Before setting out for Star Dou Forest, Xiao Chen found a secluded spot to test his first Spirit Skill.
The test filled Xiao Chen with joy.
After he released both Martial Souls at once, the arrows he fired pierced straight through a boulder three meters thick. Their power exceeded that of most Spirit Skills granted by a Century Spirit Ring.
There was no doubt about their offensive power, but the Soul Power they consumed was enormous.
Xiao Chen tried to use Spirit Skill Sharing to transfer the Spirit Skill from his Wooden Bow to his Wooden Arrows, but found it extremely difficult. The slightest mistake in controlling it caused the Spirit Skill to rebound against him.
He tried again and again, managing to succeed once, but he couldn't control the direction the arrow flew. It was completely useless in actual combat.
Even so, Xiao Chen was still delighted. At least this proved the system hadn't lied to him. He might not be able to control it well now, but he could get used to it over time. As his Soul Power continued to increase, Xiao Chen was confident he would master the skill.
Before setting off, Xiao Chen bought fifty arrows from a weapons shop in Suotuo City and slung them over his back.
Suotuo City was more than five hundred kilometers from Star Dou Forest. Xiao Chen didn't hurry along the way; it took him three days to reach the nearest town outside the forest.
He hadn't spent those three days simply traveling. As he went, he kept summoning his Wooden Bow Martial Soul, drawing it to full tension, and repeating the motions.
Then there were the training programs set by the system: fixed-target practice, moving-target practice, adapting to different environments, rapid-fire shooting, and more.
The system's training methods were highly effective. In just three days, Xiao Chen's archery had improved considerably. His Soul Power hadn't yet reached Level 20, but he was already very close.
He had also become somewhat more proficient at using Spirit Skill Sharing. Although he still couldn't hit his targets precisely, he could at least control the arrows' general direction.
Xiao Chen wasn't in a hurry to enter Star Dou Forest. He planned to raise his Soul Power to Level 20 in town first, so he could attach all three Spirit Rings at once.
By the time Xiao Chen entered the town, night had fallen, but it was still bustling.
The town was quite large. Apart from lacking a city wall, it could easily compare to some small cities.
The streets were crowded with people, most of them Soul Masters heading to Star Dou Forest to explore.
Soul Beasts were valuable from head to toe. Even setting aside the need to obtain Spirit Rings, plenty of Soul Masters regularly ventured into Star Dou Forest to hunt them.
Shops lined both sides of the street, offering every sort of goods and service. Their owners all gave off faint fluctuations of Soul Power. Anyone without real skill wouldn't dare set up shop here.
Xiao Chen picked an inexpensive hotel at random and checked in.
He wasn't short of money.
Whenever he completed a training task issued by the system, Gold Soul Coins appeared in his account automatically. The reward wasn't much, but it was more than enough for his daily expenses.
Still, Xiao Chen knew better than to flaunt his wealth. Until he could protect himself, he had to keep a low profile and act cautiously.
As soon as he stepped into his room, Xiao Chen flopped onto the bed. The three days of travel and training had left him utterly exhausted.
"System, do you think I should join a faction?" Xiao Chen asked. Although he had the system, he felt that acting alone without any backing was far too dangerous.
When he'd entered the town, he'd seen plenty of people his age.
Those heading to Star Dou Forest either had teachers from their academy escorting and protecting them, or older family members watching over them.
Even the least fortunate had companions along for the journey. Young Soul Masters who came here alone, like Xiao Chen, were few and far between.
In response, the system replied, "Of course. Joining a faction will help the Host grow. I recommend joining Spirit Hall. With talent like yours, they'll treat you like a treasure and cultivate you!"
Xiao Chen nodded. Spirit Hall was indeed the best choice. After all, he would be going up against Tang San in the future.
However, joining Spirit Hall also meant that some of his secrets might be exposed.
Then Xiao Chen reconsidered. Spirit Hall wasn't some evil organization. Even if a few of his secrets came to light, it probably wouldn't be a big deal.
Besides, Spirit Hall was the most powerful faction on Douluo Continent. With its support in the future, completing his ultimate mission would surely be much easier.
So Xiao Chen decided that once he returned from Star Dou Forest, he would head straight to Spirit City.
Xiao Chen wasn't worried that Spirit Hall would reject him. He had Twin Martial Souls; getting accepted would be a piece of cake.
"I wonder what expression Bibi Dong will make when she sees that the first two Spirit Rings on both my Martial Souls are white," Xiao Chen mused.
Afterward, Xiao Chen bathed and changed, then spent an hour meditating quietly in his room. Once he had finished regulating his breathing, he went to bed.
The next morning, Xiao Chen was woken before he could get up by the noisy sounds of a fight outside.
When he went to take a look, he found that two groups of young Soul Masters had gotten into a dispute.
"Judging by their uniforms, they seem to be from two different academies," Xiao Chen murmured, his gaze falling on the group to the left.
More precisely, the academy badges on their left shoulders had caught his attention.
"Canghui Academy. Its students really do seem to love getting into fights," Xiao Chen thought.
He remembered that the Shrek Seven Devils had once clashed with Canghui Academy, and that Zhao Wuji had beaten their teacher leading the group to a pulp.
The academy clashing with Canghui was Fabia Academy, also located in the Balak Kingdom.
Their Soul Power was mostly around Level 20. Clearly, the two groups Xiao Chen had encountered weren't the top students from either academy.
The Canghui students were slightly stronger overall than those from Fabia Academy, and they also outnumbered them by one.
In a one-on-one fight, it would have been difficult to determine a winner. But once both groups joined in, Fabia Academy fell to the disadvantage.
Just as the Fabia students were about to get the worst of it, their teacher leading the group moved to stop the fight.
The teacher leading Canghui Academy also came forward. The two teachers clearly knew each other. After exchanging a few words, they sent their students on their way.
Seeing that there was no more entertainment to be had, Xiao Chen was about to head back and get something to eat. But just as he turned and reached the hotel entrance, he felt a gust of wind strike toward him from behind and heard someone snap, "Move!"
Xiao Chen leaned slightly to the side and dodged it.
The Canghui student who had tried to shove Xiao Chen gave him a dismissive glance. When Xiao Chen didn't react, he walked right past him into the hotel.
"Damn it, when you're weak, people bully you wherever you go!" Xiao Chen cursed under his breath, though his expression remained unchanged. The other side had a teacher with them, and he had no desire to invite trouble.
The female teacher leading Fabia Academy had seen the Canghui students go inside. She walked over to Xiao Chen and asked, "Little brother, are you also going to Star Dou Forest to hunt for a Spirit Ring?"
"Yes," Xiao Chen replied.
"Alone?" she asked.
Xiao Chen didn't know what she was after, but the system could scan the woman in front of him and tell that she meant him no harm. So he nodded.
The female teacher's face brightened when she saw him nod. She immediately said, "As it happens, we're going to Star Dou Forest to hunt for Spirit Rings, too. Would you like to come with us, little brother?" She extended an invitation to Xiao Chen.
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