A Simple Fist

The team advanced to the edge of the forest.

The deep Star Dou Great Forest, even in its outer reaches, no longer possessed any land that could be called a path.

Beneath their feet, the gnarled, interlocking roots of towering ancient trees gripped the earth, while dense vegetation grew with unrestrained vigor, sparing no effort to seize every available gap.

Yan Shaozhe's voice was steady:

"Increase speed."

The students set aside their laxity and playfulness, their expressions turning serious. They channeled their Soul Power, and with a light tap of their toes, began to sprint rapidly across the thick branches of the giant trees.

Entering the outer perimeter, even if only the fringe area, meant being surrounded by danger.

In the face of Soul Beasts that excelled at concealment, the observational skills of low-level human Soul Masters simply did not suffice.

Moving at a leisurely pace was equivalent to courting death.

Perhaps because Jiang Nannan was by his side, Yan Shaozhe had actually not sought out Lu Ran since they set off, remaining at the front of the team the entire time.

It had to be said, compared to Xuan Zi—who claimed to be training the students but was actually just slacking off—Yan Shaozhe was far more diligent.

Throughout the journey, he never left the team's sight, keeping a close watch on every single person. When they encountered Soul Beasts, he would provide warnings and arrange for the students to respond; if he sensed someone's stamina flagging, he would appropriately slow their pace...

He was dutiful and responsible.

Excluding the three from the Inner Academy, most of the students from the Outer Academy were not of high rank. The highest was only at the four-ring level, and almost all were there to obtain their second or third Soul Ring. Even Jiang Nannan, the most talented among them, was only at level thirty.

Furthermore, this mission was not merely about obtaining Soul Rings; it was also to help the students familiarize themselves with the terrain of the Star Dou Great Forest, learn how to face sudden appearances of Soul Beasts, and how to avoid danger...

Although he was not teaching them hand-in-hand, all the key knowledge was dispersed throughout every command Yan Shaozhe issued.

However, with multiple objectives stacked together, their pace of travel was indeed not fast.

They had set off in the morning, and by dusk, they were still lingering in the outer region.

As the setting sun was about to be swallowed by the horizon, the reddish afterglow failed to pierce through the dense canopy of the surging sea of trees, making the forest appear even gloomier.

"This is the final stretch, keep your spirits up."

Yan Shaozhe issued the command to the group.

Seeing the excitement on the students' faces, he shook his head inwardly: "Pay attention to your surroundings, watch out for Soul Beasts."

The students immediately suppressed their joy and continued to advance with caution.

If one were to ask a novice Soul Master when the Star Dou Great Forest was most dangerous, they might receive various answers:

When entering an unfamiliar area, when encountering a powerful Soul Beast, when exhausted, when resting, when injured...

But if one were to ask a veteran Soul Master, there would be only one answer—

At any time.

Especially when one is lax, facing a sudden Soul Beast, many Soul Masters have no time to react at all, so one must never let their guard down.

As for why the Star Dou Great Forest appeared relatively harmonious and peaceful to Lu Ran...

That was, of course, because he was accompanied by a powerhouse, coupled with his own immortal-like methods.

In the presence of a Super Douluo, the thousand-year Soul Beasts in this region posed no threat whatsoever.

But Lu Ran could not be compared to the ordinary students at all.

To the ordinary students, the Star Dou Great Forest was truly dangerous, and Yan Shaozhe could not treat their lives as a game; he had to take it seriously.

After another stretch of trekking through the forest, the view suddenly brightened:

Before them lay an open clearing by a lake. The terrain was flat, and the vast expanse of water reflected the evening clouds on the horizon, shimmering with orange-red and fiery hues. To the group that had been traveling all day, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

The cool evening breeze blew faintly against them, as if they had suddenly arrived in a paradise, so tranquil and relaxing.

Yan Shaozhe had the students search the surrounding area to ensure there were no traces of Soul Beast activity.

"We will rest here tonight."

"Yay!"

"That's great!"

"I need to wash my face!"

The students cheered; having marched all day, they were quite exhausted, and finding such a place to rest was truly a stroke of luck.

They immediately began to take action, setting up camp.

However, even with a Super Douluo like Yan Shaozhe leading the team, in order to train the students' vigilance and prevent them from developing the habit of lighting fires, they were still forbidden from doing so.

After all, true danger often hides within habits;

if they habitually lit a fire and attracted a powerful Soul Beast, they would simply be waiting for death.

Although not lighting a fire didn't guarantee they wouldn't encounter a powerful Soul Beast—since to a Soul Beast, human Spirit Masters were a potent tonic whose consumption could directly increase years of cultivation, making them very tempting—

it was akin to walking in the night wearing white clothes, whereas lighting a fire was like walking in the night wearing white clothes covered in fluorescent powder;

naturally, one should minimize exposure as much as possible.

While the sun had yet to fully set, the students seized the time to pitch tents, build shelters, and eat.

Pitching tents went without saying;

they set up the tents they had brought for resting at night.

As for building shelters, there was a plant-type Spirit Master in the team who placed one hand on the ground, causing willow branches to grow out of thin air and intertwine to form the shape of a canopy.

The branches continued to extend and weave outward like a giant web, covering all the tents tightly, perfectly blending into the environment.

From a distance, it was impossible to tell this was a campsite, which could deceive many Soul Beasts with duller senses.

Once the tents were set up, everyone took out their dry rations and sat in a circle to eat.

Jiang Nannan and Lu Ran sat on a giant rock by the lake, facing the water as they ate. The evening breeze stirred their hair.

Lu Ran chewed on a thin pancake; it had no flavor, but it wasn't exactly bad either.

"Did you make this yourself?"

Jiang Nannan had been eating in small bites, but she froze upon hearing Lu Ran's question, then shook her head.

"I bought it..."

Now it was Lu Ran's turn to be stunned.

He had almost forgotten that Jiang Nannan was a two-ring Spirit Master and her mother was no longer critically ill, so she would have some savings; she could certainly afford these pancakes that cost only a few copper coins.

"Sorry... I forgot."

Jiang Nannan's eyes brightened, her tone filled with anticipation:

"I can cook!"

"If you want to eat, I'll make some when we get back!"

Lu Ran hurriedly stopped her.

"No, no, no... you misunderstood."

"It's just that I saw you were very strapped for cash before, and I mistakenly thought you were still like that..."

Jiang Nannan's watery eyes curved into crescents, and she smiled as she said:

"That was a long time ago..."

Because of you...

Night fell, bringing a slight chill.

The bright moonlight poured down, making the entire Star Dou Great Forest look as if it were draped in a layer of white gauze.

Occasionally, the crisp chirping of insects drifted through the forest, making the silence feel even more profound.

Lu Ran sat alone by the lakeside, feeling the evening breeze, while not far away lay the tent area covered by willow branches, where the students were currently cultivating inside.

In the shimmering lake water, the full moon shattered into countless fragments, constantly flickering.

Jiang Nannan had her hands clasped behind her back, her footsteps light and soundless as she cautiously crept toward Lu Ran.

"Not resting yet?"

Lu Ran asked without turning his head.

The "rest" here did not mean sleep, but rather meditation for recovery.

Jiang Nannan slowly drew closer, "I saw you sitting here the whole time, and no one was talking to you..."

Lu Ran glanced at her;

her gentle eyes were more beautiful than the full moon, "You are already the fourth person to come find me; how could it be that no one is talking to me?"

Of the previous three, two were girls who wanted to get to know him, and one even had the boldness to try and get close, but he had dodged and politely declined them all.

"But you are still all by yourself..."

Jiang Nannan said weakly.

Lu Ran sighed helplessly. He wasn't deliberately putting on an act; sitting by the lake was convenient for extending his spiritual power into the water, waiting for a Soul Beast to swim over so he could send it directly into his Small World.

Right now, there was still bait he had scattered at the bottom of the lake near the shore;

in other words, he was actually fishing, just without a rod.

Jiang Nannan kept a bit of distance as she gently sat down beside Lu Ran, then secretly scooted a little closer to him, finally wrapping her arms around her knees and resting her chin upon them, quietly keeping him company as they watched the moon's reflection in the lake.

Lu Ran turned his head inadvertently, happening to see Yan Shaozhe looking in their direction, and by the moonlight, he could vaguely make out his expression... it was the same as it had been during the day.

Thinking about it carefully, it seemed that Dean Yan had also been a bit of a playboy in his youth...

Hm?

Why did I say "also"?

Lu Ran suddenly frowned, feeling a moment of confusion.