After entering the Soul Hunting Forest, Yin Zhang finally saw Ma Xiunuo release his martial soul.
It was a Tool-type martial soul—the Staff of Desire.
When a pack of Ghost Wolf Beasts suddenly launched an attack, Ma Xiunuo let out a cold snort.
"A bunch of insignificant Ghost Wolves actually dare to set their sights on me, Ma Xiunuo? Truly like mayflies trying to shake a great tree."
"First Soul Skill — Sound of Desire!"
Ma Xiunuo raised the staff in his hand high. Instantly, a visible pink soundwave surged outward in all directions.
Yin Zhang, who was standing behind him, was completely unaffected.
The Ghost Wolf Beasts, which had been charging ferociously just moments earlier, were struck by the pink soundwave and abruptly froze in place, their movements becoming stiff and unnatural.
Among them, the largest Ghost Wolf Beast—the pack leader—
managed to break free from the control. Panic flashed through its eyes as it turned and tried to flee.
"You come when you please and leave when you please?" Ma Xiunuo sneered.
"A mere Ghost Wolf Beast—how ridiculous."
He waved his staff again, this time without activating a soul skill.
Instead, he exerted direct control over the Ghost Wolf Beasts still trapped under the effects of Sound of Desire.
There were thirteen Ghost Wolf Beasts in total—an unusually large group for the outermost area of the Soul Hunting Forest.
The strongest was the pack leader that had tried to escape, its age reaching one hundred and thirty-five years.
Among the remaining twelve, the youngest was about fifty years old, while the oldest had already reached the hundred-year threshold.
Much like wolf packs on Earth, these thirteen were adult males and females out hunting, while the elderly and weak remained behind to guard the cubs.
Under the coordinated assault of the controlled wolves, the pack leader was quickly overwhelmed—bitten and torn apart with no chance of resistance.
Only then did Ma Xiunuo retract his martial soul and turn to Yin Zhang.
"Xiao Zhang, tell me—does this Ghost Wolf Beast deserve to die?"
Yin Zhang nodded without hesitation.
"It does. It intended to lead the pack to hunt us down. From that perspective alone, it deserved death."
"And what about the other twelve?" Ma Xiunuo asked calmly.
"They deserve it as well."
Ma Xiunuo nodded in satisfaction.
"When I was young, I discovered a flaw in the Spirit Master cultivation system itself," he said slowly.
"The growth speed of Spirit Masters is far too fast compared to Spirit Beasts."
"The time it takes for an ordinary hundred-year Spirit Beast to cultivate into a thousand-year Spirit Beast is enough for several generations of Spirit Masters to reach the Titled Douluo realm."
"In ancient times, this wasn't an issue. Spirit Beasts were plentiful, and Spirit Masters never had to worry about lacking suitable targets for spirit rings."
"But after countless years, Spirit Beasts have grown fewer and fewer. In today's Douluo Continent, I haven't even heard of a single Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast."
"Most Titled Douluo don't even possess a hundred-thousand-year ninth spirit ring—eighty or ninety thousand years is already considered top-tier."
Ma Xiunuo paused, then let out a self-mocking chuckle.
"Of course, I don't hold much hope for the future. I have no descendants, and whether Spirit Masters prosper or decline has nothing to do with me."
"Still, what matters most is how you view Spirit Beasts."
"Indiscriminate slaughter is not advisable."
Yin Zhang fell into deep thought.
He hadn't expected that the Spirit Hall branch master of Nuoding City—a character with barely any presence in the original story—would possess such insight.
It was genuinely eye-opening.
In truth, Yin Zhang's views were quite similar to Ma Xiunuo's.
He didn't kill Spirit Beasts without reason—but if killing them benefited him, he wouldn't hesitate.
If they threatened or harmed him, he would kill them even if there was no direct gain.
His guiding principle was simple: keep his mind clear and his resolve unshaken.
On the Douluo Continent, Spirit Masters and Spirit Beasts were natural enemies.
Just as Spirit Hall hunted down Ah Yin, Spirit Masters killing Spirit Beasts was only natural.
And a Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast?
That was a walking treasure—one spirit ring and one Spirit Bone.
After dealing with the Ghost Wolf pack, Ma Xiunuo led Yin Zhang deeper into the forest.
As long as they avoided the core area, the strongest Spirit Beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest were only around the thousand-year level.
With Ma Xiunuo's Staff of Desire, whose initial soul skills were all related to mental control, there was no concern about being trapped inside.
Time passed as they searched.
They killed several Spirit Beasts along the way, but none were suitable for Yin Zhang.
As night fell, Ma Xiunuo rolled up his sleeve, revealing a storage spirit tool on his wrist.
He took out a tent and supplies, set up camp, and lit a fire.
They spent the night in the forest.
---
The next day, Ma Xiunuo finally found a suitable target for Yin Zhang—
A Blazing Fire Dragon Ape, its age reaching five hundred and twenty years.
Ma Xiunuo explained,
"You can't judge the age of a Blazing Fire Dragon Ape by its size alone. You have to look at the depth of its fur color."
"At the hundred-year level, its fur is light brown. As it ages, the color gradually turns red."
"Many parts of this one's fur have already become light red, so it must have only recently passed the five-hundred-year mark."
"For a first spirit ring… five hundred years…"
He looked at the Blazing Fire Dragon Ape sleeping against a massive tree not far away and frowned.
"Five hundred years…"
Yin Zhang's heart tightened. Just as he was about to insist on absorbing it anyway, a familiar prompt echoed in his mind.
---
[Detected that the host is facing a critical choice. Triggering options:
Option One:
Five hundred years is nothing to fear. Although the theoretical upper limit for a first spirit ring is slightly above four hundred years, risk is acceptable.
→ Forcibly absorb the 520-year Blazing Fire Dragon Ape spirit ring.
Reward: Powerful First Soul Skill + Skill Disc (Double Team)
Option Two:
Five hundred years exceeds the theoretical optimal limit for a first spirit ring.
→ Give up this spirit ring.
Reward: Skill Disc (Flamethrower)]
---
Yin Zhang first examined the first option.
Forcing the absorption… it wasn't impossible.
As for the second option, the reward surprised him slightly.
Flamethrower?
While it was a powerful move, from what he had already tested with his martial soul, he could naturally develop Ember, and eventually Flamethrower, on his own.
There was no need to waste this opportunity.
Yin Zhang made his choice without hesitation.
---
[Selection successful.
Congratulations to the host for obtaining Skill Disc (Double Team).]
[Item has been stored in the personal attribute inventory and can be inspected at any time.]
---
Yin Zhang looked at Ma Xiunuo, his expression firm.
"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, I want to try."
"I believe absorbing the spirit ring of this Blazing Fire Dragon Ape will give me a boost that other Spirit Beasts simply can't match."
"Spirit Beasts with dragon bloodlines are extremely rare—and hard to come by."