"Dean Yan."
Wang Nan spoke. Yan Shaozhe, who had only returned from the Sun Moon Empire a few days ago, had not fully recovered.
His face was etched with fatigue. Only after hearing Wang Nan's voice did he lift his head from the materials on the table.
Upon seeing Wang Nan, Yan Shaozhe's gaze sharpened slightly. He hadn't expected Wang Nan to be so close to him without his noticing.
"Come in and sit," Yan Shaozhe said, clearing the items from his table. He glanced out the window at the sky. "It's already this late."
"What can I do for you?"
"Dean Yan, my graduation application from a few days ago—"
"I saw it." Yan Shaozhe suddenly fell silent, his movements pausing for a moment. However, he eventually just offered a slight smile. "Your studies were completed long ago. With your current strength, a graduation assessment is no longer necessary."
"Thank you, Dean Yan."
"This is what the Academy should do." After a moment of silence, Yan Shaozhe suddenly spoke again. "I won't say anything superfluous. Take care of yourself."
"Furthermore, no matter what danger you encounter, the Academy will always be your backing. Likewise, Shrek Academy and Sea God Island welcome you back anytime."
Wang Nan said nothing, merely nodding.
"Go."
At the East Gate of Shrek Academy, in the early morning, there were not many vendors. The students of the Academy had not yet reached class time, and for a moment, it was somewhat quiet. A figure swiftly passed by, without the slightest pause.
Not long after, in the Star Dou Great Forest, the sun had not yet fully risen, and the mist in the deep forest had not completely dissipated. A figure rapidly swept past, causing dewdrops hanging from the grass blades to fall to the ground.
Ripples of Spirit Beast activity spread, extending from the outer perimeter all the way to the core area.
Life Lake remained unchanged, with the dense life aura of the entire Star Dou Great Forest converging here, and a misty energy pervading the lake's surface.
The Three-Eyed Golden Mou was still lying beside the lake, with rich Heaven and Earth Yuan Power surging into its body with every breath. Although not as fast as human Spirit Masters, such a cultivation speed was already enough to make other Spirit Beasts envious.
Wang Nan's figure quietly appeared in the core area, but apart from the Auspicious Beast, there were no other Spirit Beasts to be seen.
The Three-Eyed Golden Mou in front of him was training, and the surrounding plant-type Spirit Beasts were also taking this opportunity to improve their cultivation. Wang Nan did not disturb them much and turned to leave the forest.
"Aren't you here for me?"
"Sorry for disturbing you."
"It's alright. Our Spirit Beast cultivation is not like your human meditation; we can stop anytime."
As it spoke, the Three-Eyed Golden Cat stood up, stretching its front paws forward, lowering its center of gravity, and extending its body.
Watching the Auspicious Beast stretch, Wang Nan didn't know if it had been training or sleeping just now.
"What brings you to the Star Dou Great Forest?"
"Nothing else, just wanted to ask Ditian some things."
The Yin-Yang Complementary Soul Core.
Among the Spirit Masters Wang Nan had met, only Mu En and Dragon Xiaoyao possessed two Soul Cores. Even Xuan Zi, who had the highest cultivation in Shrek Academy, had not yet successfully condensed a second Soul Core, let alone the even more demanding Yin-Yang Complementary Soul Core.
Regarding how to condense a second Soul Core, no one could guide him anymore.
In Wang Nan's impression, only Ditian on the current Douluo Continent possessed such a Soul Core. He now needed to condense a second Soul Core, but merely simulating and comprehending it from scratch was far less effective than observing it up close.
Given his current relationship with the Dragon Clan, asking to see Ditian's Soul Core shouldn't be refused, right?
"Ditian hasn't returned; he should still be in Dragon Valley. Besides, Ditian doesn't trust Xiong Jun and has kept that guy by his side. All matters in the Star Dou Great Forest are currently managed by Bi Ji. If you have something, I can take you to her."
"No need for that. I was just looking for Ditian. Since he's not here, I'll be leaving first."
"Hey—" The Three-Eyed Golden Mou was about to speak, but only Wang Nan's retreating figure remained by the Life Lake.
Clicking its tongue, the Three-Eyed Golden Cat paced a few steps in place, then uninterestingly lay back down by the Life Lake.
It was inherently an impatient creature; otherwise, it wouldn't have left the Star Dou Great Forest upon seeing the outside world.
However, with both Ditian and the Silver Dragon King absent, it still needed to guard this place. Someone who could chat finally came, but then left in a hurry, leaving it to return to its original spot, sulking alone.
Wang Nan, already heading out of the Star Dou Great Forest, had no way of knowing the Three-Eyed Golden Mou's thoughts. At this moment, he was pondering what the Dragon God had said before.
Back then, he had told him to return to Dragon Valley when his spirit power rank reached ninety. Now that he was on the verge of a breakthrough, and Ditian was also in Dragon Valley, going there now was not impossible.
Having made up his mind, Wang Nan's steps changed, and his body headed eastward. Previously, crossing the vast ocean required Yan Shaozhe's protection, but now he no longer needed it.
The Star Dou Great Forest is vast, and after leaving from the east side, it was already not far from the sea. However, as soon as Wang Nan approached, he saw a huge spirit tool.
This spirit tool was similar to the Level 8 spirit tool, the Soul Hunter, that he had borrowed from Lin Huiqun, but it looked smaller in appearance, and it had fewer spirit tool cannons equipped on it.
Many people were already standing on it, and several were working together to unload a dying Spirit Beast from it. Moreover, these people all appeared to possess spirit power cultivation.
Wang Nan looked on curiously, and with a slight movement of his feet, he had already moved closer.
"Excuse me, what are you doing?"
Many people were gathered here. A man wearing a bamboo hat was standing aside, watching the people on the spirit tool unload the Spirit Beast, when a gentle voice suddenly came from beside him.
The man turned his head in response and saw Wang Nan standing beside him.
A hint of doubt flashed in his mind, unsure when Wang Nan had arrived, but he still explained, "You probably haven't been to the seaside recently, have you?"
"Indeed."
"Then it's not strange. Recently, for some unknown reason, the Spirit Beasts in the nearby sea areas have suddenly increased.
We are currently hunting these Sea Soul Beasts."
"And don't even mention it, with these Sea Soul Beasts, the prices of some previously expensive Spirit Beast meat have dropped, and some Spirit Masters even have their spirit rings settled."
Wang Nan roughly guessed the reason. The disconnection of the God Realm from the Douluo Continent caused the Sea Soul Beasts to lose the control of the gods.
However, as he listened to the man's words and looked at the spirit tool in the distance, with laughter abundant among the surrounding crowd, he was momentarily unsure whether keeping the Sea Soul Beasts deep in the ocean was protecting humans or protecting Spirit Beasts.