Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 25: Entering the Sunset Forest

After a two-hour journey by carriage, Yang Wudi and Yang Potian finally arrived at the edge of the Sunset Forest.

Outside the forest lay a small soul-hunting town. Although small, the town bustled with people from all walks of life. The main attractions were restaurants, hotels, and stalls selling all kinds of gear for surviving in the forest.

Seeing Yang Potian's curiosity, Yang Wudi didn't rush to enter the forest. Instead, he took his grandson on a walk around the town.

The town was mostly filled with vendors selling survival gear for the forest: knives, swords, bows, arrows, ropes, tents, and even food items like dried meat, perfect for long journeys in the forest. Starting fires in the forest was unwise and, in many cases, outright dangerous, as the light could attract vicious spirit beasts—particularly at night when poisonous spiders and ants emerged.

Some stalls sold items that might seem insignificant but were essential for a safe night in the forest, such as the dung of powerful spirit beasts like the Titan Giant Ape or certain venomous spiders. These items might not look like much, but their scent could repel many spirit beasts, providing a measure of safety for those who camped out.

Additionally, vendors sold various products sourced from the forest itself: spirit beast parts like rhino horns or bear paws, which were either highly nutritious or held medicinal value. Some vendors even sold toxic or medicinal herbs harvested from deep within the forest, where few dared to tread, making these rare herbs valuable treasures.

One of the largest groups in the town was the mercenaries, whose main service was hunting spirit beasts to obtain the rings their clients needed. The price depended on the rarity and age of the spirit beast and could be extremely high. Hunting a basic century-old spirit beast could cost thousands of gold coins, while a millennial beast would cost tens of thousands. Rare or aggressive beasts commanded even higher prices, and for ten-thousand-year beasts, few mercenaries were willing to take the risk, as such hunts usually required Soul Emperor-level strength and deeper excursions into the forest, which were highly dangerous.

When hiring mercenaries to hunt a spirit beast, the client's consent was usually required for the mercenary to keep the beast's corpse and any valuable materials. This arrangement could be risky—if a soul bone was found, some mercenaries might succumb to greed and betray or even kill their employer, as a soul bone's worth was astronomical. The recent auction Yang Potian attended, where a mere millennium-level soul bone sold for hundreds of thousands of gold coins, illustrated just how valuable they could be.

After taking Yang Potian on a full tour of the town, Yang Wudi led him into the Sunset Forest.

Unlike the Empire-controlled spirit beast forests, the Sunset Forest required no permit for entry. Although it didn't contain any known hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts, it had plenty of high-level beasts, making it the largest spirit beast forest in the Heaven Dou Empire.

As Yang Wudi and Yang Potian entered, some mercenaries watched them curiously. A few of them considered approaching to offer their services but were quickly intimidated by Yang Wudi's fierce expression. Yet, others seemed to murmur amongst themselves, even shifting furtively in and out of sight.

Upon entering the Sunset Forest, Yang Wudi and Yang Potian slowed their pace. The forest was dense with towering trees and plants, mostly dominated by Blue Silver Grass and other unidentifiable shrubs and vines. Walking through it felt like stepping onto a natural carpet of overgrown greenery, where even the worn trails appeared almost hidden.

In the forest, strange sounds surrounded them: hissing, chirping, and the occasional growl. Birds flew overhead, their calls echoing in the vast expanse.

Yang Wudi didn't rush to find a spirit beast for Yang Potian. Instead, he took time to teach his grandson about the forest and the various spirit beasts and plants they encountered.

For example, when they passed a patch of bamboo, he pointed out a spirit beast known as the Lone Bamboo. Although this beast had relatively weak offensive capabilities, it could be dangerous if approached too closely. They also encountered seemingly ordinary vines, which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be spirit beasts capable of ensnaring anyone who ventured too near. They encountered a few other creatures, such as spider and ant spirit beasts, but most were only at the ten-year level and held little value.

The entire day passed slowly, yet they hadn't come across a suitable spirit beast. While they had seen a couple of strength-type beasts, their age was too low to meet Yang Potian's needs.

As night began to fall, Yang Wudi chose a clearing and set up a tent, spreading some soul beast dung around the perimeter to ward off potential threats.

Once they had settled, Yang Wudi turned to his grandson, smiling. "Potian, after a full day in the Sunset Forest, what are your impressions?"

Yang Potian replied thoughtfully, "Grandfather, it's clear that the forest is filled with danger. Even the smallest spirit beasts can pose a real threat, and there's a constant sense of looming attacks."

Yang Wudi nodded approvingly. "Well said. In the spirit beast forest, you can never let your guard down—not even for a moment. If you do, there's no telling what might strike next. Some attacks are outright deadly."

He gestured around. "We're only on the outskirts of the Sunset Forest. Once you get closer to the heart of the forest, you'll encounter far more dangerous spirit beasts, some even at the eighty-thousand-year level. I've encountered such beasts before, and their power nearly rivals a human Titled Douluo."

Yang Potian was wide-eyed. "But Grandfather, surely anything under ten thousand years would be easy for you to handle?"

Yang Wudi chuckled, "Yes, a ten-thousand-year beast is no threat to me. I can even take down a spirit beast between fifty to seventy thousand years old. But remember this: in a spirit beast forest, never get injured. The smell of blood will attract countless spirit beasts and put you in an unending cycle of battles."

"Also," he continued, "once you enter a forest like this, it's usually with the goal of obtaining a spirit ring. If you're injured, it'll affect your ability to absorb the spirit ring and defend yourself. Always prioritize protecting yourself, and avoid unnecessary battles."

"Remember, Potian, the most dangerous things in the forest aren't always spirit beasts. Sometimes, the greatest threat is from other people." He paused, his eyes scanning the forest. "Like now."

It was clear that Yang Wudi had sensed something.

(End of Chapter)

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