Let Him In

Soul Hunting Forest was not far from Notting City.

Ma Xiunuo moved quickly. After Qian Renyuan gave the order, Spirit Hall's carriage was already prepared.

A black carriage stood before the Branch Hall, its body engraved with the emblem of Spirit Hall. Several Branch Hall deacons stood on either side with their heads lowered.

Qian Renyuan walked out of the Branch Hall.

Xiao Wu followed behind him with her head lowered, her movements proper, already somewhat resembling a maidservant.

Qian Renyuan paid no attention to Xiao Wu's little thoughts and climbed straight into the carriage.

Xiao Wu hesitated for a moment before following him inside and sitting near the carriage door.

Jiangmo Douluo carried the Coiling Dragon Staff and followed behind the carriage like a shadow.

Ever since personally exchanging blows with Qian Renyuan yesterday, he had held heartfelt awe and respect for this Holy Son.

The carriage slowly left Notting City.

Qian Renyuan leaned back inside the carriage, lightly tapping the armrest with his fingers as he thought about Tang San's first soul ring.

According to the original course of events, Tang San should have entered Soul Hunting Forest with Yu Xiaogang, hunted a Datura Snake there, and obtained his first soul ring.

But now that Yu Xiaogang had been crippled, would it really be so easy for Tang San to obtain his first soul ring?

The corners of Qian Renyuan's lips lifted slightly.

The more this Child of Destiny wanted to turn his life around, the more Qian Renyuan wanted to personally bring him despair.

Before long, the entrance to Soul Hunting Forest appeared ahead.

It was a forest enclosed by tall wooden walls and iron railings, with many Spirit Hall guards stationed around its perimeter. There were many people at the entrance: soul masters hoping to enter the forest to hunt soul beasts, as well as hunting parties that earned rewards by guiding and escorting low-level soul masters.

As soon as the carriage approached, the guards at the entrance noticed the Spirit Hall emblem on it.

Several guards' expressions changed slightly, and they hurried forward to greet it.

"Greetings, Holy Son!"

The leading guard dropped to one knee, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.

When the soul masters waiting nearby heard the words "Holy Son," their expressions changed as well.

The Holy Son of Spirit Hall was not someone people in a small place like Notting City normally got to see.

For a time, everyone near the entrance turned their attention toward him.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Qian Renyuan stepped down.

Xiao Wu got down after him, lowering her head as she stood slightly behind him to one side.

The moment she appeared, a gaze from the distant crowd snapped toward her.

Tang San.

The injuries on Tang San's face had yet to fully fade, and he looked even gloomier than he had yesterday.

He stood beside the entrance, clutching a student identification slip he had obtained from Notting Academy, but that slip was useless before the Spirit Hall guards.

He had neither a soul master leading him nor a teacher from the academy to vouch for him.

As a newly enrolled work-study student, there was no way the guards would permit him to enter Soul Hunting Forest alone.

Tang San had been trying to negotiate with the guards, but when he saw Xiao Wu step down from Qian Renyuan's carriage, he froze as though nailed in place.

Xiao Wu had actually remained by Qian Renyuan's side, and in the posture of a maidservant at that.

Tang San stared at her, the resentment and fury in his chest nearly breaking free again.

He had clearly tried to save her yesterday, yet she had claimed not to know him in front of everyone and even told him to stop meddling.

And now, she had followed Qian Renyuan to Soul Hunting Forest.

Why?

Tang San's grip on the identification slip gradually tightened, crumpling the paper in his hand.

Xiao Wu noticed Tang San's gaze and glanced at him before looking away again, continuing to stand behind Qian Renyuan with her head lowered.

Tang San's expression instantly turned even uglier. That kind of disregard hurt more than if she had cursed at him outright.

Naturally, Qian Renyuan had seen Tang San as well.

He glanced at the identification slip in Tang San's hand, then at the Spirit Hall guards blocking Tang San's path, amusement flashing through his eyes.

"What is going on?"

The leading guard hurriedly lowered his head. "In reply to the Holy Son, this person is a work-study student from Notting Academy. He wishes to enter Soul Hunting Forest to obtain his first soul ring, but he has no permit and no soul master leading him, so this subordinate did not dare let him pass."

Tang San's face alternated between green and white upon hearing that. Unable to hold back, he said, "I am a student of Notting Academy. It is time for me to obtain my first soul ring. As long as you let me in, I can hunt soul beasts myself."

The guard frowned.

"Soul Hunting Forest is not a place you can enter just because you want to. You're just a child. Going in would be sending yourself to your death."

Tang San clenched his teeth.

Sending myself to my death? In my previous life, I was a disciple of the Tang Sect. I possess the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the means of hidden weapons.

These people had no idea what he was truly capable of.

Qian Renyuan watched Tang San endure the humiliation, and his mood improved somewhat.

The more Tang San wanted to prove himself, the more interesting this show would become.

If he could not even get through the gate, that would be far too boring.

Qian Renyuan spoke calmly.

"Let him in."

The moment those four words were spoken, Tang San abruptly raised his head.

The guards were stunned as well.

"Holy Son, this man has no permit. If something happens to him..."

"I said, let him in."

The guard trembled all over and did not dare say another word.

"Yes!"

The guard immediately stepped aside and cleared the entrance.

Tang San stood where he was, his face grim to the extreme.

He should have been happy that he could enter Soul Hunting Forest, but the one allowing him in was Qian Renyuan.

The opportunity he had struggled so hard to gain looked like charity in Qian Renyuan's eyes.

That feeling was even more humiliating than being stopped outside.

Tang San ground his teeth together so hard that he nearly shattered them.

But he did not dare refuse. If he did not enter, he would not obtain his first soul ring.

If he could not obtain his first soul ring, he would not be able to truly set foot on the path of a soul master, much less catch up to Qian Renyuan.

In the end, Tang San still lowered his head, clutching the crumpled identification slip as he walked step by step into Soul Hunting Forest.

Qian Renyuan watched Tang San's back as he forcibly swallowed his anger, the corners of his lips rising slightly.

That's more like it. The leeks have to grow before they are worth harvesting.

"Let's go."

Qian Renyuan stepped into Soul Hunting Forest.

Xiao Wu answered softly.

"Yes, Master."

Inside Soul Hunting Forest, Tang San walked ahead at an unhurried pace.

Without a teacher to guide him, he could only rely on his experience from his previous life to observe the marks on the ground.

The direction of bent grass blades and faint claw marks in the soil meant nothing to ordinary children, but to Tang San, they allowed him to barely judge whether soul beasts had been active nearby.

A vicious glint flashed through Tang San's eyes.

Qian Renyuan could casually humiliate him using Spirit Hall's status, but Tang San still possessed the Tang Sect's supreme arts.

As long as he was given time, he would definitely catch up and reclaim every bit of humiliation he had suffered today.

Meanwhile, Qian Renyuan did not move against him right away.

He led Xiao Wu along at an unhurried pace behind him, always maintaining some distance from Tang San.

Tang San, walking ahead, had no idea that he had already become prey.

He moved cautiously, crouching from time to time to inspect the tracks on the ground.

Suddenly, he stopped beside a patch of shrubs.

There was a patch of crushed grass there, and a long, narrow drag mark remained in the dirt beside it.

Tang San reached out and touched the mark, his eyes brightening slightly.

A snake-type soul beast, and not a small one.

Though he did not know the snake's exact species, the tracks showed that it was certainly no ordinary wild beast.

If he could kill this soul beast, he might be able to obtain a decent first soul ring.

At that thought, Tang San's breathing grew slightly hurried.

He slowly rose to his feet and followed the drag mark.

Not far away, Qian Renyuan also came to a stop.

His gaze fell upon the bent grass blades, and the amusement in his eyes deepened.

Jiangmo Douluo's voice came from the shadows.

"Your Highness, there are traces of a snake-type soul beast ahead. Its age is not low."

Qian Renyuan smiled faintly.

A snake-type soul beast.

It seemed Tang San's luck was as good as ever.

But whether that luck would truly fall into his hands this time was no longer for him to decide.

Qian Renyuan looked in the direction Tang San had gone.

"Follow him."