Setting Off and Choosing Gifts

The next day, at dawn.

Before daybreak, while most of Nuoding Academy's teachers and students were still asleep, Bai Ge and Tang San cautiously got out of bed. After getting ready, they left the Dormitory Building.

Grandmaster had already been waiting beneath the Dormitory Building for quite some time.

"Teacher, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Seeing that Grandmaster seemed to have been waiting for a while, Bai Ge and Tang San hurriedly apologized.

"Not long. I just arrived as well."

Grandmaster Shook His Head.

"All right, let's go."

With that, Grandmaster turned and headed toward the academy's Main Gate.

"Teacher, where are we going to find Spirit Beasts?"

Along the way, Tang San asked curiously.

Hearing this, Bai Ge also turned to look at Grandmaster.

Although, based on the novel he had read in his previous life, they should have been heading to the Soul Hunting Forest, Bai Ge had already forgotten exactly where it was.

"We're going to a Soul Hunting Forest four hundred li northeast of Nuoding City. It's a place where the empire raises Spirit Beasts. Although the Spirit Beasts there generally do not exceed a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast, there are still many different kinds. According to the information I found, we should be able to find suitable Spirit Beasts for both of you there."

Grandmaster answered.

"Then how long will it take us to get there?"

After hearing Grandmaster's words, Bai Ge could not help asking.

"About a day and a half."

After thinking for a moment, Grandmaster replied.

"Ah, it takes that long?"

Before Bai Ge could react, Tang San exclaimed in surprise.

Neither in his previous life nor this one had Tang San ever traveled so far from home!

"That isn't long at all. It's only because you two are still too young and haven't traveled far before. Once you grow up, you'll surely journey much farther."

Hearing Tang San's surprise, a trace of nostalgia appeared on Grandmaster's face, as though he were recalling his own past.

"Since we'll be traveling so far, Teacher, why not take the time to teach us about Soul Masters and Spirit Beasts along the way?"

Although Bai Ge knew quite a few secrets of Douluo Continent, when it came to the most basic knowledge of the Soul Master world, he was still a complete novice. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Bai Ge made the suggestion.

"Certainly. I'll first tell you the basics. Once we're on the road, I'll explain things to you in more detail."

Hearing Bai Ge's words, Grandmaster nodded.

"Mm... Since we're going to the Soul Hunting Forest this time, we'll definitely encounter Spirit Beasts there, so I'll first tell you about them."

"First, the strength of Spirit Beasts. Because Spirit Beasts cannot cultivate like humans do, nor can they Absorb Spirit Rings, they can only build up their cultivation through time. Thus, based on their cultivation, the Soul Master world divides Spirit Beasts into Ten-Year Spirit Beasts, Hundred-Year Spirit Beasts, Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts, Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts, and Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts."

"As the names imply, a Spirit Beast with more than ten years of cultivation is a Ten-Year Spirit Beast. One with a hundred years of cultivation is a Hundred-Year Spirit Beast, and so on. However, a Spirit Beast with a hundred years of cultivation has not necessarily lived for a hundred years. The number of years we speak of refers only to cultivation; time is merely a standard. It also depends on the Spirit Beast's talent and effort."

"The primary way to judge a Spirit Beast's cultivation is by its size and physical traits. Most Spirit Beasts undergo corresponding changes in size and physical traits as their cultivation increases, so they are easy to identify. As for exactly how to distinguish them, that depends on the type of Spirit Beast. We'll discuss that later."

"Then there are Spirit Rings. The Spirit Rings of Spirit Beasts with different levels of cultivation are also different."

"Among them, the Spirit Ring of a Ten-Year Spirit Beast is white, that of a Hundred-Year Spirit Beast is yellow, that of a Thousand-Year Spirit Beast is purple, that of a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast is black, while the Spirit Ring of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is red..."

Under Grandmaster's instruction, time gradually passed.

After leaving Nuoding Academy, Grandmaster did not immediately take Bai Ge and Tang San out of the city. Instead, he first entered Commercial Street in Nuoding City.

There, Grandmaster bought many things. Some, such as Blood Coagulation Potions and Realgar Powder, were clearly items prepared for certain specific Spirit Beasts. Others, such as Dried Meat, fruit, and flatbread, were obviously travel rations. But in the end, Grandmaster also bought a full twenty jin of White Radish, which left Tang San thoroughly confused.

Naturally, Bai Ge knew why, but he definitely could not say it. Although Tang San was somewhat puzzled, Commercial Street was crowded and full of listening ears, so it was not the time to ask questions. Thus, Tang San did not ask.

After buying everything, Grandmaster had Bai Ge and Tang San wait beside the supplies for a while, then hired a carriage in Nuoding City.

After loading the items onto the carriage one by one, the group boarded it and set off for the Soul Hunting Forest.

It was Bai Ge and Tang San's first time riding in a carriage, so they found it quite novel. Looking out through the window, the various shops and bustling crowds flowed past Outside the Window like a stream, creating a unique feeling.

Soon, the carriage left Nuoding City.

"Bai Ge, Xiao San, come here."

Just as Bai Ge and Tang San were absorbed in the scenery outside, Grandmaster's voice suddenly came from beside them. Hearing it, they hurriedly turned around.

"Teacher, what is it?"

"Here. These are gifts for you."

Seeing them turn around, Grandmaster slowly took out a book and a belt from his traveling pack, then held them out before the two of them.

"Gifts?"

"Yes, gifts. Of these two items, I obtained the belt by chance when I was young, thirty years ago. It looks ordinary, but it is actually a top-tier Soul Tool. Its function is storage. As long as you inject your own Soul Power into it, each piece of jade on it can provide one cubic meter of storage space for keeping items."

"And this book is a collection of all the theoretical knowledge concerning Martial Souls that I have proposed. It contains my annotations. Though it has little value, it is the crystallization of all my knowledge."

Looking at the book in his hand, Grandmaster spoke slowly.

"I don't know what you like, so you can choose between these two items yourselves."

"I like reading. I'll take this one."

The moment Grandmaster finished speaking, Bai Ge reached out and took the book, leaving the belt behind.

Although the belt was storage equipment and could be considered extremely precious even across all of Douluo Continent, it was not particularly useful to Bai Ge at the moment.

On the contrary, Grandmaster's Martial Soul theories were more important to Bai Ge right now. Moreover, Bai Ge knew that Tang San could forge Hidden Weapons, so the belt would be more useful to Tang San. Thus, Bai Ge decisively left it for him.

"Bai Ge..."

Seeing Bai Ge's actions, Tang San was deeply moved.

He was not a fool. Naturally, he knew which of the two items was more precious.

Although the book carried extraordinary significance, in terms of value, the belt was still more precious. Yet Bai Ge had decisively left the belt for him, and Tang San could not help feeling moved.

"Hehe, you two are quite good."

Seeing his two disciples treating each other with affection and yielding to one another, a faint smile appeared on Grandmaster's usually stern face.