Yu Xiaogang's Scheme

The group continued onward.

As they ventured deeper, the trees around them grew taller and taller, and a faint sense of pressure began to permeate the air.

Yu Chen kept looking around, his heart brimming with anticipation.

Pokémon could learn moves through training. But what soul skill would Xiao Bai Dragon gain after absorbing a soul ring?

After wandering through the forest for quite some time, they found two promising soul beasts.

The first was a Flame Wolf with four hundred years of cultivation.

Not only did the Flame Wolf possess fire abilities, but it was also extremely fast, making it a good match for Xiao Bai's attributes.

The second was a Diamond Giant Ape.

Although it wasn't Fire-type, it carried a trace of ancient bloodline within its body and was extraordinarily powerful.

"Which one should I choose?"

Yu Chen rubbed his chin, weighing his options carefully.

Although the Flame Wolf was Fire-type, its quality fell somewhat short of the Diamond Giant Ape's.

Besides, Yu Chen had planned to follow the power attack system, not agility attack.

He also possessed a second martial soul.

Xiao Bai Dragon's soul rings would also have to accommodate the Golden Dragon Claw's attribute requirements.

"Xiao Bai, which do you like better, the Flame Wolf or the Diamond Giant Ape?"

Yu Chen poked Xiao Bai, who was lying atop his head, and asked.

Both soul beasts had good attributes, and he could not decide right away, so he might as well let Xiao Bai choose.

A trainer and their Pokémon needed to trust each other completely.

Gu Yuena raised her head listlessly, glanced at Yu Chen, then closed her eyes again.

They were merely two hundred-year soul beasts.

Their ages were nothing special.

Their attributes were equally unremarkable.

She could not even be bothered to look at them.

Had they been in the Star Dou Great Forest, she might have been interested in choosing carefully. But the Soul Hunting Forest was too small, with too few varieties of soul beasts. She could simply absorb any one of them and be done with it.

In any case, this fragment of divine soul would ultimately be devoured by her main body.

Smack, smack, smack-

Yu Chen picked Xiao Bai up and gave her bottom a few light pats.

"Xiao Bai, this is a major decision that will shape your entire life as a martial soul. How can you be so indifferent?"

"Eeya!" (You bastard, you hit me again!)

Xiao Bai squirmed, only to discover that she could not escape Yu Chen's clutches.

"Awoo!"

She tilted her head and bit Yu Chen's arm.

To Yu Chen, however, it felt no different from being tickled.

Xiao Bai soon realized this as well.

She released his arm, a trace of resentment flashing through her eyes.

"Awoo~"

Xiao Bai lifted her head and let out a roar toward the sky, flapping her little wings at the same time.

"Wind-type?"

After spending several months together, Yu Chen could already understand some of Xiao Bai's language.

He turned to Ming Dashan and asked in puzzlement, "Principal, are there any Wind-type soul beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest?"

"Wind-type?"

Ming Dashan rubbed his chin and shook his head. "Probably not. Most Wind-type soul beasts can fly. A single iron fence can't keep them contained."

He looked at Xiao Bai, surprise in his eyes.

Was this martial soul really so intelligent?

She even knew what attribute she needed for her soul ring?

"Yu Chen, are you sure you want to hunt that kind of soul beast? If you really need one, I'll take you to a wild soul beast forest."

Ming Dashan asked for confirmation once more.

Both he and Yu Chen had been adopted by Old Tom. Ming Dashan had always regarded Yu Chen as a junior member of his own family, so naturally, he wanted to give him the best soul ring possible.

"Uncle Dashan, this is very important to Xiao Bai and me."

Yu Chen nodded as he spoke.

"In that case, let's head back and make proper preparations."

Ming Dashan's tone was grave.

A primeval forest was fraught with danger, far beyond anything in the Soul Hunting Forest.

Even with his cultivation as a Soul Ancestor, he could not guarantee Yu Chen's safety completely.

Yu Xiaogang spoke up. "Dashan, I have a Soul Saint friend who should be able to help. However..."

"However, what?"

Ming Dashan asked excitedly.

If they could enlist a Soul Saint's help, even hunting souls in the Star Dou Great Forest would not be particularly difficult.

"He's rather greedy, so hiring him won't come cheap. But I could pretend Yu Chen is my disciple. I believe he would do me that favor."

Yu Xiaogang spoke, a sharp gleam flashing briefly in his eyes.

Yu Chen was unwilling to become his disciple, but he would not give up so easily.

Although they would only be pretending, once the matter was settled, Yu Chen would owe him a considerable favor.

He could even help Yu Chen hunt for his second and third soul rings in the future.

As time passed, a pretend disciple would become a real one!

"Grandmaster, let's not trouble that Soul Saint. I think the Diamond Giant Ape is quite good, too."

Yu Chen spread his hands as he spoke.

He had seen through Yu Xiaogang's intentions at a glance.

He wanted to bestow a favor and use it to draw him in.

The friend he mentioned was probably Flender.

Flender and Yu Xiaogang had a friendship forged through life-and-death trials. Greedy though Flender was, a single word from Yu Xiaogang would be enough to make him sell Shrek Academy if necessary.

If Yu Xiaogang had omitted the latter half of his explanation and genuinely offered to help, Yu Chen would have accepted the favor.

But when a favor came laden with such calculated self-interest, Yu Chen could only keep a respectful distance.

"Well..."

Yu Xiaogang had not expected Yu Chen to refuse and froze in place.

Yu Chen had never met a Soul Saint. Was he feeling a little embarrassed?

Or was there some other reason?

*...*

Yu Xiaogang wrestled with the question, unable to come up with an explanation.

"Teacher, let's go."

Tang San tugged at Yu Xiaogang's sleeve, finally bringing him back to his senses.

He stroked Tang San's head. "Little San, that friend of mine runs an intermediate academy. Would you be interested in studying there in the future?"

"An intermediate academy!"

Tang San's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

"I would!"

He had heard Old Jack say that entering a junior academy required no examination, but getting into an intermediate academy was nowhere near as easy.

Moreover, an academy founded by a Soul Saint was bound to be exceptional.

Yu Xiaogang stroked Tang San's head, immediately feeling much better.

Tang San was exceptionally gifted and respected both his teacher and his teachings.

Now this was his good disciple.

As for Yu Chen...

He would leave it to fate.

Following the markers they had left earlier, the group set off again.

It did not take them much effort to find the Diamond Giant Ape again on a barren hillside.

Its entire body was covered in black fur, its muscles bulging, and a powerful aura faintly radiated from it.

At that moment, the giant ape was lying there, slowly chewing on something.

"That's the one."

Ming Dashan lowered his voice and told Yu Chen and the others, "Wait here. I'll be right back."

As soon as he finished speaking, his third soul ring lit up.

His entire body seemed to turn into a gust of wind as he glided behind the Diamond Giant Ape in an instant.

Third Soul Skill, Fearless Advance.

Whoosh!

With a single slash of his sword, the Diamond Giant Ape instantly lost consciousness.

So powerful!

Watching the soul rings revolving steadily beneath Ming Dashan's feet, Yu Chen could not help marveling inwardly.

Wind Blade, Wind Wall, Fearless Advance...

Ming Dashan was not yet fifty, but his soul power had already reached rank forty-six, and he possessed such a powerful martial soul. Had he not been lame in one leg, he might have had a chance to break through to Soul Emperor in his lifetime.

Ming Dashan stood with his sword withdrawn, the glow of his soul rings fading. He turned and beckoned to Yu Chen.

"Yu Chen, come over."

Hearing this, Yu Chen immediately hurried over with Xiao Bai.

Only when he drew closer did he realize that the Diamond Giant Ape had been cleaved through the waist. It had only a breath of life left.

"What a fast sword!"

Yu Chen marveled once again.

"Xiao Bai, send it on its way!"

Yu Chen gave the command.

"Watch out!"

Just as Xiao Bai was about to act, a scarlet shadow plunged from the sky.

Its body resembled a lion's and was covered in scarlet fur, yet it had an enormous eagle's head and a pair of wings on its back.

Ming Dashan leaped in front of Yu Chen. His second soul ring lit up, and he slashed with his sword, forming a Wind Wall that shielded them both.

"A Gale Griffin!"

Yu Xiaogang recognized the soul beast at a glance and shouted a warning.

"Dashan, be careful. Gale Griffins are incredibly fast and have tremendous attack power. They also usually move in flocks. It's rare to find one alone!"

"Damn it! What is a soul beast like this doing in the Soul Hunting Forest?"

He grabbed Tang San and pulled him behind a large tree.

Gale Griffins possessed a lion's strength, an eagle's ability to fly, and were also powerfully Wind-type. They were renowned kings of the forest.

His Luo Sanpao could do nothing against a soul beast like this. Staying where he was would only get in Ming Dashan's way.