Setting Off for the Star Dou Great Forest

The group set off and walked all the way to the academy gates, but they did not see any means of transportation.

Xiao Wu's face was full of surprise as she looked at Zhao Wuji in disbelief:

"Teacher Zhao, don't tell me we have to walk all the way to the Star Dou Great Forest?"

Zhao Wuji crossed his arms and grinned.

"Walk? You'll be running there. Otherwise, when will you ever arrive? You can use Soul Power along the way, and you can eat Little Ao's big sausages to recover your stamina and relieve fatigue. All right, start running."

As soon as he finished speaking, they were all dumbfounded. Running all the way to the Star Dou Great Forest was undoubtedly a massive challenge.

Seeing their expressions, Zhao Wuji could not help but laugh bitterly to himself. The academy's poverty was no joke. Anything a normal academy could provide, theirs could not. He immediately shouted:

"Brats, why aren't you moving yet?!"

Even if they had some complaints in their hearts, everyone got ready to run.

Chen Yuan alone summoned his Martial Soul and used his Third Soul Skill, appearing atop his flying sword in the blink of an eye.

He was not a student of Shrek Academy, so its rules could not restrain him. Besides, he knew those rules existed only because the academy was dirt poor. How could he foolishly run all that way?

He then bent down and extended a hand. His deep black eyes settled on Ning Rongrong, and the corners of his lips rose slightly as he said with a soft laugh:

"Rongrong, come up. Running is too slow. We'll head near the Star Dou Great Forest first and wait for them to run over."

Faced with Chen Yuan's invitation, Ning Rongrong smiled brilliantly. Her sparkling eyes did not blink as she looked at him.

"Okay!"

After saying that, she extended her flawless, slender hand.

Seeing this, Chen Yuan grabbed Ning Rongrong's hand and gave it a slight tug, pulling her into the air. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and set her steadily on the flying sword.

Naturally, everyone else saw their actions. Zhao Wuji frowned and spoke first:

"Little... friend, the journey to the Star Dou Great Forest is extremely long. Are you sure you want to go like that? Can your Soul Power withstand Sword Flight the whole way?"

Chen Yuan turned his head toward him, looking relaxed and confident.

"Don't worry. I'm very fast, and my Soul Power is abundant enough to support me all the way to the Star Dou Great Forest. All right, everyone, see you at the Star Dou Great Forest."

With that, Chen Yuan controlled the flying sword and shot straight into the sky. The wind howled past their ears, whipping their hair about. He then released his Soul Power and casually condensed it into a Soul Power barrier. Its defensive strength was not great, but it was enough to block out the gale.

Ning Rongrong smiled happily and nestled tightly in Chen Yuan's arms. She felt that running away from home had been the right choice. Otherwise, she would never have known that Chen Yuan, who had once cared only about cultivation, could be so gentle and considerate.

After the two left, everyone watching their figures vanish into the distance wore different expressions.

Ma Hongjun practically gritted his teeth as he said:

"Show-off, what a damn show-off. He's handsome, strong, and can even fly on a sword. Not only can he fly himself, he can take someone with him too. If that guy so much as crooked a finger in the city, he'd be even more popular than Dai the Elder. What young lady wouldn't want to have a chance encounter with him? Fly as a pair, fly as a threesome... I'm so jealous I could die!"

Oscar was utterly numb. He had broken through to Rank Thirty Soul Power, so he should have been the protagonist today. Yet all he could do was watch the real protagonist fly away with a girl, watching them disappear farther and farther into the distance.

Xiao Wu tugged on Tang San's sleeve and looked toward the direction Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong had left in. Longing mixed with a hint of regret in her voice, she said:

"Brother, it's too bad you can't fly. Then we wouldn't have to run either."

Tang San's expression stiffened, and a trace of panic rose in his heart. He recalled what Ma Hongjun had just said. Could it be... Xiao Wu... No, absolutely not. Chen Yuan's origins were unknown. He could not let his little sister be deceived by him. He could only force out a dry laugh.

"Xiao Wu, I can't fly, but if you get tired, I'll carry you the whole way."

Xiao Wu turned back and smiled.

"Brother, you're the best."

Tang San relaxed, letting go of his wariness and vigilance toward Chen Yuan as he said gently:

"I'm your brother. It's what I should do."

Chen Yuan's actions were indeed extremely effective against girls their age. Compared to a prince charming riding a white horse into one's world, they were even more likely to make one's heart flutter.

Even Zhu Zhuqing stared in the direction Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong had gone, her dark eyes flickering with emotions too vague to describe. In the end, however, she lowered her head and sighed softly.

She could not bear to look at such things. Open, undisguised favoritism and care were warmer than the winter sun. She was afraid—afraid that she would not be able to stop herself from rushing toward it.

"Ahem!"

Zhao Wuji coughed. Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong had backgrounds terrifyingly powerful. He could not control them, nor did he want to. Facing those who remained, he still put on an authoritative air.

"What? You still aren't leaving?!"

This time, they all began moving, running toward the Star Dou Great Forest. No one spoke, and the atmosphere was rather heavy.

Meanwhile, elsewhere!

Chen Yuan's Third Soul Skill was already a powerful five-thousand-year Soul Skill, and with the enhancement of the External Soul Bone, Golden Feathered Wings, its effects were astonishing. Before noon, they had already reached the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.

However, Chen Yuan immediately changed direction and flew back. Before Ning Rongrong could ask, he took the initiative to explain:

"Oscar, the one who broke through to Rank Thirty Soul Power and needs a Spirit Ring, hasn't arrived yet. There's no point in entering the forest, so we'll return to the town we saw earlier, rest for a while, and wait for them to arrive."

Ning Rongrong nodded obediently, immersed in the ambiguous atmosphere called love. Compared to how she acted around Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong, Ning Rongrong now seemed far more docile as she softly replied:

"Mm."

One could only wonder whether Ning Fengzhi would regret this in the future...

Even the town closest to the Star Dou Great Forest was over a hundred kilometers away from it. After all, this was a wild Spirit Beast forest, and the largest wild Spirit Beast forest on the continent. Even at its outskirts, hundred-year or even Thousand Year Soul Beasts could appear. Living too close meant risking one's life at any time.

The Star Dou Great Forest lay southeast of the Balak Kingdom, and Suotuo City was also in the southeast of the Balak Kingdom. However, Suotuo City was still five hundred kilometers from the Star Dou Great Forest.

Chen Yuan flew five hundred kilometers to reach the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, then flew another hundred kilometers before returning to a town.

Outside the town, Chen Yuan and Ning Rongrong jumped down from the flying sword. After he withdrew his Martial Soul, the two entered the town.

The town was quite prosperous. Those who lived by the mountains lived off the mountains, and those who lived by the sea lived off the sea. Being close to the Star Dou Great Forest, this town catered to Spirit Masters. Weapons, armor, antidotes, recovery potions... selling any of them to Spirit Masters could earn a great deal of money.

Spirit Beasts were treasures from head to toe as well. Aside from Spirit Rings, their meat could be eaten, their hides could be made into clothing, and their bones, horns, and claws could be turned into weapons or ornaments. They had countless uses.

Ning Rongrong quite liked this place. She pulled Chen Yuan around for the entire afternoon and bought many things. Only when night began to fall did they book a room and prepare to rest.