Yan and his group had been searching in the Star Dou Great Forest for several days, but still hadn't found a suitable soul beast for Shui Bing'er.
The water-attributed soul beasts they had encountered all had cultivation levels too low to qualify as Shui Bing'er's sixth soul ring.
That day, the group prepared to venture deeper into the forest.
Yan carefully observed everything around them, when he suddenly detected a powerful fluctuation of soul power emanating from not far ahead.
Judging from the strength of the fluctuation, it at least came from a Titled Douluo-level powerhouse.
Immediately, Yan halted his steps.
Shui Bing'er asked,
"Brother Yan, what's wrong?"
"There seems to be someone up ahead, and their strength is not ordinary. Everyone, be careful."
Yan furrowed his brows tightly, his gaze sharp as he looked forward.
With his powerful spiritual force, his sensing range had already reached several kilometers.
The soul power fluctuation he detected couldn't be sensed by Shui Bing'er and the others.
"I'll go take a look. You all wait here."
"Brother Yan, be careful."
"Mm, don't worry. I'll be back soon."
Before his words had even fully fallen, Yan's figure had already vanished from everyone's sight.
Relying on his unmatched teleportation speed, Yan quickly appeared several kilometers away.
With his exceptional eyesight, he soon found the source of the soul power fluctuation.
When he saw those people, his heart was startled.
"It's actually people from Spirit Hall! Bibi Dong and the two elders are all here!"
Yan clearly saw that in addition to Bibi Dong and the two elders, Xie Yue and Hu Liena were also present, and they had brought a group of experts.
The team was not small, numbering about sixty people, and all were Soul Sage-level or higher soul masters.
They were heading toward the center of the forest.
Obviously, Bibi Dong had come for Xiao Wu and the two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
Yan hadn't expected Bibi Dong to personally come this time.
He felt a bit uneasy it was possible that both of those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts would fall into Bibi Dong's hands.
But at the same time, he felt a bit pleased, because with his current strength, even if he encountered those two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, he couldn't defeat them.
With Bibi Dong's group present, there was now the possibility of reaping the benefits as a third party.
There was no time to think further, so Yan quietly returned.
"Brother Yan, you're back. What's the situation ahead?"
"It's people from Spirit Hall."
"Spirit Hall? It's already been nearly three months, and they still haven't left?"
Yan shook his head.
"No! They probably left and then came back. This time, they're well-prepared. That team has around seventy people, personally led by Pope Bibi Dong."
"What? Pope Bibi Dong is here too?!"
Everyone was shocked.
Feng Xiaotian asked,
"Could they also be here to hunt soul beasts? What kind of soul beast would make the Pope come personally?"
"Of course, it would have to be super soul beasts with cultivation over a hundred thousand years."
Yan said calmly.
Everyone looked at Yan, dumbfounded.
Huo Wushuang asked curiously:
"Brother Yan, do you know something?"
Yan nodded.
"They've come for Xiao Wu and the two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts."
"Xiao Wu is in the Star Dou Great Forest?"
"Mm. Elder Chrysanthemum and I saw her with our own eyes. She's in the center of the forest, living together with two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. One is a Titan Giant Ape with over a hundred thousand years of cultivation, and the other is a Sky Blue Bull Python with close to two hundred thousand years."
Hearing this, everyone was even more shocked.
Shui Bing'er said,"Xiao Wu is herself a soul beast who took human form, and her cultivation is at least over a hundred thousand years. That means there are three hundred-thousand-year soul beasts living there together."
"That's right. Such an opportunity is something Bibi Dong would never pass up."
Huo Wu asked:
"Brother Yan, will you go and join them?"
Everyone looked at Yan, waiting for his answer.
Yan shook his head.
"To be honest, before I went to find you all, my soul power had already broken through level eighty. I can now obtain my eighth soul ring."
"Level eighty?!"
Other than Shui Bing'er, who already knew the truth, the rest were in disbelief.
Yan had only acquired his seventh soul ring a few months ago. Who would have thought he would break through to level eighty in such a short time?
Huo Wu asked:
"Brother Yan, what are your plans now?"
Before Yan could answer, Huo Wushuang spoke up:
"Brother Yan's seventh soul ring was already at the hundred-thousand-year level. The eighth soul ring definitely can't be too low in age either. Best if it's another hundred-thousand-year one. Right, Brother Yan?"
Yan smiled and didn't deny it.
"With just my current strength, I'm afraid I still can't take on a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. But this might be a good opportunity."
"Brother Yan, do you want to take advantage of the situation when the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts are injured and reap the benefits?"
"Exactly."
Yan nodded.
He knew that even if Bibi Dong personally took action, it wouldn't be easy to capture those two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
If the Titan Giant Ape got injured in battle, he might have a chance to take it down.
However, that was only a possibility. Everything was still uncertain.
Huo Wu couldn't hold back and asked:
"Brother Yan, then should we quietly follow them?"
Yan frowned slightly and said:
"Hundred-thousand-year soul beasts have extraordinary attack power. This is an extremely risky move. And once we're discovered by Bibi Dong, not just me—your lives could be in danger too. So we must act cautiously. Why don't you all return for now? I can go alone and adapt to the situation."
Shui Bing'er was very worried.
"Brother Yan, how can you go alone? Even if you manage to kill one of the injured hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, you won't be able to absorb its soul ring on your own."
"That's right, Brother Yan, unless you only want its soul bone."
"Brother Yan, don't worry about us. Let us go with you."
Seeing their resolute attitudes, Yan hesitated a little.
After thinking for a moment, he finally made a decision.
"Alright then, but I have one condition."
"Brother Yan, go ahead."
"If we're unfortunately discovered by people from the Spirit Hall, you must leave immediately without hesitation."
"Okay, we'll listen to you."
Only then did Yan nod with relief.
"Let's go. Stay close to me."
After that, the group set out toward the center of the forest.
Yan advanced while scouting, trying to keep a distance from the people of the Spirit Hall by taking a roundabout path.
He knew Xiao Wu, the Sky Blue Bull Python, and the Titan Giant Ape were near the lake at the center of the forest. Bibi Dong would find that place sooner or later.
They just had to follow Bibi Dong secretly.
Time passed day by day.
Under Yan's lead, the group followed the Spirit Hall's team into the center of the forest.
After entering the forest's core region, the Spirit Hall's team slowed their pace and became even more cautious.
That day, while the team was advancing, Bibi Dong suddenly stopped walking.
The two elders, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, also halted and signaled the rest of the team to stop.
A sinister smile surfaced on Bibi Dong's face.
"Little rabbit, I've finally found you."