Night in the Star Dou

Xue Xiaoran cleanly severed the artery of a ten-year Fierce Tooth Pig, and a white soul ring immediately appeared on the ground.

He wiped his hands, checked that he had not gotten dirty, then placed the dead Fierce Tooth Pig into his ring.

If the Star Dou Great Forest had to be described with one word, it would be big. Two words: very big. Three words: incredibly big.

The more than two hundred students scattered into the vast Star Dou Great Forest like mud oxen sinking into the sea.

Other than the group Xue Xiaoran's team had encountered at the start, they had not seen a single other classmate along the way.

They had not encountered any particularly powerful Soul Beasts either, only several dozen ten-year ones and a few hundred-year ones.

Xue Xiaoran's group bore them no ill will. After merely facing each other, both sides tacitly went their separate ways.

The food provided by Sun Moon Royal Academy was limited, which meant they encouraged the students to hunt Soul Beasts for food. He did not know whether Shrek did the same, but they had always lived peacefully alongside the Soul Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest, so they probably would not do such a thing.

Xue Xiaoran sighed and silently apologized to the Fierce Tooth Pig before turning and leaping onto a tree.

He faintly heard the sound of running water in the distance. After identifying the direction, he took off at a run.

With a step of Shadowless Kick, Xue Xiaoran could only unleash the technique Uncle Osler had taught him to its fullest power in terrain like this.

Every step he took was like a shadow, concealed within the shade of the trees. Anyone who glanced over would never imagine there was a person hiding in those shadows.

Xue Xiaoran knew the teachers were constantly observing every student's every movement, including his own.

That meant he could not carelessly use abilities that should not have belonged to him in the forest, such as his other martial soul and the Tang Sect's techniques.

Though he had used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he had never used Tang Sect hidden weapons, not even practicing them at the academy.

"How did the scouting go?"

When Xue Xiaoran returned to camp, Xiao Hong Chen was arranging the covered tent.

They had not planned to set the tent up on the ground, but rather in the trees.

Many Soul Beasts could not climb trees, and that was the advantage they intended to exploit.

Seeing Xiao Hong Chen and Meng Hong Chen stretching a piece of cloth between the tree shade, Xue Xiaoran knew that would serve as their temporary roof.

"There's no one else nearby." Xue Xiaoran took the Fierce Tooth Pig from his ring and handed it to Yan Yuyan, who had already lit the fire.

The latter muttered awkwardly to herself, "Is the role of such a powerful Fire Element Soul Master like me really just to light fires...?"

Xue Xiaoran merely smiled.

The five sat around the campfire, watching as grease gradually seeped out from the pork roasting on the stone slab, its fragrance slowly spreading outward.

Leaning against a large tree with a blade of grass in his mouth, Xue Xiaoran looked utterly at ease.

So this was how the first day had gone.

But they would definitely encounter more Soul Beasts and classmates next. In the worst-case scenario, if they ran into a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, they would be completely finished.

"Our base camp is here. Do we need to find a new one tomorrow?"

Yu Ling Lin pulled a wooden comb from her backpack and began tying up her hair.

They now regarded Xue Xiaoran as their leader. They knew that this young man before them was somewhat different from them at his core.

He seemed to know a little about everything, carrying himself with indifferent calm. No one could measure this young man's limits.

Xue Xiaoran had instructed Xiao Hong Chen and Meng Hong Chen on how to build the tent, and he had cut up the pork with his sword.

If they had still harbored some doubts about Yan Yuyan's earlier suggestion, they now trusted Xue Xiaoran completely.

"There's no need."

With the grass still in his mouth, Xue Xiaoran watched the forest grow dark far faster than usual, the corners of his lips curving up slightly. "If we've all maintained the same pace, then after walking roughly six hours from morning to noon, we've already reached the inner edge of the Star Dou Great Forest."

"While looking for food, I saw several hundred-year Soul Beasts and one Thousand-Year Soul Beast. They were probably out hunting and patrolling. That proves we're already close to the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest."

"There's no need to move our base camp. This place is quite good, and there's a water source nearby." His Jade Eyes narrowed slightly. After stretching lazily, Xue Xiaoran sat up and turned the pork over.

The fragrance grew stronger and stronger.

Xue Xiaoran frowned and raised his hand. A yellow and a purple soul ring appeared behind him, while a cloud of faintly foul-smelling powder emerged from his hand and was sent flying into the sky.

The ball of powder let out a faint hiss in midair before bursting apart.

The stench mixed with the aroma, gradually canceling each other out.

Before long, the appetizing scent of food gradually faded. It could still be smelled, but it would no longer carry as far as before.

To avoid exposing their position, and to ensure a peaceful night's sleep without Soul Beasts noticing this place, he had no choice but to do this.

Xiao Hong Chen fell silent. He had not expected poison to be used in such a way.

Every moment he spent with Xue Xiaoran made him feel his own shortcomings in some area.

If Xue Xiaoran had only surpassed him slightly, he might have felt jealous. But Xue Xiaoran had already far surpassed him, and now Xiao Hong Chen felt only faint admiration for him.

"Xiao Hong Chen." Xue Xiaoran's voice suddenly rang out, pulling Xiao Hong Chen from his thoughts. Looking into those emerald-green eyes, he asked, "What is it?"

"Tonight, you and Meng Hong Chen will spread Toad Poison around the area. I'll also spread poison to repel Soul Beasts. We'll do the same every day from now on."

"No problem."

Xiao Hong Chen nodded with a smile, exchanging a glance with Meng Hong Chen. Using poison was what they were best at.

After eating their fill, Yu Ling Lin was the first to climb up the tree and rest. Though she was a Control System Soul Master, she had the lowest Soul Power among the five and was somewhat tired after a day of traveling. After excusing herself to the others, she went to rest first.

Yan Yuyan, meanwhile, hugged her knees and stared silently at the burning campfire.

After cleaning away the food remains, Xue Xiaoran split up from Xiao Hong Chen and Meng Hong Chen. They separately spread Soul Beast-repelling poison and medicinal powder around the base camp.

What Xue Xiaoran added was not merely medicinal powder that could drive away Soul Beasts, but also Paralysis Poison and Cold Poison capable of incapacitating intruders, leaving them paralyzed to spend the night in freezing conditions.

From the moment they set out, every group had been rivals. Xue Xiaoran was already showing mercy by not using even more potent poison.

Boom!

A massive explosion suddenly erupted from the distant forest, while a beam of red light shot high into the sky.

Xue Xiaoran froze, then quickly leaped onto a tree and narrowed his Jade Eyes at the thick smoke in the distance.

Though he did not know which group it was, that group's score would be reduced accordingly.

Every time they used the bracelet on their wrists, points would be deducted.

The evening wind ruffled his short hair as he hoped this training exercise would not bring them face-to-face with a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.