"Please wait in the reception room for a moment. I'll go call Executive Su Yuntao!"
"Sure! Thanks for the trouble, Brother Zhang!"
"No trouble. It's my job!"
Zhang Yuan smiled as he replied, then left the reception room. Ling Yun sat by the window, taking in his surroundings.
Sunlight spilled into the room, making its golden splendor shine even brighter. Yet it didn't feel gaudy; instead, it had a sense of depth.
Whoever had designed this building was a master with excellent taste.
The records room.
Zhang Yuan knocked on the door. It wasn't closed, and the people inside looked over. Su Yuntao was among them.
"Executive Su Yuntao, the Ling Yun you mentioned is here! I've already brought him to the reception room!"
Su Yuntao was overjoyed when he heard that! The records had been making his head spin. They were dry and dull, and the chance to visit the relatively safe Soul Hunting Forest was no different from a vacation to him.
He and Ma Xiunuo had only discussed Ling Yun that morning, and now the boy had arrived that very afternoon. This was wonderful!
He felt as if he'd just been given paid leave.
He quickly put away the documents in his hands and stowed them in a cabinet. Then, as soon as he was done, he darted to the doorway like a gust of wind. The two headed toward the reception room.
The others watched Su Yuntao's retreating figure enviously and started discussing it. "He really hit the jackpot this time!"
"You can say that again!"
"Ugh! Why couldn't I have such good luck and awaken a child with Innate Full Soul Power? I haven't even had a single one with Soul Power above rank five."
"People who awaken Soul Power are just too rare!"
"..."
Envy, jealousy, and resentment collided in the little records room, leaving the air thick with sourness.
In the corridor, Su Yuntao patted Zhang Yuan on the shoulder and praised him. "You did well. I'll treat you to a drink next time!"
"Keep working hard and become a Soul Master as soon as you can. When you do, I'll recommend you for a good position!"
"Thank you, Executive. I'll definitely work hard..."
After saying plenty of things that lifted Su Yuntao's spirits, Zhang Yuan tactfully took his leave and went back to his post.
After watching him leave, Su Yuntao hurried toward the reception room.
Inside, Ling Yun heard the footsteps and looked toward the doorway.
The footsteps drew closer, and soon the two came face-to-face.
Both of them wore broad smiles. "Brother Tao! You look more vigorous than ever, and even more handsome!"
"Is that so?" Su Yuntao was in high spirits. "You've gotten sturdier, too! Not bad! Looks like you've had a pretty fulfilling half-month."
"It's been a while. Have you made up your mind? Are you interested in joining Spirit Hall? You've seen for yourself how nice the place is..."
Su Yuntao hadn't forgotten to tout Spirit Hall's merits, and his eyes brimmed with pride.
"Brother Tao, my answer's still the same. Right now, I yearn for freedom!"
"Fine! Let's not talk about that!"
"You actually knew you needed a Soul Hunting Permit to enter the Soul Hunting Forest. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now it seems you're no ordinary kid!"
"It's no secret. I've been to Nuoding City more than once, so I've naturally heard people talk about it. Besides, my mother was a Soul Elder when she was alive. I know a few things about Soul Masters."
Ling Yun said this to head off any wild guesses from Su Yuntao.
Having a mother who'd been a Soul Elder gave him a reasonable explanation, even if he seemed well-read or his knowledge appeared unusually broad.
"I see! Let's not talk about that. I've got good news for you. Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo approved my leave and even assigned me an extra helper. The two of us Soul Grandmasters will personally take you to hunt for a Soul Ring."
"With two Soul Grandmasters there, we'll definitely find you a Soul Ring as close to the age limit as possible."
"Thanks, Brother Tao!"
"What's there to thank me for? Once you become a high-ranked Soul Master, just remember that you came from Nuoding City!"
"Wait here for a bit. I'll go tell Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, and then we'll set out."
After saying that, Su Yuntao sprang into action.
Watching how enthusiastic he was, Ling Yun felt a warmth spread through his heart. Brother Tao really wears his heart on his sleeve! Anyone who didn't know better would think he was going on vacation.
The requirement of a Soul Hunting Permit to enter the Soul Hunting Forest was terribly unfriendly to commoners. It was a real hassle.
First, one needed proof from Spirit Hall that someone had truly reached a major bottleneck and needed a Soul Ring to advance. Then three nobles had to vouch for them before they could obtain a Soul Hunting Permit.
And that was only the lowest-grade temporary permit, which had to be returned to Spirit Hall after the hunt.
Only higher-grade Soul Hunting Permits could be held long-term. The various hunting groups basically used those.
Primitive forests were far too dangerous. The Soul Hunting Forest was jointly managed by Spirit Hall and the two empires, making it the best option for low-ranked Soul Masters.
Fortunately, his talent was good. Otherwise, Su Yuntao's help would have been out of reach, and he'd have had no choice but to seek out a hunting group.
The Soul Hunting Forest.
Ten-meter-high iron railings stretched as far as the eye could see. At the gate stood soldiers wearing full suits of refined iron armor and carrying long spears.
After presenting the permit, Su Yuntao led Ling Yun and his goddess, Sisi, inside.
Spirit Hall patrols roamed the forest, checking permits at irregular intervals. Anyone who tried to sneak in usually met a grim fate.
They hadn't gone fifty meters before the dense forest and iron railings shut out the clamor from outside.
"Xiao Yun, do you want to follow the Power Attack route, the Control route, or the Agility route?"
"My Martial Soul is suited to both the Control and Power Attack routes."
"The Yin-Yang Mirror Martial Soul doesn't have any particular requirements for Soul Beasts, and there's no risk of an attribute clash. We just need one of the right age!"
"If they're the same age, then naturally the stronger the species' innate abilities, the better. Brother Tao, don't put too much pressure on yourselves."
Sisi chimed in. "In that case, I recommend the Flame Lion, Earth Violent Bear, Diamond Tiger... Those kinds of Soul Beasts."
"They're all top-tier Soul Beasts. For a First Soul Ring, three or four hundred years is best, and the two of us Soul Grandmasters can handle them."
Su Yuntao listened and said, "Then that's what we'll do!"
Ling Yun had no objections. It was his first time in the Soul Hunting Forest, so at a time like this, it was best to listen to those with experience.
"Xiao Yun, don't stray more than three meters from me. Yuntao, take the lead!"
Sisi unceremoniously began giving orders. Su Yuntao had no objections. His goddess had spoken, and he was brimming with motivation.
After they went deeper, weeds grew everywhere, vines crisscrossed, branches crowded the trees, and thorns lurked all around.
Su Yuntao held a Mountain-Splitting Blade and hacked through any plants that seriously obstructed their path. Every so often, he startled some animals and sent them fleeing. Most were ordinary beasts, not even Ten-Year Soul Beasts.
Before long, they reached a riverbank. The view there was more open, with fewer weeds and shrubs.
Some Soul Beasts had come to drink. After spotting the three of them, they watched warily, then bolted as soon as they'd finished drinking.
Others ignored Ling Yun and the others completely, strolling around at their leisure. A herd of Iron-Armored Oxen was the most brazen of all.
"That's a herd of Iron-Armored Oxen. They're immensely strong, and their defenses are among the best of any Soul Beasts of the same rank."
"Most importantly, they're herd animals. If you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. But if you provoke them, those horns of theirs won't be for show."
"The third one from the left looks like a good age for you, but unfortunately, the leader is over five hundred years old. There are quite a few of them, too. If we fight, we might outrun them, but we can't beat them!"
"Let's keep them as a backup option for now!"
"We don't want to mess with them!"
Before you continue