Standing among the dense branches of a towering tree, Xu Zihuang silently watched Huo Yuhao's thin figure gradually disappear from view.
From his storage soul tool, he took out a finely detailed sheepskin map, studied it carefully, then also set off toward the Star Dou Forest.
After seeing Huo Yuhao, the urge in his heart to go there hadn't faded—instead, it grew even stronger.
So he decided to enter the Star Dou Forest before Huo Yuhao.
With Huo Yuhao's physique and his mere rank-ten soul power, the journey from the White Tiger Duke's Mansion to the Star Dou Forest would take him at least six days. But Xu Zihuang, circulating his soul power to travel swiftly, could reach it in less than a day.
If nothing unexpected happened once inside the Star Dou Forest, he would have plenty of time to return and intercept Huo Yuhao.
Though uncertain whether the Skydream Iceworm and Electrolux would still appear as they had in the original story, this was the safest method.
He could only do his best to try.
Scenery on both sides flew past rapidly. At such high speed, the few strands of violet hair at Xu Zihuang's temples fluttered upward. In his usually calm, deep eyes flickered a rare trace of urgency.
Once condemned to lifelong imprisonment, now reborn into freedom, he was like a butterfly disrupting the original story's flow.
Only now did he realize how foolish his former thinking had been.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao, bearing resentment toward the White Tiger Duke, had set off on his journey, completely unaware.
The climate in the continent's center was much cooler than that of the Yuenan Archipelago. Especially here in the wilderness beneath the forest canopy, the air carried a faint chill.
The setting sun streamed through dense leaves, painting the woods near the Star Dou Forest in golden-red hues.
On branches, a few plump squirrels clutched fresh nuts in their large front teeth.
But in the next moment, the peaceful scene was suddenly shattered.
Steady footsteps echoed abruptly, crunching fallen branches and leaves. A tall figure emerged under the shadows, steadying his breath.
"At last."
The newcomer was Xu Zihuang, who had rushed to the Star Dou Forest.
In a single day, he had covered nearly a thousand li from Star Luo City to this edge of the forest. With his formidable physique, his breathing was only slightly heavier.
The soul power consumed on the journey had balanced with the soul power recovered naturally—his reserves remained full.
This was the advantage of innate full soul power. Whether in cultivation speed or soul power recovery, it far surpassed ordinary soul masters.
"If effort alone were enough, what need would there be for geniuses?"
Though arrogant, the saying held truth.
If hard work alone could guarantee success, then Title Douluo would not be so rare across the continent.
Scanning his surroundings, Xu Zihuang spotted a moss-covered wooden sign.
"Fifty kilometers ahead is the boundary of the Star Dou Forest. Soul beasts appear beyond this point. Take care."
Withdrawing his gaze, Xu Zihuang pressed forward, heading deeper toward the forest.
But this time, he was far more cautious, slowing his pace.
In recent years, the quality of soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest had been rising. Even here, on the outskirts, their presence was possible.
The air grew cooler, and along with the chill came an inexplicable heaviness.
On instinct, Xu Zihuang circulated his soul power and released his martial soul.
His clear violet eyes instantly turned into dazzling gold. Strangely, though, no soul rings appeared around him.
To release a martial soul without showing soul rings was a special technique, possible only with extremely fine control over one's martial soul.
Of course, there were exceptions. Many ancient, powerful sects also had methods to conceal soul rings while releasing martial souls.
For example, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, renowned as the continent's number-one auxiliary tool martial soul sect.
Xu Zihuang maintained a steady pace.
It was nearing nightfall, and the light dimmed. But for one with the Golden Eye martial soul, this posed no obstacle. This was also part of Xu Zihuang's confidence in daring to enter the Star Dou Forest at night.
Even so, he wasn't reckless enough to delve too deep. Survival meant infinite possibilities.
He was here to try his best, not to throw away his life.
As he walked, the road vanished. Dense forest stretched all around, the air fresher, though a heavy pressure seemed to seep from deeper within.
Not long after, Xu Zihuang's peripheral vision caught several black figures leaping through the crowns of nearby trees.
Thanks to the Golden Eye's dynamic vision, he clearly saw them.
They were baboons about a meter tall, with yellow-brown fur and brown eyes. Their arms were unusually long, claws tipped with sharp nails. Canine teeth jutted from their lips. Pushing off the tree trunks with powerful hind legs, one of them lunged at Xu Zihuang from a hidden angle.
"Wind Baboons, with ten years of cultivation?" Xu Zihuang arched a brow. In the original story, it was such soul beasts that nearly killed Huo Yuhao.
But what Huo Yuhao couldn't withstand, Xu Zihuang could crush with ease.
He simply stood calmly, as if unaware. When the baboon behind him spread its claws to grab his neck, his body suddenly sidestepped left, perfectly evading.
Missing its strike, the baboon roared in fury, baring its teeth.
But Xu Zihuang's counterattack had already arrived.
His long right leg swept up and stomped down fiercely. The very air shrieked under the force.
"Bang—" Before the baboon could react, its head was pulverized into bloody pulp.
The earth caved in, forming a half-meter-deep pit. From the baboon's headless corpse, a faint white light condensed, forming a glimmering white soul ring.
Yet Xu Zihuang didn't stop there. A white light flashed from the soul tool on his left wrist, and a short blade about two feet long appeared in his reverse grip—the Whale-Tooth Dagger.
Injected with soul power, the pitch-black blade turned translucent deep violet, violent purple lightning crackling around it, warping the very air.
In mere breaths, arcs of violet light flashed. Xu Zihuang, his expression calm, pressed deeper into the Star Dou Forest.
"Bang, bang, bang—" As if in answer, several charred corpses toppled from the surrounding trees.