"Your Holiness, would you like to take a stroll through the Star Dou Great Forest too?"
Seeing that Qin Xiao had said nothing, Zhao Wuji could not help asking.
What was there to stroll around for in the Star Dou Great Forest?
Qin Xiao instinctively shook his head in refusal.
Yet just then, the system's voice rang out:
[Ding, beginner guidance quest issued.] [Newbie, after these past few days of cultivation, your cultivation has made tremendous progress. However, cultivation is important, and actual combat is equally important. Quest requirement: kill a soul beast over five thousand years old in the Star Dou Great Forest together with the Shrek students. Quest reward: the slain soul beast's soul ring will merge with one of your own soul rings. Warning: five-thousand-year soul beasts are extremely powerful. One careless mistake could put a group of newbie soul masters in mortal danger.]
This quest...
Really was hell difficulty...
Heh.
Qin Xiao felt no stirring in his heart. He even felt a little like laughing.
ヽ(ー_ー)ノ.
If this quest had been issued normally, and his cultivation had been that of an ordinary Soul Grandmaster, it would indeed have posed considerable danger.
But...
He was not normal, and neither was the system.
With his strength, he could kill a five-thousand-year soul beast with a flick to its forehead. And the system was telling him there was danger?
The soul beast was the one in danger, all right?
"But this quest is rather interesting. Kill a soul beast over five thousand years old...
Over...
Does that mean killing one ten thousand, twenty thousand, or even more years old would count?
And the reward for completing the quest is having that soul beast's soul ring merge with one of my existing soul rings. Doesn't that mean the age of one of my soul rings will increase enormously?"
Qin Xiao's eyes grew brighter and brighter. In that case, a ten-thousand-year first soul ring was no dream...
It could even go higher.
Meanwhile, seeing Qin Xiao shake his head, Zhao Wuji slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had to admit that having Qin Xiao beside him put him under considerable pressure.
His invitation just now had only been a courtesy.
"In that case, we'll set off."
Zhao Wuji addressed everyone in a deep voice.
"Good. Let's set off now," Qin Xiao replied.
Zhao Wuji: !!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ.
I just saw you shake your head! Didn't that mean you weren't coming? Surprise covered his face.
"What's wrong, Teacher Zhao? Is there a problem?"
Qin Xiao looked at the dumbstruck Zhao Wuji and asked with a smile.
"No, no problem at all."
Zhao Wuji answered with an exceptionally strong will to survive.
"We'll set off right now."
Among the crowd.
Seeing Zhao Wuji so thoroughly humbled, Ning Rongrong covered her little mouth to hide her smile.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered, and the corners of her lips unconsciously curved upward too.
Everyone thought that only before Your Holiness did Teacher Zhao, known as the Immovable Wisdom King, truly become utterly immovable.
The Star Dou Great Forest lay southeast of the Balak Kingdom, with a very small portion bordering the kingdom.
Suotuo City itself was also in the southeast of the Balak Kingdom, not far from the Star Dou Great Forest-less than five hundred kilometers away.
By Zhao Wuji's estimate, even with Oscar's assistance, the journey would take about a day.
Although none of his Shrek students were ordinary people, most were only at the Soul Grandmaster level.
Yet in just half a day, they covered over four hundred li and reached a small town not far outside the Star Dou Great Forest.
And all of this was thanks to the young man strolling leisurely at the rear of the group.
He really was ruthless.
Whenever anyone could not keep going, he gave them an electric shock. Zhao Wuji nearly shed tears just watching.
Too cruel!
At the very least, a human being should not do that!
"Your Holiness, that town ahead is the only place to stop outside the Star Dou Great Forest. Let's rest there for a while and buy some supplies."
Zhao Wuji made his suggestion.
Upon hearing this, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and the others all had gratitude filling their eyes.
At that moment, they actually felt that Zhao Wuji was so gentle...
"Very well." Qin Xiao nodded.
He also knew that everyone's potential had been pushed almost to its limit. With over a hundred li still to go, continuing without rest would make them collapse.
Although he wanted to enter the Star Dou Great Forest immediately, kill a soul beast, and complete the quest, he could spare this little bit of time.
"Did you hear that?"
"What are you standing around for? Go get whatever you need. Gather here in one hour."
"Let's try to get out of the forest before dark."
Zhao Wuji shouted at the top of his lungs.
Normally, he would certainly have rested and waited until the following morning to enter the Star Dou Great Forest.
After all, the Star Dou Great Forest was not an enclosed Soul Hunting Forest. Even a Soul Saint had to tread carefully inside.
Even at the outermost edges, one could not let down one's guard. Who knew where a soul beast tens of thousands of years old might suddenly emerge?
But this time, such caution was clearly unnecessary.
Your Holiness the Thunder Emperor was so formidable that, with him around, wouldn't the Star Dou Great Forest be just like their own backyard?
"We'll remember."
"We'll be back within an hour."
Ning Rongrong, Oscar, and the others immediately felt as though they had received a grand pardon.
Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others finally understood why Ning Rongrong privately called Qin Xiao the Great Fiend.
"Your Holiness, will you...?"
Zhao Wuji looked tentatively at Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao waved his hand. "Just attend to your own business. Don't worry about me."
As he spoke, he walked over to a large tree beside the road and sat down against its trunk. Then he slowly closed his eyes.
"Xiao San, this is the Star Dou Great Forest."
"Now that we're here, Er Ming should come pick us up soon."
"At the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest, no one can hurt you. Not even Qin Xiao."
Outside the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiao Wu spoke with a conflicted expression.
She had never expected to return here in this manner.
"Xiao Wu, don't worry. From now on, apart from hunting for the soul rings I need, I won't kill a single soul beast unjustly."
Tang San held Xiao Wu's hand and gave her his promise.
In the end, he still has to kill them...
Xiao Wu forced a smile, but she also knew there was no way around it.
"Let's go."
"I'll look after you here."
With that, she took Tang San's hand and led him into the forest.
An hour passed quickly. When Qin Xiao opened his eyes, Zhao Wuji, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing had already returned.
"Those three little brats. Who knows where they've run off to fool around?"
Zhao Wuji spoke with a frown.
At this sight, a thought instinctively occurred to Qin Xiao. He sighed. "Go look in the tavern here."
"Well, well. We're waiting here for them, and they've actually gone off to drink and revel?"
"Once I find them, I'll teach them a proper lesson."
Hearing this, Zhao Wuji froze, then spoke bitterly.
Soon, his imposing figure disappeared from Qin Xiao's sight.
"Great Fiend, how did you know they were in the tavern?"
After Zhao Wuji left, Ning Rongrong suddenly asked with great curiosity.
Even Zhu Zhuqing pricked up her ears to listen.
Could Qin Xiao have some peculiar fondness for tracking people?
The two could not help wondering.
Qin Xiao smiled faintly and answered with two words: "I guessed."
Ning Rongrong: ￣へ￣.
Deep down, she did not believe Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao was in no mood to keep engaging with them either. He turned and entered the town too.
"Come on, follow him."
As Ning Rongrong spoke, she followed close behind.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated briefly, then hurried after them.
I'm truly sorry. Some things have come up recently, and I've been too busy.
I promise at least 4,000 characters a day next month.
If enough people are reading, I'll add extra updates too.
Before you continue