Target: Star Dou Great Forest—Just Keep Grinding, Why Don't You!

Outside the dormitory, Flender's eyes visibly lit up, and the coldness vanished from his face.

Right after that.

The door to the little wooden cabin opened, and Oscar rushed out with an excited look on his face, only to stop in surprise.

"Dean...! Fatty! You're back! I've broken through to level thirty!"

Ma Hongjun looked far more relaxed than he had during the day, radiating delight as he grinned. "Congratulations, Brother Oscar!"

A clear smile appeared on Flender's face as well. He patted Oscar on the shoulder.

"Oscar, very good, very good. You haven't disappointed me. You're the third among our students to reach level thirty. On behalf of the academy, congratulations!"

Food System Spirit Masters lacked combat ability and belonged to one of the hardest categories of martial spirits to cultivate.

A Soul Elder-level Food System Spirit Master whose martial spirit was sausages could provide food for more than five hundred people even right after breaking through.

Not to mention how young he was. Once he broke through to Soul Ancestor, Soul King...

If Oscar were willing to join the military, he would probably be treated like a prized treasure and protected immediately.

"Alright, go back and get some proper rest. Build up your strength. Tomorrow morning, I'll have Zhao Wuji take you to the Star Dou Great Forest. Hongjun, Xiao San, the two of you as well. Get a good rest tonight."

"Okay, Dean." Tang San nodded from the doorway of the cabin.

Ma Hongjun nodded as well, patted Oscar on the shoulder, and returned to the dormitory.

Flender seemed very pleased. Rather than returning to his own residence, he went straight to Zhao Wuji's dormitory. Even after being driven out, he still wore a satisfied smile as he headed to Shao Xin's residence next.

"..."

Oscar did not return to the dormitory. Instead, he stood in the open space before the cabin, craning his neck and looking around.

Xiao Xian spotted him and jumped down from the roof. "Brother Oscar, congratulations."

"Brother Xian!" Oscar still looked somewhat excited. "What kind of spirit ring do you think I should choose?"

Xiao Xian had a deep understanding of martial spirits. Asking him could not be wrong.

Xiao Xian smiled faintly and first glanced at Tang San, who stood not far behind Oscar. "Xiao San, you're Food System too. What do you think?"

Tang San froze for a moment, but then smiled. "Brother Oscar's first two spirit rings provide recovery and detoxification. As long as the Third Spirit Ring adds another support effect, that should be enough. But perhaps strengthening the previous two support effects would work too."

Xiao Xian nodded. "That's true. It mainly depends on what spirit beasts we encounter then."

Ordinary Spirit Masters simply hunted whatever they encountered. As long as it was roughly suitable, that was enough.

Very few went to as much trouble as Xiao Xian did, not only choosing in advance but even buying intelligence.

"Go back and rest well. Get a good night's sleep. Teacher Zhao will make sure you're satisfied."

"..."

The weather that night was fairly pleasant, not too cold.

Xiao Xian returned to the roof, leaned against Xiao Jue, and silently watched the night sky.

He had once seen a theory that Tang San's transmigration was seemingly connected to the Asura God.

Another theory claimed that he might have been favored by the will of the plane.

Then...

The third ring.

You, a Food System Spirit Master.

Would you still obtain that so-called External Soul Bone?

No normal Food System Spirit Master would absorb a Man Faced Demon Spider, would they?

Or perhaps?

Xiao Xian looked up at the sky, sighed faintly, patted Xiao Jue behind him, and leaped down.

"..."

Early the next morning, the clanging bell rang right on schedule.

Everyone gathered on the training grounds.

Flender did not appear. Zhao Wuji had taken his place.

He looked somewhat disheveled, with several bruises on his face and a pair of black eyes.

Everyone was rather surprised.

Zhao Wuji was a Spirit Saint, with the Great Strength Vajra Bear as his martial spirit. He was incomparably fierce and possessed formidable defenses. Who could have beaten him into such a state?

Xiao Xian cooperatively put on a shocked expression as well.

Being stared at by the little Spirit Masters made Zhao Wuji's scalp prickle. He was in no mood for nonsense.

"You all know that Oscar broke through, right?"

"We know."

Oscar had already excitedly told everyone at breakfast.

The other companions had all been quite surprised, especially Ning Rongrong. Yesterday, you said you were trash, and today you were already a Soul Elder?!

"Then your second lesson this semester will be this: everyone will go to the Star Dou Great Forest together and help Oscar obtain his Third Spirit Ring. Before we encounter a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast, I won't interfere casually. Everything will depend on you." Zhao Wuji said coldly.

"Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

"Then let's not waste time. Everyone, set out. Xiao Xian, Mu Bai, you two lead the team."

Dai Mubai's expression turned serious. He glanced at Xiao Xian and gave him a look.

Xiao Xian gestured toward the others with his right hand, indicating that Dai Mubai should take command.

Dai Mubai nodded. Without standing on ceremony, he addressed the others in a low voice. "The Star Dou Great Forest isn't a Soul Hunting Forest where spirit beasts are kept in captivity. There are countless spirit beasts inside, and they are extremely wild. Everyone must be careful."

"Xiao Xian, you'll take the front, alright?" Dai Mubai asked, looking at Xiao Xian.

Xiao Xian nodded. "No problem."

Dai Mubai continued, "Alright. Then Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Tang San, you three will be in the middle. Tang San, it would be best if you stayed a little behind the two of them."

"Xiao Wu and Fatty, take the left and right sides."

"Zhu Zhuqing and I will stay at the rear of the team."

"Once we enter the Star Dou Great Forest, everyone must maintain formation and stay alert."

"Now go back and pack up. Gather here again in ten minutes."

"..."

Ten minutes later, they were still on the training grounds.

"Let's go!"

Zhao Wuji did not say a word. He merely watched them from the side, strictly abiding by what he had just said: everything would depend on them.

There were no carriages at the academy, though carriages could obviously be rented in Suotuo City.

But Dai Mubai did not waste time. He simply led everyone forward at a run.

Given Shrek's style, there was no way they would be allowed to rent a carriage.

Xiao Xian was a little bored.

Instead of wasting time on dull running, he might as well cultivate his Soul Power.

He casually summoned Xiao Jue, leaped onto its back, and sat down. "I'm going to meditate for a while. Xiao Jue will follow you."

With that, he closed his eyes directly.

Ning Rongrong was a little surprised, and a little envious.

The corners of Dai Mubai's and Ma Hongjun's mouths twitched. Ever since getting to know Xiao Xian, their mouths had practically been twitching crooked.

They silently wondered why their own martial spirits could not leave their bodies.

Xiao Wu's eyes immediately lit up. She looked at Xiao Xian, then at Xiao Jue. Its back looked like it could still fit someone else, didn't it?

Tang San helplessly tugged at her arm.

Senior Brother was cultivating. It was best not to disturb him.

A clear fluctuation of Soul Power was indeed emanating from Xiao Xian.

Everyone quietly fell silent as well.

While feeling envious, they could not help but feel a sense of urgency. You could even cultivate while traveling—you really were going all out!