After everyone had finished their introductions, Xuan Zi said, "Old rules, I'm just going through the motions this time. The specific actions will still be commanded by Le Xuan and Ruo Ruo."
After Xuan Zi finished speaking, Zhang Lexuan continued, "Everyone has gotten to know each other. Next, I will explain the precautions for this operation. First, you must obey orders! For everyone's safety, and to be responsible for the entire team, everyone must follow commands and not act on their own. Our destination is the Star Dou Great Forest's mixed zone, or even the core zone. I don't need to say what level the Spirit Beasts there are."
Everyone subconsciously nodded, indicating their agreement.
"Very good. So, now I'll arrange the formation for when we enter the Star Dou Great Forest," Zhang Lexuan said. "As the leader and the strongest person, I will go first and be responsible for clearing the path. Cheng Hui, you are responsible for reconnaissance."
"Understood, Senior Sister," Cheng Hui, a man who looked to be twenty-five or twenty-six, was named. He respectfully called Zhang Lexuan "Senior Sister." He was the only agility-attack system Spirit Master in the team, with a Azure Cloud Roc Spirit, a bird-type Spirit Beast known for its incredible speed, and a spirit power of level seventy.
"Zhu Lie, Long Yu, Luo Wei, Wu Ming, the four of you are responsible for the left and right flanks."
"Yes!" The four named individuals replied in unison.
Zhu Lie was a burly male student, an attack system Spirit Master, with a Horned Cracking Mountain Boar Spirit and a spirit power of level sixty. The Horned Cracking Mountain Boar was a power-type Spirit, with a massive body and hard physique, a rare Spirit with high attack and high defense.
Long Yu was a sunny big boy, an attack system Spirit Master, with the sub-dragon Spirit Golden Earth Dragon, and a spirit power of level sixty. The Golden Earth Dragon belonged to the Light Attribute sub-dragons and was one of the top sub-dragons.
Luo Wei was a sweet-looking girl, an attack system Spirit Master, with the Heavenly Feather Bow Spirit, a top-tier Tool Spirit with a long heritage, skilled in long-range sniping and harassment, and a spirit power of level fifty.
"Zhu Ziyang, Su Meng, Wan Wan, the three of you stand in the middle."
"Yes, Senior Sister," Su Meng and Wan Wan replied, while Zhu Ziyang looked a bit helpless.
Su Meng was a petite girl, with a Seven-Colored Dandelion Spirit, a mutated plant Spirit, skilled in control and support. Therefore, she was also a support control system Spirit Master, with a spirit power of level fifty.
As for Wan Wan, he was a male student with a somewhat feminine temperament. His Spirit was the Jade Scale Snake, and he also followed the control system route, with a spirit power of level sixty.
Being placed in the middle by Zhang Lexuan, Zhu Ziyang was very helpless but had no choice; after all, his spirit power was low.
"Ma Xiaotao, Shen Xu, you two are responsible for protecting the three in the middle."
"Understood, Senior Sister," Ma Xiaotao and Shen Xu replied simultaneously.
Shen Xu was another level seventy Spirit Master among the male students. His Spirit was the Void Sword, a top-tier Tool Spirit, and he was undoubtedly an attack system Spirit Master.
"Ruo Ruo, you will guard the rear and be in charge of main control. Zhang Weiwei, you will coordinate with Ruo Ruo's actions."
"Okay," Han Ruoruo and Zhang Weiwei responded.
Zhang Weiwei was an aloof older sister figure. Her Spirit was very interesting: a rare plant-type Spirit, the Demonic Eye Tree. That's right, it was the same Demonic Eye Tree as the true form of Ten Thousand Demon King, who ranked fifth among the Ten Great Fierce Beasts. Zhang Weiwei was the first human discovered to awaken the Demonic Eye Tree Spirit to date. She followed a mental system route, primarily control, with a spirit power of level seventy.
After the formation was arranged, Zhang Lexuan finally said, "Finally, there's the issue of resource allocation. When we encounter a suitable Spirit Beast, we will all act together. Whoever it is suitable for will be the one to kill it. If a Spirit Bone is found, it will first be given to the person absorbing the spirit ring. If they don't need it, it will be handed over to the academy for distribution. Everyone here is an Inner Courtyard Disciple. I hope there won't be any conflicts due to spirit rings or Spirit Bones! Do you understand?"
"Understood!" Everyone replied in unison.
"Since that's the case, let's set off!" Zhang Lexuan said.
As Shrek Inner Courtyard Disciples, everyone acted very decisively. After leaving Shrek City with Zhang Lexuan, they immediately formed the pre-arranged formation and, each displaying their movement techniques, headed straight for the Star Dou Great Forest at full speed.
—
The Star Dou Great Forest, the most renowned Spirit Beast habitat on the Douluo Continent, along with the Far North Ice Field and the Ming Dou Mountain Forest, is known as one of the three great Spirit Beast habitats. It is also recognized by the Spirit Master's world as a Spirit Master's graveyard. Every year, tens of thousands of Spirit Masters, if not nine thousand, perish in the Star Dou Great Forest. Its danger level is such that even Titled Douluo powerhouses cannot guarantee unhindered passage.
Due to the vast area of the Star Dou Great Forest and the immense variety and number of Spirit Beasts, Spirit Masters have divided it into five major regions.
In the outermost fringe area, most Spirit Beasts are ten-year or hundred-year old. Moving inward is the outer circle, where hundred-year cultivation Spirit Beasts primarily reside. Further inward is the mixed zone, where Spirit Beasts with cultivation of a thousand years or more live, occasionally with Spirit Beasts of ten thousand years or more, or thousand-year Spirit Beasts. Beyond the mixed zone is the core zone. From here on, it is a forbidden area for Spirit Masters. The Spirit Beasts here have a minimum cultivation of ten thousand years, and there are even Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Beasts. Even Titled Douluo dare not easily venture into it. And at the very heart of the core zone, known as the Land of Great Danger, only fierce beasts with cultivation exceeding two hundred thousand years can enter. This is the territory of the King of Fierce Beasts, Beast God Di Tian, who commands at least five fierce beasts!
Shrek City is not far from the Star Dou Great Forest. The group set off, maintaining a normal pace, and in less than an hour, they had already seen the road sign standing by the roadside, warning humans to be careful and not to enter lightly.
"Everyone, take a break, eat something, and adjust your condition. In half an hour, we will enter the forest," Zhang Lexuan commanded.
Everyone came to the roadside, and the burliest Zhu Lie laughed heartily as he took out a multi-layered food box and said, "Come, come, everyone, try the buns I made."
Zhu Lie first walked towards Zhang Lexuan, opened the food box, and handed it over.
"You stinky brat, you didn't think of me when you had something delicious." Before Zhang Lexuan could react, a figure had already appeared in front of Zhu Lie, and in Zhu Lie's bewildered gaze, directly took a layer of the food box. By the time everyone reacted, the person had already disappeared.
Everyone knew who that person was. Zhang Lexuan smiled somewhat helplessly, took the food box from Zhu Lie's hand, and said, "Thank you. Zhu Lie's cooking is even better than the chefs in the Inner Courtyard cafeteria. Everyone, hurry and try some."
"Hehe, of course! Old Zhu here may not be good at other things, but when it comes to eating, I'm afraid no one in the Inner Courtyard can compare to me!" Zhu Lie said proudly.
Not far away, Xuan Zi, who was in a tree, looked at the bun in his hand and decided not to argue with him.
The others were not polite and gathered around to enjoy Zhu Lie's buns. Zhu Ziyang also ate a few; the taste was indeed very good, and he couldn't help but look at this somewhat rough senior with new eyes.
"Hehe, Old Zhu, your cooking is good. After we go back, why don't you cook for us and treat us to a good meal?" Long Yu said with a smile.
"I agree! I agree!" Su Meng also clapped her hands happily and said, "I've never had such delicious buns before! If Senior Zhu Lie's buns are so good, how delicious must his stir-fries be!"
"You little glutton!" Wu Ming reached out and poked Su Meng's little head, laughing.
"Hahahaha~ Alright, when we return to the academy, I'll personally cook a table of good dishes to celebrate our breakthroughs. Everyone must come then!" Zhu Lie's personality was very cheerful, and he immediately burst out laughing.
After a lunch together, everyone's relationship grew considerably closer.
Full and refreshed, and in their best condition, the group did not hesitate. They immediately formed their formation and entered the Star Dou Great Forest, led by Zhang Lexuan, moving at full speed towards the interior. Zhang Lexuan had no intention of scouting; a shimmering white light shone around her, and wherever she passed, not a blade of grass grew. Her aura was extremely powerful, so the surrounding low-level Spirit Beasts did not dare to approach, which made the team's progress surprisingly smooth. It made sense; the outer circle consisted of thousand-year and hundred-year Spirit Beasts, how would they dare to approach a Spirit Douluo whose aura was equivalent to a seventy-thousand-year Spirit Beast?
Since everyone needed ten-thousand-year spirit rings, Zhang Lexuan did not stop in the outer circle but directly entered the mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest.