A dark light outside the test chamber exploded as Rao Wu, Ju Tu, and Xian Da appeared in the cavern. Rao Wu took a moment to regain his bearings, and then turned to look at the gate. Surprisingly, the gate had disappeared, replaced by a bare cavern wall.

Rao Wu, however, was not shocked, as a slew of information poured into his mind. The test chamber closed because it had accomplished its mission of choosing a Harbinger. From then on, the remaining test chambers across the continent would only have up to the Hard difficulty. Furthermore, Rao Wu could now ‘sense’ nearby Harbinger Test locations.

Rao Wu wore a wistful smile as he looked at the cavern wall. “Thank you for everything.” He bowed to the room where he had spent two years of his life and then turned to Ju Tu and Xian Da. He took out a strange vial with purple liquid sloshing inside from his spatial ring with a smile. “Hehe, I bet Uncle will be shocked.”

Rao Wu chuckled as he put back the vial and then took out a clump of Divers’ Heart while he recalled Ju Tu and Xian Da to their soulspace, “Let’s go home.” He chewed on the Divers’ Heart and then jumped into the lake.

Swimming back was much easier because the current was in his favor. Within a few minutes, Rao Wu crossed the underground tunnel and then surfaced in the cavern. “What the!?” Rao Wu’s eyes widened in shock and fear once his head popped out of the water as he was met with an unfamiliar sight.

As many as twenty strange soul monsters and humans stood by the lake’s edge, their attention simultaneously drawn to the intruder.

“GRRR!?” A terrible panther-like monster growled as it glared at Rao Wu. It then turned to the human beside it, rage evident in its eyes.

The human, an old man who seemed to be in his late sixties, shook his head. “I know it looks bad, but that child is not with us. We’ve all been here together. When would I have gotten the chance to sneak him in?” The man’s eyes furrowed as he glared at the bobbing head. “That said, we do need answers.” He thus raised shouted at Rao Wu, “Identify yourself, child!”

Rao Wu frowned. To be safe, he quickly morphed to his human form, hiding his tail and ears before shouting back, “Who are you!? Where are the Dusklight Wolves?”

“Dusklight Wolves? You’re with them?” The man’s eyes suddenly took on a sinister light, but before he could move, a Steelback Ape jumped to the front, its eyes brightening when it saw Rao Wu.

The Steelback Ape only needed one moment to recognize Rao Wu’s gray hair. It jumped in frantic excitement as it pointed at the exit. “Guo! Guo!” [Hurry! They need you on the surface!]

“What!?” Rao Wu panicked and quickly swam to shore. Once there, he ignored the human guards as the Steelback Ape guided him to the surface. “Please explain. What’s going on? Why are there humans here!?”

“Guo! Guo! Guo!” The Steelback Ape rapidly explained the situation as they climbed the tunnels.

Events went as Twilight planned. The soul monsters kept harassing the human mercenaries, preventing them from gaining too much ground until Hao Ranhui reluctantly asked other powerhouses in the city for help after four fruitless months. When everyone found out what was at stake, Society inevitably got involved.

To prevent massive loss of lives, Soul Society decided to send in a representative from Headquarters to negotiate with the soul monsters. Under Soul Society’s pressure, only a few vagabond mercenaries persisted in their attacks, which the soul monsters easily thwarted.

Eventually, a representative arrived roughly five months later. After a few days of haggling, the representative agreed with Twilight and the other soul monsters to share the Eternal Spring Lake at a 70:30 ratio.

The higher percentage’s owner would be decided by a competition between the younger generation. One hundred soul monsters less than three years old would compete with one hundred children twelve years and younger.

The rules were simple. The winner stays on but cannot return after being eliminated. The first side to reach 100 wins would emerge the victor.

Previously, the humans would have won this competition with ease, but most monsters had trained hard while drinking from the Eternal Spring Water. As a result, the monsters’ children put up a much tougher fight than expected.

In particular, Twilight’s children, the general-ranked Star Dusklight Wolf cubs, had won many battles, increasing the monsters’ points. Unfortunately, they inevitably fell to exhaustion and were promptly eliminated by the humans’ strongest, ‘Prime’ students, some of whom were already Soul Soldiers. Only one of Twilight’s children remained, the oldest and strongest,Lunar. She was to the monsters’ trump card.

The competition had been going on for three days. Most felt today would be the last because the humans were on 85 wins to the monsters’ 73.

That was in the morning. It was already late afternoon, so it was hard to tell how things had progressed, but the ape was sure that the humans should still be in the lead.

Rao Wu gritted his teeth as they neared the cave’s exit. “Wait for me.’

Whoosh!

Rao Wu's eyes took a moment to adapt to the light, after which he gaped in shock at the massive crowd in front of the cave. Both humans and monsters were watching something on a giant, ten-meter widescreen.

The screen depicted a magnificent stadium of sorts built by a cliffside. Many humans and intelligent soul monsters watched the battle unfolding in the sandy pit at the center. Currently, a Star Dusklight Wolf wobbled slightly as it stared at a fainted human beneath its paw.

“Ooh! That’s another battle for the soul monsters! This Star Dusklight Wolf is on a roll! But can she stand up much longer? Her next opponent is Flamebeak Hao Feng!”

Rao Wu’s eyes twitched when he saw Lunar, the eldest Star Dusklight Wolf growling on the screen. Her black fur was bloody and laced with several injuries of varying degrees, but the proud soul monster refused to back down even as Hao Feng stepped into the frame with his Flamebeak Eagle perched on his shoulder.

Hao Feng arrogantly smirked as he sized up Lunar’s severe injuries. “Just give up. I can’t waste time with trash.”

Rao Wu clenched his fist, and his eyes burned with rage as he took in Hao Feng’s expression. No one was allowed to look at this family like that. “Take me there!”

The Steelback Ape, knowing its speed was limited, called over a Prancing Wildebeest and instructed it to take Rao Wu to the arena.

Prancing Wilderbeests were famous for two things: their speed and endurance. These powerful herbivores could maintain high speeds for vast distances, making them one of the jungle's best runners.

Rao Wu climbed onto the Prancing Wildebeest and then gritted his teeth as it dashed off into the jungle at blinding speed.

While Rao Wu raced, many humans buzzed within the stadium as the announcer screamed, “98 – 90 to the humans! This has been one crazy day! This Star Dusklight Wolf defeated ten contestants in a row! She’s as powerful as she is beautiful! Keep an eye on this one, folks. Even if she falls here, this Star Dusklight Wolf has made herself a legend! Could we be witnessing the birth of a new Midnight?”

Up in the stands, Midnight, Twilight, and the Blue-Eyed Devil Tiger sat next to some important-looking humans, including Hao Ranhui, general manager of Jiandao’s Soul Society’s Branch, Bu Lu, the second prince of Jiandao, and a lady with a veil covering her face.

Bu Lu, a handsome twenty-year-old young man with dark orange hair, chuckled as he stroked the fur of a Star Dusklight Wolf sitting by his left. He cast a provocative glare at Midnight as he said, “You trained your cubs well. I’m almost regretting taking Killer when I did. Maybe I should have let you raise him a little longer?”

Midnight growled, but Twilight stood in her path, reminding her not to act on her instincts. Instead, Twilight wore a small smile as he looked at the Star Dusklight Wolf by Bu Lu’s side.

Five years was a long time for soul monsters. Killer had grown from a helpless cub to a Monarch-ranked 6th Phase monster. In a few more years, it would definitely breakthrough to become an emperor. Unfortunately, it seemed Bu Lu had trained Killer too well so that it didn’t even put its parents in its eyes.

As far as Killer was concerned, Midnight and Twilight were strangers who had the privilege of giving birth to it. In a few years, it would surpass and crush Midnight’s legend, let alone the sickly Twilight.

Hao Ranhui, who had a belly full of fire from being tricked by Twilight, chuckled with mirth when he saw the pain in the wolf’s eyes. Still, for appearance's sake, he wore a placating smile as he ‘chided’ Bu Lu. “That’s not right, Second Prince. This is an amicable conference. We should not antagonize the guests.”

“Ah, you’re right.” Bu Lu wore a mocking smile as he looked at Twilight. “My apologies. Lunar, was it? She indeed put up a strong front, but I’m afraid that will be useless against the Elite Students. Are you sure you don’t want to call the last member of your team?”

The monsters only called up 99 participants, reserving the final spot for some unknown soul monster. No one knew what the monsters were planning, but the last person would be eliminated if they did not show up when Lunar lost.

“Grrr.”

“Suit yourself.” Bu Lu shrugged. “We’ll be the winners regardless.”

“Hahahaha! Run! Keep running!” A loud shout from the stadium drew the trio’s attention to the arena where a laughing Hao Feng tortured the Star Dusklight Wolf, Lunar, with his Flamebeak Eagle.

The Flamebeak Eagle stayed out of range as it pelted Lunar with countless fireballs. The Flamebeak Eagle had grown over the past year into a powerful 2nd Phase 8th Phase monster. It could now fire its attacks with greater frequency, making it a terror to deal with.

Lunar gritted its teeth as the flames singed its fur and cauterized her open wounds. Searing pain nearly blinded the Star Dusklight Wolf, but it was determined to stand its ground. Lunar growled as she charged around the arena while searching for an opportunity to attack.

Unfortunately, Hao Feng summoned a Flame Wall with a soul technique, blocking her access to him. Without the option to directly attack the summoner, she was left to the Flamebeak Eagle’s mercy.

Lunar, unfortunately, could not hold on much longer. Despite its strong will, the Star Dusklight Wolf’s steps inevitably slowed.

However, despite having a clear chance to finish it off, Hao Feng ordered the Flamebeak Eagle to continue tormenting Lunar with flame attacks that severely hurt but did not knock her out. Hao Feng knew the proud wolf would never surrender, so he decided to torture her as long as possible.

Thud!

Eventually, Lunar collapsed to the ground and fainted.

Hao Feng, however, pretended not to have noticed as he raised his hand and shouted, “Flame Vortex!”

The Flamebeak Eagle suddenly reared its head and screeched as a 3-meter wide flaming spiraling ball appeared over its head. “Caw!” With a powerful call, the Flamebeak Eagle sent the Flaming Ball crashing toward the unconscious wolf.

“RRAFF!” Midnight and Twilight barked in unison as they made to charge, but they were stopped by several human soldiers who trained their weapons at the duo.

Bu Lu chuckled as he calmly scratched Killer’s throat. “Remember our agreement. No interference. You can only blame your—”

BOOM!

Bu Lu’s sardonic grin faltered as a resounding explosion erupted from the arena. He quickly looked down, and his eyes widened in shock when he spotted a wildebeest emerging from the smoke with Lunar on its back.

“Pfft. Is that your last fighter?” Bu Lu struggled to maintain his princely dignity as he snorted with laughter. “I see why you left it for last.”

Strangely, Twilight did not react to this obvious taunt. Instead, he chuckled and shook his head. “Grr…” [No. He is.]

“What?” Bu Lu’s laughter faltered, and he turned to see something else emerging from the smoke. No, rather, it was someone else.

No more than ten years old, a young boy stood amongst the rapidly clearing smoke in a pair of torn shorts. Scars running along his chest and back spoke volumes of the savagery the child had endured in his life, and they left an indescribable chill in the onlookers’ hearts.

Rao Wu softly growled as he glared at Hao Feng and the Flamebeak Eagle. Burning rage flared in the child’s heart as he recalled Lunar’s helpless state. The young child channeled that anger into his spear as he brandished it at Hao Feng. A guttural voice filled with malice and murder softly promised, “You will suffer.”