Soul Hunting Preparations!

"Damn, some crooked merchant actually mixed Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber into Thousand-Year Whale Rubber and shipped it out to sell!"

Clutching the astonishingly old material in his arms, Lin Yue's face was filled with excitement!

"What else could this be but murder for profit? I'm upholding justice on behalf of heaven, helping countless Whale Rubber consumers remove this deadly hazard! Saving some poor person's happiness for the rest of their life!"

A full thirty thousand years of Whale Rubber had been hidden inside Thousand-Year Whale Rubber. This time, he had truly struck it rich!

Amid his wild joy, Lin Yue moved his thoughts—

[Ding, would you like to use an Emerald +9 Enhancement Coupon on Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber (+2)? Upon success, the item will be upgraded to Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber (+9). Upon failure, its current enhancement level will remain unchanged.]

Oh, so Enhancement +9 meant raising the age of a ten-thousand-year item to the limit of ninety thousand years? Then there was no need to consider it for now...

If he was going to use it, he should find a ten-thousand-year piece first, so he would not waste it...

With Whale Rubber clutched tightly in his hands, the excited little boy held it as though it were a priceless treasure and rushed back to the academy with an exhilarated expression.

Watching his impatient appearance, Tang Hao, hidden in a corner, clenched both fists. His eyes were bloodshot, and he panted like a bull.

That damned brat, it was only a piece of Whale Rubber. Why was he so excited?!

Could he really dare to make a move on Xiao San?!!

He had better be using that Whale Rubber to refine medicine. If he dared use it for anything strange...

Tang Hao's face twisted as his hands gripped the wine jars tightly, as if he were clutching that brat's head. A surge of Soul Power burst forth, and the two wine jars instantly shattered into fragments!

But upon further thought, a hint of luck appeared on his face.

No, no, it would be fine. Xiao San had been reading in the library recently and knew a little about medicinal principles. She should know what Whale Rubber was used for.

Even if that brat really did something dangerous, Xiao San would never be so easily deceived by him. Yes, that had to be it.

That irresponsible father was the only one who, at this moment, clutched his chest in unbearable pain.

But when he thought of Xiao San's dependence on and trust in that fellow, what if that brat was truly bold enough to shove the Whale Rubber directly into Xiao San's mouth? Would Xiao San then...

For no reason, a scene surfaced in Tang Hao's mind.

Xiao San, her face flushed red, willingly swallowed the Whale Rubber. With a face so much like Ah Yin's, she wore an alluring expression and wrapped her arms around that brat's body... and then...

No, no, that would definitely not happen.

Curled up in the corner, Tang Hao hugged a wine jar and gulped down its contents, tears and snot streaming down his face.

If it truly came to that, then even if it meant exposing his identity, he would definitely stop that bastard!

"Xiao San, get ready. We can go hunt Soul Beasts soon."

Charging into the dormitory, Lin Yue quickly took out his pack and began preparing.

"Really? Brother Lin Yue!"

Having just finished cleaning her assigned area of the academy, Xiao San's eyes lit up as she looked at Lin Yue expectantly.

"Hmph, how long has it been already? Why aren't you two done yet?"

Sister Xiao Wu, who had long since condensed her Spirit Ring, held her head high. She could not understand why these two geniuses, both with Innate Full Soul Power, had delayed condensing their Spirit Rings for so long.

"Didn't you say you'd decide who was the boss with strength? It's been half a month already. Why haven't you fought yet?"

Hmph, once I collect my Spirit Ring, you little rabbit will have plenty to cry about.

Taking out his pack and stuffing the Whale Rubber into it, Lin Yue curled his lip. He decided to let this rabbit off for now before turning to Xiao San.

"Let's speak to the dean first. Have him arrange for a teacher to help us obtain our first Spirit Rings and apply for a Soul Hunting Forest permit."

"Mm, okay."

Though she said so, Tang San's gaze unconsciously drifted toward the item Lin Yue had stuffed into his pack.

"What is that? It smells fishy." Pinching her nose and waving a hand, Xiao Wu frowned. Even the carrot in her mouth no longer tasted good.

She had never smelled such a strange fishy odor before.

"Hehe, good stuff!"

With a grin, Lin Yue gripped the pack tightly, completely sealing away the trace of scent that had leaked out.

This was a priceless treasure that could let both him and Xiao San undergo a complete transformation...

However, having recognized what that scent signified, Xiao San's face flushed red as she vaguely guessed Lin Yue's "purpose."

Whale Rubber—she had seen it in the library, and its effects were... were...

What did Brother Lin Yue want to do?

Could it be that Brother Lin Yue had finally opened his heart completely to her and wanted to...

The young girl's face turned crimson, and she was instantly at a loss, her heart thrown into chaos.

But was it not too early for this?

But if it was Brother Lin Yue, and there was such a rare opportunity to be completely together with him...

The conflicted girl twisted her hands together and bit her red lips. Mist seemed to gather in her eyes, and her cheeks grew hot.

"Come on, Xiao San. What are you thinking about? Today, we'll book a room outside Soul Hunting Forest and get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll go into the forest with the teachers."

They were entering Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow. They could not possibly still squeeze under the same blanket with that rogue rabbit tonight, could they? Hunting Soul Beasts was no joke. A poor night's rest could affect the course of tomorrow's battle.

"I... mm, okay..."

Her face as red as blood, Tang San ultimately said nothing. While packing her things, after thinking for a long time, she placed her favorite pale blue dress inside, then grabbed a piece of snow-white cloth and tucked it in as well.

"Let's go, Brother Lin Yue..."

With her head lowered, Xiao San's voice was so soft and weak that it was nearly as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"Alright, then see everyone in three days."

Waving to everyone in the room, Lin Yue excitedly walked out the door.

With this Whale Rubber, pushing his first Spirit Ring past six hundred years, perhaps even seven hundred years, was already inevitable!

Watching the two of them leave the dormitory, Xiao Wu's eyes flickered, and an indescribable melancholy and reluctance flashed across her face...

After submitting their Soul Beast hunting application to the dean of studies, Lin Yue brought Xiao San to an inn on the northern side of Nuoding City.

Soul Hunting Forest lay northeast of Nuoding City. It was a sealed area covering several hundred square kilometers.

About the size of a medium-sized town, it was jointly managed by the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall. Entering or leaving to hunt Soul Beasts required a hunting permit. The Soul Beasts within were mostly ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beasts, with thousand-year Soul Beasts being extremely rare.

"Alright, I've already booked a carriage. Let's get a room and rest properly now. We'll enter the forest tomorrow, and Director Su Yan will come help us then."

Dean of Studies Su Yan had long wanted to hunt Spirit Rings for the two of them. As a level-thirty-seven Battle Soul Elder, as long as they did not encounter any exceptionally troublesome foes, he would be more than capable of leading the two of them through Soul Hunting Forest with ease.

Having used the five Gold Soul Coins he carried to prepare supplies such as food and drinking water for tomorrow's hunt, Lin Yue pulled Xiao San toward the reserved double room, only to notice that her palm was unusually hot.

"Eh? Xiao San, are you feeling unwell? Did you catch a chill last night while fighting Xiao Wu for the blanket?"

"N-Nothing..." The young girl lowered her head, avoiding eye contact.

Before Lin Yue could say anything, once they entered the guest room for their stay, he saw the young girl swiftly toss down her pack, rummage out a set of clothes, and flee into the bathroom like a startled rabbit—

"Brother Lin, wait a moment. I'll take a bath and change clothes first!"

"Huh?"

Lin Yue looked baffled, unable to understand what this little girl was up to.

Yet outside the inn, in the darkness, a pair of crimson eyes was fixed on everything happening inside the room!

"Damn it, damn it! That brat actually dared to stay in the same room as Xiao San!!!"

The moment that bastard brat dared make any improper move, he would meet his end beneath the Clear Sky Hammer today!