The next morning.
While most of the teachers and students at Nuoding Academy were still asleep, two tall and two short figures had already left the academy's gates.
"Master, is this your new disciple?" The headmaster looked at Tang San, who was walking beside the master, and smiled.
"Yes, this is my disciple, Tang San." The master nodded calmly and said, "Although Xiao San's martial soul is the Blue Silver Grass, widely known as a useless martial soul, I believe that there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters. With my guidance in martial soul theory, his future achievements will be nothing less than that of a Title Douluo."
"Hahaha, I hope that's the case." The headmaster gave an awkward smile.
"By the way, headmaster, I don't believe I know your name yet." Cheng Xiao looked up at the headmaster and asked.
"My surname is Ma, and my name is Nuo. You can just call me Headmaster Ma," the headmaster replied with a smile.
"Alright, Headmaster Ma," Cheng Xiao responded.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Cheng Xiao. Do you know where we are going to hunt soul beasts?" Ma Nuo asked.
"I don't," Cheng Xiao shook his head, looking puzzled.
"We're heading to the Soul Hunting Forest, about 400 miles east of Nuoding City. It's a place where the Empire keeps soul beasts," Ma Nuo smiled. "But before we go hunting, we need to help the master prepare some things."
"Prepare some things?" Cheng Xiao was slightly taken aback, but after a moment, he seemed to recall something and nodded silently.
As the sun gradually rose from the east, more and more people appeared in the streets of Nuoding City. Vendors loudly promoted their goods, making the scene lively and bustling.
The master's preparations were simple: four water flasks, some dry rations for the journey, cured meat, fruit, and other food items. Lastly, the master bought a full twenty pounds of white radishes, which clearly had an important purpose.
"Teacher, why are you buying all these radishes?" Tang San asked, panting as he struggled to carry a basket of white radishes. If not for his training in the Mysterious Heaven Skill, he might not have been able to lift it.
Looking at the twenty pounds of radishes, Headmaster Ma sighed helplessly. As the master's friend, he knew exactly what the radishes were for.
The master didn't answer Tang San immediately. As a renowned theorist, his lips curled into a rare, bitter smile. He patted Tang San's head and said, "I'll explain it to you later."
After all the preparations were complete, Headmaster Ma hired a four-person carriage within the city. With the carriage ready, the group finally set off toward their destination.
Along the way, the master continued to explain martial soul theories to Tang San, and even gifted him a belt with a blue sheen.
Holding the belt in his hands, Tang San named it "Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges." Tang San had no reason to refuse this gift from the master, especially considering that in his previous life in the Tang Sect, there was a principle of never declining a gift from a senior.
After giving Tang San the belt, the master glanced at Cheng Xiao out of the corner of his eye, hoping to show him that by becoming his disciple, he too could receive similar gifts as Tang San.
However, the master was destined to be disappointed. After getting on the carriage, Cheng Xiao leaned against one side and closed his eyes to rest. Even Headmaster Ma was puzzled, wondering if this child hadn't slept well because he was too excited about hunting a soul ring today. What they didn't know was that Xiao Wu had gone out of her way the previous night to keep Cheng Xiao from falling asleep early, using all sorts of little tricks. But Cheng Xiao wasn't impressed by her antics and remained indifferent.
After seeing that Cheng Xiao was immune to tickling, Xiao Wu could only pout and go to sleep.
But it was only after Xiao Wu fell asleep that Cheng Xiao had trouble sleeping, because when she fell asleep, she…
...The journey of 400 miles wasn't too long nor too short. After leaving Nuoding City, it was noon the next day when the four finally arrived at their destination—the Soul Hunting Forest.
After catching up on sleep in the carriage, Cheng Xiao followed Headmaster Ma off the vehicle, hearing various sounds around him.
"Soul hunting orders! Group forming to hunt a century-old soul beast. Any soul master needing a soul ring, come take a look!"
"Hunting a strength-type soul beast. Seven-man team, need an order. Ten gold soul coins."
Similar cries echoed from all directions, and Cheng Xiao started to get a rough understanding of the Soul Hunting Forest.
It was more like a game dungeon in an online game, with these shouting soul masters behaving much like mercenaries.
The marketplace was bustling, but Cheng Xiao and his companions quickly walked out of the crowd. As they saw the vast forest ahead, for some reason, Cheng Xiao's heart began to pound. A familiar feeling surged within him.
"The shadow power within me is surging. Is this the same sensation Sung Jin Woo experienced when leveling up in the dungeon?" Cheng Xiao wondered.
He was different from Sung Jin Woo, who had a system created by the Designer, helping him adapt to the Shadow Monarch's power in a way akin to a game. That system itself was a manifestation of the Shadow Monarch's power.
As for Cheng Xiao, because the Designer who created the system had already died, the Shadow Monarch chose another method, storing its power within Cheng Xiao's body. As he grew stronger and gained levels, the shadow power within him would gradually be released, becoming his own strength.
The outer perimeter of the Soul Hunting Forest was surrounded by a massive steel fence, towering over ten meters high, and looking incredibly sturdy.
Outside the fence, over a hundred soldiers patrolled, guarding the empire's soul beast preserve—the Soul Hunting Forest.
"Let's go." At the entrance to the forest, Headmaster Ma handed a token to one of the guards. The black token had a strange design engraved on it, made up of three distinct symbols: a sword in the center, with a hammer on one side and a dragon on the other.
The soldier confirmed the validity of the token and immediately ordered his men to open a path, allowing Cheng Xiao and the others into the forest.
Upon entering the Soul Hunting Forest, the master's previously weary eyes suddenly brightened. He formed a seal with his hands in front of his chest, "Come out! Luo San Pao!"
Two yellow soul rings rose from beneath the master's feet, followed by a surge of soul power from his body. With a flash of purple light, a creature that looked like a cross between a pig and a dog appeared before them.
Luo San Pao had light purple fur, drooping ears, and deep blue eyes that stared into the depths of the forest. Its chubby, ungainly body made it seem clumsy, and its appearance was distinctly different from that of an ordinary dog. If one had to name it, it would definitely be a cross between a pig and a dog—a pig-dog.
"Master, your martial soul is really unique. It can even exist outside your body." Cheng Xiao squatted down, petted Luo San Pao's head, and smiled at the master.
"My martial soul mutated, and unfortunately, it was in a bad direction." The master shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. If it weren't for his innate soul power being less than half a rank, he wouldn't have walked so far down the path of martial soul research.
But it was fine. He had accepted a genius disciple with innate full soul power, and a twin martial soul at that. As long as he could cultivate Tang San into a powerhouse, who would dare look down on him, Yu Xiaogang, in the future?
"Cheng Xiao, the master's martial soul is indeed special. In a way, the master is also a rare genius, but life is unpredictable," Headmaster Ma sighed. He felt deep regret about his friend's martial soul.
"Alright, let's not talk about my martial soul anymore." The master's expression turned serious. "Let's focus on hunting soul beasts. Finding a soul beast that matches one's martial soul is no easy task."
With that, the master gave an order to Luo San Pao.
"Luo San Pao, lead the way."