Entering the Star Dou Great Forest! Targets Set!

Early the next morning, while the sky was still barely light, the group got out of bed.

Ma Hongjun was shaken awake by Oscar. The kid had been so excited last night that he had tossed and turned without being able to sleep. Before dawn had even broken, he was already too restless to stay put, wishing he could charge straight into the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Hongjun, get up! It's daylight!"

Ma Hongjun opened his eyes and saw Oscar's flushed face, red with excitement. He sighed helplessly.

"Little Oscar, did you even sleep last night?"

"I did, I did. I slept for two hours!" Oscar chuckled. He looked so energized that no one would have guessed he had slept only four hours.

Ma Hongjun rolled over and sat up, washed up quickly, got dressed, and headed out.

In the hall downstairs, Flender, Zhao Wuji, and Shao Xin were already seated, with breakfast spread across the table.

Rice porridge, steamed buns, pickled vegetables, eggs, and several small side dishes.

"Eat. Fill yourselves up before we set out," Flender said as he drank his porridge.

Ma Hongjun and Oscar sat down and began wolfing down their food.

They would be spending the entire day in the Star Dou Great Forest. No one knew when they would get another meal, so they needed to fill their stomachs now.

After eating and drinking their fill, the group left the inn and headed for the Star Dou Great Forest.

There was no obvious marker at the entrance to the Star Dou Great Forest.

One moment, they were still in ordinary mountain woods. The moment they crossed a ridge, the scenery before them changed abruptly.

Towering trees rose from the earth, their canopies layered one upon another, sealing off the sky completely.

Sunlight could only filter through gaps in the leaves, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across the ground.

The air was thick with the damp scent of soil, mixed with the fresh fragrance of vegetation and an indescribable fishy odor.

The distant growls of unknown soul beasts rose and fell, instinctively making people uneasy.

Ma Hongjun took a deep breath and swept his gaze around.

This was the Star Dou Great Forest.

One of the most dangerous gathering grounds for soul beasts on the Douluo Continent.

"Get into formation." Flender's voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

He walked at the front, his Four-Eyed Owl Martial Soul ready to be released at any moment, his sharp gaze scanning the front and both flanks.

Zhao Wuji walked at the rear, his burly body like a moving wall, his Vajra Bear Martial Soul poised to strike.

Li Yusong and Lu Qibin walked on the left and right respectively, Dragon Pattern Staff and Chessboard Martial Souls in hand, each watching his own direction.

Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Shao Xin walked in the middle, tightly protected at the core by the four teachers.

This was a standard forest marching formation.

The strong stayed on the outside, the weak within, with all four sides guarded and no blind spots left behind.

As he walked, Ma Hongjun observed the surrounding environment.

The forest was dim, with visibility of only a few dozen meters at most.

The ground was carpeted in thick fallen leaves. They felt soft underfoot, and no one knew what might be hidden beneath them.

Thick roots jutted up from the soil like enormous pythons coiled across the ground.

A squirrel-like soul beast darted across the treetops, glanced at them, and vanished into the leaves in the blink of an eye.

"Most soul beasts in the outer regions are around ten or a hundred years old. They won't actively attack targets stronger than themselves."

As he walked, Flender continued, "But don't let your guard down. The Star Dou Great Forest has everything. Some soul beasts are skilled at camouflage. By the time you notice them, it'll already be too late."

Ma Hongjun and Oscar both nodded.

After walking for about half an hour and confirming that there was no immediate danger nearby, Flender slowed down and turned to Oscar.

"Little Oscar, since you've decided to take the all-rounder path, what kind of target do you want for your second Soul Ring?"

Oscar froze for a moment and scratched his head.

Honestly, he only knew that he wanted to become an all-round fighter. As for what soul beast to choose, what attribute, and what direction to take, his mind was still a complete mess.

Instinctively, he looked toward Ma Hongjun.

Understanding what he meant, Ma Hongjun spoke up. "Teacher, I suggest that Little Oscar's second Soul Ring should focus on offense first."

"Why?" Flender asked.

"Little Oscar's first Soul Ring was recovery-type. The Sausage it produced could satisfy hunger and restore stamina, so it already leaned toward support. If his second Soul Ring continues down the support route, then he'll be completely locked into that role. It'll be harder for him to shift toward offense later."

Ma Hongjun paused before continuing, "But if his second Soul Ring takes an offensive direction, preferably one with strong explosive power and great strength, then he can establish the belief from the very beginning that he can fight. That's more important than anything."

Flender nodded faintly, signaling for him to continue.

"Something with powerful bursts and great strength would be best. If it can also offer some defense and speed while ensuring strong attack power, that would be even better."

Zhao Wuji took two steps forward from behind them and interjected, "My Vajra Bear would be a good choice."

Everyone looked at him.

"The Vajra Bear is a strength-type soul beast. Its attack and defense are both strong, and it has enough explosive power as well."

As he spoke, Zhao Wuji patted his solid chest. "Its only weakness is that it's a little slow, but that's only compared to agility-attack Soul Masters of the same level. As a foundation for a second Soul Ring, it's more than sufficient."

Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up.

The Vajra Bear really was a good choice.

This kind of soul beast possessed immense strength, high defense, and powerful explosive force. Though it lacked speed, that was a common flaw among strength-type soul beasts.

The issue of speed could be made up for with the third or fourth Soul Ring.

Moreover, Zhao Wuji himself had a Vajra Bear Martial Soul. He understood this type of soul beast best, so finding one would be convenient too.

"Teacher Zhao is right. The Vajra Bear is indeed a good choice."

Ma Hongjun nodded. "As for speed, we can make up for it separately with the third Soul Ring. It won't be much of a problem."

Flender pondered for a moment, then looked at Oscar.

"Little Oscar, what do you think?"

Oscar scratched his head and gave a simple-minded grin.

"If Hongjun says it's good, then it's good. I trust him."

The corner of Flender's mouth twitched slightly. He did not know whether to say the boy was big-hearted or simply trusted too much.

Still, the Vajra Bear truly was a good choice.

"Then it's settled." Flender made the final decision. "We'll find a Vajra Bear around six or seven hundred years old for Little Oscar's second Soul Ring. Its age cannot exceed seven hundred and sixty years. That is the limit for a second Soul Ring."

With the target decided, the search area narrowed greatly.

The group no longer wandered around like headless flies. Instead, they headed toward the area where Vajra Bears often appeared.

Vajra Bears liked to live in open areas within the forest, preferably close to water sources with plenty of food.

Relying on his keen instinct for a similar Martial Soul, Zhao Wuji led everyone through the forest for about an hour before finally finding an area that met those conditions.

This was a relatively open stretch of woodland. The trees were not as dense, allowing sunlight to shine directly upon the ground. Not far away was a small stream, its clear water flowing gently over the stones.

"This is the place." Zhao Wuji lowered his voice. "Vajra Bears like places like this. There's water, sunlight, and not many trees around, so it's convenient for them to move about."

Flender looked over the surroundings and nodded.

"We'll wait for the prey to come."