As the light from the virtual world's entrance faded, Tang Wulin found himself in a shadowy forest. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sky, their dense branches and leaves slicing the sunlight into mottled patches that fell across the ground strewn with rotting leaves. The air carried the scent of damp earth and the faint, rank odor of soul beasts.
He walked alone through the woods, golden dragon-scale patterns faintly covering his skin as he warily sensed the movements around him.
"Roar!"
A low roar suddenly came from the bushes to his left. A huge black shadow burst out immediately afterward, blocking his path.
It was a man built like a small mountain, his body knotted with muscle and his skin bronze: Dark Bear, Yang Nianxia.
When Yang Nianxia saw Tang Wulin, he did not immediately take a fighting stance. Instead, an honest smile appeared on his rugged face, carrying even a hint of relieved joy.
"Ah, finally found someone!" Yang Nianxia strode over, the ground trembling slightly with every step. "Brother Wulin, it's you! Wonderful! No need for us to fight and kill each other."
Tang Wulin narrowed his eyes slightly, inwardly raising his guard. He remembered Wu Siduo's warning: despite Yang Nianxia's rough appearance, he had a meticulous mind and was nowhere near as simple as he looked.
"Brother Yang?" Tang Wulin nodded politely and asked without betraying anything, "What's all this...?"
Yang Nianxia scratched his head and chuckled. "To tell you the truth, I specifically looked up everyone in our class back in the real world. Brother Wulin, you're the pillar holding up our class! The highest soul power of anyone—a level sixty-three Soul Emperor! Your martial soul might be Blue Silver Grass, and you might look like a support system soul master, but your support ability