Xiao Li's malicious whisper and icy smile were like a venomous snake slithering down a spine, carrying an unmistakable threat.
Yet Ling Feng seemed utterly unaware as he walked steadily out of the classroom.
Sunlight spilled down, stretching his shadow.
His expression was as calm as still water, but his heart was cold.
An accident?
Of course he believed accidents could happen in the Soul Hunting Forest.
But who would orchestrate that accident, and who would ultimately suffer it, was another matter.
When he returned to Dorm Seven, the atmosphere had already changed.
The working students who had qualified wore irrepressible excitement and nervousness on their faces, chattering as they rummaged through their bags and checked anything that might prove useful.
Those who had not qualified gathered around them with envious faces, all talking over one another as they offered suggestions.
"Brother Feng! You're back!" Wang Sheng immediately came over when he saw Ling Feng, his face both excited and uneasy. "I heard we're in the same group! That's great! I feel a little more at ease with you around!"
Ling Feng smiled without saying much and walked over to his bed.
His luggage was simple: a few changes of clothes, some dry rations, and a waterskin.
The things that truly needed preparing had long since been made ready.
"Sister Xiao Wu, why are you bringing so many carrots?" a working student asked curiously.
Xiao Wu was humming a jaunty little tune as she stuffed her seemingly bottomless cloth bag until it bulged. Inside were a dozen or so thoroughly washed carrots, their vivid red color enticing.
"What do you know!" Xiao Wu wrinkled her little nose and patted the bag proudly. "These are dry rations! Filling and delicious! Much better than that rock-hard jerky of yours! Tang San, don't you agree?"
She turned to look beside her.
Tang San sat on the edge of his bed, his expression focused.
An oilcloth lay spread before him, neatly arranged with all manner of small, peculiar metal components, fine needles, and several iron balls polished to a brilliant shine.
His movements were not fast, but they were exceptionally steady and precise.
His fingers brushed over each item, checking whether the edges were smooth, the mechanisms responsive, and the poison grooves sealed.
His gaze was sharp, like the most seasoned hunter tending to his rifle.
This was a habit ingrained in his very bones, an instinctive preparation for unknown dangers.
Hearing Xiao Wu's question, he merely gave a soft "Mm" in acknowledgment without even looking up, his mind clearly immersed entirely in his preparations.
Xiao Wu did not mind. She resumed humming and continued stuffing in her carrots.
Ling Feng's gaze swept over Tang San's hidden weapons, their surfaces glinting coldly, and he understood.
Here was someone truly preparing for the Soul Hunting Forest.
Cautious, meticulous, always keeping something in reserve.
By comparison, his own preparations seemed far too "relaxed."
He leisurely arranged a bag that hardly needed arranging at all, his unhurried manner utterly at odds with the excitement and nervousness around him.
His Soul Power had long since stabilized at rank thirteen, and his five-hundred-year First Soul Ring far exceeded what ordinary people could imagine.
On the system map, those few blinking markers deep within the Soul Hunting Forest, indicating high-value check-in points, were the true targets of this trip.
As for Xiao Li...
If he made no move, they could coexist peacefully.
If he did... he would be seeking his own death.
"Is everyone ready?" A steady voice sounded at the doorway.
Teacher Mo Hen, who was responsible for leading their group, walked in.
He was a middle-aged man of around forty with a stern expression, a Soul Elder above rank thirty. His Martial Soul was a mountain leopard, excelling in speed and alertness, making him a suitable choice to lead a Soul Hunting expedition.
"We're ready!" Wang Sheng and the others hurriedly answered loudly, looking somewhat nervous.
Xiao Wu gave a little hop. "I've been ready for ages!"
Tang San silently folded up the oilcloth bundle, secured it close to his body, then stood and nodded.
Ling Feng also picked up his featherlight bag and said calmly, "Ready."
Teacher Mo Hen swept his gaze over them, pausing briefly on Ling Feng and Tang San. He clearly knew something of what made these two unusual.
"Good. Let's head to the square to assemble. The other groups should be about ready too."
The group left Dorm Seven and arrived at the academy's central square.
Quite a few students and teachers had already gathered there, their noisy voices filled with the restlessness of an impending journey.
The teachers leading each group were checking their numbers and giving their final instructions.
Not long after Ling Feng's group took their places, another group arrived nearby under a teacher's guidance.
At its head was none other than Xiao Li.
He had changed into a fitted outfit suited for movement. As his eyes swept over Ling Feng's group, that trace of an icy smile reappeared at the corner of his mouth, entirely unconcealed.
He did not look at anyone else. His gaze, like a poisoned needle, remained firmly fixed on Ling Feng.
Then he raised a hand and seemingly casually adjusted his collar.
The movement was natural.
But Ling Feng clearly saw that, as he adjusted his collar, his finger made an exceedingly slight tap at his own Adam's apple once again.
A repeated threat.
A silent declaration.
Only after making this tiny gesture did he shift his gaze elsewhere, as though nothing had happened.
Mo Hen, their supervising teacher, seemed to notice something amiss. His brow creased slightly as he glanced at Xiao Li, but he said nothing.
"Everyone, move out!"
At the head teacher's command, the vast procession of students left Nuoding Academy in a great throng under their respective teachers' guidance, heading toward the Soul Hunting Forest outside the city.
The sunlight was just right, casting the youths' shadows ahead of them.
Ahead lay a forest steeped in a primeval atmosphere, where opportunity and danger coexisted.
It was also the gaping maw of a conspiracy quietly opening.
Ling Feng walked among the group, feeling the wind blowing from the woods, carrying the earthy, raw scent of soil and vegetation.
Beneath his calm exterior, his blood was beginning to flow a little faster.
Soul Hunting Forest.
Here I come.