You Will Become the Captain

Soul Master Academies that participated in the Soul Master Tournament could not only showcase their strength, but also attract quite a few Sponsors and even enjoy the Imperial Royal Stipend, all of which greatly benefited the academy's development.

Therefore, Soul Master Academies all attached great importance to the Soul Master Tournament.

Although Skywater Academy was an all-female academy, it was an established institution with considerable overall strength.

It was simply that they had never made it into the final Top Three.

This was also one of the goals they were striving to achieve.

Xiao Han knew that according to the original timeline, Skywater Academy would still fail to enter the Top Three in the Soul Master Tournament ten years later.

But now, things were different.

As a Transmigrator who knew the plot well, he had every chance to change everything that had yet to happen.

Ten years was enough.

Two days later, Lin Zhiruo took Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er to the Ice Sealed Forest in the Far North.

The three rode in a Carriage northward, arriving at their destination only after more than half a month.

After getting out of the Carriage, they entered the forest on foot.

This world of Ice and Snow was like an ancient secret realm forgotten by nature, eternally sealed beneath endless frost and snow.

The moment they stepped into this domain, a bitter yet refreshing chill rushed at them, piercing straight to the bone and making them shudder involuntarily.

All around them stood endless Snow Mountains, towering high with their peaks blanketed in white snow year-round. Occasionally, sunlight pierced the clouds and fell upon them, making them glimmer with a dazzling, mysterious radiance.

At the foot of the mountains lay a strange forest formed from enormous Crystal Ice Trees.

The trunks and branches of these trees were crystal-clear, as though carved from the purest ice. Their leaves were tiny icicles that chimed pleasantly in the gentle wind.

The ground was blanketed in thick snow, soft beneath their feet, with every step leaving behind a deep footprint.

This was Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er's first time entering a forest to hunt Soul Beasts, and both of them were excited.

The three chatted as they walked.

"This place is so beautiful."

Shui Bing'er exclaimed in admiration.

Lin Zhiruo smiled and shook her head.

"Bing'er, I felt the same way when I first came here. We are all Ice Attribute Soul Masters, so the extremely low temperature here does not affect us much. But to those Non-Ice Attribute Soul Masters, this place is a Death Zone. They must constantly consume Soul Power to withstand the cold. The deeper they go toward the Forest Center, the colder it becomes and the harder it is for them to endure. That is why many Soul Masters die in this forest every year."

"Dean Lin, I don't understand. Why would those Non-Ice Attribute Soul Masters risk coming here to hunt Soul Beasts?"

"Because there are Soul Beasts here that cannot be found in the Star Dou Great Forest, such as Mirror Shadow Beasts and Ice Demon Snakes. Besides, Soul Beasts that survive in such extreme environments are far stronger."

Shui Bing'er nodded, only half understanding.

She had read about those Ice Attribute Soul Beasts in books from the academy library. Some Ice Attribute Soul Beasts truly possessed special abilities.

Lin Zhiruo continued, "I could have taken you to the Star Dou Great Forest to look for suitable Water Attribute Soul Beasts, but the Soul Beasts in the Ice Sealed Forest that naturally possess Ice Attributes are definitely better suited to you."

"Mom, I know that. If the attributes match perfectly, absorbing a Soul Ring or Soul Bone will definitely provide a greater boost in strength."

"Yes. This is your First Soul Ring, so you must be especially careful."

Xiao Han grinned. "In that case, Mom, help Bing'er and me find Soul Beasts around four hundred years old. Once we absorb the Soul Rings, they might even help us raise our Soul Power by two levels."

"You're only six, and you want a four-hundred-year First Soul Ring? Are you joking? With Bing'er's physique and spiritual power, she might barely be able to absorb a four-hundred-year Soul Ring. You probably can't."

"I'm not joking. Mom, I'm serious."

Xiao Han knew that according to the theory Yu Xiaogang had stolen from Spirit Hall, under normal circumstances, the maximum age a Soul Master could absorb for their First Soul Ring was four hundred and twenty-three years.

However, every Soul Master had different Martial Soul quality, physical condition, and spiritual power, so that was only a theoretical limit.

Lin Zhiruo suddenly seemed to think of something and scolded, "Xiao Han, mind your manners. Bing'er is your senior sister."

"Dean Lin, it's fine. I'm only one year older than Xiao Han anyway."

As they spoke, Lin Zhiruo suddenly stopped walking.

"There are already Soul Beasts nearby."

"Where?"

Lin Zhiruo pointed at the ground beneath their feet.

"There are quite a few Ice Silkworms with several decades of cultivation beneath this snow, but they have little combat ability. If we continue forward, we may encounter Hundred-Year Soul Beasts. Come on, let's go take a look ahead."

The three continued deeper into the forest.

The closer they got to the forest's core, the fiercer the Soul Beasts became.

However, their purpose this time was to hunt Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, which they could encounter in the Forest Periphery. There was no need to go to the Forest Center.

Lin Zhiruo had obtained all seven of her Soul Rings in the Ice Sealed Forest, so she was fairly familiar with the terrain here.

Still, she remained vigilant at all times. Even without entering the Forest Center, ferocious Soul Beasts could appear at any moment.

"We've been walking for so long. You two must be tired, right? It's getting dark. Let's find a cave and rest."

"Alright."

Lin Zhiruo led the two to the foot of a large mountain, where there was a cave.

The cave was very small, only about ten square meters.

Xiao Han examined it carefully. There seemed to be traces left behind by human Soul Masters.

"Mom, is this one of your usual resting spots?"

"Yes. In the Ice Sealed Forest, it isn't easy to find a decent cave. Staying inside can temporarily shelter us from the wind and snow, but it is also dangerous. There might be Soul Beasts lying in wait nearby."

"With Mom here, it's hard to say who the prey will be. If we use ourselves as bait to lure them over, we might be able to hunt suitable Soul Beasts."

Lin Zhiruo smiled. That seemed to be exactly what she had in mind.

"It's getting late. You and Bing'er should rest first. I'll keep watch."

"Alright. Thanks, Mom."

After Xiao Han set up the tent, he and Shui Bing'er slept on the same bedding, though not under the same blanket. Each slept separately.

Looking into Shui Bing'er's clear, watery eyes, Xiao Han asked, "Bing'er, are you afraid?"

"With Dean Lin here, of course not."

"I have a feeling that five years from now, you'll join the Skywater Academy Team and become its new captain."

Shui Bing'er smiled gently.

"The academy team only has eleven members in total, including the main team and Substitutes, all selected from hundreds of people. You think I can be captain? I don't believe it."

"You need to have faith in yourself. My instincts are very accurate."

"What about you?"

"With talent like mine, do I even need to say it? I'll definitely make the team too. When the time comes, I'll be your strongest support."

Night deepened.

Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er had already fallen asleep.

Lin Zhiruo stood guard at the cave entrance.

Suddenly, a low, piercing howl tore through the silence of the night.