The next day.
At the entrance of the Soul Hunting Forest.
Outside the forest, there were rows of buildings and shops, with merchants shouting loudly to attract customers. The place looked less like the entrance to a dangerous forest and more like a bustling marketplace.
"Group hunting services available! Five gold soul coins for a guaranteed soul beast kill!"
"Forming a team! I am a strength-type soul master. I hunt plant-type soul beasts for five gold soul coins, strength-type beasts for ten gold soul coins, and agility-type beasts for nine gold soul coins!"
All around, people were shouting about soul beast hunting services, while others sold weapons, armor, and food.
Xiao Lin followed Tang Hao to the Soul Hunting Forest, but as he arrived at the entrance, he noticed strange gazes directed at him, making him frown.
Seeing such a young child, many of these people had a glint of greed in their eyes.
If not for Tang Hao's towering and intimidating figure, Xiao Lin suspected that some of these people might even be involved in human trafficking.
Moreover, if Tang Hao had looked like an inexperienced fool, Xiao Lin wouldn't have been surprised if some of these people decided to follow them.
It was no wonder that in the world of Douluo Dalu, the biggest threat wasn't the soul beasts—it was other people.
Looking at the soul masters around him, who lived by the edge of the blade, Xiao Lin felt a chill in his heart.
If these soul masters were willing to kill a soul beast for just ten gold soul coins, what about killing a person?
Tightening his resolve, Xiao Lin followed behind Tang Hao without a word.
His first soul ring was going to challenge the 800-year limit. If he had recruited help as originally planned, someone might have noticed his talent and become envious. That would be disastrous.
Before long, under Tang Hao's guidance, they avoided the main road and the front gate, instead climbing over the wooden fences to enter the forest.
"Xiao Lin, I don't have a permit from the Martial Soul Hall, so this is the only way I can bring you in," Tang Hao explained briefly before continuing forward.
"It's fine, Uncle Hao," Xiao Lin replied without concern.
Considering Tang Hao's history with the Martial Soul Hall, the fact that he hadn't outright killed the guards was already a sign of restraint.
"Hmm… You're different from Xiao San. You've read a lot of books and understand many things," Tang Hao said after a moment of silence.
"After helping you obtain your first soul ring, I have my own matters to attend to. From now on, I'll leave Xiao San in your care."
"You should already understand the unspoken rules of this forest," Tang Hao added, speaking more than usual.
"Yes, Uncle Hao. I'll make sure to explain everything to Xiao San," Xiao Lin responded, his small face filled with solemnity.
This feudal society—even one that still practiced slavery—was far darker than anything he had imagined.
"Let's go. We'll head directly to the Vajra Bull's territory," Tang Hao said, not waiting for Xiao Lin's response before grabbing him with one hand and striding rapidly toward the depths of the Soul Hunting Forest.
The Vajra Bull
The Vajra Bull was a herbivorous soul beast. Although it had a gentle temperament, its raw strength was terrifying.
Even at just a hundred years of cultivation, it could wrestle with thousand-year-old soul beasts.
The one Xiao Lin sought was an 800-year-old Vajra Bull. By that age, it was already as powerful as many thousand-year soul beasts.
In a controlled environment like the Soul Hunting Forest, such valuable creatures were naturally found in the central region, enjoying the best grazing grounds.
Tang Hao moved at an incredible speed. Even though he was not specialized in agility, as a Titled Douluo, he was still far beyond Xiao Lin's ability to follow.
All Xiao Lin could see were blurred afterimages passing by. He couldn't even process the appearance of the trees before they were already behind him.
This speed was insane—he wasn't even getting the full experience of hunting a soul beast!
Xiao Lin secretly complained in his heart, but ultimately, he was satisfied as long as he could become a soul master as soon as possible.
…
After about ten minutes, they arrived at a vast open grassland. Tang Hao set Xiao Lin down, who immediately felt dizzy and nauseous.
"We're here," Tang Hao said.
Ugh…
Xiao Lin felt like his head was spinning, and if he wasn't careful, he might collapse right there.
After vomiting up the porridge he had eaten that morning, he finally looked up.
His face instantly turned from pale to flushed red with excitement.
On the grassland, three Vajra Bulls were calmly grazing.
Besides them, some Soft Bone Rabbits and field mice were watching their surroundings warily.
Raising his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, Xiao Lin carefully observed the three bulls.
He quickly ruled out the two smaller ones.
In the world of soul beasts, bigger often meant stronger, and stronger usually meant bigger.
Xiao Lin set his sights on the largest Vajra Bull.
It stood at two and a half meters tall, four meters long, and its well-muscled body suggested a weight of at least two tons.
It looked absolutely delicious.
Xiao Lin swallowed his saliva and focused his gaze on the bull's large, powerful horns.
The age of a Vajra Bull could typically be determined by the fine rings on its horns. Each spiral pattern represented fifty years of cultivation.
If a horn displayed distinct yellow rings, then each ring signified two hundred years of cultivation.
The Vajra Bull before him had three yellow rings on each horn—indicating that its age exceeded 600 years.
"Uncle Hao, this is the one," Xiao Lin said, pointing at the largest bull.
Although it didn't have four rings marking 800 years, the smaller rings on its horns suggested its cultivation was close to that.
"Alright," Tang Hao responded casually.
Immediately, an invisible pressure surged toward the Vajra Bull.
"MMOOOHH!!"
The bull let out a pained cry as its four legs gave out beneath it, pressing deep indentations into the grassland.
This was not just the raw pressure of a Titled Douluo—it was the weight and gravitational force naturally emitted by the Clear Sky Hammer.
Even Tang San, after awakening his martial soul, would cause the air to thicken slightly when summoning the Clear Sky Hammer.
At Tang Hao's level, this ability was as potent as an actual gravity-based soul skill.
By the time Tang Hao and Xiao Lin approached, the Vajra Bull's body was already halfway embedded into the ground.
Its large, intelligent eyes looked at Xiao Lin, filled with a pleading light.
"Sorry… survival of the fittest."
Xiao Lin thought to himself. He had no hesitation.
After all, he had been looking forward to eating Vajra Bull meat.
However, he couldn't help but feel that the relationship between soul masters and soul beasts was too antagonistic.
This would inevitably lead to the extinction of soul beasts in the future.
But at his current age, he couldn't change anything.
All he could do now was enjoy his meal.
Without waiting for Tang Hao's instructions, Xiao Lin pulled out a finely crafted iron dagger and drove it straight into the Vajra Bull's eye, twisting it sharply.
He directly destroyed its brain.
The Vajra Bull only let out a few weak cries before its life force faded away.
Above its corpse, a golden-yellow soul ring floated, emanating a powerful energy even from a distance.
Xiao Lin immediately sat down cross-legged.
Calming his mind, he began absorbing the soul ring.
Diamond Body Technique, activate!
(End of Chapter)