E/N : This chapter is a lil big, around 2k words. Enjoy.
Your Allfather Author - PrimorDious.
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Wang Feng also joined in the laughter. He had practiced this leaf throwing technique for a few days, mainly as an offshoot of Tang San's hidden weapon skills.
Unable to craft those intricate hidden weapons himself, he thought back to the martial arts masters from the novels he read in his previous life and decided to use leaves instead. The control method he had explained was exactly what he had discovered through trial and error. It took a few days but he eventually nailed it. Essentially, it boiled down to a precise manipulation of soul power/energy.
However, the actual effectiveness of this technique was limited. The strength of the leaves was finite and they could only harm people at close range, similar to his encounter with Meng Yiran about at a distance of around ten meters. Beyond that range, it became largely ineffective, especially against Soul Masters who possessed a Beast Martial Soul, as they had some defensive capabilities.
Compared to Tang San's true hidden weapon, this leaf throwing was like a child's play compared to true skill. In simpler terms, it was a flashy but impractical show of force—useful for hitting opponents who were slightly out of reach but not suitable for serious combat. Its primary utility lay in helping to refine one's control over soul power.
After some playful banter and with the understanding that they couldn't master the leaf throwing technique for now, the group turned their attention to Oscar, who was about to absorb the soul ring of the Phoenix-tailed Crest Serpent under their protection.
Before long, under their watchful eyes, Oscar successfully absorbed the Phoenix-tailed Crest Serpent's soul ring. Three soul rings gradually materialized beneath his feet as he underwent subtle changes. He appeared to be more energized and there was a faint, colorful glint in his eyes, reminiscent of the Phoenix-tailed Crest Serpent vibrant plumage.
Oscar unveiled his third soul ability, exclaiming, "I, your father, have a mushroom sausage!"
Though he said it with a smile, the mushroom sausage's effect was undeniably potent, propelling individuals into the air for a full minute. Despite the short duration, this ability was incredibly powerful, especially when coupled with the Phoenix-tailed Crest Serpent's speed.
Amid the amazement of their companions, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. She was renowned as the user of the number one support type martial soul Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in the mainland, but Oscar's support abilities were proving to be a match or even better than her's.
However, as she recalled Wang Feng's god-like soul skills/abilities, Ning Rongrong regained her composure somewhat, feeling a sense of pride in her own unique strengths.
After successfully securing Oscar's soul ring, the group decided to take a rest.
"Oscar's soul ring is already acquired. Now, it's Wang Feng's turn," Zhao Wuji declared, snapping everyone back to the task at hand.
"Wang Feng, how old do you want your third soul ring roughly?"
All eyes turned expectantly toward Wang Feng. Zhao Wuji, a 76th-level Soul Sage, couldn't help but also feel a touch of nervousness. After all, Wang Feng was a little monster whose second soul ring was a ten thousand years old one, so it was logical to assume that the third one would also be of that caliber.
If it were a soul beast in the early ten to twenty thousand years range, Zhao Wuji believed he could handle it with ease, provided it wasn't too powerful or rare. A 20,000-year-old soul beast, if it wasn't overwhelmingly strong or have weird abilities, offered a fighting chance. Once it reached the 30,000-year mark, the best option was to fight and figure it out. Beyond 40,000 the odds of success dwindled significantly and the best thing to do I to escape as fast as possible, facing anything more formidable was essentially a death sentence.
While the ten-thousand-year level of a soul beast generally corresponded to Soul Emperor to Soul Douluo ranks, the actual threat level depended on the specific type of soul beast.
Given these considerations, Zhao Wuji was aiming for a relatively safe 20,000 year-old or perhaps a 10,000-year-old soul beast.
Wang Feng, however, didn't seem in a hurry. He glanced at Tang San and suggested,
"Me? I'm not in a rush. Xiao San should be at level 30 now, right?"
Wang Feng smiled, not explicitly answering the question but directing his gaze at Tang San. He needed a soul beast of about 30,000 years, a challenge that would likely be beyond Zhao Wuji's capabilities and success would also depend on luck.
This revelation caught Zhao Wuji by surprise and he turned to Tang San for confirmation.
"Teacher, I did reach level 30 just now," Tang San confirmed, his fists clenched, feeling the surging soul power within him.
The news left everyone astonished.
"Well done! Fantastic! Two twelve-year-old Soul Elders! You've set a new record for our Shrek Academy!" Zhao Wuji cheered.
Xiao Wu happily clung to Tang San's arm and the others regarded him with a mix of wonder and amusement.
Wang Feng's level 30 was known during his testing but Tang San's rapid progress had taken everyone by surprise. Two twelve-year-old Soul Elders—this was an extraordinary achievement.
Oscar couldn't help but comment, "I can't believe it! I just reached Soul Elder at fourteen and barely had time to celebrate. You two are on the verge of breaking Boss Dai's record."
Dai Mubai, for his part, shrugged, not showing any signs of discomfort at having his record challenged.
"Records are made to be broken." Wang Feng remarked with a smile.
"Otherwise, what's the point of having records? Sooner or later, our records will be surpassed too."
His words left everyone contemplative.
"Records are made to be broken." Tang San echoed, nodding.
"Yeah, we're from the Monster Academy, we're all extraordinary. These records, we're all used to breaking them." Oscar chimed in with a laugh.
Xiao Wu, still excitedly holding onto Tang San's arm, whispered, "I'll work hard and catch up with you and Feng'ge as soon as possible."
Tang San nodded in agreement. Xiao Wu's cultivation speed was impressive and it didn't lag behind his, despite her playful demeanor.
With their spirits renewed, the group cleaned up and set out to find a suitable soul ring for Tang San, with ZhaoWuji taking extra precautions. They avoided leaving traces along the paths and they only ventured into the outer regions of the forest to avoid drawing the attention of the Chao Tianxing and Meng Shu, the Dragon Duke.
However, the day came and went without them finding a soul beast that met Tang San's requirements. Although they encountered several thousand-year-old soul beasts on their path, none of them were the right fit.
Wang Feng knew what Tang San needed for his third soul ring, the Human Face Demon Spider. However, he didn't know the specific location of this rare creature, nor could he expedite the process of Tang San encountering it. This was an opportunity that had to come naturally and forcing it would be counterproductive.
The day's battles enhanced the group's cooperation and understanding. Dealing with weaker thousand-year-old soul beasts became smoother and even without Zhao Wuji's intervention, they could handle the encounters with ease. Wang Feng, as their primary protector, rarely engaged directly but observed from a distance, offering valuable guidance to the others based on his extensive combat experience. His practical knowledge of soul beasts surpassed Tang San's theoretical understanding, making him an indispensable resource.
As the first day concluded and night descended, a streak of light approached the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest from outside at great speed.
The group had ventured deep into the Star Dou Great Forest, unaware of the approaching threat. As they rested during the evening, they couldn't make a fire and the darkness enveloped them. However, they found a relatively open area where they could glimpse the bright moon and stars in the sky.
"This view, we can probably only see it here, right?" Wang Feng observed the stars above and let out a soft sigh. The bustling world of his hometown, even in rural areas, rarely offered a clear view of the starry sky like this because of the widespread pollution.
Meanwhile, the others had set up their tents and were resting after dinner. Soon, Wang Feng overheard a conversation between Tang San and Zhao Wuji in the distance.
"The Star Dou Great Forest seems quieter today compared to before. Previous night, we used to encounter thousand-year soul beasts everywhere..."
"Although soul beasts are fierce, humans are even more formidable. While the number of soul masters is small, each one needs to hunt multiple soul beasts. As humans grow stronger, the need for soul rings increases. The more powerful we become, the fewer soul beasts there are. It's a one side cycle, where one grows strong while the other dies. Eventually, it will become even difficult to find a thousand-year soul beast. My teacher said that if should hunt as few as possible., Unfortunately, it's just us. How much can we change?"
Their voices carried a hint of melancholy and Xiao Wu, listening from inside the tent, felt a sense of unease.
Wang Feng, too, shook his head in acknowledgment. The Star Dou Great Forest balance had been disrupted by Soul Masters since the beginning. The number of soul beasts had been declining steadily, driven by human desire for power—a desire that wouldn't vanish. As long as this desire persisted, one side would always perish and reaching a balance point would remain elusive.
"I recall in Douluo 2, the appearance of artificial soul beast slightly altered the dynamics of the Douluo world, easing the tension between soul beasts and soul masters. And the concept of artificial souls..." Wang Feng pondered, sighing. He had no illusions about changing the status quo in his current weakened state.
Suddenly, he stood up, gazing into the distance, and muttered, "It seems to be approaching."
With his keen sense of soul beasts, Wang Feng detected the imminent arrival of a formidable presence, even more quickly than Zhao Wuji. A Titan Giant Ape was drawing near, likely to take Xiao Wu away and engage them all in battle.
Wang Feng had no intention of revealing Xiao Wu's situation to the group. Even if he did, they wouldn't believe it. Besides, it was necessary for Xiao Wu to follow the Titan Giant Ape for a while and she wouldn't be harmed. This was also Tang San's opportunity to obtain the Human Faced Devil Spider's soul ring and soul bone.
Tang San's venture outside alone at night was part of the plan and Wang Feng had no objections. His primary concern was protecting the group from any potential danger when the Titan Giant Ape arrived.
In this tense moment, conversations in the distance ceased abruptly. Zhao Wuji stood up swiftly, taking a few steps forward and positioning himself in front of Tang San. His seven soul rings glowed brightly as he infused the soul power of his Vajra Bear, exuding a domineering and chilling aura.
"Everyone, get out of your tent, do it quickly!" Zhao Wuji shouted urgently. His voice laced with caution and worry.
As they emerged from their tents, the group exchanged confused glances, wondering why Zhao Wuji had issued this command and what was happening.
"I don't have time to explain right now!" Zhao Wuji declared with a grave expression.
"Just be prepared. If anything happens, don't worry about me and leave this place immediately as fast as you can. Wang Feng, your responsibility is to ensure their safety and lead them out of the Star Dou Great Forest."
Zhao Wuji entrusted the group's safety to Wang Feng, as his strength surpassed even that of Dai Mubai. Wang Feng's face tightened as he looked ahead and whispered instructions to the others.
"It's a soul beast, an extraordinarily powerful one!" Wang Feng rarely used such a description, causing shock among the group. During their daytime battles, he had confidently dealt with many thousand-year-old soul beasts easily, pointing them out for hunting without much concern.
However, when they heard teacher Zhao's and Wang Feng's solemn tone, they began to grasp the gravity of the situation. But understanding came slowly and it wasn't until a few seconds later that they truly comprehended.
Before their eyes, two massive trees suddenly parted, as if an immense force had crushed them apart. A colossal figure emerged from the gap between the trees and in an instant, everyone's breath seemed to came to stop.
What presented infront of them was simply a nightmare for almost most of the Douluo Continent's Soul Masters.
""Titan Giant Ape!!!""
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