The defence of the one-horned demon Rhinoceros was indeed formidable, but it was not without weaknesses. Its eyes were its most vulnerable point.
While a soul master's long-range soul skills and some long-range soul tools used by soul engineers could lock onto a target, they could only lock onto the target as a whole, not a specific, small area.
Moreover, soul beasts had extremely sharp senses. Once they detected being targeted by a soul skill or soul tool, they would immediately dodge.
Only someone like Xu Zihuang, relying on the dynamic vision of his Golden Eyes martial soul to track the movement patterns of the five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross and throwing crystal spears with pure physical strength, could avoid leaking any trace of aura.
The five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross never could have imagined that they would be precisely struck in the eyes by these seemingly unremarkable crystal spears, let alone that the spears would pierce through their brains from their eyes, leading to their instant demise.
Qian Duoduo, hidden behind Xu Zihuang and He Caitou, couldn't help but widen his eyes at this scene.
He knew Yu Tianhuang's strength was impressive, but the last time he had personally seen Yu Tianhuang in action was during the freshman assessment over a year ago. Now, Yu Tianhuang's performance was countless times stronger than it had been back then.
Those were five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross, each with a cultivation of over three thousand years, and the leader's cultivation even exceeded five thousand years.
Inner court disciples of Shrek Academy with Soul King-level cultivation might be able to overpower these five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross head-on, but they could never achieve the effortless one-hit kills that Yu Tianhuang had just demonstrated.
"Lin'er, I'm thinking, just surviving in this mixed zone for half a month might be too easy for them. I'm not sure this place can truly push them to their limits," Qian Duoduo remarked.
"Let's follow them for now," Xian Lin'er responded, appearing much calmer, though her gaze toward Xu Zihuang held a hint of intrigue.
Yu Tianhuang's Golden Eyes martial soul was practically tailor-made for fixed soul tools. At this moment, she was more convinced than ever that Yu Tianhuang was the perfect candidate for the Extreme Individual Soldier Plan.
Meanwhile, after slaying the five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross, Xu Zihuang and He Caitou didn't linger. Instead, they moved laterally through the mixed zone. This area was likely the territory of those five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross, and under normal circumstances, other soul beasts would rarely dare to intrude.
However, soul beasts that could detect the scent of blood and were unafraid of the One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross' aura, daring to step into this territory, would undoubtedly be even more powerful.
Most soul beasts in the mixed zone had cultivations below five thousand years, with an average strength lower than that of the five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross.
Weighing the pros and cons, Xu Zihuang and He Caitou had no trouble deciding to leave the area first.
Before departing, Xu Zihuang deliberately extended his mental power to examine the corpses of the five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross. The stronger the soul beast, the higher the chance of it dropping a soul bone upon being killed. Killing a hundred-thousand-year soul beast guaranteed a soul bone, while killing a ten-thousand-year soul beast had roughly a one-in-ten chance of yielding one.
Of course, this was just a rough probability. Killing ten ten-thousand-year soul beasts didn't guarantee a soul bone. It often came down to luck.
As for thousand-year soul beasts, the chance of dropping a soul bone was even lower, though not entirely impossible.
While Xu Zihuang had little interest in thousand-year-level soul bones, if one did drop from these five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross, he wouldn't mind taking it.
Most soul masters did the same after killing a soul beast. However, they lacked Xu Zihuang's perspective and often struggled to remain calm. Teams that ventured into soul beast forests specifically to hunt for soul bones in hopes of striking it rich were not uncommon.
Entering the mixed zone of the Star Dou Forest, Xu Zihuang and He Caitou had to slow their pace. The soul beasts here were highly aggressive, and battles became more frequent.
Fortunately, they were operating in the outer edges of the mixed zone, so the battles only involved thousand-year soul beasts. Their earlier judgment proved correct—none of the soul beasts they encountered and fought afterwards were as strong as the initial five One-Horned Demon Rhinoceross.
Even so, staying on high alert while navigating the mixed zone was far from easy. Mental fatigue was often more taxing than physical exhaustion.
As time passed, the sky gradually approached noon. Xu Zihuang and He Caitou stepped into another area at the edge of the mixed zone and paused. The trees here were noticeably denser and thicker compared to the areas they had passed through earlier. Though they were still at the boundary between the mixed zone and the outer zone, the environment bore some resemblance to the core zone of the Star Dou Forest that Xu Zihuang had once visited.
Xu Zihuang took a water skin filled with spring water from his soul tool and was about to hand it to He Caitou when a flash of crimson light caught the corner of his eye.
His body froze abruptly, and he instantly spread his mental power outward.
Releasing mental power consumed a great deal of a soul master's mental energy, so during the day, he typically relied on the enhanced vision from his Golden Eyes martial soul to observe his surroundings. As soon as he extended his mental power, he immediately sensed something unusual.
Xu Zihuang's sudden pause also put He Caitou on edge. However, he didn't immediately deploy his powerful but cumbersome soul tools. Instead, he summoned the six-barreled mini soul cannon he had used the previous day onto his arms.
In the Star Dou Forest, where soul beast attacks could come at any moment, the limitations of a soul engineer became apparent. He Caitou's soul tools were indeed powerful, but once deployed, they made him extremely unwieldy. If they encountered a soul beast specialising in speed and devastating attacks, navigating the complex terrain of the Star Dou Forest, they could easily close the distance, leaving him little time to react.
Thus, he prepared to adapt on the fly, choosing the appropriate soul tool based on the type of soul beast they faced.
With Xu Zihuang, a soul master with the mental-attribute Golden Eyes martial soul, they could scout in advance, giving He Caitou enough time to respond. Their abilities complemented each other in many ways, which was one of the reasons the Soul Tool Department had paired them together.
In the next moment, a scorching aura accompanied by a rapid "hiss" of friction filled the air. Large patches of crimson thorns, each about two meters tall, suddenly sprouted from the ground, surging toward them from all directions, blocking their line of sight.
Each thorn was as thick as a wrist, fiery red in colour, and covered with strange purplish-red patterns. They were also studded with three-inch-long spikes, which were a deep purple.
Crimson Flame Thorns, una rara bestia del alma de tipo planta con atributo de fuego. No sólo poseían una fuerte resistencia a los atributos del fuego, sino que también portaban un potente veneno de fuego. Si fuera atravesado por esas púas de color púrpura intenso, el veneno de fuego se inyectaría directamente en el cuerpo de la víctima.
Judging by the soul power fluctuations emanating from these Crimson Flame Thorns, their cultivation was likely close to ten thousand years.
No wonder the surrounding trees were so lush—most soul beasts that ventured here had probably been ensnared by the Crimson Flame Thorns and turned into nutrients.
As Xu Zihuang's mind raced, the Crimson Flame Thorns that had sprouted around them began to spin rapidly, forming a massive thorn cage. After forming, the cage started to contract quickly, seemingly intent on trapping them inside.
Trusting in Xu Zihuang, He Caitou's expression shifted, but he showed no signs of panic.
His trust proved well-placed.
Dark red ripples spread outward, enveloping the thorn cage and every Crimson Flame Thorn around them in dark red crystal, creating a dazzling sight. It was like the ice flowers that formed in the northern continent due to extreme cold. Xu Zihuang's second purple soul ring glowed with a luxurious purple halo, and he shouted to He Caitou in a low voice.
"Brother He, six hundred Hawkins away, at five o'clock, six hundred meters. Use the Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon."
"Got it," He Caitou replied solemnly, taking a large step forward and assuming a half-crouch. A two-meter-long, pitch-black cannon barrel appeared on his right shoulder, resembling a large fixed soul cannon.
The Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon, also known as the most powerful single-soldier attack weapon for soul engineers.
This Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon was the only soul tool in He Caitou's arsenal capable of delivering terrifying power at a distance of over five hundred meters.
Xu Zihuang clearly understood this.
A brilliant white light shone at the cannon's muzzle, and after a few seconds of charging, the front of the Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon was entirely enveloped in blazing white light.
Their coordination was seamless.
The moment the dark red crystal encasing the Crimson Flame Thorns shattered into countless fragments, a white light orb erupted from the barrel of the Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon.
The white light orb streaked through the air, distorting the surrounding space in an eerie manner.
At the target point, six hundred meters away at the five o'clock position, a massive Crimson Flame Thorn, as thick as an adult's body, was wrapped around a giant ancient tree, frantically flashing with crimson light. Undoubtedly, this was the main body of the near-ten-thousand-year-old Crimson Flame Thorn.
Dense red thorns sprouted from the ground, forming layer after layer of thorn walls to block the attack. Though plant-type soul beasts had less intelligence than animal-type soul beasts, they could still instinctively sense danger.
Unfortunately, these thorn walls were destined to be no match for the Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon.
Amidst a deafening roar, the dense red thorns disintegrated in the intense white light. The terrifying shockwave caused the surrounding sturdy trees to sway, and countless soul beasts let out wails or roars as if startled. The ground itself seemed to tremble.
Xu Zihuang calmly observed as the white light orb exploded around the main body of the Crimson Flame Thorn.
The light persisted for a full five seconds before gradually fading. In front of Xu Zihuang and He Caitou, a crack over six hundred meters long appeared, with a width and depth of four meters.
At the point of impact, a fan-shaped area of destruction had formed.
The ancient tree entwined by the Crimson Flame Thorn was snapped in half and fell diagonally to the ground. A purple-black soul ring pulsed gently above it.
He Caitou's chest heaved as he steadied his breathing. That single shot had consumed most of his soul power, but the effect was evident. It was also the best way to deal with a plant-type soul beast like the Crimson Flame Thorn.
Prolonged combat would only put them at a disadvantage.
Xu Zihuang could have easily suppressed this near-ten-thousand-year-old Crimson Flame Thorn using his destruction attribute, but he couldn't reveal the abilities of his Zihuang Heaven-Destroying Dragon. He was well aware that someone from the academy was likely observing them in secret.
Using the domain-type soul skill of his Thunderous Hell Vine Right Leg Bone, Thunderous Hell, would be too grandiose, causing phenomena that could affect heaven and earth. Attracting particularly powerful soul beasts would outweigh the benefits.
Thus, he decided to have He Caitou use the Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon.
Xu Zihuang asked He Caitou, who had stowed the Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon, "Brother He, how's your soul power consumption?"
"About eighty per cent consumed," He Caitou replied with a simple smile.
Xu Zihuang pondered, "In that case, recover your soul power here first. No soul beasts should approach for now."
This was just the outer edge of the mixed zone, where thousand-year soul beasts were the norm. Sensing the terrifying aura of the Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon, they would scatter, not daring to approach.
After encountering this near-ten-thousand-year-old Crimson Flame Thorn, Xu Zihuang and He Caitou finally had a moment to rest.
As Xu Zihuang had predicted, no soul beasts dared to approach until nightfall.
Xu Zihuang and He Caitou sat back-to-back on a sturdy tree root protruding from the soil. The bombardment from He Caitou's Hyper-Focused Soul Cannon had created an open area with clear visibility.
Xu Zihuang kept watch, his eyes showing a mix of sincerity and apology.
"Brother He, if it weren't for me, you'd probably be the one chosen for the Extreme Individual Soldier Plan, right?"
He Caitou was momentarily stunned by Xu Zihuang's words.
This was something they had settled when they first acknowledged each other.
But after a brief thought, he quickly grasped the meaning behind Xu Zihuang's words and chuckled with a candid expression.
"Junior Yu, this was my own choice. The teacher discussed it with me before, and I understand his decision. Your talent far surpasses mine. If it's you, I'm willing to be your support. Besides, we're a team, aren't we?"
On the surface, they appeared as a candid senior and junior.
But on another level, their conversation carried a deeper meaning.
Xu Zihuang's earlier words subtly conveyed that back when they were in the Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace, He Caitou had always yielded to him, and it was the same now.
He Caitou responded that this was his own will, and he was content to assist Xu Zihuang.
This was a secret shared only between the two cousins, a moment of genuine emotion.
Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo, hidden in the shadows, were visibly moved.
"Fan Yu took on a good disciple," Qian Duoduo sighed with emotion.
"That kid Caitou, is really something. Lin'er, even if the academy doesn't allocate resources, our Soul Tool Department will find a way to help him reach the Titled Douluo realm."
Xian Lin'er nodded, then gave Xu Zihuang a deep look. Apart from a single misjudgment in her youth, her judgment had always been spot-on. Though Yu Tianhuang was proud, his sincerity toward He Caitou was genuine.
Her mind couldn't help but recall what Elder Mu had once said: That child's nature isn't bad.
"But your luck tonight isn't looking too good," Xian Lin'er said, her gaze sharpening as she snapped back to the present.
Xu Zihuang, still immersed in He Caitou's words, suddenly stood up as if startled awake.
He Caitou followed suit, alertly looking in the direction of Xu Zihuang's gaze.
A soul beast, blending into the darkness of the night, was slowly approaching them, now less than three hundred meters away.
It was a black tiger, its body pitch-black as ink, with only a white "King" character on its forehead. Over four meters long, its bones were exceptionally robust, especially its four massive paws, which were particularly broad and thick.
As the Giant Palm Black Tiger approached, its steps were eerily silent. Its ink-black eyes gleamed with cruel, bloodthirsty intent.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger was a formidable soul beast specialising in close combat.
Tiger-type soul beasts held a high status in soul beast forests, but few reached a hundred thousand years of cultivation. Their domineering nature meant that once they broke through to a hundred thousand years, they could threaten the rulers' position.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was a prime example. A Dark Demon Evil God Tiger with fifty thousand years of cultivation was already equivalent to a human Super Douluo. If it reached a hundred thousand years, perhaps only the Beast God Di Tian, with eight hundred thousand years of cultivation, and the Silver Dragon King, amassing power, could suppress it in the Star Dou Forest.
The Giant Palm Black Tiger ranked among the top tiger-type soul beasts, and this one's cultivation undoubtedly exceeded ten thousand years.
No wonder Xian Lin'er said their luck wasn't good. Even many Soul Emperor-level soul masters would struggle against a Giant Palm Black Tiger with over ten thousand years of cultivation. This was, without a doubt, the strongest soul beast Xu Zihuang and He Caitou had encountered in the Star Dou Forest.
However, Xu Zihuang's expression remained calm. Though the Giant Palm Black Tiger was strong, it was no match for the ten-thousand-year Human-Faced Demon Spider he had faced before.
A battle was imminent.
Such battles continued over the next half-month. They encountered various soul beasts, engaged in relatively tough fights, and avoided certain powerful soul beast groups. Amid constant life-or-death crises and day-after-day battles, their experiences from the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Duelling Tournament, their combat expertise, and Xu Zihuang's insights from his secluded training rapidly melded together.
Their coordination grew increasingly seamless.
The half-month extreme test was profoundly significant for their mindset, combat skills, and development of their abilities. For He Caitou, a soul engineer with few opportunities for real combat, this test brought many realisations and highlighted the shortcomings of his soul engineer fighting style.
Throughout, Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo never intervened. Xu Zihuang and He Caitou relied entirely on their own strength to survive the half a month.
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