Departure and Choosing Gifts

The next morning, at dawn.

Before the sky had even brightened, while most of Nuoding Academy's teachers and students were still asleep, Bai Ge and Tang San carefully got out of bed, packed their things, and left the Dormitory Building.

At the foot of the Dormitory Building, Grandmaster had already been waiting for quite some time.

"Teacher, sorry to keep you waiting."

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

"Not long. I only just arrived as well."

Grandmaster shook his head.

"Alright, 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.

Beside him, Bai Ge also turned to look at Grandmaster.

Although, based on the novel he had read in his previous life, they should have been going 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 in cultivation, the variety is still quite abundant. According to the information I found, we should be able to find Spirit Beasts suitable for both of you."

Grandmaster answered.

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

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

"Probably a day and a half."

After thinking for a moment, Grandmaster answered.

"Ah, it takes that long?"

Before Bai Ge could react, Tang San beside him cried out in surprise.

Whether in his previous life or this one, Tang San had never traveled so far from home!

"That isn't long at all. You two are simply still too young and have never traveled far from home. Once you grow up, you'll certainly travel much farther."

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

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

Although Bai Ge knew quite a few secrets of Douluo Continent from his previous life, when it came to the most basic knowledge of the Soul Master world, he was still a complete novice. Taking the opportunity, Bai Ge could not help suggesting it.

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

Hearing Bai Ge's words, Grandmaster nodded.

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

"First, the strength of Spirit Beasts. Spirit Beasts cannot cultivate as we humans do, nor can they Absorb Spirit Rings. They can only accumulate cultivation through time. Thus, based on their cultivation, our Soul Master world divides them into Ten-Year Spirit Beasts, Hundred-Year Spirit Beasts, Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts, Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts, and Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

The meaning is self-explanatory. 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 years we refer to only indicate cultivation; time is merely the standard. It also depends on the Spirit Beast's talent and effort.

The main way to determine a Spirit Beast's cultivation is through its size and physical characteristics. Most Spirit Beasts undergo corresponding changes in size and physical traits as their cultivation grows, making them easy to identify. As for exactly how to tell, 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 Rings of Ten-Year Spirit Beasts are white, those of Hundred-Year Spirit Beasts are yellow, those of Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts are purple, those of Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts are black, while the Spirit Rings of Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts are 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 the Commercial Street in Nuoding City.

There, Grandmaster bought many things. Some, such as Blood Coagulation Potion and Realgar Powder, were clearly items prepared for certain specific Spirit Beasts. He also bought travel rations like dried meat, fruit, and flatbread. But in the end, Grandmaster even purchased 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. Though Tang San had some doubts, the Commercial Street was crowded and full of listening ears, so it was not a good place 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 before hiring a carriage in Nuoding City.

Once they had loaded the items onto the carriage one by one, the group boarded it and set off for their destination, 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 outside the window, the countless shops and bustling crowds quickly vanished like flowing water, creating a rather unique sensation.

Before long, 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 sounded beside them. Hearing it, the two hurriedly turned their heads.

"Teacher, is something wrong?"

"Here. These are gifts for you two."

Seeing them turn back, Grandmaster slowly took out a book and a belt from the bag he carried with him, then held them out before the two of them.

"Gifts?"

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

"As for this book, it is a compiled volume of all the theoretical knowledge about 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 hands, Grandmaster spoke slowly.

"I don't know what you two like, so choose for 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 throughout 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, making the belt more useful to Tang San. So Bai Ge decisively left it for him.

"Bai Ge..."

Seeing Bai Ge's action, Tang San was moved.

He was not foolish. Naturally, he knew which of the two items was more valuable.

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. Tang San could not help being moved.

"Hehe, you two are quite good."

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