noveltune Chapter 235 The Hunt
Chapter 235 The Hunt
Chapter 235 The Hunt
"well"
Keke sighed and said, "As you know, Sister Orange has joined the army, so there's almost no chance for you two anymore."
Zi Mu's expression stiffened, but he didn't refute anything further.
Even though Zimu had realized this future, it was still the first person he cared about, and Zimu couldn't let go of it in a short time.
"I've already applied to graduate early," Keke suddenly said.
"I plan to go find her. Ju Zi is alone in the army. Even if she has a powerful backer, she's probably under a lot of pressure. With me here, I can help Ju Zi."
Huo Yuhao, who was watching the show, twitched his ears slightly.
Coco, Orange.
It seems that during the time when these two were on vacation a year later, they were attacked and surrounded by rebels.
Do you need my help?
After thinking about his relationship with Ju Zi, Huo Yuhao realized that he and Ju Zi actually had almost no interaction outside of the laboratory.
However, if Ju Zi were alive, she could probably cause quite a bit of trouble for Dai Hao's cheapskate father, right?
"coward……"
Seeing that Zimu kept his head down and didn't say anything, Keke muttered something under her breath and then stopped talking to Zimu about oranges.
As Ju Zi's best friend and confidante, Ke Ke actually hopes that Ju Zi can find a lover, at least to help Ju Zi get out of her hatred.
However, the most promising suitor is a coward. He makes grand pronouncements, but if you really make him abandon his roots at Mingdetang and join the army to get closer to Ju Zi, he'll be scared.
There's no way that someone like that can help Orange overcome the trauma of what happened back then.
After eating and drinking their fill, the three set off again, flying intermittently for another two hours, covering more than 600 kilometers, and finally arriving at the edge of the Jingyang Mountains before nightfall.
"As the fifth largest gathering place of soul beasts on the entire continent and the largest in the Sun Moon Empire, the Jingyang Mountains have nurtured unique soul beasts due to their rich mineral resources. If you want to know where in the Sun Moon Empire you can find a soul beast with the right spiritual attribute, apart from the Evil Eye Forest, which ranks sixth in the Sun Moon Empire, the Jingyang Mountains are the most likely place."
Looking at the endless mountains and forests in the distance, Keke took the initiative to introduce the Jingyang Mountains to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao nodded, indicating that he was listening.
"Hey, that branch line is our main target this time."
Coco took out a map and, using the glow of the setting sun, pointed to a mountain ridge in the distance:
"According to the school's intelligence, a special spiritual attribute mineral vein was once discovered there. Our route is to follow that ridge towards the main peak, until we reach the edge of the main peak. Regardless of whether we find a suitable soul beast, we must return directly."
The Jingyang Mountain Range resembles a spider, with eight branches guarding the core main peak area like eight legs. The main peak is not only rich in mineral and soul beast resources, but may also contain more than one hundred thousand-year-old soul beast. Even the team with the highest number of Soul Kings can only linger around the outer perimeter of the main peak. Once they go deep, they will be targeted by multiple soul beasts that are over ten thousand years old, and they may be doomed.
Having traveled all day, and with the night approaching when the spirit beasts were active, the three naturally chose to rest outside for the night, only officially entering the Jingyang Mountains the next morning.
Huo Yuhao finally got to see the experimental project.
"So it really is this thing. What is this? Is it the convergence of world lines?"
Looking at the strange soul tool in front of him, Huo Yuhao didn't know why he immediately thought of Dr. Zombie King from Plants vs. Zombies 2 in his previous life.
A giant iron ball supporting six mechanical legs—the visual style is truly bizarre.
Seeing Huo Yuhao staring intently at the soul tool in front of him, Keke volunteered, "Teacher Xuan gave it a name: All-Terrain Detection Soul Tool. See its six legs…"
Hearing Keke's explanation, Huo Yuhao found it hard to believe the value of this thing.
Perhaps influenced by his previous life's technological prowess, Huo Yuhao's approach to dealing with complex terrain was to build bridges over water, carve through mountains, and if all else failed, construct roads. He couldn't understand why it would require spending more energy and operating at a lower efficiency just to have a mobile fortress in complex terrain in the wild.
In Huo Yuhao's view, the only valuable part of the entire soul tool was the control technology of its six mechanical arms, which had a wide range of applications; the soul tool itself was just junk.
It should be noted that even Keke, who is also a level 5 Soul Master, could only maintain the operation of this Soul Guidance Device, which is mainly based on a level 5 core magic array, for half an hour.
Moreover, despite such a huge consumption, it is still not a complete form. Currently, it only has movement and defense functions, and other functions have not been developed. In addition, its speed is pitiful, probably about the same as Huo Yuhao's speed when running at full speed.
but……
How did Mingde Hall manage to precisely control these six mechanical legs, which are divided into three sections, using only a soul-guided array without any mechanical structure?
Huo Yuhao wanted to investigate, but the key structure was covered by a shielding array, and even his mental detection couldn't get much information.
Hmm? There seems to be quite a commotion up ahead.
Having ventured into the forest less than two hours earlier, Huo Yuhao, using his mental detection abilities to scan the surrounding area, quickly discovered a significant disturbance not far ahead.
Is it the wolf pack?
Huo Yuhao extended his mental detection to the direction where he had just detected the commotion, reducing the detection distance to achieve a more detailed detection effect, trying to see clearly what had happened in the distance that could cause such a commotion.
However, before they could get close, a silver wolf suddenly rushed into the detection range and arrived in front of the all-terrain soul tool in a few breaths. It stared at the all-terrain detection soul tool warily and made a low "woof" sound, as if it was showing off.
Upon seeing the figure before her, Keke's eyes lit up: "It's a silver wolf, a rare soul beast! Judging from its size, it should have around three thousand years of cultivation. Zimu, you continue driving, I'll take care of it."
As she spoke, Keke summoned a cannon and was about to jump off the all-terrain detection soul tool to fight Silver Wolf to the death.
Huo Yuhao suddenly said, "Keke, you guys should leave first. There's been quite a commotion ahead. I plan to go investigate by myself."
"Huh?" Keke looked at Huo Yuhao in confusion.
"My martial soul is the Spirit Eye, and I have a soul skill that is specifically for reconnaissance. I vaguely sensed that there was quite a commotion ahead, and it seemed that a pack of wolves was fighting something."
Huo Yuhao's eyes gleamed with golden light as he stared intently into the distance.
Although he couldn't detect the situation on the main battlefield, Huo Yuhao still managed to spot the pack of golden wolves circling the perimeter. Huo Yuhao planned to go check the situation and take this opportunity to shake off the two spies.
"The silver wolf in front of me is a pawn responsible for guarding the perimeter, preventing outside forces from interfering with the wolf pack's hunting. I plan to use my invisibility to go in and take a look; perhaps I can gain some advantage."
Keke frowned and said, "That won't do. Teacher Xuan instructed us to assist you in hunting for your fourth spirit ring. How can we let you go on this adventure alone? Besides, are you sure your invisibility ability can outsmart the wolves' keen sense of smell?"
"Of course, I wouldn't joke around with my own life."
Huo Yuhao said seriously, while also pointing out the difficulties they were facing, trying to make the two of them back down: "There are at least two or three ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts ahead, plus a pack of golden wolves. If it were just me alone, I could still save my life, but if you two were together, it might not be so."
"What?! Two or three ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts?"
Upon hearing this news, Zi Mu felt the urge to withdraw.
Just kidding. Even among the freakish Soul Kings of Shrek Academy, not every one of them has the strength to fight a ten-thousand-year-old Soul Beast in one go. Not to mention the group of sickly Soul Kings from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy. Even with more advanced Soul Tools, beings like Golden Wolf, who can only advance by consuming metal, are already among the stronger ones of their level, and their defensive capabilities are also much stronger.
Zi Mu was silent for a while before speaking, "Ke Ke, why don't we leave first? Huo Yuhao is, after all, a genius of Shrek Academy. He probably has some hidden methods that we don't want us to know. If we stay here, it will only make Huo Yuhao feel a little restrained."
"this"
Keke glanced at Huo Yuhao, who was eager to try, and Zimu, who was having second thoughts. Finally, she sighed and said to Huo Yuhao, "In that case, we'll be leaving first. Be careful, and if you really can't handle it, quit immediately."
As she spoke, Keke took out a map and tossed it to Huo Yuhao.
"After Zimu and I finish testing the soul tools nearby, we will return to the rest area below. In addition, there are military squads stationed here and here. If needed, you can reveal your student identity to seek protection."
Although Keke couldn't give Huo Yuhao the classified map used internally, she still pointed out two military observation points on a civilian map for him.
Thanks.
Huo Yuhao did not refuse, put away the map, and came to the exit of the soul-guided device gate.
"If I haven't left within a week, you should go back to the academy first. Don't wait for me."
"Hello!"
Keke wanted to say something more, but Huo Yuhao had already opened the warehouse door and disappeared in a flash.
"That guy!"
Seeing the silver wolves circling around her growing increasingly impatient, Keke quickly manipulated her all-terrain detection soul tool to retreat.
Just kidding. They weren't afraid of a single silver wolf, but the key issue was that Huo Yuhao had personally mentioned there was a pack of golden wolves nearby. If they got entangled, they would have to activate the emergency escape module.
Seeing the strange, large iron lump gradually disappear from sight, the silver wolf relaxed its guard, sniffing the air lightly to make sure there was nothing else that shouldn't be there nearby.
Huo Yuhao, who was hiding to the side, watched this scene nervously.
Huo Yuhao only breathed a deep sigh of relief after the silver wolf ignored his presence and sped away into the distance.
The essence of the second soul skill, Simulation, is to manipulate space within a certain range to cause spatial distortion, thereby distorting light and creating an illusion. However, it has never been very effective at concealing scents.
Huo Yuhao's solution was to enhance his micro-manipulation of spatial distortion, confining the surrounding air within a certain range and preventing the odor from spreading.
However, in order to prevent the spatial distortion required to imprison the air and the illusion itself from conflicting, Huo Yuhao tried for a long time and only managed to complete it after a period of deep meditation recently.
After stabilizing the simulated state, Huo Yuhao continued to approach the center of the wolf pack.
This is……
On the cliff, Huo Yuhao carefully squeezed next to a thousand-year-old golden wolf, looking down at the center of the battlefield in the valley below.
In the valley, a strange vine-wielding spirit beast dwells, constantly resisting the bites of the golden wolves with its vines.
Despite having the advantage in cultivation, the unknown vine spirit beast could find opportunities to strangle the golden wolves from time to time. However, whenever this happened, the three golden wolf kings on the outpost could always release golden light blades in time to cut the vines, and the golden wolves on the outer perimeter would take their place.
As expected of social animals, they hunt with such order.
But this guy probably deserves some credit for it too.
Huo Yuhao shifted his gaze to the silver figure higher up.
The golden sunlight shone on him, radiating colorful light, making him appear extremely handsome.
With the addition of the three golden wolf kings and this silver wolf king, it seems that the guy in front of us is the fourth soul ring that should have belonged to Huo Gua.
Huo Gua's fourth soul skill - Mental Confusion - is a single-target control attack. If a person's mental strength is less than one-third of Huo Gua's, they will enter a berserk state and become unable to distinguish friend from foe. Otherwise, they will suffer mental damage from mental energy burning and be stunned.
It's a soul skill that's described in a rather mysterious way, but inexplicably became Huo's strongest single-target control skill.
Regardless of whether the enemy or ally is in a berserk state, Huo Yuhao could knock out someone with a normal mental shock even if their mental strength was less than one-third of his own, and the energy consumption was even lower than that of a ten-thousand-year soul ring.
As for the effect of burning spiritual power, its meaning is unclear, especially since the actual effect of mental confusion later on is that it summons a vortex above the target's head, sucking up the target's soul.
I don't know if it's because of the three spoons eating the book or because of the change due to the increase in age.
However, now that Huo Yuhao has the Soul Freeze skill, which is the absolute superior skill for controlling mental attributes, acquiring this soul ring will not increase Huo Yuhao's combat power ceiling.
Although Huo Yuhao didn't need the spirit rings of these two kinds of spirit beasts, this was the first time he had ever seen spirit beast hunting. Who could resist the joy of cricket fighting?
"This vine, whose name I don't know, is going to lose."
Watching the vines whose living space was constantly being squeezed by the golden wolves, Huo Yuhao seemed to see the final outcome.
After all, the golden wolf pack acts as a group, with three ten-thousand-year-old golden wolf kings in the rear, and the Silver Moon Wolf King, which even ordinary Soul Douluo might not be able to defeat, as Huo Gua believes, was the final boss. It can be said that the defeat of this vine-type soul beast was already destined.
The reason it could hold out for so long was because of the plant's strong vitality, constantly producing vines to resist the wolf pack's attack, but eventually it would run out of energy and die.
"Awoo~!"
Suddenly, the Silver Moon Wolf King, standing atop the high cliff, let out a sharp howl, and the golden wolf pack below, as if receiving a command, instantly scattered like birds and beasts.
Huo Yuhao looked closely and realized that the plant-type soul beasts in the valley seemed to have used their trump cards. One after another, enchanting flowers bloomed on the vines, and strange white smoke spread throughout the valley.
Several slow-moving golden wolves in the center of the battlefield collapsed silently to the ground without any struggle after being covered by the white mist. Even the golden wolf king on the periphery of the battlefield took a few steps back, scanning the white mist in front of him with a wary expression.
"This is...poison?"
(End of this chapter)