Arrival at Star Luo City, Plans for the Future!

"Bulbasaur, Sleep Powder!"

"Bulba!!"

With Bulbasaur's final move, the Nether Ant Beast before them crashed to the ground, unable to rise again.

Although the Nether Ant Beast had completely lost its ability to fight, Lin Xia still did not let down his guard.

"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip to tie it up!"

"Bulba, Bulba!!"

Only after Bulbasaur had thoroughly bound the Nether Ant Beast did Lin Xia step forward with his bone blade and drive it into its neck. He did not relax until it had completely stopped breathing.

It was not that Lin Xia was overly cautious. It was simply that during these months on the run, he had truly witnessed this world's laws of survival.

The strong preyed on the weak!

At all times, one had to be prepared for a desperate counterattack.

That was why Lin Xia was so careful.

The sharp bone blade in Lin Xia's hand drew a chilling arc beneath the moonlight as he skillfully carved off a large chunk of tender meat beside the thickest tendon on the Nether Ant Beast's hind leg.

The air was filled with the rusty scent unique to fresh blood and flesh, along with the faintly sour, fishy smell of an insect-type soul beast.

His movements were steady and precise, as though these months of fleeing for his life had carved the instinct of skinning and butchering into his bones.

"Riiip—"

The meat was sliced into thin strips and skewered onto hastily sharpened branches.

He expertly started a fire and began roasting them. Flames enveloped the meat slices, producing soft sizzling sounds. The insect meat quickly changed color, glistening fat seeping out, while the sour, fishy odor transformed under the heat into a strange fragrance resembling mushrooms.

Bulbasaur lay quietly beside the fire, the bulb on its back gently expanding and contracting. Catching that aroma, drool began dripping from its mouth without restraint.

"Bulba~"

Seeing this, Lin Xia smiled and said,

"Alright, you'll get your share soon. There's plenty of food!"

"Bulba!"

After a while, once Lin Xia and Bulbasaur had eaten and drunk their fill, Lin Xia quickly cleaned up the fire. He completely smothered the last embers with dirt, then grabbed a handful of decaying leaves with different scents and covered the spot, erasing all traces.

After finishing all this, Lin Xia took out the slightly wrinkled map from the inner pocket of his vine armor. It clearly marked the various cities of the Star Luo Empire.

"Bulbasaur."

There was an almost imperceptible note of relief in Lin Xia's voice as he lowered his head to look at his companion, who remained vigilant at his side. Its physique seemed even more compact and capable now, while the bulb on its back was glossy and full.

"Look. Star Luo City is just ahead."

"Bulba!"

Bulbasaur raised its head, its red eyes following the direction of Lin Xia's finger. Though the city itself was still hidden beyond the final hill, it could sense the anticipation in its master's words, and it let out a short, powerful reply.

After months of sleeping rough and fleeing pursuit, its desire for Lin Xia's safety was just as urgent.

Lin Xia's gaze lingered for a moment on the words Star Luo City on the map before he folded it decisively and put it away.

"Just a few more hours at most. This is the final stretch. We need to push harder."

Lin Xia's tone became resolute.

"Spending the night in the wilderness is too risky, after all. Even if we're far from that old bastard Yue Hongsheng, unknown soul beasts or soul masters could still cause trouble. The sooner we get into the city, the sooner we can settle down."

"Bulba! Bulba!"

Bulbasaur agreed, lowering its body slightly as it prepared to accelerate.

Lin Xia activated his Soul Power once more. The savage purple mark on his spine, resembling both a vine and a sword, faintly glimmered.

Dozens of tough blue-purple vines instantly burst through his clothes without fully taking shape.

Instead, they lightly touched the ground through the forest like nimble tentacles, brushing aside obstacles and greatly increasing his speed and agility, yet without creating noticeable Soul Power fluctuations or currents of air that might draw attention.

This was the ingenious use Lin Xia had developed for the Poison Vine Bone Wings during his long journey.

Bulbasaur dug its four claws into the ground and kept close beside Lin Xia, like a phantom where emerald green and deep purple intertwined, swift and steady.

After several hours of rapid travel, the ground beneath their feet gradually became firmer, while wheel tracks and signs of human activity grew more numerous.

At last, after crossing the final low ridge, a majestic and imposing city appeared on the horizon!

Its walls were built from enormous gray-black stones, towering into the sky and gleaming with a metallic, cold luster beneath the afterglow of the setting sun. Its grandeur was far beyond the city where Plant Academy stood.

This was the capital of the Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City!

A lively clamor mixed with the bustle of everyday life, Soul Power fluctuations, metal forging, and the scent of vegetation surged toward them even from afar.

At the sight of this mighty city, the plan that had weighed on Lin Xia's mind for months became clearer and firmer than ever.

Lin Xia slowed down, his gaze sweeping over the enormous city gates and the endless stream of people passing through them.

"Bulbasaur, I know where we should go."

Lin Xia kept his voice low, but there was an unquestionable certainty in it.

"We're going to the Spirit Hall branch."

"Bulba?"

Bulbasaur tilted its head, a hint of inquiry in its red eyes.

At Plant Academy, it had heard of Spirit Hall, but knew little about it.

"That's right, the Spirit Hall branch."

Lin Xia explained, his eyes sharp.

"What do we lack? A background, a force to rely on! Yue Hongsheng acted however he pleased because of his status and strength."

"Without backing, no matter what academy or faction we join, we could become someone's next test subject or the target of someone's covetousness, just as Yue Hongsheng coveted us."

Lin Xia looked back toward the sky in the direction they had come from, his expression solemn.

"Spirit Hall is different. It's a massive organization spread across both empires, with an enormous structure and strict ranks. It hates evil. As long as I become an insignificant but relatively central low-ranking member within it..."

Bulbasaur did not know why its master was being so cautious, but Lin Xia's words were its direction. It immediately agreed.

As for what they would do at the Spirit Hall branch?

Lin Xia had already thought of that too. Like Su Yuntao, he would become a deacon of Spirit Hall, an awakening deacon responsible for awakening the martial souls of children throughout the empire.

The position was neither high nor powerful, but it meant having Spirit Hall as a powerful backer!

Even if Yue Hongsheng truly caught up to them later, he would not dare openly touch an official Spirit Hall deacon! It would be a layer of protection, a talisman safeguarding him within the rules!

Of course, the most important point was that Spirit Hall controlled the most extensive and authoritative body of knowledge on the entire continent regarding martial souls, soul beasts, soul rings, and Soul Power cultivation!

Its collection of books would surely be far more vast than Plant Academy's. This would be crucial to Lin Xia's growth and the development of his martial soul!

Even if his rank was not high enough to grant him full reading access, it would still be more than enough for him right now!

As for whether he could join Spirit Hall?

Lin Xia was not worried about that. He was only seven years old, yet his Soul Power had already reached level sixteen. That already made him a top-tier genius.

Spirit Hall had no reason to refuse him!