Chapter 62: Spirit Forest

Talking to Chrysanthemum Douluo a moment ago brought back some memories for Lu Yuan.

Specifically, memories of Chrysanthemum Douluo's Martial Soul.

Chrysanthemum Douluo possessed the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum as his Martial Soul, and there was a place where this type of immortal herb could be found - the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was a destination that he would inevitably have to venture to in the future.

However, he was not familiar with many of the immortal herbs found there. He recalled that Chrysanthemum Douluo possessed knowledge about these immortal herbs in the original story, so there might be a book on the subject that Lu Yuan could borrow and study someday.

These immortal herbs were invaluable treasures for his Spirit Hall, and many of those close to him could benefit from them. Qian Renxue and Hu Liena were among those who could make use of these herbs. As for others, he would have to think about it again when he had the herbs in his hands.

Obtaining the immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could greatly empower his big sister, who was already remarkably talented. With the aid of the immortal herb, she might even have the potential to inherit a God's position.

In the original story, the Shrek Seven Devils - excluding Tang San - had all possessed similar talents to Hu Liena and had gone on to become Gods. Lu Yuan saw no reason why his big sister couldn't achieve the same.

She had been feeling down lately due to the growing gap in their strengths, so this could be just the thing to lift her spirits.

The more Lu Yuan thought about it, the more he believed this idea was excellent.

On the other hand, he didn't need to worry about his Teacher, Bibi Dong, and Qian Renxue. Both of them were destined to become Gods and had likely already started to interact with the Gods.

As for himself, even though he was only at rank 20 currently, he never doubted his ability to become a God. Unless those Gods were blind, he would surely have the opportunity to undergo the God's Trial.

Yet, upon reflection, Lu Yuan hoped that the Gods indeed possessed some level of blindness. If they were to discover the existence of his Second Martial Soul, which directly opposed them, they would most likely want to kill him at any cost.

Although his talent was already top-notch, there was no harm in further improving it. And if he had access to an immortal herb that could enhance his talent, all the better.

For now, there was no need to rush. In the current timeline, Dugu Bo had no knowledge of what those immortal herbs were, so he didn't dare to act recklessly.

While contemplating his plans, the carriage continued to move forward.

...

The next morning.

After a day of travel and a rejuvenating night's rest with his revitalized big sister, the three of them embarked on their journey before dawn. As the sun began to rise, they arrived at the Spirit Forest.

The Spirit Forest was one of the three major advanced Spirit Beast forests under the jurisdiction of the Spirit Hall. Unlike the enclosed lower-level Spirit Beast forests, the Spirit Forest was not completely sealed off. However, the Spirit Hall had established checkpoints on all necessary routes leading to the forest, allowing only those with a hand token from the Spirit Hall to pass through.

Moreover, the token had to be at least of third rank or higher.

These high-level Spirit Beast Forests differed from ordinary forests, as the Spirit Hall had invested significant effort in their development. Many of the Spirit Beasts within these forests had been captured by the Spirit Hall from other locations, spanning several thousand years of history.

It could be said that the current prosperity of these three Spirit Beast forests was inseparable from the efforts of the Spirit Hall. The things one had obtained through their own hard work shouldn't be used by others for free. After all, no one was a saint.

Given their statuses in the Spirit Hall, Lu Yuan, Hu Liena, and Chrysanthemum Douluo easily cleared the checkpoint and entered the Spirit Forest.

As they stepped into the forest, the disparity between the Spirit Forest and the Spirit Hunting Forest Lu Yuan had previously visited became apparent.

The vegetation within the Spirit Forest was abundant, with towering trees reaching tens of meters in height. Spirit Beasts of ten to hundred years could be spotted throughout the forest, living up to its reputation as an advanced Spirit Beast forest.

Nevertheless, it couldn't compare to the vastness of the Star Dou Forest, the largest Spirit Beast Forest on the continent.

However, it wasn't far behind the Sunset Forest in terms of grandeur.

Lu Yuan, Hu Liena, and Chrysanthemum Douluo pressed onward. Lu Yuan's objective was not the hundred-year-old Spirit Beasts; he aimed to encounter higher-level thousand-year-old Spirit Beasts.

With Chrysanthemum Douluo's imposing presence accompanying them, their journey proceeded smoothly, dissuading any Spirit Beast not to be foolish enough to come out and seek death.

After all, compared to humans, Spirit Beasts generally possessed a stronger perception of danger.

The trio ventured deeper into the Spirit Forest, their senses heightened.

With the intention of finding a defense-type Spirit Beast, Lu Yuan focused his search on turtle-type creatures. Such Spirit Beasts were known for their remarkable defensive capabilities and were commonly found near bodies of water or in marshy areas.

So, Lu Yuan proceeded in the direction where the air was damp.

Chrysanthemum Douluo was worthy of being a Title Douluo. In this vast forest, he actually managed to find a river.

The sound of flowing water reached Lu Yuan's ears, signaling their arrival at the right place. Following the sound, they approached the wide riverbank.

Several Spirit Beasts could be seen crawling around the river, catching their attention. Among them were a group of crab-like creatures, each boasting large pincers and an air of arrogance as they moved sideways.

These Ten-Year Spirit Beasts, known as Iron-armored Crabs, possessed a protective layer of armor-like exoskeleton, making them suitable for defense-type Spirit Masters. However, Lu Yuan's interest was not piqued by them.

Instead, his gaze shifted towards his big sister, Hu Liena, and he decided that the Iron-armored Crabs would be their lunch for the day.

These creatures not only had excellent defense but also offered delicious meat with a rich and savory flavor. A sprinkle of salt was enough to turn them into a rare delicacy that Lu Yuan couldn't resist. Nevertheless, he reminded himself that finding a suitable Spirit Ring was their primary goal for now.

Not far from the crabs, several turtle-like Spirit Beasts made their presence known. These Hundred-Year Spirit Beasts, known as Rock Turtles, displayed an earthy brown color and moved at a slow and leisurely pace. Their large size and unique ability called "Petrification," which turned the surface of their bodies into stone armor, made them suitable for earth attribute Spirit Masters. Their defense was commendable.

Rock Turtles could barely be considered as high-level Spirit Beasts, but they were not attractive to Lu Yuan. He pursued at least top-tier Spirit Beasts, or even higher, like super-tier Spirit Beasts.

He strived for perfection with each of his Spirit Rings.

As the trio continued to make their way upstream along the river, they found themselves entering a region with wider water bodies and abundant aquatic plants. The water source here was ample, resulting in higher-quality Spirit Beasts compared to the lower reaches they had previously encountered.

For Spirit Beasts, the strict hierarchy and territorial awareness were much more rigorous than those of humans.

In the world of Spirit Beasts, it was rare for low-level Spirit Beasts to intrude into the territory of high-level ones, as it could threaten their lives.

True to their expectations, as they ventured further upstream, the level of the Spirit Beasts gradually increased. They even came across a Black Scale Mystical Tortoise with a cultivation of one thousand and two hundred years, a temptation that almost swayed Lu Yuan.

However, in the end, Lu Yuan had Chrysanthemum Douluo record its aura and decided to move on. Although the Black Scale Mystical Tortoise was rare, its age of one thousand and two hundred years was still relatively low.

According to his plan, the second Spirit Ring would be best if it had a cultivation level of two thousand years or more. So, even though the Black Scale Mystical Tortoise was quite rare, he decided to temporarily give up on it.

If he couldn't find anything better, he could always come back and absorb it later.

Advancing another kilometer, they arrived at a location known for frequent appearances of Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts. Even the occasional Hundred-Year Spirit Beasts found here possessed exceptional bloodlines, capable of rivaling their Thousand-Year counterparts.

Numerous turtle-type Spirit Beasts roamed the area, each displaying impressive quality.

Suddenly, a golden figure made Hu Liena's eyes shimmer with intrigue as she exclaimed, unable to contain her curiosity, "Younger Brother, look at that turtle in golden armor!"

Lu Yuan's attention was immediately captured by his sister's exclamation, and he turned to witness the emergence of a turtle from a nearby cave.

Instantly, his eyes widened in astonishment, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Golden Armored Dragon Turtle!"