First Encounter in Star Dou, Soul Beast Barbecue

Two and a half years later, on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Xue Lingyun crouched behind a thicket, his eyes fixed on the Thick Earth Warthog rooting around beneath a tree more than ten meters ahead.

That thing had thick hide and solid flesh. It was a tough bone to chew.

"Lunch will be you." He licked his lips and was just about to make his move.

The instant he lifted his foot—

"Boom!!!"

A Blazing White Fire Pillar suddenly swept out horizontally from the forest to his side!

The fire pillar brushed past Xue Lingyun's nose, and the terrifying heat instantly curled the hair on his forehead.

The Thick Earth Warthog he had been watching for so long did not even have time to grunt before it turned into a whole roasted pig within that fire pillar—charred black with a golden sheen, sizzling with grease, and giving off a rich aroma of meat.

Xue Lingyun froze for two seconds and sniffed. He walked over and poked the pigskin. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside—the heat had somehow been perfect.

He tore off a small piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, his eyes lighting up.

"Who's being so generous..." he muttered, raising his head to look in the direction the fire pillar had come from.

Beneath a large tree not far away, a young girl in red jingzhuang sat cross-legged. Her face was flushed red, her entire body trembling, as though flames were coursing beneath her skin. She clenched her teeth in agony, while the air around her warped from the intense heat.

Evil Fire? Phoenix Martial Soul?

If no one intervened soon, this would become troublesome.

Xue Lingyun did not hesitate.

Beneath his feet, one yellow and one purple Soul Ring rose up.

The purple Soul Ring possessed a deep, solemn luster that far surpassed the level of an ordinary thousand-year Soul Ring.

His first Soul Ring lit up. Rather than adding any other attribute, he completely transformed his Soul Power into the purest, most extreme icy cold.

This was the origin power of the Ice Prison Dragon King, drawn through the Primal Heart and poured without reservation into this strike.

He loosely clenched his fist and punched through the air.

There was no deafening explosion. Only an Ice Blue Fist Energy, condensed to the utmost and nearly transparent, silently sliced through the air and struck the red-clad girl squarely in the chest.

"Pfft..."

It was as if a red-hot branding iron had been plunged into ice water. The raging crimson flames on the girl's body were instantly extinguished by more than half, while an intensely chilling yet harmless cold penetrated her body, forcibly suppressing and cooling the boiling, rampaging Evil Fire in her meridians.

The girl's body stiffened, and the agony on her face abruptly eased. Then her eyelids rolled back, and she limply fell backward into a temporary coma.

Xue Lingyun walked over and checked her breathing and pulse. Thankfully, she had merely exhausted herself, and the backlash from her Evil Fire had been forcibly interrupted, causing her to faint. It was nothing serious.

His second Soul Ring lit up, and a gentle emerald-green glow gathered in his palm.

This Soul Ring came from an exceptionally rare thousand-year Jade Rhinoceros and granted him formidable single-target healing abilities.

He held his palm over the girl's shoulder. Warm, vibrant Soul Power seeped into her body, rapidly nourishing the tiny meridians burned by the Evil Fire and stabilizing her blood and qi.

Once he was done, he withdrew his hand, and his attention returned to the fragrant roasted pig. "Tsk, cannot waste."

He simply sat down, tore off a front leg, and began taking huge bites.

After only two bites, a faint sound of breaking air came from behind him.

A refined-looking middle-aged man in a white robe suddenly appeared not far away. He moved so quickly that Xue Lingyun only saw a blur.

The man's face was anxious, and his gaze immediately fell upon the red-clad girl.

Just then, the girl's eyelashes trembled a few times before she slowly opened her eyes.

"Teacher..." Ma Xiaotao's voice was weak as she struggled to sit up.

Yan Shaozhe immediately stepped forward and asked with concern, "Xiaotao, how do you feel? What happened just now?"

Ma Xiaotao rubbed her still-swollen forehead and looked toward Xue Lingyun, who was gnawing on a pig leg. A trace of gratitude appeared on her face. "It was this little brother... His Ice Attribute Soul Skill helped me suppress the Evil Fire."

She sensed the condition inside her body, surprise flashing through her eyes. "And... this time, it has been suppressed very thoroughly. That cool feeling is still lingering in my meridians. It's more effective than any previous time."

At her words, Yan Shaozhe's anxiety turned into shock, then into ecstatic disbelief.

He carefully sensed Ma Xiaotao's condition again and confirmed that her Evil Fire was indeed being firmly suppressed by an extremely high-level Ice Attribute energy.

He suddenly turned around, his gaze flashing like lightning as it landed on Xue Lingyun.

When he saw Xue Lingyun clearly—especially the one yellow and one purple Soul Ring that had not yet completely faded beside him—even with the perspective of a Martial Soul Department Dean and a Title Douluo, he could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

He looked less than ten years old!

Two Soul Rings!

His Second Soul Ring was already a purple one that exceeded the limit!

And that Ice Attribute capable of suppressing Xiaotao's Evil Fire so effectively—its level was simply...

A genius? No, this was a monster! A savior! And also a future Shrek absolutely could not afford to let slip away!

Xue Lingyun felt extremely uncomfortable under the white-robed man's scorching gaze, as though the man wanted to roast him a second time. He swallowed the meat in his mouth, hesitated, then said, "Um... Uncle, your look is kind of strange."

It was exactly like the way Xiao Bai stared at his favorite Ice Marrow Honey, except the pressure from the man before him was far stronger.

Only then did Yan Shaozhe realize his lapse in composure. His old face heated up, and he gave two embarrassed coughs before standing. He tried to keep his tone calm. "Little brother, thank you for lending a hand and saving my disciple."

"May I ask what little brother is called? Who is your teacher? Have you joined any academy or sect?"

Xue Lingyun blinked, set down the pig leg, and dusted off his hands. "My name is Xue Lingyun. I don't have a teacher. My family taught me, and I haven't joined any other faction."

Yan Shaozhe was delighted, and the smile on his face grew even more sincere. "So you are little brother Xue. I am Yan Shaozhe, Martial Soul Department Dean of Shrek Academy. With your talent, it would be a great pity for you to remain in the wilderness, feeling your way forward alone."

"My Shrek Academy gathers the continent's finest resources and is the most suitable place for a young talent like you to grow. Would little brother be willing to come study at Shrek Academy?"

Xue Lingyun tilted his head, seemingly giving it serious thought. "Shrek Academy... I had indeed considered registering next year once I was old enough."

He paused, and an expression appropriate for his age appeared on his face—the sort of expression one only showed when speaking of family. "But I need to go home and tell my family first. And..."

His tone became probing. "Are the academy dormitories single rooms? And will there be enough cultivation resources... I might have a rather large appetite."

Hearing that there was a chance, Yan Shaozhe felt completely reassured. He immediately made the decision, speaking with a boldness unlike that of an academy dean. "A single room? As long as you come, I'll have several rooms beside it on that floor opened up and turned into a suite with a Cultivation Room and bedroom for you!"

"Resources? I can't promise that Spirit Bones will be unlimited, but as long as the academy storehouse has them, any medicinal herbs, pills, and Mimic Environment cultivation time suitable for you will be yours to use as you wish! I, Yan Shaozhe, give you my word!"

With a flick of his wrist, a letter sealed with special Soul Power patterns appeared in his hand. He handed it to Xue Lingyun. "This is my personal Recommendation Letter. When the academy opens next year, bring this letter directly to the Shrek Martial Soul Department and find me. I'll arrange everything and guarantee your satisfaction!"

Xue Lingyun accepted the letter, which was faintly warm to the touch and clearly made of extraordinary material. He carefully put it away and nodded. "Thank you, Dean Yan. I'll consider it seriously."

Yan Shaozhe knew he could not push too hard, especially since Xue Lingyun still needed to inform his family.

He looked toward Ma Xiaotao, who could already stand by herself, then gave Xue Lingyun what he believed was a warm, friendly smile. He even winked his left eye. "Little Lingyun, then it's settled. Shrek will be waiting for you. Until we meet again."

Watching the white-robed figure and the red-clad girl disappear into the forest together, Xue Lingyun rubbed at the goosebumps that did not exist on his arm.

"Why was he winking..." he muttered. "If it were a great beauty like Sister Bing, that'd be one thing, but an old uncle..."

He shook his head, tossing aside that slight discomfort, and sat back down beside the roasted pig. As he enjoyed this unexpected lunch, cooked to perfection, he silently made his calculations.

He had been wandering around for nearly two years. He had roughly figured out the Sun Moon Empire's new Soul Tool energy-storage methods, scoped out the specialty herb markets and black markets in several countries, and incidentally picked up a few favors that might prove useful in the future... It was time to return home.

The Ice Palace in the Far North was the place that made him feel at ease whenever he thought of it.

There were some matters he needed to discuss with Sister Xue and Sister Bing.

For instance, next year's plan to go to a place called Shrek, "borrow" its grounds and resources to grow properly, and incidentally... dig out the treasures they kept hidden away.

He tore off the last rack of ribs, gnawed it clean, wiped his mouth, stood up, and got his bearings.

It was time to go home.