The Border Forest

Early morning.

The sky was clear, without a cloud for ten thousand miles.

Outside Nuoding Academy's gates, teachers and students stood in small clusters. Director Su stood at the front with his hands behind his back, unable to suppress the smile on his face.

At just nine years old, Yu Chen was about to become a Soul Grandmaster and leave to study in Heaven Dou City.

It brought honor to every teacher and student at the academy.

"Yu Chen, are you and the principal really planning to walk all the way to Heaven Dou City?"

Director Su patted Yu Chen's shoulder, then glanced at the enormous pot on his back.

The pot was made entirely of refined iron. Thick and heavy, it looked like a suit of steel armor strapped to his back.

After a quick assessment, Director Su estimated that it weighed at least three hundred jin.

"Yes."

Yu Chen nodded. "As the saying goes, read ten thousand books, but travel ten thousand miles too. The principal and I discussed it. We'll walk the whole way and treat it as training."

"Tsk, young people these days. Truly remarkable."

Director Su clicked his tongue twice, and several teachers beside him nodded in agreement.

Even a Soul Master would need several months to walk from Nuoding City to Heaven Dou City. Any other child would certainly have traveled comfortably by carriage.

Who else would willingly seek out hardship like Yu Chen?

"Yu Chen, keep working hard when you reach Heaven Dou City. Nuoding Academy is proud of you!"

Looking at Yu Chen's resolute face, Director Su spoke with heartfelt emotion.

The continent had never lacked geniuses. Plenty of people possessed exceptional talent.

Some people with ordinary talent gave up on themselves, never realizing that those more gifted than them worked even harder.

And Yu Chen was precisely such a person!

"Hahaha!"

Just then, Xiao Wu squeezed to the front of the crowd, tilting her head as she stared at the enormous pot on Yu Chen's back. "Boss Yu, are you really going to travel with such a huge pot on your back?"

Several students nearby were struggling to hold back their laughter too. Yu Chen did look rather comical carrying that pot.

"Of course."

Yu Chen shrugged without a care. "Training isn't a sightseeing trip. Hiking with a load is a basic skill every traveler needs."

In the Pokémon world, Ash and his companions carried pots, bowls, and all sorts of utensils. Never mind walking along roads-even crossing mountains and wading through rivers were everyday occurrences.

Tang San had made this pot entirely from refined iron, as requested. It weighed over three hundred jin.

An ordinary person couldn't even lift it, let alone walk with it on their back.

After more than two years of training, Yu Chen had shot up to a height of 1.8 meters, with broad shoulders, a thick back, and firm muscles. Though the three hundred jin weighed his shoulders down slightly, he could still walk briskly.

"Goodbye, everyone."

Yu Chen waved to the crowd, turned around, and strode out of the academy.

In the distance.

Beneath the shade of a tree, Tang San leaned against the trunk, watching that figure recede farther and farther away. He sighed softly.

With Yu Chen gone, I won't have a suitable opponent at the academy anymore.

Over the past two years, he and Yu Chen had sparred countless times in the training class.

Yu Chen was strong and quick to react. Relying on the Tang Sect Secret Arts, Tang San could barely fight him to a draw.

Several of his martial arts had improved rapidly, especially Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.

Tang San never experienced that same exhilarating satisfaction when fighting anyone else, including Xiao Wu, who also possessed innate full soul power.

With Yu Chen graduating, Tang San had originally wanted to see him off too.

Yet he had remained beneath the tree without moving.

In his previous life in the Tang Sect, he had grown accustomed to being alone and had never been good at handling such occasions.

Besides, when all was said and done, his relationship with Yu Chen amounted to no more than "a respected opponent." There was no deep bond between them.

What a shame Yu Chen never became Teacher's disciple. Otherwise, he could join Shrek Academy with me in the future.

At that thought, a trace of displeasure flashed through Tang San's heart.

Over the past two years in the special training class, his teacher had taught them a great deal of theoretical knowledge.

Soul Beast catalogs, tactical coordination...

In Tang San's eyes, Yu Chen ought to have been grateful for his teacher's guidance.

So cold-hearted and disloyal, accepting kindness without repaying it-how is he any different from a white-eyed wolf?

Tang San withdrew his gaze and turned to walk back into the academy.

On the main road.

Two figures ran along, one behind the other.

A thin layer of Soul Power enveloped Ming Dashan. His steps were light, each stride carrying him four or five meters.

Supported by his Soul Power, his crippled left leg did nothing to slow him down.

Yu Chen followed behind him, panting heavily, his entire body drenched in sweat.

They had already been running for two hours.

Walking with a heavy load did not feel tiring at first, but after a while, it became impossible to keep going.

"Yu Chen, can you still hold on? Shall I carry it for you for a while?"

Ming Dashan turned his head and called out.

"I'm fine!"

Yu Chen answered between gasps.

Running with a load was a basic requirement for a Trainer. If he couldn't endure this little hardship, how would he ever travel farther afield?

"Ah."

Ming Dashan shook his head.

"Good lad. You've got grit. But cultivation calls for steady progress, step by step. Don't push yourself too hard."

With that, he took Yu Chen's enormous pot.

Click.

Ming Dashan pressed the pot's handles, and the enormous pot split through the middle, becoming a smaller pot and a steel ring.

"That Tang San boy really does have a knack for smithing."

Ming Dashan strapped the steel ring to his back and tested its weight. It weighed roughly two hundred jin.

"Of course! I spent ten gold coins having this equipment made."

Yu Chen smiled knowingly.

He adjusted his straps and followed with long strides.

Seven days later.

The border's Soul Hunting Town.

A wave of noise reached them from afar.

Yu Chen looked up. The town was small, filled with wooden buildings two or three stories tall, their rooftops hung with all kinds of signs.

The streets were not particularly wide, and shops crowded both sides.

Weapon shops, herbal medicine shops...

There were also several small buildings hung with red lanterns. Women dressed like flowers in full bloom waved handkerchiefs, beckoning to passing travelers.

"The Border Forest is just ahead."

Ming Dashan pointed toward a sprawling, dark-green outline on the distant horizon.

"This forest lies between three countries: Heaven Dou, the Star Luo Empire, and Barak. The town was built here because of it."

"Yes." Yu Chen nodded.

Those by the mountains lived off the mountains; those by the water lived off the water. He naturally understood that principle.

People streamed through the town without pause. After briefly sensing their presence, Yu Chen found that ninety percent were Soul Masters.

"The Black Kun Mercenary Group takes commissions to hunt hundred-year Soul Beasts! Only twenty gold coins!"

"Support! Any healing-type support out there? Our team needs a support! Ten gold coins for the job!"

"..."

Several burly men stood in an open space beside the road, shouting at the top of their lungs.

This is no different from running dungeons in games in my previous life. People form teams, take quests, kill monsters, and split the money.

Yu Chen took a few more looks, his interest stirring.

Ming Dashan followed his gaze, glanced over, and lowered his voice.

"Yu Chen, when you travel alone in the future, be especially careful about teaming up with others. There are no law enforcement squads in the wilderness, and murders for treasure happen all too often. Unless you know someone exceptionally well, never entrust your back to them."

"Yes, I understand."

Yu Chen nodded seriously.

Nuoding City was only a beginner village. Outside it lay the world that truly devoured people.

Still, he would not abandon his desire to travel.

It was precisely danger and uncertainty that made the path of cultivation exciting.

After strolling around for a while, the two entered an inn that looked fairly decent.

There were more than a dozen wooden tables in the main hall, most of them occupied. Drinking, finger-guessing games, loud conversations-all the clamor blended into one.

As the two entered carrying their pots, several people looked at them curiously, but soon turned their eyes away.

"One large room."

Ming Dashan approached the front desk, took out a silver coin, and placed it on the counter.

The attendant glanced at them and briskly handed over a key. Though he was puzzled by Yu Chen's equipment too, he asked no further questions.

The rule in the Soul Master World was to speak less and observe more.

Inside the room.

The place was reasonably clean. Its window faced the rear courtyard, making it much quieter than outside.

Clang.

Yu Chen unstrapped the enormous pot and leaned it against a corner. It hit the floor with a dull thud.

Ming Dashan spread out a yellowed map. Numerous circles and crosses had been marked on it in charcoal, with small, hastily scrawled notes alongside them.

"Yu Chen, what kind of Soul Beast do you plan to hunt for your second soul ring?"

Ming Dashan asked.

"An earth-type Soul Beast. The stronger its bloodline, the better. Something like a Rock-Earth Dragon Turtle or a Lava Lion King."

Yu Chen replied.

This was the conclusion he had reached after communicating with Xiao Bai Dragon.

According to Xiao Bai's senses, her second soul ring needed to be earth-type. Yu Chen had not given it much further thought, because Xiao Bai had chosen his first soul ring as well.

What puzzled him, however, was that Xiao Bai's subsequent soul rings would require combinations of different elements.

Pokémon in the Pokémon world generally had relatively simple typings. Almost none blended all sorts of elemental types together like Xiao Bai did.

Could Xiao Bai be a Pokémon native to the Douluo Continent?