In the end, only Dai Mubai and Tang San fought.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar hesitated, but ultimately didn't step in.
Ning Rongrong asked with interest, "Hey, Fatty, why aren't you going up to help?"
Ma Hongjun awkwardly scratched his hair with his chubby little hand.
"Because Brother Yan said that when traveling through the Soul Master World, you should avoid causing trouble, but never be afraid of it. Those who don't dare cause trouble are useless. If you only pick fights with people stronger than you, then sure, that takes guts. But if you only pick on people weaker than you, then you're bullying the weak."
Ning Rongrong immediately looked at Xia Yan with admiration. Even Xiao Wu couldn't help glancing his way.
Oscar sat nearby, his gaze shifting slightly.
If Xia Yan hadn't warned him, he truly didn't know what might have happened to him.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were both Power Attack System Soul Masters. For all he knew, Ma Hongjun might even learn to fly someday. If they got into trouble, they could just run. They had nothing to fear.
For Oscar, picking a fight would be as good as asking for death.
As an Auxiliary System Soul Master with no offensive ability,
he had to maintain a friendly way of dealing with people.
Otherwise, if he really got into trouble, where could he run? Who could he outrun?
Did he really want to stay in this little village where Shrek Academy stood for his whole life, never even traveling the continent?
After hearing Xia Yan's words,
Oscar suddenly understood.
That's right. I'm an Auxiliary System Soul Master!
He'd even broken out in a cold sweat at the time. He'd almost been led down the wrong path.
Now he would put Xia Yan's advice into practice: don't be afraid of trouble, but never go looking for it.
Ma Hongjun had thought about it too, though not as deeply. Xia Yan had said it, and Xia Yan was stronger than Dai Mubai, so he'd listen to Xia Yan.
It was that simple.
Meanwhile, Tang San and Dai Mubai were completely unable to withstand the simultaneous attacks of the seven people on the other side.
They truly hadn't expected
that not one of the six would come and help them!
Not one!
Dai Mubai glared fiercely at Ma Hongjun and Oscar, only to have the Canghui students' attacks interrupt him.
Just as Tang San was about to use a Hidden Weapon,
Zhao Wuji suddenly appeared.
He didn't even use his Martial Soul or Soul Power. One punch sent the forty-year-old Water-Spitting Turtle flying, and the remaining Canghui Academy students immediately stopped.
Zhao Wuji turned around and berated Dai Mubai.
"If you've got nothing better to do, go cultivate. Stop causing trouble every day and making me clean up after you!"
"Pay them back for the damage!"
With that, he turned and headed upstairs.
In the past, the first thing he would have done after coming downstairs was lecture everyone for sitting on their hands. How could they not help a companion in trouble?
But now,
he'd tacitly allowed Xia Yan and the others to watch. Don't cause trouble, but don't be afraid of it. He'd heard Xia Yan say that before.
He'd even said it in front of Flender.
He believed Flender's words must have made sense, and Xia Yan wasn't wrong either. At the very least, Zhao Wuji couldn't find fault with what he'd said.
If neither of them was wrong, yet Xia Yan contradicted Flender,
then who was wrong?
Only time could tell. In the future, whoever achieved more, Xia Yan or Dai Mubai, would be the one in the right.
As for now,
they could set the matter aside for the time being.
Seeing how powerful Zhao Wuji was, the people from Canghui Academy had no choice but to leave.
After paying the innkeeper for the damages, Dai Mubai looked gloomy.
His companions hadn't helped him fight, and after losing, he'd even gotten a scolding...
He didn't even eat. With a dark expression, he went upstairs, his footsteps thudding loudly on the stairs.
Tang San didn't care.
After all, they'd been in the wrong. They'd fought, and that was that. Winning or losing didn't matter. Right now, he felt he was nearing the level-thirty bottleneck.
His top priority was to break through as soon as possible,
and give Xiao Wu—and everyone else—a shock!
After finishing their meal, everyone went to their own rooms. Even the weakest among them was now a Soul Grandmaster. Their monthly allowance alone was ten Gold Soul Coins, enough to afford a small private room.
There was no problem with that.
Xia Yan went out alone. This place was right outside the Star Dou Great Forest, where Soul Beast materials were relatively cheap. In the past, he'd occasionally traveled more than four hundred li to come to this town to buy Soul Beast meat, spirit fruits, and the like. Now that he was here again,
he could replenish his supplies.
As it happened, he ran into Zhu Zhuqing outside the hotel just as she was heading out. They greeted each other, then went for a stroll together.
The streets were brightly lit. Seen from above, this little town was the only patch of light for ten li in every direction.
Lonely, yet conspicuous.
Xia Yan asked, "We're going to the Star Dou Great Forest tomorrow. Shouldn't you be getting some rest?"
Zhu Zhuqing countered, "You're not resting either."
Xia Yan replied,
"The outer reaches and parts of the middle region of the Star Dou Great Forest pose no danger to me."
Zhu Zhuqing let out a silent sigh, as if resigned to her fate. Against her cool demeanor,
it somehow made her seem cute.
"I came to see if I could find Soul Beast meat, spirit fruits, and other foods that can improve my constitution."
The two weren't the only ones out in the town at night. When passersby saw them,
they instinctively moved out of their way.
Just looking at them from a distance made it feel as if the town had gained another beautiful sight, and even the lights seemed brighter.
Xia Yan answered,
"I know a thing or two about that. Come with me. I know what to buy."
After that,
he took Zhu Zhuqing all over the town, buying plenty of things: food, spirit fruits, herbs for medicinal baths...
He even wrote Zhu Zhuqing a list of her own,
noting each item's effects and how to use it.
But when they returned, Ning Rongrong caught them in the act and sat them down in chairs to interrogate them about where they'd been.
Early the next morning,
they traveled less than a hundred li before reaching the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Even at its outer edge, the Star Dou Great Forest was so dense that it blotted out the sky. Only wisps of sunlight filtered through, falling among the layers of tree shadows in the immensely crowded, roadless forest.
The air was filled with the dampness and faint smell of decay unique to a primeval forest.
The Star Dou Great Forest was nothing new to Xia Yan, but for the others, its oppressive atmosphere was overwhelming.
Zhao Wuji's expression was grave. "The Star Dou Great Forest is extremely dangerous. Listen carefully: from now on, no one is allowed more than twenty meters away from me. Oscar, Ning Rongrong, you two must stay right beside me and watch for danger at all times."
"Is that clear?"
Everyone answered, "Clear."
At last, they adjusted their formation and set off.
In the Star Dou Great Forest, guarding the rear was more important than clearing the way.
Zhao Wuji stayed at the very back, protecting everyone. Ahead of him were the two Auxiliary System Soul Masters, Ning Rongrong and Oscar. Tang San and Ma Hongjun were in the middle. On either side were Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu, the Agility Attack System Soul Masters, responsible for watching left and right. Farther ahead was Xia Yan.
Dai Mubai led the way at the very front because he was the most suited for it. His tiger claws, sharp as daggers, could tear through obstacles.
Everyone looked tense,
but Xiao Wu alone gazed around at everything, relaxed. This place didn't seem dangerous to her at all. Instead, it felt familiar and safe,
with a sense of something long missed.
There was no way to move through the Star Dou Great Forest as quickly as through an ordinary forest or across open ground.
After slowly traveling more than a hundred li,
just as everyone was resting, Zhao Wuji suddenly sensed something strange in the distance.
"Something's coming."
Everyone immediately grew alert.
Zhu Zhuqing jumped into the canopy to take a look. "It's a snake!"
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