After transmigrating to this world, Salas didn't indulge in sex, even though he had every chance to have any woman he liked.
He only used those beautiful women for massages or as lap pillows to sleep on.
It's not that Salas didn't want to ravish them... he very much wanted to enjoy them.
As someone who was a virgin until 21 years old, how could he not think about tasting women when he now had power?
But Salas forcefully controlled his impulses. It wasn't wise to indulge in them right now.
He clearly understood the problems that would arise once he started giving in to lust.
Aside from his own hidden beastly nature, there was also a chance that the original Salas's memories and desires could influence him. At that point, he was sure he'd stop caring about any goals or ambitions and only think about enjoying every woman in this world.
That was very dangerous…
He had seen many people on Earth fall to lust and love.
Salas knew himself best—he wouldn't overestimate his own willpower by thinking he could handle it once that lust erupted.
He was just a 21-year-old boy who had never touched a woman. His willpower was weak, and he was aware of it. Once he tasted the forbidden fruit, he knew he wouldn't stop.
So, at least until he could control himself, Salas decided to hone his mind and body.
The second reason was… his current body was really weak. Due to the original Salas's overindulgence, he was even experiencing back pain. Not to mention, this body was thin and had lost most of its energy.
Salas was sure that if he indulged for even a few more months, his snake would become completely useless.
So before strengthening his body and recovering his energy, Salas didn't want to take any risks.
What if he could never wake up his snake again? Salas didn't even want to imagine that outcome.
It's a matter of a man's pride…
That was the main reason—the fear of losing his pride.
"I'll just stay put for some time. This period will help me hone my mind and get used to the beautiful girls of this world," Salas muttered. He could find positivity even in the worst of situations.
Isn't it just a matter of waiting until his body gets stronger and suppressing his urges in the meantime? It's simple. He could do it.
As they say, only those who can suppress their urges can succeed in life.
---
As Salas appreciated the beauties of this world, the fight had already started.
Forced by the situation, the Shrek Seven Devils had no choice but to fight the Soul King teacher from Blue Sunshine Academy.
After all, they had to act according to Shrek Academy's teachings:
"Not daring to cause trouble is mediocrity."
So, in a way, they were forced to insult the Blue Sunshine Academy members and forced to fight them.
In the end, Zhao Wuji also made his move, slapping the Soul King named Ye Zhiqiu with a single blow.
The whole situation proved once again: bullying the weak with strength had always been the norm of this world. The biggest fist is always right.
With that, the small episode ended.
Salas could no longer enjoy the beauties of the world, since the girls had gone to rest.
He also booked a room and began cultivating.
After absorbing the 25,000-year soul ring, even though his soul power didn't quite reach level 84, it was already more than halfway there.
If he cultivated daily, it would only take a little more than a year to break through to level 84.
Although a few days of cultivation might seem insignificant once his talent improves or he absorbs more soul rings, Salas's original intention was to build a routine. Practicing daily was a way to hone his mind and discipline himself.
Once he leave the Spirit Hall and begin training with the Clear Sky Hammer, this dedication would help him immensely.
---
Morning came.
When Tang San, Zhao Wuji, and the others woke up and headed toward Star Dou Forest, Salas followed them after activating his "Mirroring Stealth" soul skill.
After thinking it through, Salas decided to stay completely hidden.
If he followed without using the skill, it would be too conspicuous. Zhao Wuji would definitely notice him.
With his increased spiritual power, Salas could now recall most of what he'd read about the Douluo Dalu novel.
He was fairly certain that Tang San would encounter the Man-Faced Demon Spider on the second or third night after entering Star Dou Forest.
So if he followed them without activating his stealth for two days straight, no matter how careful he was, he'd eventually be spotted.
Thus, he chose to use his soul skill from the start, recovering soul power in between. By the second night, once he sensed the Titan Giant Ape's presence, he'd enter full mirroring stealth mode.
After all, when the Titan Giant Ape arrived, if Salas was still out in the open, it would definitely target him as the strongest nearby.
If the Titan Giant Ape didn't appear on the second night, he could deactivate the skill the next morning and wait again. That way, he'd manage the cooldown time smartly.
All in all, Salas was confident the Titan Giant Ape appeared at night in the novel—not during the day. That gave him some buffer for misjudgment.
---
Soon, Salas entered the Star Dou Forest with Zhao Wuji and the others.
He silently observed everything unfold.
After an hour, the group encountered a few soul beasts. But under Tang San's reasoning—"If we kill every soul beast we meet, the soul beasts will go extinct"—they took a detour.
Salas couldn't help but smile inwardly at Tang San's words.
On average, a soul master needed to hunt six soul rings, including powerful soul beasts. If one powerful beast was killed, that loss was permanent. Unlike weaker soul beasts, high-tier ones take thousands of years to reappear.
As someone who read the later installments of Douluo Dalu, Salas knew Tang San's words would eventually come true.
Zhao Wuji also shared how beautiful and lively the forest had been when he was younger—how even the outer regions had many thousand-year beasts. But now, few remained.
Salas silently watched everyone. Most of the time, his eyes stayed on the three girls. He openly admired their curves while using the moment to hone his willpower.
After four more hours—what Tang San and the others referred to as two 'double hours' in Douluo terms—the Phoenix-Tailed Crescent Serpent appeared.