Went to Raid Bird Nests

"No problem."

Zhang Lexuan naturally had no objections. She even felt that Huo Yuhao had gotten the short end of the deal. Although the corpse of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast was extremely valuable, it still could not compare to the debt of saving her life.

However, she did not bother with empty pleasantries. Since she already knew that Huo Yuhao lived in Heaven Dou City, she could repay him through her actions in the future.

Then, as if she had remembered something, she took a dark red envelope from her Storage Space and handed it to Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao, when you turn eleven, you can bring this recommendation letter to Shrek Academy. Though I know that with your talent, you could enter Shrek without a recommendation letter, I'll do my best to secure the best resources for you."

Huo Yuhao looked at the envelope before him, somewhat surprised. This was not the city lord's recommendation letter supposedly needed to enroll at Shrek—it was an Inner Courtyard Recommendation Letter.

Though he had never used one in his previous life, he had heard a little about it.

One requirement for Outer Courtyard students to join Shrek Academy's Inner Courtyard was a recommendation letter from an Inner Courtyard Disciple.

By giving Huo Yuhao an Inner Courtyard Recommendation Letter, Zhang Lexuan meant that as long as he presented it when enrolling, the registration teachers would notify her. That would allow her to take better care of him within the academy.

Huo Yuhao did not refuse. For one, he needed to repay Zhu Lu's favor. For another, there were indeed some old acquaintances in Shrek Academy whom he wanted to meet. Besides, Dai Huabin's older brother, Dai Yueheng, was still at the academy.

He had not forgotten what he told Dai Huabin before leaving the Duke's Mansion.

Huo Yun'er's attitude had changed in this life, so naturally, he had to be a man of his word.

Thinking of that figure with Pink Blue Hair, Huo Yuhao pressed his lips together lightly, then smiled and accepted the envelope.

"Then thank you, Lexuan-jie."

After putting away the envelope, Huo Yuhao took out the White Tiger Dagger and looked toward the Blood Erosion Dragon Lizard. Seeing the corpse as large as a small mountain, a trace of bewilderment flashed through his eyes.

It's this big—how am I supposed to divide it up?

After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively swung the dagger at the crimson scales. The sparks that flew illuminated his slightly blank face, making Zhang Lexuan hurriedly stifle her laughter.

"Ahem. I'll help you."

As she spoke, her Fifth Soul Skill lit up. The full moon behind her transformed into a crescent moon, which, under Zhang Lexuan's control, turned into a sharp blade that sliced through the Blood Erosion Dragon Lizard's corpse, carving large chunks of fine meat from its bones.

The dead Blood Erosion Dragon Lizard's defenses had fallen drastically. It could withstand the sharpness of the White Tiger Dagger, but it definitely could not withstand Zhang Lexuan's Soul Skill. To make it easier for Huo Yuhao to store the meat in his ring, she thoughtfully divided it into evenly sized portions.

As chunk after chunk of meat was removed, a Soul Bone glittering with an eerie blood-red light was unearthed. Everyone's eyes burned with envy, but no one said anything. By both sentiment and reason, it should belong to Zhang Lexuan, who had contributed the most.

Using the Ice Attribute Martial Soul he had just acquired, Huo Yuhao froze all the meat under Zhang Lexuan's strange gaze. His mood improved considerably, and he smiled at her again in thanks.

"Thank you, Lexuan-jie."

".You're welcome."

Zhang Lexuan opened her mouth, but in the end, she merely sighed softly. She chose not to ask Huo Yuhao in front of the others whether he possessed Twin Martial Souls. Before they had parted that morning, she had only thought he was a rather sensible young man.

Now, however, he was likely far more extraordinary than she had imagined.

A thousand-year First Soul Ring, Twin Martial Souls, and the wondrous abilities displayed by that golden Vertical Eye—everything Huo Yuhao had revealed had completely overturned her understanding.

"By the way, Yuhao, your talent seems quite impressive. Could you be from some sect? Or perhaps the descendant of a noble from one of the empires?"

When she had first seen Huo Yuhao's Vertical Eye, she had thought he was from the Body Sect. But upon further consideration, that did not seem right. The Body Sect had always been fiercely protective of its own. With talent like Huo Yuhao's, those people would never have allowed him to enter the Star Dou Great Forest alone.

"I haven't joined any sect or faction. As for my talent, perhaps it's because my martial soul mutated."

With the matter settled, Huo Yuhao did not intend to stay any longer. After brushing the dust off himself, he looked at Zhang Lexuan and was about to wave goodbye when a mournful howl suddenly rang out from the sky. Looking up, he saw an earthen-yellow ball of light streak past overhead at incredible speed.

"That is... Elder Xuan!"

Yet as Huo Yuhao looked at the ball of light in the sky, he seemed to realize something, and his brow suddenly furrowed.

Xuan Zi was the Team Leader Teacher responsible for this incident?

Then how did he have the nerve to bring this matter up in his previous life!?

As he pondered this, Xuan Zi seemed to notice them as well. The yellow ball of light traced an arc through the air and descended toward their location.

The moment he landed, he saw the Blood Erosion Dragon Lizard reduced to a skeleton and the blood-red soul ring beside it. His expression changed at once.

"A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast!? How did you encounter a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast in the Mixed Region!?"

He swept his gaze around, and seeing that only six people remained, an ominous feeling rose in his heart.

"Where are the others?"

Grief appeared on everyone's faces. Aside from Zhang Lexuan, the only remaining female student's eyes overflowed with tears as she murmured softly.

"They're dead."

The hoarse voice exploded beside Xuan Zi's ears like muffled thunder. His body swayed, and he asked instinctively.

".What?"

"I said they're all dead!!! Are you satisfied now!?"

The female student suddenly raised her head. Hatred glinted in her eyes as she stared fixedly at Xuan Zi, her voice filled with venom.

"Why didn't you appear when we were facing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast, yet you show up now!?"

"Aren't you the Team Leader Teacher!?"

"Was this also some kind of academy test!?"

Xuan Zi opened his mouth, but could not say a single word.

What could he say?

That he had gone to raid a few nests for bird eggs?

That he had gone to catch some wild beasts they normally never got to eat?

That, since he had finally made a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, he had gone off to find some game and treat himself properly?

He had never expected such a coincidence. In the Mixed Region, even soul beasts over thirty thousand years old were exceedingly rare. Even if they encountered one, twelve Inner Courtyard Disciples should have been more than capable of handling it with ease. That was precisely why he had chosen to leave temporarily.

Who could have imagined that, in less than a day, the team would run into a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast—one that was exceedingly rare even in the Core Region?

Thinking that six Inner Courtyard Disciples had died because of him, he shut his eyes in pain.

"Are you mute!? Say something!!!"

Seeing Xuan Zi remain silent, the female disciple roared herself hoarse. "Where the fuck did you go!? Were you dead!?"

"Or does the academy not even care whether we live or die anymore!?"