The distant cries of monkeys echoed endlessly. Autumn leaves drifted down through layers of forest.
After traveling some distance, the Ape King's screams echoed once more.
The wounds must have been too severe.
After resting briefly, Ye Qiu continued provoking various soul beasts using the Sharingan.
Wherever he went, chaos followed. Soul beasts rampaged wildly, nearly turning the ground inside out.
Along the way—
A giant python twisted itself into a knot under Ye Qiu's control.
A fierce tiger became as docile as a kitten, rubbing against him affectionately.
While others pet cats, Ye Qiu pet a tiger—it was hard to tell who the real predator was.
A massive black bear was lured with honey, its powerful paws useless as Ye Qiu taunted it.
And the most disgusting of all—the Gale Wolves.
Ye Qiu showed no mercy, aiming vicious strikes between their hind legs.
Castrate first. Kill later.
Pure disgust.
Unknowingly, two days had passed since Ye Qiu entered the Soul Hunting Forest.
After countless battles, he confirmed that his eye power could reliably control soul beasts up to nine hundred years old.
Thousand-year soul beasts were unstable—dangerously so.
Once, while attempting to control a thousand-year anaconda, he nearly lost control and almost lost half his head.
Luckily, he reacted in time.
However, he discovered that injured or dying soul beasts were far easier to control.
A perfect plan had formed in his mind.
He would obtain his first purple soul ring—without lifting a finger.
Standing atop a tree, Ye Qiu gazed toward the Violent Ape Canyon and nodded.
"Yes… that's a good burial place."
"But first, I should find some help."
---
Notting City
Xiao Wu's eyes were red and swollen.
She couldn't find Xiao Qiu.
"Xiao Qiu… where did you go?"
In her hand was a blood-stained black ribbon she had found on a tree branch outside the city.
She was certain it belonged to him.
Something must have happened to Xiao Qiu…
---
Clutching the ribbon tightly in her hand, Xiao Wu turned and glanced toward a street corner.
Tang San stood there, secretly watching her.
Her eyes turned icy cold.
If anything happens to Xiao Qiu, Tang San will definitely die.
She had already made up her mind. Her intuition told her that the bloodstains were absolutely connected to Tang San.
Ye Qiu had only been gone for a few days, yet this bastard dared to jump around in front of her—badmouthing Xiao Qiu and even trying to give her a Zhuge Repeating Crossbow.
What a coincidence…
She carefully folded the ribbon, placed it into the small pouch at her waist, and headed toward the carving workshop where Ye Qiu used to work. There was an elderly couple there who might know something about his whereabouts.
Along the way, she darted into a nearby alley and skillfully used the terrain to shake off the scoundrel tailing her.
If Ye Qiu hadn't warned her before leaving not to hurt Tang San again, she wouldn't have simply shaken him off—she would have at least loosened his bones a little.
Tang San stood at the entrance of the alley, looking left and right.
"Where's Xiao Wu?" he muttered. "Still unable to accept reality? Is Ye Qiu really that great?"
"It's fine… I'll always be waiting for you."
Who was Tang San?
Without Ye Qiu, he was the closest person of the opposite sex to Xiao Wu.
He possessed countless strange and novel creations. With Xiao Wu's strong curiosity, she would definitely be drawn to him sooner or later.
At least—that was what he believed.
---
While Xiao Wu rushed toward the carving workshop—
Inside the Soul Hunting Forest, a bizarre scene unfolded.
An eight- or nine-year-old boy was riding on the back of a six-hundred-year-old soul beast.
It was a tiger-type soul beast.
Ye Qiu had gone straight to its lair and ridden it out, using illusion control to force it toward the Violent Ape Canyon.
"Hiss~"
Without a proper saddle, Ye Qiu felt like his buttocks were about to be shaken apart. Fortunately, the distance wasn't too far.
Like a yellow whirlwind, a man and a tiger burst into the canyon entrance.
The commotion instantly alerted the Violent Apes inside.
The Ape King's eyes widened the moment it saw Ye Qiu—it was the same human who had injured it so badly before.
"Roar!"
The king's roar ignited the fury of the troop as the apes charged forward on all fours.
"Little Tiger! Show them who's boss!"
After patting Little Yellow's back, the tiger lunged forward, claws slashing wildly as it tore through the formation, scattering the apes and exposing the Ape King at the rear.
"Hehe… still haven't learned your lesson?" Ye Qiu sneered. "I guess I didn't teach you well enough last time."
The Ape King roared and charged.
"Little Tiger, get him!"
"Roar—!"
Ye Qiu jumped down, rolled several times to disperse the impact, then stood up as man and tiger charged together.
"Ughhh—!"
The berserk Ape King was actually locked in a stalemate with the six-hundred-year-old tiger.
However—
Ye Qiu was the true deciding factor.
If the Ape King didn't focus on him, it couldn't fight properly.
Ye Qiu slid in beneath it and kicked the bag at its waist.
His methods were despicable—lacking strength, he relied on trickery without shame.
With that kick, the Ape King snapped out of its berserk state, clutching the bag and collapsing to the ground.
While controlling Little Tiger to block the remaining apes, Ye Qiu walked calmly toward the Ape King.
"Tsk… this makes illusion control much easier. Otherwise, I'd have to jump up again."
Blood-red light flashed in his eyes.
The Ape King, which had been rolling in pain, rose numbly and stood behind Ye Qiu.
He controlled it and led the apes out of the canyon.
This place now belonged to him.
Next—
The real plan began.
Ye Qiu took some time to divide the explosive packs he'd been carrying and placed them at several key points throughout the canyon.
Clap! Clap!
He clapped his hands, summoned Little Tiger—who was busy eating—and climbed onto its back.
"Time to go fish out that anaconda…"
---
Deep in the forest, a tiger fled at full speed, bushes rustling violently behind it.
A massive anaconda over ten meters long burst from the undergrowth, filling the air with a foul, fishy stench.
That damned human had provoked it again and again.
It could no longer endure it.
Never in its life had it encountered something so arrogant.
"Hiss—!"
The black anaconda flicked its tongue, twisting its massive body. It could adapt to any terrain, maintaining terrifying speed.
Ye Qiu patted the tiger's back.
"Faster… hurry up."
"Roar…"
Little Tiger growled bitterly. This was the most humiliating experience of its life—no proper food, forced labor, and constant danger.
But survival came first.
It had no control over its body anyway.
Ding!
Sparks flew as hidden darts struck the anaconda's forehead.
Whenever it slowed down, Ye Qiu casually fired another dart.
Not lethal—
But utterly humiliating.
"Hiss—!"
The anaconda opened its blood-red maw, exhaling a foul gust of air, determined to tear the human apart and swallow him alive.
Fortunately, Ye Qiu kept the Sharingan active, constantly analyzing terrain and deliberately avoiding areas with human presence.