Upon entering the Core Area, Zhu Ziyang immediately felt the difference.
The rich vitality, even more potent than that of Sea God Island, could only be rivaled by the vitality near the Golden Ancient Tree. In such a vibrant environment, hundred-year, thousand-year, and even ten-thousand-year old trees were ubiquitous. Nurtured by this environment, even the most ordinary trees were filled with spiritual energy, and many ancient trees had even evolved to the level of common spiritual herbs.
"Wow~ Is this the Core Area? The air feels so fresh!" Ma Xiaotao exclaimed. It was her first time entering the Star Dou Great Forest Core Area.
Not just Ma Xiaotao, but everyone in the team, except for Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo, was entering the Core Area for the first time. They all looked around with curious eyes, completely unaware that they were in a dangerous place.
"Everyone, do not let your guard down!" Zhang Lexuan sternly reprimanded, "This is the Star Dou Great Forest Core Area, not a tourist attraction! It is full of unknown dangers, and we absolutely cannot be careless!"
Zhang Lexuan's reprimand immediately brought everyone back to their senses, and they all showed self-reproach and seriousness.
"Let's go, we'll search this vicinity for now," Zhang Lexuan said, nodding with satisfaction after seeing everyone become serious.
Subsequently, the group began their search, maintaining their formation.
Zhu Ziyang walked in the middle of the team, silently observing his surroundings, while also attempting to mobilize the Power of Death to erode the dense vitality in the surrounding environment.
His cultivation progress in the Death attribute had reached a very high level. If measured by the standard of elemental affinity theory, his Death attribute was currently eighty points. Of course, the Death attribute is not an element and cannot be broadly applied in this way. In Electrolux's words, his progress was remarkably swift, and his mastery of the Power of Death was already comparable to Electrolux's own five years of study.
At his current level, although plundering the vitality of living beings was difficult, absorbing such a dense concentration of vitality from the air was very easy for him to do. While he couldn't completely refine it, refining one to two tenths of it was not a problem.
Just as Zhu Ziyang was mobilizing the Power of Death, Electrolux in his mind suddenly spoke, "Ziyang, if you have any ideas about the vitality in this forest, I advise you not to act rashly."
"Ah?" Zhu Ziyang was startled, then focused a wisp of his mental force to converse with Electrolux. He asked, "Why?"
"Because this vitality contains a mysterious mental force, which means this vitality has an owner," Electrolux explained. "Such an immense amount of vitality and vast mental force means its owner must be an extremely powerful existence, possibly even stronger than Mu En! Once you use the Power of Death to refine this vitality, you will inevitably strip away the mental force within it, thereby alarming that existence. At that time, that Xuan Zi might not be a match for that existence!"
"No way!" Zhu Ziyang was shocked, his gaze towards his surroundings filled with vigilance and fear, feeling as if he was being watched.
"Hehe, you don't need to worry so much," Electrolux noticed Zhu Ziyang's reaction and couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Judging from the extent of this vitality's dissipation, that existence must be severely injured and unable to attend to it, otherwise it wouldn't allow its vitality to scatter. From the activity level of the mental force within the vitality, that existence must be in a state of slumber and won't easily awaken. From the signs of this vitality's flow, that existence should be located in the very center of this forest."
"So that's how it is, that's good!" Zhu Ziyang immediately relaxed after hearing Mu En's explanation, then his curiosity surged, and he asked, "Grandmaster, what do you think is the strength of this existence? This Core Area is even larger than Shrek City!"
"I speculate, stronger than me in my peak state!" Electrolux mused, "Perhaps, it is a divine existence in your World!"
"God!" Zhu Ziyang's body trembled, greatly surprised.
"Hehe, it's just a guess. After all, judging solely from the level of vitality, one cannot determine actual cultivation," Electrolux said with a smile. "After all, the human race is the weakest in vitality among all races."
"Alright." Zhu Zi Yang calmed down upon hearing this, then looked at his companions walking silently beside him, feeling a bit smug. Indeed, having an elder is like having a treasure! Such a secret matter could be deduced from subtle clues. By the way, do the academy's high-ranking officials know the secrets within the Star Dou Great Forest?
---
Zhu Ziyang and his group searched the Core Area for two days but still hadn't found a Spirit Beast suitable for Zhang Lexuan.
In the evening, the group gathered to rest and eat dinner. Their food was still handled by Zhu Lie, and this disciple, known as the best eater in the Inner Courtyard, truly lived up to his reputation. His spirit tool contained various cooking utensils and seasonings. Ingredients were abundant in the Star Dou Great Forest; the flesh of the Spirit Beasts they had hunted over the past few days alone was enough for thirteen people.
Fresh beast meat was transformed into delicious dishes, fragrant and appealing, by Zhu Lie's hands. Everyone salivated and feasted heartily.
"Huh?" Wu Ming suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Why isn't Grandmaster Xuan here tonight?"
"Oh right!" Prompted by Wu Ming, the others also realized. Ma Xiaotao said, "It seems Grandmaster Xuan didn't appear at noon either."
"This doesn't fit his usual style!" Zhu Lie said with a laugh, "Doesn't he love good food the most?"
"Grandmaster Xuan! Grandmaster Xuan!" Zhu Lie called out a few times, his somewhat rough voice particularly noticeable in the gradually darkening forest, echoes drifting from afar, accompanied by chirping birds!
No one responded!
"!" Zhang Lexuan, Han Ruoruo, and Zhang Weiwei immediately stood up, alert. The three of them realized something terrifying.
They had been separated from Grandmaster Xuan!
"Retreat immediately!" Zhang Lexuan made a decisive decision and directly ordered, "Quick!"
"Ah? Why?" Su Meng was happily gnawing on her roasted meat when she suddenly heard Zhang Lexuan say to retreat. She looked up, puzzled, and asked.
The others were also confused; they hadn't yet realized the gravity of the situation.
"We… might have been separated from Grandmaster Xuan!" Han Ruoruo said, enunciating each word.
Her voice wasn't loud, but to everyone's ears, it was like a clap of thunder. Everyone felt a chill down their spines. Without a Titled Douluo accompanying them in this Star Dou Great Forest Core Area, if they encountered a 100,000-Year Soul Beast, wouldn't they be finished?
This wasn't baseless worry, but a fact. While the number of 100,000-Year Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest Core Area wasn't vast, it wasn't small either. The Core Area itself wasn't large, and 100,000-Year Soul Beasts all had their own territories. They might very well be in the territory of a certain 100,000-Year Soul Beast right now!
"Go, leave immediately!" This was everyone's unanimous thought.
"Maintain formation and retreat to the mixed zone immediately!" Zhang Lexuan said, "Ruo Ruo, remember to leave markers along the way."
"Understood!" Han Ruoruo replied with a grave expression.
"Let's go!" After confirming their direction, Zhang Lexuan gave the order, and everyone immediately retreated quickly.
Everyone was very anxious, and at the same time, they were secretly praying. This was a matter of life and Death; they truly couldn't be careless.
"Humans!"
It seemed destined for this calamity to occur. Just as the group was about to exit the Core Area, a massive silver-white python appeared before them. The python had two horns on its head, and its silver scales emitted a radiant glow, making it dazzlingly conspicuous in the dark forest. Its body coiled, stretching for tens of meters, and its enormous head was like a small house. Its two eyes, like two bright moons, radiated a cold killing intent, fixed intently on the group.
Everyone felt their scalps tingle. The terrifying pressure made everyone's faces pale, and a sense of despair arose in their hearts.
Speaking human language—this was the mark of a 100,000-Year Soul Beast!
"Hundred-Thousand-Year Nethermoon Forest Boa Emperor!" Zhang Lexuan's lips were dry, and her pretty face was filled with solemnity as she shrieked.
"Senior Sister, what should we do?" Ma Xiaotao's voice trembled as she asked.
"You truly deserve to die!" The Nethermoon Forest Boa Emperor hissed, its blood-red tongue flicking out, its voice sinister, "You've come to slaughter my Spirit Beast race again!"
"Everyone, fight with your lives!" Zhang Lexuan ignored the Nethermoon Forest Boa Emperor's words and shouted loudly, "This beast will definitely not let us pass. Everyone attack together! Even if we can't kill it, we must hold out until Grandmaster Xuan's support arrives! Grandmaster Xuan must be nearby!"
"That's right, Senior Sister is right!"
"Let's kill this beast!"
"There are thirteen of us here, are we afraid of one little snake?"
"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Bone, hehe, I want it!"
"Has everyone noticed? This Spirit Beast is perfect for Senior Sister's spirit ring!"
They were, after all, disciples of the Shrek Inner Courtyard. When not facing a desperate situation, they prayed not to encounter one, but when truly faced with despair, not a single person showed genuine fear or retreat.