The next morning.
On the training field.
Mu Chen faced the group. Before him stood Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, her cheeks rosy, Tang San, and Ma Hongjun. Dai Mubai and Oscar were nowhere to be seen.
"Today, I'm taking Xiao San to Star Dou Forest to obtain a Soul Ring. Your dean made a suggestion: I should bring all of you along."
"Xiao Ma, Xiao Ao, and Xiao Dai—where are they?"
Xiao Ma?
Ma Hongjun took a couple of seconds to realize Mu Chen was calling him, then replied, "Teacher Mu, I don't know what's happened to them either."
Mu Chen waved his hand. "Go check the dorms."
Oscar was probably at a crucial point in his breakthrough. Mu Chen knew that much, but Dai Mubai's absence was strange.
Could he have run off to find a girl and gotten into trouble?
Of course.
Whatever Dai Mubai was up to, Mu Chen didn't care and wasn't interested.
Not long after Ma Hongjun left, he returned to the training field with Oscar.
"Sorry, Teacher Mu. I was breaking through, so I'm late." Oscar scratched his head. Facing Mu Chen, a Soul Saint—and such a young one at that—he spoke with utmost sincerity.
Mu Chen raised an eyebrow. "You've reached level thirty?"
Oscar grinned. "Yes!"
With his hands behind his back, Mu Chen said calmly, "Don't get conceited. With Innate Full Soul Power, taking until you're fourteen to reach level thirty is already slow. Don't use your Food-type Martial Soul's slow cultivation as an excuse. You know perfectly well whether you've been working hard."
Oscar gave an awkward smile.
Mu Chen said evenly, "Your breakthrough came at just the right time. I was about to take Xiao San to Star Dou Forest to get his third Soul Ring. Come along."
Oscar's eyes lit up, and he hurried over to join the group.
"Xiao Ma, where's Xiao Dai?"
Mu Chen asked with a frown.
"Well... Teacher Mu, Boss Dai doesn't seem to have come back all night."
Ma Hongjun scratched his head, looking completely innocent.
"Go report this to your teacher. Let him worry about it."
Mu Chen waved him away impatiently.
"Yes!"
Ma Hongjun hurried off.
Before long.
Ma Hongjun returned to the group. Mu Chen glanced over them and gave the order. "Keep up with me. Everyone, move out!"
With that, he set off ahead of them.
"Hurry, follow him!"
Xiao Wu called out and hurried after him.
The others followed suit.
But they hadn't gone far from the academy when they ran straight into Dai Mubai, who was on his way back.
"What are you all...?"
Dai Mubai looked at the group hurrying along, his gaze finally settling on Mu Chen.
"Where have you been?"
Mu Chen demanded coldly.
"I... I..."
Dai Mubai hesitated for a long time before forcing out those two words, looking rather ill at ease.
Mu Chen said sternly, "You're an upperclassman, yet you can't even set a good example. You're gone all night, and nobody would even know if you died in some godforsaken corner!"
"Everyone, take a good look. This is a bad example. From now on, remember these four words: 'follow the rules.' Do you understand?"
He swept his cold gaze over the six behind him, not sparing a thought for Dai Mubai's dignity.
"Understood!"
The six answered in unison.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar didn't dare speak up for Dai Mubai either. A trace of pity appeared in their eyes.
Dai Mubai had always thrown his weight around at the academy, relying on his higher cultivation. He seemed to get along well with them, but in truth, he treated them like underlings, ordering them around as he pleased.
Did he really think they wanted to call him "Boss Dai"?
If they went by who had joined the academy first, they were the upperclassmen!
"Are you dissatisfied?"
Mu Chen fixed Dai Mubai with a cold stare, a terrifying pressure radiating from him.
Dai Mubai clenched his fists and shook his head.
"When someone chops your head off out there, you'll still be standing around dissatisfied!"
"Look at yourself. Your steps are unsteady, your face is pale, and your arms and legs are weak. When you run into an enemy, you'll be the first to die!"
"What do you have to be dissatisfied about?"
Mu Chen scolded him furiously.
The immense pressure nearly forced Dai Mubai to bend at the waist. He couldn't resist it.
"We're going to Star Dou Forest!"
"If you want to come, keep up. If you don't, go back to the academy and find Flender!"
"Move out!"
Mu Chen passed Dai Mubai, shot him a glance, and snorted.
The others followed him.
As Ma Hongjun and Oscar passed Dai Mubai, they patted him on the shoulder.
Dai Mubai gritted his teeth, turned around, and followed.
But Mu Chen wasn't wrong. After a night of intense exertion, Dai Mubai's whole body was drained of strength. He'd barely managed to crawl out of the arms of beauty.
For a while, Dai Mubai, despite having the highest Soul Power, ended up at the back of the group, keeping pace with Oscar.
Mu Chen deliberately slowed down, but still pushed everyone to their limits.
They could barely make out Mu Chen's back. If they fell any farther behind, they wouldn't even see that.
The sun sank in the west.
In a small town about a hundred miles from Star Dou Forest, Mu Chen led the panting group at a leisurely pace down the bustling main street.
Mu Chen's Radiant Domain spread around them, enveloping everyone in a warm sensation.
Their stamina and Soul Power began to recover.
This was one of the wonders of the Radiant Dragon King Domain: it could absorb the sun's power and convert it into Soul Power.
It could replenish not only his own Soul Power and stamina, but also share them with everyone inside the domain.
His Radiant Domain could cover a radius of a thousand meters, and it came with both dragon might and the power of holy purification.
"Teacher, how do you do that?"
Xiao Wu asked curiously. The others were wondering the same thing, and they all looked at Mu Chen.
Standing with his hands behind his back, Mu Chen replied calmly, "This power is called a domain. Even among Titled Douluo, only a very small number can comprehend one. There are other ways to obtain the ability, but none of them are easy, and they're extremely dangerous."
"Come with me."
"Let's find a tavern and rest first."
Mu Chen turned and led the way.
Hearing that, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong all looked at Mu Chen with even brighter eyes.
Tang San moved closer to Mu Chen and pressed on. "Teacher, what kinds of abilities do domains have?"
The others perked up their ears too.
Tang San had asked exactly what they wanted to know.
Mu Chen smiled. "Every domain skill is different. The full name of mine is the Radiant Dragon King Domain, and its abilities are related to light."
The others nodded in understanding.
Tang San immediately asked, "Teacher, have you seen any other domains?"
Mu Chen had no answer for Tang San's excessive curiosity. After thinking it over, he replied:
"I haven't seen one myself, but I've heard of a few. Anyone who possesses one is either exceptionally talented or a top-level expert."
"Wow!"
Tang San's eyes filled with envy.
"This one will do!"
Mu Chen brought everyone to a fairly ordinary, quiet, two-story tavern.
The first floor was for dining, and the second for lodging.
"Your dean's a cheapskate. He doesn't even pay wages, and he gave us no travel expenses either. So you'll have to figure out your own lodging and meals."
"The three girls can share a room. You four boys... work it out yourselves."
"I'm quitting as soon as we get back. I can't take this anymore."
After giving his instructions and grumbling, Mu Chen rented a room for himself and one for each of the three girls. Then he found a seat and started ordering food.
Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong came over and sat at his table.
"Xiao Ao, want to share a room?" Tang San suggested.
"Sure!" Oscar agreed readily.
He wasn't well-off to begin with, so splitting the room cost was a good deal.
After renting a room with Oscar, Tang San joined Mu Chen's table.
Dai Mubai rented a room for himself.
Share a room with Ma Hongjun?
As the third prince of the Star Luo Empire, he would never share a room with a man!
Ma Hongjun sidled up to Oscar with a cheeky grin. "Xiao Ao, why don't we squeeze in together?"
Oscar's mouth twitched. "There are two beds. How are three people supposed to sleep?"
Ma Hongjun spread his hands. "We can just push the beds together, can't we?"
Oscar pointed at Tang San. "You'd have to ask Tang San, too. If he doesn't agree, how can I say yes?"
"Is one room such a big deal?" Dai Mubai said impatiently, tossing Ma Hongjun a Gold Soul Coin.
"Boss Dai, you're so kind! I want to be with you forever!" Ma Hongjun kissed the coin, rented himself a room, and even remembered to pat Dai Mubai on the butt.
Dai Mubai snorted disdainfully, glanced at Mu Chen's table, then sat by himself at another table.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun exchanged looks. After thinking it over, they sat down with Dai Mubai after all.
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