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"Alright, let's go!"
Elder Xuan waved and led Su Wen away.
Zhang Yi pressed his palms together, performed a few hand seals, and the sturdy wooden hut gradually sank beneath the forest floor.
Su Wen clicked his tongue in admiration. This was the Inner Court's elite team, after all. Though usually laid-back, once they entered a state of readiness, their professionalism showed. Ma Xiaotao winked at Su Wen and slipped quietly into the formation. If not for her being a Soul King in need of her next soul ring, she wouldn't have joined this squad of predominantly Soul Emperors.
After the group departed, Su Wen finally turned to Elder Xuan. The old man rubbed his palms together and chuckled. "Xiao Wen, want to try some bird eggs? In the core of the Star Dou Forest lives a Blazing Bird—its eggs, from three thousand- to ten thousand-year-old beasts, taste divine…"
"So we're just abandoning Sister Xiaotao's squad?" Su Wen asked, his expression unchanged.
"Cough, cough. Don't worry. They'll take care of themselves—five Soul Saints, six Soul Emperors, and four Soul Kings. Unless they run into a 100,000-year-old beast, they're untouchable here. Even a fifty- or sixty-thousand-year-old creature can be handled with caution." Elder Xuan stroked his chin.
"And if they do encounter one?" Su Wen's brow furrowed, his eyes fixed on the old man. "You're risking the entire team just for some eggs? I'm beginning to regret agreeing so quickly. Is an academy this unreliable really worth joining?"
"Ah… well…" Elder Xuan stammered, his throat bobbing with unease. He'd already reported this to Elder Mu. If Mu learned that he'd lost a child prodigy's trust over 'egg-hunting,' the old master, who had been confined to a wheelchair for decades, might just rise up and kill him in a fit of rage.
"Hahaha! I was only teasing—it was a test for you! And you passed with flying colors! As expected from someone I hold in high regard," Elder Xuan laughed heartily.
"You'd better have been," Su Wen replied with a wry smile.
The old man's cheeks flushed. Kids these days are too sharp to trick…
"Screech!"
An eagle's cry split the sky, so fierce that the treetops trembled.
"A ten-thousand-year beast's aura is truly intimidating," Su Wen remarked, perched on a sturdy branch while watching a distant black speck vanish into the horizon. A hint of envy flickered in his eyes. "I wonder when Hurricane will grow that powerful."
"With your talent, it won't be long—maybe ten years at most," Elder Xuan yawned as he lounged nearby, idly nibbling a roasted chicken leg, his words muffled.
Su Wen nodded. He was confident in his progress. After half a month of cultivation—plus the extra level from the Bone-Cleansing Pill—he had gained roughly 1.2 soul-power levels. Hurricane had grown too, now standing at about 1.1 meters tall with more defined arm muscles. Its base stat had risen from 0.14 to 0.22. Its skills remained unchanged; an evolution or a special encounter would be needed to unlock those.
Combining the meditation technique from Zhang Lexuan with the internal cultivation art Elder Xuan provided (similar to the Profound Heaven Technique), his advancement was impressively swift—about one level every two months. Of course, the rate would gradually slow, but even so, by the time he formally enrolled at twelve, his soul power should exceed level 35. (For comparison, Tang San had level 29 at enrollment with the Profound Heaven Technique and meditation; in this era with inflated power levels, top geniuses like Dai Huabin and Ning Tian still only reached around level 30.)
Su Wen was delighted. Such advanced cultivation methods were only possessed by top forces like Shrek, the Body Sect, and the Star Dou Empire. He felt fortunate to have encountered Shrek's team when he did.
Seated cross-legged, he eyed the squad below. Ma Xiaotao was idly twirling a branch, while Zhang Lexuan and Zhang Yi were conferring in low voices. In recent days, Ma Xiaotao had acquired her fourth soul skill from a Blazing Fire Ape, and other team members had also made gains. Only Eldest Senior Sister Lexuan and two other Inner Court disciples had yet to claim a beast, but as Soul Saints, they required creatures of thirty- to forty-thousand-years, which were hard to find.
Too far to overhear, Su Wen shook his head.
He glanced at Hurricane, perched calmly beside him. They had entered the core region of the Star Dou Forest—where thousand-year beasts roamed freely and ten-thousand-year ones were as common as dogs. A mere ten-year soul beast here was like a rookie in a max-level zone; the oppressive aura alone was enough to shatter its spirit. Otherwise, he would have loved to find some peers for Hurricane to practice against.
"Roar~"
Hurricane gave a low growl at a nearby tree trunk, then looked pleadingly at Su Wen. Their minds were linked, and Su Wen instantly understood.
"Want to go play?"
"Go ahead—but stay on this tree. Don't wander off. My aura isn't concealed, so no other beasts will dare to cause trouble," Elder Xuan yawned.
Hurricane nodded in a very human-like manner, its dark eyes sparkling with joy.
"You can understand human speech?" Su Wen raised an eyebrow, then realization dawned. Through their soul-link, Hurricane could understand Elder Xuan's words through him.
"Go on."
Su Wen waved him off and resumed his cultivation on the ancient branch.
Elder Xuan opened his groggy eyes and grinned. "This kid is so diligent. Full innate soul power and still working this hard. His future is boundless~"
The technique Elder Xuan had given him was called Ling Dan Gong. It worked by circulating one's soul power to form a "spiritual core," which then nourished the body in return. This cycle steadily increased his soul power.
Su Wen felt the slow but clear rise in his energy and couldn't help but smile. So this is the joy of being a top student? Getting instant feedback on your progress. No wonder people can get addicted to learning. He also sympathized with the many soul masters on the continent who gave up. He was stacked with buffs, allowing for such rapid progress. For a soul master with innate level one talent and only basic meditation, the speed would be less than a tenth of his. The despair would be unimaginable…
"Wait a minute…"
Just as Su Wen was happily cultivating, he suddenly froze.
Hurricane's data panel had just refreshed. Several red numbers and upward-pointing arrows flashed before his eyes, startling him.
What happened? How did Hurricane's stats just jump by 0.09?!
No, wait!
It seems I leveled up too!
Su Wen's eyes snapped open. He saw Hurricane, with a crimson fruit in its mouth, scrambling up the ancient tree like a whirlwind, all while making a taunting face at a giant python in hot pursuit from below.
(End of Chapter)