Hunting for a Soul Ring

Right afterward, Wang Yan gave his own suggestion on how they should arrange the coming month-long vacation, half threatening them and half telling the truth, then decisively announced the end of class.

The students of Class One, Year One stood there dumbfounded. Their earlier excitement had vanished without a trace. Clearly, Shrek—or rather, Wang Yan's words—had frightened them.

After leaving the classroom, Wang Dong asked Huo Yuhao, "Do you think Teacher Wang was serious about that class assessment? He said he'd pick three to seven people to take part, then decide how many people from the entire class could advance based on those selected. Do you think we'll be chosen?"

Huo Yuhao rolled his eyes. "You don't seriously believe he'll crumple everyone's names into little balls and draw them blindly, do you? You, me, and Xiao Xiao are guaranteed. Dai Huabin's group is practically all certain too, though Cui Yajie is probably the only one who'll be picked. Someone from Huang Chutian's third-place team might also be selected, but I think the most likely outcome is still just the three of us."

Wang Dong immediately looked rather dejected. Stretching lazily, she said, "If I'd known, I wouldn't have stood out so much back then. Tell me, why should we have to shoulder such a heavy extra responsibility?"

Huo Yuhao shrugged helplessly and poked his school badge. "Because this school is called Shrek. What can you do about it? Smash their sign?"

Wang Dong waved a hand irritably. "Enough, what the hell are we even talking about? Let's go back to the dorm and cultivate. Every extra day of training counts. There's only a month left. When I get back, even if I have to chew pills every day, I'll break through to Three Rings as soon as possible."

Huo Yuhao looked at her with some amusement. "Who would've thought our great class monitor actually had such team spirit? You're even giving up sleep for the team."

Wang Dong rolled her eyes. "Obviously. If I really hold everyone back and make our class lose a spot for nothing, do you think I'll make it out alive?"

"That's true. I've been stuck at Three Rings for quite a while too." Huo Yuhao looked at his fingers, then said, "I'll set out tomorrow and hunt a soul beast."

Wang Dong nodded at that, then abruptly grabbed Huo Yuhao by the wrist and dragged him toward the dormitory building.

"What are you doing?" Huo Yuhao was somewhat stunned by Wang Dong's sudden reaction and immediately tried to stop so he could get a clear answer first.

Wang Dong turned back and lowered her voice. "I've got something good to show you. Come with me!"

Wang Dong dragged Huo Yuhao all the way back to the dorm. After closing the door, she took a few breaths, then opened her side of the wardrobe and handed him an envelope.

"Aren't you a spiritual-attribute soul master? I know spiritual-attribute soul beasts are hard to find, so I specifically sent a letter home earlier and asked them to keep an eye out." Wang Dong proudly puffed out her chest, clearly seeking credit from Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao was rather surprised. He reached out and accepted the envelope as Wang Dong continued, "I didn't expect there to be no information on any spiritual-attribute soul beasts suitable for you in the Star Dou Great Forest, but I found a suitable soul beast elsewhere."

"At the former site of the Häagen-Dazs Kingdom, in what used to be a certain noble's private garden, someone spotted traces of a Medusa some time ago. Judging by its aura, it shouldn't be beyond the level of a twenty-thousand-year soul beast. You can try your luck there and see whether you can find a Medusa of an age suitable for you. This kind of serpent soul beast possesses both spiritual and poison attributes, so it should be highly compatible with you."

Wang Dong explained it to Huo Yuhao. He nodded and opened the envelope, finding a map inside with clear lines marking the route from Shrek Academy to that place.

"Thanks." Huo Yuhao put away the map and said this to Wang Dong.

Wang Dong patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder. "Why are you being so formal? We're friends. It's only right."

The next morning, when Wang Dong opened her eyes, a fragrant scent entered her nose. A breakfast meal still steaming hot had been placed beside her bedside table, while Huo Yuhao's bed was already empty.

"That guy relies on his habit of getting up early and actually left without even waiting for me. Next semester, I'm definitely going to make him—" Wang Dong grumbled viciously, only calming down when she bit into a bun and the crisp, tender meat juices burst in her mouth.

Huo Yuhao had no idea what Wang Dong was thinking at the moment, and even if he did, he would not have cared. He was currently seated in a merchant caravan's carriage, traveling toward the location marked on the map.

The Flesh Motorcycle cost one-tenth of his spiritual power to create, which was too expensive. This time, with a month-long vacation as a buffer and plenty of time available, Huo Yuhao did not use the Flesh Motorcycle.

After three days of bumping along in the carriage, Huo Yuhao arrived at the former site of the Häagen-Dazs Kingdom indicated on the map.

This place now belonged to the Dou Ling Empire and lay at its border.

Using the abilities of the Void Eye, Huo Yuhao avoided the patrols and reached the outskirts of that royal garden without much effort.

The Clear Sky Sect's intelligence had been kept extremely secret. At present, this royal garden had merely been placed under guard, with no information released about any soul beasts being inside.

Even the guards maintaining the perimeter were quite lax. They were only making sure that too many ordinary people did not fall victim to the soul beast.

Huo Yuhao slipped into the garden. The air here was noticeably more pleasant than outside. When that noble had designed the garden, he must have deliberately chosen flowers, grasses, and trees with pleasing scents. It was truly a case of enjoying the shade planted by those before him.

As he entered the center of the garden, the trees became much denser from having gone untended.

Only then did Huo Yuhao slow his pace. The moment he entered this forest, he confirmed that the intelligence had been true.

That unsettling, ferocious aura of a soul beast was practically undisguised. Clearly, the Medusa had already claimed this place as its territory.

At Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao had also learned about the Medusa's unique traits. It was solitary, possessed extremely high intelligence, and could command most serpent soul beasts in the world. The abilities in its snake eyes would mutate and vary according to the individual, making it nearly impossible to prepare for its powers in advance.

To hunt this kind of soul beast, one could only rely on overwhelming personal strength and kill it by force. There was no relatively easy way to take it down.

Huo Yuhao was in no hurry to make a move. Instead, he quietly used the spiritual power emitted by his Spirit Eye to sense the Medusa's location.

This Medusa moved with extraordinary speed; it would not be an exaggeration to say it flew close to the ground. In just a few seconds, Medusa's afterimage flashed past Huo Yuhao's eyes twice...