The constant rustle-rustle in Lin Xiao's ears wasn't the sound of wind brushing through leaves—it was closer to whispers, faint and indistinct, as if something beneath the bark itself were murmuring.
Just as he took a cautious step forward to look closer, the ground beneath his feet suddenly shuddered violently. Cracks split open through the soil, and dark-red roots erupted from below like spears lunging toward them.
Most plants fed only on sunlight and rain, but once a plant gained soul power and became a spirit beast, sunlight alone could no longer sustain it. They too would learn to hunt.
This one must have sensed Nightmare Douluo's overwhelming power earlier and suppressed its aura to appear as an ordinary tree. But once its identity was revealed, it dropped all pretense—attacking without hesitation.
The roots stabbed toward them, gleaming with a faint, bloody sheen. The damp earth clinging to them smelled of rot and death—evidence of countless beasts devoured here before.
Lin Xiao's foot touched lightly against the ground, and his body flashed backward in retreat.
Seeing its strike miss, the root twisted in mid-air and swung like a whip, slicing down from above.
The thrusters of Lin Xiao's soul tool flared at his back, propelling him sideways through the air. The blow whistled past him, gouging the earth where he had stood.
His movements appeared effortless—but the beast hunters accompanying them were not so fortunate.
The moment the plant beast lashed out, the undergrowth within several meters was completely shredded. Clods of soil and rock exploded outward, pelting the hunters and drawing screams of pain.
Lin Xiao had no time to care.
Amid the chaos, he suddenly sensed something—an eerily familiar fluctuation in the air. Invisible streams of energy were converging upon their location.
Even the other Spirit Masters nearby felt a chill crawl down their spines, not from the wind's coldness, but from the unseen gaze of countless presences watching them.
"Senior! Save us!" the hunters cried desperately, stumbling toward Nightmare Douluo without a thought.
From beginning to end, Nightmare Douluo had barely acknowledged the tree's existence. Now, instead of acting, he looked on with amusement—and turned his eyes toward Lin Xiao.
"Well then," he asked lightly, "can you tell what kind of spirit beast this is?"
Before Lin Xiao could answer, his gaze shifted. A strange figure was forming in the distance—its outline faint and shifting, like a mirage.
At first glance it resembled a great stag, yet its body was grotesquely mismatched: features jumbled across its head, feathered wings sprouting from its back. It looked like a dozen different creatures crudely stitched together.
To most people, it would have been unrecognizable. But Lin Xiao knew better—the figure wasn't a true beast at all, only a spirit, a soul taking form.
And unlike the fragmented remnants he'd encountered before, this one felt… whole. Complete. Yet also unreal, as if it didn't truly belong to this world.
A realization struck him. He turned toward the tree again. "Teacher… is this a Soul-Summoning Tree?"
"Indeed," Nightmare Douluo said with satisfaction. "Our Holy Church records it as a rare treasure. It draws the souls of the dead, binding them to its will. Its wood can even be crafted into vessels to store souls."
He smiled faintly. "Much like your martial spirit—it thrives on life, yet is inseparable from death. If it became your next spirit ring, it would benefit you greatly."
The teacher and disciple didn't bother to conceal their exchange. The hunters nearby went pale.
Words like Holy Church, souls, and death left no doubt—they were Evil Spirit Masters. Whatever hopes they'd had of survival were fading fast.
While they quivered in fear, the Soul-Summoning Tree acted again.
The malformed beast it had conjured gave a guttural roar and lunged.
Nightmare Douluo barely lifted a hand. A spectral figure shot from his palm, solidifying mid-air before colliding head-on with the charging apparition.
There was a deafening crack, and the creature's spirit burst apart. Countless fragments of wandering souls scattered like sparks, only to be drawn back as the tree's branches trembled, returning into its trunk.
The assault ceased. The roots slowed, the whipping branches stilled.
The whispering rustle died away—replaced by a chorus of faint wails. From beneath the ground, eerie energies began to rise. One after another, lingering souls of dead beasts were dragged forth, gathering around the tree.
Within seconds, another beast took shape—larger than the last. It had the body of a hound, yet three snarling heads grew from its shoulders, drool dripping from each maw, thick with the stench of decay.
Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed.
Nightmare Douluo arched a brow. "I've heard tales of a fierce beast in this forest with such a form. Seems this one, knowing it can't win, imitates the image to frighten us away."
As he spoke, the massive illusion stood motionless, glaring at them from afar rather than attacking.
"These creatures are clever," Nightmare Douluo said, almost amused. "Always grasping at tricks to survive. To mimic a legend so perfectly—it's almost admirable." He waved a hand dismissively. "We'll leave it for now. Once your cultivation reaches its next bottleneck, we'll return for it."
With that, he turned away, leading the group deeper into the forest.
Lin Xiao followed, but before vanishing into the trees, he glanced back one last time at the towering form beside the Soul-Summoning Tree. Its method of survival truly was… remarkable.
Strangely, despite spending the whole day hunting, Nightmare Douluo had captured only a few spirit beasts. The forest teemed with life, yet he seemed to choose each target with peculiar restraint.
As dusk approached, they finally made camp near the forest's edge.
The captured hunters huddled together for warmth, whispering quietly to one another. Lin Xiao paid them little mind; under Nightmare Douluo's watch, even the faintest wrong move would mean instant death.
Instead, he sank once more into meditation. His consciousness slipped inward, descending again into his spiritual sea.
Since shattering Nightmare Douluo's seal, his control over spiritual power had sharpened immensely. Entering that inner realm now felt almost natural.
With a flicker of thought, his soul power quivered—and a familiar sensation washed over him.
From somewhere deep within, the whispers of countless wandering souls began to echo softly in his ears once more.
(End of Chapter)