Yu Xiaogang's Name Spreads Across the Continent, Preparations for Spirit Hunting

Days passed one by one, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month had gone by! Yun Qi absorbed all kinds of knowledge and experience imparted by his teachers like a sponge soaking up water. He often assigned himself meditation and physical training tasks as well. Although the rewards from those tasks were getting lower and lower, Dancing Youth Broadcast Gymnastics really did improve his physique when practiced enough. Now, Yun Qi's body and Soul Power were advancing side by side, progressing rapidly!

Several things happened during this time.

First, Yun Qi and Xiao Wu grew closer and closer, while his relationship with Tang San worsened by the day. The two had come to dislike each other on sight. Yun Qi's Soul Power had long since broken through Rank 10, but he had been busy attending school and tempering his body, so he had yet to obtain his First Spirit Ring. Yun Qi felt that, with his cheat, following Yu Xiaogang's original Soul Ring Limit rules to the letter would be somewhat disrespectful. He also learned that Tang San had just cultivated back to Rank 10 and was preparing to go Spirit Hunting.

The second matter was that Yu Xiaogang's name had completely resounded across the continent. His bullying of children and his admission that all his Martial Soul research had been plagiarized revealed him to be nothing more than a secondhand peddler of knowledge, causing a huge uproar throughout the Spirit Master world. Master had once enjoyed great prestige among low-level Spirit Masters, yet he had suddenly become a plagiarist. It left everyone stunned. While he had not fallen so far as to become a rat everyone wanted to beat, he no longer received the same respect as before. The people of Nuoding City had never thought highly of him in the first place, since their children had learned nothing from him.

Of course, Bibi Dong, the Pope of Spirit Hall, and Liu Erlong of Blue Tyrant Academy had both learned of Yu Xiaogang's actions in Nuoding City. The former felt something she could neither explain nor put into words. As for the latter, she simply could not believe Yu Xiaogang was that kind of person. He had vanished for so many years, and when news of him finally came again, it was under such circumstances! Back when she had been with him, she had believed him to be learned and wise, with wisdom filling his eyes. It was only that Heaven had been unfair, granting him merely Innate Half-Rank Spirit Power.

Yun Qi had no idea how the two women felt. Xiao Wu had taken Heavenly Leave quite some time ago, saying she was going out to visit relatives. When she returned, she would have a Spirit Ring. Yun Qi naturally knew what she was going to do. After briefly explaining things to and comforting Xiao Wu, he went to ask Director Su to bring him into Soul Hunting Forest.

"Director, could you take me to obtain my First Spirit Ring? I've been Rank 10 for a while now."

Director Su stared at Yun Qi in shock. Wasn't this child Innate 7? He had reached Rank 10 in less than two months after enrolling! He had seen outrageous talent before, but never anything this outrageous! It was practically inhuman.

"Director, Director Su!"

Yun Qi walked up to Director Su and waved a hand before his eyes.

"Sorry, Xiao Xi. Your talent is simply too shocking! I didn't react for a moment."

"I'll make preparations and help you obtain your First Spirit Ring right away!"

"Thank you, Director!"

"It's nothing. After all, you're a Talented Student of our academy."

As he spoke, he reached out and patted Yun Qi on the shoulder.

Yun Qi also assigned himself a task at that moment.

(Task: Obtain the first Spirit Ring.)

(Reward: Soul Guiding Incense. Can attract Spirit Beasts within five kilometers and forcibly induce mating urges. Effective on Spirit Beasts below 1,000 years. Ineffective on humans. Colorless and odorless. Cannot be detected!)

Yun Qi could not help revealing a sinister smile when he saw the reward.

Before long, Director Su finished making arrangements and led Yun Qi out of the academy. They rode in a carriage to the border of Soul Hunting Forest.

When Yun Qi and Director Su got out of the carriage, Yun Qi discovered that Soul Hunting Forest was completely unlike what he had imagined from his Previous Life.

To Yun Qi, a forest should have been filled with the fragrance of nature, fresh air, and few people.

Yet the outside of the forest before him felt more like an enormous marketplace. Crowds bustled everywhere, rows of houses and shops had been built around it, and cries from vendors rose and fell without end. Crude roads crisscrossed the area, linking the various buildings together. The bustling atmosphere did not feel like the entrance to a forest at all.

Still, Yun Qi understood. Wherever there were Spirit Beasts, there would be people willing to brave danger. This was especially true for Spirit Beast forests specifically enclosed by the state. Besides, shops built here generally charged several times more than those outside. Spirit Masters were a wealthy group, and plenty of people wanted to make money off them.

"Got a token, need one more! Looking for a healer!"

"Hunting speed-type Spirit Beasts! Need one more out of six! Looking for someone with a token!"

People gathered around them, calling out invitations. Director Su quickly refused them and led Yun Qi out of the marketplace. The noise around them immediately faded. Looking at the vast forest ahead, Yun Qi could not help feeling stunned. This was not like the forests from his Previous Life. Towering trees rose straight into the clouds, while rings upon rings of Steel Barricades stood around the forest's perimeter, covered in countless sharp spikes gleaming with Cold Light. The barricades were at least ten meters tall!

Outside the barricades, soldiers in steel armor stood every ten meters, holding long spears and lined up in rows, creating an extremely Solemn and Killing atmosphere.

Director Su explained to Yun Qi in a low voice:

"Not just anyone can enter an enclosed Spirit Beast forest. Only those who obtain a token issued by Spirit Hall may enter Soul Hunting Forest. These soldiers only inspect and defend the outer perimeter, preventing poachers from entering, protecting the residents, and stopping Spirit Beasts from escaping and causing trouble. There are also Enforcement Teams specially assigned by Spirit Hall inside the forest. This Soul Hunting Forest is under extremely strict control."

Yun Qi nodded, indicating that he understood.

Director Su then took a token marked with a Long Sword from his robes and handed it to Yun Qi.

"Getting a token is not very difficult. Once you register with Spirit Hall and reach Rank 30 as a Spirit Master, you automatically receive the title of Imperial Baron. The stronger you are, the better your treatment. As for a token, you only need the guarantee of three nobles. Once your strength reaches the peak of your current realm, you can obtain one."

Yun Qi accepted the token, gave it a casual look, then returned it to Director Su.

Director Su and Yun Qi walked straight toward the soldiers at the forest entrance.

The soldier responsible for inspecting tokens merely glanced at it before waving his hand. The soldiers guarding the entrance passage opened a gate and allowed Yun Qi and the others through.

After passing through the towering Steel Barricade wall, Yun Qi took a deep breath. The air became incomparably fresh.

Once inside the forest, Director Su did not act immediately. He merely observed the surroundings in silence and memorized the nearby routes. Seeing him act so cautiously, Yun Qi began observing the area as well.

After confirming that everything was in order, Director Su spoke seriously to Yun Qi:

"Xiao Xi, from now on, you must stay close to me. You cannot leave my side for even a single step."

Yun Qi hurriedly nodded. It was his first time Spirit Hunting, and he felt both afraid and excited.

Director Su then chose a direction and led the cautious Yun Qi deeper into the forest.

"Xiao Xi, do you understand the Spirit Hunting process?"

"I do. Teacher taught us."

"You child, why do you keep calling me Director? My name is Su Ye. Call me Uncle Su from now on."

Su Ye spoke to Yun Qi in all seriousness.

Yun Qi called him that directly. Su Ye had helped him quite a lot, after all. He could owe him for now and repay him once he had the ability.

"Alright, Uncle."

When Su Ye heard Yun Qi call him Uncle, his eyes narrowed with delight. He was clearly very happy.

After walking for some time, Yun Qi spotted quite a few Ten-Year Spirit Beasts and Hundred-Year Spirit Beasts. Some met his requirements, but their age was too low, only around two hundred years. Yun Qi was obviously unsatisfied. Su Ye said nothing; clearly, he did not want Yun Qi to absorb such a Spirit Ring either.

"Xiao Xi, is there any Spirit Beast you want to hunt?"

Yun Qi pondered for a while. There were quite a few Spirit Beasts suitable for his Moon Shadow Sword: Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears, Sawtooth Crocodiles, Shadow Leopards... all of them were good choices. But none of them could be found in this Soul Hunting Forest. His Moon Shadow Sword was also a Dark Element Martial Soul and had a certain advantage in speed.

"Uncle, how about we check the Ghost Shadow Sword Bamboo territory?"

Seeing that Yun Qi had made a choice, Su Ye's mouth twitched as he nodded stiffly. He was clearly under a great deal of pressure regarding that kind of Spirit Beast as well. Ghost Shadow Sword Bamboo was indeed a good Spirit Beast, very suitable for Yun Qi. It could increase toughness and the sharpness of a sword, and with good luck, it could even grant a powerful Spirit Skill. However, it lived in groups. If one could not see where the sword energy wielded by those eerie bamboo stalks came from, entering its territory would make it easy to end up riddled with holes.