The four of them sat together.
Zhang Lexuan and Wu Ming sat on one side, while Xu Zihuang and Ye Liu sat on the other.
In front of Zhang Lexuan, the senior sister, Ye Liu appeared somewhat restrained. In contrast, Xu Zihuang remained perfectly calm.
Wu Ming, leaning against Zhang Lexuan, kept her gaze fixed on Xu Zihuang.
"Senior Sister Wu, is there something you want?" Xu Zihuang asked politely.
Wu Ming did not hide her thoughts and directly said, "I was just wondering, how did you manage to cultivate to level forty at the age of twelve? Even Senior Sister Zhang couldn't achieve that back then."
Xu Zihuang let out a light chuckle.
"Perhaps my talent is simply better."
His tone was calm, as though stating a fact, without the slightest hint of arrogance.
Wu Ming was momentarily speechless, glancing at Zhang Lexuan beside her.
Over the years, Xu Zihuang was the first one to openly claim superior talent in front of them. But this happened to be true—at least in terms of cultivation, her own talent fell far short of his.
As for strength, that still needed to be tested.
Zhang Lexuan, however, smiled gently.
"Junior Brother Yu's talent is indeed better than mine."
"No way?" Wu Ming and Ye Liu said almost in unison.
To every inner court disciple, Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan was a figure they looked up to. Before reaching thirty, she was already a Soul Douluo.
Even if Yu Tianhuang had reached level forty at twelve, his future was still uncertain. There were many soul masters whose potential was exhausted early, leaving them powerless later.
The further one advanced in cultivation, the harder each soul power rank became. Only then could a soul master's true potential be judged.
But now, Zhang Lexuan herself acknowledged it. They knew her personality well—there was no flattery in her words. Their gazes toward Xu Zihuang began to change.
As the four conversed, Chu Qingtian returned with a handful of plump, reddish-purple fruits. He first respectfully handed a few to Elder Xuan, then came to the group.
Like offering a treasure, he picked the largest fruit for Zhang Lexuan.
"Senior Sister, please try it. I've already washed them."
"Thank you." Zhang Lexuan smiled, taking it and politely taking a small bite.
Then Chu Qingtian distributed the rest.
Wu Ming glared at him fiercely.
"I'll choose mine myself."
"Of course, you choose!" Chu Qingtian dared not provoke this temperamental young lady.
Xu Zihuang watched the scene unfold. From his memories of his previous life, he knew Wu Ming and Chu Qingtian eventually got together at the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event.
But from the looks of it, the signs were already there.
All along the way, Wu Ming intentionally targeted Chu Qingtian—not out of dislike, but likely to draw his attention. Only, her method was rather clumsy.
And Chu Qingtian seemed to understand, but deliberately played dumb.
As Xu Zihuang thought this, Chu Qingtian also handed him a fruit.
"Thank you, Senior Chu."
"Don't mention it," Chu Qingtian replied with a hearty laugh.
At level forty, one could barely be considered a high-ranked soul master. With their strength, the journey from Shrek Academy had not consumed much soul power. After half an hour of rest, everyone had recovered to peak condition.
Zhang Lexuan's expression grew serious.
"From the earlier introductions, you should all have some idea of each other's abilities. I'll briefly assign our formation for entering the Star Dou Forest. I'll lead at the front. Ye Liu and Chu Qingtian will take the flanks. Ming'er, you'll cover the rear. Junior Brother Yu, you are the only control-type soul master among us—you'll take the central position. Any problem with that?"
Meeting Zhang Lexuan's gentle but assessing gaze, Xu Zihuang nodded firmly.
"Senior Sister, no problem."
Out of the corner of her eye, Zhang Lexuan glanced at Elder Xuan, still eating chicken legs and drinking wine. A trace of sadness flickered in her beautiful eyes.
Back then, Elder Xuan had suffered an accident while leading them in the Star Dou Forest's core area. He had been mired in self-blame ever since.
Returning here stirred those memories. But now, her strength had grown immensely.
She would not allow such a tragedy to happen again.
"Elder Xuan will follow behind us, but unless absolutely necessary, he will not act. Aside from Junior Brother Yu, the rest of us are inner court disciples. If we need a teacher's help to obtain a soul ring, it would be disgraceful. I don't want that to happen. If everyone's ready, let's go."
No one objected to her arrangement.
In fact, covering the rear was the most dangerous task in a hunting party, since one might face attacks from any direction.
But with Elder Xuan accompanying them, things were different.
Though he wouldn't act unless necessary, he would not watch them die either.
The greatest pressure still fell on Zhang Lexuan, who was leading.
This was Xu Zihuang's second time in the Star Dou Forest. But with Zhang Lexuan in charge, there was no need for cautious scouting. She advanced directly at full speed.
A faint white glow surrounded her, clearing bushes in her path. The aura she released kept weaker soul beasts away, allowing swift progress.
That was the power of strength—advancing by sheer force. Every hour they traveled, they rested for fifteen minutes. By dusk, judging from the strength of nearby beasts, they had passed through the outskirts and reached the mixed zone.
"Everyone, hold formation. We're now entering the mixed zone," Zhang Lexuan slowed down. Here, they would face mostly thousand-year soul beasts, and possibly even ten-thousand-year ones—creatures that posed a real threat.
Xu Zihuang's eyes had already turned brilliant gold, with intricate patterns in his pupils exuding mystery.
Chu Qingtian, guarding the right flank, happened to glance back and saw them, exclaiming,
"You're using your martial soul without releasing your rings?! Hidden depths, Junior Brother Yu!"
As inner court disciples of Shrek Academy, they quickly grasped his technique.
"What?" Ye Liu and Wu Ming turned in surprise.
To use one's martial soul without activating soul rings required an extremely high degree of control. Among them, only Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan could do it. Even Wu Ming wasn't quite there yet.
Just then, Zhang Lexuan's voice suddenly rang out from the front—gentle, yet laced with reproach.
"Ming'er, Ye Liu, focus! A soul beast is approaching from your direction."
A flash of light revealed a cyan figure silently perched thirty meters away on a branch. A cat nearly half a meter long, with dark blue-black fur and glowing crimson-purple eyes, emanating ferocity. Its fur carried faint tiger-like stripes.
Before Zhang Lexuan finished speaking, the Tiger Demon Cat pounced like a blue streak of lightning.
This species was extremely aggressive. Judging by its size, this one had at least five thousand years of cultivation. The "demon" in its name came from its dual wind and darkness attributes, making its attacks fearsome.
Its claws extended, fur shimmering with a dim, wave-like glow.
Sensing their relative strengths, it twisted midair, bypassing Wu Ming to strike at Ye Liu.
Panicked, Ye Liu hastily released his martial soul. White wings sprouted from his back, giving him a fleeting elegance—
—but his flustered movements ruined it.
As the cat neared, crimson ripples enveloped its body. A flash of red, and before it could react, it was sealed inside a crystalline scarlet prism.
"Break." Xu Zihuang's calm voice rang out, and the powerful five-thousand-year beast shattered instantly. Only a radiant purple soul ring remained, floating in the air.
Ye Liu exhaled in relief, gratitude in his eyes.
"Junior Brother Yu, thank you for saving me."
Though he had level sixty soul power, his martial soul was not suited for combat. Against the Tiger Demon Cat, without Xu Zihuang's help, he would have suffered greatly.
"Senior Ye, don't mention it. We're a team—it's only right to help each other," Xu Zihuang said warmly and sincerely.
Ye Liu was deeply moved.
"Good. If you ever need me in the future, just say the word."
Wu Ming and Chu Qingtian, meanwhile, stared in disbelief at the three purple soul rings circling Xu Zihuang.
"Three thousand-year soul rings?!"
What shocked them wasn't just that—but also his bizarre, powerful second soul skill.
To instantly kill a beast of nearly five thousand years—was that really possible for a mere level forty soul master?
Only now did they understand Zhang Lexuan's earlier words.
Having one's first soul ring at the thousand-year level… such a genius defied all common sense.
Wu Ming quickly recovered, clasping her hands and apologizing to Zhang Lexuan.
"Sorry, Senior Sister. I was distracted just now. It won't happen again."
Zhang Lexuan frowned slightly.
"As inner court seniors, don't perform worse than outer court juniors."
Everyone lowered their heads in shame. Normally, they would never falter like this—but Xu Zihuang's talent and strength were too shocking.
Zhang Lexuan did not scold further, only said solemnly,
"From here, we'll conduct a lateral search."
She also gave the faintest nod. With her strength, she had long noticed the Tiger Demon Cat.
She hadn't acted, partly to give Wu Ming a lesson, and partly to test Xu Zihuang's reaction and combat ability.
The result showed he excelled not only in cultivation speed.
Even Elder Xuan, chewing on chicken, stopped and sighed with satisfaction.
"This child entering Shrek Academy is truly a blessing."
They pressed on, driving off several unsuitable soul beasts as they went deeper into the mixed zone. By moving laterally, they kept a safe distance from the core area.
In the Star Dou Forest's four zones, the outskirts and mixed area were largest. The core was much smaller, but its beasts were unimaginably strong. Only the most formidable creatures dared live there.
This "weak outside, strong inside" distribution had its logic. The deeper they went, the more Xu Zihuang felt the air thicken with life force—beneficial to all beings.
Night fell completely. Soul beasts' roars echoed, mixed with insects and birdsong.
Along the way, Wu Ming demonstrated "the aesthetics of violence." Nearly every beast that attacked was brutally dispatched by her.
Their fates were grisly, making Chu Qingtian and Ye Liu twitch at the corners of their mouths.
"Try sneaking up on me again, huh?!" Wu Ming's face was icy as she crushed charred bones underfoot—the remains of some beast's skull.
Standing beside Xu Zihuang, Chu Qingtian couldn't help muttering,
"So brutal…"
"What did you say?!" Wu Ming's head shot up.
Chu Qingtian awkwardly hooked an arm around Xu Zihuang's shoulder.
"I was talking with Junior Brother Yu," he said, gesturing frantically behind Wu Ming's back.
Xu Zihuang caught on and nodded.
Through the canopy, Zhang Lexuan judged the time.
"We should be in the middle of the mixed zone now. Traveling at night is dangerous. We'll rest here. Ming'er, clear this area."
Hearing her order, Wu Ming stopped bickering with Chu Qingtian and walked off in the indicated direction.
It was a slightly elevated spot, surrounded by shrubs.
Deeper in the Star Dou Forest, camping outdoors was routine. And such nights might last long—after all, finding a suitable beast often came down to luck.
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