Chapter 104: Sunset Forest

During this past half‑year of training, Zhang Xiaohe changed the most; from being weak and panicked at the start to now being persistent and calm, the relationship among the seven is no longer the initial restraint, and when they gather together they interact very casually.

"It should be the Sunset Forest; if we go to the Star Dou Great Forest, it would be a very long journey," Tie Li said.

There are three Soul Emperors and a support‑type Soul King; such a powerful lineup means the group now has more options regarding the Third or Fourth Soul Ring.

Jue Dun, like Tie Li, comes from a civilian background; he joined the Tian Dou Royal Academy, and besides being able to receive a title after graduation, he wants to obtain the best‑age Soul Ring with the Academy's help.

Joining the Academy's Second Team gives a resource advantage, so the choice of the Third Soul Ring will better match his martial soul.

Zhao Tianhe led the team to leave the Tian Dou Plains first, settled in a nearby town, let everyone rest well for a night, and would enter the Sunset Forest the next day.

They chose an inn, one room per trainee, but the four teachers gathered in a single room.

"So Teacher Qin Ming comes from Shilake Academy; I only learned that today,"

"Teacher Qin Ming recommended Shilake Academy to the Education Committee, hoping the academy would absorb them; given Shilake Academy's teaching staff and Qin Ming's status, none of the three committee members could refuse," Li Ji said.

As a Tian Dou‑level instructor at the academy, the sudden arrival of a group of powerful and outstanding teachers makes them subconsciously feel threatened.

The intrusion of a butterfly has already altered the timeline.

Tang San obtained High-Level Metal from Tie Li, crafted a hidden weapon earlier than expected, abandoned his blacksmith shop work, and gained more time for cultivation.

He broke through to Level 29 earlier than in the original timeline, and under the master's arrangement, entered Shilake Academy sooner.

The master's arrival accelerated their teaching curriculum and also hastened the academy's economic consumption.

Qin Ming returned to Shilake Academy once, met the teacher who once instructed him, learned the academy's economic situation, and immediately formed a plan—just like in the original timeline—to have the Tian Dou Royal Academy absorb Shilake Academy.

It would not only secure the teachers' future livelihoods but also increase the Tian Dou Royal Academy's teaching staff.

Moreover, the five junior students the teacher has carefully mentored are so outstanding and young; if they join the Second Team, its overall strength will rise sharply, not at all inferior to the First Team.

Back at the academy, Qin Ming immediately explained the situation to the three committee members, who naturally were happy to do so; this is a great boost to the academy's teaching staff.

The fact that they can produce a Soul Master as excellent as Qin Ming sufficiently demonstrates their teaching level.

Furthermore, among them is a food‑type Soul Saint, an entity that cannot be ignored by either the academy or the empire.

Zhao Tianhe's expression was not good; if Shilake Academy joins, will he still be the Team‑leading Teacher of the Second Team?

"First help the trainees obtain Soul Rings; we can discuss this back at the academy later," Zhao Tianhe said.

Everyone rested for a night; without worrying about roaming Soul Beasts, they could rest well, and everyone's complexion was quite good.

After paying the fee, Zhao Tianhe led the trainees to the Sunset Forest.

Just before entering the Sunset Forest, Zhao Tianhe emphasized again.

"The Sunset Forest differs from the Hunt Soul Forest; it is extremely dangerous here. You must stay alert at all times and never leave the team."

"Teacher Zhao, we understand; you can rest assured," Tuo Yu replied.

Zhao Tianhe nodded, leading the team into the Sunset Forest.

The number and variety of Soul Beasts in the Sunset Forest naturally cannot compare to those of the Star Dou Great Forest, but it is far more dangerous than the Hunt Soul Forest.

The group did not linger at the outskirts for long and went straight into the forest's depths.

Most Soul Beasts in the Sunset Forest have cultivation levels between a thousand and ten thousand years, which is suitable in age for the four of them on this journey.

During the half‑day spent entering the Sunset Forest, thousand‑year Soul Beasts appeared, but their attributes did not match the four's martial souls.

Zhao Tianhe assessed Tie Li's physical strength and thought Tie Li could try to absorb higher‑age Soul Rings.

Tie Li told Zhao Tianhe that he hopes the Soul Ring's age can reach over six thousand five hundred, which exceeds the Fourth Soul Ring's limit.

But Tie Li's physique differs from that of an ordinary Soul Master, evident from the weighted vest he carries.

Absorbing higher‑age Soul Rings means gaining more attributes.

Over six thousand five hundred is too exaggerated for Zhao Tianhe; six thousand years is within his comprehension.

Roar

"It's a mountain rock turtle," Jue Dun said upon hearing a beast roar, his face brightening; his martial soul is a defensive type, and the mountain rock turtle matches his soul's attribute perfectly.

Next, they need to see the mountain rock turtle's cultivation level—whether it has reached the thousand‑year grade.

"It's a thousand‑year mountain rock turtle, and it only recently broke through the thousand‑year mark; there's not even a single yellow stripe on its back,"

A mountain rock turtle that has just broken the thousand‑year barrier lacks yellow stripes on its back; each subsequent thousand‑year breakthrough adds a yellow stripe, and when it gathers ten stripes, it will challenge ten‑thousand‑year Soul Beasts.

The age and attribute are just right for Jue Dun now.

"Alright, I'll act"

Zhao Tianhe leapt over the mountain rock turtle; the pressure from the Six-ring Soul Emperor made the turtle emit a desperate, mournful scream.

Moments later, a dying mountain rock turtle was thrown by Zhao Tianhe in front of Jue Dun.

A flash of excitement crossed Jue Dun's eyes; without hesitation, he summoned his martial soul and struck heavily at the turtle's head wound.

However, within moments, a purple thousand‑year Soul Ring appeared from the turtle's corpse.

He sat cross‑legged on the ground, began absorbing the Soul Ring, while the others protected him from afar.

The blood splashed by the mountain rock turtle emitted a strong, pungent smell, easily attracting other Soul Beasts' attention.

Ssss

A faint sound produced by the snake‑like creature's inhalation and exhalation.

The slender‑bone snake has a thin, elongated body; when coiled on a tree it looks like a vine, but do not be deceived by its appearance—the speed and attack it unleashes are astonishing.

Its brown‑tan juvenile scales provide no defense, serving more as camouflage; during hunting, it excels at a single‑strike kill.

If it fails, it will flee immediately.

It originally hid in the shadows, but the scent of the mountain rock turtle's blood caused it to subconsciously breathe, emitting a faint sound.

When it realized it had been discovered, it instantly fled toward the distance.

Another thousand‑year Soul Beast, its attribute matches an Agile Attack-type Soul Master, making it suitable as Zhang Xiaohe's Soul Ring.

Li Ji, noticing its attempt to flee, immediately intervened to block it.

(End of Chapter)