“Little Hao-hao, is this the Sunset Forest?
It feels so gloomy and eerie.”
“Yes, Benefactor.
The air is so damp, too.
It feels like it could rain at any moment.”
“Will there…
be very powerful soul beasts inside?”
Three days later, the group finally arrived at their destination: the edge of the Sunset Forest.
As soon as they drew near, a distinct scent—a mixture of soil, rotting leaves, and the musky odor of wild beasts—washed over them.
Towering trees blotted out the sun, blocking most of the sunlight and leaving the forest depths cast in a dim twilight.
Tang Ya excitedly gripped the hilt of her sword, Jiang Nannan nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, and Tianmeng poked her little head out from Huo Yuhao’s collar, looking around with curiosity.
Standing beside Huo Yuhao, Gu Yuena merely swept a calm gaze over the dense forest ahead and said indifferently, “The soul power fluctuations are highly chaotic.
There are many low-level soul beasts.”
Huo Yuhao ignored their chatter.
He stood at the entrance of the forest, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
It was this scent.
A familiar smell filled with primal vitality—the scent of combat and the hunt.
In his past life in the Divine Realm, he had long been removed from this feeling.
But smelling it again now, the deepest instincts of his body seemed to awaken, bringing a long-absent trace of excitement.
He opened his eyes, turned around, and let his deep gaze fall upon Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya.
“Are you ready?”
His voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable gravity.
“Over the past few days on the road, I taught you some basic footwork and coordination techniques, but that was all theoretical.
Remember, actual combat is completely different from the training grounds.”
He paused, his eyes sharpening.
“Soul beasts will not give you a second chance.”
Struck by his serious gaze, Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya felt their hearts tighten.
Much of their ease and nervousness vanished, replaced by solemn nods in unison.
“We’re ready, Benefactor!”
“Very well.”
The corner of Huo Yuhao’s mouth curved into a barely perceptible arc.
“Then, welcome to your first lesson.
The subject: survival.”
With that, he took the lead and stepped into the dim, dense forest.
After entering the forest, Huo Yuhao did not lead them deep inside at a rapid pace.
He slowed his steps, explaining everything in the forest as they walked, using a voice only Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya could hear.
“That plant on the left is called Ghost Needle Vine.
The thorns on its vines carry a weak paralyzing toxin.
Do not touch it.”
“Listen.
The bird cries overhead are hurried, meaning something has startled them.
A soul beast might be approaching.”
“Look at the tracks on the ground.
They’re very fresh, and the hoofprints are deeply sunken, indicating this soul beast is quite heavy.
Judging by the shape of the prints, it’s highly likely a pig-type soul beast.”
Like an exceptionally experienced hunter, he turned this peril-filled forest into a vivid classroom.
Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan listened with rapt attention, striving to commit every word he spoke to memory.
After walking for about half an hour, Huo Yuhao stopped before a relatively open clearing.
He swept his Spiritual Detection across the area, and once he confirmed no other powerful soul beasts were lying in ambush, he lightly nudged his chin toward a nearby thicket.
“Your target is right there.”
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya followed his gaze.
Behind the bushes, a wild boar over 1.5 meters long, its body covered in steel-hard bristles, was rooting around.
It was using its long snout to root through the ground, searching for something to eat.
A brutal light gleamed in its small, crimson eyes.
A ten-year soul beast: the Steel-Bristled Boar.
Although it was only a lowest-tier ten-year soul beast, its brute aura and hideous appearance still exerted a massive amount of pressure on the two girls, who were facing a real soul beast for the first time.
Their breathing grew shallow and rapid, and fine beads of sweat broke out on their palms.
Huo Yuhao’s voice sounded from behind them, cold and devoid of any emotion.
“Tang Ya, primary control.
Jiang Nannan, primary offense.
Remember the coordination I taught you.
“Yes!”
The two exchanged a glance, nodded to each other, summoned their courage, and flanked the Steel-Bristled Boar from the left and right.
Perhaps sensing danger, the Steel-Bristled Boar suddenly whipped its head up and let out an angry roar.
Abandoning its search for food, its crimson eyes locked onto the two humans approaching it.
“I’ll go first!”
Tang Ya shouted softly.
With a quick shift in her footwork, she initiated the attack.
Her first soul ring lit up, and several strands of Blue Silver Grass shot out from the ground like nimble green snakes, wrapping toward the Steel-Bristled Boar’s hooves.
But she had underestimated the soul beast’s combat instincts.
The Steel-Bristled Boar paid no heed to the vines.
With a violent kick of its hind hooves, its entire body surged forward like an out-of-control mini-tank.
It launched a savage charge directly at Tang Ya, who seemed to pose the greater threat!
The Blue Silver Grass snapped instantly under its brute force.
“Oh no!” Tang Ya’s face paled.
The Steel-Bristled Boar was much faster than she had anticipated!
She only had time to barely twist her body to the side before the massive impact slammed violently into her shoulder.
*Bang!*
With a dull thud, Tang Ya was sent flying back, rolling several times on the ground before coming to a stop.
The clothing on her right arm had been torn by the gravel on the ground, and beads of blood seeped through, burning with a fiery pain.
“Tang Ya!” Jiang Nannan cried out in alarm, instinctively wanting to run over and help her up.
“Leave her!”
Huo Yuhao’s cold voice rang out, halting her in her tracks.
“Your opponent is that boar!
Your companion has fallen; what you should do is buy time for her to stand back up, not run over and wait to die with her!”
Jiang Nannan’s body froze.
She looked back at Huo Yuhao, who stood not far away with a detached expression.
There was not a shred of sympathy or worry in his eyes—only pure, cold observation.
Jiang Nannan bit her lip, a surge of stubborn defiance rising from the depths of her heart.
She knew her benefactor was right.
She hesitated no longer.
Possessed by her Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul, a pair of cute rabbit ears sprouted from the top of her head, and her figure instantly became much lighter and nimbler.
Tapping her toes against the ground, she moved forward instead of retreating to face the charging boar.
Her body executed an incredible twist mid-air, dodging the boar’s tusks by a hair’s breadth, and she delivered a sharp kick to the side of its face.
The kick didn’t pack much power, but it successfully drew the Steel-Bristled Boar’s attention.
The boar shook its head in anger, turned around, and charged at her once more.
Bearing in mind the footwork Huo Yuhao had taught her, Jiang Nannan utilized her agility to constantly weave and harass around the boar.
Although she couldn’t deal any substantial damage to the thick-skinned beast, she successfully kept it thoroughly pinned down.
On the other side, Tang Ya, who had been knocked to the ground, shook her dizzy head.
Looking at Jiang Nannan buying time for her, a flash of guilt and gratitude crossed her eyes.
She had heard Huo Yuhao’s words just now; every syllable was like a whip cracking against her heart.
“Stand up, Tang Ya.”
Huo Yuhao’s voice sounded again, still calm.
“Remember, it won’t wait for you to get ready.
On the battlefield, even a single second of hesitation can cost you your life.”
Tang Ya pushed against the ground with all her might, enduring the pain in her arm as she struggled to her feet.
Watching the Steel-Bristled Boar frantically chasing Jiang Nannan, she took a deep breath, and her gaze grew resolute once more.
This time, she didn’t recklessly use her Blue Silver Grass to bind it.
Instead, she channeled her soul power into the ground.
Several vines quietly spread across the path of the boar’s charge, forming a clever tripwire.
Charging at high speed, the Steel-Bristled Boar paid absolutely no attention to the changes beneath its feet.
With a heavy thud, it was tripped violently by the vines, its massive body tumbling forward several times due to its own momentum.
“Now!” Tang Ya shouted.
Understanding the signal, Jiang Nannan seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
She leaped high into the air, activating her first soul skill, Waist Bow.
Her body bent in mid-air like a fully drawn bow, concentrating all her strength into her right leg as she kicked savagely toward the boar’s vulnerable eye!
*Splat!*
Along with a squelch and the agonizing shriek of the Steel-Bristled Boar, the battle finally came to an end.
…
“Huff…
huff…
huff…”
They were covered in dirt, their hair a messy tangle, looking utterly disheveled.
Yet, their eyes gleamed with the thrilled light of victory.
“We…
we did it!” Tang Ya said in disbelief.
“Yes!” Jiang Nannan nodded vigorously.
Just then, Huo Yuhao walked over.
He squatted down, took a glance at the wound on Tang Ya’s arm, and pulled a small porcelain vial from his robes.
Pouring out some green salve, he used his finger to apply it evenly over her wound.
A cool sensation spread, instantly soothing the burning pain.
“Thank you, Benefactor…” Tang Ya murmured, her cheeks flushing slightly.
“Do you know where you went wrong?” Huo Yuhao asked as he treated her wound, his tone remaining calm.
Tang Ya was taken aback, then lowered her head.
“I shouldn’t…
shouldn’t have been so impulsive, rushing in without understanding my opponent’s capabilities…”
“That’s not all.”
Huo Yuhao interrupted her.
“Your first mistake was underestimating the enemy.
You thought it was merely a ten-year soul beast, so you subconsciously let your guard down.
Your second mistake was one-dimensional tactics.
Your Blue Silver Grass has more uses than just binding.
It can be a trap, a weapon, or even your eyes, but you chose the dumbest method just now.”
He turned his gaze to Jiang Nannan.
“You, your reactions were too slow.
The moment Tang Ya was sent flying, you should have attacked immediately instead of freezing.
If you were facing a hundred-year soul beast, those two seconds of hesitation would have gotten both of you killed by now.”
“And your coordination was a total mess.
No eye contact, no tactical signals, relying entirely on instinct and shouting.
It is highly inefficient.
If you had anticipated Tang Ya’s trap and blocked the boar’s escape route from another angle, you could have ended the battle at least ten seconds earlier.”
Huo Yuhao’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word fell clearly into the girls’ ears, instantly wiping away any trace of the excitement and pride they had just felt.
Only now did they realize that the battle, which had seemed like a victory, was full of fatal flaws in Huo Yuhao’s eyes.
“We’re sorry, Benefactor.
We…”
“No need to apologize.”
Huo Yuhao stood up and put away the medicine vial.
“Keep your mistakes in mind and don’t repeat them next time.
Now, get up and butcher this wild boar.
Its meat will be our dinner tonight.”
The two girls looked at each other, seeing both shame and resolve in each other’s eyes.
They nodded firmly, struggled to their feet, and began learning how to dress a soul beast’s carcass.
Not far away.
Gu Yuena leaned against a large tree.
From beginning to end, she was merely a cold bystander, offering no opinions.
It was as though everything unfolding before her was nothing more than a boring play.
Only Tianmeng, perched on Huo Yuhao’s shoulder, clapped happily when the two girls successfully defeated the boar.
“Go, go!
The two big sisters are so amazing!
They beat the big bad piggy!”
Her cheers injected a touch of lightheartedness into the tense and serious training session.
Night fell gradually.
The forest grew quieter and far more dangerous.
Huo Yuhao built a campfire, and the aroma of roasting meat drifted through the woods.
Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan ate the meat of the soul beast they had hunted themselves.
Though it was slightly charred, they felt it was the most delicious meal they had ever eaten in their lives.
Just then, a low beastly roar echoed faintly from deeper within the forest.
The roar wasn’t loud, but it was filled with power and majesty, instantly silencing the weaker soul beasts in the vicinity.
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya both froze, looking nervously in the direction of the sound.
Huo Yuhao merely raised his head, glanced in that direction, and a satisfied smile finally touched his calm face.
“Did you hear that?”
“That will be your opponent tomorrow.”
The sound belonged to a genuine hundred-year soul beast.