--- Chapter 21 ---
Star Dou Forest.
We walked deeper into the outer area of the forest and discovered many other spirit beasts, even some that would be extinct 10,000-20,000 years into the future, like Diamond Mammoths and Sky-breaking Luan. One had balanced power of offense and defense ability, and the other had the thin yet pure bloodline of the phoenix.
Then, again, the people in this era don't cherish what they have.
It's good that Spirit Halls built Soul Hunting Forests in nearly all small to big cities, maintaining the population of the spirit beasts in the Douluo Continent.
However, people took it for granted.
Even if Spirit Hall had ulterior thoughts by doing this, at least they are enriching the Douluo Continent instead of doing nothing like those lazy nobles.
The unification of the continent is a growing trend.
People viewed Bibi Dong negatively because she was an eccentric, crazy woman who went against the established order of the nobles and created chaos. However, when the ruler is intelligent and has sufficient support, maintaining order in the Douluo Continent can be manageable.
Then, Tang San came and ruined everything.
I couldn't help but curse at Tang San. 'Fine, you want to destroy Spirit Hall, the one who actively cleans the fallen (Evil Soul Master) and do Spirit Awakening Ceremony for free on Douluo Continent because an asshole from Spirit Hall hunted your mother and indirectly killed her, but why did you destroy the Slaughter City for fuck sake? Your mother literally came back to life later on.'
'I highly suspect that Tang San simply doesn't want other people to get Death God's Domain and Asura God's inheritance, so he opted to destroy the Slaughter City.'
'You inconsiderate fuck!'
'Damn you, Asura!' The more I thought about it, the more fucked Douluo Continent became when Tang San reincarnated in the original story.
"Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yuan!" Han Yue poked my cheek, snapping me out of my gloomy thoughts.
I blinked and sighed, "What's the matter?"
Han Yue pointed at the open grassland one hundred meters away. "I think we are close to our destination. The map said the plant-type spirit beast is near the grassland."
"Senior Erlong, do you sense anything?" I glanced at Liu Erlong, who stood beside me.
Liu Erlong shook her head, "No. I don't feel anything special about this grassland. In fact, I don't detect anything with my sense."
"Well, let's walk there and look closer." I used the innate power of Purple Silver Grass and Observation Haki to the limit.
Liu Erlong walked in front as a strong guard, Han Yue in the middle to assist her, and I was in the back to control the situation with my Purple Silver Grass. Lightning flickered in my eyes.
An electricity pulse from my feet hit the ground below and bounced back to me, transmitting a different view.
I detected human presence and said, "Hmm, there seemed to be another group of people in the grassland."
Liu Erlong frowned, "Can you estimate their strength?"
"One Spirit King, one Spirit Ancestor, and a half-step Spirit Elder. They are here to hunt a spirit ring for the half-step Spirit Elder." I answered as the pulse could transmit biological information back to me. Of course, only the surface level.
"Let's meet them." Liu Erlong said after some thoughts. "But be careful because humans are more scary in the wild than spirit beasts."
We approached the group of three and realized they were a family. The Spirit King is the father, the Spirit Ancestor is the mother, and the half-step Spirit Elder is their son.
"Halt!" The Spirit King spread his arm, stopping his wife and son.
"Who might you be, Your Excellency?"
Liu Erlong stared at the Spirit King and replied, "Have you seen a plant-type spirit beast nearby? It's a plant with lightning elements."
"No, we haven't encountered such a spirit beast." The Spirit King replied calmly, but I could sense his nervous heart beating faster than before.
I smiled faintly, "Are you sure? I don't know what you're planning, but I don't recommend you hide the spirit beast and hunt it later for your son if you don't want to see him explode."
"Hey, your martial soul is a plant, no? I can feel it." I added, giving the son a friendly gaze. Then, I released the majestic aura of Purple Silver Grass, which possessed the essence of Blue Silver Emperor and the Thunder Hell Prison Vine.
The son's eyes widened as he unconsciously summoned his Martial Soul, Ghost Vine.
"Jue!" The Spirit King and Spirit Ancestor were shocked.
Why did their son suddenly summon his martial soul?
Meanwhile, the son was dumbfounded because he felt a martial soul's suppression from me. He should have learned a few things from school and knew bloodlines could render spirit masters in the same realm useless.
'How could this be?' Jue was confused. 'My mutated Ghost Vine is one of the rare martial souls in the Douluo Continent. Not many plants could suppress it.'
I stared at Ghost Vine and commented, "Ghost Vine mutated with dark elements. What a surprise. From the look of it, you have absorbed spirit rings that mainly focused on parasitism and poison."
"Not a bad choice, but it's not the best."
"You should have hunted a plant with a dark element so your Ghost Vine could further enhance its origin and have a chance to evolve into a stronger Martial Soul."
"When that time comes, your Ghost Vine will become a top-tier Martial Soul."
"Why are you saying this to me?" Jue, the son of Spirit King and Spirit Ancestor, argued back.
I chuckled, "Because you're stupid and naive."
"You will die if you attempt to absorb anything with lightning elements. Yang is the opposite of Yin, and the Ghost Vine, which is inherently born from Yin, becomes stronger because it has mutated with the darkness element."
"What do you think will happen if you try to absorb a spirit ring from a plant spirit beast with a lightning element, which is strong Yang? Also, didn't your father know this plant spirit beast is estimated to be 7,000 years old or older, above your absorption limit?"
"With your physique, you can only absorb a spirit ring that is up to 1,100 years old."
"Impossible!" The Spirit King becomes as pale as paper. "My friend tells me the plant is only 1,200 years old!"
"Then, your friend is lying." I shrugged my shoulders casually.
"My information came from the Merchant Union and is legit. Do you want to gamble which one is truer?"
"Dear..." The Spirit Ancestor, who had been quiet all this time, grabbed her husband's sleeve.
The Spirit King glanced at his wife and son. He sighed because he knew I wasn't lying. After all, Merchant Union's reputation is good despite being a new group.
"What about this?" I clapped my hands. "On our way to this grassland, we encountered a Moonshine Flower around 1,200 years old, suitable for your son's Ghost Vine. You tell me the location of the plant-type spirit beast with the lightning element, and I will tell you the location of the Moonshine Flower."
"I agree!" Jue was the one who responded.
"Jue!" The Spirit King was speechless.
"Father, I think this person's analysis is right. My Ghost Vine indeed can wield darkness in some capacity, but I felt like it became weaker and weaker as I absorbed the first and second spirit rings meaning that they aren't the best choice for me." The son said solemnly.
"Moonshine Flower is very suitable for me and might help my Ghost Vine to grow stronger."
"Okay, then..." The Spirit King sighed in helplessness.
He stared at me, "Let's trade."
I laughed, "It's nice to meet people with an open mind."
After exchanging information with them, Liu Erlong suddenly invited the Spirit King's son into her academy, Blue Tyrant Academy.
"Join my academy, boy. I guaranteed a mimetic training ground and focus training of a plant-type martial soul would make you grow faster."
"Blue Tyrant Academy." The family of three was shocked. Of course, they heard of this Spirit Academy that willingly cultivates commoners.
Even then, the Spirit King said they would reconsider before disappearing into the forest.
"What's with the sudden recruitments?" I asked curiously.
Liu Erlong smiled, "That boy is only around 14, and reaching a half-step Spirit Ancestor at such age proves he was a genius. My Blue Tyrant Academy needed such a student."
"In fact... Why don't you join my Blue Tyrant Academy, Xiao Yuan?"
"I don't know how old you are exactly, but you're definitely younger than that kid, Jue."
"And your mutated Blue Silver Grass is much stronger than his mutated Ghost Vine, meaning you're a monster compared to a little genius like him."
"I can also protect you better in Blue Tyrant Academy!" She finished her words with an excited look. For a moment, I felt like she was going to push me to the ground and kiss me.
'What the fuck? What is this? Did I accidentally make Liu Erlong into a good dean for Blue Tyrant Academy after manipulating her a little?' I was speechless.