Three days later, Zhang Yang stood at the academy gate with his arms crossed, quietly waiting with Teacher Dewey for the three members of Xie Yue Squad.
Before long, the three of them appeared on the path.
As they approached, Zhang Yang's gaze drifted toward Dewey beside him.
Yesterday, Teacher Dewey had come to see him with a thick stack of documents.
He had compiled them after poring over the academy's archives.
The documents covered all area-of-effect and splash-damage Soul Skills among the nearly thousand Soul Skills possessed by the academy's hundreds of Soul Masters above level fifty. They also listed the Soul Beasts those skills came from, along with the physical traits those beasts had at around fifteen hundred years old.
Their value was immeasurable.
After going over several suitable Soul Beasts with Zhang Yang, Dewey changed the subject. "Zhang Yang, I suspect His Holiness the Pope intends for you to join Xie Yue Squad."
"Me? Join Xie Yue Squad?" Zhang Yang was baffled. "Teacher Dewey, what makes you say that?"
"Think about it. If this were just a matter of hunting for a Soul Ring, why send Xie Yue Squad with you? No matter how talented they are, they're still only three Soul Elders."
"Even if the academy is busy, it could still send out a team of one or two Soul Saints."
"So His Holiness the Pope's real goal is probably to help you get to know one another, laying the groundwork for you to join Xie Yue Squad in the future."
"..." Dewey's reasoning made perfect sense, and Zhang Yang understood at once.
"The most important thing in a Soul Master team is that its members aren't too far apart. That includes age and talent."
"If the members are about the same age, they can forge a true bond of life and death. If their talents are similar, they can spur one another on and compete in a healthy way. Only by chasing after one another can they go farther."
"Looking at it that way, Xie Yue Squad really is a good fit in every respect."
"Once you enter Star Dou Forest, try to fit in with the team and learn to match their combat rhythm. A balanced Soul Master team is all about working together and making up for one another's weaknesses."
After listening to Dewey's earnest analysis, Zhang Yang nodded. "I understand, Teacher Dewey."
Following behind Xie Yue, Yan came up to Zhang Yang. Seeing the boy's still-childish face, Yan wore an indescribably strange expression.
This kid was going to join their team in the future, too?
When the team had met up yesterday, Xie Yue had checked Yan's supplies and then told him the same thing Dewey had said.
"Yan, you need to adjust your attitude as soon as possible."
Yan fell silent.
The reason he couldn't stand Zhang Yang was, when all was said and done, that Hu Liena's words had been full of anticipation for Zhang Yang, whom she had never even met.
Yan was fifteen, after all, and his hormones were starting to stir.
"Got your supplies ready?" Xie Yue asked Zhang Yang, who was traveling light.
"Absolutely," Zhang Yang said confidently, patting his chest.
Of course, Zhang Yang had a Storage Soul Tool, too.
"Gold, Soul Tool Ring" "Value: 151564" "Equipment" "0.016KG, one slot" "Special storage equipment. When equipped, grants nine secure storage slots. The equipment drops after three deaths, but items in the secure slots are not lost."
In the system, the ring gave Zhang Yang nine secure slots he could count on.
In the real world, it was a precious Soul Tool Ring with a storage space of one cubic meter.
Xie Yue nodded. "Since everyone's ready, let's go."
With that, Xie Yue took off at the head of the group.
Seeing that Xie Yue and the others were traveling light with their hands empty, Zhang Yang didn't ask them the same question.
As Pope Bibi Dong's personal disciple, it was only natural for Hu Liena to have a Storage Soul Tool.
"Teacher Dewey, we'll be on our way."
With that, Zhang Yang circulated his Soul Power and vanished from Dewey's sight in a few quick bounds.
Spirit Hall Academy lay fifty kilometers east of Star Dou Forest—it was practically right next door.
At the pace of level-thirty Soul Elders, they reached Star Dou Forest in less than an hour.
When they arrived at the forest's edge, Xie Yue didn't rush to lead them in. Instead, he found a sheltered spot and had them rest for an hour.
They lit a campfire and sat around it, warming themselves as they discussed their Action Plan.
"I'll take the lead. Yan, you cover the rear. Nana, you and Zhang Yang stay in the middle. Watch both sides and keep Soul Beasts from getting close enough to ambush us."
"Understood." Hu Liena and Yan immediately nodded.
Then Xie Yue pulled out a stack of documents, and the four of them looked through them together.
Teacher Dewey had prepared these materials. He had given a copy not only to Zhang Yang but to each member of Xie Yue Squad as well.
Around the campfire, they focused on which Soul Beasts they might find. First they had to locate one; only then could they decide whether it was suitable.
Before long, the water on the rack began to boil.
Zhang Yang took a noisy sip of hot water and gazed at Star Dou Forest in the distance. "It's the middle of winter, and the trees everywhere else have lost their leaves, but Star Dou Forest is still a sea of green."
Xie Yue nodded. "That's what makes Star Dou Forest so unusual. Legend has it that a god ascended to godhood here. The god's power blessed this land, keeping it lush and green in every season."
"Ha, really? Then that god must have had a Plant-type Martial Soul," Zhang Yang said in amazement.
"It's only a legend." Xie Yue shook his head. "All right, it's about time. Once we've rested, we'll set out."
"Sounds good." Zhang Yang nodded. With a flip of his hand, the tiger-skin blanket on him disappeared into his Storage Soul Tool. "Let's go."
Xie Yue and Yan handed their belongings to Hu Liena, who swept her hand and put them into her Storage Soul Tool.
Once they had everything in order, the four of them followed the formation Xie Yue had just laid out and cautiously entered Star Dou Forest.
Inside the forest, Xie Yue led the way with his Moon Blade, his Martial Soul in hand. Zhang Yang and Hu Liena followed about ten meters behind him, keeping a measured distance.
With the bone-chilling wind blowing through Star Dou Forest, none of them felt like making small talk.
They hadn't gone far when a grunting sound came from nearby.
"That sounds like a pig-type Soul Beast." Xie Yue paused. "I remember there was one in the documents."
"Explosive Flame Mountain Boar. The red stripes along its back mark its age—one stripe for every thousand years," Yan's voice drifted from behind them.
"Right. Since there's one nearby, let's go take a look."
As he spoke, Xie Yue carefully led the group toward the sound.
After circling a few thick trees, Xie Yue hid behind one and peered over.
A huge, earth-yellow wild boar with two sharp tusks and its whole body caked in tree resin and mud was greedily gnawing on a snake-type Soul Beast.
It had already eaten more than half the snake, and the meal seemed very much to its taste.
Xie Yue motioned backward with his palm. Yan and Hu Liena immediately understood and quietly retreated.
Only after they had backed away nearly a hundred meters did Xie Yue say, "It's a Mountain Wild Boar, not the target we're looking for. Let's keep going."
The others nodded, and they resumed their journey in formation.
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