Chapter Twelve: The Great Starry Forest
Bibi Dong nodded and solemnly warned again, “That’s right. After you absorb the soul rings, you must not lightly use soul skills above the sixth soul ring in the coming years! Otherwise, even with soul bones, you won’t die but will suffer severe injuries!”
Bibi Dong had only ever accepted one female disciple in her life, the Sacred Maiden of the Spirit Hall, Huli Lena.
Now, seeing Xu Sheng’s talent and character far surpassing his peers, she entertained the idea of taking him as her disciple.
Therefore, as long as Xu Sheng could become a future asset to her, she would spare no effort in nurturing him.
Xu Sheng’s eyes flickered a few times. Initially, he had only wanted to see what the breathtakingly beautiful Bibi Dong looked like…
But now, what he saw was a personal charm that transcended mere appearance, perhaps one of the reasons she could command the Spirit Hall.
Xu Sheng nodded slightly, his face serious as he stared intently at Bibi Dong. “Thank you, Teacher! I’m very fortunate to become your disciple!”
Indeed, it was fortunate—not only did he keep his life, but he also obtained three soul bones.
He even suspected that he and Tang San had switched identities, and that he was the destined child of Douluo Continent.
Bibi Dong suddenly shivered, then turned and stood up. Her gaze lifted slightly as her amethyst scepter trembled. Cold words slipped from her thin lips: “You may leave.”
Xu Sheng pressed his lips into a slight smile. “Teacher, your disciple will take his leave for now!”
With that, Xu Sheng turned decisively and walked out of the great hall…
Only then did Bibi Dong turn back, watching Xu Sheng’s retreating figure. Despite her icy face, a few crystal-clear drops welled at the corners of her eyes. “Xiao Gang, he really is a lot like you… in every way…”
…
No sooner had Xu Sheng stepped out of the hall than he saw Guimei and Juhua Guan rushing toward him in a flurry, clearly agitated.
They both scolded, “You brat, tell us exactly what you discussed with His Holiness the Pope, or don’t blame us for being rude!”
Guimei exuded an icy aura, his voice cold as he demanded, “Speak! Or we’ll kill you!”
Facing this pressure, Xu Sheng raised his head with an innocent, cheerful smile. “The teacher said to have you two take me to hunt soul beasts and absorb soul rings! As for which soul beasts, that’s for me to decide…”
Juhua Guan gave a suspicious look and questioned, “Is that all?”
Beside him, Guimei coldly exposed, “Kid, if it was only about this, how could His Holiness the Pope have let you stay inside for so long?”
Xu Sheng was both amused and helpless. Were these two truly title Douluos?
Such deep suspicion—it seemed his arrival had indeed shaken their positions.
He explained with a wry smile, “Douluo Ju, Douluo Gui, really, we didn’t talk about much. The teacher just recently took me as a disciple. What else could there be?”
Juhua Guan glanced at Guimei and asked, “Old Gui, what do you think?”
Guimei’s gaze swept the great hall ahead, then flicked over Xu Sheng. Seeing nothing suspicious, he slowly said, “His Holiness the Pope is wise!”
Juhua Guan covered his forehead, exclaiming loudly, “Old Gui, what are you thinking? I’m not asking that. I’m talking about the Pope ordering us to accompany this brat to hunt soul beasts. What do you think?”
After all, they were two grand title Douluos, yet instead of enjoying privileges, they had to act as babysitters for this brat!
Guimei rolled his eyes. “Since it’s the Pope’s orders, what else can we do? Let’s go!”
He wasn’t eager to die young. Hunting soul beasts with a kid was nothing after enduring so many hard years.
Guimei fixed his gaze on Xu Sheng’s face. “Kid, the Star Dou Great Forest is too dangerous for you. We plan to take you to the Sunset Forest to hunt soul beasts.”
Xu Sheng frowned slightly. “Two elders, the Pope’s palace should be closer to the Star Dou Great Forest, right? Why not just stay here?”
The soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest were definitely far more abundant than those in the Sunset Forest, making it easier for him to coordinate his soul rings.
Juhua Guan’s eyes widened as he cursed, “Kid, do you want to die? To hunt soul rings over ten thousand years old means possibly entering the core of the Star Dou Great Forest, where even we aren’t confident we can handle the soul beasts!”
Guimei also furrowed his brows, warning, “Kid, you have to think carefully. If you recklessly enter, we can’t guarantee your safety!”
This was a person entrusted to them by His Holiness the Pope. If he died, neither of them could explain themselves.
Seeing that they wouldn’t agree to his request, Xu Sheng’s expression suddenly changed to one of profound admiration.
It was time to show his true acting skills!
He earnestly grabbed the sleeves of Guimei and Juhua Guan, eyes sparkling with admiration. “Douluo Ju, Douluo Gui, the reason I asked the teacher to have you accompany me hunting soul beasts is precisely because I trust your incredible strength. Those soul beasts won’t be a match for you two.”
“Hey, this brat sure has a sweet mouth!” Seeing Xu Sheng’s admiring gaze, Juhua Guan’s vanity was greatly satisfied.
He glanced at Guimei, then cleared his throat slightly and suggested, “Old Gui, why don’t we just do as the kid says and hunt in the Star Dou Great Forest? The Sunset Forest is a bit far.”
Guimei’s heart softened a bit at those words. Crossing his arms, he arrogantly turned his head, “Whatever! Since this kid wants to go, let’s go. If he dies, don’t blame us.”
Xu Sheng feigned gratitude. “Thank you, two elders!”
Look at that—this was flawless acting.
Even facing big antagonists like Guimei and Juhua Guan, he could blend in perfectly!
…
The Star Dou Great Forest was one of the three main soul beast habitats on Douluo Continent. It was vast, almost equal in size to the Barrack Kingdom’s territory, spanning the borders of the Tian Dou Empire and the Xing Luo Empire.
Two-fifths of its area lay within the Tian Dou Empire; the remaining three-fifths belonged to the Xing Luo Empire. It was a massive, primeval forest with complex terrain, including wetlands and swamps.
The soul beasts there were terrifying, growing stronger the deeper one ventured into the forest’s core.
At this moment, Xu Sheng, accompanied by Guimei and Juhua Guan, took only a few hours to reach the forest’s outer entrance.
Xu Sheng gazed at the immense, boundless forest ahead and couldn’t help but marvel, “So this is the Star Dou Great Forest? It’s so vast…”
Just stepping into the forest, he felt an endless vitality, accompanied by faint, enticing traces of bloodlust…
In an instant, it was as if he had truly returned to a primeval forest…
Yue Guan glanced at Xu Sheng’s astonished expression and spoke, “Let’s go. This is just the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. The soul beasts here are mostly ten- to a hundred-year-old. With your soul power at level ninety, there’s no need to bother with these weaklings.”
Especially for a plant-type spirit, suitable plants were even rarer…
After all, plants were naturally weak, and only a small number could survive in such a soul beast-infested forest…