Heading to the Star Dou Great Forest

"Not bad, Junior Wu. You actually got Dean Yan to personally remind us about you. Don't tell me you're some junior relative of his?" The only male student among the three stepped forward and teased him.

The other female student also looked Wu Xuan over curiously.

"You're joking, Senior. I'm the captain of the team that won first place in the freshman ranking tournament, so Dean Yan thinks somewhat highly of me." Wu Xuan explained with a smile.

"Oh! So that's how it is." The male student nodded in understanding.

At that moment, a disheveled old man swayed over from the distance. He happily gnawed on a chicken leg in one hand while occasionally lifting the wine gourd at his waist to take a gulp of fine wine.

"Elder Xuan." The three bowed.

Seeing this, Wu Xuan hurriedly bowed as well.

The newcomer was Elder Xuan, a peak Douluo with Soul Power as high as Rank 98 and the title Gluttonous. This was Wu Xuan's first time observing him from such close range.

Elder Xuan's gaze unconsciously fell on Wu Xuan, and a sharp glint suddenly flashed through his eyes.

"Let's go, little ones. This old man happens to have nothing better to do, so I'll accompany you on a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest. But let's make this clear beforehand: I'm only accompanying you on this operation. Lexuan will be in command."

"Yes, Elder Xuan," everyone replied respectfully.

The group of five then followed the rugged mountain path toward the edge of Sea God Island at an unhurried pace. Elder Xuan, walking at the front, was still the same as ever—one bite of meat, one gulp of wine, as though he could never eat his fill.

"This shouldn't be anyone's first time entering the Star Dou Great Forest. Since we have a new student joining this operation, let's introduce ourselves first. Briefly state your name, martial soul, cultivation, and the Soul Ring you need. It'll make coordination inside the Star Dou Great Forest easier." Zhang Lexuan spoke as they walked.

"Yes, Senior Disciple Sister!" the male Inner Court student answered.

Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly. "I'll go first. My name is Zhang Lexuan, an Inner Court teaching assistant and student. My martial soul is the Moon. I'm a Power Attack System Battle Soul Master, and I'll be leading and commanding this expedition. I have no Soul Ring requirements. Rank 83 Soul Douluo."

"Rank 83... Soul Douluo..." Wu Xuan could not help muttering.

"My name is Wu Ming, an Inner Court student. My martial soul is the Golden Crow. I'm a Power Attack System Battle Soul Emperor, Rank 70. I need my Seventh Soul Ring," said the other female student.

"My name is Chu Qingtian, an Inner Court student. I'm an Agility Attack System Battle Soul King, Rank 60. I need my Sixth Soul Ring. My martial soul is the Electric Mad Leopard."

After the three finished their introductions, their gazes all turned to Wu Xuan.

"Seniors, my name is Wu Xuan. I'm a second-year Outer Court student, a Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. Rank 40, and I need my Fourth Soul Ring. My martial soul is Wind Element Control."

The moment Wu Xuan said this, the expressions on Wu Ming and Chu Qingtian's faces became remarkably colorful.

"A second-year Outer Court student? Doesn't that mean you're only twelve years old?" Chu Qingtian asked in astonishment.

"You've already broken through to Rank 40 at twelve? Junior Wu, you aren't lying to us, are you?" Wu Ming, who had always been straightforward, immediately voiced her doubts. There was no malice in her suspicion; she simply found it unbelievable.

After a brief moment of surprise, Zhang Lexuan looked at the two and explained, "Junior Wu's Soul Power has indeed reached Rank 40. He has broken Shrek Academy's record of ten thousand years. Any questions can wait until we're on the road."

"Hiss... He really is Rank 40." Wu Ming stared at Wu Xuan in disbelief.

"The Outer Court juniors are getting more and more monstrous," Chu Qingtian said, rubbing his forehead.

Shrek Academy truly was very close to the Star Dou Great Forest. Otherwise, when the beast tide had poured out of the Star Dou Great Forest back then, Shrek City would not have been the first target of its attack.

This time, with Senior Disciple Sister Zhang Lexuan, a Soul Douluo, leading the team and Elder Xuan protecting them in secret, the three naturally had no concerns and charged straight into the Star Dou Great Forest.

At first, Wu Ming and Chu Qingtian had planned to slow down to accommodate Wu Xuan, but who would have thought that not only did Wu Xuan not fall behind, he even seemed completely at ease.

"Seniors, let me give you a speed boost!" Wu Xuan smiled slightly as his purple Second Soul Ring lit up.

"Second Soul Skill, Light Spirit Wind!"

While moving forward, Wu Xuan raised one hand. A clear breeze stirred around him, and as the gentle wind settled over them, Wu Ming, Chu Qingtian, and Zhang Lexuan instantly felt their bodies become much lighter. Their speed more than doubled.

"Wow! Junior Wu, is this your Third Soul Skill? It can actually speed up an entire group, and the effect is pretty good!" Wu Ming looked at Wu Xuan delightedly.

"With this kind of speed boost, I feel like my strength has increased by a huge margin." An unusual gleam flickered in Chu Qingtian's eyes.

"A one-hundred-percent group speed increase is indeed a rare Soul Skill for a team." Zhang Lexuan also gave it high praise.

"Senior Sister, you misunderstand. This is actually my Second Soul Skill." Wu Xuan chuckled.

"A thousand-year Second Soul Ring!" The three stared at Wu Xuan in unison.

Wu Xuan nodded slightly.

At that moment, the two of them felt as though they had used up all the shock they had accumulated over the past year in a single day.

"Alright! With Junior Wu's boost, let's strive to reach deep into the outer region by noon," Zhang Lexuan ordered.

"Yes!"

The journey ahead went very smoothly. Under Senior Disciple Sister Zhang Lexuan's Soul Power deterrence, hardly any Soul Beasts in the outer region dared to provoke them. Even those that did were directly burned into charcoal by a blast of Wu Ming's Golden Crow True Fire.

Ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beast materials naturally meant nothing to Inner Court students. There was no need to waste time over them.

"Everyone, rest for now and eat something. Get yourselves into peak condition. In half an hour, we'll enter the mixed region." After looking over the surroundings and the sky, Zhang Lexuan gave her orders.

Everyone began to rest. Not far away, Elder Xuan held his wine gourd as he lay back on a tree branch, pretending to nap.

The four sat in a circle.

Zhang Lexuan and Wu Ming sat on one side, while Wu Xuan naturally sat opposite them with Chu Qingtian.

Everyone had brought dry rations. Wu Xuan also took out some local snacks and roasted meat he had bought from various northern cities from his Soul Tool and began eating.

As he ate, Wu Xuan kept feeling an odd gaze fixed on him.

He glanced up and found that it was Wu Ming, who was leaning against Zhang Lexuan.

"Senior Sister Wu, is something wrong?" Wu Xuan asked in surprise.

Wu Ming showed no embarrassment at all. With a giggle, she said, "I'm just curious. You look so refined and handsome, so why do you eat so wildly?"

"Uh... It might have something to do with my physique. Every time I finish cultivating, I feel especially hungry." Wu Xuan smiled awkwardly.

Ever since fusing with the Ice Empress's Soul Ring Soul Bone, Wu Xuan had become even more adept at cultivating the Enlightenment Scripture. As his Soul Power rose rapidly, the energy he consumed also continued to increase.

"I see. Then try the pastries your senior sister brought." Wu Ming giggled and handed Wu Xuan a box.

"Then thank you, Senior Sister." Wu Xuan accepted the box without standing on ceremony.

When he opened it, neat pieces of white pastry came into view. Wu Xuan tried one, and his eyes immediately lit up. The pastry was not overly sweet, but its rich fragrance lingered in his mouth.

"Tasty, right?" Wu Ming propped up her chin and watched Wu Xuan.

"Mm-hmm!" Wu Xuan nodded while stuffing two more pieces of pastry into his mouth.

"Not bad, Junior Wu! You've even made one of the Inner Court's great volcanoes see you in a new light." Chu Qingtian waggled his eyebrows from the side.

"..." Wu Xuan rolled his eyes at him and said nothing more.