35 1.000-Years-Old Spirit Soul

Sheng Feilong had just opened his eyes and finished examining the changes of the ancient Hypnotic Toad when Jian Wang neared him. Although they could pass the time by chatting with each other while keeping watch, but after two hours, everyone got more or less restless. Especially Jian Wang who isn't patient to begin with. He had run over to Sheng Feilong as soon as he saw the latter open his eyes.

"Feilong, how was it? Were you able to absorb enough of the Scream Ghost Squirrel's remnant energy to get your artificial Spirit soul to the 1.000 year level?"

Sheng Feilong smiled happily albeit a bit wryly after hearing Jian Wang's question. He couldn't help but amused by his friend's laid back behaviour.

"Sadly, not quite yet. I'm still short a bit of energy, although I'm really close to the 1.000 year level. If we catch one or two more Screaming Ghost Squirrels, I should be able to evolve it. After that, we can focus on helping Senior Brother Wong to increase his artificial Spirit Soul's strength to the 1.000 year level as well."

Wong Wushuang, who stood a few steps away from Sheng Feilong and Jian Wang nodded when he heard Sheng Feilong's plan.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm still off 50 years for my Spirit Soul to evolve, but as long as we find avian Soul Beasts or Beasts of the wind element, it shouldn't be a problem. The hardest part for now will be finding more Screaming Ghost Squirrels. We've killed quite a few earlier, but not every single one and they got away. They're quite intelligent, so I assume they've informed most other Soul Beasts near here of the danger. All of them will be on high alert and we'll probably have to search for them as they won't mindlessly attack us like before."

"Can't we look for a nest? The squirrels must have a place they return to where they sleep, live or have their young reside, don't they?", Su Liyun said while walking over to them. Sheng Feilong frowned lightly, as he tried ot remember the Screaming Ghost Squirrel's habits.

"I don't think that would work. Screaming Ghost Squirrels live in large flocks, so we won't just find a sole nest just like that. Moreover, they live in the trees with their nests dozens of meters above ground and they're naturally really protective of their nests. Also, such a flock would usually be led by a 1.000-years-old Soul Beasts, if not multiple. Our best chance would be to ambush one of their hunting parties, but that could take a while since they're more cautious now."

Su Liyun and the others frowned. Just walking through the forest and hoping to find a hunting party would take a long time, like Sheng Feilong said, and it was slowly approaching night time. In about an hour, the sun will begin to set, making the forest all the more dangerous. Wong Wushuang smiled and opened his mouth.

"Well, it can't be helped. We'll have to rely on out luck. If we can't find them before sunset, you'll have to evolve your Spirit Soul another time. It's not much of a problem."

The rest of the group agreed and they then made their way into the forest again, looking for Screaming Ghost Squirrels. All of them mostly kept quiet while Wong Wushuang and Xiao Yuewu, the team's Agility Type Soul Masters, took the front, one on the left side, the other on the right, as they searched through the forest. About half an hour later, Wong Wushuang found a group of squirrels that had just fought their prey. He quickly returned to the others and informed them of his findings.

Quickly making a plan, the assaulted the squirrels when they prepared to return to their nest and quickly finished them off. Though in their haste, one of Wong Wushuang's team members was struck by a powerful Spirit Attack. Su Liyun couldn't help him with her Spirit, so he had to leave the Spirit Ascension Platform, reducing the numbers of their team to a total of 9.

After they had settled this matter, Sheng Feilong once again sat down and began absorbing the remnant energy of the Screaming Ghost Squirrels. This time, they had hunted a total of 4 squirrels above 100 years of age and with the Ancient Hypnotic Toad already being 983 years old, Sheng Feilong was confident that it would break through the 1.000 years level. Everything went smoothly as he slowly absorbed the energy.

After a while, Sheng Feilong felt something change. A strange feeling suddenly hit him as if he was suddenly falling from the sky. Sheng Feilong shivered for a moment, but soon after the strange feeling was already gone and Sheng Feilong felt the absorption progressing smoothly. Not only that, but the speed of absorption became faster and faster as time went on, much to the satisfaction of Sheng Feilong.

There was a problem though; Although the speed of absorption was increasing drastically, the feeling of improvement was dwindling. Before this, Sheng Feilong could clearly feel the Ancient Hypnotic Toad become stronger and stronger as he absorbed the remnant energy of Soul Beasts, but now, that feeling had changed to something akin to pouring a bucket full of water into the vast ocean; it was such an insignificant amount that barely anything changed at all!

Sheng Feilong couldn't get that strange feeling out of his head, wondering if anything had went wrong. He inwardly sighed and shook his head before concentrating on absorbing the rest of the remnant energy again. Whatever that strange feeling is, it would have to wait until he finished absorbing all of the energy. He couldn't let a free meal slip by him, could he?

Jian Wang and Xiao Yuewu were keeping watch for a few minutes now after Sheng Feilong began absorbing the squirrel's remnant energy, when suddenly, a powerful, foreign Spirit Power washed over all of the team, causing their eyes to lose focus for a moment before instantly dissappearing again. All of them were instantly put on edge, quickly checking their surroundings with all weapons drawn.

Xiao Yuewu's hands were sweating profusely. The only time he had felt such a powerful Spirit Power was when they were facing the 4.300-years-old Terrorghost Elk near the lake in the outskirts of the elementary Spirit ascension Platform. For such a power to suddenly appear in their camp was impossible, unless some similarly powerful Soul Beast was near them.

A few minutes passed with the children being as taunt as fully drawn bows while they were waiting for a Soul Beast to attack, however, even after all that time, nothing happened. Wong Wushuang breathed a sigh of relief before he quietly spoke up.

"False alarm. I think nothing is coming. It might have been a powerful Soul Beast looking for prey somewhere in the forest. It would have been here if we were its target."

He lowered his spear before looking at the other people around him.

"Junior Brother Xiao, junior Brother Wang, you too take a break. Ling, Yan, you two take their watch. Everyone else, calm down, but keep your eyes open."

Xiao Yuewu, Jian Wang, as well as Senior Brother Yan and Senior Sister Ling, two of the students of Wong Wushuang's original group, nodded and changed positions. Su Liyun also relaxed at took a look at Sheng Feilong. She couldn't help but feel that something was different than before. Spreading out her Spirit Power, her heart suddenly jerked and she quickly looked at Wong Wushuang.

"Senior Brother Wong, something's wrong with the Screaming Ghost Squirrels! They remnant energy is quickly decreasing."

Wong Wushuang looked at Sheng Feilong and the squirrels around him before spreading his Spirit Power as well, quickly noticing that Su Liyun was right. The squirrels remnant energy was quickly drained, but that wasn't a problem with the squirrels; it was Sheng Feilong, who's speed of absorption had massively increased, being nearly 5 times as fast as before!

Wong Wushuang stood there for a moment, not knowing wht to make of this matter before he muttered in a low voice.

"How is he absorbing them so fast..? Don't tell me-! He has broken through already? His Spirit Soul is at the 1.000 year level now? Wait, could that powerful Spirit Power earlier come from him... or even his artificial Spirit Soul? Just how monstrous is that thing then..?"

While Wong Wushuang was talking to himself, the last bit of energy the Screaming Ghost Squirrels vanished and they turned into dust. Sheng Feilong slowly opened his eyes, coincidentally looking Wong Wushuang in the eyes. Wong Wushuang froze, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat as he looked at Sheng Feilong's eyes, that looked like bottomless abysses.