Tang San Breaks Through!

As they continued on their journey, everyone's physical strength was steadily draining away.

But Oscar's Recovery Sausages were remarkably effective. Everyone replenished their strength in time and remained almost constantly full of energy.

Moreover, the issue with his Soul Curse had been resolved.

They could eat Recovery Sausages without any psychological burden at all.

So... Oscar was running low on Soul Power.

At first, Dai Mubai dragged him along by the arm for a while, giving him a chance to recover. Later, when Xiao Xian opened his eyes, he directly had Xiao Jue carry Oscar forward in its mouth.

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong would occasionally use the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to give everyone an Agility Aura. Whenever her Soul Power ran low, she would look at Xiao Xian with expectant eyes.

After that, Xiao Jue's mouth carried her instead.

Her face still looked somewhat pale. Xiao Jue's aura was simply too fierce, like a genuine Spirit Beast that had lived for several thousand years.

But... it was easy.

She looked slyly at the others who were still running.

Tang San also contributed his Blue Silver Sugarcane, but his Mysterious Heaven Skill was highly effective at recovering Soul Power, so he did not need much outside help.

"..."

The Star Dou Great Forest was nearly five hundred kilometers from Suotuo City.

There were nine of them, including three auxiliary Spirit Masters, and Zhao Wuji did not even need their support.

Before nightfall, with plenty of time still remaining, they had already covered more than four hundred kilometers.

Zhao Wuji looked at the sky and decisively ordered them to rest.

If they kept going, they would have to spend the night in the Star Dou Great Forest.

For a group of young Spirit Masters exhausted from an entire day's journey, that would be far too difficult. It was best to enter during the day.

Even if they had to stay overnight inside, having the daytime experience as a buffer would make things safer overall.

A small town lay ahead.

Zhao Wuji led them inside to resupply and rest.

Xiao Xian immediately recalled Xiao Jue.

He was not familiar with this town. Flender had only once taken him over it through the air.

He had some vague recollection of it.

The town was lively as well. Unlike other places, nearly every shop here was related to Spirit Masters—weaponry, leather armor, medicine, special clothing—and most of the people coming and going were Spirit Masters too, with fierce auras.

Tang San looked around everywhere and occasionally chatted with Oscar, clearly feeling that he had broadened his horizons once more.

He had originally wanted to chat with Xiao Xian.

But Xiao Xian seemed to be thinking about something, so he did not disturb him.

Zhao Wuji led them around for a while until they spotted an unremarkable inn.

"We'll stay here. Rest for the night, set out tomorrow, and pay your own expenses."

The inn was the most ordinary kind, with two floors in total. The first-floor hall was for dining, while the second floor provided lodging.

Zhao Wuji booked himself a single room, asked Tang San for a Blue Silver Sugarcane, then went upstairs while chewing on it, no longer bothering with them.

Dai Mubai discussed it with everyone and decided to make do with a five-person room for the five boys, plus a three-person room for the girls.

Xiao Xian shook his head. "I'll get a single room too. Xiao Jue needs to cultivate at night. A five-person room won't fit us all."

Dai Mubai could only nod and change the five-person room into a four-person room.

"Let's eat first. We can go upstairs and rest after dinner. I've eaten so many sausages I'm about to throw up!" Ma Hongjun kept glancing at other tables, swallowing frantically.

Dai Mubai was generous with his money and chose to treat everyone. After a hearty meal, they went upstairs to rest.

Xiao Xian went to the kitchen and asked them to prepare some Spirit Beast Meat. He still had some spare room in his Soul Tool, and it was for Xiao Jue.

Although Tang San was with them on this trip, there were not many unexpected incidents.

They had arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest a day earlier than in the original story, so naturally they would not happen to encounter Canghui Academy.

However, Shrek's "school motto" was still at work.

From the room next door, Xiao Xian heard Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others go out for a while. They seemed to have beaten someone up, but it did not cause much of a disturbance.

After Xiao Jue finished the Spirit Beast Meat delivered by the kitchen, it squeezed itself into a corner of the room and began cultivating.

Xiao Xian followed the habit he had maintained for so many years—cultivating during the first half of the night and sleeping during the second. In the morning, he would recall Xiao Jue and merge their Soul Power.

"..."

Early the next morning, everyone continued on their journey.

Before long, they had approached the seemingly endless forest.

"Stop." Zhao Wuji turned around and looked at them seriously. "You all need to remember this: the Star Dou Great Forest is not an empire-raised Soul Hunting Forest. Here, you may face attacks from Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts, or even Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beasts, at any moment!"

"No one is to move more than twenty meters away from me. Tang San, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong, you especially must not leave my side!"

"Without my orders, none of you may casually attack any Spirit Beast. Understood?"

"Understood!"

Everyone, including Xiao Xian, grew solemn.

With Xiao Wu here, it was not just Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beasts that might attack. Even Hundred Thousand Year ones could appear.

At Xiao Xian's reminder, Oscar and Tang San had already made plenty of sausages and sugarcane at the inn, distributing them among the group.

They did not waste any time now.

Zhao Wuji had Xiao Xian release Xiao Jue. It and Dai Mubai walked at the very front, while Zhao Wuji himself guarded the rear of the group.

That way, all eight youngsters would remain within his field of vision. Besides, many Spirit Beasts had a habit of ambushing from behind.

"..."

After entering the Star Dou Great Forest, there were no paths inside. Thorns covered the ground, and trees grew densely everywhere.

When Flender had previously taken Xiao Xian through the area, they had passed overhead and had not needed to clear a path.

But with so many people now, that was naturally impossible.

Dai Mubai released his martial soul and extended his sharp claws, wildly tearing apart every thorny obstacle ahead.

Xiao Jue had it much easier. Sometimes it followed behind Dai Mubai.

At other times, it would leap into the air and jump back and forth between several large trees, scouting the activity ahead.

They occasionally encountered Spirit Beasts as well.

Before Tang San could say anything, Xiao Xian would have them avoid them.

Xiao Jue's nose was keen, and it could detect traces of Spirit Beasts from a great distance away.

This continued until noon.

At Zhao Wuji's command, everyone began to rest.

They had not ventured too deeply into the Star Dou Great Forest. Oscar's spirit ring had to be at least a thousand years old, and they had not encountered a suitable one yet.

Xiao Wu had initially been rather excited, but as time went on, she gradually became listless.

Xiao Xian quietly glanced at her a few times, then casually handed her a Water Skin and some food.

The rest ended.

Until nightfall, everyone was somewhat exhausted, but they had yet to encounter a satisfactory Thousand-Year Spirit Beast.

The ones they had encountered were either too powerful, far beyond Oscar's limit, or poisonous.

Somewhat helpless, Zhao Wuji found a spot and set up camp for the night.

No Spirit Beasts attacked during the night.

The nine of them were mostly meditating, their Soul Power fluctuations intense and highly intimidating. Not every Spirit Beast had the courage to launch a rash attack.

Tang San in particular had the most obvious Soul Power fluctuations.

He was from the Plant System. Upon reaching the Star Dou Great Forest, it was as if he had returned home, and he found it deeply familiar and comfortable.

By morning—

Everyone was eating dry rations.

Tang San opened his eyes with an excited expression and went to find the somewhat impatient Zhao Wuji.

"Teacher Zhao, I broke through too! Level thirty!"

Zhao Wuji was drinking water and immediately sprayed it out, staring at Tang San with wide eyes.

"???!"

Everyone eating breakfast was a little stunned.