On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, sunlight filtered through the overlapping layers of tree canopies, casting dappled light and shadow on the ground.
Wang Dong'er stopped and raised a hand, signaling the few people behind her to halt.
Her gaze swept the surroundings. Although she didn't possess a Spirit Ability like Spiritual Detection, she still had the basic perception of a Spirit Master.
"The outer area, but we still can't let our guard down."
She said in a low voice.
"The Academy taught us that even in the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, high-Rank Spirit Beasts can occasionally appear. Those creatures might come to forage, or they might have been driven out by even more powerful Spirit Beasts. Encountering them would mean big trouble."
Xiao Xiao nodded, her eyes vigilantly scanning the surrounding bushes.
"The Spirit Beast fluctuations aren't strong. They should all be around the hundred-year mark."
Xu Xiaoyan also inspected the surroundings briefly before speaking slowly.
"Clear. We can proceed deeper."
Hee walked at the rear of the group, her black scythe half-drawn, ready to handle any sudden situations at any moment.
The four maintained a combat formation, cautiously advancing deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.
The further they went, the taller and thicker the trees became. The tree canopies blotted out the sky, allowing sunlight to squeeze in only through the gaps, leaving scattered patches of light on the ground.
The fallen leaves underfoot were piled thickly, feeling soft and spongy when stepped on, producing almost no sound.
As she walked, Wang Dong'er observed the surrounding environment.
"Have you noticed that the scenery here is very similar to the Star Dou Great Forest inside the Spirit Ascension Platform?"
Xu Xiaoyan nodded.
"Almost identical, but there are still some subtle differences."
"What are the differences?"
Hee asked.
"For example, the ground here shows signs of damage, pits left from battles, and severed tree stumps."
Xu Xiaoyan pointed to a large tree nearby that had been cut in half. Moss had already grown over the break, clearly indicating it happened some time ago.
"The environment in the Spirit Ascension Platform is simulated, likely based on data of the Star Dou Great Forest from a specific point in time. The real environment here constantly changes due to Spirit Masters hunting Spirit Beasts and conflicts between the beasts themselves."
Xiao Xiao nodded thoughtfully.
"Traditional Spirit Masters need to hunt Spirit Beasts to obtain Spirit Rings. The Star Dou Great Forest and Sunset Forest are the primary hunting grounds. The damage left by those Spirit Masters is probably the source of these subtle differences."
Now, the group already referred to such Spirit Masters as 'traditional Spirit Masters.' After all, traditional Spirit Masters still needed to hunt Spirit Beasts as Spirit Rings to enhance their strength, whereas they themselves did not—they only needed to obtain Spirit Souls.
A single Spirit Soul could even provide several Spirit Abilities.
Just as they were talking, a rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes ahead.
Wang Dong'er's eyes sharpened, and she raised her hand to signal everyone to stop.
A gray figure burst out from the bushes. It was a Spirit Beast with a build like an ox, its body entirely grayish-brown, sporting two long, curved horns on its head, its eyes flashing with ferocity.
A thousand-year Spirit Beast, the Iron-Horned Rhino.
It clearly viewed Wang Dong'er and the others as intruders in its territory. With a low roar, it scraped the ground with its hooves and charged fiercely towards the group!
"I'll handle it."
Hee's figure flashed, positioning herself at the very front.
Her black scythe traced a dark arc, striking the Iron-Horned Rhino's horn with precision.
*Clang—!*
A metallic clang rang out. A deep crack appeared on the Iron-Horned Rhino's long horn. In pain, it let out a mournful cry, its massive body staggering back a few steps.
Hee did not press the advantage. Instead, she sheathed her scythe.
"Let's go. We don't need Spirit Rings."
The Iron-Horned Rhino seemed to understand her words. A flicker of confusion passed through its ferocious eyes before it turned and disappeared deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.
The four continued deeper.
After walking for about half an hour, the surrounding trees became even more ancient and robust. The fluctuations of Spirit Power and the aura of life in the air also noticeably intensified.
Occasionally, they could sense the presence of some ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts, but they were all in more distant locations and did not approach.
Just as Wang Dong'er was about to suggest slowing their pace, a golden light suddenly shone from the woods ahead.
"What's that?"
Xiao Xiao pointed in the direction of the light, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Let's go take a look."
They cautiously pushed through the bushes, heading towards the source of the light.
When they clearly saw the source of the light, they all froze.
It was a Spirit Beast.
Over three meters in body length, with a shoulder height of a full eight chi. Its entire body was covered in brilliant golden fur, shining like a small sun in the dim forest.
Its body was semi-transparent, as if carved from crystal. Its form resembled a lion, with four dragon-like claws treading on golden flames.
Its snout was long, and its body was covered in fine, orderly golden scales that refracted a rainbow luster in the light.
It was precisely the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, and by the looks of it, it was at least ten-thousand years old!
Seeing this, Wang Dong'er and the others couldn't help but narrow their eyes slightly. They had also studied knowledge about the Emperor Auspicious Beast at Shrek Academy.
This was an auspicious being of the Star Dou Great Forest, bearing the Luck of the entire Spirit Beast race. Its existence could influence the reproduction and Cultivation of all Spirit Beasts throughout the entire Star Dou Great Forest.
Of course, that wasn't the main point. The key point was that a typical ten-thousand-year Emperor Auspicious Beast basically possessed strength comparable to a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast, and a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast was equivalent to a human Titled Douluo.
And this was only a little way in from the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest! They hadn't expected their Luck to be so poor. The group couldn't help but prepare for battle. The only small comfort was that the Emperor Auspicious Beast specialized in mental attacks, and while their Mental Force wasn't monstrously strong, compared to ordinary Spirit Masters, it was still quite formidable.
They shouldn't be instantly killed by a single Mental Shock from the Emperor Auspicious Beast, right?
At this moment, the vertical eye in the center of the Emperor Auspicious Beast's forehead was quietly watching them.
In those eyes, there was no hostility, no ferocity, but rather a hint of curiosity.
The Emperor Auspicious Beast's gaze swept over the four, finally settling on Wang Dong'er.
A flicker of familiarity passed through its eyes.
"It's you."
A clear, crisp voice rang out, carrying a note of curiosity.
Noticing the Emperor Auspicious Beast's gaze, Wang Dong'er couldn't help but be stunned.
"You... know me?"
Wang Dong'er asked tentatively.
The Emperor Auspicious Beast tilted its head. A glimmer of recollection flashed in its golden eyes.
"Several times."
Its voice remained clear and crisp.
"You were brought by those two burly men, flying down from the sky and landing on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest."
Its eyes scrutinized Wang Dong'er, filled with curiosity.
Wang Dong'er exchanged glances with Xiao Xiao, Xu Xiaoyan, and Hee, all seeing surprise in each other's eyes.
This Emperor Auspicious Beast actually knew Wang Dong'er and seemed quite familiar with her.
"What have you come to the Star Dou Great Forest for?"
The Emperor Auspicious Beast asked. Its tone held no hostility, only simple curiosity.
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
1 Review = 1 Bonus Chapter
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