He shoveled the last bite of rice from his bowl into his mouth, set down his chopsticks, and got up to leave Dorm Seven.
Tang San called after him. "Where are you going?"
"Taking a walk. Letting my food settle."
Without looking back, Huang Fei waved a hand and walked out of the dining hall.
He did take a walk, but not to let his food settle.
He needed to confirm something.
The Second Soul Ring reward the system had given him would be linked to the Second Soul Ring Tang San chose.
Whatever attribute of Soul Beast Tang San chose, Huang Fei would get an upgraded version of that attribute.
Double the years, double the effect.
But what if Tang San chose the wrong one?
Although Tang San had chosen Life Flow for his First Soul Ring and built a solid foundation for his Blue Silver Grass, Huang Fei knew Yu Xiaogang's old habits all too well. Gangzi's greatest trait was that he always thought he was right.
He had reluctantly accepted Life Flow for the First Soul Ring only because Tang San had stood firm. He didn't want to fall out with his "experimental subject" at such a critical moment.
But for the Second Soul Ring, he would definitely find some high-sounding excuse to try to work a little "control" or "poison" into it.
Huang Fei just needed to steady Tang San before he was talked around.
How?
No need for a long-winded speech or citations from books.
Tang San was clever. Huang Fei only had to remind him at the right moment, "Remember what I told you about the essence of Blue Silver Grass?" Tang San would recall it on his own.
One reminder would be enough.
If it wasn't enough after two, that meant Tang San was wavering too—and Huang Fei would have all the more reason to go.
He had to make sure Tang San didn't stray when choosing his Second Soul Ring.
If he did, the foundation of his Blue Silver Saint Emperor would be unstable.
And if its foundation was unstable, his Blue Silver Saint Emperor would be affected too.
That was the last thing Huang Fei wanted.
Huang Fei stood at the edge of the field, watching the distant ginkgo trees as they began to turn green. His thoughts shifted to something else: Tang San and Yu Xiaogang wouldn't see him absorb his own Second Soul Ring.
Just like last time, he would pretend not to absorb it in front of them, saying he hadn't reached level twenty yet or that there was "no rush, I'll deal with it when we get back."
They wouldn't suspect a thing. As far as they knew, he wasn't level twenty, and his First Soul Ring was just a one-hundred-and-twenty-year-old Green Vine. He needed to raise his Soul Power first, not rush to get a Second Soul Ring.
Once they were back at the academy, in the dead of night, he'd go to the public baths and claim the system's Second Soul Ring reward.
Double the years.
Double the effect.
Another perfect alibi.
When he returned to Dorm Seven, Tang San was packing.
The Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges held provisions, a water flask, a change of clothes, several daggers, and a few coils of rope.
Tang San was always meticulous. Before setting out, he prepared everything they might need, never leaving things to the last minute.
"Grandmaster said we'll leave the morning after tomorrow. Our target in the Soul Hunting Forest is a life-type plant Soul Beast of around eight hundred years."
Tang San went over the list of supplies one last time. Only after confirming that nothing was missing did he tie the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges back around his waist.
Huang Fei leaned against his bed and nodded.
"Huang Fei, aren't you really in a hurry?"
Tang San suddenly asked.
Huang Fei looked at him.
"I mean your Soul Power."
Tang San's voice was soft, as if he were afraid someone else might hear.
"Your First Soul Ring isn't very old, and your Soul Power has never grown quickly. This past year, you've only gone from level eleven to level thirteen?"
Tang San felt a little awkward saying it. After all, they had both started with one Soul Ring, yet his Soul Power had risen from level thirteen to level twenty—seven levels—while Huang Fei had only gained two. That was painfully slow.
Tang San thought Huang Fei might have been held back by that one-hundred-and-twenty-year Soul Ring.
Huang Fei fell silent for a moment.
"No rush."
Tang San opened his mouth to say something, but finally closed it again.
He always felt that Huang Fei was hiding something from him, but the feeling had no real basis, and he didn't know how to press him.
Huang Fei rolled over, pulled the blanket up to his chin, and closed his eyes.
No rush.
He truly wasn't in a hurry.
What did he have to rush for? Tang San was level twenty; he was level thirty.
Tang San was about to hunt for his Second Soul Ring; Huang Fei just had to wait for his system reward.
The one who really needed to hurry was Yu Xiaogang.
And that life-type plant Soul Beast of around eight hundred years, soon to become Tang San's Second Soul Ring.
Huang Fei gave a silent laugh beneath the covers.
The day after tomorrow, the Soul Hunting Forest.
Another good show.
The weather was unbelievably fine on the day they set out.
Yu Xiaogang stood at the academy gates with a small pack on his back. The copper Spirit Hall token hung at his waist, and he wore a pair of well-worn leather boots.
His expression was as stern as ever. He raised his chin slightly, his gaze sweeping from Tang San to Huang Fei, then back to Tang San.
"Let's go."
He turned and strode toward the north gate.
Tang San followed half a step behind, his stride steady.
Huang Fei brought up the rear, hands tucked into his sleeves, strolling at an unhurried pace. He looked like he was out for a leisurely country walk.
Beyond the north gate, wheat fields stretched along both sides of the road.
The seedlings had just emerged from the earth, tender green, like a thin carpet spread over the dark soil.
In the distance lay a range of rolling low hills, covered in deep-green vegetation. The Soul Hunting Forest was beyond them.
"Grandmaster, our target is a life-type plant Soul Beast of around eight hundred years?"
Tang San walked beside Yu Xiaogang, steering the conversation back to business.
"Mm."
Yu Xiaogang nodded, took a notebook with frayed edges from inside his robe, and opened it to a page.
"I had hunters keep watch in the forest for half a month and narrowed it down to three possible targets. An eight-hundred-and-twenty-year-old Life Ancient Vine, an eight-hundred-and-fifty-year-old Healing Flower King, and a seven-hundred-and-ninety-year-old Life-Giving Grass. The first two have pure life-force attributes. The third has a slight auxiliary attribute, but it's still within an acceptable range."
He handed the notebook to Tang San. Its pages were densely filled with the three Soul Beasts' appearances, habitats, methods of attack, and weaknesses.
Tang San took it and studied it carefully.
He read quickly, able to remember eight or nine tenths of a page at a glance, but when he came across something important, he would stop and read it several more times.
Huang Fei leaned forward from behind to take a look. The densely packed writing made his eyes ache.
"Did you read it?"
When Tang San handed the notebook back to Yu Xiaogang, he turned and asked Huang Fei.
"I did."
Huang Fei replied.
"Remember it all?"
"Sure. Three Soul Beasts: one eight hundred and twenty years old, one eight hundred and fifty, and one seven hundred and ninety. I've got it."
Tang San glanced at him. There was something in Huang Fei's tone that sounded like "I'll play along and go through the motions," but he didn't look into it.
If you tried to argue with Huang Fei, he'd give you that "why are you taking this so seriously?" look. After that, there was no getting through to him at all.
Before you continue