The Great Ming Dou Forest, located in the Ming Dou Mountain Range and occupies one-third of the mountain range. It is a soul beast-containing forest that's around half the size of the Great Star Dou Forest. It is an area populated by a variety of soul beasts. It isn't as dangerous to the soul masters as the Great Star Dou Forest, but it is still not to be underestimated as the soul beasts there are severely more aggressive than the Great Star Dou Forest.
There were reports of a fifty thousand-year-old Diamond Baboon, a species of apes known for pure strength that it could claim the title of the King of Strength among Soul Beasts. But Diamond Baboons are also best known as the archenemy of the renowned Titan Giant Apes.
In this vast forest filled with trees and other soul beasts, the night sky is a tapestry of twinkling stars, framed by the dense canopy of ancient trees. Moonlight filters through the foliage, casting ethereal shadows on the forest floor below. The air is thick with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, their calls echoing through the darkness.
"Arooo!"
But the tranquility was broken at that moment, as the sounds of howls and growls reverberated through the forest, shattering the stillness of the night. The sudden disturbance sends ripples of tension through the underbrush, alerting both predator and prey to the presence of danger lurking in the shadows.
A great icy chill engulfs a part of the forest; ice crystals forming on leaves and branches, freezing the very air itself. Several soul beasts lay frozen on the ground, they were killed so suddenly and quickly that their soul rings weren't released after their unfortunate death.
"Grrr..."
"....You look scrumptious enough."
Huo Yuhao coldly eyed the hundred year old Emerald Liger before him, it was four meters tall with a meter width of plump and fat, it was mostly green with black stripes. What sets this apart from a regular Liger, aside from it being a rare soul beast that was born from a male Greenwood Lion and a Dark Spirit Tigress, is that it can fight exceptionally well.
If it can grow to ten thousand years old, it would have the ability to rival an average 100,000 year old soul beast!
Unfortunately, however, it encountered a very irritated Huo Yuhao who had a mission of getting his group a meal.
He released a puff of icy air as he cracked his knuckles and he made a hand seal, and without a hint of noise being released, his figure blurred as he disappeared from the spot. The Emerald Liger only felt a cold chill on its neck and it saw its surroundings blurred before the life in its eyes faded into darkness.
Huo Yuhao reappeared behind the now lifeless Emerald Liger, its body collapsing to the ground with a soft thud. He gazed at the fallen beast for a moment before swiftly freezing its corpse into a block of ice and putting it into his Shrek Guardian storage ring. He went to grab the other frozen soul beasts as well.
"These should be enough for a couple of days if they don't overeat that is."
He furrowed his brows and his Spiritual Detection spread out in an instant, covering 600 meters of observation under his gaze. He quickly spotted Ma Xiaotao and Xiao Xiao, waiting on a tree a dozen meters away for him. He searched across the forest within his Spiritual Detection, scouring through every inch of the terrain for the potential soul beast for Xiao Xiao's third soul ring.
'Still no luck, huh.'
He continued using his Spiritual Detection for a while before deactivating it with a shake of his head. A thoughtful look appeared on his face as he looked around the ice zone he made, and waved his hand to make it melt.
'....I still want to punch something.'
Huo Yuhao let out a sigh and then disappeared from his spot using the Body Flicker Technique.
"Is he going to be alright?" Xiao Xiao asked with a worried tone, patiently waiting for Huo Yuhao.
Ma Xiaotao gave her a reassuring smile. "He'll be fine. Most of the soul beasts here are hundred year old soul beasts anyway, and the reportedly fifty thousand year old soul best ruling over this forest lives deep in the center of the forest, it wouldn't go after us."
Xiao Xiao nodded, heaving a sigh of relief.
"I'm back."
Huo Yuhao's voice broke through the conversation as he reappeared beside Ma Xiaotao and Xiao Xiao. Both girls turned to him, their faces lighting up with relief.
"Good to see you," Ma Xiaotao said with a smile. "Any luck with finding the soul beast for Xiao Xiao's third soul ring?"
Huo Yuhao shook his head, his expression serious. "Not yet. I searched the area thoroughly, but there's nothing suitable around here. We'll have to go deeper into the forest. It's riskier, but it's our best chance."
Xiao Xiao nodded, determination replacing her worry. "I'm ready. I...don't want to continue being a burden on our friends any longer."
Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao looked at Xiao Xiao with smiles, giving her comforting pats.
"Wah? I'm not a kid!" Xiao Xiao exclaimed, slapping away their hands with a pouty expression.
"Fufufu. Sorry, Xiao Xiao. You just looked so adorable," Ma Xiaotao giggled.
Huo Yuhao shook his head and said. "Alright. Both of you, follow close after me. I'll take vanguard as I can cast an illusion on us all to dissuade any soul beasts from attacking us and instantly analyze the suitable soul beast for Xiao Xiao; a soul beast with great defensive capabilities or one that can enhance her control abilities would be ideal."
Both girls nodded and fell in line behind Huo Yuhao as he led the way deeper into the Great Ming Dou Forest, withdrawing as much of their aura as possible. The forest grew denser, and the sounds of nocturnal creatures became more frequent and varied. The group moved silently, their senses heightened and alert for any signs of danger.
Huo Yuhao activated his Spiritual Detection again, expanding his awareness to the maximum range. He carefully scanned the surroundings, searching for any powerful soul beasts that might pose a threat or could serve as Xiao Xiao's third soul ring.
"...Hey, senior sister. Do you think that, something's wrong with Yuhao?" Xiao Xiao asked in a whispering voice, hoping that Huo Yuhao wouldn't hear their discussion.
"Hm. That outburst of killing intent earlier at the camp wasn't simply a reaction to seeing a powerful and well-seasoned warrior and wanting to spar with them. No, I believe, and even the Duke knows this as well, that Huo Yuhao was truly intending on killing him, straight up." Ma Xiaotao replied in a low voice, her eyes set on him with worry.
"W-What do you mean?" Xiao Xiao's furrowed her brows in confusion.
Ma Xiaotao glanced at her, "I mean, that he didn't intend to challenge to a mere fight or spar, no, Yuhao wanted to kill him. To murder the Star Luo Empire's Marshal at the spot."
"WHA-?!" Xiao Xiao's eyes widened and she almost let out a scream before she closed her mouth tight, she glanced at Huo Yuhao, before turning back towards Ma Xiaotao. "What?!" she said in a low tone voice.
Ma Xiaotao drly smiled. "I'm not...one hundred percent sure, exactly, but I have a gut feeling that he was about to do that. Tell me you didn't also feel the same way when he exuded his killing aura at that moment."
"..." Xiao Xiao looked down, her expression conflicted. "I did feel it," she admitted quietly. "But I didn't want to believe it. Yuhao has always been so...mysterious, strange, and a bit crazy sometimes with his training, I didn't think he could have such a strong urge to kill."
Ma Xiaotao sighed, her eyes softening with understanding. "Yuhao's been through a lot, and he's had to grow up faster than most of us. He's seen and experienced things that we can hardly imagine. Sometimes, those experiences can leave deep scars."
Xiao Xiao glanced at her. "You know a lot about him," she whispered with a low voice.
Ma Xiaotao blinked, and a sly look flickered across her eyes. "Are you jealous~?"
"H-Huh? No! I don't feel that way about him!"
"Uhuh. Sure."
"Senior....!"
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes and stopped on a tree branch, he raised his right arm to signal the others to halt. The playful banter between Ma Xiaotao and Xiao Xiao ceased instantly as they turned their attention to Huo Yuhao, sensing the change in his demeanor.
'...I found a suitable soul beast,' His voice sounded in their minds, Xiao Xiao's eyes sparkled but her excitement soon died after Huo Yuhao shared Spiritual Detection with them, their faces pale white.
About a hundred meters away ahead of them was a Diamond Bamboo, sleeping peacefully on top of a tree branch. Its hulking body was about three meters tall even when it was hunched over, and its bright brown fur gleamed like polished diamonds in the moonlight. The sheer size and presence of the beast made the forest feel even more oppressive.
Ma Xiaotao leaned over Huo Yuhao and said, in a low scolding voice. "Are you crazy?! Isn't that a Diamond Baboon, a fifty thousand year old soul beast that could possibly fight against a hundred thousand year old soul beast?!"
Xiao Xiao nodded frantically beside her. "Also, I can't handle a ten thousand year old soul ring yet!"
Huo Yuhao calmly replied, "Calm down and take a look closer. The color of its fur doesn't match the same description of a ten thousand year old Diamond Baboon, much less a fifty thousand year old one. Its bright brown colored fur means it's around the thousand year old category, seeing the number of diamond-shaped red marks on its forehead, I'd say it's about 2,000 years old. Just the perfect age for you to absorb its soul ring."
Xiao Xiao's eyes brightened in excitement. "Really? Are you sure, Yuhao?"
Huo Yuhao nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm certain. This Diamond Baboon is within the range you can handle, and it possesses immense strength and defensive capabilities. Its soul ring will enhance your abilities significantly."
Ma Xiaotao frowned but conceded. "Alright, if you're sure. But we need to be extremely cautious. Even a 2,000-year-old Diamond Baboon can be very dangerous. They're known to be the rivals of the Giant Titan Apes, and those guys can fight it out with a hundred thousand year old soul beast. So this guy might rival the strength of a ten thousand year old soul beast as well."
She smiled confidently as she cracked her knuckles. "But luckily, I'm here to help you two. I just hope that I don't accidentally kill it in one go."
Huo Yuhao hurriedly stopped her. "Wait, Xiaotao. We don't have to fight it."
Both girls looked at him in confusion.
Huo Yuhao merely put a finger against his lips and silently charged directly towards the sleeping Diamond Baboon, his figure blurred across several trees with a foot momentarily touching a tree branch, not a sound nor leaf fell as he rushed towards his target.
As he approached the slumbering beast and was a few meters away from it, the Diamond Baboon's eyes snapped open, its eyes gleaming with sudden awareness.
Huo Yuhao smiled, 'As expected of a species known for its strength and instincts. Unfortunately for you though, you just opened your eyes.'
"Genjutsu: Sharingan."
The Diamond Baboon had just gotten and prepared for an incoming attack, when it locked eyes with Huo Yuhao's. Its eyes widened as its vision turned dark instantaneously and it slumped over, its eyes taking on a similar form as Huo Yuhao's eyes.
'Success!' Huo Yuhao smiled as he arrived before it satisfied with the result. The Diamond Baboon was now completely under the control of his genjutsu, immobilized and unaware of the real world around it.
Genjutsu: Sharingan, it was a technique that can only be used by users with the Sharingan. It wasn't exactly a one-off technique, but a broad range of genjutsus, such as: causing instantaneous — but temporary — loss of consciousness or paralysis in the target, forceful extraction of information, relaying memories, erasing memories, removing genjutsu placed on the target by others, and controlling a target's actions.
The technique work quite easily on the soul beast since they were known to be quite dumb and with a pitiful amount of spiritual power.
It's also the same technique what he used on Zhu Mei Lan early on to read through her memory.
Huo Yuhao used this technique to take control of the Diamond Baboon and to take it away with them. The reasons being that this wasn't a safe place for Xiao Xiao to absorb its soul ring, and the group, especially Elder Xuan, was waiting on their meal; absorbing a soul ring takes a long duration.
He mentally commanded it to follow him, and seeing it blankly nod, he turned around to head back over towards the girls in a hurry. He also communicated with them with Spiritual Detection, telling them about him 'charming' the Diamond Baboon to follow him and that they should head back.
Huo Yuhao was clearly in a hurry, and that was because of the Diamond Baboon, specifically, its parents.
The Great Dou Ming Forest isn't fully well-known for its population of ape-type soul beasts or Diamond Baboons, with the exception of the forest's ruler, so with that in mind, Huo Yuhao came to the conclusion about who the 2,000 year old Diamon Baboon he had under his control; about who its parent might be.
It was just a possibility, but it was a pretty high one and Huo Yuhao didn't want to risk. Even he wasn't confident enough to take on a fifty thousand year old soul beast that can fight back against a Titled Douluo.
'Sorry, but as the unwritten rule of this cruel world says, the weak die, and the strong survive. But this is for a good cause,' Huo Yuhao thought as he moved swiftly through the trees, the controlled Diamond Baboon lumbering behind him.
The girls, though initially surprised by the presence of the Diamond Baboon, quickly understood the urgency in Huo Yuhao's movements and followed closely behind. They maintained their speed and vigilance, knowing that any misstep could alert more powerful soul beasts or the potential parents of the baboon they had captured.
However, as they arrived back at the military camp, they were surprised to hear the sound of chaos and see fire and smoke.
"What the hell happened here?!" Ma Xiaotao exclaimed, Xiao Xiao had a hand over her mouth while Huo Yuhao silently frowned. With a determined expression, she then lead their group back towards their residence.
They earned strange looks from the soldiers for the Diamond Baboon following them but they paid them no mind, focused on the scene before them.
As they reached their residence, they found it in perfect condition with all their friends, comrades and teacher being all right. They saw Elder Xuan standing protectively alongside their group with a grave expression.
They heaved a sigh of relief. Ma Xiaotao walked over towards them asked, "Guys! What the hell happened here? Were we under attacked? Was it the bandits? The Sun Moon Empire?"
Elder Xuan had a grim look on his face. "Yes, the military camp was attacked but it wasn't from the bandits or any enemy empire, no, it was an attack from the inside."
"What..."
"Out of nowhere, in the Duke Dai Hao's tent, where his family were having a private meeting, Dai Huabin inexplicably brought a bomb and detonated it, causing massive chaos and casualties. We were fortunate to be at a safe distance when it happened, but the damage was severe. As of right now, only Dai Hao and Zhu Mei Lan are reported to be alive, but at are in critical condition."
The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on everyone as they absorbed Elder Xuan's words.
Unnoticed by everyone, Huo Yuhao looked down and coldly smiled.
....
AN: Sorry for not posting the third chapter last week, freaking went out again for days and last night as well due to the ongoing storm here.
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