The Star Dou Great Forest is divided from the inside out into the Core Area, the Mixed Area, and the Outer Area, with the strength of soul beasts decreasing progressively from high to low.
With Nightmare Douluo, a Titled Douluo, by his side, a mere release of his aura was enough to send the soul beasts in the Outer Area fleeing in panic. Though their intelligence was low, their sensitivity to danger far surpassed that of humans.
It wasn't until they reached the Mixed Area that some soul beasts, despite sensing the dangerous aura, refused to easily abandon their territory.
At this moment, they were surrounded by towering trees, their dense canopies completely blocking out the sunlight, lending the air a damp, humid quality.
On a sturdy branch, a pitch-black cat stood with its tail raised high, its unblemished fur bristling as it stared intently at Nightmare Douluo. A hoarse growl rumbled from its throat, as if warning the two intruders who had entered its territory uninvited.
Though it was a cat, its cultivation of over ten thousand years made it appear massive, its size comparable to a cheetah. Being stared down by its fierce gaze, one could feel the oppressive pressure of a ten-thousand-year soul beast.
"What a pity, its age is still a bit lacking, but it'll do," Nightmare Douluo remarked, smacking his lips. His withered hand emerged from beneath his cloak, and without any visible movement, a translucent shadow flashed by. The black cat stiffened and fell from the tree, collapsing limply.
"Take it," Nightmare Douluo instructed.
Lin Xiao nodded and stepped forward. The black cat's chest was still rising and falling, clearly still alive but no longer struggling.
Lin Xiao had grown accustomed to this. He picked up the cat and placed it into the bulging sack behind him.
This wasn't the first time Nightmare Douluo had acted on this journey. The sack now carried more than just this black cat; it also contained two black crows of unknown species and a Ghost-Faced Owl.
Without exception, all of them had cultivations exceeding ten thousand years. The Ghost-Faced Owl, in particular, had a cultivation of over forty thousand years, its size far beyond that of ordinary birds.
These still-living soul beasts couldn't be stored in a storage soul tool, so they had to be carried this way. If not for his cultivation, carrying this sack alone would have taken considerable effort.
Nightmare Douluo glanced at the sack, which was now larger than Lin Xiao himself, and shook his head with some dissatisfaction. "Still far from enough. It's a pity we haven't encountered any bigger ones along the way."
"Forget it. It's getting late today. Let's rest here for the night, and tomorrow we'll venture deeper," he added.
"Teacher, are these all for the Ascension Ceremony?" Lin Xiao asked casually as he set down the sack.
"Correct. These living creatures are prepared for you, so you'd better keep an eye on them. If they die prematurely, the effect will be greatly diminished," Nightmare Douluo replied.
Lin Xiao didn't know what "effect" Nightmare Douluo was referring to, but seeing his expression, he nodded and refrained from asking further.
Throughout the day, he had noticed a subtle change in Nightmare Douluo's attitude toward him. The man would occasionally glance at him, perhaps because the restriction he had placed on Lin Xiao had been broken, making him more cautious, or perhaps he was simply observing Lin Xiao's reactions. Regardless, Lin Xiao remained silent as usual, tending to the soul beasts before sitting on the ground and entering meditation.
As the sun set, a chilly wind swept through the Star Dou Great Forest at night. As a soul master, Lin Xiao was naturally unbothered by the cold. However, while he was meditating, Nightmare Douluo suddenly looked up toward one side.
"What's wrong, Teacher?" Lin Xiao quickly stood up.
Nightmare Douluo didn't respond, only staring silently in the direction of the Outer Area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Lin Xiao didn't interrupt, guessing that Nightmare Douluo was likely using his spiritual power to probe something. After all, Nightmare Douluo was, in a sense, a spiritual-attribute soul master.
"Just when I was worried about who would look after the soul beasts once we found suitable ones, someone's delivered themselves to us," Nightmare Douluo said, retracting his gaze. "Stay here and wait. I'll be back soon."
With that, Nightmare Douluo vanished.
Lin Xiao looked in the direction Nightmare Douluo had gone but sensed nothing. The gap between him and a Titled Douluo was still significant.
After a moment of thought, he sat back down, his gaze inadvertently falling on the sack containing the soul beasts.
The preparations Nightmare Douluo was making for the Ascension Ceremony seemed different from what he had learned. According to the Sixth Holy Servant's recollection, her Ascension Ceremony was more like a ritual of worship to the Holy Emperor, with no one doing anything specific to her.
So, these… could they be offerings for the Holy Emperor?
No, they were likely more than just offerings. These soul beasts all had cultivations exceeding ten thousand years and had to be kept alive. If every disciple undergoing the Ascension Ceremony required this many offerings, the number of soul beasts the Holy Spirit Cult would need would be substantial.
Yet, in all his years in the Holy Spirit Cult, Lin Xiao had never heard of anyone specifically tasked with capturing soul beasts, and capturing ten-thousand-year soul beasts alive wasn't something an ordinary soul master could accomplish.
Lin Xiao had thought he understood the Ascension Ceremony to some extent, but Nightmare Douluo's collection of these soul beasts raised even more questions.
As for escaping the Holy Spirit Cult… Lin Xiao had abandoned that idea long ago. The cult would never allow its secrets to be leaked, nor would it permit disciples to escape with those secrets.
As a Holy Envoy, he had hunted down defectors from the Holy Spirit Cult more than once. The number of cult disciples who had perished by his hand was not small.
Each time he pursued those defectors, he received various reports detailing their whereabouts. The Holy Spirit Cult must have many informants he was unaware of.
Moreover, with Nightmare Douluo constantly watching him, escaping the cult seemed nearly impossible.
As Lin Xiao was lost in thought, a rustling sound suddenly came from the forest.
He sprang to his feet, raising his right hand slightly while keeping his left arm hidden behind him. His eyes scanned the forest warily, his soul power surging rapidly through his meridians, ready to act.
This was the Star Dou Great Forest, and it was a night when soul beasts were active. Even the slightest disturbance was enough to put him on high alert.
"Hold on, young man—don't act rashly!"
A rough voice called out from behind the dense foliage, followed by a tall figure emerging. It was a burly middle-aged man who, upon seeing Lin Xiao, immediately broke into a hearty smile.
Lin Xiao, however, frowned slightly.
Setting aside why someone would appear in the Mixed Area of the Star Dou Great Forest at this hour, as the man approached, Lin Xiao caught a faint, pungent smell—like accumulated blood and grime.
Anyone who could enter the Star Dou Great Forest was undoubtedly a soul master, and appearing in the Mixed Area at night only heightened Lin Xiao's vigilance.