c10 – First Exploration of the Great Void Forest
Ye Chuan first dug out the little yellow dog buried in the Sea of Sand after the recent chaos and gave it the remaining bird-shaped head of Tirus Sanda Vicki.
During Ye Chuan's critical moment of evolution, it was Xiao Huang's warning that allowed him to react in time and narrowly survive Tirus Sanda Vicki's ambush.
That masked bird-shaped head still retained nearly half of Tirus Sanda Vicki's dense spiritual pressure it was a fitting reward for the little yellow dog.
Xiao Huang happily trotted toward the bird's massive skull. As he approached, a light yellow spiritual pressure radiated from his body, sending a wave of heat and dust into the air. When the smoke cleared, an awe-inspiring transformation appeared before Ye Chuan a divine beast had emerged. He was no longer a tiny dog but a dark-yellow giant, standing three meters tall and over eight meters long. In one gulp, he swallowed the hollowed-out skull of Tirus Sanda Vicki.
This was the true form of the little yellow dog. Since Ye Chuan first picked him up, Xiao Huang had accompanied him on numerous Hollow hunts. Although he had only been able to feed on scraps back then, those remnants were enough for rapid growth. He was no longer the fragile newborn Ye Chuan had once saved, but a powerful Lesser Menos-class Hollow in his own right. Now that he had consumed the mask of Tirus Sanda Vicki a Gillian-class Menos he was on the verge of stepping into the ranks of the mighty.
After digesting the skull, Xiao Huang returned to his miniature dog form and playfully shook his tail at Ye Chuan, tail or not.
"With my current strength," Ye Chuan muttered as he looked at Xiao Huang, "even giant Hollows like Tirus Sanda Vicki are no longer threats to me. It's time I head to that place."
Having made up his mind, Ye Chuan crouched and addressed the little yellow dog solemnly.
"The place I'm going next is too dangerous for you. It's time for us to part ways. With your strength now, staying here in this newborn territory, you'll be able to protect yourself just fine."
"Wooooop!"
Hearing this, Xiao Huang let out a long, sorrowful cry, filled with reluctance. Ye Chuan bent down and gently tapped his finger against Xiao Huang's forehead, while the little dog licked his finger affectionately.
"Tough pup… survive and grow."
Ye Chuan gave a final wave and turned away from the dog that reminded him of Rhubarb from his past life. Then, without hesitation, he dived back into the shifting sands. From behind, Xiao Huang's whimper echoed softly.
But Ye Chuan did not look back. He had brought the pup along initially out of nostalgia and compassion but more importantly, Xiao Huang had helped draw out weaker Hollows to hunt. Now that Ye Chuan had advanced to the Gillian level himself possibly even bordering on Adjuchas he no longer needed bait or help.
Besides, Xiao Huang's strength had grown enough that, as long as he remained within the boundaries of the newly born territory, few Hollows would dare challenge him.
Their separation was inevitable.
Ye Chuan's destination lay far below the desert the legendary Menos Forest hidden beneath the Sea of Sand, a cavernous region filled with ancient and powerful Gillians.
He raced downward, his spiritual pressure tightly suppressed. In the past, he had only dared to skim the surface of the desert. But now, for the first time, he plunged deeper, determined to reach the Menos Forest below.
He didn't know how long he had been diving. It felt like an eternity endless drifting through heavy sand. Had he not remembered from the original manga that the Menos Forest truly existed beneath Las Noches, he might have thought himself lost.
And then he could go no further.
"Is this… a rock stratum?"
Ye Chuan slammed his masked head against the layer beneath him. It was solid, immovable. Irritated from the long journey and blocked path, he gathered spiritual energy and blasted forward with raw force.
Bang!
With a crack, the rock gave way, and Ye Chuan tumbled downward, his center of gravity lost.
As he fell, he finally saw it—massive tree trunks the size of towers stretched into the darkness, and an eerie twilight enveloped the entire space.
"This is it… the Menos Forest. I finally made it!"
Hooking a thick branch with his tail, Ye Chuan flipped midair and landed gracefully among the roots of the forest.
But no sooner had he touched down than he found himself surrounded by a horde of massive Gillian-class Hollows.
Caught off guard, Ye Chuan hadn't yet activated his Resonant Breathing technique and appeared in his base form, mask gleaming faintly under the dim canopy.
"Oh? Interrupting something?"
The group of giant Hollows—previously locked in a brutal battle—paused, then, sensing a fresh target, turned toward Ye Chuan with hunger in their eyes.
A squid-shaped Gillian, its face hidden behind a spiraling mask, launched a stream of inky black fluid that reeked of corrosive energy. Ye Chuan didn't flinch. He flipped backward, tail wrapping around a nearby branch, dodging the strike with ease.
In mid-air, lightning surged around him. He activated his Thunder Flash—a unique evolution of Sonído infused with reiryoku—and arcs of electricity danced across his frame.
With a crackling roar, he whipped out a thunder-forged lash. One strike shattered the squid Hollow's mask, and its soul burst into particles. Without pause, Ye Chuan's tail shot forward and skewered the collapsing carcass, activating Soul Ghoul Devourer to absorb its spiritual remains.
Despite both being Gillians, the squid's strength couldn't compare to Tirus Sanda Vicki. In fact, Ye Chuan annihilated it without breaking a sweat.
"One down… who's next?"
Grinning under his mask, Ye Chuan turned toward the remaining dozen giant Hollows. He had just entered the Menos Forest and already received such a generous welcome—how could he not indulge?
With crackling reiryoku and bloodlust rising, he launched himself into battle.
A feast awaited.
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