Carried Aloft

At those words, a clear flash of surprise swept through the eyes of the dean, whose expression had been calm.

His gaze abruptly shifted to Lin Chen beside him, studying him closely.

This young man had left a deep impression on him. When he enrolled, his talent had been astounding, his foundations solid, and his temperament steady. He was a peerless genius of a caliber the Academy had rarely seen in recent years.

Yet even knowing how exceptional Lin Chen's talent was, he had never imagined that his breakthroughs would come this quickly.

After all, during the entrance examination just a few short months ago, Lin Chen's soul power had only been in the twenties.

He had made breakthrough after breakthrough in such a short time, and now he had reached level thirty, knocking on the door of the Soul Elder realm!

Such a cultivation speed would have been considered breathtaking even among the entire younger generation of the Heaven Dou Empire.

The surprise in the dean's eyes swiftly faded, replaced by intense delight and satisfaction. A smile spread across his face as he nodded repeatedly. "Good! Good! Absolutely wonderful!"

"For our academy to produce such a genius is truly a blessing! Level thirty at eleven years old—with foundations like these, your future holds great promise!"

The dean's voice brimmed with praise, his expression deeply gratified. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately gave his approval:

"You may go. The terrain of the Star Dou Great Forest is complex, but with a Soul Saint like you accompanying him, there should be no danger. Remember, do not venture deep into its heart. Proceed cautiously in all things, and put Lin Chen's safety first. Choose the most suitable soul ring; there is no need to insist on the highest possible age. A safe breakthrough must come first."

As a deputy Bishop of Spirit Hall and the Academy's dean, he valued the growth of the Academy's gifted students above all else. Lin Chen's rise had far exceeded expectations, and he could certainly become a pillar of Spirit Hall in the future. Naturally, the dean was pleased to see him succeed.

"I will keep your instructions firmly in mind, Dean."

Mo Yuan answered solemnly.

"Go, then. Return soon."

The dean waved a hand, then looked at Lin Chen again and said gently,

"I wish you a suitable soul ring and a smooth entry into the ranks of Soul Elders."

"Thank you, Dean."

Lin Chen offered his thanks respectfully.

The two lingered no longer. They bowed and took their leave, turning to walk out of the dean's office and gently closing the door behind them.

As they stepped out of the main administrative building, the morning breeze brushed their faces, and the view opened up before them.

"The formalities are settled. We leave at once."

Mo Yuan gave this instruction and started toward the Academy's main gate.

Lin Chen followed close behind, anticipation swelling in his heart.

At last, I'm going to enter the Star Dou Great Forest.

They hurried along, passing through the Academy's corridors and plazas before heading straight out through the main gate of the Soto Intermediate Spirit Hall Academy.

Standing at the Academy entrance, Lin Chen looked back at the imposing buildings behind him, a faint stir of emotion rising within him.

This journey was an important step on his path of transformation. When he returned, he would have entered the entirely new realm of Soul Elder, and his strength would have undergone a qualitative leap.

"Steady yourself."

Just as those emotions stirred in Lin Chen's heart, Mo Yuan's quiet instruction came from beside him.

Before his words had faded, a gentle yet immense surge of soul power enveloped Lin Chen, securely supporting his body.

In the next instant, Mo Yuan reached out and seized Lin Chen's shoulder. The tremendous soul power of a level-seventy Battle Soul Saint erupted, and with a light push against the ground, he shot into the air!

Whoosh—!

A powerful rush of air burst outward, howling winds sweeping around them.

Carrying Lin Chen, Mo Yuan shot forth like an arrow loosed from its bow. In an instant, he broke past the obstructions near the ground and soared upward, rising beneath the high clouds before streaking toward the distant Star Dou Great Forest.

The force of their abrupt ascent and extreme acceleration was terrifying.

The air currents high above were fierce and biting, the complete opposite of the gentle breeze on the ground.

The raging wind battered Lin Chen's face like sharp blades. Its immense force pressed hard against his eyelids, leaving him unable to open his eyes, his vision completely sealed off by the gale.

An unending howl filled his ears as the air churned and surged. He felt as though he stood within a vortex of wind, his body constantly tugged and battered by its force.

There was not a trace of panic in Lin Chen's heart. He immediately calmed down.

He knew this was normal when flying at high speed and altitude. Ordinary Soul Masters also had their vision obstructed by the airflow while flying; it was nothing unusual.

His thoughts raced, and he immediately came up with a solution.

Without betraying a thing, he quietly activated the pure level-thirty soul power within him. Fine, gentle spiritual energy swiftly flowed through the meridians of his face, condensing and gathering into an extremely thin, almost transparent film of soul power over his skin.

Though this film of soul power seemed thin and intangible, it was remarkably resilient and formed a powerful barrier.

The moment it took shape, it shut out all the violent air currents at that altitude.

The biting winds were perfectly blocked by the soul power barrier, no longer able to batter his skin or press against his eyelids.

The howling in his ears instantly diminished by more than half, and the currents that had been violently tearing at him became gentle and smooth.

Every sense of constraint and pressure vanished.

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, and his view suddenly cleared.

The vista from high above was boundlessly vast. Looking down, he took in the mountains, rivers, and open plains below.

Beneath his feet, Suotuo City rapidly receded. Its grand outline shrank steadily, its streets, buildings, and crowds turning into tiny silhouettes. Soon, it was left far behind, reduced to a fading trace on the horizon.

Beyond the city stretched endless plains and wooded hills, an unbroken expanse of green. The terrain rose and fell, mountains and rivers crisscrossed the land, and clouds and mist curled around them. Heaven and earth stretched without limit, the scenery magnificent beyond compare.

Clouds drifted slowly at that altitude, and a gentle breeze blew. The open view lifted the heart and broadened the spirit.

Lin Chen quietly gazed down at the mountains and rivers racing backward beneath him. His mind grew increasingly steady as he silently sensed the changes in the soul power around him.

He could clearly tell that carrying another person while flying at high speed placed a tremendous drain on Mo Yuan's soul power.

Although Mo Yuan was a level-seventy Battle Soul Saint, he had only recently broken through to the Soul Saint realm. His foundations had not yet been fully honed, and his soul power reserves and endurance fell considerably short of those of veteran Soul Saints.

Flying alone over a short distance was still easy for him, but carrying an adult while maintaining high-speed flight imposed a heavy burden, consuming his soul power at an alarming rate.

Sure enough, after roughly fifteen minutes of continuous flight, the soul power fluctuations around Mo Yuan noticeably weakened. His speed gradually slowed, and his powerful aura began to waver with fatigue.

"I've consumed too much soul power. We'll land and rest."

Mo Yuan spoke quietly, a barely perceptible trace of fatigue in his voice.

With that, he guided his body into a gradual turn and descended toward an open, level patch of woodland below.

Once his feet touched the ground, free of the weightlessness and fierce winds of high-speed flight, Lin Chen immediately felt steady again.

Beside him, Mo Yuan gently closed his eyes and stood quietly, regulating his breathing to recover. His substantial soul power slowly circulated within him, replenishing the spiritual energy consumed by flight and stabilizing his aura.

Lin Chen stood quietly at his side, neither making noise nor causing trouble. He waited patiently, remaining composed throughout.

A short while later, Mo Yuan's aura had settled somewhat. He took hold of Lin Chen once more and rose into the air to continue their journey.

But this rest only sustained a brief stretch of flight. Before long, the two landed again to regulate their breathing.

As they traveled onward, the same cycle repeated over and over.

Carrying Lin Chen, Mo Yuan landed three times in all. Each time, he had to calmly regulate his breathing and slowly replenish his soul power before they could continue.

For an experienced veteran Soul Saint, with abundant soul power and exceptional endurance, carrying someone through this entire distance without stopping would have posed no difficulty at all.

But Mo Yuan had only recently advanced to Soul Saint, and his reserves were still insufficient. Such intense flight while carrying another person simply drained him far too heavily.