Hunting Souls Alone, Different Paths, No Common Ground

But the question remained: what kind of soul beast was actually suitable for him?

For the past year, he had read almost every book he could find in the academy library and the Nuoding City Martial Soul Branch.

Yet, the records concerning light-attribute soul beasts were pitifully scarce.

Light Blade Sparrow, an aggressive soul beast capable of condensing light blades for long-range attacks, but this soul skill was truly lackluster.

Light Shield Turtle, a defensive soul beast with a hard shell and astonishing light-attribute defense, but its speed was a fatal flaw.

Holy Sun Flower, a plant-type, said to be able to erupt with powerful energy under sunlight, but its limitations were too great.

Moonlight Butterfly, a nocturnal soul beast that could absorb the power of moonlight, but it lacked offensive means.

Holy Light Rabbit, useless for anything other than running fast.

And there was one more... Glazed Vine!

This was a rare, top-tier plant-type soul beast, incredibly tough, possessing an innate light attribute, and capable of both offense and control.

However, most of these soul beasts were common varieties; while the Glazed Vine was decent, it didn't align at all with the extreme amplification path he desired.

For a moment, Ye Feng furrowed his brows.

Could it be that he really had to rely on that clown Yu Xiaogang's Soul Beast Illustrated Handbook to find the soul ring he desired?

Just the thought of having to ask that guy for help made Ye Feng feel a chill.

This was the terrifying nature of a monopoly on knowledge.

Even if commoner soul masters were lucky enough to obtain a soul beast that suited them, their range of choices was far inferior to those of long-standing, prestigious families.

Even for soul rings of the same hundred-year level, the power of the soul skills could be worlds apart due to the difference in the quality of the soul beasts.

No! He couldn't just sit and wait for death!

Forget it, he would take advantage of the holiday to make a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest!

He would just wander around the outermost fringe and try his luck; as long as he made thorough preparations and planned his route in advance, it shouldn't be a big problem!

Having made up his mind, Ye Feng quickly stood up and left the dormitory.

He first found the largest blacksmith shop in Nuoding City.

"Boss, help me forge a Short Sword, ten arrows, and a refined iron bow."

"You got it! That will be thirty silver soul coins in total."

Watching more than half of his hard-earned savings evaporate in an instant, Ye Feng felt a pang of heartache.

"Little guy, come back to pick them up in three days."

"Alright, Uncle, sorry for the trouble."

Ye Feng walked out of the blacksmith shop, weighed the remaining seventeen silver soul coins in his hand, and couldn't help but sigh.

He was probably the most miserable transmigrator in history!

Money, as expected, was the primary element of cultivation.

At this moment, Ye Feng deeply understood why "wealth" was ranked first among the four essentials of "wealth, companions, method, and location."

Without money, how the hell was he supposed to cultivate!

Once he obtained his first soul ring, he would have to find a way to make money!

Afterward, he walked into a pharmacy in the city and used the remaining money to buy some simple healing medicine and insect-repellent powder.

When he returned to the dormitory, Aolan, Wang Sheng, and the others were excitedly discussing their holiday plans.

Seeing Ye Feng return, Aolan immediately crowded over and enthusiastically threw an arm around his shoulder.

"Brother Feng, how are you spending the holiday? Do you want to come to our place? My mom's barbecue is top-notch!"

Having stayed together for so long, everyone already knew that Ye Feng was an orphan.

"No need."

Ye Feng shook his head and calmly dropped a bombshell:

"I've reached level ten, and I plan to go hunt for a soul ring on my own."

What?!

The entire dormitory went silent instantly, and everyone's movements froze.

"Brother Feng, you... you're not joking, right? Going to the Soul Hunting Forest alone?"

A thin, small boy asked, stuttering.

"That place could have ten-year soul beasts in packs, and hundred-year soul beasts are life-threatening!"

Another boy chimed in, his face filled with terror.

"Yeah, Brother Feng, even with a teacher leading the team, things can go wrong there. You alone... it's too dangerous!"

"The last one from our academy who did that has grass three feet high on his grave!"

"Brother Feng, why not wait until after the semester starts and have the academy teachers lead a team?"

Aolan was also getting anxious; he certainly didn't want the boss he had just acknowledged to go off and throw his life away like this.

Wang Sheng was even more worried, wanting to say something but not knowing where to begin.

Looking at the concerned faces of everyone, a warmth spread through Ye Feng's heart, yet his resolve remained unshaken.

"Heh, no need."

He chuckled, his tone carrying an unquestionable confidence:

"I alone am enough."

Early the next morning.

Ye Feng had just finished washing up when the dormitory door was pushed open.

Yu Xiaogang's perpetually stiff, zombie-like face appeared in the doorway.

As soon as the others in the dormitory saw him, they tactfully found excuses to slip away, leaving only the two of them in the large room.

"I heard you've reached level ten."

Yu Xiaogang paced inside with his hands behind his back, asking in a tone tinged with a hint of mockery:

"And you still want to go hunt a soul beast all by yourself?"

Ye Feng's movements as he packed his bag paused.

This damn Grandmaster's information network was truly well-informed.

"Grandmaster, do you even need to concern yourself with this?"

"That's not it."

Yu Xiaogang stood still by the bed, adopting a posture of compassionate concern:

"This Grandmaster is merely worried that you might take the wrong path.

You must know that a soul master's first soul ring is of vital importance; once you take a wrong step, your future achievements will be quite limited.

For instance, there is an elder in Martial Soul Hall who spent his entire life in regret precisely because he chose the wrong path when he was young."

"This Grandmaster simply cannot bear to watch a genius like you go astray."

Listening to this speech from Yu Xiaogang, Ye Feng felt like ten thousand grass-mud horses were galloping through his mind.

What did he mean by a soul master choosing the wrong path?

And using a Martial Soul Hall elder as an example—he was likely talking about the Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan.

Ridiculous!

Did the Chrysanthemum Douluo even have a choice?

In an era where soul master geniuses were emerging in droves, just surviving was an accomplishment in itself!

According to this bullshit theory, Yue Guan would have been dead and buried long ago!

Theory is, after all, just theory; it is a completely different matter from reality!

For a commoner soul master struggling at the bottom, the first thing to consider is how to survive and how to possess the means to protect oneself, not to covet those seemingly perfect yet flashy and useless soul skills!

Moreover, Ye Feng never felt that Yue Guan's choices were wrong.

He simply lacked the opportunities when he was young!

What if he had been given a Lovesick Heartbreak Red or a Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum in his youth?

This Yu Xiaogang truly lives up to his reputation as the number one clown of the soul master world! His brain is filled with nothing but mush!

"Then there is no need for you to trouble yourself, Grandmaster."

Ye Feng couldn't be bothered to waste breath on an idiot, so he replied coldly:

"My martial soul is mine to decide."

"Hmph! Aiming too high!"

Provoked by Ye Feng's attitude, Yu Xiaogang flicked his sleeve and snorted:

"You aren't even satisfied with a mere ten-year soul ring, yet you harbor delusions of hunting a hundred-year one alone? Truly, your heart is higher than the heavens, but your life is as thin as paper!"

"Right, right, right, Grandmaster, everything you say is correct."

Ye Feng nodded perfunctorily:

"Now, please stop bothering me, can you?"