Xuanzi felt a growing terror as the thought crossed his mind, but it only lasted a moment before he forced it down.
"No… impossible." He shook his head, contradicting himself.
This is absurd! He knew perfectly well Liu Yuan's level.
Even if he had some extraordinary encounter, it would be impossible for him to deal with such a being in just half a day. Soul Masters and Soul Beasts were always hostile to each other.
Besides, even if that young man really was Liu Yuan, what would it prove? Maybe he had just passed by the scene.
Connecting such a terrifying being with a recently expelled student was pure fantasy.
"Elder Xuan, what's wrong? You look rather pale," Yan Shaozhe, standing nearby, asked with concern.
"It's nothing." Xuanzi waved his hand, dismissing the thought, and returned to his usual unreadable expression. "It seems our trip was wasted. Now that this matter is settled, let's report back to Elder Mu."
Although Yan Shaozhe still had doubts, he saw that Xuanzi would say no more and reluctantly gave up.
After their second unsuccessful search, they returned to the Sea God Pavilion.
Ultimately, this sudden and shocking event remained an unsolved mystery, with no clues or sources to explain it.
After several fruitless discussions among Shrek Academy's leadership, the matter was dropped, leaving only a mysterious record in the Academy's history.
Meanwhile, Liu Yuan, the cause of the incident, was already far from Shrek City.
After several days of fast travel, he finally arrived at his destination which is the Starry Sky Forest.
As soon as he entered the vast primeval forest, the rich life force and fluctuating soul energy in the air surged toward him, invigorating Liu Yuan.
During the journey, he had practiced another method of using the Rayquaza Martial Soul which is Martial Soul Possession.
With a thought, emerald-green dragon scale patterns appeared beneath him, his pupils turned into majestic golden vertical slits, and faint energy bands swayed behind him.
In this state, his speed, strength, and perception were greatly enhanced. Although not as powerful as directly summoning Mega Rayquaza, it was quieter and less likely to attract attention so it was perfect for traveling and for emergencies.
"System, I have arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest," Liu Yuan whispered.
[Ding! Host detected in the check-in area. Task "Stay for Three Days" has officially begun.]
For safety, Liu Yuan stayed near the forest's edge, finding a secluded cave as a temporary residence. He cleaned the surroundings and set simple security measures.
He was lucky. No foolish soul beasts disturbed him, allowing him to live in peace.
Time passed quickly, and the three day deadline arrived.
[Ding! Countdown ended. Check-in task completed!]
[Settling mission rewards… Congratulations, host! You have obtained a Divine Soul Ring (Rayquaza Exclusive) (10,000 Years) x1!]
A soul ring, entirely emerald green and wrapped in golden divine light, appeared and floated before him.
"Finally… my first soul skill!" Liu Yuan's eyes shone with excitement.
Rayquaza without Soul Skills was like a divine weapon without matching moves. Now, he was about to awaken it!
He sat cross-legged, guiding the soul ring to resonate with his Martial Soul.
The spirit ring descended, enveloping his illusory martial spirit, unleashing a surge of energy into his body.
As he absorbed the ring, a new power and profound skill knowledge filled his mind. His soul power broke through its bottleneck!
Level 38… Level 39!
His soul power rose to level 39, just one step from becoming a Level 40 Soul Master!
[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have absorbed the Soul Ring and unlocked Rayquaza's original skill "Godspeed!"]
Liu Yuan opened his eyes, and a flash of golden light vanished. He clenched his fists, feeling the surging soul power and new skill in his mind.
Lightning fast!
This was not just a speed boost!
In the Pokémon world, "Extreme Speed" is a legendary priority move, striking so fast the enemy cannot react. It represents the ultimate speed law!
Now as a soul skill, its value was immeasurable. Liu Yuan's explosive power and mobility surpassed other Soul Masters of his level. Pursuit, escape, or surprise attack all of it became his trump cards.
"This is incredible!" Liu Yuan exclaimed. "System, what is my next check-in location?"
[Ding! A new check-in task has been released.]
[Check-in location: Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.]
[Mission Requirements: Enter the academy under any identity and stay there for three months.]
[Quest Reward: 1 Divine Soul Ring (Rayquaza Exclusive). Soul Ring skill will be randomly drawn from Rayquaza's original skill pool.]
"Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy? Three more months?" Liu Yuan hesitated, then his eyes lit with determination.
The reward was another divine soul ring and a new skill so this journey was absolutely worth it.
"Alright, let's go to the Sun Moon Empire!" He stood, dusted himself off, and prepared to leave.
But as he stepped out, a foul gust of wind swept in from the forest.
"Roar!"
A black shadow shot forward, claws aimed at his throat!
It was a lithe, muscular soul beast it was a thousand year old Wind Baboon!
"Oh…"
Liu Yuan felt no fear. His face showed only fighting spirit.
"I just happen to need something to practice on… You fool, you delivered yourself to me. Alright, let's spar!"
A flash of light enveloped him as he activated Martial Soul Possession, transforming into a half-human, half-dragon form.
The Wind Baboon's attack struck at that moment.