Volume 16, Chapter 143.1: Entering the Star Dou Forest's Hybrid Region
The two of them exited the tent at the same time. Huo Yuhao’s eyes were sparkling golden, and his Spirit Eyes’ two soul rings rose up from beneath his feat, projecting his Spiritual Detection towards a certain direction. He could detect more than six hundred meters in a single direction, and his detections were highly accurate.
Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong darted out from the tent. The campfire was lit in between both tents, and it shielded them from the coldness of the night. The flames shone on their faces and flickered with a pale red luster.
Huo Yuhao reported his findings softly, “Eight people – six males and two females. I can’t figure out one male’s cultivation level, and I think he has at least seven rings. There’s a Soul Emperor and four Soul Kings amongst the other five. The two females have about three soul rings each, about the same as us. They’re walking towards us right now.”
Wang Dong asked, “Shall we hide?”
Huo Yuhao shook his head and replied, “No need. They’re definitely not coming here for us, and they’ll be here very soon. The tents and the campfire tracks cannot be erased so quickly, and we’ll raise suspicion instead. We just have to be natural and wait for them to come. I think they’re probably here to hunt soul beats, just like we are.”
Voices could already be heard while they were discussing.
“Eh, there’s a fire here.”
A silhouette appeared before Huo Yuhao and the others before the voice arrived. It was a tall and skinny man, and he was so scrawny that he resembled a bamboo stick. However, he moved with astonishing speed and his gaze landed on Huo Yuhao and the others beside the campfire the moment he appeared. Huo Yuhao and the others stared at him as if they had been startled.
There was no doubt that this tall and skinny man was an agility-type soul master. He took the lead and scouted the path ahead, and he relaxed the moment he realized that Huo Yuhao and the others were children, barely over ten years old. He raised one hand, and a beam of yellow light sparkled in the center of his palm. This light beam surged about five meters into the sky before it transformed into a yellow circle of light that permeated outwards.
Huo Yuhao and the others sprang to their feet. They could tell from the other party’s movements that he was highly disciplined, and it was apparent that this wasn’t a normal team.
“Who are you?” Huo Yuhao asked warily but didn’t step forward.
The skinny man smiled faintly and replied, “We’re just passing by. We saw your campfire, so we came to take a look. What about you? Who are you guys?”
There was a smile on his face, but his smile was tinged with arrogance.
Huo Yuhao answered, “We are here in the Great Star Dou Forest to hunt soul beasts to collect soul rings.”
“Oh? You’re here by yourself to hunt soul beats?” The scrawny man stared at the three of them suspiciously.
Xiao Xiao grunted coldly and retorted, “What? Is that not allowed?”
The scrawny man chuckled and shook his head with amusement. There was a look of condescension and indifference on his face. Even though the night was dark and dusky, how could Huo Yuhao’s Spirit Eyes not be able to see?
Figure after figure appeared beside the skinny man at this moment. The lineup was just like Huo Yuhao’s had detected – there were six males and two females, including the skinny man.
A middle-aged man that was about forty years old lowered his voice and said, “What’s the situation, Bei Tang?”
The skinny man replied respectfully, “Big brother – there are three young fellas that they claim that they’re in the Great Star Dou Forest to obtain soul rings. They don’t have any seniors following them. I’ve checked the surroundings, and only the three of them are here. Two males and one female, and they don’t even look like they’re fifteen years old.”
“Oh?” The middle-aged man turned towards Huo Yuhao and the others while Huo Yuhao and the others were also scrutinizing the people before them.
It was apparent that this middle-aged man was the leader, and he was also the seven-ringed Soul Sage that Huo Yuhao had identified earlier. His soul power was so exuberant that Huo Yuhao couldn’t judge his cultivation accurately.
Besides this middle-aged man, the other males were all normal-looking people with average builds, and the kind of look that wouldn’t be easily recognized in a crowd. Of course, their cultivations weren’t normal at all – their standards were enough to support a mid-level sect.
The two girls in the party attracted Huo Yuhao’s attention. They were both wearing warrior robes, and one of them had flowing green hair draped behind her. This girl was enchantingly beautiful, almost at Jiang Nannan’s level. She looked extremely tender, and her pretty eyes moved like flowing water; one could feel her faint gentleness even from afar. She looked like she was around fifteen or sixteen years old – this was the age when girls were full of adolescence. Her yellow warrior robe was extremely riveting even in the deepest darkness of night. It was slightly bigger than her frame and enveloped her figure nicely, but it wasn’t all that visible.
The other girl beside her looked around the same age. However, she was a little taller, and her expression was ice-cold. Her long black hair was combed neatly and tied into a ponytail, while her white warrior robe was a little more fitting and her long legs were especially alluring. She was so tall that she was almost as tall as Huo Yuhao, who was over one meter and seventy centimeters tall. This girl wasn’t as good-looking as the other one, but her aura felt more elegant and dignified. These two girls stood next to each other, and the two of them were equally brilliant and attractive in their own ways.
“My three little friends – please come here for a moment.” The middle-aged man waved at Huo Yuhao and the others.
Huo Yuhao whispered to Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, “Wait here. I’ll go take a look.”
“Alright.” Wang Dong nodded immediately. Xiao Xiao wanted to follow, but she held back when even Wang Dong decided to stay behind.
Huo Yuhao stepped forward quickly and came before the row of people before them. He was neither obsequious nor supercilious as he said, “What do you need?”
The middle-aged man scrutinized Huo Yuhao for a moment and said, “Little man, you guys are inside the Great Star Dou Forest to hunt soul beasts?”
Huo Yuhao nodded and replied, “Yes.”
The middle-aged man’s eyes were piercing, and carried traces of obscurity. It felt as if he was locked onto Huo Yuhao, and could launch an attack at any moment. However, Huo Yuhao was calm and unperturbed as he stood before him and wasn’t on guard at all.
The middle-aged man smiled and said, “My name is Mo Feiyun, and these are my comrades. We are heading into the Great Star Dou Forest as well. We traveled throughout the night, and it seems like we’re almost there, but everyone is a little exhausted. We can see that you have a campfire started here – I wonder if you can share it with us and let us rest?”
Huo Yuhao agreed heartily, “Alright.” He understood that speaking too much could mess things up. This group of people actually appeared travel-worn, and it was clear that they had been traveling for a long time. This middle-aged man who claimed to be Mo Feiyun was a little wary of him, but Huo Yuhao couldn’t feel much hostility. His spiritual power was superior to most others, and Huo Yuhao’s judgment of emotions was usually extremely accurate. His Spiritual Detection had been activated this whole time, but it was being handled with immense subtlety and ingenuity, and even powerful Soul Sages wouldn’t realize even if the Soul Sage used their soul power to survey their surroundings. The people before them didn’t reveal any intentions of making a move against them.
The two young girls looked Huo Yuhao up and down. The yellow-cloaked girl smiled at him, while the girl clad in white glanced at him coldly – there was a clear distinction in their personalities.
Huo Yuhao guided the entire group to the campfire, and two people quickly set up tents, which were much larger compared to their own. The tent closest to the campfire was a relatively smaller black tent, which was apparently made from cowhide. These two people swiftly set up two relatively larger tents with their agile hands and feet afterwards.
Mo Feiyun and a few others sat down beside the campfire. It was obvious that their eyes paused on Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao for a longer period of time compared to Huo Yuhao. This was especially so for Wang Dong; he attracted everyone’s attention after they arrived at the campfire.
His short hair was powdery blue, his eyes were the same color, and he exuded a dense light aura. Wang Dong was extremely handsome, and he appeared full of youthful energy. In terms of looks, the yellow-robed and white-robed girls lost their radiance beside him.
The yellow-robed girl was evidently a little taken aback, and her pretty face flushed a little when she glanced at Wang Dong. The white-robed girl’s cold face appeared slightly surprised as well, and her eyes paused on Wang Dong for a long moment before she turned away.
Huo Yuhao and the others sat on the other side of the campfire. The three of them said nothing at all, and just silently warmed themselves next to the fire. Returning to their cultivation wasn’t a good idea with these people around, especially when all of them were incredibly powerful.
Mo Feiyun seemed the most affable. He smiled and said, “My three little friends – how may I address you?”
Huo Yuhao smiled and replied, “My name is Yuhao, and this is Xiao Dong and Xiao Xiao.” He didn’t reveal both his and Wang Dong’s full name, but Xiao Xiao’s name couldn’t really be masked with a nickname, so he just said it.
Mo Feiyun said, “You guys are still young, but your soul power is quite strong. However, venturing into the Great Star Dou Forest isn’t really a good idea. Have you been inside before?”
Huo Yuhao answered, “We’ve roamed around in the outer regions. Thank you for reminding us – we won’t venture too deep inside the Great Star Dou Forest. We will leave once we find suitable soul beasts for ourselves.”
Mo Feiyun continued to ask, “Where are you guys from? Are you guys from a sect or an academy?”
Huo Yuhao replied, “We are from the Star Luo Empire, and we are members of the Star Luo National Academy.” He wouldn’t have been able to name another academy before his participation in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament. However, he knew a lot more names now. He himself was from the Star Luo Empire, so his accent was natural, and thus using the Star Luo National Academy to hide their true identities was the most appropriate. He had also become familiar with the Star Luo National Academy’s standards during his battle against their official team, which was led by Princess Jiu Jiu. Furthermore, part of the Great Star Dou Forest was located inside the Star Luo Empire anyway.
Volume 16, Chapter 143.2: Entering the Star Dou Forest's Hybrid Region
Mo Feiyun and the others reacted in shock when they heard “Star Luo National Academy”. Star Luo National Academy was relatively reputable in the continent, and they were one of the elites within the Star Luo Empire. They ended up in the final four during the recent Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Academy.
“So you guys are the gifted kids from the Star Luo National Academy – no wonder you guys dare to venture into the Great Star Dou Forest to hunt soul beasts by yourselves.” Mo Feiyun’s tone sounded a little more careful, and the air of arrogance around the others receded slightly. It was apparent that the Star Luo National Academy’s name was extremely handy.
Huo Yuhao asked, “How about you guys, Uncle Mo? Are you guys hunting soul beasts inside the Great Star Dou Forest as well?”
Mo Feiyun nodded and answered, “Some of us have reached a bottleneck, and we are just trying our luck inside the Great Star Dou Forest.”
The other tents had been properly set up while they spoke. Mo Feiyun ate something light and chatted idly with Huo Yuhao and the others before he went into his tent to rest.
Mo Feiyun introduced the people beside him while they were talking. The skinny man was called Bei Tang, the yellow-robed girl was named Wei Na, and the white-robed girl was called Mu Xue. However, Mo Feiyun didn’t reveal much about their backgrounds. He made an agreement with Huo Yuhao that they would travel together into the Great Star Dou Forest, and he was willing to take care of them for a while in exchange for their campfire.
Huo Yuhao could tell that Mo Feiyun developed such ideas only after he found out that they were from the Star Luo National Academy, and they lowered their guard quite a bit as well.
Mo Feiyun and the other males entered the two large tents respectively, while Wei Na and Mu Xue walked inside the cowhide tent near the campfire. Judging by their allocations and positions, these two girls’ statuses weren’t simple.
Huo Yuhao and the others returned to their own tents, but Mo Feiyun quietly left his own tent and came before Wei Na and Mu Xue’s tent. He whispered, “May I enter, my lady?”
“Come in.” Mu Xue was the one who spoke.
Mo Feiyun bent down and entered the girls’ tent. However, he sat down cross-legged at the tent’s entrance and didn’t proceed any deeper.
“Can you tell where these three fellas are from, Master Mo?” Mu Xue asked plainly. Wei Na was sitting by her side, and there was a faint smile on her face from the beginning to the end, but she said nothing. However, judging from the position of her mattress compared to Mu Xue, her status was comparable to Mu Xue’s.
Mo Feiyun’s body began to sparkle with a layer of white light that enveloped the entire tent, blocking out his voice.
“These three kids are young, but their appearance and qualities are not ordinary, yet they are not that similar. It’s obvious that they don’t come from the same sect. They should be between Soul Grandmaster and Soul Elder judging by their auras. It’s highly believable that they’re from the Star Luo National Academy at their age. However, I think we should take them with us for safety purposes so that we can avoid any accidents or unforeseen circumstances. If everything is alright with them, lending them a hand isn’t much trouble.”
Mu Xue tilted her head downwards slightly and said, “Then you decide, Master Mo.”
“Master Mo, which one of them do you think deserves the most attention?” Wei Na suddenly opened her mouth. Her voice was incredibly enchanting, and sounded like music to the ear.
Mo Feiyun answered, “Your Highness, I think the youth called Yuhao deserves the most attention. I have noticed from the expressions they give each other that the Xiao Xiao girl trusts and admires Yuhao, while the good-looking Xiao Dong has good chemistry with him. The two of them didn’t exchange glances much, and they seemed to understand each other with a single twinkle in their eyes. This Yuhao can lead this trio, so he’s definitely not simple. Furthermore, my judgment of his abilities is also murky. He hasn’t seemed to reach Soul Elder yet, judging by his soul power fluctuations, so the other two are better. However, he’s overflowing with life energy, at a level higher than even grown-ups.”
Mu Xue tilted her head again and said, “Go back and rest, Master Mo. We just have to pay more attention to them tomorrow.”
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“Yes, my lady, your Highness. I will take my leave now.” Mo Feiyun retreated outside the tent, and the layer of white mist was immediately withdrawn and dissipated.
“Xiao Dong is really good-looking, sister!” Wei Na giggled once Mo Feiyun left the tent.
Mu Xue’s pretty face revealed a faint smile. “What? Have you fallen for him?”
Wei Na pressed her rosy lips together. “No way. I’m just helping you out.”
Mu Xue shook her head and replied, “I don’t like boys that are younger than me. Master Mo is right – Yuhao is extremely sophisticated. I don’t know why, but I keep feeling a wave of goosebumps whenever I’m near him, and my martial soul also fluctuates conspicuously. It feels as if there’s something about his aura that can restrain and counter my martial soul.”
Wei Na asked, “Does he have a fire-type martial soul?”
Mu Xue shook her head once more and said, “Doesn’t seem like it. We will know once we enter the Great Star Dou Forest. The three of them must have some tricks up their sleeve since they dare to come in by themselves. We should rest early – we have to collect our soul rings inside the Great Star Dou Forest tomorrow, so hopefully our luck will be good. If we don’t find anything suitable here, we’ll have to travel to the northern side. The northern side is a lot more dangerous and perilous.”
“Alright, let’s go to bed. Can I hug you to sleep, sister Xue?”
“Cut it out…”
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were discussing in their own tent as well, except Huo Yuhao’s spiritual power blocked off their voices.
“Yuhao – will there be any problems if we travel with them into the forest?” Wang Dong was a little anxious.
Huo Yuhao chuckled and said, “What are you worried about? I can tell that these people are from some sect, and the two girls are likely the ones that are here to collect soul rings, while the others are their servants. We can save a lot of effort by following them inside the Great Star Dou Forest, and we can probably venture deeper as well. Even if they are hostile towards us, they will have to face Elder Xuan first.”
Wang Dong was confused. “Are you interested in one of the girls?”
Huo Yuhao had a face of exasperation. “We’re still children. Can you not speak like a grown-up? Plus, will a girl be interested in me with you around?”
“It’s good that you know,” Wang Dong said with an air of arrogance,
Huo Yuhao was immediately rendered speechless.
Nothing else happened that night. Huo Yuhao and the others got up early to pack up their tents the next day, and Huo Yuhao cultivated the Purple Demon Eyes while facing the rising sun. Mo Feiyun came out of his tent when the three of them were starting on their breakfast.
“You guys are up early!” Mo Feiyun greeted Huo Yuhao first.
Huo Yuhao smiled and said, “Dawn is just breaking, Uncle Mo. You guys aren’t considered late.”
Mo Feiyun asked, “Who is collecting soul rings amongst the three of you?”
Huo Yuhao had no intention to hide anything and replied, “It’s me. My soul power has reached Rank 30, and I need an appropriate soul ring to break through and become a Soul Elder. My two friends are here to accompany me.”
Mo Feiyun was full of awe and amazement. “Becoming a Soul Elder at such a young age – impressive!”
Huo Yuhao smiled in response, but said nothing more.
Mo Feiyun and the others moved swiftly, and it wasn’t long before they packed everything up and finished breakfast. Wei Na and Mu Xue were still dressed like they were yesterday, and the ten of them got on their way.
The others in their group rarely said anything, besides Mo Feiyun. The two girls occasionally chattered between themselves, and didn’t pay much attention to Huo Yuhao and his friends.
Mo Feiyun took point throughout the entire process. The other five men formed an arc, while the two young girls, Huo Yuhao and his friends walked in the middle.
Huo Yuhao had a good feeling about Mo Feiyun and his group. They hadn’t inquired about Huo Yuhao and the others’ martial souls or soul skills, or other similarly sensitive topics. Even though asking them to tag along contained elements of wariness and vigilance, they hadn’t made Huo Yuhao and friends to walk in front to scout the path. It was apparent that they didn’t harbor evil intentions.
The company arrived at the Great Star Dou Forest’s borders when the sky was already completely bright. Mo Feiyun stopped and turned around. “We will enter the forest soon. Just a gentle reminder – everyone has to remain alert and vigilant, as anything can happen inside the Great Star Dou Forest. There could even be ten thousand year soul beasts in the forest’s outer regions, and soul beasts have all sorts of abilities, to the point where we might not be able to rescue you in time. So, everyone has to be especially careful. I will continue taking point later. Yuhao, the three of you will follow behind me and prepare to reinforce me. This includes Wei Na and Mu Xue. The rest of you will sweep out and protect the flanks.”
“Yes.” The other five men answered in unison.
Huo Yuhao paid the most attention to a short and stocky man, besides Bei Tang who they had met earlier. He stood in the center at the back, and he was the most powerful individual besides Mo Feiyun, as he was a Soul Emperor. His name was Chou Xiangdong.
Huo Yuhao and his friends had no objections to this arrangement. The Soul Sage was clearing the path for them, and this meant there wasn’t much pressure on them anymore.
Mo Feiyun made a feel more arrangements before he immediately turned and walked into the Great Star Dou Forest. One could tell from his movements that he had absolute faith in his comrades.
Huo Yuhao and the others didn’t delay either. Huo Yuhao walked in front, while Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao took one side each, and the three of them followed closely behind Mo Feiyun and entered the great forest.
“Eh, that is…” Wang Dong exclaimed in shock. This was because he suddenly realized that Mo Feiyun’s body began to emanate a dense mist, and this mist enveloped his entire body within while it permeated quickly to the point where they couldn’t see him anymore.
Volume 16, Chapter 143.3: Entering the Star Dou Forest's Hybrid Region
“Master Mo’s martial soul is Cloud. He’s using his own powers to scout and protect everyone.” Wei Na’s charming voice rang out.
Wang Dong glanced at her, and she flashed a smile back at him. Her tender smile was extremely charming, but it was clear that her beautiful smile didn’t find the right target. Wang Dong nodded at her before he turned back without a trace of expression on his face.
Mu Xue glimpsed at Wei Na, and amusement flowed from her eyes, while a look of annoyance flashed across Wei Na’s soft eyes.
The mist was pervasive, but didn’t impede Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection. Huo Yuhao could feel from Mo Feiyun’s martial soul that he had exactly seven soul rings – two yellow, three purple and two black. Even though it wasn’t the optimal combination of soul rings, it was considered relatively formidable.
Cloud? This was a martial soul that was seldom seen, and should be considered a tool soul. Huo Yuhao just wasn’t sure whether he was an assault-type or control-type soul master.
The cloudy mists in front of them gradually expanded and permeated their surroundings like threads. The cloudy mist didn’t look like it contained any power at all, but expanded incredibly far into the distance while it drifted through the air, and quickly reached out beyond the effective range of Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection.
Huo Yuhao faintly understood that this soul skill was similar in functionality to his Spiritual Detection. Mo Feiyun would have certain judgments about anything that the cloudy mist touched, according to the situation. Even though it wasn’t as accurate as his Spiritual Detection, Mo Feiyun’s cultivation allowed him to scout and cover an area that was far larger than his own area of effect. It was no wonder that he didn’t pay much attention to his comrades’ formation after entering the Great Star Dou Forest by himself, and neither did he really give any instructions. Huo Yuhao was surprised when he realized that Mo Feiyun’s soul ring didn’t light up when he released the cloudy mist into the sky. This meant that the cloudy mist was his martial soul’s innate skill, and not a soul skill. Having its own innate abilities implied that his martial soul was of extremely high quality.
“Let’s go.” The cloudy mist gradually dissipated, and Mo Feiyun’s voice could be heard from in front of them. The mist surrounding his body was still there, and his figure was still obscure and blurry.
They entered the Great Star Dou Forest once again. Huo Yuhao and his friends quickly felt an unprecedented unwinding feeling, as if they didn’t have to do anything much at all, and all they had to do was follow the trail.
Mo Feiyun constantly changed their course as they traveled, and he was a lot faster than the three of them exploring the forest by themselves. They didn’t run into any soul beast ambushes, and not even thirty minutes had passed before they were more than ten kilometers into the Great Star Dou Forest – Mo Feiyun didn’t even look like he intended to slow down.
The Great Star Dou Forest’s shape wasn’t regular. The widest areas was more than two hundred kilometers across, and its surface area was more than a hundred thousand square kilometers. It lived up to its reputation as the Great Star Dou Forest, and it was larger than some countries’ provinces. Furthermore, even Titled Douluo wouldn’t dare to walk right through its center.
The world of soul masters’ perennial adventures enabled them to divide the Great Star Dou Forest into separate regions according to the strength of the soul beasts that appeared in the vicinity. The outermost twenty kilometers were called the Peripheral Region, and only ten year, hundred year, and thousand year soul beasts roamed this area. Ten thousand year soul beasts were occasionally seen, but they were rare. The next region was called the Hybrid Region, and it occupied forty percent of the largest radius, which was one hundred kilometers. The greatest number of soul beast species were found here, and they had the highest cultivation levels. This was the resting place of hundred year, thousand year and ten thousand year soul beasts. Hundred year soul beasts had to move around in herds if they wanted to stay in this area.
The innermost forty kilometers, which was about eighty kilometers in diameter, was known as the Great Star Dou Forest’s Core Region. This Region was vast, and the number of soul beasts that lived here was far fewer than inside the Hybrid Region because only incredibly powerful soul beasts inhabited this area. Hundred year soul beasts were almost never seen in this region, and even thousand year soul beasts were few and far between. Ten thousand year soul beasts were the zone’s main inhabitants, followed by the occasional frightening hundred thousand year soul beast. According to the soul masters’ research, soul beasts that could have their own territory inside this area had to be at least thirty thousand years old.
The ten kilometer-wide region in the very center of this eighty-kilometer zone was known as the Slaughtering Grounds, and it was also called the Forbidden Grounds. Undetailed maps of the Great Star Dou Forest always colored this region with blood-red colors. Legend had it that petrifyingly fearsome beasts resided there, and their existences were even more terrifying than the soul beasts in the core regions of the Extreme North – it was a region that even Transcendent Douluo had to be extremely careful in.
Huo Yuhao could tell from Mo Feiyun’s traveling speed that his target wasn’t the twenty outermost kilometers of the Great Star Dou Forest’s Peripheral Region. He was a Soul Sage, and could very well enter the outer regions of the Core Region if he wasn’t taking so many people with him. It wasn’t too difficult for him to ensure everyone’s safety inside the Hybrid Region, and the species, quality and number of soul beasts that lived inside the Hybrid Region was far superior to the Peripheral Region.
Huo Yuhao and his friends didn’t even dare to enter the Peripheral Region, let alone the Hybrid Region. No matter how talented they were, they were still Soul Elders, after all. They could possibly hold their own in one battle, but there were innumerable soul beasts within the Great Star Dou Forest! They wouldn’t have a chance to retreat if someone was severely injured. This was one of the most important reasons why Huo Yuhao refused to venture too deep inside. Without Mo Feiyun and his group, he would probably continue on with Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao for about five to ten kilometers, but he would never take the risk of entering the Hybrid Region.
The company pressed on and made another five kilometers before Mo Feiyun started to slow down, and he stayed a little closer to Huo Yuhao and the others behind him.
“The outer regions of the Great Star Dou Forest’s Hybrid Region are right in front of us, so everyone should be more careful. We have to avoid angering certain sensitive soul beasts, and I will reduce the area covered by my clouds. This will reduce their intimidation as well, so everyone should be ready for battle.”
Huo Yuhao was once again astonished by the discipline from Mo Feiyun’s company. Their formation quickly became more compact after Mo Feiyun’s reminder, but there was at least three meters between each of them so that they wouldn’t hinder each other.
Wei Na and Mu Xue had been observing Huo Yuhao and his friends along the way, especially when they were hurrying along in the forest and when they were met with threats from soul beasts. Huo Yuhao maintained a steady pace behind Mo Feiyun, and he didn’t display a single trace of exhaustion. His body was nimble and agile, and his movements were crisp and decisive. Huo Yuhao was the vanguard, while Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong were positioned slightly behind him, and the three of them lined up like a horn. They could tell from Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao’s occasional glances at Huo Yuhao’s movements that Huo Yuhao was actually their leader.
Mo Feiyun’s reminder swiftly became reality. The company proceeded forward, and not much time passed before Mo Feiyun suddenly retreated as quickly as he could. A series of chirping sounds could be heard, and a chain of shadows appeared in front of them. These shadows moved at breakneck speed and surged through the trees. They seemed extremely organized as they dangled through the treetops, and surrounded the ten of them in no time at all.
“Be careful, everyone. They’re Scarletfire Monkeys. They’re extremely aggressive.” Mo Feiyun remarked to everyone as he shifted backwards and stood in front of Huo Yuhao and the others.
Scarletfire Monkeys? Huo Yuhao observed the soul beasts in the trees around them while a memory surfaced in his mind – it was a fire-type soul beast that liked to live in groups was extremely irritable and short-tempered, hostile, and held grudges. They were agility-type soul beasts that were adept with long-range attacks, and they were incredibly challenging to handle.
The Scarletfire Monkeys all looked similar, except there were differences in their sizes. The biggest one was about two meters tall, taller than most grown-up humans, while the smallest one was not more than two feet in height. Their fiery-red fur was conspicuous inside the forest, and the two lengthy fangs protruding from their lips showed their carnivorous nature. There were about thirty to forty monkeys in this group, and every single one started to chirp incessantly once they surrounded everyone, as if they wanted to intimidate the company.
The burliest and most majestic Scarletfire Monkey on a tree crown in the distance hammered its chest, and specks of flame flickered from its fiery-red fur. It leapt into the air like a lightning bolt, and launched an enormous fireball that was at least one meter in diameter at the same time.
Soul beasts were unlike humans, and the only difference they could tell was between things they could eat and things they couldn’t. This Scarletfire Monkey wasn’t a ten thousand year soul beast yet, as its fur wasn’t completely golden-red, but it had at least five thousand years of cultivation. Their strength as a herd allowed them to inhabit the Hybrid Region’s outer regions.
The other Scarletfire Monkeys leapt from their trees as their monkey king launched its attack. Accompanied by their immense speed, sphere after sphere of fire descended from the sky like a meteor shower as they fired on the entire company.
Mo Feiyun grunted coldly, and thick mist energy expanded outwards. Uncountable missiles condensed from air shot out in all directions in the next moment, and immediately dispelled most of the fireballs raining down from the sky. The sphere of mist in front of him subsequently materialized into the shape of a hand, and he grabbed the Scarletfire Monkey king’s enormous fireball.
The enormous fireball burned violently and swiftly ate away at the mist energy. However, the giant hand formed by the mist energy swiftly closed up, and the fireball was shattered into pieces. Sparks flew in all directions as they dissipated in the air.
Nobody knew if Mo Feiyun did it on purpose, but when he was dispelling most of the Scarletfire Monkeys’ attacks, a single fireball broke through his defenses – and this fireball was going straight for Huo Yuhao and his friends.
A vibrant pair of blue wings extended in midair. The blue hues were as pure as the sky, and their color immediately became the center of attention. Golden light patterns glimmered, and this slim figure flickered faintly while blades of light shimmered from the wings. The descending fireball was slashed in two, and flew away into the distance.