was very strong, he was too big and couldn't accelerate because he was carrying a burden. He could only be trailed behind by the fire rat.

If it weren't for the middle-aged man's martial spirit having an advantage in this situation, he would have been left far behind by this three-hundred-year-old fire rat long ago.

Once he had locked onto his target, the middle-aged man gave chase relentlessly.

Even if he couldn't catch up immediately, he remained patient. After all, how long could a three-hundred-year-old soul beast, once it went all out, be exhausted and keep running for its life?

Perhaps realizing this, even without much intelligence, its biological instincts began to help it find a way out.

Finally, the fire rat's gaze locked onto a certain direction.

It had just fled from there, because a very powerful creature was displaying its power and constantly seizing territory.

If it lures the equally powerful creature chasing it away, the intruder will be absolutely enraged. This way, the creature will be too busy chasing after its cubs.

So, the fire rat immediately changed direction.

Upon seeing this, the middle-aged man shouted, "Chase!"

……

"After that comes the mixed zone."

The accompanying Soul Saint examined the markings on the map, "Once we step into the hybrid zone, our destination won't be far away."

"That's really fast."

Ouyang Ling spoke casually, but her eyes kept scanning him out of the corner of her eye.

Such places are fraught with danger. Although with the Soul Saint's close protection, there is a 99% chance of no accidents, there is always that 1%.

For example...

just now!

The accompanying Soul Saint remained expressionless. "A Soul Beast is approaching."

A streak of fire shot forward; Ouyang Ling, already possessed by a martial spirit, had long been poised to act and had made his judgment.

"It's coming for me."

A water ball condensed in his palm, "Pfft—"

Like the sound of a pebble falling into water, but the explosion of the water sphere far exceeded the description of the sound.

"Let me put out the fire for you."

Just as it detached and flew off, "thump-thump—"

In the blink of an eye, the water sphere expanded, transforming into a wave of blue water that surged toward the flames.

The flame was like a firefly facing a wave; before it could dodge, it was swept into the azure waves, revealing its true form.

Ouyang Ling pointed with his palm, unleashing a burst of chilling energy. As the flames were engulfed by the green waves, they were also frozen in place.

Everything was accomplished in the blink of an eye.

At that moment, the accompanying Soul Saint's expression tightened.

"There's another guy behind us!"