You Chen provided Diwan with a list of soul beasts divided into three tiers.
The first tier consisted of the most suitable targets. Even if their age was slightly below the ideal, they were still acceptable. Diwan would notify You Chen immediately upon finding one, allowing You Chen to precisely determine its age.
The second tier comprised excellent choices. With their compatibility and quality, these soul beasts would be perfect targets for average soul masters. However, due to You Chen's discerning standards, they were placed in the second tier.
The third tier was for cases where second-tier soul beasts couldn't be found. These were barely acceptable for You Chen but would be considered optimal for typical elite soul masters.
Below these were soul beasts categorized as wind attribute, offering decent soul skills but lacking unique traits. They neither significantly enhanced the martial spirit nor improved You Chen's specialized abilities. You Chen completely disregarded them.
With his personal ability, You Chen could even pinpoint a target perfectly tailored to his needs.
However, the Star Dou Forest was vast, with countless soul beasts.
Even for someone like Diwan, finding a soul beast that met You Chen's age requirement was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
In the world of soul beasts, ten- and hundred-year-old soul beasts were akin to the most numerous lower-class citizens of ancient times—plentiful and easily replaced.
Millennium soul beasts were akin to minor officials, countable within a given area but mere resources across the entire soul beast world.
But ten-thousand-year soul beasts were different.
Each was a local ruler. If hundred-thousand-year soul beasts were like warlords—Liu Bei, Sun Quan, Cao Cao—then ten-thousand-year soul beasts were akin to Liu Biao, Guan Yu, Lü Bu…
This analogy merely illustrates their position in the food chain.
One could argue that Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and Cao Cao were like hundred-thousand-year beasts, Liu Biao, Guan Yu, and Lü Bu were ten-thousand-year beasts, with Lü Bu possessing top-tier bloodline…
Something like that.
In the Star Dou Forest, killing certain ten-thousand-year soul beasts might attract hundred-thousand-year ones.
For example, killing Guan Yu or Zhang Fei would certainly provoke Liu Bei's wrath.
Even a fifty- to sixty-thousand-year soul beast could pose a significant threat to most soul masters hunting ten-thousand-year beasts.
Having a speed-focused Soul Douluo like Diwan leading the hunt meant there was no worry about being entangled by a fifty-thousand-year or older soul beast.
Even with You Chen in tow, Diwan could easily escape.
Unless encountering a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, safety was almost guaranteed.
Of course, "almost" implies a small chance of failure, but soul masters seeking advancement must be willing to take such risks.
You Chen was cautious, not cowardly.
In fact, his ambition and desire made every step precarious.
After about half a day, the sky turned dark, and Diwan slowed down, stopping mid-air.
Even with You Chen's eyesight, the target was visible from this distance.
In a deeply hidden valley, dozens of translucent beings with heads resembling green lotus leaves were engaged in a conversation only they understood.
"A colony of Wind Summoners."
Wind Summoners, known as wind fairies, were soul beasts of the fairy and illusionary types, rarely cohabiting with other species, minimizing the chance of elder retaliation if a young one was attacked.
Moreover, they were listed in You Chen's second tier.
"So, do you still need my help searching?" Diwan asked.
You Chen shook his head, "Such a perfect choice is rare and lucky to find in a day. Searching for another week might yield similar results. If there's no hidden leader, this leader likely fits my criteria."
After observing briefly, You Chen concluded.
"All here."
Diwan inquired succinctly, "What's the leader's trait?"
You Chen didn't explain about identifying the Wind Summoner's age by its lotus leaf, replying, "The one with a hint of pink in its body, the largest and plumpest."
"Got it."
Diwan grinned, and a black soul ring suddenly lit up.
Instantly, a storm brewed in the sky.
As masters of wind, the Wind Summoners were immediately aware of the atmospheric anomaly.
The largest Wind Summoner leader first raised its lotus head.
It saw the endless winds coalesce into a massive, vaguely outlined spear in Diwan's hand.
Sixth soul skill, Weapon Soul Skill, Storm Conductor!
Whoosh!
The air seemed to wail.
When the Wind Summoner leader looked up, it was too late.
With two more soul rings shining, Diwan hurled the invisible spear.
The supersonic attack pinned the Wind Summoner leader before it could react.
Subsequently, the wind wrapping the spear exploded, causing a violent air blast. While inflicting secondary damage on the leader, the shockwave scattered the surrounding younger Wind Summoners.
Thud.
Diwan landed on the spear's handle, his powerful soul power pressure being the final straw.
The remaining Wind Summoners, realizing the power gap, fled in panic.
"You were quite violent," You Chen commented.
Diwan raised an eyebrow, smiling, "But it was quick, wasn't it?"
A 24,000-year-old Wind Summoner was easy prey for Diwan, even without soul skills, let alone with them.
With such protection, it was hard for You Chen to encounter any mishaps.
He efficiently dealt the finishing blow, beginning the absorption of the fifth soul ring.
As Diwan yawned and found a stone to sit against a still-standing tree, he maintained his focus on You Chen, ready to interrupt the soul ring absorption process if needed.
Meanwhile, You Chen once again engaged in the "self-created soul skill" process.
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