Volume 1

Reentering the Soul Hunting Forest. Since the soul beasts here were basically raised by the empire, high-level soul beasts were actually quite rare. Moreover, over the past two years, Su Xing's Blacksmith Shop had developed quite well. Tang San smiled awkwardly. "What a coincidence. My Soul Power just reached level twenty too. Teacher said he would take me to the Soul Hunting Forest today to hunt a soul beast and obtain my second soul ring. You're going to the Soul Hunting Forest too, right? Why don't we go together?" After preparing everything, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang hired a carriage in the city and paid the driver five Soul Silver Coins. After all, aside from boasting, making PPTs, recognizing a few more soul beasts, and knowing a few more martial souls, Su Xing really could not think of anything exceptional about Yu Xiaogang. Clearly, Tang San and Xiao Wu had already become brother and sister—the kind of siblings who hung up sheep's heads while selling dog meat, with a touch of ethical impropriety. However, because Su Xing had been busy making new firearms, he had never made obtaining his soul ring a priority, delaying the matter for nearly half a year. Fortunately, his cultivation had not fallen behind during those six months, and he had accumulated a great deal of Soul Power in his body. Seeing the white radishes in Tang San's arms, Su Xing could not help wanting to cover his nose and mouth. "What are you laughing at?" "Come out, Luo Sanpao!" During this time, whenever Nuoding Academy went on break, Xiao Wu would return to Holy Soul Village with Tang San, and the two had grown much closer. Thus, Su Xing had recently planned to find time to visit the Soul Hunting Forest east of Nuoding City, hunt a soul beast, and obtain his second soul ring. Over the past two years, after learning of Su Xing's talent, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang had repeatedly hinted that he wanted to take him as a disciple, but Su Xing had undoubtedly brushed him off every time. After entering the Soul Hunting Forest, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang's eyes suddenly lit up. Then, with a puff, a stream of pale purple Soul Power split from his palms. After a ripple of Soul Power, a creature appeared before them. After showing their hunting permit, the three entered the Soul Hunting Forest. Several days later, early in the morning, outside Nuoding Academy. The Grandmaster spoke to Tang San. "Luo luo." "What about you?" Su Xing asked again. Judging by the information Luo Sanpao had relayed, there were clearly soul beast disturbances ahead. "Sanpao's sense of smell is very keen. He can detect the traces and strength of soul beasts. Since he consumes very little Soul Power, I can keep him summoned for a long time." Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang grinned and said hypocritically, "In that case, Su Xing, you should come to the Soul Hunting Forest with us. That way, Xiaosan and I can look after you as well." Yu Xiaogang wore a set of fitted clothes today, making him look somewhat more handsome than usual. Yet his stiff face gave off an extremely incongruous feeling. Hearing Tang San say this, Su Xing's thoughts began to turn. He was also curious about Tang San's current strength. "Uh, if that's the case, then we can go together." Hearing Su Xing laugh, Yu Xiaogang frowned slightly. He always felt that Su Xing was mocking him, but he had no proof. Tang San was highly alert and quickly noticed Su Xing's arrival. He asked curiously, "Brother Su, why are you leaving so early today? Where are you going?" After two years of uninterrupted hard cultivation, Su Xing's Soul Power had long since reached level twenty. As long as he obtained another soul ring, he could advance to become a Great Soul Master. Before long, Luo Sanpao suddenly stopped. His large eyes stared in one direction, while he kept making luo luo sounds. Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, two years had gone by. These two were none other than master and disciple, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San. "N-No, it's nothing. I just think your martial soul is really cute, Grandmaster." Su Xing crouched down and petted the Grandmaster's martial soul, Luo Sanpao, as though he were petting a dog. "Uh, then I'll trouble you two." Su Xing was somewhat speechless. He smiled awkwardly and forced an innocent smile appropriate for his current age onto his face. Luo Sanpao seemed to understand the Grandmaster's words. He swayed his head and waddled forward. Though his body was rather fat, he was still fairly nimble. Seeing Luo Sanpao's dull-witted appearance, Su Xing ultimately could not hold back and burst out laughing. At this, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang's expression changed slightly. Clearly, because he had repeatedly hinted at taking Su Xing as his disciple only to be brushed off every time, he was certainly somewhat displeased with Su Xing. However, he was too embarrassed to show it too openly. Along the way, Yu Xiaogang spoke animatedly to Tang San, continuing to expound upon his proud theories. Su Xing, meanwhile, rested with his eyes closed. He had gotten up a little early today and was still somewhat sleepy. "All right, you two, come with me. Let's first buy some necessities for the Soul Hunting Forest." Yu Xiaogang glanced at the two of them and headed out of the academy. "Sanpao, lead the way." "There seems to be movement ahead!" the Grandmaster called out. The area outside the Soul Hunting Forest was as bustling as ever. Numerous teams had gathered to hunt soul beasts, and shouts rose one after another, making the place exceptionally noisy. Therefore, Su Xing naturally could not possibly take Yu Xiaogang, who was only level twenty-nine, as his master. At this moment, two yellow soul rings circled beneath the Grandmaster's feet, clearly both hundred-year soul rings. The journey of more than four hundred li was neither too far nor too near. By carriage, they arrived at the Soul Hunting Forest around noon the following day. Soon, the three arrived at a general store. Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang had Tang San buy several waterskins, along with some cured meat, flatbread, and fruit. Finally, he bought a full twenty jin of white radishes. "What soul beast is ahead?" Seeing this, Tang San took a wholly azure short sword from Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges and asked. Pale purple fur, drooping little ears, deep blue eyes, a fat body, and four short, stubby legs—it looked exactly like a dog, except it was a dog even fatter than a pig. The blacksmiths used the firearm blueprints Su Xing had drawn to manufacture some simple guns and ammunition, then sold them to low-level soul masters in Nuoding City. This allowed Su Xing to earn a fortune and achieve financial freedom in Nuoding City. "Pfft!" Having finished breakfast, Su Xing had just reached the main gate and was preparing to depart for the Soul Hunting Forest when he spotted a tall man and a short boy not far ahead of him. Hearing this, Su Xing first fell silent, then said, "I'm planning to hunt soul beasts in the soul beast forest and obtain my second soul ring." Once they got into the carriage, the driver skillfully steered them toward the Soul Hunting Forest northeast of Nuoding City. During this time, Su Xing had also returned to Holy Soul Village several times. However, since he had never liked Tang San and Xiao Wu to begin with, he naturally did not return with them. Instead, he found time to visit Grandpa Jack on his own.