Xu Qian and the other two descended from the carriage.
Their goal this time was to hunt a Soul Beast called the Blood-Feathered Wolf. This Soul Beast is very suitable for those with wolf Martial Souls to absorb, with a target age of three to four hundred years.
For Soul Beasts under a thousand years, every additional hundred years increases the difficulty of absorption.
Theoretically speaking, a Spirit Scholar can absorb a spirit ring of over four hundred years.
Under the circumstances of consuming whale glue.
A thousand years might even be possible, but Xu Qian felt it was better to play it safe!
If she really caused the City Lord's biological son to die, her status as an adopted daughter would likely become awkward.
After subtly getting some whale glue for him to consume for a period, coupled with the mental pressure from the Gale Wolf King's phantom washing over him for so long...
If he couldn't even absorb a three to four hundred-year spirit ring, then Xiao Yuanshan might as well just train a new account!
There's nothing to be done if the person is too useless.
"Speaking of which, this is Chenyu's first time in the Soul Beast Forest, isn't it?"
Xiao Yuanshan's voice pulled Xu Qian back from her reverie, but she merely listened quietly to their conversation.
"Yes, I didn't expect it to be so lively near the Soul Beast Forest," Xiao Chenyu remarked.
Xiao Yuanshan shook his head: "Chenyu, Qianqian, Soul Masters without a Sect can only team up with others to hunt for spirit rings."
"So, near the Soul Beast Forest, there's usually a marketplace like this."
"What I want to tell you is that this kind of teaming up carries the risk of being stabbed in the back."
"Is it because of mutual distrust?" Xiao Chenyu pondered.
"Exactly," Xiao Yuanshan said. "There's a big difference between major Sects and ordinary Soul Masters like us."
"Whether it's absorbing spirit rings or improving one's physique, there are many ways." As he spoke, he glanced at Xu Qian, intentionally or unintentionally.
Although Xu Qian had kept the whale glue a secret from him, she had given it to Xiao Chenyu for several months. If it truly had no effect, his adopted daughter's personality wouldn't have been so resolute.
During that time, rumors circulated that the City Lord of the City Lord's Mansion was impotent at night, and Xiao Yuanshan truly felt a bit helpless to explain himself.
Xiao Yuanshan regained his composure and continued: "Various targeted preparations also give the disciples of large Sects a higher starting point than ordinary people."
"With an already high starting point, their descendants will naturally be more outstanding, and their initial innate Soul Power is often higher than that of ordinary people who awaken as Soul Masters."
"It is rumored that in some top Sects, if one wants to be a candidate for the Sect Master's successor, anything less than innate Soul Power of rank seven or higher is unthinkable."
"Innate rank seven..." Xiao Chenyu gasped.
"The level of innate Soul Power determines the cultivation speed of a Martial Soul, and even the limit of cultivation."
After Xiao Yuanshan finished speaking, his gaze turned to Xu Qian, who had remained silent.
"Qianqian, entering the Soul Beast Forest requires a token. You and the Dean have been here many times, so you know about it, right?"
"Yes, the tokens are issued by Spirit Hall, but they seem different from the one you just showed me."
"That's also what I want to talk about, the two different types of tokens."
Xiao Yuanshan took out a token with Notting City's mark, which also had the words Heaven Dou on it.
"Due to the relationship between Spirit Hall, the Star Luo Empire, and the Heaven Dou Empire, tokens are divided into two main categories."
"One type is issued by the two Empires, recognized by Spirit Hall, and generally only given to official personnel of the Empire."
"The other type is issued by Spirit Hall, representing tokens for Sects and academies."
"That token, I... also have one in my hand." Xiao Yuanshan thought for a moment, then, after a slight hesitation, took out a token with strange patterns, completely different from the previous one, and quite beautiful.
"This token is so pretty," Xiao Chenyu exclaimed.
The token's intricate patterns subtly formed a design, with some parts connecting to form another design, then combining to create yet another.
Within the black and white patterns, some sections were colored, occupying over one-third of the overall design.
"Such a token belongs to those issued by Spirit Hall, usually only given to Sects, or powerful Soul Masters, or schools. They are also divided into permanent and time-limited ones."
Xu Qian's eyelids flickered. If she remembered correctly, this token seemed to be the one her father had given to Xiao Yuanshan.
"So many patterns lit up? It doesn't look like something a Soul King could possess."
Xu Qian noticed Xiao Yuanshan's hesitation when he took out the token, but she didn't ask further.
Any truth, if one doesn't have enough strength to comprehend it, is meaningless.
After the small interlude, the three entered the Soul Beast Forest.
After dealing with the decades-old Soul Beasts that attacked along the way, the three entered the area where hundred-year Soul Beasts frequently appeared.
"Chenyu, Qianqian, this is the gathering place for hundred-year Soul Beasts, and sometimes even thousand-year Soul Beasts might appear. You must be extra vigilant."
Xiao Yuanshan reminded them with a serious voice. Xu Qian and Xiao Chenyu both nodded.
The forest gradually became denser, and even in the sunlight, the surroundings were slightly dim, and the color of the vegetation seemed a bit darker.
Xu Qian activated her wide-area perception.
With herself as the center, a radius of one thousand meters was entirely within her perception range.
"Go west. There's a Blood-Feathered Wolf of nearly 400 years there."
The distance was too great for Xu Qian to use her Martial Soul for identification, but she could still make some judgments.
"Alright!" Regarding Xu Qian's suggestion, Xiao Yuanshan merely gave her a deep look and didn't press for details.
Following Xu Qian's indicated location, the group approached stealthily.
After pushing aside a cluster of waist-high grass, a nearly two-meter-long Blood-Feathered Wolf with black fur lay quietly on the ground, seemingly taking a nap.
"Blood-Feathered Wolf, 385 years of cultivation, wind attribute, Spirit Ability..."
Through Martial Soul identification, Xu Qian obtained the Soul Beast's true information.
Upon receiving Xu Qian's slight nod, Xiao Yuanshan immediately launched an attack.
The Blood-Feathered Wolf sensed danger and woke up, its enemies already at its doorstep.
Xiao Yuanshan was also surprised; how could this wolf's vigilance be so poor? This clearly didn't align with the Blood-Feathered Wolf's usual behavior.
However, an opportunity like this would not come again.
He kicked the Blood-Feathered Wolf into the air, causing it to lose its footing.
Then, he used his third Spirit Ability to target the Blood-Feathered Wolf's vulnerable abdomen, piercing through it.
In a blink of an eye, the Blood-Feathered Wolf was on its last breath, falling to the ground. The prepared Xiao Chenyu immediately drew his dagger and delivered the killing blow to the Blood-Feathered Wolf.
"Quickly absorb the spirit ring!" Without Xiao Yuanshan needing to say more, Xiao Chenyu had already sat down cross-legged and began to guide the spirit ring into his body.
"Now it's up to him," Xiao Yuanshan exhaled a turbid breath.
If it weren't for his son insisting on a spirit ring from a Soul Beast over three hundred years, and refusing to settle for less...
He could have gotten Xiao Chenyu a similar hundred-year one a year ago, and the absorption difficulty wouldn't have been so great.
When did his carefree son become so dedicated to cultivation?
Indeed, people influence people.
After spraying the surrounding area with the beast-repelling spray they brought, Xiao Yuanshan looked at Xu Qian and whispered, "The Blood-Feathered Wolf didn't detect us, did it, Qianqian?"
"Mm..." Xu Qian nodded.
"I used my Domain to conceal our aura, allowing the three of us to achieve relative harmony with the surrounding environment."
"You used your Domain?"
Xiao Yuanshan was surprised; he hadn't detected any trace of his adopted daughter using her Domain.
"Yes, this is the only Domain I'm good at, so of course I have to practice it well."
Xu Qian spread her hands.
"This isn't something that can be achieved through simple practice!" Xiao Yuanshan's voice carried a hint of disbelief.
He was a 38th-rank Spirit Elder, yet he couldn't even detect a Spirit Scholar using her innate Domain.
That was terrifying.
Xiao Yuanshan even thought of the Pavilion Master of Yuexuan in Heaven Dou Imperial Capital.
Could Xu Qian, at such a young age, have reached her level?