The Emergence of Crisis

The Jade Dew Mushroom was delicate, requiring Kael to handle it with utmost care while digging it up. Any damage to its roots would render it worthless, rendering the day's efforts futile.

Moye, on the other hand, worked swiftly. With a few precise swipes of its claws, it located the inner bud of the Hundred-Eyed Palm and retrieved its Soul Core.

Soul Cores from the plant kingdom resembled translucent amber, no larger than an adult's thumb. Most Soul Cores were diminutive, yet they contained immense energy.

Currently, Kael only allowed Moye to consume beast-attribute and demon-attribute Soul Cores, avoiding others whenever possible.

In truth, consuming Soul Cores of unrelated attributes didn't significantly harm a Soul Pet. However, consistently consuming cores of compatible attributes could gradually induce subtle changes.

Holding the Hundred-Eyed Palm's Soul Core in its mouth, Moye obediently stood by, watching Kael as he carefully extracted the coveted Jade Dew Mushroom.

"Alright, stop looking so pitiful. This is definitely for you, but we'll wait until we find the Sky Blue Grass. Combining them will greatly benefit you," Kael said, gently stroking Moye's small head.

Moye closed its eyes, reveling in Kael's touch, letting out a soft, contented murmur…

"Let's go. You must be hungry. Let's find a beast-attribute Soul Pet for your meal," Kael said, carefully storing the Jade Dew Mushroom and standing up. He glanced deeper into the dense forest.

Moye nodded but playfully leaped into Kael's arms, demanding to be carried…

Kael sighed helplessly. "You're still in your first form, so I can carry you now. But once you evolve to a higher form…"

"Rustle, rustle…"

As Kael spoke, the green caterpillar on his shoulder made a faint sound.

"What is it? Something's there?" Kael immediately set Moye down and whispered.

"Rustle, rustle…" The little caterpillar responded softly, its eyes fixed ahead.

"If only I'd learned Natural Heart, I'd at least understand what you're saying," Kael muttered.

The caterpillar's signal wasn't one of danger but rather a subtle warning, indicating something ahead.

Kael had been planning to proceed anyway, so he moved deeper into the forest with Moye.

After a few minutes, Kael understood why the caterpillar had alerted him. About a hundred meters ahead stood Ma Zhi, one of the three individuals he had encountered earlier.

Beside Ma Zhi was another youth, someone Kael didn't recognize or recall by name.

"This is outrageous! Making us stand guard here, claiming they're worried about other Soul Pets or groups interfering. It's obvious they're just afraid we'll make a move!" Ma Zhi grumbled angrily.

"What can we do? His Dire Wolf is too strong. Even if we combined our Soul Pets, we wouldn't stand a chance. Of course, all the benefits go to him," the other youth replied.

"Sigh, you know as well as I do that in five days, it's life or death for us. Unless Zhou Shengmo truly keeps his word and helps us cripple the other groups, securing as many of the ten spots as possible for our own, we're doomed," Ma Zhi said.

"What are you implying?" The other youth quickly caught on, lowering his voice.

"I'm not saying anything. Don't read too much into it. I'd rather take my chances in the competition than go up against Zhou Shengmo. He's even more ruthless than the overseers!" Ma Zhi retorted.

"True. That guy kills without hesitation. If I weren't so weak and desperate to survive, I'd never have joined him."

Kael, hiding nearby, listened intently to their conversation, stroking his chin.

On the island, survival was paramount. Initially, most chose to act independently, seeking high-level Soul Pets. However, some lacked the strength or luck to obtain satisfactory Soul Pets and fell behind during training.

Thus, even before the life-or-death battles, many knew they were doomed. Naturally, they chose to align themselves with exceptionally strong Soul Pet Masters, clinging to a sliver of hope.

"After this, no one will stand a chance against Zhou Shengmo. He's already reached the seventh level of Soul Force, and now he's about to acquire his third Soul Pet…" Ma Zhi muttered to himself.

"Indeed, he's too powerful. Most probably don't even know he's capable of having a third Soul Pet. And if he tames this ninth-stage one…"

Hearing this, Kael's brow furrowed, his expression darkening.

Everyone on the island started with a Nightmare Demon as their first Soul Pet, followed by the one they'd use in the upcoming battle. None possessed a third Soul Pet, as achieving that required reaching a high level of Soul Force.

Soul Pet Masters' cultivation was divided into nine levels: the first three were low, the middle three were intermediate, and the last three were high.

Low-level masters could only form their first Soul Contract, intermediate-level their second, and high-level their third.

On Nightmare Island, most Soul Pet Masters were around the fifth level, with the more talented reaching the sixth. Zhou Shengmo, however, had already reached the seventh, granting him the ability to form a third Soul Contract!

Having an additional combat Soul Pet was a game-changer, even if it couldn't be summoned simultaneously.

"If they're targeting a high-stage Soul Pet, and Zhou Shengmo secures that ninth-stage one…" Kael quickly realized the impending crisis.

Kael was certain that if Zhou Shengmo encountered him in battle, he'd show no mercy. Now, with Zhou Shengmo on the verge of acquiring a third Soul Pet, Kael knew that even with his exceptional battle prowess, he stood no chance against him.

"I can't let this happen. I have to disrupt their plans," Kael thought, his expression turning cold.

"Starting with these two."

Ma Zhi and the other youth had their Soul Pets by their sides, making a direct ambush difficult. However, since they were stationed outside, they were likely some distance from Zhou Shengmo and the others. Even if a fight broke out here, they might not notice or care, given the challenge of dealing with a ninth-stage Soul Pet.

With a determined look, Kael stepped forward, leading Moye toward the two youths, his gaze icy and resolute.