Star Dou Great Forest

The next day.

All the Shrek Academy students got up early. Today, the group would be heading to the Star Dou Great Forest. Flender had specifically instructed them to rise early, so no one dared delay.

The previous night, Oscar had taught Tang San and Zhao Xuan some knowledge about the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest was a primeval forest and one of the three most famous Spirit Beast gathering grounds on the Douluo Continent. Its environment was complex, filled with swamps, wetlands, hidden realms, and mountain ranges. Once one ventured deep inside, it was easy to get lost.

It covered a vast expanse, stretching across both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires. Compared to those Spirit Beast forests raised by the empires, the Star Dou Great Forest was far larger, nearly equal in area to the Balak Kingdom.

Most importantly, it possessed an abundance of Spirit Beast species. Aside from some Spirit Beasts with especially unique habitats, the Star Dou Forest contained nearly every kind of Spirit Beast found on the Douluo Continent. Any Soul Master could find the soul ring they wanted within it!

However, gains often came with danger. The Star Dou Great Forest was home not only to ten-year and hundred-year Spirit Beasts, but also countless thousand-year and ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts. Rumor had it that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts even existed in the deepest reaches of the forest. Because of this, no small number of Soul Masters died there every year!

When they arrived at the training grounds, Zhao Wuji was already waiting. Seeing that everyone had gathered, he waved his large hand. "Mubai, lead the way!"

Because the Balak Kingdom bordered the Star Dou Great Forest, Shrek Academy was not particularly far from it, only around five hundred kilometers away.

Since there were no carriages around the village, everyone traveled by running.

With Oscar's sausages helping them, everyone was able to maintain their stamina, allowing them to experience the marvelous utility of Oscar's Martial Soul.

Zhao Xuan could not help but marvel inwardly at the role of Food System Soul Masters. If they had to be evaluated, Weapon Soul support Soul Masters and Food System support Soul Masters each had their own strengths. Weapon Soul support systems could produce effects quickly, while Food System support systems could sustain more people to the greatest extent.

Ordinarily, Food System abilities generally took effect rather slowly. However, Oscar had clearly broken that rule; his sausages could take effect very quickly.

After traveling without pause, the group reached a small town not far from the forest by evening.

People came and went throughout the town. In terms of prosperity, it was no less bustling than Suotuo City, though it was much smaller in size.

"Are these all Soul Masters?"

Xiao Wu stared blankly at the streams of people passing through the town and could not help stopping in place.

Zhao Wuji crossed his arms over his chest. "Most of them are! If they aren't Soul Masters, then they're ordinary people who came here to do business."

Xiao Wu nodded thoughtfully. The cheerfulness she had displayed on the way over vanished without a trace. She suddenly became gloomy, lowering her head as though she were thinking about something.

The town was lined with shops, most of which sold items related to Soul Masters. The group found a small inn and settled in, planning to head for the Star Dou Great Forest a hundred kilometers away early the next morning.

After booking their rooms at the counter, Zhao Wuji went upstairs by himself.

"Hurry up and eat. I've eaten sausages all day; I'm about to throw up." The first floor of the inn was a simple dining hall. Ma Hongjun found a seat in the main hall, sat down, and grumbled.

Everyone exchanged glances and nodded. Zhao Xuan had abundant stamina and had eaten fewer sausages, so he did not feel much. But the others had eaten sausages all day. Even Oscar did not want to smell his own sausages anymore.

The group sat down in a corner, including Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, who quietly took their seats as well.

Ma Hongjun called over a waiter and began ordering. He and Oscar enthusiastically studied the menu, then passed it over to the girls after selecting several dishes.

Taking advantage of the lull, Tang San asked Dai Mubai, "Boss Dai, should we invite Teacher Zhao down to eat with us?"

Dai Mubai shook his head. "No need. On this trip, Teacher Zhao won't pay any expenses for us, nor will he accept any benefits from us. That's the academy's rule."

"That's a pretty good rule." Zhao Xuan raised an eyebrow.

Though most of the academy's teachers were poor, the group was still receiving subsidies and had rather well-filled pockets. Not to mention Ning Rongrong and Hermione among them: one was a Soul Master from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, famed throughout the land for its wealth, while the other came from a family that ran a Soul Master Academy. Not every Soul Master Academy was as poor as Shrek Academy!

Or rather, Soul Master Academies were inherently flush with money. Setting aside the insignificant tuition and miscellaneous fees, the subsidies granted by the empire and sponsorships from all sides were astronomical sums. Only Shrek Academy's teachers, who could not stand being constrained, lived somewhat meagerly.

If they served certain forces, even as mere figureheads, they could earn at least ten thousand Gold Soul Coins a year.

The group ordered an entire table of dishes and began eating with gusto. Surprisingly, the chef at this unremarkable little inn was quite skilled, and everyone ate to their hearts' content.

Near the end of the meal, another group suddenly entered through the inn's entrance. They wore moon-white Soul Master robes embroidered with silver-thread patterns.

At their head was a middle-aged man, followed by seven young people—six men and one woman. They looked arrogant, and the patterns on their robes glittered as they walked, as if afraid no one would realize they were Soul Masters.

Dai Mubai glanced at the emblems on their shoulders. There was a green ring there, embroidered with the words "Blue Sunshine."

Dai Mubai suddenly turned and looked at Oscar and Ma Hongjun behind him. The two seemed to sense something. Following Dai Mubai's meaningful gaze, they looked over, then nodded with a snicker.

The corner of Dai Mubai's mouth curled up. Combined with his handsome face and double pupils, he looked especially wickedly charming. He said quietly to Tang San and Zhao Xuan, "Tang San, Zhao Xuan. Next, I'll tell you about one of our academy's traditions."

Zhao Xuan put down his utensils. After exchanging a look with Tang San, he watched Dai Mubai with interest. Seeing the small gestures between them just now, if his guess was correct, they were about to stir up trouble.

Sure enough, Dai Mubai smiled. "The dean once said that as a Soul Master, anyone who doesn't dare cause trouble is mediocre!"

Zhao Xuan's eyes lit up. That was a good line. If they were going to stir up trouble, they definitely needed a grand excuse. He had not expected the dean, who looked a little lecherous, to have so many classic sayings—and they suited Zhao Xuan's taste quite well.

Subconsciously, Zhao Xuan looked toward the Blue Sunshine Academy group that had just entered. They were the ones everyone had been watching.

After Dai Mubai finished speaking, he gave Ma Hongjun a meaningful look. Ma Hongjun understood, chuckled a few times, then cleared his throat.

"Well..."