Setting Out for the Star Dou Great Forest

"Did you stay up late last night?"

Tang Ling looked at Xue Qingxi, who was practically about to plunge his head into his bowl. With a helpless sigh, she stood and hauled him upright into a proper sitting position.

Then she brought over a cup of coffee from the bar behind her and set it before him. "Drink it, or how are you going to travel later?"

"Thank you, Teacher." Xue Qingxi struggled to prop up his head and replied weakly, "Aren't we going to obtain Spirit Rings today? So I went to bed a little late last night."

"Not a little late—he stayed up all night. This brave warrior didn't turn off his light until after dawn." Tang San's voice drifted up from beside him, exposing his lie.

"How did you know?" Tang Ling carried over another cup of coffee, setting it gently on the table as she smiled at them.

"Because he didn't sleep either!" Xue Qingxi shouted. Then he quickly pulled away from Tang San, trying to redirect all the fire onto him.

At those words, Tang San's hand, which had been reaching for his bowl, froze. He immediately shot Xue Qingxi a glare before tugging at Tang Ling's sleeve. "Senior Sister, I was wrong."

Tang Ling turned away, ignoring his coquettish plea. She beckoned to Tang Ersui, who was standing outside the dining room. "Inform Steward Roger to switch the carriage for the largest and most comfortable one.

"Our two young masters don't sleep at night because they want to sleep in the carriage during the day."

"Yes, Miss! I'll make sure he gets the message." Tang Ersui nodded and headed out. Once he left the corner where he had been standing, another person silently appeared there.

"Thank you, Senior Sister." Tang San smiled and shook Tang Ling's sleeve. Behind them, Xue Qingxi also called out, "Thank you, Teacher."

Tang Ling sighed and gently pulled her sleeve free. Then she raised a hand and gave each of them a flick on the forehead. "Honestly!

"Neither of you gives me any peace of mind! You're going out today, yet neither of you slept last night. If you're so eager to stay awake at night, then we'll train for two nights.

"And you, Tang San! You were sleepy but didn't say anything, taking Awakening Pills to force yourself through it. You always insist on showing off when you shouldn't!"

The more she spoke, the angrier Tang Ling became, and she gave them another flick each.

Looking at the two of them standing there with lowered heads, accepting their punishment, Tang Ling let out a deep sigh. Why was one person quiet, but two people together always turned mischievous?

"Extra lessons tomorrow. Now sit down and eat properly." Tang Ling couldn't figure it out, so she gave up thinking about it, pressed them back into their chairs, and sat down to eat herself.

She could scold the children later. If they waited any longer, the food would get cold.

Half an hour later, inside the carriage departing Notting City, the two boys were curled up on opposite sides of the carriage compartment, fast asleep.

The girl seated deepest inside quietly read her book, the scene peaceful and tranquil.

"Miss, we've arrived."

After stopping the carriage at the designated location, Tang Ersui slightly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and called softly.

"Good. We'll set out right after a short rest." Tang Ling closed her book, took out two glass bottles, and held one beneath each boy's nose.

The Sleep Inducing Pills A-Xuan had refined were quite effective. No matter what sounds there had been along the way, neither of them had woken up.

After smelling the antidote, the two sleepers slowly opened their eyes, both wearing equally blank expressions.

"We've arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest." Tang Ling took two sealed bottles of drink from the carriage drawer and handed them to the boys.

The two who had still been groggy a moment ago scrambled upright, hurriedly accepted the drinks, and leaned against the carriage as they drank.

Once Tang Ling saw that the path had been cleared, she stepped down from the carriage first. After the two had replenished their water and climbed down, the group of five headed toward the entrance of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Third Brother, these Sleep Inducing Pills are way too useful. It's just that I'm so thirsty after waking up. I don't think that bottle of drink was nearly enough." Xue Qingxi stuck close to Tang San and grumbled softly.

"There's nothing we can do about that. We can't improve them yet." Tang San shrugged helplessly, then tapped his ring. "Drink more later. I still have some here."

"Alright! I forgot about that!" Xue Qingxi nodded excitedly and carefully raised a hand to touch the stud in his right earlobe.

"You'll get used to it if you use it more. Once you're used to it, it'll be fine." Tang San looked at him, suppressing a smile as he spoke with a calm expression.

Seeing that he wore the exact same look as when he had been up to no good yesterday, Xue Qingxi elegantly rolled his eyes.

They hadn't spent much time together over the past three years. No wonder He-di was always angered to tears. So Tang Xuan was secretly such a little schemer.

"Please present your passage token."

A guard clad in black armor stopped in front of the group, blocking their path.

Tang Ersui immediately took out a white jade token carved with a lotus and handed it over.

After examining the token, the guard quickly returned it and said respectfully, "Soul Beasts under a hundred years old gather in the eastern outskirts. You may search there for suitable Spirit Rings."

"Alright, thanks." Tang Ersui took the token, tucked it into his robe, and gave the man a curt nod.

The guard hurried away and approached another group.

Tang Ersui watched him leave, then turned back toward his young mistress. After receiving her approval, he led the group through the gate toward the east.

"Senior Sister, isn't the Star Dou Great Forest open to everyone? Why do we need to show a token?" Tang San followed behind Tang Ling and asked curiously.

"I know this!" Xue Qingxi raised an arm with a grin. "The token is used to confirm your identity and make rescues easier.

"My father said the royal family and nobles issued this decree for the safety of their descendants."

"What about people without tokens?" Tang San frowned after hearing that and looked at Xue Qingxi as he continued asking.

"People who enter without tokens don't have much in the way of safety protection.

"The royal guards can't determine whether the people entering are good or bad, so they ignore all calls for help from those of unknown identity.

"But then again, anyone who comes to the Star Dou Great Forest is definitely a Soul Grandmaster. They only come here to take risks because they have enough ability to protect themselves, so they don't really care whether anyone will rescue them." Xue Qingxi shrugged helplessly as he explained.

Then he edged closer to Tang San and lowered his voice. "That's why most people choose those smaller Soul Hunting Forests."

"Are they safer?" Tang San looked around and lowered his voice as well.

"Not really. The Soul Hunting Forests are enclosed by Spirit Hall, and the Soul Beasts inside are less than a thousand years old.

"Most people don't have much Soul Power anyway. Hunting a hundred-year Soul Beast for a Spirit Ring is enough to meet their needs, so they usually won't risk coming here." Xue Qingxi explained quietly.

Then, as if recalling something, he secretly curled his lip and leaned toward Tang San's ear. "Spirit Hall won't rescue people who get into trouble in the Soul Hunting Forest unless their martial soul is valuable, or they happen to encounter a once-in-a-century patrolling guard."

Xue Qingxi's words were exaggerated, and his voice dripped with sarcasm. Tang San raised a brow as he listened, then nodded in understanding.

Seeing that Tang San was listening intently, Xue Qingxi grew more animated and lowered his voice with a smile. "My father once told me that

"there's a story behind why the royal family doesn't rescue people without tokens..."

"Save the story for later. We're about to enter the forest." Before Xue Qingxi could finish, Tang Ling interrupted them.

Hearing her voice, the two immediately looked ahead.

A towering, dense forest that blotted out the sky stood before them. The weeds at the entrance had been cleared away, allowing them to clearly see the thick undergrowth within and the insects and mosquitoes darting past.

"Let's go. There are no poisonous insects in the outskirts, so travel without worry." Tang Ling gestured for Tang Ersui to follow behind, then took the lead into the forest.

Tang San and Xue Qingxi quickly followed. Tang Ersui and the royal Soul Douluo guard followed as well, one on each side.