[Ding! Mission issued: Prevent Oscar from obtaining the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's soul ring. Reward: Soul Bone Upgrade Card!]
A Soul Bone Upgrade Card?
A gleam flashed through Lin Xiao's eyes.
The Soul Bone Upgrade Card could be used to upgrade any soul bone.
It could increase its age by ten thousand to thirty thousand years.
He had already fused with the external soul bone, the Wind-Thunder Twin Wings, but that thing was only at the ten-thousand-year level.
Upgrading it would raise it to at least twenty thousand years.
With a little luck, it could soar to forty thousand years.
The mission seemed quite worthwhile.
Still, compared with the rewards for missions targeting Tang San and Tang Hao, it fell a little short.
Perhaps it was because Oscar was not particularly important within the protagonist's group.
That was why the reward was a little weaker.
But who would complain about having more rewards to claim?
Besides, he had intended to stop Oscar from obtaining the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's soul ring anyway.
Although it only granted a flight soul skill, it played an extremely important role early in the story.
Especially during the matches at the Great Soul Arena, and later when Tang San went after Er Ming.
Snatching it away in advance would cut off both Oscar's opportunity and Tang San's.
"Zhu Zhuqing, have you seen what kind of soul beast it is?"
While he was thinking, Zhao Wuji had already called out.
Since they did not know what type of soul beast it was, they had to proceed cautiously.
In the Star Dou Great Forest, something unexpected could happen at any moment.
"Everyone, be careful!"
Zhu Zhuqing had already leaped into a tree and was observing the rapidly approaching soul beast.
At that moment, Lin Xiao summoned the Immortal Execution Sword.
"First Soul Skill: Immortal Execution Mountain-Cleaving!"
Without the slightest hesitation, he unleashed his soul skill toward the soul beast.
A terrifying blade of sword energy roared forth.
Bang, bang, bang!!!
Wherever the sword energy passed, trees exploded into powder.
Even the ground was cleaved open, leaving a terrifyingly deep trench.
Zhao Wuji was left tongue-tied.
Wait, why was this kid reacting so strongly?
He attacked before they had even figured out what kind of soul beast it was?
Moreover, the boy's soul skills were growing increasingly terrifying.
Even this first soul skill was not something he could necessarily block with ease.
Bang!
Boom!!!
An enormous crash rang out in the distance.
Zhu Zhuqing looked closely from the tree and said, "Teacher Zhao, the soul beast has already been killed."
"Oh? Let's go take a look."
Zhao Wuji immediately decided to go and see what had happened.
Everyone sprinted after him and soon reached the spot where the attack had ended.
It was roughly two hundred meters away.
"Is this... a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent?"
"It looks to be a little over a thousand years old."
Zhao Wuji frowned. The soul beast had been split in half, and its soul ring had already emerged, but he could still tell what kind of beast it was.
"A soul beast over a thousand years old?"
Oscar froze. Looking at the soul ring hovering above the corpse, he felt an inexplicable pang in his heart.
It was as though he had lost something important.
The feeling came out of nowhere, and he could not explain it.
Yet that sense of having lost something important felt incredibly real.
Lin Xiao laughed inwardly. With this soul beast gone, Oscar's third soul skill was as good as ruined.
The soul rings dropped by other soul beasts would not necessarily grant him a flight soul skill.
"Lin Xiao, why did you kill the soul beast? A soul beast over a thousand years old would have been perfect for me."
"You, you..."
The more Oscar thought about it, the more his heart ached, until he could not help demanding an answer.
Lin Xiao remained expressionless. "It was an unidentified soul beast. Better to kill it before it reached us."
"The Star Dou Great Forest is dangerous. We absolutely cannot risk any accidents!"
"You! That's nonsense!"
Oscar glared at him.
What kind of excuse was that?
Zhao Wuji shook his head. "Enough. Lin Xiao was a little reckless, but he has a point."
"If that strike had failed, we would have run immediately afterward, correct?"
Lin Xiao had been trying to think of an excuse, and Zhao Wuji's words nearly made him laugh aloud.
"Exactly. If the soul beast's level had been too high, I naturally wouldn't have killed it with one strike."
"But I could still have slowed it down and bought us enough time to retreat."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong nodded repeatedly.
"That's right. Lin Xiao was clearly thinking of everyone's safety. What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Lin Xiao did nothing wrong!"
"The dangers of the Star Dou Great Forest are beyond your imagination!"
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu also supported Lin Xiao's actions.
With all three girls saying so, how could Oscar dare say anything more?
The anger in his heart still had not subsided, though.
But he really did not dare lash out.
Mainly because he could not beat Lin Xiao.
If he went up against Lin Xiao, he would definitely receive a vicious beating.
More importantly, even Ning Rongrong had spoken up.
He still wanted to pursue Ning Rongrong, so he could not go too far.
If he made her dislike him, how could he court her afterward?
"Teacher Zhao, shall we keep looking for soul beasts?"
"All right!"
Zhao Wuji nodded and led the group away.
Lin Xiao pondered inwardly.
It was a little disappointing that Meng Yiran, who appeared in the original story, had not shown up.
But after thinking it over, he let it go.
Meng Yiran was not quite pretty enough, and her soul power level remained very low even later on. She probably did not qualify as a goddess under the system's definition.
Missing her was nothing to regret.
Some time after the group had left, Meng Yiran appeared.
Seeing the dead Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, she stamped her feet in anger.
The soul ring was right before her, but since she had not delivered the killing blow, she could not absorb it at all.
"A one-strike kill, with sword energy sharp beyond compare. An expert did this."
"Yiran, let's look for another soul beast first."
"All right, Grandma."
Meng Yiran had no choice. She did not even know who had killed the soul beast, so revenge was impossible. She could only give up.
Zhao Wuji led the group onward in search of soul beasts. They searched for another full day but still found nothing suitable.
"We'll make camp first. Stay alert for soul beasts that could appear around us at any moment."
When they reached a relatively open area, Zhao Wuji judged that it was about time and immediately ordered the group to rest.
The forest was even more dangerous at night.
It was best to avoid moving after dark. Otherwise, even he could not guarantee that every student would leave alive.
Most soul masters who entered the Star Dou Great Forest would seek shelter at night.
Some used caves, others hollow trees, while some gathered together to build camps.
Since the group had not found a cave or any other shelter, they could only camp in an open area.
"Lin Xiao and I will keep watch tonight. Everyone else, rest."
Once the tents had been pitched and the campfire lit, Zhao Wuji quickly made the arrangements.
He no longer dared let Tang San and Dai Mubai keep watch.
Those two had far too many scheming thoughts. Who knew what trouble they might stir up next?
If they provoked Lin Xiao's murderous intent, he could not guarantee that either of them would survive.
Tang San and Dai Mubai exchanged a glance, knowing Zhao Wuji was guarding against them.
But there was nothing they could do.
For Zhao Wuji, dealing with them would be as effortless as splashing a little water.
They could only look for another opportunity later. Perhaps they could kill Lin Xiao.
Ideally, they would get it done before leaving the forest.
Once they returned to the academy, it would be much harder.
Naturally, Lin Xiao could guess what they were thinking, and he sneered inwardly.
Those two bastards had no idea how close they were to death. If they made another move, he would have to leave them something to remember.
Just as everyone was preparing to rest, the forest suddenly fell utterly silent.
"Something's wrong. Stay alert!"