Early one morning, several days later, a luxurious carriage slowly rolled out from the main gate of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
The gates opened with a deep rumbling sound as the carriage passed through, accompanied by several attendants who respectfully bowed their heads.
Inside the carriage sat two people.
A father and his son.
Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Xiaogang.
For Yu Xiaogang, this journey carried great significance. It was time for him to obtain his first spirit ring, a milestone that every Spirit Master must eventually reach.
For such an important event, Yu Yuanzhen naturally insisted on accompanying his son personally.
After all, the requirements for Yu Xiaogang's spirit ring were unusually strict.
He needed a dragon-type Soul Beast, one with no additional elemental attributes, and preferably one with a pure bloodline.
Such Spirit Beasts were extremely rare.
Although the Thunder Forest near Blue Lightning City contained dragon-type beasts, nearly all of them possessed the thunder attribute. Using one of those would not meet Yu Xiaogang's needs.
Because of this, Yu Yuanzhen decided to take Yu Xiaogang to the most famous Soul Beast habitat on the continent.
The Star Dou Great Forest.
Once the carriage began moving steadily along the road, Yu Xiaogang closed his eyes.
He quickly entered a state of meditation.
Seeing this scene, Yu Yuanzhen felt a bit awkward.
Originally, he had planned to spend the journey leisurely—perhaps reading a travelogue or a book to pass the time.
But when he saw his son meditating so diligently, he suddenly felt embarrassed.
After all, there was an old saying:
A father should serve as a role model for his son.
Yet in front of Yu Xiaogang, Yu Yuanzhen felt that he had not set a very good example.
Instead, it was often Yu Xiaogang's hardworking attitude that inspired him.
Because he frequently witnessed his son's dedication, Yu Yuanzhen found it difficult to relax.
Without realizing it, the amount of time he spent cultivating had gradually increased.
In truth, between the two of them, it was the son who motivated the father.
"If word of this got out…"
Yu Yuanzhen chuckled softly.
"People might laugh themselves to death."
Shaking his head with amusement, he eventually closed his eyes as well.
Soon, he entered a state of meditation.
Thus, the journey toward the Star Dou Great Forest passed quietly, with both father and son focusing on cultivation.
Of course, they did not cultivate constantly.
During the long journey, they occasionally rested, chatted, and relaxed.
After all, endless training without rest would only exhaust the body and mind.
Balancing effort with relaxation was the true path to steady progress.
After several days of travel, they finally arrived at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The scenery before them was breathtaking.
Towering trees stretched endlessly across the landscape.
From a higher vantage point, the sea of green foliage looked like a vast emerald ocean.
The wind rustled through the leaves, creating waves of sound that rippled through the forest.
From time to time, deep roars echoed from within the dense woods.
Occasionally, strange cries rang out as unknown creatures called to one another.
The sudden noises startled flocks of birds, which burst into the sky in chaotic flight.
Yu Xiaogang stood at the edge of the forest, staring ahead.
The interior of the forest looked dark and mysterious.
Towering trees blocked most of the sunlight, leaving the ground below dim and shadowy.
Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
"As expected…"
"This truly is the largest Spirit Beast forest on the Douluo Continent."
Compared to the Thunder Forest he had visited before, the Star Dou Great Forest felt far more dangerous.
Yu Xiaogang turned toward his father with curiosity.
"Father," he asked.
"Legend says that there are many hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts hidden inside the Star Dou Great Forest."
"How many exactly is 'many'?"
Yu Yuanzhen shrugged.
"That…"
"I'm afraid only the heavens know."
The exact number of hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts had always been a mystery.
For many years, Spirit Masters across the continent had been curious about it.
At one point, a powerful group even attempted to uncover the secret.
Of course, curiosity wasn't their only motivation.
They also coveted the incredibly rare hundred-thousand-year spirit rings and spirit bones.
The team they assembled was extraordinarily powerful.
One Titled Douluo.
Two Spirit Douluos.
Three Spirit Saints.
Such a lineup could be described as luxurious.
Logically speaking, even if they encountered a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, they should have been able to put up a fight.
Even if they couldn't win, they should at least have been able to escape.
But reality proved otherwise.
After entering the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest…
The entire team vanished.
No one returned.
No corpses were ever found.
It was as if they had disappeared into thin air.
"Since then," Yu Yuanzhen continued, "the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest have become a place everyone fears."
"Even the legendary Clear Sky Douluo Tang Chen and Angel Douluo Qian Daoliu never ventured into the deepest parts."
He paused before adding thoughtfully.
"Although… it's possible they did go in."
"We simply never heard about it."
Yu Xiaogang listened carefully.
These stories were not written in any book.
They existed only in the private conversations of powerful Spirit Masters.
Learning such secrets fascinated him.
Seeing his son's eager expression, Yu Yuanzhen felt a rare sense of pride.
Finally, there was something Yu Xiaogang didn't already know.
Once they entered the forest, Yu Xiaogang quickly understood why this place was both a paradise for Spirit Beasts and a forbidden land for humans.
Spirit Beasts appeared everywhere.
After walking only a short distance, they encountered one.
Then another.
And another.
Most of them were hundred-year Soul Beasts.
Occasionally, thousand-year Soul Beasts also appeared.
Fortunately, Yu Yuanzhen released his powerful Titled Douluo aura whenever necessary.
The terrifying pressure frightened the nearby Spirit Beasts, forcing them to retreat.
Otherwise, they would have had to fight constantly.
"The Star Dou Great Forest is like this," Yu Yuanzhen explained while walking ahead.
"Spirit Beasts are everywhere."
"That's why there are other Spirit Beast forests across the continent."
Those forests were specifically maintained for ordinary Spirit Masters to obtain their spirit rings.
Sending inexperienced Spirit Masters into the Star Dou Great Forest for their first ring would be extremely dangerous.
"The risk is too high," Yu Yuanzhen said.
"And the reward too small."
"It simply isn't worth it."
Yu Xiaogang nodded thoughtfully.
After a moment, he voiced a question that had long troubled him.
"Father…"
"I've always felt that the cultivation system of the Douluo Continent is rather strange."
Yu Yuanzhen glanced at him.
"How so?"
"For Spirit Masters to grow stronger," Yu Xiaogang explained, "they must kill Spirit Beasts to obtain spirit rings."
"But what if one day all the Spirit Beasts are killed?"
"Wouldn't Spirit Masters lose the ability to cultivate?"
Yu Yuanzhen burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"You worry too much."
"The number of Spirit Beasts killed by Spirit Masters is insignificant."
He continued explaining.
"In truth, most Spirit Beast deaths occur because they kill each other."
A Spirit Master only needs nine spirit rings in a lifetime.
Even with twin martial souls, the total is only eighteen.
"But Spirit Beasts?"
"They must hunt every single day."
Every meal required killing another Spirit Beast.
Some particularly aggressive beasts even killed others simply for amusement.
"Compared to them," Yu Yuanzhen concluded, "the number killed by Spirit Masters is tiny."
Yu Xiaogang finally understood.
"That makes sense."
With his doubts resolved, he stopped worrying about the issue.
Over the following days, the father and son continued exploring the forest.
They encountered many dragon-type Soul Beasts.
Unfortunately, none of them met the necessary conditions.
Some were too young.
Others possessed additional attributes.
None were suitable for Yu Xiaogang's first spirit ring.
Just when Yu Xiaogang began to think the search would continue indefinitely—
Something unexpected happened.
At noon one day, a loud roar echoed through the forest.
Immediately afterward came a shout filled with alarm.
"Oh no!"
"Stop them!"
Yu Yuanzhen's expression changed.
"Someone is fighting Spirit Beasts."
"Judging from the noise… there are quite a few."
Without hesitation, he grabbed Yu Xiaogang with one hand.
"Let's take a look."
In the next moment, Yu Yuanzhen shot forward at incredible speed.
The scenery around them blurred as he rushed toward the source of the sound.
When they finally arrived—
Yu Xiaogang was stunned by the sight before him.
A large group of Spirit Beasts surrounded two Spirit Masters.
The beasts attacked relentlessly from all directions.
The two humans fought desperately to hold them back.
But the most shocking detail lay behind them.
A young girl sat cross-legged on the ground.
Her eyes were closed.
A glowing spirit ring floated around her body.
She was in the middle of absorbing a spirit ring.
And the two Spirit Masters were risking their lives to protect her.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)