--- Chapter 10 ---
After organizing ourselves, my sister and I boarded a carriage to the Soul Hunting Forest, fifteen miles from Free Leaf City. I got quick intel that Yin-attributed Spirit Beasts for my sister's Martial Soul lives there.
At that moment, my sister hugged me and slept soundlessly. I didn't want to wake her up and check my status.
"Open, status."
[Opening the Owner's status page]
[Name: Han Yuan]
[Age: Six years old]
[Talent: Eyes of Truth (True)]
[Martial Soul: Purple Silver Grass (+), Clear Sky Ant King (+), Formless Clouds (Incomplete)]
[Physique: Dustless Physique (100%)]
[Physical Strength: Spirit Elder (Level 35)]
[Mental Power: Spirit Connection Realm (300 points)]
[Spirit Rank: Level 10 (Innate Full Spirit Power)]
[Bound Artifact: Sky Poison Pearl (Divine/Incomplete)]
[Martial Technique: Four Basic Arts (Mastered)]
[Self-created Skill: Rasengan (Entry), Spirit Burst (Entry), Chidori (Entry)]
[Cultivation Technique: Insect Vibrato Breathing, Mental Palace Art, Earthly Nourishment Manual]
[Description: A monster in the making, already one step into the unknown path]
I scanned my status page and nodded in satisfaction because everything looked good. My body has reached the middle-stage Spirit Elder, and my mental power has experienced qualitative change, allowing me to absorb a higher age of spirit ring.
I glanced at the Self-created Skill, snickering because experimenting with Spirit Energy allowed him to replicate Rasengan from Naruto.
Of course, I don't know the difference between Chakra and Spirit Energy, so I made too many mistakes when controlling Spirit Energy and blew up many times because of the lack of proper rotation forces and energy compression.
Even then, I successfully replicated Rasengan a few weeks ago.
Spirit Burst is a method of boiling one's Spirit Energy to gain a short burst of strength. One circulation of Spirit Burst would allow me to increase my attack's potency by 50% and will keep growing stronger as my cultivation base improves and my Spirit Energy tempered.
As for Chidori, it was self-explanatory.
After all, I recently awakened Purple Silver Grass, which had the essence of Thunder Hell Prison Vine, a peak creature with extreme talents over lightning elements.
Even though my Chidori is rough compared to what Sasuke could have done, it's better than nothing.
If Rasengan allowed me to crush my enemy, then Chidori allowed me to pierce through it.
The coachman stopped the carriage, "Boy, we have arrived at the Soul Hunting Forest."
I rubbed my sister's cheek, "Sister, wake up. We have reached our destination."
"Hmm, oh?" My sister swayed her head in confusion.
"Thank you for the help, Sir." I sighed and grabbed fifty copper coins, handing them to the coachman.
The coachman smiled, waving his hand. "Haha, it's nothing."
My sister yawned, looking around curiously. She grabbed my hand and said, "Where is the mercenary?"
"The union said they are waiting for us by the Lucky Streak," I replied casually. "It's a pub."
We walked into Soul Hunting Town and found the Lucky Streak Pub on the edge. Upon entering the pub, we are 'quickly' greeted with loud noises and a group of people drinking.
I frowned because these people don't seem to be reliable.
"Silver Crow Mercenary," I said calmly, but my voice reached everyone's heart.
"Show yourself! We are from the Merchant Union."
A burly-looking man walked from the counter and approached me with a friendly smile. "Hello, my name is Yin Bo. The leader of Silver Crows and the one Merchant Union recruited to help you hunt Spirit Beasts."
I observed Yin Bo's face and told him the name I used when founding Merchant Union, "Yang Han."
"This is my sister, Yang Bing." I pointed at my sister.
"Let's cut to the chase."
"I give you three hours to prepare yourself and the group. Meanwhile, we are going to explore Soul Hunting Town first."
"What do you think?"
Yin Bo still maintained his smile, "That sounds fantastic. Then, why don't we meet again at the Soul Hunting Forest's entrance?"
"Okay." I nodded before dragging my sister out of the pub.
As we walked out to the street, I used my mental power to scan and feel what happened in the pub. My guess is correct.
The smile on Yin Bo's face vanished quickly.
"Boss, are we really going to do this?" asked one of Yin Bo's subordinates.
"The Merchant Union is not something we can provoke."
"5,000 Gold Coins isn't enough to help those "noble" brats."
Yin Bo sneered, "That's why we have to catch up with them first. Then, we asked the Merchant Union for a ransom."
"I knew the Merchant Union had a Spirit King, but so what? I'm a strong Spirit Ancestor with Spirit Rank Level 45."
"We can just hide after doing the deed."
"Heh, what a bunch of greedy motherfuckers..." I chuckled coldly.
The Merchant Union had been progressing too smoothly over the past nine months. Some people don't take this little merchant organization seriously and consider it an easy target. Perhaps it's time to show my strength and intimidate these "greedy" people.
"I wonder if you can eat this fat sheep of mine or get swallowed by wolves in sheep's clothing instead."
My sister frowned at the pub and said, "I felt like they are bad people."
"I don't know why."
"Then, you, my sister, have a good sense of character." I joked with a smile.
My sister pouted and continued, "Hmph, those people must be planning something bad."
"Should we do something to them?"
"Do you still have the Poison Needle kits I made for you?" I gave her a calm look.
"I have it here." My sister patted her right thigh. "Are we going to poison them?"
"Yes, keep the kits within range of your hand. Attack them when I give you a signal later." I replied, planning an ambush in my head.
Even though Yin Bo is a Spirit Elder with a Spirit Rank of Level 45, I can tell his Spirit Energy wasn't pure, worse than mine and my sister's by several levels.
It showed that Yin Bo's foundation as Spirit Master is weak.
He probably has poor Spirit Ring configurations.
...
...
Three hours later.
We arrived at the entrance of Soul Hunting Forest and saw Yin Bo and his subordinates waiting for us. I smiled and greeted them politely, giving them a sense of ease.
After giving the permit to the Spirit Hall's guards, my sister calmly followed my lead, and we entered the forest.
The Spirit Beasts we wanted to hunt for my sister are the Moon-Coiled White Snake, Golden-Eyed Tapir, and Darkmoon Wolf. Each possesses the innate ability to manipulate the Yin Element and empower themselves under the moonlight.
Since we wanted to hunt Spirit Beast thousands of years old or above, the Silver Crow Mercenary should have mistaken my sister for Level 30, which made them vigilant of her.
They are still watching me, but their vigilance toward me isn't much. They probably thought I was between Level 10 and Level 20.
After walking for an hour, we finally met our target.
Three Moon-Coiled White Snakes.
Too bad.
None of these snakes reached a 1,000-year range.
We delved deeper into the Soul Hunting Forest and met the two other targets, but spirit beasts over the 1,000-year range are rare here. The oldest one we found so far was the 950-year-old Darkmoon Wolf.
I glanced at the Silver Crow Mercenary and noticed some of them get annoyed because we couldn't find a suitable target after hours of searching.
I observed Yin Bo's friendly face, catching a glimpse of irritation in his eyes. Your expression can lie, but your eyes can't.
Another three hours passed, and the Silver Crow Mercenary was on the verge of condemning me and my sister for wanting a rare spirit beast. I feigned to their contempt and scanned the area calmly.
Suddenly, a white beam hit the ground near them.
BOOM!
A five-meter snake with white scales and moon-coiled patterns all over the body appeared before them. Each moon-coiled pattern means one hundred years of cultivation age, and we saw twenty-four patterns.
"It's the Moon-Coiled White Snake, and it's 2,400-year-old!" Yin Bo and his subordinates grimaced. After all, they are confident fighting spirit beasts around 1,000-year-old to 1,300 years old because that was the "safe" range for Spirit Master's third spirit ring.
This snake is much stronger than that!
I smirked wickedly inside, "This is it! This beast will do!"
"Senior Yin Bo, please help us hunt this snake!"
Before Yin Bo could refuse, the white snake lunged at the Silver Crow Mercenary.
Yin Bo cursed, "Damn it."
Four spirit rings rose from the ground.
Yin Bo's spirit ring configurations are white, light yellow, yellow, and dark yellow.
This guy doesn't even have a thousand-year-old spirit ring, and he dares to offend Merchant Union with Spirit King in it.
"Well, let's dance..." I gave my sister a funny look.
My sister giggled, "Yes, let's dance!"