Through the long river of time, hours flowed by as silently as water, yet every moment was pregnant with new hope and possibility. At last, the crucial moment arrived—Lin Yu was about to take that vital step in his life to obtain his first Spirit Ring.
On this day, the sky was as brilliantly blue as a flawless sapphire, clear and deep. Sunlight cascaded softly down, draping the earth like a veil of golden gauze, bringing warmth and light to the entire world.
Lin Yu and Su Yao walked side by side, their figures harmonizing effortlessly. Close behind them followed several instructors from the Spirit Temple, acting as a solid bastion of strength that offered the pair endless support and protection.
With firm strides, the group walked into the vast, boundless, and mysterious Star Dou Great Forest. (The Star Dou Great Forest is one of the three major gathering places for spirit beasts on the Douluo Continent. Rumor has it that at the center of the Star Dou Great Forest live Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, but Lin Yu knew this was no mere rumor; he understood from the Douluo Continent novel that the center housed at least two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts: the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Great Ape.) This place felt like a completely alien world, fraught with endless unknowns and latent dangers. Every towering tree scraped the sky, their dense foliage intertwining into a canopy of green that made one feel utterly insignificant.
Lin Yu and Su Yao walked with cautious steps, their eyes filled with vigilance and curiosity. A mysterious aura permeated the forest, seemingly concealing countless untold secrets. They could sense the shifting environment around them—a gentle breeze sweeping past, leaves rustling softly as though whispering of something.
"Everyone must be extremely cautious and maintain a high level of vigilance at all times," the lead instructor said, his expression grave and his tone solemn as he issued the reminder. His gaze was sharp as a hawk's, sweeping across everyone's face as if trying to pierce through the fear and unease buried deep in their hearts.
"Understood, Instructor," Lin Yu and Su Yao replied in unison. They exchanged a glance, clearly reading a steadfast resolve and courage in each other's eyes. It was a brave exploration of the unknown, an undaunted pursuit of the future. Taking a deep breath, they gripped their martial souls tightly, ready to face the impending challenge.
Once inside the forest, every step forward seemed laden with a heavy sense of caution. The tall and dense trees all around intertwined their trunks and branches, forming patches of scenery akin to a verdant canopy. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled, dancing shadows upon the ground like enigmatic symbols.
The ground was carpeted with thick fallen leaves, and every step produced a faint rustling sound, as though the earth were whispering secrets. Occasionally, subtle noises drifted from afar—perhaps the chirping of a bird, or the howling of wind through the woods, but more often than not, there was a profound silence, so still it felt suffocating. This quiet seemed to remind people to stay constantly alert and never slacken for even a second.
Looking out at the endless forest ahead, Su Yao felt a trace of bewilderment welling up in her heart. She softly asked Lin Yu beside her, "Searching for spirit beasts so aimlessly like this, can we really find one that suits us?"
Lin Yu frowned slightly, his gaze turning deep. After a moment of silence, he slowly replied, "It certainly won't be easy, but as long as we observe and feel with our hearts, we'll eventually make a discovery. Remember what the instructor told us? Every type of spirit beast has its own unique living environment and habits. As long as we follow those traits, we're bound to gain something." With that, Lin Yu resumed walking forward, his gaze focused and resolute.
The two of them strolled slowly along the forest path, carefully observing everything around them so as not to miss the slightest trace that might conceal a spirit beast's tracks. From time to time, Lin Yu would stop, crouch down, and inspect footprints on the ground or disturbed patches of earth, attempting to unearth clues of spirit beast activity. Fully absorbed in the task, he seemed to forget the passage of time, single-mindedly intent on finding the spirit beast that belonged to him.
"Look, the bushes over there seem to have been trampled," Lin Yu said, pointing at a patch of undergrowth not far away.
The group immediately gathered around. After conducting a meticulous inspection, the instructor said, "This should have been left by some small spirit beast passing through; it's not the target we're looking for."
They continued forward, discovering a few similar traces along the way, but none of them matched what they eagerly anticipated.
As time ticked away bit by bit, everyone's mood gradually grew somewhat anxious.
"Don't worry, be patient. We'll definitely find one," Lin Yu reassured the others.
Just then, Lin Yu suddenly caught a peculiar scent. Following the direction of the smell, he peered into the distance and spotted something moving beneath a tree far off.
"There seems to be something going on over there," Lin Yu said, lowering his voice. His gaze locked tightly onto a direction not far ahead, having apparently detected an anomaly.
Hearing this, the others halted in their tracks and cautiously crept toward that direction. Daring not to make too much noise lest they startle any potential danger, they drew closer and discovered that it was merely a rabbit-sized spirit beast gnawing on a plant.
It emitted a faint ripple of spirit power and didn't appear special in the least. "This is just a very ordinary spirit beast, not the one we're looking for," the instructor observed after a moment. A wave of disappointment washed over the group, but they pressed on nonetheless. They had been searching this mountain forest for a long time yet had still failed to locate their target spirit beast. As the seconds dragged on, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.
Just at that moment, a low roar echoed from the mountain forest ahead, as though some terrifying creature were approaching. The expressions of the group shifted, and they cast wary glances all around. However, the roar quickly faded, and the mountain forest returned to tranquility. "What was that just now?" someone asked in a low voice. "I don't know... but it sounded like some powerful spirit beast." Another person replied. They looked at each other, a sinister premonition welling up in their hearts. For the remainder of the journey, the group grew even more cautious, terrified of meeting with misfortune.
After a long and grueling search, they finally discovered unusual signs within a valley. A faint pressure lingered in the air; huge claw marks scarred the ground, and the surrounding vegetation showed traces of trampling and destruction. "Powerful spirit beasts definitely haunt this place," a flash of excitement crossed the instructor's eyes. He knew they had finally found a lead. Thrilled, the group quickened their pace, tracking in the direction of the claw marks.
At that instant, a low growl drifted from the depths of the valley. The expressions of the group shifted instantly; Lin Yu gripped his sword tightly, bracing himself for battle. Then, a massive figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the valley. It was a Netherworld Wolf, its body as large as a calf. Pitch-black fur gleamed with a chilling luster under the sunlight, sharp fangs inspired involuntary dread, and ferocious light flashed within its eyes.
"It's a Netherworld Wolf!" the instructor said in a low voice. "Judging by its aura, it should be a hundred-year spirit beast—just right for Lin Yu." Lin Yu took a deep breath, a resolute gleam flashing through his eyes. He knew full well that this was the challenge he had to face.
The Netherworld Wolf stalked forward step by step, each stride carrying an overwhelming pressure that struck terror into the heart. Lin Yu gripped his sword, keeping his gaze locked onto the beast. Seemingly sensing their presence as well, the Netherworld Wolf let out a low roar and lunged fiercely at them.
With a flash, Lin Yu sidestepped the Netherworld Wolf's assault. Waving his sword, he slashed a fierce bolt of sword Qi toward the beast. The Netherworld Wolf dodged to the side, evading the blade energy, but the attack left a deep gouge in the ground.
Launching another attack, the Netherworld Wolf opened its maw and spewed a ball of black flames. Lin Yu retreated swiftly while swinging his sword to disperse the dark fire. However, the Netherworld Wolf possessed blistering speed; in an instant, it closed the distance to Lin Yu, baring its sharp fangs to bite him.
Startled, Lin Yu hurriedly raised his sword to block the attack. The sheer force of the Netherworld Wolf left his arm numb. Refusing to yield, Lin Yu mustered all his strength to shove the beast away. Then, flashing behind the Netherworld Wolf, he thrust his sword straight into its back.
Wounded, the Netherworld Wolf let out a miserable screech. It spun around to counterattack, but Lin Yu had already seized the opportunity to retreat. The two locked into a fierce battle, exchanging blows in an evenly matched deadlock.