Standing Tall!

Fresh from raiding the second-floor cafeteria, everyone wore satisfied smiles.

Wang Sheng followed behind Su Yun, picking his teeth without a care for appearances and patting his round belly. He had the lackey act down to a tee.

"Burp—Boss, sticking with you really pays off. That braised pork—tch, tch—I've never eaten anything so delicious in my life."

Wang Sheng savored the memory, then seemed to recall something. Envy and confusion crept into his voice.

"Come to think of it, Boss, Sister Xiao Wu, and Little San—you're all born with Innate Full Soul Power. It's been several days since school started. You must've reached the level-ten bottleneck ages ago, right?"

As he spoke, he kicked a pebble off the roadside.

"I see those upperclassmen practically sprout wings and fly to the Soul Hunting Forest as soon as they hit level ten. But you guys are acting like it's nothing. Especially you, Boss—you're way too patient."

Su Yun leisurely adjusted the Sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, hands in his pockets, his pace unhurried.

"Wang Sheng, that's because you're thinking too small."

"As elegant Soul Masters, we should give the Soul Beasts some time to fatten themselves up, clean themselves off, and come right to us. That's what you call taking it easy."

"Soul Masters who don't know how to take it easy are doomed to be wage slaves."

At the words fatten themselves up and come right to us, Xiao Wu, who had been skipping along the curb, stiffened and instantly froze.

Xiao Wu hunched her shoulders and wrapped her arms around herself, looking at Su Yun as if he were the Big Bad Wolf.

"Su Yun, Soul Beasts have dignity too, you know. How could they possibly come to us on their own..."

She sniffed and muttered her protest under her breath. Even the rabbit-ear ornaments on her head drooped listlessly.

"Soul Beasts would rather die than be slaves..."

Tang San smiled helplessly, but nodded all the same. His expression serious, he said, "Brother Su is right. It would be dangerous to go without proper preparation. I recently took on a batch of work at the blacksmith shop. I'll prepare some defensive tools first. Sharpening the axe won't delay the woodcutting."

Just then, the Tactical Earpiece hooked over Su Yun's ear gave a slight buzz.

Lei Zhan's voice came through, tinged with excitement:

"001, we've made an interesting discovery. The physics team just compared the Storage Ring you sent back with your Portal Martial Soul. It turns out some of their energy-wave frequencies overlap."

Su Yun's heart stirred. "What does that mean?"

"Based on our hypothesis, that specific frequency might be the energy-level signature of the spatial attribute in your world. The Storage Ring folds space, while your Martial Soul connects spaces. Their underlying principles are compatible."

"If you go Soul Beast hunting, we might be able to help you identify Soul Beasts that match this specific frequency."

"The Soul Ring and Soul Skill you obtain could be a better fit for you."

Su Yun stopped in his tracks. His eyes lit up behind his Sunglasses.

The laid-back attitude he'd been preaching moments ago vanished without a trace.

Su Yun immediately swept out an arm.

"Better to go today than put it off till tomorrow! Little San, forget the blacksmithing. What's the point of scrap metal when getting stronger matters more? Let's set out right now!"

Tang San blinked in surprise.

"Brother Su, didn't you just say we should give the Soul Beasts some time? That we should take it easy?"

"Taking it easy is how you prepare to go all out."

Su Yun kept a straight face and even straightened his collar.

"Plans can't keep up with changes. As I always say—hesitate and you're doomed, act decisively and you'll get played... No, being decisive is the way to go!"

Watching Su Yun change his tune so quickly, Tang San could only smile wryly and nod. "All right. I'll go get ready."

At the mention of going out, Xiao Wu, who had been trailing along behind them in a lazy daze, rolled her eyes and let out a huge yawn.

"Ah... You're going to the Soul Hunting Forest? I'll pass. I've been training so hard lately, I need to catch up on sleep in the dorm. Go ahead. Remember to bring me back some carrot-flavored local treats~"

Tang San gave Xiao Wu a helpless look, then turned to Su Yun. "Then, Brother Su, shall we leave now?"

"Hold on, Boss!"

Wang Sheng hurriedly stopped them. "The Soul Hunting Forest is a long way from here. We won't make it if we set out today. Besides, it's a chaotic place. It'd be too dangerous with just the two of you. I recommend going to the Soul Hunting Market in town to hire a reliable team as bodyguards, then setting out early tomorrow morning. That'd be safer."

Su Yun nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. When you're out and about, both appearances and safety matter. Little San, go back and pack provisions and equipment. I'll head to the market and round up a crew."

Notting City's Soul Hunting Bazaar was a gathering place for independent Soul Masters and mercenaries.

To take a shortcut, Su Yun turned into a quiet alley.

He had only gone a few steps when four brightly colored figures blocked the path ahead.

Even on Earth, the way those four were dressed would've been outrageous.

The one in front had fiery red hair that stood straight up, every strand stiff with hair gel.

He wore a red leather jacket so tight it looked ready to burst, with his trouser legs rolled up to his calves and a pair of polished black loafers on his feet.

Behind him stood Yellow Hair, Green Hair, and Blue Hair.

The four of them lined up in the alley, and it was as if a traffic light had suddenly appeared.

Their outfits were wildly eccentric, but the Soul Power fluctuations around them showed they were at least level 25 Soul Grandmasters.

The Red Hair leader tilted his head, jiggling one leg as he toyed with a little flame in his hand. He gave Su Yun a sideways glance, his voice carrying the weary swagger of a street tough.

"Hey, handsome. You look like a big shot. How about lending us a couple of coins? We're in a bind. Get it?"

Su Yun said nothing. He simply watched him in silence.

Grrr—

At that tense moment, a thunderous rumble came from the Red Hair's stomach.

Right after, the stomachs of his three underlings joined in, rumbling one after another.

The Red Hair's face stiffened. He put on a brave front and shouted, "What're you looking at? This is... This is my Soul Power circulating!"

Su Yun took off his Sunglasses, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Calmly, Su Yun pulled a heavy pouch of Gold Soul Coins from his clothes and weighed it in his hand.

Jingle—

Jingle—

The bright clink of coins rang out especially clearly in the quiet alley.

Su Yun watched the Red Hair's eyes lock onto the pouch and spoke evenly.

"Come with me to the Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow and work as bodyguards for a few days."

He held up one finger.

"I'll give you ten Gold Soul Coins."

The Red Hair reluctantly dragged his gaze away from the pouch, disdainfully hitched up his waistband, and turned his head aside, nose in the air.

"Save your breath. I, Red Hair, am somebody around here. I'm not going to sell my freedom and be someone else's dog for ten Gold Soul Coins."

Su Yun kept a blank expression and raised another finger. "Twenty."

The Red Hair lifted his chin, looking proud, as if he'd suffered a great insult.

"Forget it! These brothers and I swore an oath over a slain chicken and sealed it with blood! We've gone hungry together, done hand dances together—we're as close as brothers!"

Su Yun said, "Fifty."

The Red Hair thumped his chest, his voice booming. "When you're out in the world, you've gotta know what it means to have—loyalty!"

Su Yun asked, "What about eighty?"

The Red Hair demanded, heartbroken, his eyes reddening, "If it were you, would you sell your freedom for a little money like that?"

Su Yun sighed, reached into the pouch, and grabbed a large handful of glittering Gold Soul Coins. He held them out in front of the Red Hair.

The sunlight glinting off the coins nearly blinded all four of them.

"One hundred Gold Soul Coins."

Su Yun's voice was cold and merciless.

"I can't go any higher. You usually only rob a few copper coins off schoolkids. Take the deal, or I'm deducting it."

The Red Hair stared at the dazzling coins, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

But he still gritted his teeth and struck an impossibly suave pose.

"Don't be ridiculous! I, Red Hair—stand tall and proud!!"