Douluo Continent: The Legend of the Gods

"Stay close to me." Wang Xian'er walked ahead, her steps very light, almost making no sound.

"The Star Dou Great Forest is divided into four areas: the outer area, the mixed area, the core area, and the forbidden area of ​​life. We are currently on the edge of the outer area, where there are mostly harmless small soul beasts and some ordinary wild beasts, but that's not absolute. Some soul beasts that are good at hiding may appear in any area, so we must never let our guard down."

The Winged Fire Douluo had disappeared at some point, leaving only Wang Xian'er with him. One was in the light, the other in the shadows, which conveniently allowed Wang Xian'er to give lessons and guidance to Yun Qinglin.

Wang Xian'er slowed down, letting Yun Qinglin catch up and walk alongside her.

"Qinglin, do you know what the biggest difference is between healing-type soul masters and other soul masters?" she suddenly asked.

Yun Qinglin thought for a moment: "Is the purpose of using soul skills different?"

Wang Xian'er smiled and shook her head: "That's not right. Battle Soul Masters can also protect people, and Healing Soul Masters aren't necessarily all kind. The real difference is that Battle Soul Masters use their power to defeat opponents, while we Healing Soul Masters use our power to fight against death."

She looked at Yun Qinglin, as if she were recalling something.

"When I was young, I was like you, thinking that healing-type soul masters were just people who healed injuries and illnesses. But after experiencing more, I realized that the word 'healing' is far more weighty than I imagined."

Sometimes, every time you intervene, you're fighting against death. If you succeed, that person lives; if you fail, they die. Not everyone can bear this kind of pressure.

Yun Qinglin nodded thoughtfully.

"Therefore, the most important thing for a healing-type Soul Master is not how high your Soul Power is, or how strong your Soul Skills are, but that your heart is steady enough."

Wang Xian'er continued, "If you panic when you encounter a seriously injured Soul Master, then the patient is truly beyond saving. If you panic when you encounter a large number of wounded, then you won't be able to save even those who are capable of being saved. Only when you are calm can your treatment be stable, and only then can your Soul Skills be used correctly."

"You don't need to truly understand these words right now. I just want you to understand that the path of a healing-type Soul Master is more difficult and harder to cultivate than that of a battle-type Soul Master."

"I understand." Yun Qinglin was, after all, an adult soul. He could feel his teacher's sincerity towards him. A teacher is one who imparts knowledge, instructs in skills, and resolves doubts.

This is quite different from some of Shrek's teachers.

If you listen to me, you're a good student; if you don't, you're a failure.

Are you training a dog here?

Wang Xian'er led Yun Qinglin on a day-long journey around the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. During this time, they encountered a suitable 500-year-old Azure Wave Deer, but it was a bit too young. Moreover, they had plenty of time, so they could look for even rarer and more powerful soul beasts.

Although it was called the outer perimeter, it had actually penetrated deep into an area where thousand-year-old soul beasts frequently appeared. The two Title Douluos deliberately concealed their auras, maintaining only basic vigilance, and focusing most of their energy on letting Yun Qinglin observe and sense.

To Wang Xian'er's surprise, Yun Qinglin seemed unusually comfortable in the forest.

It wasn't the kind of adaptation that made him "unafraid," but rather a more subtle one—when he walked through the forest, his steps would unconsciously become lighter, his breathing would naturally slow down, and occasionally when a soul beast passed by in the distance, he could even turn his head to look in that direction in advance.

What concerned Wang Xian'er even more was that several herbivorous soul beasts, around a hundred years old, merely glanced up at Yun Qinglin before lowering their heads to continue eating grass, showing no intention of avoiding him.

"Your martial spirit gives you a natural affinity for this place," Wang Xian'er explained. "The Emerald Swan is one of the most respected beings in the Star Dou Great Forest. These lower-level soul beasts have sensed your aura, so naturally they won't be afraid of you."

Yun Qinglin nodded, but his mind was on something else. He could indeed feel an indescribable comfort.

This comfort wasn't physical; rather, it was because his mental sea was more active than usual, and his unawakened second martial soul would occasionally tremble slightly, as if in response to something.

The following evening, they encountered a Crimson Fox that was clearly injured in a fight by a stream.

A long scratch mark ran across his abdomen, and the blood had stained a large patch of his fur red.

Yun Qinglin stopped in his tracks.

Wang Xian'er glanced at him but didn't say anything, though she remained vigilant.

Yun Qinglin hesitated for a few seconds, then walked towards the heavily injured Crimson Flame Fox. He squatted down, stretched out his hand, and a faint emerald light emanated from his palm. The Emerald Swan's healing talent could be activated to some extent without a soul ring.

The light merged into the wound, and the crimson fox trembled, opened its eyes, glanced at him, and then slowly relaxed.

Yun Qinglin was not able to completely heal it, but the Crimson Flame Fox's vitality did stop the wound from worsening until the Crimson Flame Fox could barely stand up, licked his palm, and limped away into the woods.

"What you're doing might make it trust humans more in the future," Wang Xian'er said. "It might also make it lower its guard when it encounters humans next time, and end up being harmed instead."

Yun Qinglin was silent for a while, then looked up at his teacher: "Teacher, I don't know what will happen in the future, but it was almost dead just now, and I helped if I could."

He didn't want to completely integrate into the world of Douluo Continent. In his view, humans and soul beasts were both indispensable parts of this world, just like the concept he had always accepted in his previous life: humans and nature should coexist harmoniously.

If one day he can attack all kinds of innocent soul beasts without hesitation and ignore lives on the verge of death, perhaps he will no longer be himself.

The impact of the environment on a person is terrifying; all he can do is avoid becoming completely corrupted. He might hunt spirit beasts to become stronger, but he would never indiscriminately kill innocent people.

Wang Xian'er didn't say anything more, but patted his shoulder. Perhaps only someone with the temperament of her disciple was worthy of awakening the Emerald Swan, the strongest healing-type martial soul.

Winged Fire Douluo leaned against a tree in the shadows, watching this scene with a complex expression in his eyes.

But a smile appeared in a pair of hidden eyes on the other side.

Previously, in the core area of ​​the Starry Sky Forest, there was the Lake of Life.

Brigitte has lived on this island in the middle of the lake for tens of thousands of years.

As the true queen of the Emerald Swan clan, she has witnessed countless rises and falls, the birth and death of soul beast clans, and the rise and fall of humanity. Only this lake has remained as calm as ever.

Brigitte has lived on this island in the middle of the lake for tens of thousands of years. As the true queen of the Emerald Swan clan, she has witnessed far too many rises and falls—the birth and death of soul beast clans, the rise and fall of humanity from weakness to strength, but this lake has remained as calm as ever.

At this moment, she was sitting cross-legged on a blue stone by the lake, her eyes slightly closed, surrounded by a faint green halo.

Deep within the lake, several enormous black shadows could be vaguely seen coiled up—these were Di Tian, ​​Xiong Jun, the King of Ten Thousand Demons, and a host of other ferocious beasts. They were fully absorbing the soul power of a certain unfortunate ice silkworm.

That million-year-old soul beast that recklessly wandered into the Star Dou Great Forest has now been exploited for thousands of years, with a vast amount of heaven and earth energy continuously supplying these ferocious beasts for cultivation.

"Waaaaah... My soul power... You bunch of bastards... I'll settle the score with you once I get out of here..."

A faint wail echoed from the depths of the lake; it was the voice of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm. It had been suppressed at the bottom of the Lake of Life for countless years, feeding these ferocious beasts daily with its own soul power.

At first, it tried to resist, but when it realized that resistance was useless, it started muttering every day about wanting to run away and take revenge. Unfortunately, after muttering for thousands of years, it was still completely suppressed.

"Shut up," Xiong Jun growled. "If you keep yelling, I'll drain the rest of your soul power in one go."

Tianmeng Bingcan's voice stopped abruptly, and after a few seconds, an even softer muttering came: "Why are you being so fierce? Wait until I run out, hmph."

Di Tian ignored the talkative ice silkworm and continued to absorb the nutrients with his eyes closed.

Brigitte suddenly opened her eyes and looked towards the edge of the forest.

In that instant, her senses detected an extremely faint aura. It was so faint that if she hadn't been in a completely relaxed state, she might have easily overlooked it.

But Brigitte did not overlook it.

Because she recognized that aura.

That was the scent of an emerald swan.

A hint of surprise flashed across Brigitte's face. The Emerald Swan clan was already small in number, and she was familiar with the aura of each one. She had long ago gathered the entire clan together in an area near the Lake of Life, where they were kept under strict protection.

No new cubs have been born in the clan for a long time. Every time a cub is born, she personally guards it until she is sure it is safe and sound.

Therefore, if a new cub is born in the clan, it is impossible not to inform her, the clan leader.

But that aura just now didn't belong to any of her clansmen she knew.

What shocked her even more was that the aura gave off a feeling...like a newborn cub.

How is that possible?

"Bi Ji?" Di Tian's voice rang out, tinged with a hint of doubt. "What's wrong with you?"

Biji snapped out of her daze and turned to look at the center of the lake. Di Tian had already opened his eyes, his deep dragon pupils staring at her.

"I sensed the presence of a new tribesman," Brigitte said, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "but not near the Lake of Life, but on the outskirts of the forest."

Di Tian was slightly taken aback, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

As the true ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest, he knew every region and every powerful soul beast there like the back of his hand. He was naturally aware of the situation of the Emerald Swan clan; it was a fact that no new life had been born for over three hundred years.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Brigitte nodded: "I'm sure. That aura was very weak, as weak as a newborn cub."

Di Tian remained silent for a few seconds. He knew how strong Bi Ji's perception was; even he might not be able to match it in this aspect. If she said she sensed it, then she definitely sensed it.

"Let's go take a look," Di Tian said.

"Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm..."

"It won't make a difference if we wait a little longer," Di Tian said calmly. "He can't escape."

A mournful wail echoed from the depths of the lake: "You bastards! Even in this state, you still despise me! Once I escape, I'll definitely..."

"Definitely what?" Xiong Jun roared again in a muffled voice.

"...I'll definitely find a good place to hide and never come back to this wretched place again." Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's voice grew softer and softer, finally turning into a series of indistinct mutterings, "Why is my life so miserable... I'm supposed to be a million-year-old soul beast, and I've ended up like this..."

Brigitte shook her head slightly as she listened to the voice.

When this ice silkworm was first captured, it was quite tough, saying things like "I'd rather die than submit" and "I will never yield to you bastards." But after being exploited for hundreds of years, it started muttering "Wait until I escape." And after being exploited for thousands of years, it turned into this cowardly creature.

Although he never holds back with his words, he has actually long accepted his fate, and is just indulging in verbal sparring while being exploited.

"Go." Di Tian's voice pulled her back from her thoughts. "Come back and tell me if anything happens."

Brigitte nodded, turned around, and took a step forward.

Deep within the lake, the mutterings of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm continued: "Hmph, one's gone, but there's still a bunch left... Once you're all gone, I'll be free. Then I'll find a pretty little girl to be my host, have her call me Heavenly Dream Brother, and then reunite with Bingbing. How wonderful."

Di Tian ignored it and closed his eyes again. Xiong Jun and the other soul beasts, including the Demon King, continued to absorb soul power, treating the ice silkworm's words as background noise.