Journey to the Soul Beast Forest

Early the next morning, while the sky was still barely light, Blazing Fire Academy's team had gathered at the Barracks entrance.

Leading them were two Soul Emperor-level teachers, along with five Regular Team Members including Huo Wushuang. With Huo Wu and Zhang Bufan added in, there were nine people in total. The team was streamlined, and their objective was clear.

When the two teachers saw Zhang Bufan, they treated him with considerable courtesy, even carrying a faint trace of barely perceptible respect. Clearly, Zhang Bufan's previous performances had already won over these seasoned soul masters. Only Huo Wushuang still wore a stern expression, standing off to one side with his arms folded, using the back of his head to express his displeasure.

"Everyone's here. Let's go," Teacher Chen announced after clearing his throat.

The team set off toward the Star Dou Great Forest. To save time and energy, they rented several carriages for transportation.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was somewhat delicate. Huo Wushuang naturally sat close beside his sister, using his body language to draw a boundary. The other team members secretly glanced at Zhang Bufan, the legendary "monster," with both curiosity and restraint.

Zhang Bufan seemed completely unaware of it, or perhaps he simply did not care about the atmosphere. Leaning comfortably against the carriage wall, his gaze swept over the young team members before he suddenly grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. "Come on, guys, don't be so serious. We're just hunting a Soul Ring. Relax a little—treat it like an outing."

As he spoke, he seemed to perform a magic trick, pulling out a large pile of oil-paper packages from his seemingly ordinary Storage Soul Tool—though it was actually the vast space within the Nine Cauldrons. At once, an enticing aroma of roasted meat, spices, and pastries spread through the carriage.

"Come on, don't be shy. I made these snacks myself. Give them a try," Zhang Bufan said enthusiastically as he handed them out. "This is Spicy Soul Beast Jerky, this is Five-Spice Cartilage, this is Honey Glazed Grubs... Oh, and this—Creamy Popcorn. Girls should like it." He deliberately handed a bag of popcorn carrying a rich milky sweetness to Huo Wu.

Huo Wu stared at the snacks she had never seen before and inhaled the appetite-stirring aroma. She swallowed unconsciously. Glancing at her brother's tense profile, she hesitated briefly but could not resist reaching out to accept it. "Thank you," she said softly.

Seeing that even the vice-captain had accepted some, and unable to resist the tempting smell, the other team members also thanked him and took their portions, carefully tasting them.

Once they started eating, they simply could not stop!

"Mm! Delicious!!"

"This jerky... it smells incredible! It's so satisfyingly chewy!"

"This cartilage is so crunchy! The flavor is amazing!"

"Vice-captain, this popcorn... it's so sweet and fragrant!" A female team member's eyes lit up.

Even one of the teachers driving in front could not help turning around to ask, "What smells so good?"

Zhang Bufan laughed and handed over a huge bag. "Teacher, have some too. It'll help pass the time on the road."

The atmosphere in the carriage instantly came alive because of the food. The team members began chattering away about the snacks, curiously asking Zhang Bufan what they were made from.

While casually making up things like "secret recipes" and "family craftsmanship," Zhang Bufan secretly observed Huo Wushuang. This brother-in-law of his still wore a stern face and stared straight ahead, but his Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously. He was obviously swallowing his saliva in silence. Before him sat a bag of jerky Zhang Bufan had "forcibly" stuffed into his hands, untouched, as though he were engaged in a grueling battle against his own appetite.

Zhang Bufan laughed inwardly. Still putting on an act? Let's see how long you can hold out.

He deliberately picked up a piece of jerky and ate it noisily beside Huo Wushuang. "Mmm~~ This jerky is made from the tender thigh meat of a Thousand-Year power-type Soul Beast, marinated in eighteen spices, then slowly roasted over pinewood for three days and three nights. The meat is firm, the fibers distinct—it only gets more fragrant the longer you chew, with an endless aftertaste... What a pity. Some people just aren't blessed enough to enjoy it."

The corner of Huo Wushuang's mouth twitched, and his fists clenched.

Watching her brother's expression, Huo Wu found it both funny and helpless. She quietly nudged her popcorn toward him and whispered, "Brother, this... is pretty tasty."

Huo Wushuang: "..."

In the end, under the dual assault of delicious food and his sister—and his stomach—Huo Wushuang's psychological defenses crumbled. While no one was looking—or so he thought—he snatched up a piece of jerky and stuffed it into his mouth with lightning speed, then immediately returned to a solemn sitting posture. Only his chewing gave everything away.

Zhang Bufan caught the sight from the corner of his eye, and the smile at his lips deepened.

The journey was long, and traveling by carriage alone would take most of the day. With nothing else to do, Zhang Bufan began chatting with the team members. His knowledge was vast, thanks to his transmigration and the information explosion of his previous life, and he spoke with wit and humor. Sometimes he told strange tales that did not exist on Douluo Continent, packaging them as things he had seen during his travels. Other times, he told deadpan jokes from another world—modern jokes—that had the young team members laughing so hard they nearly fell over. Even the two teachers listened with great interest, occasionally joining in with a few comments of their own.

He could even offer sharp, seemingly unconventional yet enlightening suggestions based on the characteristics of the team members' Martial Souls.

"Your Fire Star Trajectory is too straight. Try adding some rotation, like this..." He casually flicked out a trace of Soul Power, simulating a spiraling flying spark. Its power actually increased considerably.

"Your Resisting Fire Ring has enough explosive force, but it lacks endurance. Try making your Soul Power output wave-like, one wave after another..."

"You there from the Support Department, don't focus only on raising the temperature with your Flame Amplification. Sometimes, 'toughness' and 'adhesion' are more important..."

His casual guidance left the team members he addressed feeling as though they had been awakened by a sudden revelation. Their eyes were filled with admiration as they looked at him.

Huo Wu sat quietly to the side, listening as she watched Zhang Bufan mingle with the other Blazing Fire Academy members. Seeing the astonishing knowledge and unique perspective he displayed amid his laughter and conversation, that strange feeling in her heart became increasingly clear. This man was powerful and mysterious, yet so... approachable? No, perhaps he was not approachable. Perhaps he simply had never placed himself above everyone else. His carefree nature was built upon absolute strength.

She secretly watched his profile, watched how animated he became whenever he got carried away talking, and her heart began beating faster again despite herself.

Only Huo Wushuang remained as still as an old monk in meditation, but his tightly pressed lips and slightly raised ears revealed that he was not entirely uninterested. He had to admit that although Zhang Bufan was irritating, he truly had some real skill. Even Huo Wushuang found those suggestions beneficial.

"We're here," the teacher driving the carriage called out just as the atmosphere inside had become harmonious—except for one person.

Everyone got out of the carriages. Before them was the outer region of the Star Dou Great Forest. Towering ancient trees stood in abundance, deep and silent, while the air carried the fresh scent of vegetation along with a faint, lingering sense of danger.

Teacher Chen looked around with a grave expression and said in a low voice, "We have entered the Star Dou Great Forest's territory. Everyone, stay alert, keep concealed, stick close to the team, and do not act on your own!"

The team members immediately lost their smiles, their expressions turning solemn as they released their Martial Souls and carefully formed a defensive formation.

Huo Wu also summoned her Fire Shadow Martial Soul, and the temperature around her rose slightly.

Zhang Bufan still looked as lazy as ever, both hands tucked into his pockets—added to his uniform after he specifically asked Huo Wu to alter it—as if he had come not to a dangerous Soul Beast forest, but for a stroll through his own backyard.

He even yawned and muttered, "Finally. My back's sore from sitting so long."

Huo Wushuang shot him a fierce glare and barked, "Zhang Bufan, take this seriously! This isn't Heaven Dou City!"

Zhang Bufan shrugged without saying anything, but his unconcerned attitude left Huo Wushuang fuming again.

The team began advancing deeper into the forest. The two experienced teachers scouted ahead, the team members stayed in the middle, while Huo Wushuang and Zhang Bufan flanked Huo Wu on either side.

Along the way, they encountered some low-level ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beasts. Zhang Bufan did not need to act at all; the team members could easily handle them. Zhang Bufan was happy to take it easy, occasionally offering a few remarks.

"That Tusked Pig charged too hard. Its lower body is unstable—attack its left hind leg."

"That pack of Wind Wolves coordinates well enough, but the Alpha Wolf's commands are unclear. Their rhythm is a mess."

"Tsk, tsk. That Mandala Snake's camouflage has overly saturated colors. It doesn't look natural at all. Terrible."

His comments were both precise and cutting, leaving the team members stunned. Even the two teachers secretly nodded, thinking that this boy's powers of observation were truly terrifying.

Though Huo Wushuang was displeased, he could not find fault with anything Zhang Bufan said. He could only continue forward in silence.

As they ventured deeper, the Soul Beasts they encountered grew stronger, and Thousand-Year Soul Beasts occasionally appeared. But through the cooperation of the two Soul Emperor teachers and Blazing Fire Academy's elite team members, they passed every encounter without any real danger.

Zhang Bufan never made a move. He merely watched from the side, like a pure spectator. Yet his presence was like a Sea-Calming Needle, inexplicably putting everyone at ease, including the two teachers. After all, this was someone who could casually kill a Soul Emperor in an instant—perhaps even an existence at the level of a Soul Douluo or a Titled Douluo!

During this time, Huo Wu could not help asking him softly, "You... really don't need to help?"

Zhang Bufan turned his head toward her, flashed a toothy smile, and lowered his voice. "My job is to protect you. As for these small fish and shrimp... we should leave Brother-in-law and the teachers a chance to show off. Otherwise, wouldn't they lose face?"

His breath brushed her ear, and Huo Wu's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She hurriedly turned away, not daring to look at him again, though her heart raced wildly as if a little deer were trapped inside it.

Though Huo Wushuang had not heard what they said, seeing his sister suddenly blush made him look over at once, his gaze sharp as a blade.

Zhang Bufan responded with an utterly "innocent" smile.

Amid an atmosphere that was sometimes tense and sometimes—at least for Zhang Bufan—relaxed, the team gradually approached the area where Lava Lizards were likely to appear, following the map's guidance.