The group from Shrek Academy seemed merely to have stopped in the town for a brief rest. Not long after leaving the gates, they headed northwest.
Lin Xiao followed at a safe distance but soon halted. Though Fan Yu was a soul engineer, his cultivation had already reached the eight-ring level—his spiritual perception far sharper than Lin Xiao's. Within town limits it was easy to blend in, but out in the open countryside, any movement risked exposure.
"Sir, might you be interested in rare minerals?"
A thin, wiry man slipped out from behind a nearby stall, his movements furtive.
Lin Xiao turned sharply, and the man froze. "Please, don't be alarmed, sir! I only wish to discuss a bit of business."
"I'm not interested," Lin Xiao replied, giving the man a brief, assessing look. Though faint traces of spirit power clung to him, his level was clearly low—hardly worth concern.
They were near the border, so it wasn't strange to encounter black-market dealers selling ore. But given this man's meager strength, he couldn't possibly have anything valuable.
"You jest, sir," the man said with a nervous smile. "A traveler like you wouldn't come here for no reason. Hear my offer first—then refuse if you wish."
Without waiting for permission, he gestured urgently and started down a narrow alley.
Selling information?
Lin Xiao hesitated, then followed a few paces behind—never closing the distance. The man seemed unconcerned, glancing about until he was sure no one was near. Then his expression hardened, and two spirit rings—one white, one yellow—rose around him.
Lin Xiao raised his right hand slightly, eyes narrowing, scanning for hidden ambushers. But no one else appeared.
"See, sir?" The man's grin returned. With his martial spirit released, his already gaunt face appeared even thinner, a few long whiskers sprouting as he spoke. "To be honest, my martial spirit is the Treasure-Seeking Rat. I can locate minerals most others could never detect."
"Of course, my strength is poor. Even if I find valuable ore, I can't keep it—so I sell my discoveries instead."
At his feet, a faint golden silhouette flickered—a small, mouse-like spirit form. Lin Xiao studied it briefly. He couldn't confirm if it truly was a Treasure-Seeking Rat, but the description fit.
"With such an ability," Lin Xiao said evenly, "why not serve one of the empires? You'd be well received."
The man gave a strained laugh. "Ah, sir, you overestimate me. Across these vast lands, there are many with similar gifts. Who would want someone who can't even break through rank thirty?"
"Then aren't you afraid I'll capture you and use you to find ores for me?"
"How could that be?" the man stammered. "You don't look like one of those evil soul masters—you wouldn't do such a thing."
Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed, his gaze cold enough to make the man flinch.
"Fine," he said at last. "Let's hear your price."
The man rubbed his hands together. "Only ten gold soul coins, sir."
"So cheap?"
Lin Xiao studied him again. For someone who claimed to trade in mineral information, he surely knew the worth of rare ores. Ten coins was suspiciously low.
Sensing Lin Xiao's doubt, the man shuffled closer, smiling awkwardly. "Truth is, I only suspect there's something valuable there. I can't say for sure. Could be rare ore—could be something else entirely. I didn't want to overcharge and risk your anger later, you see?"
Lin Xiao exhaled through his nose and turned away, walking off without a word. Trying to trick an evil soul master into chasing ghosts?
"Wait, sir—please!" the man called out desperately. "It's not far! Northwest from here. If you don't find anything, you can come back for a refund!"
That made Lin Xiao stop. He turned back slowly, his eyes glinting. "How many people have you sold this 'information' to?"
The man hesitated, his gaze darting away. After a long pause, he stammered, "N-not many. You're… you're the second one today…"
…
"Teacher Fan, that man said the site should be nearby."
Fan Yu halted and scanned the barren landscape. There were few trees here—only long stretches of rocky hills extending toward the mountains. Nothing looked out of place.
"We'll keep searching. Ore veins never appear in isolation. If there's a find, it'll be a large one. The Academy's material shortage is serious—if we uncover anything substantial, it'll help greatly."
Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo nodded, spreading out to examine the terrain.
But instead of rare minerals, what they found was trouble.
A deep roar thundered beneath their feet.
The ground under Zhang Lexuan suddenly crumbled, soil sliding away like sand. She teetered at the edge of a collapsing pit—until a golden cord shot out, wrapping around her waist and pulling her to safety.
"Be careful!"
Fan Yu surged forward, his eight spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, four black—flaring in sequence. A massive mechanical arm unfolded from his right shoulder, jets roaring as it slammed downward.
Clang!
The impact echoed like metal striking metal.
Fan Yu staggered back several steps, eyes widening. The ground in front of them had collapsed completely, revealing a cavern below—and within it, something stirred.
A second roar boomed, far louder than before.
Then, from the dust, a hulking figure emerged.
It looked like a brown bear, yet its muzzle was longer, its entire body covered in coarse fur that gleamed like steel under the sunlight. Ten meters tall, it radiated suffocating power.
"Teacher Fan—what kind of soul beast is that?" Zhang Lexuan asked, her voice tight.
"I've never seen one like it," Fan Yu admitted, astonished.
Even the Academy's Martial Spirit prodigies, both of whom would soon compete in the Continental Tournament, failed to recognize the creature. That could only mean one thing—this beast wasn't recorded in Shrek's archives.
Judging by its sheer size, its cultivation had to be formidable.
"We must've stepped into its territory. Stay alert."
As he spoke, Fan Yu's spirit rings flared again. With a burst of air from the thrusters on his mechanical arm, he lunged forward and struck.
Clang!
The same metallic crash rang out once more. Fan Yu skidded backward, his arm trembling slightly from the recoil.
His eyes narrowed, astonishment flickering across his face.
That blow—meant to shatter boulders—had felt as though he'd struck solid metal.
(End of Chapter)