Can This Count as Causing Trouble? [Please Collect]

(The title of this chapter should be "Accumulating Practical Combat Experience Can't Count as Causing Trouble... Can Soul Masters Accumulating Practical Combat Experience Really Be Considered Causing Trouble?")

The next morning, when they assembled, Dai Mubai still wore a stern expression, while Ning Rongrong looked haggard. Oscar, whose dream had been shattered yesterday, did not show up at the Training Ground at all.

When Dean Flender saw that Oscar was late, he initially thought the boy had overslept. Who would have thought that after his dreams were crushed, he would find fortune in misfortune and successfully advance to level thirty, entering the Soul Elder stage.

Dean Flender was delighted. Food System Soul Masters had the greatest cultivation difficulty of all Soul Masters, so becoming a Food System Soul Elder at fourteen meant this child had a boundless future ahead of him.

Today was the second lesson, an adaptation exercise. The training required them to eat at least one of Oscar's Martial Soul sausages.

After Oscar's Soul Power broke through level thirty, the effects of his Martial Soul sausages had become much stronger. A single sausage had completely healed the minor injuries Tang San suffered in yesterday's soul battle.

"Even if the Soul Incantation is a little obscene, the effect is real enough. No wonder Dean Flender said Oscar's sausage Martial Soul is the strongest Food System Martial Soul." Tang San, Zhang Yang, and Xiao Wu whispered among themselves.

Ning Rongrong, who had barely slept all night, seemed to be holding back a fire in her heart. She was the first student to step forward and complete the training. The change in her attitude truly made people take notice.

"Alright, today's lesson ends here. After you return, each of you must prepare carefully. Early tomorrow morning, Teacher Zhao will lead you to the Star Dou Great Forest to help Oscar obtain his Third Soul Ring."

"Remember, this isn't just Oscar's matter. It is training for all of you as well. Before you encounter a thousand-year Soul Beast, Teacher Zhao will not act lightly. Everything will depend on yourselves. Alright, dismissed."

They would be leaving for the Star Dou Great Forest tomorrow, so Zhang Yang decided to make a trip to Suotuo City and prepare some supplies.

Supplies had to be replenished before a major battle. This was what Master had taught Zhang Yang and Tang San.

With the Lightspeed Movement of his Second Soul Skill, Zhang Yang reached Suotuo City, three or four kilometers from the academy, in less than a minute.

Obtaining a Soul Ring was no simple matter. Finding a suitable Soul Beast depended on luck, and spending three to five days—or even a week—was perfectly normal.

With that in mind, Zhang Yang bought enough dried provisions from a food shop to feed ten people for ten days.

After storing the provisions in his Soul Tool, Zhang Yang bought a large amount of cured meat and various fruits, all of which he placed in his Soul Tool.

That was not all. At a general store, Zhang Yang bought dozens of water skins that could each hold three liters, filled them with drinking water, then bought over a dozen tightly sealed wine barrels, filled them with clean water, and stored them in his Soul Tool.

After that, Zhang Yang bought a large bag of snake repellent powder, a bundle of sturdy hemp rope, and several sets of spare clothes.

This was the Procurement List passed down by Master. During their last supply run, Zhang Yang had even bought thirty jin of white radishes for Luo Sanpao. But since Master was no longer by his side, the white radishes on the list could be crossed out.

Once he had bought everything on the list, it was time to return to the academy.

Actually, Zhang Yang still wanted to head to Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena for another one-on-one match and earn himself ten Gold Soul Coins. But the Great Soul Arena did not open until evening, and Zhang Yang could not wait in the city until then.

I'll come back tonight, Zhang Yang thought.

At lunch, Tang San sat beside Zhang Yang and asked, "Do you want to go to Suotuo City this afternoon to prepare supplies?"

"I already went to Suotuo City after class. Here's the list." Zhang Yang pulled the list from his pocket and handed it to Tang San. "I didn't prepare antidotes or recovery potions. Oscar's first and second Soul Rings can solve that problem perfectly. Other than that, see if anything is missing. I'll make another trip tonight."

Tang San said, "No need. If anything's missing, I can buy it."

Zhang Yang shook his head. "It's fine. I'm going to the Great Soul Arena for a soul battle tonight anyway, so it's on the way."

"Oh, then let me see." Tang San took the list and quickly looked it over. He found that its contents were roughly the same as the list he had prepared, except Zhang Yang's quantities were much greater.

Of course they were. Zhang Yang and Tang San were Fellow Disciple Brothers, and the lists in their hands had both been slightly adjusted from Master's original list. Naturally, they were not much different.

"Why did you buy so much water?" Tang San asked curiously.

"Xiao San, times have changed." Zhang Yang helplessly patted Tang San's shoulder. "Unlike before, there are three delicate Beautiful girls in the team this time. Even if they can't bathe, washing their faces and rinsing their mouths are still necessities."

Tang San glanced at Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong from the corner of his eye, then nodded. "I understand."

Shaking his head, Zhang Yang put away his list, gathered his dishes and chopsticks, and left the cafeteria.

Watching Zhang Yang's departing back, Tang San shook his head. "Zhang Yang still eats so fast."

Early the next morning, after everyone finished breakfast and gathered at the Training Ground, they discovered that Zhao Wuji was already waiting for them.

When the students saw Zhao Wuji, they were all a little stunned. They wanted to laugh, but did not dare actually laugh.

Zhao Wuji looked rather miserable. At least three bruises on his face had yet to fade, especially the black eye around his left socket. It was truly hard not to laugh.

Of course, while it was amusing, Zhang Yang and the others were also shocked. How had Zhao Wuji ended up like this? With his strength as a level seventy-six Soul Sage, plus the defensive power of the Great Vajra Bear, who could have injured him?

"What are you looking at? You little brats, are your hides itching?"

When she heard the words "little brats," Xiao Wu was clearly displeased. She muttered, "Why not call him a little blind bear instead?"

Zhao Wuji glared. "Xiao Wu, what did you just say?"

Tang San instinctively stepped sideways to shield her behind him, waving at her not to anger Zhao Wuji. His protectiveness was plain to see.

When Zhao Wuji saw Tang San, a trace of awkwardness clearly appeared on his face. He did not pursue Xiao Wu's jab any further and merely snorted. "Alright, everyone, get moving. Mu Bai, lead the team."

Dai Mubai nodded, his expression immediately turning serious as he said to the others, "The Star Dou Great Forest is no place to take lightly. There are countless Soul Beasts inside, and they are all highly aggressive. They have no goodwill toward humans, so everyone must be careful."

"Zhang Yang will lead at the front. Oscar and Ning Rongrong will stay in the center. Tang San, stand ahead of them. Fatty and Xiao Wu, take the left and right sides. Zhu Zhuqing and I will bring up the rear."

"You need to practice formation coordination even while traveling. Only then will you be able to handle yourselves with ease after entering the forest. Stay alert at all times. Everyone set off."

After leaving the academy, the group spread into formation and began running forward. Zhao Wuji, their leading teacher, trailed far behind the students.

With Oscar's sausages restoring everyone's stamina, the formation remained very stable. Oscar's place in everyone's hearts also became a little more important.

In contrast, Ning Rongrong, who was also an auxiliary Soul Master, remained silent throughout the journey. She did not use her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to assist anyone, merely accepting the protection of the formation and Oscar's sausage support in silence.

She was like the wealthy patron of a hired hunting party.

Along the way, Zhang Yang hinted at Ning Rongrong with his eyes dozens of times, urging her to use her Martial Soul to help everyone and actively integrate into the group. But Ning Rongrong seemed like a block of wood and gave Zhang Yang no response at all.

Little girls throwing tantrums were truly impossible to understand.

Shrek Academy was less than five hundred kilometers from the Star Dou Great Forest. By the time the group finished their first day of travel and stopped at a small town, they were already less than a hundred kilometers from the forest.

Zhao Wuji led everyone to a rather ordinary hotel.

"You'll pay for your own food and lodging. Rest early after eating. We leave at dawn tomorrow. Dismissed."

With that, Zhao Wuji followed the hotel attendant upstairs to rest in a private room.

At the hotel counter, after discussing it among themselves, the eight of them booked two triple rooms and one double room.

The girls took one triple room, the Senior Students took the other triple room, and Zhang Yang and Tang San, the pair of Fellow Disciple Brothers, took the double room.

After receiving their room keys, they found a table in a corner of the hotel restaurant, intending to go upstairs after dinner.

"At last, we get to eat. After eating sausages all day, I'm about to throw up." Ma Hongjun slumped over the table and sighed. His figure was the roundest among the eight, and he had expended the most energy during the journey, so he had also eaten the most sausages.

"Alright, Fatty. Dinner's on me tonight. Order whatever you want." Dai Mubai, who received the largest allowance among the eight, said indifferently, "Consider this meal a welcome feast for Zhang Yang and the others."

Fatty laughed heartily, the flesh on his chubby round face trembling along with him. "Great! Don't worry, Dai Laoda, I won't go easy on you."

Fatty ordered more than a dozen dishes, including cold dishes, hot dishes, meat dishes, and vegetable dishes. While waiting for the food, Zhang Yang and Ma Hongjun worked hard to liven up the mood at the table, managing to keep it from becoming too stiff.

Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were still angry at each other, Ning Rongrong looked burdened by Worries, and Oscar was still in low spirits because of what had happened the night before last.

Zhang Yang and Ma Hongjun had put in no small amount of effort to warm up a table with such an atmosphere.

At that moment, a group of people suddenly entered from outside.

They were also an academy team, with a middle-aged teacher leading a group of male and female students. They wore matching moon-white Soul Master robes, with the mark of a higher academy on their left shoulders.

Perhaps because they were students of a higher Soul Master Academy, their words and mannerisms were full of arrogance, and their conduct was much more ostentatious than Shrek Academy's group.

"That chick looks pretty good, Dai Laoda. Those guys should be from Canghui Academy, right?" Fatty stared fixedly at the only young girl among the group of eight, his small eyes shining as he kept looking at her.

Dai Mubai curled his lip. "They're just some tiny Canghui Academy. What the hell are they showing off for?"

Zhang Yang: "..."

Neither Fatty nor Dai Mubai had deliberately lowered their voices. Naturally, Canghui Academy's leading teacher heard them. His brows furrowed slightly as he looked directly over.

When he saw that Shrek Academy's table consisted of nothing more than a group of children, his expression immediately turned ugly.

Oscar sat beside Tang San and chuckled. "Looks like there's a show coming."

Tang San gave him a puzzled look. "What show?"

Oscar lowered his voice. "This is part of our cultivation too. Dean Flender once said that a Soul Master who doesn't dare cause trouble isn't a good Soul Master. As they say, those who don't dare cause trouble are mediocre. Besides, provoking people from Soul Master Academies is the safest. At worst, it just turns into a fight."

Zhang Yang: "...What flawless logic."