Since Tian Chen had rejected Guo Rui and Wang Yong's request, the other students, though they also wanted to join Tian Chen's team, forcibly stopped themselves when they considered their own strength.
They reckoned their strength was, at best, about the same as Wang Yong's and Guo Rui's.
Besides, they had yet to obtain Soul Rings, so Tian Chen naturally could not agree to their requests.
Only those students who had already obtained Soul Rings and thought highly of their own strength still looked at Tian Chen with hopeful expressions.
News of Tian Chen defeating Hu Liena had long since spread throughout Spirit Hall Academy. The Second Worship's grandson and the Supreme Pontiff's personal disciple-surely no one would dismiss this as unimportant.
In their eyes, Tian Chen was stronger than Hu Liena, and might even be no weaker than Xie Yue and Yan, who were two years older than him.
If they could join Tian Chen's team, then basically only the team consisting of Xie Yue and the other two could compete with them.
While they were sizing Tian Chen up, Tian Chen was sizing them up as well.
Unfortunately, however, among them, only Soul Masters of other systems had obtained Soul Rings. There were Soul Masters in the Control System too, but none had broken through rank ten.
A Soul Master in the Control System without a Soul Skill was hardly any better off than a Soul Master in the support or food systems.
Helpless, Tian Chen could only abandon the idea.
With the mindset of picking the tallest from among the short, Tian Chen finally made his choice.
This person was also a member of the Spirit Hall Team in the original story: the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow Soul Master mentioned earlier, Zhang Ping.
Although she was not in the Control System but was a Soul Master in the Agility Attack System, she possessed the ability to fly.
One had to understand that flying Soul Beasts basically never appeared in the Soul Hunting Forest. The ability to fly would naturally make this expedition considerably easier.
Thus, Tian Chen brought Li Kai over to Zhang Ping and invited her with a smile.
"Want to form a team with me?"
Zhang Ping was also a little girl with delicate features. She was a year older than Tian Chen and Li Kai, but her build was exceptionally petite.
Her short blue hair fell naturally, and an unnatural flush tinged her fair face.
Of course, this was not to say she liked Tian Chen. After all, she was only six or seven years old-what could she know of liking someone?
It was merely a sign of her excessive excitement. She had never expected Tian Chen to invite her.
After all, her abilities were not outstanding among the students who had already obtained Soul Rings, and she was also a commoner.
If Spirit Hall had not helped awaken her Martial Soul, she would not even have known she could cultivate to become a Soul Master.
Moreover, joining Tian Chen's team meant she could at least secure second place. With the academy's reward, she could contribute more toward her family's expenses.
A subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin a month could support her family's living expenses without any trouble, but supporting her cultivation was somewhat difficult.
Although the academy's teachers helped them obtain Soul Rings for free, a Soul Master's cultivation involved more than just Soul Rings.
She had no reason to refuse Tian Chen's request.
She hurriedly suppressed her excitement and nodded at once.
"Yes, Young Master Tian."
Following Li Kai's way of addressing Tian Chen, she called out sweetly. She also gave Li Kai, who stood beside Tian Chen, a friendly nod before quietly taking her place behind Tian Chen.
"All right, let's set off now. We can explain our respective abilities in detail on the way and prepare for this event."
Tian Chen glanced at the two of them and said solemnly.
"We have only one goal: first place."
He had always had this competitive streak. Since he was going to compete, he would give it his all.
Although this event had been organized at short notice, there was not the slightest sign of confusion.
Under the direction of Spirit Hall Academy's teachers, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
When Tian Chen and the other two arrived at Spirit Hall Academy's main gates, they found more than a dozen exquisitely decorated carriages already waiting before them.
A squad of armored Soul Masters was also stationed around them specifically to provide an escort.
This showed how much importance Spirit Hall placed on these students.
From the dozen or so carriages before him, Tian Chen picked the one he found most pleasing to the eye and climbed straight in with Li Kai and Zhang Ping.
Given his grandfather's standing, naturally no one would dare say anything.
Once inside the comfortably cushioned carriage, Tian Chen discussed the abilities their respective Martial Souls excelled at with Li Kai and Zhang Ping while preparing for the next seven days in the Soul Hunting Forest.
Only by understanding one another could a team coordinate better and achieve unexpected results.
Feeling Tian Chen's gaze fall on her, Zhang Ping hurriedly sat up straight.
He was still somewhat reserved around Tian Chen. After all, the gulf between their identities and status was far too great.
Clutching the hem of her skirt uneasily with both hands, she slowly began her introduction.
"Young... Young Master Tian, my Martial Soul is the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow. It specializes in speed."
Tian Chen inwardly nodded at her words.
It was a fairly good ability. A Martial Soul's innate ability to fly indicated that its quality was very high.
Besides, he had never expected Zhang Ping to be of much help. As long as she did not hold them back, that would be enough.
Things had turned out somewhat better than he had anticipated, however.
After some thought, Tian Chen shifted his posture and reclined against the carriage.
He looked toward Li Kai, who sat beside him with his head drooping, and teased him.
"Looks like you're the only one who's still just a Soul Scholar."
"Young Master Tian... I..." Li Kai said.
"All right, all right. Breaking through to rank ten as soon as possible matters more than anything else. Then we can help you obtain a Soul Ring right in the Soul Hunting Forest, and we'll have this event in the bag."
Tian Chen paid no further attention to Li Kai beside him. He closed his eyes and immediately entered a state of cultivation.
Watching Tian Chen, whose entire body radiated the golden glow of Soul Power, Li Kai hurriedly sat cross-legged as well, closed his eyes, and began cultivating.
He now felt a trace of urgency too. If things continued like this, he feared he would no longer even qualify to stand beside Tian Chen.
He took Tian Chen's words quite seriously. Besides, he was already at the peak of rank nine, and all he lacked for a breakthrough was an opportunity.