The Star Dou Great Forest was one of the most dangerous places on the continent.
It was vast, ancient, and filled with countless Spirit Beasts of every type imaginable. Some were cunning and intelligent, while others acted purely on instinct. But regardless of species, one common trait existed among many of the lower-intelligence beasts.
Curiosity.
Even when danger was obvious, many Spirit Beasts could not resist watching from a safe distance.
If they sensed a battle, they would hide in the shadows and observe.
If they smelled blood, they would linger nearby.
If they discovered the corpse of a fallen beast after a Spirit Master's hunt, they would often remain in the area, waiting for an opportunity to feed or steal leftovers.
And if they happened to be cruel or greedy by nature, they might even launch a sneak attack after watching long enough.
That was one of the main reasons Spirit Masters rarely entered the Star Dou Great Forest alone when hunting spirit rings.
Even if the target beast was defeated, danger often still surrounded them.
At this moment, Yu Xiaogang was completing the absorption of his second spirit ring.
Though the clearing appeared calm, many Spirit Beasts were hidden nearby, silently peering through trees, bushes, and tall grass.
Some crouched low in the shadows.
Some clung to branches.
Some remained motionless beneath leaves, their eyes fixed on the humans below.
Yu Yuanzhen had sensed their presence long ago.
But he did not care.
As long as these beasts merely watched and did not attack, there was no reason to waste effort driving them away.
To him, they were nothing more than insects lurking at the edge of his vision.
Soon, the final traces of spirit power settled.
Yu Xiaogang slowly opened his eyes.
The second spirit ring had been successfully absorbed.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
The little dragon spirit beside him let out a low roar, full of excitement and vitality.
But the nearby Spirit Beasts still had not left.
And that made them perfect test subjects.
Yu Xiaogang stood up and gently placed a hand on the little dragon's head.
"Let's try the second spirit skill."
The dragon immediately raised its head and released a strange cry.
It was not loud.
It was not sharp.
Yet the moment the sound spread through the forest, something invisible swept across the area like a ripple.
Yu Yuanzhen's expression changed slightly.
For a brief moment, his mind felt dazed.
It was only an instant, like blinking too quickly or losing focus for a fraction of a second.
Then his immense spirit power circulated automatically, and the sensation vanished.
But the hidden Spirit Beasts did not possess such terrifying strength.
One after another, their eyes rolled back.
Several collapsed in place.
Others stumbled from branches and bushes.
The entire forest edge became chaotic.
A few moments later, they regained consciousness.
Remembering the danger, they immediately tried to flee.
Then the truly bizarre scene began.
A hundred-year-old cat-type Spirit Beast leapt high into the air.
It should have landed gracefully and sprinted away.
Instead, it angled downward like a diver entering water and slammed headfirst into the ground.
The cat spun in circles, dazed and furious.
Nearby, a wild boar Spirit Beast awoke, glanced at a tree, and charged toward it.
Then, to everyone's disbelief, it tried to climb.
Its short legs scratched helplessly at the bark while its heavy body slid backward. Moments later, it toppled onto its back and kicked its legs in the air.
Not far away, an ape Spirit Beast stood upright and flapped both arms wildly.
It seemed fully convinced it could fly.
No matter how fast it waved, however, it remained firmly on the ground.
Another beast ran sideways.
One attempted to dig with its horns.
A snake repeatedly tried to bark.
The entire clearing turned into a spectacle of madness.
Yu Yuanzhen watched for a long time in silence.
Finally, he turned to his son.
"Xiaogang…"
"What exactly is your second spirit skill?"
Yu Xiaogang smiled and patted the little dragon proudly.
"It is called Soul-Confusing Vibration."
"The effect is simple in theory."
"By using mental force, I create a vibration that impacts the opponent's soul and spirit."
"The exact result depends on the difference between my strength and theirs—especially spirit power and mental strength."
He then looked toward Yu Yuanzhen.
"Father, what did you feel just now?"
Yu Yuanzhen answered honestly.
"My mind became blank for a moment."
"Then I circulated spirit power, and everything returned to normal."
Yu Xiaogang nodded thoughtfully.
"Then that confirms it."
"Opponents far stronger than me will only suffer a brief mental disruption."
"It can be broken quickly."
A sharp light flashed in his eyes.
Even so, he was thrilled.
His father was a Titled Douluo—one of the strongest beings on the continent.
If even such a powerhouse could be affected for a moment, then this skill was more terrifying than he had expected.
In battle, a single moment of hesitation could decide life or death.
Even one second was precious.
Yu Xiaogang continued analyzing calmly.
"Against enemies close to my level, or only slightly stronger, the effect becomes much more severe."
He pointed toward the beasts still stumbling around in confusion.
"Their souls and bodies become briefly disconnected."
"They reconnect quickly…"
"But rushed reconnection causes problems."
Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of problems?"
Yu Xiaogang laughed.
"Imagine a Spirit Fighting Team suddenly replacing one member mid-match with a substitute who understands the strategy but has never practiced with the others."
"He knows what to do."
"But his timing is wrong."
"His instincts are wrong."
"Everything is out of sync."
He pointed again at the Spirit Beasts.
"That is exactly what happens."
"The soul returns to the body, but mind and body no longer coordinate properly."
"The mind wants to punch, but the body kicks."
"The mind wants to retreat, but the legs crouch."
"The mind wants to release the first spirit skill, but the body cancels the spirit instead."
Yu Xiaogang could barely hide his amusement.
He imagined future opponents trying to fight while betraying themselves with every movement.
It would be chaos.
"And what about those much weaker than you?" Yu Yuanzhen asked.
Yu Xiaogang looked at the beasts before them.
"These are the best examples."
"For targets far below my strength, the vibration directly knocks the soul out of the body."
Yu Yuanzhen's eyes widened.
"The soul… leaves the body?"
"Yes."
"Only briefly."
"The soul quickly attempts to return."
"But adapting again takes time."
Then Yu Xiaogang's smile deepened.
"And in group battles…"
"That is where the true power of this skill appears."
He slowly walked forward and pointed one by one.
"When many souls are shaken loose at once, mistakes happen during re-entry."
Yu Yuanzhen stared.
"Mistakes?"
Yu Xiaogang nodded.
"The wrong soul enters the wrong body."
He pointed toward the wild boar still trying to scratch bark with impossible enthusiasm.
"That boar likely has a monkey's soul inside it."
Then toward the ape still flapping uselessly.
"And that ape probably has a bird's soul."
Finally, he looked at the cat still trying to burrow into the earth.
"That cat may now contain the soul of an earth-type beast."
For several seconds, Yu Yuanzhen said nothing.
He simply stared at the absurd scene.
Then he looked back at his son with complete disbelief.
This second spirit skill did not appear as directly overwhelming as Yu Xiaogang's first spirit ability.
But that was only because the first had been monstrously powerful.
Compared with ordinary spirit skills, this second ability was terrifyingly superior.
It was strange.
It was complex.
It was nearly impossible to defend against without overwhelming strength.
And most importantly—
It could affect multiple enemies at once.
Yu Yuanzhen inhaled deeply and tried to steady his emotions.
But excitement still surged through him.
"Another powerful spirit skill…"
"One not inferior to a ten-thousand-year spirit ability."
That was no exaggeration.
Many ten-thousand-year spirit skills focused purely on destruction.
But battlefield control was often more valuable than raw damage.
Yu Xiaogang's Soul-Confusing Vibration was born for warfare.
Imagine an army charging forward—
Then suddenly losing control of their bodies.
Strong opponents stumbling at critical moments.
Weak opponents trapped in bodies that were not their own.
Allies striking each other by accident.
Formation lines collapsing.
Panic spreading instantly.
Even before blades crossed, the battle would already be won.
Yu Yuanzhen looked at Yu Xiaogang as if seeing the future itself.
With this skill alone, his son could become one of the greatest Control System Spirit Masters on the continent.
And with his first skill already so abnormal…
The combination was terrifying.
A support ability beyond reason.
A control skill capable of overturning battlefields.
And this was only at the level of a two-ring Spirit Grandmaster.
What would happen at Spirit Elder?
Spirit Ancestor?
Spirit King?
Yu Yuanzhen did not dare imagine further.
The little dragon spirit circled proudly around Yu Xiaogang's shoulders, letting out cheerful cries.
Yu Xiaogang simply smiled.
He had known his martial spirit would not disappoint him.
And now, the second spirit ring had proven it again.
In the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest, amid a crowd of confused Spirit Beasts still trying to use the wrong bodies, father and son stood in silence.
Both understood the same thing.
Yu Xiaogang's future had become even brighter.
And far more dangerous for everyone else.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)