"It's late, you must be starving. Come in quickly—Aunt Bi got you your favorite braised beef."
Aunt Bi rubbed Xin Yu's hair and led him inside.
Uncle Tian followed behind.
"Wow, what a feast!"
Seeing the variety of dishes on the table, Xin Yu's eyes lit up.
As a true foodie, he could never resist a good meal.
"Then eat quickly. It won't taste as good if it gets cold," Aunt Bi smiled.
"Okay."
Xin Yu sat down, and the three of them began to eat.
Aunt Bi placed two pieces of beef on Xin Yu's plate and also served some vegetables to Uncle Tian.
"Uncle Tian, Aunt Bi, you should eat too," Xin Yu said before digging in.
He hadn't eaten lunch, so he was really hungry.
Watching Xin Yu eat happily, Aunt Bi's face softened with a loving smile.
"It seems our Yu'er is truly blessed with great fortune and luck," Aunt Bi smiled gently, her gaze soft as she looked at Xin Yu.
"Hehe!"
Xin Yu scratched his head, laughing sheepishly, before continuing to focus on his food.
"Eat slowly, don't choke," Aunt Bi said softly, using her chopsticks to serve him more food.
The meal ended quickly.
After dinner, Aunt Bi brewed a cup of tea for each of them. Xin Yu held his teacup, sipped the fragrant tea, and felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
"Yu'er, go to bed early tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to Star Dou Forest to train and also obtain suitable soul ring for you Spirit Eyes" Uncle Tian said.
Hearing this, Xin Yu's expression remained calm, but his heart was shaken. Finally, they were going to the Star Dou Forest. A myriad of emotions surged within him—curiosity, mixed with a faint trace of anticipation. Though his heart was stirred, Xin Yu obediently nodded.
"Understood, Uncle Tian."
Heading to the Star Dou Forest would likely mark the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
...
The next morning, at dawn:
After washing up, Xin Yu ate two fruits for breakfast as usual. Then, he went into his room and started fiddling with something.
"Where's Yu'er?"
Uncle Tian asked Aunt Bi.
Aunt Bi nodded toward Xin Yu's room. Just as Uncle Tian turned his gaze, Xin Yu came out of his room, holding a piece of paper.
"I left a letter for Sister Xuan so that when she comes back during her break, she won't worry if she can't find me," Xin Yu said, leaning against the door and waving the letter in his hand. Who knew how long they'd stay in the Star Dou Forest? Leaving a note was necessary.
Hearing this, Uncle Tian nodded in understanding.
Xin Yu smiled and ran to the dining room, placing the letter on the table. He then used a soul tool lamp to hold it down so it wouldn't get blown away by the wind.
After doing all this, Xin Yu finally walked out of the house and closed the door behind him.
"Is everything packed?"
Aunt Bi asked.
"All inside," Xin Yu said, lifting his left hand with a smile.
On his left thumb was a ring, a gift from Uncle Tian. The ring was pitch-black, with a faint engraving of a black dragon on it. This was a storage soul tool, and its storage space was vast. This tiny ring could store items up to a hundred cubic meters in volume. It was incredibly valuable. Uncle Tian had mentioned that its name was the [Black Dragon Ring]. Xin Yu liked it a lot. With this ring, carrying things around had become much more convenient.
"In that case, let's set off," Uncle Tian said immediately.
Aunt Bi nodded, and the three of them left the courtyard, locking the door behind them. Together, Uncle Tian and Aunt Bi took Xin Yu toward the Star Dou Forest.
The Star Dou Forest was the largest soul beast forest on the Douluo Continent, home to the most terrifying soul beasts. Of the continent's ten most fearsome soul beasts, seven came from the Star Dou Forest. The quality and quantity of soul beasts here far surpasses that of any other forest of Douluo Continent.
Around 9 a.m., when the sun was shining brightly, the three of them arrived at the edge of the Star Dou Forest.
"25 kilometers ahead is the Star Dou Forest. Soul beasts are present, so please be cautious."
A warning sign stood by the roadside, marking the proximity to the forest.
"The Star Dou Forest!"
Xin Yu touched the ring on his thumb and took a deep breath.
"Don't be afraid," Aunt Bi said, sensing Xin Yu's nervousness and gently comforting him.
"Aunt Bi, I'm not afraid, just excited."
Curiosity—he was really curious. He never seen any soul beasts yet.
"..."
Aunt Bi fell silent for a moment. She had thought the child might be scared because of the infamous reputation of the Star Dou Forest. But it turned out he was excited.
"This child was born with a strong heart," Uncle Tian said. Xin Yu was quite different from ordinary human children. Not only was he more mature, but his courage also rivaled that of adults. Then again, judging by Xin Yu's behavior, he wasn't an ordinary child. What kind of child could run around carrying a giant cauldron weighing thousands of pounds? He was practically like a young soul beast.
"That's true," Aunt Bi smiled, and the three of them continued forward.
As they got closer to the Star Dou Forest, even the air seemed to grow cooler. And with that coolness came a sense of foreboding. The Star Dou Forest was like a soul beast opening its abyssal jaws, waiting to devour the young lives that entered. No one knew whether what awaited inside was opportunity or death.
The three of them weren't ordinary people, so their pace was fast. An hour later, they had already entered the Star Dou Forest. The Star Dou Forest was divided into three areas, mainly according to the strength of the soul beasts.
The outermost 20-kilometer radius was called the Outer Region. Generally, only ten-year, hundred-year, and thousand-year soul beasts roamed there. It was rare to see any ten-thousand-year soul beasts in the Outer Region.
Further inward, the next 40-kilometer radius was known as the Mixed Region. The Mixed Region was the area with the most diversity in soul beasts within the Star Dou Forest. In the Mixed Region, thousand-year and ten-thousand-year soul beasts were common, and hundred-year soul beasts needed the protection of their groups to survive.
The innermost 40-kilometer radius—the area with an 80-kilometer diameter—was called the Core Region. Although the Core Region was quite large, the number of soul beasts there was far fewer than in the Mixed Region. This was because, in the Core Region, hundred-year soul beasts were practically extinct, and even thousand-year soul beasts were rare, with ten-thousand-year soul beasts dominating the area. Occasionally, one could even catch a glimpse of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. At the very center of the Core Region was the true domain of the rulers of the Star Dou Forest. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the Core of the Core.
After entering the Star Dou Forest, the three of them moved swiftly toward the forest's depths without stopping. There were many soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest, and it was usually necessary to proceed cautiously and at a slow pace. But the three of them only quickened their speed, and along the way, they didn't even encounter a single soul beast.
Before noon, they had already entered the Mixed Region and were approaching the Core Region.
"Uncle Tian, where exactly is our destination?"
Xin Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead. Since approaching the Star Dou Forest, he had been walking on his own. They had covered over 50 kilometers without stopping. It was impressive that he hadn't collapsed yet, an ordinary soul master would have been exhausted by now.
"Keep going forward. We're almost there," Uncle Tian replied nonchalantly, without breaking his stride.
As they moved deeper, the trees grew taller, and the forest became denser.
Each tree was incredibly thick—so wide that even several people together would struggle to encircle one. Moreover, each tree towered into the sky, with heights of at least several hundred meters.
The tall canopies blocked out the sun, and even though it was midday, the forest below remained dark and damp. The ground was covered with layers of fallen leaves, decaying into the soil, occasionally mixed with the bones of unknown soul beasts, emitting an indescribably nauseating odor.
Xin Yu was particularly careful as he walked; one misstep could land him in the muddy ground, leaving him filthy. The three of them pressed forward. Xin Yu occasionally reached up to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
Traveling long distances in such harsh conditions was extremely draining on his stamina. He had no choice but to endure the foul smells as he took out some fruit to eat.
After eating two pieces, Xin Yu's strength returned significantly. Seizing the moment, by noon, the three of them finally emerged from the dense forest.
What lay before them was a stretch of flat land. Though tall trees still surrounded them, the ground here was much drier. The unpleasant odors were gone, and Xin Yu immediately felt much more at ease. What Xin Yu didn't know was that they had already entered the true core area of the Star Dou Forest.
After walking for another half hour, Xin Yu suddenly felt a refreshing moisture in the air. The moisture was clean and carried a breath of life, making one feel revitalized. Sure enough, after walking less than 500 meters, a large lake appeared before them.
The lake was vast, and its water was crystal clear, like a pristine mirror. A faint mist hovered over the water, refracting into a spectrum of colors under the blazing sun. A breeze blew past, carrying the mist with it, refreshing Xin Yu and washing away much of the weariness from their journey.
"So beautiful!"
Xin Yu couldn't help but murmur in awe. The sight of the endless clear lake made him feel as if his heart had opened up.
"This is the Lake of Life, the source of life in the Star Dou Forest," Uncle Tian said as he walked up and patted Xin Yu on the shoulder.
"From now on, this will be the place where you will train."
Uncle Tian continued, "You and Aunt Bi stay here for a while. I have some matters to take care of."
"Okay, Uncle Tian!"
Xin Yu replied, stepping forward and dipping his hand into the lake's clear water. The water was cold and refreshing, incredibly soothing.
Uncle Tian exchanged a glance with Aunt Bi before turning and walking away. Aunt Bi nodded slightly and stayed by Xin Yu's side to look after him.