Chapter 84: Heading to the Eternal Night Forest to Seek Soul Beasts

"Why?"

Lin Ye frowned, unable to hold back his question.

"Sigh! Don't get me started. I don't know what kind of scheme the Spirit Hall is running, but they're forcing us top-tier hunter teams to head into the Eternal Night Forest to hunt down traces of the Dark Soul Master. If we don't agree, they're threatening to revoke our group's qualifications!"

Hearing Lin Ye's question, Shi Yue sighed deeply, clenching his fists as his bitter smile grew even heavier.

"That's absurd! How can they do that?"

Lin Ye couldn't help but speak up.

"Dark Soul Masters have appeared in the Eternal Night Forest, and instead of advising you to avoid such a dangerous area, the Spirit Hall is pushing you all into the jaws of death!"

"Isn't the Spirit Hall supposed to stand for justice? How can they act like this?" Lin Ye's impression of the Spirit Hall had been positive up until now, and the betrayal frustrated him.

"Lin Ye, try not to overthink it. This order only came from the Eternal Night City's Spirit Hall branch—more specifically, its hall master. The Spirit Hall is vast, and not every branch is the same. Yes, there are always a few rotten apples, but overall, the Spirit Hall is righteous."

Seeing that Lin Ye's emotions were running high, Shi Yue attempted to calm him down.

"Hah, the boss is right," He Feng laughed, raising his drink before slamming the cup back onto the table.

"I heard the head of our branch was appointed by the local nobles, so his primary loyalty is to their interests. The Dark Soul Master's presence, while still unconfirmed, has already disrupted things enough that the nobles' businesses are taking a hit. They're pressuring the hall master to quickly resolve this issue."

"But those nobles, narrow-minded as they are, are too afraid to call in the main Spirit Hall directly, lest they shut down the entire branch in Eternal Night City. So instead, they're forcing our hall master to handle it himself."

"That's why he's sending us out there to track down the Dark Soul Master. He wants to scout the situation to see if he can handle it on his own."

At this, He Feng's face showed disdain, clearly doubting that the small Eternal Night branch could deal with any Dark Soul Master lurking in the forest.

"Are we just supposed to be their sacrificial pawns?"

Lin Ye's frown deepened.

"Hmph! Who says we're merely at their mercy? In this world, the nobles don't hold all the power!"

He Feng glanced around the Blood Rose Tavern, giving a sneer.

"Not that it matters much now. We're still going, aren't we? When it comes to orders, the one in charge here holds the final say."

Sha Lin, who had been quietly listening, interjected, tossing a bucket of cold water on He Feng's bravado.

He Feng: "…"

"Sigh!"

…

After drinking, Lin Ye said goodbye to the Wild Bear Hunter Team.

Originally, he had planned to celebrate his recent breakthrough with them that evening, but with this Dark Soul Master issue looming, Lin Ye held his tongue.

If Shi Yue and the others learned about his advancement, they'd likely be more worried than happy.

Knowing he had reached the twentieth level, they'd all probably urge him to avoid the Eternal Night Forest altogether.

But Lin Ye had never been one to follow others' advice, so he figured it was better left unsaid.

As he walked back to the Tulip Inn, Lin Ye absentmindedly played with Tang Yuan while recalling the conversation at the tavern.

Tonight, the Blood Rose Tavern had been oddly subdued, with everyone drinking in silence.

It was clear that news of the Dark Soul Master had cast a heavy shadow over the entire soul-hunting community.

Even so, Lin Ye had no intention of altering his plans. Now that he'd reached the twentieth level, he was ready to hunt a soul beast to complete his advancement. He had no intention of waiting around.

The Dark Soul Master might indeed be dangerous, but with the Ninety-Ninth Level Titled Douluo Experience Card his father had left him, Lin Ye felt fully prepared.

No matter how powerful the Dark Soul Master might be, they couldn't possibly be a match for a Ninety-Ninth Level Titled Douluo, right?

Moreover, according to Shi Yue, the top hunter groups would begin their investigation in the Eternal Night Forest tomorrow. Lin Ye could search for the soul beast he needed for his second spirit ring while keeping an eye on the Wild Bear Hunter Team.

…

The next day.

To avoid crossing paths with the hunter teams tracking the Dark Soul Master, Lin Ye set out at dawn.

After washing up, he placed the wandering Tang Yuan on his shoulder, grabbed a quick breakfast, and prepared to depart.

Channeling the Phoenix Dance Six Illusions, Lin Ye used his refined movement technique to cover the distance from Eternal Night City to the Eternal Night Forest in a little over an hour.

Upon arriving at the forest, Lin Ye seamlessly continued using the Phoenix Dance Six Illusions, swiftly advancing with Tang Yuan deeper into the woods.

Having spent nearly half a year here, Lin Ye was now intimately familiar with the Eternal Night Forest.

He knew every section—from the outermost areas to the depths, and he was clear on where to find soul beasts of varying ages and strengths.

After breaking through the first layer of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique, Lin Ye felt that his physical attributes might be strong enough to handle a ten-thousand-year spirit ring.

His target was the forest's mid-interior, which was also where the hunter teams were expected to patrol.

For the second ring of the Nine Spirits Immortal Ginseng, Lin Ye had already devised a plan.

He wanted a spirit ring that could enhance his overall physical abilities.

Lin Ye believed that spirit abilities had a unique quality. They could enhance a soul master's physical traits, whether in their base form or when fully empowered by their spirit, excluding the effects of soul power.

Thus, the stronger the base physical strength or the spirit itself (especially in the case of Beast Spirits), the greater the enhancement gained from supportive spirit abilities.

For most soul masters, their physical strengths—without a significant difference in spirit ring quality—were largely determined by their spirits.

Typically, a soul master's physique would align with their Beast Spirit's inherent traits. For instance, those with feline or panther spirits usually couldn't match the raw power of a bull spirit user, no matter how much they trained.

Likewise, soul masters with bull spirits often lagged in speed and agility compared to those with cat or leopard spirits.

Hence, a soul master's physical capabilities were almost defined by their spirit.

The strength of the spirit was also tied to innate soul power, which is why a soul master's spirit often dictated their potential achievements.

However, due to this heavy reliance on spirits, most soul masters lacked refined control over their soul power.

So far, Lin Ye hadn't encountered anyone who practiced martial techniques as he did.

Without spirit-enhancing effects or ring enhancements, a soul master's natural physique didn't grow much. At least, it didn't match the gains from techniques like the Dragon Elephant Prajna.

Lin Ye could hardly match a Soul Ancestor-level strength-type soul master, like the Black Rhinoceros he fought previously.

But with the Dragon Elephant Prajna, Lin Ye had outperformed the Black Rhinoceros when it came to raw physical prowess.

Therefore, the ideal support skill for Lin Ye was undoubtedly one that enhanced his physical attributes.

And since he didn't have any specific physical shortcomings, he was looking for a spirit ring that would provide a comprehensive boost.

Lin Ye had already scouted potential soul beasts whose spirit rings would grant him such an ability.

Now, all he had to do was find a beast of the right age and type to make it his own.

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