...
The next morning, the rising sun dispelled the chill of the night in the town.
That night, Bibi Dong didn't bother Xuan Hao again; she simply left him in the next room to sleep.
There was a knock on the door early in the morning.
Bibi Dong stood at the door with Hu Liena, looking at the still dazed Xuan Hao, and said indifferently, "Wash up and come downstairs for dinner."
Breakfast was simple: thin porridge with steamed buns, plus a few small dishes of delicate side dishes.
At the dinner table, Bibi Dong wiped her mouth and calmly looked at Xuan Hao, who was struggling with a steamed bun:
"After you finish eating, tidy up. I'm taking Nana to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for her second spirit ring. Since you've also reached level ten and need your first spirit ring, come with us."
Xuan Hao paused in his chewing motion, then swallowed the steamed bun in his mouth and nodded obediently: "Oh, I understand."
He neither refused nor showed excessive surprise.
Because he knew very well that this was an offer he couldn't refuse.
Since you can't resist, you can only enjoy it.
With the Pope leading the team personally, safety is guaranteed; it's better than him going to his death alone.
...
Leaving the town, the road to the Starry Sky Forest gradually becomes rugged.
There is a buffer zone of nearly 100 kilometers in between.
After all, the Star Dou Great Forest is a paradise for soul beasts.
Without this buffer zone of hundreds of kilometers, if those powerful ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts got carried away and rushed out, the towns right next to the forest would instantly become a buffet for soul beasts.
Xuan Hao, carrying a small package, followed a few meters behind Bibi Dong and Hu Liena.
Since he had nothing better to do, he took out the book "Detailed Record of Soul Beasts in the Outer Parts of Star Dou Great Forest" from his pocket as he walked. It cost him one gold soul coin.
Although the style of the book is abstract, and some of the spirit beasts are drawn like simple sketches, it was still bought at a high price. Even last-minute cramming can be effective.
"Throw it away."
Bibi Dong, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped.
Xuan Hao was taken aback, and subconsciously gripped the book in his hand tighter: "Huh?"
Bibi Dong turned around, her gaze falling on the tattered, rough-papered booklet:
"That kind of cheap stuff is all made-up garbage. Reading it will only mislead you and make you die faster."
As she spoke, she flipped her wrist, and a beautifully bound, heavy book appeared in her hand with a slight flash of light.
With a casual toss, the book, supported by her soul power, flew steadily to Xuan Hao's feet.
"Look at this."
Xuan Hao caught it in a fluster.
The book is heavy, with thick, smooth paper, and even a faint scent of ink; it's clearly a high-end product.
"Thank you... sister."
Bibi Dong glanced at him indifferently, continued walking forward, and explained:
"Most of the picture books sold in the town are haphazardly compiled by soul hunters or speculators who mingle at the bottom of society.
In order to protect their own living space and interests, those truly experienced soul hunting groups will never easily reveal the habits, weaknesses, and accurate distribution of soul beasts. That's their livelihood."
"Moreover, most commoner Soul Masters do not have a systematic knowledge inheritance, and their understanding of Soul Beasts is full of fallacies.
They mistake Wind Baboons for Vajra Apes, and ten-year-old Mandragora Snakes for hundred-year-old ones. Such things are commonplace."
"Only formal Soul Master academies teach verified Soul Beast knowledge. But even so, primary and intermediate academies can only access common Soul Beasts."
"The truly detailed information about high-level soul beasts that are thousands or tens of thousands of years old, as well as the types of mutations and core weaknesses of soul beasts, are resources that only high-level soul master academies, the seven major sects, and top forces like the Spirit Hall possess."
Knowledge is not so cheap.
Xuan Hao didn't say anything more, but solemnly thanked him, then held the heavy book in his hands and began to read it attentively.
This picture book, in terms of both the texture of the paper and the outrageously detailed analysis of the soul beasts, is far superior to the cheap book in his arms that depicts the "Wind Baboon" as a "big monkey."
Every word and every picture above is, for Xuan Hao now, the capital to make a living in this world.
However, before he could even read a few pages, Bibi Dong, who was walking ahead, suddenly spoke up.
"Too slow."
"At this speed, it will probably be dark by the time we reach the Star Dou Great Forest."
As soon as she finished speaking, Bibi Dong lightly touched the ground with her toes, and her whole body slowly rose into the air as if defying gravity, gliding low close to the ground, and her speed suddenly increased.
"Keep up."
"Yes, teacher."
Hu Liena responded, and like a nimble little fox, she instantly accelerated and chased after Bibi Dong.
Xuan Hao closed the book, sighed helplessly, tucked it into his arms, his leg muscles suddenly tensed, and he quickly caught up.
In the world of Soul Masters, physical abilities cannot be judged by ordinary standards.
Even a Soul Warrior who has just awakened their Soul Power can routinely sprint 100 meters in under 10 seconds with the support of their Soul Power.
What's more, Xuan Hao's body contains a humanoid Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Since his martial spirit awakened, he can jump three or four meters high from a standing position, and smashing rocks with a single punch is as easy as playing around.
For an ordinary adult strong man, it's like taking down a kid with one punch.
As he ran, he even managed to pull out the picture book again, using the momentum of his running to read it as he sped along.
Hu Liena, who was running ahead, was worried that the little boy wouldn't be able to keep up, so she deliberately slowed down a bit and looked back.
This sight almost made her stumble.
Xuanhao followed about five meters behind her, holding a book in his hands. His short legs moved quickly, his breathing was steady, and his eyes never left the pages.
When he encountered potholes or tree roots on the road, he jumped over them without even looking, as if he were taking a stroll in his own backyard.
"..."
Hu Liena's face immediately flushed with embarrassment.
She's the Pope's disciple! And now she's being chased by a six-year-old kid who hasn't even acquired a spirit ring yet, all while she's reading a book?
If this gets back to Wuhun City, won't she lose face?
"snort!"
A competitive spirit rose in Hu Liena's heart, and she increased the output of her soul power, which boosted her speed once again.
However, a few minutes later.
She turned around and saw that Xuan Hao was still in the same spot, still holding a book, still looking calm.
Hu Liena gritted her teeth. Although her Martial Soul Demon Fox had not yet possessed her body, she had already brought out its agility-based attack characteristics, making her even more nimble and faster!
Xuan Hao turned a page of his book, pushed off the ground slightly with his feet, and increased his speed accordingly, maintaining a distance of five meters without wavering.
"I refuse to believe it!"
Hu Liena was completely serious. A faint pink light of soul power shone around her.
As a level 20 soul master, she was starting to get serious.
Thus, a strange scene unfolded on this desolate road leading to the Starry Sky Forest.
At the very front was Bibi Dong, flying gracefully; in the middle was Hu Liena, her soul power surging as she sprinted with gritted teeth; and at the very back was a silver-haired boy who didn't even have any soul power fluctuations, relying solely on his physical strength to run, while occasionally flipping through a book.
...
One hour later.
The originally fresh scent of grass and trees in the air gradually became richer and deeper, and the surrounding trees became taller and thicker, with their canopies cutting the sunlight into fine spots.
We've arrived at the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Bibi Dong landed lightly, without a speck of dust on her body, still maintaining her noble and aloof demeanor.
"arrive."
She turned around and looked at the two little ones behind her.
"Huff...huff...huff..."
Hu Liena braced herself on her knees with both hands, her whole body bent over like a shrimp.
Sweat dripped from her delicate chin onto the ground, her chest heaving violently, and her face flushed. She was clearly exhausted.
In order to shake off Xuan Hao, she maintained a high level of soul power output while running, which was quite taxing for someone with only level 20 soul power.
And behind her.
Xuan Hao closed the book in his hand, carefully put it in his pocket, then patted the dust off his body.
Although his breathing was a little rapid, it was only as if he had just finished warming up. His face had a healthy rosy glow, and he didn't even sweat a few drops.
Hu Liena gasped for breath before she could straighten up.
Looking at Xuan Hao, who seemed completely unaffected, her fox-like eyes were filled with disbelief and a deep sense of defeat.
"You...huff...aren't you tired?"
"We ran... over a hundred kilometers... how come you... are completely unharmed?"
Xuan Hao blinked, feeling the continuous flow of heat surging through his body—the terrifying physical strength and recovery power brought by the Golden Dragon Martial Soul.
He reached out and patted his slightly bulging belly, saying matter-of-factly:
"I'm not tired."
"You think I ate that meal last night that cost three gold soul coins for nothing?"
"That's all energy!"
Hu Liena: "..."
Bibi Dong watched this scene with a hint of amazement in her eyes.
Although I had already noticed that this child was physically strong, I didn't expect him to be this strong.
To keep up with a Grand Soul Master running at full speed using only physical strength, and with such astonishing endurance.
This physique is practically made for absorbing spirit rings of extraordinary age.
"Alright, rest for fifteen minutes to recover your soul power."
Bibi Dong tossed a water bottle to Hu Liena, then her gaze fell on Xuan Hao, and she said meaningfully:
"It seems we can set our sights higher when looking for your first spirit ring."