Netherworld Ghost Bear

"A Liang, what are you thinking about?" Teacher Mo asked curiously when he saw Xia Liang staring into space.

Xia Liang shook his head. "Nothing. I just feel that Soul Masters are more cunning and better at hiding than Soul Beasts. If some Soul Master had set their sights on you, wouldn't that be even more terrifying than being targeted by a Soul Beast?"

Teacher Mo smiled knowingly. "Yes. Most Soul Beasts don't know how to hide their killing intent, but Soul Masters only reveal theirs after you've let down your guard, making them hard to defend against. When a group enters a Soul Beast habitat, the most frightening thing isn't the Soul Beasts themselves, but betrayal from your companions. Something like that happened in the Mercenary Group I used to belong to. I was lucky to survive, but even now, thinking back on it still scares me."

"Still, life in a Mercenary Group was far more exciting than being a teacher at an academy. Traveling across the continent with companions under the name of the Mercenary Group, setting foot in forests, canyons, and all kinds of Soul Beast habitats, dealing with different Soul Beasts—it truly broadened your horizons."

Having said that, Teacher Mo looked at Xia Liang and smiled. "I've already made up my mind. Once I help you hunt down your Soul Beast, I'll submit my resignation to the academy. I plan to form a new Mercenary Group with my wife and Sister-in-law and begin a new life."

Xia Liang was somewhat surprised. "Teacher Mo, is the academy's treatment not good enough?"

"I suppose so." Teacher Mo smiled bitterly. "I'm a level thirty-five Battle Soul Elder, after all. I could become a minor noble anywhere if I joined an empire. Yet the academy pays me pitifully little."

"Ten years ago, I survived the betrayal in my Mercenary Group and came to Nuoding Academy to become a teacher. It was only a period for me to settle down. Now, I've let it go."

"Once I came to my senses, I realized that what I wanted most was still the life of a Mercenary Group. Forming my own Mercenary Group and traveling the continent with the family I trust most—don't you find that appealing?"

After hearing this, Xia Liang finally understood why so many Soul Masters did not join clans or families. Everyone was pursuing the life they dreamed of.

Free and unrestrained, living as one pleased. That did sound rather nice.

"Teacher Mo, can I join your Mercenary Group?"

Xia Liang suddenly said, "The academy lasts six years, but obtaining the First Soul Ring is enough to meet the graduation requirement. Once I have my First Soul Ring, I want to graduate early and form a Mercenary Group with you to travel the continent."

"Th-that..." Teacher Mo was slow to react. "Wouldn't that be a bad idea? Even if you graduate early, you could still study at an intermediate Soul Master Academy. A Mercenary Group's main job is helping people hunt Soul Beasts. Most of the time is spent searching for Soul Beasts, leaving very little time for cultivation. Isn't cultivation time what you need most right now? Joining us would not be a wise choice."

"My Skeleton Martial Soul only has the Rib Portion. It's a kind of incomplete Martial Soul," Xia Liang said truthfully. "Compared to cultivation, I want even more to find an opportunity that can make my Skeleton Martial Soul whole."

"An opportunity?" Teacher Mo asked curiously. "What kind of opportunity are you talking about?"

"Adding a Soul Ring to a Martial Soul can alter its appearance to a certain extent. If I can find a suitable Soul Ring, my Skeleton Martial Soul may change in the direction of a complete skeleton. So, the opportunity I'm looking for should be a Soul Ring produced by some kind of Soul Beast. If I want to find such a Soul Beast, joining a Mercenary Group is the best choice."

After hearing Xia Liang's explanation, Teacher Mo nodded deeply in agreement. Mercenary Groups frequently traveled through Soul Beast habitats and could encounter all kinds of Soul Beasts.

Perhaps among those Soul Beasts, one might produce Soul Ring energy capable of repairing the incomplete Skeleton Martial Soul.

Looking at Xia Liang's serious expression, Teacher Mo began to feel a trace of doubt. The child had worked so hard at cultivation and study in the academy since the age of six, and now he was trying every possible way to complete his Martial Soul. Xia Liang clearly harbored an ambition to grow stronger.

What was driving him to become stronger?

After pondering for a moment, Teacher Mo recalled that Xia Liang's parents had supposedly been killed by Soul Masters. Perhaps that was why he longed to become powerful.

Letting him gain experience in his own Mercenary Group was better than having him join someone else's, wasn't it? He would not betray his student, but others might not be so trustworthy.

"My Mercenary Group is only a three-person Soul Master team. Our main clients are Soul Masters below the fourth ring. A Liang, let me make this clear first. If you want to make money, you probably won't earn much by joining us. But trust is guaranteed. At the very least, I won't do anything to harm you."

As he spoke, Teacher Mo extended his hand to Xia Liang and smiled. "You're a very good child. If you don't mind, you can join my Mercenary Group and help out with odd jobs. Consider it a Soul Master internship after Early Graduation."

"Sure." Xia Liang reached out and shook Teacher Mo's hand.

If he wanted to obtain the opportunity of the Immortal Herb alone, aside from knowledge of Immortal Herbs, he also needed to consider the threat of the Soul Beasts within Sunset Forest and the presence of Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo.

For that reason, he needed combat ability and the means to protect himself.

Joining a Mercenary Group to gain experience would allow him to accumulate experience dealing with Soul Beasts while also improving his practical combat ability. It was undoubtedly the best place for him to go next.

"Once we return to the academy, I'll apply to Dean Ding and hope he agrees to let you graduate early. For now, though, our top priority is to find the Soul Beast you need."

As he spoke, Teacher Mo took out a map of Soul Hunting Forest, which marked the specific locations where certain Soul Beasts were kept.

Soul Hunting Forest had been built by the Heaven Dou Empire. The types of Soul Beasts raised within were mostly determined by the Soul Rings needed by the empire's major noble families.

It was said that the Soul Ring produced by a Soul Beast such as the Netherworld Ghost Bear could grant an arm-related Assault System or defense-type Soul Skill. It was one of the preferred Soul Rings for families with the Black Tortoise Martial Soul in the empire.

On the map Teacher Mo had taken out, rivers, forests, mountains, and other areas marked with red circles all showed traces of Netherworld Ghost Bears.

"Places with many beehives produce a great deal of honey. Netherworld Ghost Bears love honey, so where there are beehives, there may also be traces of Netherworld Ghost Bears. But we've searched these places several times already and never found one."

Teacher Mo put away the map and said thoughtfully, "Soul Hunting Forest is, after all, merely a Soul Beast forest where they are raised by humans. Its Soul Beast resources are limited. Perhaps Soul Beasts like Netherworld Ghost Bears have already been hunted to extinction. A Liang, do you have an alternative if we can't find one?"

Xia Liang shook his head. "Soul Hunting Forest is too small. The Netherworld Ghost Bear is the only Soul Beast here suitable to become the First Soul Ring of my Skeleton Martial Soul. Teacher Mo, could I trouble you to keep looking for a few more days? Next, we can search at night. Netherworld Ghost Bears generally come out at night."