Group battles count as battles too

His cough made Song Yuan realize she had misspoken. She hurriedly laughed it off, an apologetic smile appearing on her face. "Sorry, sorry. I got too excited and couldn't help myself. Don't take it to heart, young man."

"It's fine. This isn't much of a secret anyway." Su Lin smiled slightly and swept his free left hand across his waist. A red-and-white Poké Ball appeared in his palm. "This is my Martial Soul. It's called a Poké Ball. I can use it to establish contracts with Soul Beasts and command them in battle."

"A Poké Ball?" Ning Cheng and Song Yuan exchanged a glance, both wearing a trace of surprise they could hardly conceal.

Having traveled the continent for years, they had seen countless kinds of Martial Souls, yet they had never heard of such a peculiar Martial Soul that could directly control Soul Beasts.

A thought stirred in Song Yuan's mind, and she hurriedly asked, "Then can you only command one Soul Beast?"

Su Lin chuckled. "Of course not. Once my level is higher, as long as I have an empty Soul Ring slot, I can contract another new Soul Beast."

After those words fell, Ning Cheng's breathing grew noticeably heavier.

If Su Lin was telling the truth and could contract a new Soul Beast at every stage, that meant that by the time he cultivated to level seventy or even higher, he would have several high-level Soul Beasts fighting alongside him at once.

One Soul Beast could work with him to fight a Soul Ancestor for that long. What if there were two or three at once?

What if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's amplification was stacked on top of that?

Waves surged through Ning Cheng's heart, but Song Yuan's light cough brought composure back to his face. He stepped forward and cupped his hands toward Su Lin, mustering a smile as he said eagerly, "You seem to be heading toward Heaven Dou City too, young Su. Why don't we travel together for a while? There are spare carriages in the convoy, and we can look out for one another on the road."

"Well..." Su Lin feigned hesitation. "Wouldn't we be imposing? I have another companion and a dozen or so guards with me. That's quite a few people."

"Not at all." Song Yuan waved her hand and settled the matter outright. "Just follow behind our carriages later. It's settled."

The once-chaotic battlefield was cleaned up, and the convoy was able to set off again. The bodies of the innocent passersby who had been caught up in the fighting and killed were properly placed in carriages that had been cleared out and covered with clean cloth, ready for their identities to be formally investigated and their families notified after they returned to Heaven Dou City.

As for the bodies of Shi Kusou, Han Zheng, and the others, they were tied behind the carriages with ropes and dragged along the entire way.

Toward evening, the sky gradually darkened, and the convoy made camp in an open area beside a stream.

Later, as the night deepened and the moon hung high, Ning Cheng carefully folded the letter he had just finished writing inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's luxurious carriage. He slipped it into a pale gold envelope, meticulously sealed it with wax, and handed it to Song Yuan, his expression utterly serious. "Yuan, this concerns the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's future. You must deliver this letter safely into the sect master's hands."

"Don't worry. I know how much is at stake." Song Yuan nodded and tucked the letter securely against her body. She patted his arm, then turned, lifted the curtain, and silently stepped out of the carriage. Untying the reins of a spare swift horse, she swung onto its back and galloped north along the main road beneath the moonlight, soon disappearing beyond the end of the road.

Pikachu, who had been playing on the roof of the Purple Bat carriage beside them, happened to witness the entire scene.

The little fellow scratched his furry head, leaped back into the carriage, and chattered away, telling Su Lin everything he had just seen through his cries.

Inside the carriage, Su Lin was sitting cross-legged in meditation, regulating his breathing, while Xiao Wu slept soundly against a cushion beside him. After hearing Pikachu's report, he slowly opened his eyes, a faint smile flickering in their depths.

Good. My revelations this afternoon hadn't been wasted after all.

If I could seize this chance to establish ties with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and have the continent's foremost support sect backing me, I wouldn't have to worry about resources or information for the next several years.

And then there was...

[Your battle report has been generated]

[Your Pokémon Lightning Rat went through an extremely fierce battle, defeated several powerful opponents, and gained 560 experience points]

[Lightning Rat: (lv26: 3579/10000)]

In the battle that day, Pikachu had gained a full 300 experience points from Shi Kusou alone. The Soul Ancestor named Han Zheng had also provided 200 experience points. With the additions from the other Soul Elders, that single battle had given Pikachu as many as 560 experience points.

Only then did Su Lin realize that a single battle could involve more than one opponent.

Fuck!

He instantly felt as though he had lost a hundred million!

He had practically been flailing around blindly during those seven months in the Soul Hunting Forest.

As for why I hadn't received a group bonus when fighting the Night Shadow Ghost Wolf pack back then...

Well, I'd used a decapitation strategy at the time...

Sigh...

I'd probably have to practically live at the Soul Fighting Arena from now on.

With a soft sigh, Su Lin rubbed his chest to ease the heartache, and his consciousness slowly sank into the Pokémon Space.

Ah Yin's condition had now stabilized. The vitality of heaven and earth continuously nourished her true body. At this rate of recovery, she would regain the strength of a Hundred-Year Soul Beast in another five or six years, putting her somewhere above level twenty.

By then, he would more or less be at level thirty himself. The level-thirty contract slot would definitely go to Ah Yin. Not only could the Blue Silver Emperor provide him with a sufficient vitality buff, but she also came with an additional beautifying effect. As the old saying went, damage and such were secondary; being handsome was for life.

As for the second contract slot at level twenty...

Su Lin turned to look at the soundly sleeping Xiao Wu, wondering whether the little lass would be willing.

The night passed in a flash, and the next day soon arrived.

Early in the morning, at Ning Cheng's enthusiastic invitation, Su Lin and Xiao Wu visited his luxurious carriage as guests.

Naturally, Su Lin was more than willing. After all, when it came to knowing Heaven Dou City, ten Uncle Grants could not compare to one Ning Cheng.

The carriage was lined with soft fox pelts, with exquisite tea and refreshments laid out inside. After they chatted for a while, Ning Cheng took up the conversation with perfect ease. "Young Su, are you heading to Heaven Dou City on some important business, or are you simply passing through to take a look?"

"To attend school." Su Lin answered frankly, "Uncle Grant helped arrange a place for me at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Affiliated Intermediate Academy. I'm going there to enroll."

Ning Cheng's hand paused slightly in midair around his teacup. Then a more genuine look of delighted surprise spread through his gentle, composed smile.

School was good!

Attending school meant they would stay in Heaven Dou City for at least three years. If they were willing to apply to Heaven Dou Royal Academy afterward, that would be another three.

He believed six years would be enough to foster sufficient closeness toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in Su Lin.