Su Hang Forces His Way In, Tang San's First Spirit Ring Takes a Turn

The morning breeze had just begun to blow into Notting Academy, yet two groups of people were already standing outside the gate.

One group consisted of Tang San and Yu Xiaogang.

The other group was far more eye-catching; Su Hang stood at the front with Xiao Wu beside him. She had a small bundle slung over her shoulder containing two changes of clothes and half a bag of dried fruit, prepared more thoroughly than anyone else.

Tang San had just finished adjusting his cloth bag when he looked up and saw this scene.

He stopped in his tracks, his expression darkening instantly.

"Are you going to the Hunting Forest too?"

Su Hang leaned against the gate, hands on his hips, and answered bluntly.

"The Hunting Forest isn't owned by your family."

As soon as these words fell, Tang San had no retort.

He had originally intended to make a low-profile trip, secure his first spirit ring, and then return to the academy with Yu Xiaogang to slowly figure out his future path.

But with Su Hang standing there, the entire situation changed flavor.

Xiao Wu hopped over to Su Hang's side, clutching her small bundle, and stood there with righteous confidence.

"I'm going with Brother Su Hang."

Tang San swept a glance at her, then shifted his gaze back to Su Hang.

"You already have a spirit ring, so why are you going?"

Su Hang raised a hand to brush off his hem, answering without a hint of hesitation.

"I'm finding a suitable spirit ring for Xiao Wu, and while I'm at it, I'll see what the Master is capable of."

Yu Xiaogang's expression turned sour immediately.

He had brought Tang San out with the intention of securing that first ring steadily.

He had already gone over the route for the Datura Snake with Tang San the previous night, meticulously mapping out the spirit beast's habits and the exact location for the hunt in his mind.

Yet, the moment Su Hang spoke, he turned this entire journey into a mere "look at what he's capable of."

To his ears, those words carried significant weight.

"Su Hang, you already possess a purple ring; you still want to enter the forest?"

Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, his posture rigid.

"The thing junior spirit masters fear most is arrogance. The situation in the Hunting Forest is complex; it is not a place for you to show off."

Su Hang glanced at him, not backing down in the slightest.

"Then that makes it even more necessary to go."

"If I don't go, who would know if that theory of yours actually works or not?"

Yu Xiaogang's throat tightened, and a stifling pressure built up in his chest.

He had been holding back his frustration since last night, and he had wanted to establish his authority as a teacher in front of Tang San today, but Su Hang's words kept hitting him exactly where it hurt the most.

Tang San stood to the side, not rushing to speak.

He had been observing the way Su Hang and Xiao Wu were standing.

Xiao Wu was almost inseparable from Su Hang, even the strap of her bundle leaning toward his side.

That appearance spoke volumes.

"What do you intend to do by following us?"

Tang San laid the question out clearly.

Su Hang tilted his chin toward the direction of the forest.

"One word: snatch."

Tang San's expression darkened further.

"What are you going to snatch?"

Su Hang replied even more casually.

"Whatever you have your eyes on."

At this, even Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but turn to the side.

He had wanted to maintain his composure, but once Su Hang said that, the air instantly grew thick with the scent of gunpowder.

Xiao Wu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly interjected.

"Tang San, don't overthink it."

"Brother Su Hang is finding a spirit ring for me, not snatching yours."

Tang San looked at her.

"You need a spirit ring?"

Xiao Wu nodded quickly.

"Right, I need to cultivate too."

She said it so smoothly that she didn't even lift her eyelids.

Su Hang almost laughed out loud.

This little rabbit was quick on her feet.

Tang San, however, felt even more uncomfortable.

He instinctively felt that Su Hang tagging along this time was definitely not just because it was "on the way."

Yet, the guy had laid his words out clearly, and there was no fault to be found in his reasoning.

At this moment, the teacher guarding the academy gate walked out.

That man had heard Su Hang's name last night, and seeing him in person today, he couldn't help but look him over a few more times.

Six years old, one ring, a purple ring.

This configuration was already outrageous enough at Notting Academy.

The teacher stood at the gate, looked at Tang San first, then at Su Hang, and finally spoke.

"You can go to the Hunting Forest."

"But there is one condition: no private fighting inside."

"Whoever acts recklessly will bear the consequences themselves."

Su Hang nodded.

"Rest assured, we are very law-abiding."

As soon as these words came out, Xiao Wu beside him almost laughed out loud.

Law-abiding?

The way this guy collected rent last night was anything but polite.

Tang San didn't say anything, only adjusted the straps of his pack on his shoulders.

Seeing that the academy teacher had relented, Yu Xiaogang could only suppress his words.

"Since that's the case, let's go together."

"Once we reach the forest, follow my lead."

Su Hang didn't refute him, simply lifting his foot to step forward.

Xiao Wu followed half a step behind, her hand instinctively grabbing his sleeve.

"Brother Su Hang, don't leave me behind."

"I'm not very good with directions, you have to look after me."

Su Hang glanced at her.

"You're not good with directions, but your ability to cling to people is quite impressive."

Xiao Wu's cheeks heated up, and she quickly turned her head away.

"That's only because I'm clinging to the right person."

Hearing this, Tang San paused his steps, the discomfort in his heart rising a few notches.

Along the way, Su Hang walked in front, Xiao Wu followed by his side, and Tang San and Yu Xiaogang walked behind; the formation looked a bit strange.

What was even stranger was that Su Hang really didn't stay idle the whole way.

Not long after leaving the academy, Yu Xiaogang began to explain the distribution of soul beasts to Tang San, talking about the activity ranges of common soul beasts in the Hunting Forest, and how to judge their direction based on footprints and flattened grass.

"Datura Snakes often move along the edges of wetlands; they are fast, highly venomous, and their constriction strength is not weak."

"Your Blue Silver Grass has enough toughness, but you'll still be at a disadvantage in a head-on collision; you must lure them first, then trap them."

Tang San listened intently, his steps steady.

Su Hang chimed in from the side.

"Your line of thinking is flawless."

"But you missed one point: Datura Snakes fear loud noises. When they encounter unfamiliar scents, they usually circle around; they won't charge blindly."

Yu Xiaogang's brows furrowed instantly.

"You also understand the habits of soul beasts?"

Su Hang raised his hand.

"I know a little."

"At least better than someone who only knows how to recite data."

The fire in Yu Xiaogang's chest was stoked once again.

He had already established his image as a "theoretical master" in front of Tang San last night, yet today he was constantly being undermined by Su Hang, and right in front of Tang San at that.

After hearing these few sentences, Tang San fell silent for half a breath.

He cultivated the Mysterious Heaven Skill, and what he valued most was stability.

The few points Su Hang mentioned were indeed hitting the mark.

Even though this person's words were laced with thorns, Tang San had to admit that the other party was certainly not spouting nonsense.

Yu Xiaogang was not to be outdone and immediately took back the conversation.

"For a spirit master's cultivation, the foundation is the most important thing."

"In the Hunting Forest, experience is the key."

Su Hang turned his head to the side.

"Then let's go in and see."

A single sentence blocked the rest of what Yu Xiaogang was about to say.

The team continued forward, the trees on both sides of the forest path gradually becoming denser, and the humidity increasing by a few degrees.

High up among the branches and leaves, two figures swept forward one after the other.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan stepped on phantom flower petals, while Ghost Douluo Gui Mei hid in the shadows; neither of them got too close, following from a great distance.

Yue Guan raised his hand to brush aside a petal and spoke in a low voice.

"This brat, running into the Hunting Forest on his own initiative, actually saves us some trouble."

Gui Mei's figure was hidden in the shadows, and his reply was even shorter.

"The fact that he dares to come means the place where he intends to act is right here."

Yue Guan turned his head.

"Are you that certain?"

Gui Mei did not rush to answer, and only after a moment did he continue.

"His Holiness the Pope ordered us to keep an eye on Su Hang."

"This person wrote in his diary one moment, and the next, he blocked half of Tang San's path."

"Now that he's even sticking his hand into the Hunting Forest, there must be something more behind it."

Yue Guan let out a huff.

"Then record it all down."

"I'd like to see just how much this brat can change Tang San's path."

Up ahead, Yu Xiaogang was still lecturing Tang San on the final part.

"When we enter the forest later, don't be in a rush to make a move."

"First observe the spirit beast's type, then its age, and then determine its position."

"For the Blue Silver Grass's first ring, it is best to choose a venomous snake type; a Datura Snake is the most suitable."

Tang San nodded.

"I have remembered it."

Su Hang listened from the side, his fingers tapping lightly against his cuff.

He did not interject much.

Because he knew very well that the real show was yet to come.

Tang San wanting to obtain his spirit ring smoothly this time? Not a chance.

When they reached the entrance of the Hunting Forest, the guards raised their hands to block them, and only after a routine check of their travel documents did they let them pass.

"Don't run around after you go in."

"You must come out before dark."

"There are many spirit beasts inside; if something really happens, no one will be able to manage it."

Yu Xiaogang handed over his credentials, and Tang San followed him through.

When it was Su Hang's turn, the guard's movements were noticeably slower.

He first looked at the purple ring, then at Xiao Wu beside Su Hang, and only then did he return the documents.

"Go on in."

The moment before Su Hang stepped through the gate, the Luck Deprivation Card inside his body suddenly grew warm.

The heat was faint, yet very distinct.

He paused his steps, then looked up toward the deeper parts of the forest.

The system notification sound rang out at this moment.

[Target opportunity has entered within a hundred-mile radius.]

A hint of a smile touched Su Hang's lips, and he did not pursue the matter further.

Xiao Wu leaned in close to him and lowered her voice.

"What's wrong?"

Su Hang looked at the sea of forest ahead and spoke a single sentence.

"Tang San, your first snake has already started crawling over."