Soul Hunting Forest

The next day, Zhao Xuan was still sleeping soundly when Tang San woke him up.

"What's up?" Zhao Xuan asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He glanced at Tang San, noticing that he was already dressed.

Tang San looked around. The students in the Seventh Dormitory were still fast asleep, snores echoing throughout the room.

Tang San lowered his voice, "The Master is planning to take us to hunt Soul Beasts today."

"Soul Beasts?" Zhao Xuan jolted awake instantly, a flicker of excitement rising on his face.

"Did the Master really say that?"

"When the Master called me yesterday, he told me to get up early because the Soul Hunting Forest is far away," Tang San truthfully relayed the Master's instructions to Zhao Xuan.

Zhao Xuan recalled that Tang San had indeed been called by the Master after lunch yesterday.

With that thought, he immediately got out of bed, quickly changed his clothes, and said to Tang San, "Let's go quickly."

The Soul Hunting Forest is located four hundred li northeast of Nuoding City. It's a long journey, but it's also the closest imperial Soul Beast breeding ground to Nuoding City. It houses a considerable number of ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beasts, and even thousand-year Soul Beasts can be found in its depths.

Along the way, the Master educated Tang San and Zhao Xuan on the basic knowledge of the Soul Master world. After all, their lives for the past six years had been largely separate from the world of Soul Masters, leaving them with a blank slate of understanding.

"So, you're saying that once I obtain my first Soul Ring, I'll become a Soul Master?" Zhao Xuan asked, his eyes shining with excitement.

"That's right, even if your first Soul Ring is just a ten-year one, you'll still be a Soul Master!" The Master nodded.

Zhao Xuan, unusually filled with anticipation, wondered what kind of Soul Skill his peculiar Martial Soul would yield. He then thought, wasn't there a Master beside him, renowned as the foremost theorist in the Soul Master world? Why not ask him.

To his surprise, the Master fell silent after Zhao Xuan posed his question. He shook his head, "Both of your Martial Souls are appearing for the first time, so the situation is rather complex."

"It seems like both are Weapon Souls, but judging by their appearance, they possess no offensive power. However, the fact that you have Innate Full Soul Power indicates that at least one of them is of extremely high quality."

"But the problem is that both of your Martial Souls are new, making them impossible to identify."

Zhao Xuan felt a bit dejected. Even the Master, known for his invincible theories, couldn't offer much help. Was he really going to have to take things one step at a time?

The Master beside him also felt helpless. Theories are viewpoints proposed based on certain characteristics, but when faced with something entirely unknown, even a clever cook can't make a meal without ingredients.

He didn't even know if these two Martial Souls were supportive or of another category.

The scene fell silent for a moment, but soon the Master made a move. He took out a belt adorned with twenty-four pieces of fine jade and handed it to Tang San, "Xiao San, this is for you."

A junior dares not refuse a gift from an elder. Tang San instinctively accepted it. The belt was very ornate, resembling a luxury item.

Tang San couldn't help but look up and ask, "Master, this is..."

The Master explained, "This is a Soul Tool, a technology that has been lost. It can store items using Soul Power as a medium. This belt, with each piece of jade, can store one cubic meter of items, but only inanimate objects."

Tang San's eyes widened in surprise. It could store items?!

Zhao Xuan, watching from the side, could only envy him. It was a gift from a master to his disciple, after all.

Seeing this, the Master rarely showed a smile. He then reached into his robes and produced a peculiar ring, handing it to Zhao Xuan, "As for this, it's for you. Although this Soul Tool only has one storage space, it can hold five cubic meters of items."

"However..." The Master suddenly paused and cleared his throat.

"If you agree to become my disciple, I can get you a Soul Tool similar to Xiao San's."

Zhao Xuan's eyes widened. The Master still hadn't given up on taking him as a disciple? He was even resorting to material incentives now. However, Zhao Xuan genuinely lacked interest in all that dry knowledge.

Despite his thoughts, he quickly accepted the Master's gift.

"Master, I'll accept the gift. As for becoming your disciple... ahem, we'll talk about it later, we'll talk about it later..."

The two stared at each other, both thinking the same thing: "Old (Young) fox."

After two days of travel, the three finally entered the Soul Hunting Forest. After submitting their passes at the entrance checkpoint, they were allowed to enter.

The Soul Hunting Forest looked no different from any ordinary forest, with dense foliage and towering ancient trees. Perhaps due to being away from nature for so long, Zhao Xuan found the air to be exceptionally fresh.

Upon entering the forest, even at its very edge, the Master became vigilant. He brought his hands together in front of his chest, then swiftly moved them downwards, "Come out, Luo San Pao."

With a "poof," a faint purple Soul Power separated from the Master's palms. Tang San felt a fluctuation of Soul Power emanating from the Master, and before him, a creature appeared.

It looked like a dog, but its round body could easily be mistaken for a pig's. Its fur was a pale purple, its small ears drooped, and its large, deep blue eyes blinked gently.

Seeing the Master, it happily trotted over like a puppy, its short tail wagging, its plump hindquarters swaying.

Zhao Xuan couldn't help but laugh. If this were his previous life, a crowd would probably be spamming comments.

"High-energy ahead, butt-control treat!"

"Come out, I'll give you a buff!"

Two halos appeared beneath the Master's feet, moving around him. The halos were yellow, clearly indicating hundred-year Soul Rings.

"Xiao San, didn't you want to know what my Martial Soul is? This is my Martial Soul. You can call it Luo San Pao, or just San Pao."

Luo San Pao seemed to understand the Master's words, its large eyes looking at Tang San with a hint of fawning in its gaze.

"Little San Pao, come here." Zhao Xuan, who loved cats and dogs, couldn't help but be amused by Luo San Pao's appearance.

San Pao seemed hesitant, its small eyes glancing towards the Master. Seeing the Master nod, it happily trotted over to Zhao Xuan with its short legs.

Luo San Pao wasn't small, measuring a full 1.5 meters long and quite heavy. However, Zhao Xuan possessed natural divine strength, and he lifted Luo San Pao, who was taller than him when standing, without any trouble.

Held by Zhao Xuan, the little guy Luo San Pao kept sticking out its small tongue to lick his cheek, making Zhao Xuan chuckle.

Seeing Zhao Xuan having so much fun, Tang San couldn't help but shake his head and voice his confusion to Master.

Master answered Tang San's questions while walking deeper into the Soul Hunting Forest.

Suddenly, Luo San Pao hopped down from Zhao Xuan's embrace, its gaze fixed on a patch of grass, making a "luo luo" sound.

Master quickly shielded Tang San and Zhao Xuan behind him, explaining, "Luo San Pao has a keen sense of smell; it must have discovered something."

The grass rustled, and a figure leaped onto a tree. It looked like a cat, watching them warily.

Master breathed a sigh of relief and said casually, "Just a ten-year Striped Cat? Luo San Pao, let's go. We shouldn't disturb it."

Tang San and Zhao Xuan looked back twice as they walked, curiously observing the strange cat. It was their first time seeing a Soul Beast, and they were naturally intrigued.

Along the way, Tang San and Zhao Xuan were truly enlightened. These Soul Beasts had all sorts of bizarre appearances; there was nothing they couldn't imagine.

However, Master didn't let Tang San and Zhao Xuan acquire any of them, as these were all ten-year Soul Beasts.

"Every Soul Ring is crucial for a Soul Master. A powerful Soul Ring can provide a Soul Master with many benefits. Especially for you, Zhao Xuan, even though your Martial Soul is unusual, don't just settle for anything."

"By the way, have you decided which Martial Soul to attach the Soul Ring to?" Master asked. He had already explained to Zhao Xuan how to best utilize his two Martial Souls during their journey.

Zhao Xuan thought for a moment. "The Mobile Phone."

"Alright," Master nodded.

After searching for a long time, although several suitable Soul Beasts appeared, Master didn't rush to act. He patiently continued his search.

The campsite Master chose was a depression surrounded by complex terrain and towering trees.

As the sky gradually darkened, the forest did not fall silent. The chirping of insects and birds, and even the roars of wild beasts, echoed one after another.

Suddenly, Luo San Pao stood up and let out a "luo luo" towards a certain direction.

The three were instantly alert, looking cautiously in that direction. Amidst the dim moonlight, over a dozen faint green lights were approaching them.

"It's Shadow Wolves, this is a bit troublesome," Master said in a low voice, though he didn't appear flustered. He could tell these were just ten-year-old pups.

Zhao Xuan's eyes lit up at the sight. He hadn't stretched his body in a while; this was perfect!

"Master, leave them to me." Before Zhao Xuan even finished speaking, he shot out like an arrow released from a bow.

Master's calm expression instantly changed, his face turning pale. He quickly shouted, "Zhao Xuan, come back! It's dangerous!"

Master's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. How could this kid be so reckless?!

Tang San, standing nearby, tried to placate him, "Teacher, don't panic. Xiao Xuan is very strong."

Master was about to order Luo San Pao to provide support when he heard Tang San's words and paused, looking at him strangely. Although he hadn't known Tang San for long, he knew his disciple was steady and wouldn't speak without reason.

So, Master stopped and looked ahead.

On the other side, the six Shadow Wolves were still trying to hunt their prey. They hadn't expected a small figure to charge straight at them. They were stunned for a moment, then enraged.

"Awooo!" The six Shadow Wolves howled ferociously, their momentum quite terrifying. But in Zhao Xuan's eyes, they were like decorative pillows, all show and no substance.

He tapped his toes on the ground, and his figure instantly vanished from his spot, leaving behind several eerie cracks on the earth.

Master, who had been observing, was stunned. What was happening?

The Zhao Xuan who had disappeared reappeared in front of a Shadow Wolf and, before it could react, threw a powerful punch.

"Bang!"

The Shadow Wolf was sent flying backward as if hit by a large truck traveling at 80 miles per hour. Its blood splattered everywhere, and it stuck to the trunk of a large tree.

The tree shook violently, and the Shadow Wolf on its trunk had already become a puddle of mush, stuck fast.

Tang San, standing beside him, was also dumbfounded. Was Xiao Xuan this strong now? Or had he never fought with his full strength when they sparred before?

He secretly resolved that he would never spar with Zhao Xuan again.

The remaining Shadow Wolves were terrified to their core and fled wildly, howling. But how could they possibly escape from Zhao Xuan? In less than a quarter of an hour, only piles of minced meat remained on the ground, with white Soul Rings floating above them.

After finishing, Zhao Xuan walked back with a satisfied expression. "Not bad, that was a good warm-up."

Tang San and Master instinctively took two steps back, looking at Zhao Xuan with terrified eyes. "Could this be a humanoid Soul Beast?!"