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"It seems that old man is no ordinary person either!"
Hearing his granddaughter's sigh, Ye Cien's eyes held a smile.
"That old man's aura was plain and unadorned, yet upon closer inspection, it exuded a profound and deep quality, having already reached the realm of returning to simplicity. Even I, who have always prided myself on extensive experience, have only seen a few such powerhouses in my life."
Pausing, Ye Cien continued, "As for the little one beside him, he is equally extraordinary. Don't let his appearance, similar to your age, deceive you; in my perception, his age is definitely not great, and he might have even just awakened his Spirit."
Ye Lingling's face suddenly showed shock. Coming to the Star Dou Great Forest right after Awakening one's Spirit—the implications were obvious. That boy was very likely a super Genius with Innate full spirit power, or at the very least, a Titled Douluo seed with Innate spirit power reaching at least ninth rank.
Such Geniuses were as rare as Phoenix feathers on the Douluo Continent; at least Ye Lingling had never seen one in Heaven Dou City, which was known as a "gathering of heroes."
Looking at the undisguised surprise in his granddaughter's eyes, Ye Cien's face still held a gentle smile, but his fingertips quietly tightened, and a hint of solemnity flashed deep in his eyes.
"These past few years, the Continent has seemed calm, but in reality, undercurrents are surging," he murmured softly in his heart, his tone tinged with worry.
"The former Supreme Pontiff unexpectedly fell, and undercurrents surged within Spirit Hall; the Clear Sky Sect has secluded itself due to Tang Hao's matter, causing instability in the Seven Great Sects' structure; and now, a mysterious powerhouse who has returned to simplicity has appeared, bringing with him an unparalleled Genius…"
He let out a soft sigh, his gaze fixed on the distant, continuous mountain ranges, as if he could pierce through layers of dense forest to see the hidden crises across the Continent: "This is like a seemingly calm ocean; the surface is placid, but beneath, who knows how many turbulent undercurrents and whirlpools are hidden. This calm, I fear, will not last much longer."
...In the deep, dense forest, tall trees rose from the ground, their strong branches intertwined like a net, tightly locking the daylight out of the forest. Only a few beams of light struggled to penetrate the layers of green, transforming into slender golden rays that quietly flowed onto the moss-covered ground, interweaving with the surrounding deep green, adding a refreshing tranquility.
At this moment, an old man and a young boy were traversing the forest, treading on fallen leaves. The surrounding bushes grew denser, and the coolness seeping from the branches and leaves intensified.
"Alright, it's getting late. Let's rest here for the night and continue our journey tomorrow," the Grand Elder said, setting Chen Yi down from his shoulder, his gaze sweeping over the rare open space before them.
After landing, Chen Yi stretched his legs, the crisp sound of his joints particularly clear in the forest. He looked up at the intertwined branches and leaves above, the chirping of insects noisy in his ears, mixed with the rustling of distant leaves, and the urgency for a Breakthrough surged within him again.
"Fourth Grandfather, how far are we from the place Uncle Li mentioned?"
Before departing this morning, Li Yu had informed Chen Yi of the necessary Spirit Beast information and its past whereabouts.
The Grand Elder saw the undisguised eagerness in his eyes and couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile—although this child's mind was more mature than his peers, having been stuck at rank twenty since his Spirit Awakening, he inevitably developed a greater obsession with Breakthrough.
"We should arrive around noon tomorrow. The Spirit Beasts you're looking for are all top-tier, mostly hidden deep within the mixed zone, some even near the edge of the core zone. Whether it's a Wind Baboon or a Dreadclaw Bear, they all like to stay in that area. We're still on the edge of the mixed zone now; we'll search slowly over the next few days, and we're bound to encounter one. Don't rush."
Chen Yi naturally knew that when choosing a spirit ring on the Douluo Continent, the age limit was easy to find, but the difficulty lay in combining it with high quality. To find a Spirit Beast excellent in both aspects, spending two or three months was common, but the drive in his heart still couldn't be suppressed.
As soon as he finished speaking, the Grand Elder suddenly raised an eyebrow, turned to look at Chen Yi, and a familiar mischievous smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "But, you can't neglect your studies before we find our target."
"Huh?!" Seeing that "unfriendly" smile, Chen Yi stiffened all over, subconsciously tensing his nerves—these past few days, whenever Fourth Grandfather showed that expression, he was sure to be put through the wringer.
"Look, behind you," the Grand Elder nudged his chin towards Chen Yi's back, a hint of slyness hidden in his laughter.
Chen Yi spun around abruptly, only to see a Spirit Beast standing upright not far away, vigilantly staring at them. The Spirit Beast was three meters tall, its brownish-yellow fur gleaming with a rough luster under the mottled light and shadow. Its brown eyes were full of fierce light, its unusually long arms hung by its sides, its sharp claws glinted coldly, and its lips were slightly parted, revealing clear, sharp canines.
Seeing the Spirit Beast's appearance, Chen Yi's face twitched slightly—this was a Wind Baboon. It was recorded in the "Spirit Beast Encyclopedia," and he had even seen its silhouette in his previous life during the Peerless Era. This was a Spirit Beast that almost killed a god in the future.
"Hehe, a 1500-year-old Wind Baboon, not bad, right?" The Grand Elder's mischievous laugh sounded close to his ear, "Next, it's time for your practical combat lesson."
"Perform well."
Although Chen Yi only had his first spirit ring, he had already touched the threshold of rank twenty. Coupled with his Physical Body, tempered from a young age in the Body Sect, and having learned many self-created Spirit Abilities left by his predecessors, even if he couldn't kill it in one blow, dealing with this Wind Baboon was more than enough.
When the Wind Baboon first saw the two humans, its eyes were full of greed, thinking they were prey delivered to its doorstep. But after only a few steps closer, the moment it glimpsed the Grand Elder, instinctive fear instantly seized it, causing it to retreat repeatedly and turn to flee into the dense forest.
But how could Chen Yi give it a chance? spirit power suddenly lit up beneath his feet, a purple spirit ring rising from his soles, and his figure shot out like an arrow from a bowstring—that was his self-created movement-based Spirit Ability, practiced for several years, with light yet swift steps, catching up to the Wind Baboon's retreating figure in an instant.
He flipped his palm, and purple-gold spirit power rapidly condensed in his palm, forming a fierce palm print. This was another self-created Spirit Ability of the Body Sect, striking directly at the Wind Baboon's back with a whooshing sound!
The Wind Baboon keenly sensed the fierce force attacking from behind, and it spun around abruptly, fierce light erupting in its brown eyes. Its unusually long arms swept out with howling claw winds, its sharp claws almost grazing Chen Yi's cheek.
But Chen Yi's hand didn't stop. With a "smack," the palm print landed squarely on the Wind Baboon's shoulder. At the same time, he bent his waist sharply backward, avoiding the fatal claw by a hair's breadth with an almost exaggerated arc, though his clothes were torn by the claw wind.
Before he could catch his breath, the Wind Baboon roared and pounced again, its foul stench assailing him. Chen Yi gritted his teeth and lowered his stance, spirit power surging through his Meridians to his fists, completely fusing the Physical Body strength tempered by the Body Sect with his spirit power. A fist print slammed fiercely into the Wind Baboon's side!
With a muffled "thump," his fist struck the thick fur, and most of the force was deflected. The Wind Baboon merely swayed, its eyes instead turning red with rage.
It lunged forward, wrapping its arms tightly around Chen Yi's waist, squeezing his chest and making his breathing halt for half a beat. Its sharp canines pressed towards his neck, the foul smell making Chen Yi's brows furrow. He endured the suffocating sensation, suddenly bent his knees, and used all his strength to thrust at the Wind Baboon's abdomen—that was where the fur was thinnest and the body was softest!
"Awooo!" The Wind Baboon shrieked in pain, and its arms around him suddenly loosened. Chen Yi seized the opportunity, twisted his body to break free from its embrace, tapped his toes on the Wind Baboon's shoulder, and flipped to its back. spirit power surged wildly in both hands, stacking the force of his palm and fist, condensing into a more solid purple-gold light mass than before, which he slammed fiercely onto the back of the Wind Baboon's head!
"Roar—!"
The Wind Baboon roared in pain, its massive body swayed, but its ferocity was completely ignited. Disregarding the severe pain in the back of its head, it turned and pounced again.
Just then, the purple spirit ring on Chen Yi's body suddenly lit up, and a pale purple field with crackling electric arcs spread out with him at its center—it was his first Spirit Ability, "Guiding Thunder to the Heart"!
The Wind Baboon's body abruptly froze mid-pounce. Fine electric arcs instantly wrapped around its body, exploding among its brownish-yellow fur, leaving behind dense, tiny blood marks. The current drilled into its body through the wounds, causing the Wind Baboon to convulse all over, its limbs instantly going numb.
Chen Yi seized this fleeting opportunity, rushed forward, and unleashed alternating punches. Each punch carried the dual force of spirit power and Physical Body, slamming fiercely into the Wind Baboon's chest and abdomen.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Seven punches landed consecutively, each hitting flesh. The Wind Baboon howled repeatedly, its massive body being knocked back again and again. As the last punch fell, Chen Yi took the opportunity to lift his foot and kick it fiercely in the chest, sending it flying backward to crash heavily against a tree trunk.
"Boom!" The tree trunk trembled, and leaves rustled down. The Wind Baboon struggled to get up from the ground, blood continuously gushing from its mouth and nose, the fierce light in its eyes long replaced by fear. The barrage of punches and kicks had almost shattered its internal organs. It dared not stay any longer, turning to stumble into the dense forest, disappearing in a flash.
Watching the Wind Baboon flee, the spirit power on Chen Yi's body slowly dissipated. He leaned against a nearby tree trunk, gasping for air.
The pain from where the claw wind grazed his shoulder and the constriction around his waist came in waves, but his eyes were astonishingly bright.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles slightly white—this was his first real combat, and he won!