Oscar nodded and said, "The Great Star Dou Forest is a great place, but of course, it's also an extremely dangerous place. It's the cradle of Soul Beasts and the favorite hunting ground of powerful Soul Masters. Naturally, it's also where the most Soul Masters meet their end."
Tang San asked, "Is that the forest where our Tian Dou Empire raises captive Soul Beasts?"
Oscar shook his head. "Of course not. Those captive-breeding forests are worthless — you'd be hard-pressed to even find a thousand-year Soul Beast there. Only Soul Apprentices and the lower-ranked Soul Masters bother with those places. The Great Star Dou Forest is one of the three most renowned Soul Beast habitats on our entire Soul Land. It's massive, almost equal in area to the Balak Kingdom itself, stretching across the borders of both the Tian Dou Empire and the Xing Luo Empire. Roughly two-fifths of its area falls within our Tian Dou Empire, while the remaining three-fifths belong to the Xing Luo Empire. It's a vast primeval forest with incredibly complex terrain — wetlands, swamps, and more. The Soul Beasts there are terrifyingly powerful. The closer you get to the center of the forest, the stronger they become. It's said that even hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts dwell within. Any Soul Master, as long as they have sufficient strength and a bit of luck, can find the Soul Ring most suited to them there. I obtained my second Soul Ring in the Great Star Dou Forest."
Tang San's eyes brightened. "So that's how it is. I hope you'll have an even better harvest this time."
Oscar laughed heartily. "If that happens, I'll make sure everyone gets all the sausages they can eat — we're brothers, after all. Ha ha!"
A single day didn't leave them much to prepare. The next morning, after breakfast, the group assembled on the training grounds — and Zhao Wuji was already there waiting for them.
Upon seeing Zhao Wuji, the students were visibly stunned, barely suppressing their laughter.
Zhao Wuji did look rather worse for wear. At least three bruises on his face hadn't faded yet, and the black-and-blue panda eye around his left eye socket was particularly difficult not to laugh at.
Of course, between the amusement, all seven students — Tang San included — were inwardly shocked. How had Zhao Wuji ended up like this? Tang San remembered clearly that while he had caused Zhao Wuji some trouble that day, he hadn't left any marks on his face. These injuries were obviously from blunt-force impacts. With Zhao Wuji's seventy-sixth-level Soul Saint cultivation, plus the defensive power of his Vigorous Vajra Bear, who could have hurt him like this? Could it have been Headmaster Flandre? But Flandre's Cat Eagle Martial Soul made him an agility-type Battle Soul Master — it seemed just as impossible for him to have inflicted these injuries on Zhao Wuji.
"What are you looking at, you little brats? Got itchy skin, do you?"
Hearing the word "little brats," Xiao Wu clearly took some offense. She muttered under her breath, "Why not say 'little blind bears' instead?"
Zhao Wuji glared at her. "Xiao Wu, what did you say?"
Tang San instinctively stepped sideways, shielding Xiao Wu behind him while subtly waving a hand behind his back to quiet her down. The protective gesture was unmistakable.
Upon seeing Tang San, a trace of awkwardness flickered across Zhao Wuji's face. He didn't pursue Xiao Wu's jibe further, but gave a cold snort and said, "All right, everyone, hit the road. Mubai, you lead the group."
Dai Mubai gave a nod. His expression immediately turned serious as he addressed the others. "The Great Star Dou Forest is no place for fooling around. It's packed with Soul Beasts, and every one of them is extremely aggressive — they have no fondness for humans whatsoever. Everyone needs to stay on high alert. Tang San, you take point. Oscar, Ning Rongrong, you two follow right behind Tang San. Fatty, Xiao Wu, you two cover the flanks on the left and right. Zhu Zhuqing and I will bring up the rear. Once we enter the forest, maintain this formation at all times and stay constantly vigilant. Move out."
Tang San quietly admired Dai Mubai's arrangement. As expected of the oldest and strongest student among them — his deployment was spot-on. The two auxiliary Soul Masters were placed in the center of the formation where they'd be protected. In terms of overall strength, Tang San was second only to Dai Mubai, so he took the vanguard position. Dai Mubai himself, the strongest of them all, took the rearguard — a role that was always more critical than the point position at the front. After all, Tang San had Fatty and Xiao Wu on his left and right flanks to provide immediate support, while the rearguard had to watch a much wider field of danger.
Zhao Wuji stood off to the side, observing coldly without joining their formation. He walked out of the academy alongside the seven students. Naturally, there were no carriages here. Once outside the academy gates, everyone broke into a run.
Not long after they set off, the students began to understand the importance of the second lesson Headmaster Flandre had given them the day before.
Thanks to yesterday's experience and the headmaster's scolding, none of them were quite so averse to Oscar's sausages anymore.
As they continued running, even the two strongest among them — Dai Mubai and Tang San — found their stamina steadily draining.
But with Oscar's sausages to replenish their energy, they discovered with surprise that the exertion from running barely seemed to matter at all.