"That's great! Grandpa Zhen, when are we leaving?"
Gu Han's eyes lit up upon hearing that Zhen had already set his sights on a soul beast in the Soul Hunting Forest that matched his needs. Though he maintained a composed exterior, excitement bubbled within him.
Sure enough, seeing Gu Han's reaction brought a warm satisfaction to Master Zhen's heart. Still just a child, he thought with a smile. Raising and guiding him brings its own kind of joy.
"Haha, there's no need to wait. I'll personally take you there today," Zhen said, laughing heartily.
"Thank you, Grandpa Zhen." Gu Han bowed respectfully.
"There's no need for formalities between us," Zhen waved his hand dismissively.
After a quick preparation, a carriage was arranged. Two powerful Great Soul Masters from the Spirit Hall accompanied them—Lu Rentao and another man, a defense-type soul master with a Martial Soul of an Ice Turtle.
This formation—one Soul Sect and two Great Soul Masters—was an unusually strong lineup for such a remote town.
They passed through the guarded gates and entered the snow-blanketed Soul Hunting Forest. Despite it being spring elsewhere, this forest still clung to the grip of winter, with icy winds howling through the trees.
Thanks to information provided by the Spirit Hall, they were guided to an ice lake deep within the forest.
"This is where the pair of Ice Crystal Hedgehogs live. Stay alert," Zhen warned.
With that, the team summoned their martial souls.
Zhen's Martial Soul—a White Polar Bear—caused his small figure to transform into a towering presence over two meters tall, thick white-brown fur bristling on his limbs.
Lu Rentao's Martial Soul was the Snow Wolf Gu Han had seen before—its bloodthirsty green eyes once scared a group of children during the awakening ceremony.
The other Great Soul Master looked… peculiar. Covered in shell-like armor, he resembled a walking tortoise, drawing a barely concealed smile from Gu Han.
Gu Han also summoned his martial soul—the Xuanshuang Sword. Being a weapon-type soul master, he showed little outward transformation.
The formation was simple—Gu Han stood in the center, flanked by the two Great Soul Masters, while Zhen took the lead, eyes scanning the terrain ahead.
Eventually, they discovered a cave on the opposite side of the frozen lake.
"This is likely the den of the Ice Crystal Hedgehog," Zhen said with a serious expression. "Everyone, stand back!"
As his second soul ring lit up, a roar echoed from the phantom of the polar bear behind him.
"Second Soul Skill: Bear Tremor!"
He struck the ground with a mighty blow. A tremor rippled through the area, and a small hedgehog—barely thirty centimeters long—was launched out of the cave.
It was a young Ice Crystal Hedgehog, less than a hundred years old. Zhen instantly struck, trying to subdue it before it escaped.
But before his palm could reach, a furious roar echoed from the cave. A dozen icy sword-shaped projectiles flew out in all directions.
Then, with a burst of frosty air, a much larger Ice Crystal Hedgehog—over three meters tall—emerged. Four jagged sword-spines protruded from its back. This was clearly their target—a 400-year-old soul beast.
"Prepare for battle!" Zhen commanded.
The others responded instantly, shifting into formation. Lu Rentao and the turtle-shelled master flanked the beast, while Markle took point.
The little hedgehog squeaked and darted into the depths of the forest, never looking back.
"Let's go!"
With Zhen's roar, the trio launched a coordinated assault.
The hedgehog let out a chilling cry, unleashing a barrage of icy spikes that forced Lu Rentao and the turtle master to dodge backward.
Zhen's bear paw smashed through the incoming blades, but Gu Han—still at the center—was directly in the path of the attack.
"Not good!"
The three soul masters instantly noticed his predicament. Despite his talent, Gu Han was still only a level 10 soul warrior with no soul ring.
"Xiaohan, get away!" Zhen shouted, charging toward him.
But Gu Han was already moving.
He shifted his stance, executing a precise footwork that allowed him to dodge most of the icy sword auras. For the ones he couldn't avoid, he raised the Xuanshuang Sword and slashed.
A 400-year-old soul beast's attack—yet Gu Han stood firm, wielding his sword with skill and backed by the soul power granted by the nameless law.
The three soul masters were shocked. A mere ten-level soul warrior had withstood such a barrage?
Was this the difference between a genius and an ordinary cultivator?
Still, after several slashes, numbness began creeping up Gu Han's arm. Just then, Markle reached him, stepping in front to deflect the remaining attacks.
"Second Soul Skill: Tear Claw!" Lu Rentao's roar echoed as he slashed at the beast, buying crucial time.
Despite the Ice Hedgehog's strength, it couldn't last against such relentless teamwork.
With a final wail, the soul beast collapsed.
"Xiaohan, give it the finishing blow!" Zhen urged. It was important for Gu Han to strike the final blow, or the soul ring would dissipate and all this effort would be for nothing.
Gu Han nodded. He stepped forward, raised his Xuanshuang Sword, and plunged it into the beast's head.
A soft yellow glow rose from the corpse—the first soul ring had appeared.
"Sit cross-legged. Focus your soul power. Guide the ring into connection."
"Yes."
Gu Han sat calmly and began absorbing the ring. Everything proceeded smoothly—no backlash, no pain. But deep in his mind, something unexpected stirred.
The nameless method began to shine. This had never happened before.
The soul ring's energy was absorbed rapidly, sinking into his Dantian.
A new technique—likely the soul skill—appeared in his mind, but even more startling was this:
The soul ring did not attach to his body.
Instead, it appeared inside the mysterious book within his consciousness.
Along with it came new information—knowledge that hinted the ring could be simulated and—shockingly—its age increased using the nameless method.
This was no ordinary cultivation technique.
This… was a treasure beyond the Douluo Continent.