A Chance Encounter

Canghui Academy did not have a tradition of sending its students to the Soul Arena for real combat.

Usually, one Soul King teacher or several Soul Ancestor teachers would take turns fighting the seven members of the academy team.

This let them experience different types of soul masters and find their own shortcomings.

The bruises on Xu Mingxi's body had not faded once these past few days. If not for the Medicinal Baths prepared by his family, he did not even know whether he could have held on.

Still, the results were obvious.

Although his Soul Power had not increased, Xu Mingxi could clearly feel that his physical condition had strengthened a great deal.

His close-quarters combat was also steadily improving under Luo Yun's instruction.

As for increasing Soul Power, that required years and months of persistent, unbroken cultivation.

Although Douluo Continent did not seem to have the concept of an unstable foundation from hollow cultivation.

Xu Mingxi believed that only what he cultivated himself was real.

Though he also did not mind having the Sect Master and his grandfather go fetch some Immortal Herbs when the time came.

Speaking of Immortal Herbs, Xu Mingxi had long had his own ideas, but after searching through all the sect's records, he had found no related entries.

He could only wait and see whether he could find an opening through the Soul Breaking Spear Yang Family or Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan.

Time flew by amid cultivation and beatings.

In the blink of an eye, a year passed, and Xu Mingxi's Soul Power had also reached rank thirty-six.

This was already the result of his Star Calling Soul Skill increasing his cultivation speed, combined with his diligent daily training.

The others on the team were basically hovering around ranks thirty-four and thirty-five.

Luo Yun and Wen Tingyu, however, worked hard in silence, and in just one short year, they reached rank forty.

In order to obtain a fourth soul ring for Luo Yun and Wen Tingyu, and also to increase the team's coordination...

The dean decided to personally lead the academy team to the Star Dou Great Forest and help Luo Yun obtain his fourth soul ring.

Accompanying them were their coach, Yan Feng, as well as a Soul Emperor sent by the Star Luo Royal Family to guard against accidents.

The soul beasts the two of them needed, roughly around four thousand years old, mostly appeared around the outer edge of the mixed zone.

In most circumstances, a team led by a Soul Saint was already enough.

At least, that was what Xu Mingxi thought. Since his Elder Sister and Brother-in-law had only sent one Soul Emperor, it should not be dangerous.

An accident like Er Ming the Titan Giant Ape was ultimately not very likely.

If it really did happen, even if his grandfather came, he might not be able to protect everyone.

Xu Mingxi stuffed plenty of food and outdoor supplies into his Storage Soul Tool, and with that, his preparations were complete.

Among the academy team, only Xiong Lie and Ye Zhiqiu came from commoner backgrounds and did not have Storage Soul Tools, so for the time being, they placed their things with the others.

The group of ten rode in carriages and set off in grand fashion.

Canghui Academy would not do something stupid like making its people travel on foot.

They could cultivate inside the carriage, then quickly hunt soul beasts, hurry back, and train in a professional training ground. Was that not better?

Could plain running even be considered training? In any case, Xu Mingxi completely disagreed with it.

Nothing happened along the way, and the ten of them smoothly arrived at the small town outside the Star Dou Great Forest.

Who would have thought that just as they reached the town entrance, before they had even gone in, someone called out to them.

"Are those friends from Canghui Academy up ahead?"

Xu Mingxi turned his head and saw a group of nine people approaching, all wearing matching uniforms.

Likewise, it was two middle-aged or elderly people leading a group of inexperienced boys and girls. They were probably also from some academy, brought out to hunt soul rings.

As the leader, Dean Wen naturally had to step out, and it seemed he also knew the opposing leader.

"Zhi Lin, what, now that you're old, even your eyesight has gone bad?"

"Well, if it isn't Dean Wen. What brings you out personally to obtain soul rings? Does Canghui Academy have no one left?"

Dean Wen had met Zhi Lin at the Soul Master Competition. At the time, the two had belonged to different teams.

Ever since that time when he had been bound by Zhi Lin's Sky Blue Vine and forced to watch helplessly as his teammates were eliminated, the two of them had become enemies.

Afterward, one became a dean and the other became a director, and they began competing over the quality of their students.

"Dean Wen, meeting by chance is fate. Why don't we enter the Star Dou Great Forest together? That way, we can look after each other."

"Then I'll have to trouble Director Zhi Lin."

The Star Dou Great Forest was full of danger, and two Soul Saint experts could better handle sudden crises.

Besides, the two of them had fought each other for so many years that they each had some understanding of the other's character. There was still a foundation of trust.

While the two leaders traded veiled barbs, the students were also sizing one another up.

And from these Heaven Dou Royal Academy students, Xu Mingxi saw only one word: arrogance.

They did not even pay much attention to the Canghui Academy team. They did not seem especially close to one another either, simply standing there carelessly.

Still, when he saw Xu Mingxi, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

Everyone present was a student who would be taking part in the next Soul Master Competition, their ages all between twenty and twenty-five. Xu Mingxi's face looked extremely out of place among them.

Zhi Lin also noticed Xu Mingxi, this presence who clearly did not fit in.

"Dean Wen, your team isn't even complete, is it? You even brought a junior out to broaden his horizons."

"Not at all. Mingxi is also one of the competitors. Don't be fooled by how young he looks—he's actually almost nineteen."

"Is that so? Truly, heroes emerge young. Why not come to my Heaven Dou Royal Academy? The treatment would absolutely be better than what you get at Canghui Academy."

Zhi Lin was not the sort of person who liked to strangle geniuses in the cradle. On the contrary, he felt a fondness for talent.

Not even nineteen. At this age, he could already take part in this Soul Master Competition.

Then by the next one, wouldn't that mean they could reserve a team member who was at least a high-level Soul Ancestor?

Before Xu Mingxi could speak, Dean Wen was already about to explode with anger. He stepped between Zhi Lin and Xu Mingxi.

"What, trying to dig up my corner, are you? Want this old man to spar with you?"

Zhi Lin was not yet that Soul Douluo education committee member. At level seventy-three, his strength was about the same as Dean Wen's.

With the advantages of the control system, he might have a slight edge, but Dean Wen definitely was not afraid of him.

Xu Mingxi looked at Dean Wen and felt a little strange.

How could he have let Shi Nian become vice dean? Canghui Academy had been turned into a complete mess under him. Dean Wen did not seem like someone who would use any means necessary to achieve his goals.

"No need to get worked up. This old man simply doesn't want to see a genius buried. My Heaven Dou Royal Academy is the number one academy of the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Thank you for your kindness, but I still want to stay at Canghui Academy."

Xu Mingxi was not stupid. If he went to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, would he still have any peaceful days? He might even end up dragging his sect into the water.

Zhi Lin did not say anything more. The invitation had only been a spur-of-the-moment impulse. A nineteen-year-old Soul Elder was not quite a genius to that extent.

"All right. In order to work together in the Star Dou Great Forest, children, show them your strength."

Once they entered the Star Dou Great Forest, the teachers leading the teams would not make a move easily.

And since the students would have to cooperate to face soul beasts, they naturally had to understand their own people's situations first.

"Yu Xiaotian, level forty assault-type battle Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."

"Ning Fengxue, level thirty-four support-type tool Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda."

"Wu Xing, level forty assault-type battle Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Red Dragon."

"Xue Xiang, level thirty-eight agility-attack-type battle Soul Elder, Martial Soul: White Feather Eagle."

"Meng You, level thirty-nine control-type Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Black Demon."

"Shi Lin, level thirty-eight defense-type Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Black Tortoise Turtle."

"Ye Chenxing, level thirty-six support-type Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Azure Heart Begonia."

What a dazzling lineup. Their Soul Power Levels were more than just a notch higher than Canghui Academy's side, and their Martial Souls were incomparably powerful.

Xu Mingxi noticed that these people were less like students and more like a combination of various major forces.

Canghui Academy likewise reported their information, but after hearing it, they only glanced at Luo Yun, Wen Tingyu, and Xu Mingxi.

It was as if the others were not even worthy of being taken seriously.

Though everyone was angry, they also knew the gap was indeed large—not only the gap in their own strength, but also the gap in the forces backing them. In the end, they held it in.

Even Luo Yun, seeing that Xu Mingxi made no move, did not step forward either.

The group of nineteen people marched grandly toward the Star Dou Great Forest, and very soon vanished inside.

To the Star Dou Great Forest, these dozen or so people were nothing more than specks of dust. Beneath the cover of the woods, they stirred up no ripples at all.