Slap-
Yu Yuanzhen struck Gangzi hard across the face, knocking him to the ground. His brows bristled as he roared, "You little brat! Now you've learned to threaten me!"
"I..."
Yu Xiaogang cupped his swollen, reddened cheek and looked up at Yu Yuanzhen. Tears slipped down his face uncontrollably, but he didn't dare make another sound.
"Hmph!" Yu Yuanzhen snorted coldly and glared down at Yu Xiaogang. "Listen to me. You can take people with you to obtain your First Soul Ring, but you cannot absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. This isn't a warning. I'm telling you how it's going to be!"
"Boohoo..."
Yu Xiaogang sobbed softly and hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to look at Yu Yuanzhen.
He didn't understand what he had done wrong.
He had only wanted Yu Yuanzhen to take him to obtain his First Soul Ring.
Dad had personally taken his eldest brother to obtain a Soul Ring, and yet...
"All right, stop being an eyesore and get out of here. You don't have a shred of sense!" Yu Yuanzhen waved his hand, his face full of disgust, and ordered him out.
"Okay... boohoo..."
With one hand pressed to his swollen, reddened cheek and the other braced against the floor, Yu Xiaogang scrambled unsteadily to his feet. He turned and left in a sorry state.
As it happened, he ran straight into his eldest brother, Yu Xuan.
"Xiao Xuan, you're here! Come in, quickly."
Yu Yuanzhen's voice reached Yu Xiaogang's ears, his tone full of delight. Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists, feeling even more aggrieved.
Like a dog with a broken spine, he left all alone.
Yu Xuan followed Yu Yuanzhen into the reception hall, only to find Yu Luomian sitting on the sofa. Puzzled, he asked, "Father, why did you call me here?"
Yu Yuanzhen said, "Xiao Xuan, Qian Daoliu, the pope of Spirit Hall, sent a letter inviting you to study at Spirit Hall Academy."
"He seems to have sent letters to many factions. I suspect he intends to bring Spirit Hall closer to the various factions across the continent."
"What do you think? Or rather, do you want to study at Spirit Hall Academy?"
"Spirit Hall Academy?"
Yu Xuan raised an eyebrow and said frankly, "Going out into the world is definitely more interesting than staying in the sect. If I have the chance, I'd like to go to Spirit Hall Academy."
The sect's environment certainly couldn't compare to the world outside.
Setting aside the resources scattered across the continent, the comfortable atmosphere alone was dull, doing nothing to help him grow stronger or broaden his horizons.
Having transmigrated to the Douluo Continent, he certainly couldn't spend his days in the sect as though he were already retired.
He still had Immortal Herbs to pick and a Godly Examination to undertake.
"As expected, I already anticipated your answer." Yu Yuanzhen looked at him with mixed feelings. "Have you made up your mind?"
"I've already decided," Yu Xuan replied seriously. Then he asked, "Father, when are we going to register at Spirit Hall Academy?"
Yu Yuanzhen sighed softly. "Next year."
"All right. If there's nothing else... I'll head back?" Yu Xuan asked.
If it was next year, that would work.
By then, he would be twelve, old enough to venture out and gain experience. He could take advantage of the time before school started to plunder the Immortal Herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Of course, the most important matter was still the Fire Dragon King Reverse Scale.
If the Fire Dragon King's remnant soul was still conscious and bore him no hostility, perhaps he could ask exactly what the treasure in the Mystic Fire Secret Realm was about.
"All right, you can go back for now." Yu Yuanzhen forced a faint smile and raised a hand.
Yu Xuan nodded, turned, and left.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Yu Xiaogang returned home with a mournful face, and two burly men came over when they saw him.
Dao Ba raised an eyebrow and feigned bewilderment, though he was actually mocking him. "Isn't this Young Master Xiaogang? Didn't you just go to see Sect Master Yu? Why are you back so soon?"
"That's right, Young Master Xiaogang. Didn't Sect Master Yu take you to obtain a Soul Ring?" the brawny man with a face full of coarse flesh chimed in.
Yu Xiaogang was so dejected that he failed to notice their mockery. Head lowered, he said weakly:
"Brother Dao, Brother Hu, Dad won't take me to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain a Soul Ring. He even told me not to follow Eldest Brother's example and absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring."
A Thousand-Year Soul Ring?
Brother Dao and Brother Hu exchanged a glance. Their first thought was: Has Yu Xiaogang gone mad?
Wasn't a Thousand-Year Soul Ring something only a level-thirty Soul Grandmaster could attempt to absorb?
Was there something wrong with this little trash Gang's head?
"Sigh... Since Dad won't take me, you two take me to the Star Dou Great Forest instead."
Yu Xiaogang sighed in disappointment. Then, imagining something, he raised his chin slightly and said proudly, "I've already figured out which Soul Beast I should absorb for my First Soul Ring."
"Once I've obtained my First Soul Ring and returned, I'll surely shock the entire sect!"
Brother Dao and Brother Hu exchanged a glance, both thinking Gangzi was indulging in wishful thinking.
Still, they couldn't very well say much, so they agreed and said they were willing to accompany him to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain a Soul Ring.
It was a perfect opportunity to take a trip far from home and get some fresh air.
The three set off at once, crossing the river and boarding a sect carriage. Its wheels rolled over the gravel road as it headed for the Star Dou Great Forest.
The three arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest.
Yu Xiaogang summoned Luo Sanpao with an arrogant look and swung a leg over him. Looking at the other two, he ordered them about. "One of you in front and one behind, protecting me. When we run into a suitable Soul Beast, beat it until it's badly injured and let me kill it!"
The two men were very displeased with his tone, but because of his status, they obediently followed his instructions.
There was no clear path through the area they were traversing, so Dao Ba had no choice but to clear the way in front.
His Martial Soul was a sickle, which happened to be well suited for cutting grass...
After wandering around the mixed zone for who knew how long, Yu Xiaogang and the other two had found nothing.
It wasn't quite true to say they had found nothing. They had actually encountered a three-hundred-year Lightning Dragon along the way, and Dao Ba had suggested that Yu Xiaogang absorb its Soul Ring.
But Yu Xiaogang had dismissed it, seemingly looking down on the Lightning Dragon. The other two were so angry they wanted to curse.
The three had no choice but to continue searching.
Yu Xiaogang's back ached and his legs were weak from walking. His face was drawn with exhaustion as he couldn't help muttering, "I'm too tired. I'm going to rest for a while."
"??"
The two burly men frowned deeply and cursed inwardly, keeping watch on their surroundings.
Just then, a rustling came from the grass.
A Thunder Carp Dragon covered in purple scales suddenly burst out and attacked Yu Xiaogang and the other two.
Yu Xiaogang froze for a moment. Rather than flee immediately, he tried to determine the Soul Beast's age.
A moment later, his eyes brightened slightly, and he ordered them about. "This is a Thunder Carp Dragon around six hundred years old. Work together and beat it until it's badly injured. I'm going to absorb its Soul Ring!"
"Although this Soul Beast isn't the best choice, it's barely acceptable. We've been wandering around the Star Dou Great Forest for almost a whole day, so we have to hurry back."
"??"
The two burly men froze, dumbfounded.
Dao Ba turned to look at him and asked gravely, "Young Master Xiaogang, where did you get the nerve to absorb a six-hundred-year Thunder Carp Dragon for your First Soul Ring?"