Douluo: Blade Template, Death Omen Approaching

Chapter 63 You like spirit rings? Then give us more! (Together)

In the heart of the Soul Hunter Forest, ancient trees stand like guardians, their bark bearing the marks of time, their roots intertwined and deeply embedded in the soil.

Sunlight struggled to penetrate the tree canopy, casting only scattered patches of light on the ground, adding a touch of mystery and eeriness to this dark forest.

now,

Blade stood atop a giant tree, its trunk covered in thick moss, its branches intertwined like a pair of enormous arms embracing the sky.

The branches beneath his feet, though thick, trembled slightly under his weight, emitting a soft creaking sound.

Blade's figure blended almost seamlessly into the surrounding environment within the tree canopy, with only his sharp, blood-red eyes flashing with a cold light in the dim forest.

His hands remained clasped around the fragmented sword as always. The patterns on the hilt were now smooth and clear, soaked with his blood, while the blade exuded a faint, icy aura, a stark contrast to the surrounding tropical climate.

Ren Wei's face was expressionless, like a cold sculpture. Only the occasional glint of light in his eyes, which gazed downwards, betrayed the turmoil within him.

right now,

His gaze remained fixed on Yu Xiaogang and Tang San below, who were carefully searching for suitable soul beasts in the forest.

Upon seeing this, a hint of anticipation appeared in Ren's eyes, and the playful smile on his lips became even more pronounced, as if he was full of interest in what was about to happen.

In the original story, Tang San obtained his first spirit ring in this forest.

According to Yu Xiaogang's theory, which seemed quite unorthodox at the time, Tang San ultimately absorbed the soul ring of the Mandragora Serpent, which had four hundred years of cultivation.

The spirit ring of that Mandragora Serpent is said to significantly enhance the resilience and toxicity of Blue Silver Grass, strengthen its control, and allow the originally fragile Blue Silver Grass to unleash amazing potential in battle.

Although this theory is incredibly absurd, Tang San still firmly believes in it.

Yu Xiaogang's theory seemed quite effective in the early stages, providing Tang San with a new direction for his cultivation path.

He thought his viewpoint was novel, proposing a new approach to selecting soul beasts based on the characteristics of the soul master.

However, the little rascal still thinks the master's theory is incredibly brilliant, but what he doesn't know is that he is just a test subject for Yu Xiaogang.

But Ren didn't care about any of that. His purpose in coming here was simple: as always, to make Tang San suffer and to make him pay the price!

His eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light, his unwavering determination like a sharp knife aimed directly at Tang San's heart. He wanted to make Tang San feel pain, to make him pay a heavy price.

Before arriving at this Soul Hunting Forest, Blade was browsing the system's shop when he accidentally discovered some novel gadgets.

Those items that could control and attract soul beasts were like toys to him. With a hint of curiosity, he casually bought some, thinking that they might come in handy in this operation.

However, when Blade actually stepped into the forest, he discovered that these tools might not be as useful as he had imagined.

After all, when he arrived here, he suddenly realized that he had only lightly released a trace of abundant power, which acted like an invisible barrier, keeping the surrounding soul beasts far away.

In this vast forest, all spirit beasts, whether one year old or hundreds of years old, shrink back in the face of his power, daring not to cross the line.

For a moment, even though he hadn't used them yet, Ren couldn't help but feel that these props were somewhat useless. He stood on the treetop, looking down at his surroundings.

Moreover, he discovered an interesting phenomenon: the older the soul beasts were, the more awe they showed towards his abundant power, and the further away they stayed.

Those soul beasts that were over a thousand years old disappeared into the depths of the forest almost the instant they sensed his aura, as if they could feel the awe-inspiring pressure emanating from his blade.

This made Ren smile slightly; his very existence was the greatest deterrent to these soul beasts.

Ren couldn't help but feel a little helpless. He had originally planned to attract some high-level soul beasts so that the two master and apprentice could experience what it meant to be enraged by evil soul beasts, but they simply didn't dare to get close.

However, in stark contrast to those high-age soul beasts, those low-age soul beasts are like newborn calves, unafraid of tigers, fearless in their ignorance.

They would occasionally peek out their curious little heads from the bushes, or quietly appear within Blade's line of sight, seemingly filled with curiosity about this uninvited guest.

They hopped and frolicked, seemingly unaware of the danger they were in.

However, once these low-level soul beasts get too close, they will suddenly feel the powerful aura that the blade inadvertently leaks. They will be so frightened that their souls will be scattered. As if they have been pushed by an invisible hand, they will flee back to the depths of the forest in a panic, leaving behind a series of chaotic footprints and trembling with lingering fear.

Now, Blade just wants to verify whether the items he just bought are still useful, since they were purchased from the system store.

He hoped that this prop would be like Kafka's Word of Power, even if it could only be used for a short time, it would be enough for him to see a wonderful show.

He reached into his robes and pulled out the small prop. Its appearance was unremarkable, like an ordinary stone, but Ren knew that the power contained within it was extraordinary.

He gently rubbed the prop a few times, a glint of anticipation in his eyes, and then, following the instructions, infused it with a surge of abundant power.

As a vibrant life force was infused into the prop, it began to emit a faint light, which gradually grew brighter, like the brightest star in the night sky.

Blade's blood-red eyes silently scanned his surroundings, hoping that the high-age soul beasts would be attracted by this power and step into the play he had carefully arranged.

A playful smile curled at the corner of his mouth. If all went smoothly, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang's soul-hunting journey would be filled with many interesting variables.

Soon, on the forest path, Yu Xiaogang's steps became increasingly heavy.

He kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, unable to ignore the inexplicable chill in his heart.

His intuition told him that the atmosphere in the forest was unusual, as if an invisible force was secretly manipulating something.

Yu Xiaogang did begin to feel panic, not only because of fear of the unknown, but also because of his incomprehension of the current situation.

Logically, the deeper they went into the forest, the stronger the spirit beasts they should have encountered, and the greater the chance they would have of finding a suitable spirit beast for Tang San.

However, the reality is that they have gone deep into the heart of the forest, but have not encountered a single soul beast that is more than a hundred years old.

He stopped and looked back at the winding path they had walked along, his brow furrowed.

Occasionally, the figures of ten- or twenty-year-old soul beasts would appear around them, seemingly puzzled by the unusual tranquility of the forest.

To be precise, I haven't seen a single soul beast that's over a hundred years old!

How can we keep seeing soul beasts that are only ten or twenty years old?

These low-level spirit beasts were simply not enough for Tang San to become his first spirit ring.

Even so, he wasn't worried about his own life at all, but he couldn't very well let his genius apprentice's future spirit ring be a white ten-year spirit ring first, could he?

"What exactly is going on?"

Yu Xiaogang muttered to himself, his eyes searching through the forest, trying to find a clue.

He knew that if things continued like this, they might really go home empty-handed. He couldn't allow that to happen!

However, suddenly,

A strong sense of unease welled up in Yu Xiaogang's heart. He suddenly stopped and reached out to block Tang San.

His face turned pale in an instant, and his eyes were filled with terror and unease, as if he had seen something horrific.

"Wait, mistress, we can't just rush forward like this!"

Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled slightly as his thoughts raced.

He suddenly realized that the reason they hadn't seen any spirit beasts might not just be a coincidence, and a terrifying possibility was gradually becoming clear in his mind.

He realized that there might be an extremely powerful soul beast here, and that they might be stepping into the territory of this unknown and powerful soul beast.

Although the Soul Hunting Forest is mostly inhabited by soul beasts that are around a hundred years old, who can guarantee that there isn't a tiny chance that there aren't soul beasts that are thousands of years old, or even close to ten thousand years old?

Yu Xiaogang involuntarily took a step back, his heart pounding wildly.

He's only a theoretical "expert" with no outstanding combat skills. If they were to actually encounter a thousand-year or even ten-thousand-year-old soul beast, he and Tang San probably wouldn't even have a chance to escape; they would be dead on the spot!

A flicker of fear crossed his eyes as he imagined the creature he and Tang San had encountered in this forest. They were like lambs to the slaughter, utterly powerless to resist.

"Teacher, what's wrong? Have you noticed anything amiss?"

Tang San's voice carried a hint of confusion. His brows furrowed slightly as his gaze swept back and forth between Yu Xiaogang's face and the surrounding forest.

He noticed that Yu Xiaogang's face was abnormally pale, and his eyes had lost their usual sharpness, becoming somewhat dull and confused.

I have absolutely no idea what Gangzi is doing!

After all, they had been walking in this forest for a long time without encountering a single decent soul beast.

Tang San couldn't help but feel anxious. He desperately needed a spirit beast's spirit ring to enhance his strength, but the current situation made him wonder if Yu Xiaogang was deliberately leading him on a detour, or if they had already gotten lost!

Upon hearing Tang San's question, Yu Xiaogang gently shook his head, trying to suppress the fear in his heart. He coughed twice, his voice low, but he tried his best to remain calm:

"Ahem, it's nothing, I just feel like something's off in the forest."

Yu Xiaogang's voice revealed his doubt and unease. He paused for a moment, then continued:

"Logically, the further we go in, the stronger the soul beasts should become, but along the way, we haven't seen many soul beasts that are even ten years old, let alone a hundred years old. This situation is really abnormal."

Tang San frowned, sensing the heaviness in Yu Xiaogang's words.

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath and continued to explain:

"I suspect that there might be a beast king, a kind of lord, in this forest, and its territory might be nearby. If we accidentally anger it, or stray into its territory, we certainly won't be a match for it."

Upon hearing this, Tang San unconsciously frowned. Thinking about it, it was true. How long had he been here? There wasn't a single decent soul beast around!

Upon hearing this, Tang San's brows furrowed involuntarily as he began to recall the various signs that had appeared since they entered the forest.

Indeed, they had already spent a lot of time here, but not a single decent soul beast had appeared in the vicinity.

This situation aroused strong dissatisfaction and anxiety in his heart. What was the point of him getting spirit rings? Without spirit rings, he couldn't continue to level up, and if he couldn't level up, he would be stuck at level ten.

After all, according to the rules here, without a spirit ring, a spirit master cannot continue to improve their strength, which means they will be unable to break through their current level bottleneck!

"This is absolutely unacceptable!" Tang San silently repeated to himself. His goal was to become a powerful Soul Master, and he could not afford to stagnate at this stage.

He pondered for a moment and felt that Yu Xiaogang's speculation seemed a bit too pessimistic and definitely had a big problem!

So he quickly retorted, "No, no, teacher, didn't you just say that this is a forest fenced off by the Empire, and that there are Spirit Hall deacons supervising it? They certainly wouldn't allow thousands of years old spirit beasts to exist here!"

Tang San's words carried a hint of determination, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes:

"Therefore, I suspect we haven't gone far enough yet. Let's keep going! Maybe there are some hundred-year-old soul beasts waiting for us ahead!"

Upon hearing his genius apprentice's analysis, Yu Xiaogang felt relieved, and his tense emotions eased considerably.

He nodded and coughed twice, seemingly trying to save face after his earlier panic, since he still needed to maintain his masterly demeanor!

"Ahem, that's what I think too. What just happened is only one possibility. We still need to trust the arrangements made by the Empire and the Spirit Hall."

Yu Xiaogang's words revealed his trust in authority. He readjusted his mindset and decided to follow Tang San's advice to continue deeper into the forest.

They exchanged a glance, both seeing a renewed expectation in each other's eyes. However, neither could see through the other's calculations.

At the same time, as soon as Yu Xiaogang finished speaking, he reacted immediately. To ensure safety, he quickly summoned his beast spirit, Luo Sanpao.

This Luo Sanpao is not an ordinary ferocious beast, but a peculiar soul beast. It resembles a small pig and appears unusually abstract and eerie.

Several large white radishes instantly appeared in Yu Xiaogang's hand. These radishes were undoubtedly tempting delicacies in Luo Sanpao's eyes, but in battle, they were catalysts for Luo Sanpao to unleash his special abilities.

He skillfully fed the radish to Luo Sanpao, preparing to unleash its unique skill.

Luo Sanpao chewed the radish happily, his pig nose began to swell, emitting a nauseating smell.

Yu Xiaogang knew that Luo Sanpao was accumulating energy, and once released, that stinking fart bomb would become the enemy's nightmare.

Yu Xiaogang's eyes were sharp as he vigilantly observed the movements around him.

In this forest full of unknowns, Luo Sanpao's ability, though vulgar and disgusting, can buy them the opportunity to retreat or counterattack at crucial moments.

Yu Xiaogang knew that if used properly, this stench that everyone wanted to avoid might be their only means of survival.

Meanwhile, not far ahead, a cold yet excited smile appeared on Blade's face; the props he had carefully arranged were beginning to take effect.

It was a prop that emitted a mysterious light, cleverly hidden in the bushes, making it difficult to spot.

Several hundred-year-old mandrakes, which should have been in awe of the blade's abundant aura and avoided it at all costs, have now become blind and fanatical due to the item's alluring effect.

Their eyes gleamed with a manipulated light, completely ignoring the presence of the blade, and they darted swiftly toward Tang San and Yu Xiaogang.

The scales of these mandrakes shimmered with an eerie green luster under the sunlight, and their bodies darted swiftly across the ground, stirring up patches of soil and fallen leaves.

The datura snakes, attacking from all directions, converged rapidly in the forest like rivers of green venom.

Moreover, as these datura snakes approached their target, they opened their venomous fangs and released a wide-ranging green venomous mist.

These poisonous fumes, like a veil of death, permeated the air and rapidly enveloped Tang San and Yu Xiaogang.

Wherever the poisonous fog passed, vegetation withered and life was lost; even the air seemed to become viscous.

Such an offensive would undoubtedly be fatal.

Faced with such a sudden and overwhelming attack, even if Tang San, the chosen one of destiny, survives, he will surely pay a heavy price, at least suffering severe injuries!

Blade stood in the distance, expressionless, his blood-red eyes flashing with a cold and insane light.

After all, a mission where everyone turned against him included, among other things, the so-called evil spirit beast's spirit ring that should have belonged to him.

(End of this chapter)