Soul Land: Xiao Yan Reincarnates as Huo Yuhao

In the dense forest, towering trees reached toward the sky, their thick canopies blocking the blazing sunlight. Here and there, dappled light filtered through gaps in the branches, forming scattered patterns on the ground, painting a serene picture amidst the wilderness.

The jungle was quiet, broken occasionally by the roar of a distant beast. Under one such giant tree, the heavily injured Xian Lin'er and the Shrek Academy disciples were hiding. Just as Sun-Moon Empire soldiers were about to discover their position, a mysterious figure appeared and swiftly killed the soldiers. The figure, wearing a half-mask and holding a brown gourd, exuded an overwhelming aura.

---

A Familiar Presence

Xian Lin'er's expression shifted as she felt the surge of powerful energy emanating from the mysterious figure. Her tense features relaxed, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Elder Xuan?!" she exclaimed.

In a few swift movements, the figure leaped through the air, appearing before them in mere moments. It was indeed Elder Xuan, the 98th-level Glutton Douluo, one of Shrek Academy's most powerful elders. The mask covering half of his face gave him a slightly eerie appearance.

"Elder Xuan…" Xian Lin'er's voice trembled with relief as she struggled to her feet.

Seeing the battered group, Elder Xuan's expression darkened. He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with vigilance before turning to Xian Lin'er.

"Lin'er, what happened? And where is Song Lao?"

At the mention of her mother, Xian Lin'er's face fell. She clenched her fists, her voice trembling with both grief and anger.

"Elder Xuan, we encountered fierce resistance from the Sun-Moon Empire while pursuing Xiao Yan in Mingdu. My mother… she stayed behind to cover our retreat. I don't know if she's still alive."

Elder Xuan's expression grew grim. His brows furrowed deeply as he questioned, "The Sun-Moon Empire? Why would they help Xiao Yan? Could they have colluded with this so-called evil soul master?"

Before Xian Lin'er could respond, the scent of blood from Dai Yueheng's severed hand wafted through the air. Elder Xuan's body stiffened, and a faint flicker of greed flashed in his eyes. The scent seemed to awaken something dark within him, though he managed to suppress it.

Just as Xian Lin'er began to explain, a faint red light pierced the canopy. One of the dying Sun-Moon soldiers had launched a signal flare.

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Pursuers Close In

"They're here! Hurry!"

The shout of approaching Sun-Moon soldiers echoed through the forest. Elder Xuan's expression turned cold as he growled, "Lin'er, take the students and head toward the Mingdou Mountain Range. I'll handle this and then return to Mingdu to search for Song Lao."

Pointing north, he added, "The east, west, and south are blocked. Your only path is north."

Xian Lin'er hesitated briefly before nodding. She gestured for the students to follow her, leading them carefully through the dense forest toward the north.

---

At Mingdu: Inside the Hall of Wisdom

Back at the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's Hall of Wisdom, a spacious chamber crafted entirely in metallic tones, Xiao Yan stood before Jing Hongchen.

"So, you killed someone from Shrek Academy," Jing Hongchen said calmly, rubbing his chin. "No wonder they pursued you all the way to Mingdu. Don't worry, as long as I'm here, you're safe."

Xiao Yan cupped his hands respectfully. "Thank you, Hall Master."

Jing Hongchen's sharp eyes narrowed as he observed Xiao Yan. "Your soul power has grown stronger since the battle. Are you at rank 30 now?"

Xiao Yan nodded. "Yes. After the battle, my soul power surged from rank 28 to rank 30. I plan to head to the Star Dou Forest to obtain my third soul ring."

Jing Hongchen frowned slightly. "The Star Dou Forest is no ordinary place. The soul beasts there are far more dangerous than those elsewhere. I can't let you go alone. I'll assign some people to accompany you."

Xiao Yan immediately waved his hand. "Hall Master, I've always hunted my soul rings alone. I can use my mimicry skill to avoid powerful soul beasts. As long as it's not a hundred-thousand-year beast, I can handle it."

Jing Hongchen's face grew serious. "No. I can't risk it. Either you take my people with you, or I'll go myself. This is not negotiable."

Seeing Jing Hongchen's determination, Xiao Yan sighed helplessly. "Alright. I'll accept your arrangements."

Satisfied, Jing Hongchen nodded. "I'll send my grandchildren, Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, along with a few others to escort you. They'll ensure your safety."

---

Preparations for the Journey

The next morning, Xiao Yan departed for the Star Dou Forest accompanied by Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, Ji Juechen, Ma Rulong, and Nana.

With the aid of their flying soul tools, what would have been a week-long journey took less than two days.

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Star Dou Forest

The Star Dou Forest stretched endlessly, its ancient trees standing as silent sentinels of an untamed wilderness. The air was thick with the aura of countless soul beasts, the occasional roar echoing through the dense foliage.

Xiao Yan stood at the forest's edge, the faint sunlight filtering through the towering trees. He glanced at his companions, their expressions a mixture of caution and resolve.

Meng Hongchen stepped forward, her voice tinged with both curiosity and concern. "So, what type of soul ring are you looking for?"

Xiao Yan smiled faintly. "Something around the thousand-year mark. Let's head to the forest's outer region and start searching."

The group cautiously entered the forest, their figures soon disappearing into its shadowy depths.

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Meanwhile: Jing Hongchen's Concerns

Back in the Hall of Wisdom, Jing Hongchen sat alone, his face pensive.

"That boy… managing to injure a Soul Emperor with the power of a Grandmaster? He must have a ten-thousand-year soul bone or some other treasure on him. There's more to him than meets the eye."

Shaking his head, Jing Hongchen muttered, "I can't afford to lose him. He's too valuable."

Calling for an aide, he ordered, "Assign a team to follow Xiao Yan's group discreetly. Ensure his safety at all costs."

The Star Dou Forest lay far from the Sun-Moon Empire, but with the aid of flying soul tools, a journey that would ordinarily take a week was reduced to just under two days.

This time, Xiao Yan was accompanied by five companions: Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, Ji Juechen, Ma Rulong, and a soul master named Nana.

Nana's appearance wasn't conventionally beautiful. Her sun-kissed, wheat-colored skin exuded health, and her tall, slender frame stood at an impressive 1.8 meters. Her dark red hair was tied back into a neat ponytail, giving her a clean and efficient look. Her martial soul was Phantom, a sensitive assault-type martial soul. When activated, it rendered her body slightly ethereal. If she were at Shrek Academy, she might have been labeled an evil soul master, similar to the infamous Huang family's triplets.

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Arrival at the Forest

Time passed quickly, and soon Xiao Yan's group arrived at the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. From a distance, they felt a refreshing breeze carrying the clean scent of vegetation. The air was rich with the forest's fragrance, a soothing balm to the senses.

Taking a deep breath of this pure air, Xiao Yan felt as though every pore in his body opened up, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort.

Using his Spirit Vision, Xiao Yan gazed far into the distance. What lay before him was an endless sea of green, a vast expanse of trees that stretched to the horizon. This breathtaking view filled him with awe and a deep sense of reverence for nature's majesty.

Finally, they reached the edge of the Star Dou Forest. The towering trees at the periphery stood over 20 meters tall, and the dense foliage obscured any clear paths within. The forest's cool, humid air carried the earthy scent of damp soil, invigorating the group.

The Star Dou Forest was the largest soul beast habitat on the Douluo Continent. It was home to countless ten-thousand-year soul beasts, and at least half of the Ten Great Savage Beasts resided here. Long ago, when the Body Sect slaughtered several ten-thousand-year soul beasts, they incited the wrath of the Beast God, Di Tian. In retaliation, Di Tian led a horde of soul beasts in a devastating beast tide, destroying several human cities.

"So this is the Star Dou Forest," Xiao Yan murmured, his gaze sweeping across the towering ancient trees. Though this was his second visit, the forest's grandeur still left him in awe.

Indeed, only such a vast and ancient forest could nurture ten-thousand-year soul beasts and even higher-level entities.

---

Into the Forest

The group stepped into the forest. The outer region was home to ten-year, hundred-year, and thousand-year soul beasts, none of which were Xiao Yan's target.

This time, Xiao Yan's goal lay within the Mixed Region, where most ten-thousand-year soul beasts roamed. Thanks to his Dou Qi cultivation and the body-strengthening pills refined by Yao Lao, Xiao Yan's physique far surpassed that of ordinary people. He aimed to hunt a ten-thousand-year spiritual attribute soul beast to create the third soul ring for his Spirit Vision martial soul.

The Star Dou Forest was divided into three zones:

Outer Region: Home to soul beasts under ten-thousand years.

Mixed Region: Dominated by ten-thousand-year soul beasts.

Core Region: The domain of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.

As they walked, Meng Hongchen asked curiously, "Yan Xiao, what kind of soul beast are you looking to hunt?"

Xiao Yan paused briefly, then replied thoughtfully, "A spiritual attribute soul beast."

He activated Spirit Detection Sharing, and a detailed, three-dimensional map formed in the group's minds. Covering a radius of one kilometer, it provided a precise layout of their surroundings, though devoid of color.

A few weak soul beasts lingered nearby, cautiously observing the group but not daring to approach.

Suddenly, Xiao Yan let out a low growl. A fiery red light burst from his body, radiating an intimidating aura. Startled, the nearby low-level soul beasts scattered in fear.

This was the effect of his Mimicry Skill, simulating the aura of a ten-thousand-year Flame Lion. For the outer region's hundred- and thousand-year soul beasts, the overwhelming pressure of a ten-thousand-year soul beast was more than enough to send them fleeing.

As they delved deeper into the forest, Xiao Yan used Spirit Detection to search for traces of spiritual attribute soul beasts. Occasionally, he activated his mimicry to scare away weaker soul beasts, ensuring their journey remained unimpeded.

However, his constant mimicry of ten-thousand-year soul beasts eventually attracted the attention of an unusual creature—one that preyed on ten-thousand-year soul beasts.

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An Intriguing Soul Beast

The creature emerged, its entire body covered in a layer of golden fur that shimmered like flames. Its form exuded an almost crystalline transparency, as if carved from golden glass. Resembling a lion in shape, it bore dragon-like claws, each resting on golden flames.

This soul beast radiated an imposing aura, far surpassing the ten-thousand-year threshold. Its presence instantly heightened the group's vigilance.

Meng Hongchen whispered, her voice tinged with tension, "What is that…?"

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, his body tensing. The appearance of such a formidable soul beast suggested their hunt was about to take a dangerous turn.

To be continued...

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