Chapter 22: Set off to find the soul ring

"Master, what brings you here?" The noisy dormitory had suddenly fallen into an eerie silence as everyone turned their attention to the master. The master's presence on the bedroom floor was an extraordinary occurrence.

"We were just discussing the incident involving the Director of Politics and Education, so everyone woke up early," Qin Feng replied, scratching the back of his head with a smile.

"Ah, the Director of Politics and Education was beaten?" The master seemed genuinely surprised. He had overheard students discussing a similar topic when he came downstairs, but it hadn't piqued his interest.

For the master, he was merely a guest who partook in the college's hospitality. The internal matters of the college held little importance to him. If it weren't for Xiaosan and Xiaofeng, he would have never set foot on the bedroom floor.

"I heard that the Director of Politics and Education got quite a thrashing, but I have no idea who did it," Wang Sheng and some of the other students chimed in, trying to provide some details.

However, the master's interest in the matter seemed limited. After a brief pause, he shifted the conversation and directed Qin Feng and Tang San outside, where a waiting carriage stood just beyond the school gate. It was a vehicle master had arranged for their journey.

"Let's use this opportunity to impart some knowledge to you about Soul Beasts," the master said as they settled into the carriage.

Both Qin Feng and Tang San nodded eagerly.

"This time, we're headed to the Soul Hunting Forest. It's the primary hunting and beast-training ground for Soul Masters from Notting College and the surrounding cities. There, you'll find Soul Beasts of varying levels."

The master continued, "You can typically distinguish these Soul Beasts by the color of their soul power during their attacks, which corresponds to the color of their soul rings. For instance, Soul Beasts with less than 100 years of cultivation have white soul rings, those between 100 and 999 years have yellow soul rings, and those over a thousand years have purple soul rings. Soul Beasts with over ten thousand years of cultivation possess black soul rings. During this expedition, our primary targets are those with white and yellow soul rings."

...

The journey continued, marked by conversations and the rhythmic sounds of the carriage wheels against the terrain.

"Phew..."

"Hoo..."

...

Suddenly, a jolt caused the carriage to shake, and Qin Feng and Tang San, who had dozed off, nearly tumbled.

Startled, they opened their eyes to find the master's stern gaze fixed upon them. "Why do the two of you look so tired? Didn't you get any sleep last night?" The master inquired, seemingly perturbed.

He had spent over half an hour explaining various details, only to find his pupils snoring away once he retired for a brief rest. For anyone else, this might have sparked anger.

Dismissing his students and their sleepiness, the master decided to let them rest.

It was clear that these two children didn't harbor the same level of scorn or amusement as adults might when faced with such teachings. The mentality of children was different, and perhaps they were genuinely tired.

"No, teacher, please continue," Tang San insisted, shaking his head.

Qin Feng, now awake, had almost been using Tang San as a pillow during his slumber.

"It's alright. I can see you're both struggling to keep your eyes open, and it won't do any good to lecture you in this state. You should rest and I'll fill you in on the essentials later," the master said with a sigh. He realized that trying to teach sleep-deprived students was futile.

"Ah... Alright, then we'll take a short break," Tang San agreed, and within minutes, he was back to sleep. He had struggled to keep his eyes open earlier due to the master's serious lecture, but now he was able to lie down and sleep comfortably.

The carriage continued its journey on the uneven terrain, and Qin Feng and Tang San slept soundly, one after the other, in the cramped space.

The master, on the other hand, quietly took out a book and immersed himself in reading.

Time passed unnoticed until the carriage came to a halt.

"Are we here?" Qin Feng asked groggily, his eyes half-lidded.

"Yes, we've arrived at the market within the Hunting Forest," the master confirmed.

Qin Feng and Tang San got off the carriage, their sleepiness lingering.

"Carriages are not permitted in this market, so we'll have to walk from here," the master informed them, leading the way.

Qin Feng and Tang San followed closely, entering a place bustling with people. The streets were filled with the strange sounds of unfamiliar languages.

"Teacher, what are these people doing? What's a 'food department soulmate team'?" Tang San asked, perplexed by the unfamiliar terms and activities around him.

"These people are forming temporary groups with other soul masters to hunt soul beasts together," Qin Feng explained casually. "You see, when hunting soul beasts, there are often specialized roles.

The basic team composition usually includes five divisions: the Food Division for provisioning, the Healing Division for state and soul power recovery, the Agility Division for scouting, the Defense Division for resistance, and the Attack Division for combat."

The master, however, couldn't hide a hint of disdain in his eyes when he mentioned these team members.

Tang San, curious as ever, asked, "Why don't we form a team to hunt soul beasts together? Wouldn't that increase our chances of success?"

The master's expression shifted as they entered the Hunting Forest, and he explained, "The forest holds its own dangers. While teamwork can be beneficial, it doesn't guarantee safety. Sometimes, it's best to rely on your own abilities."

"That's a thoughtful question. Teamwork can indeed increase your chances of success, but these impromptu teams can be quite unreliable. When danger strikes, slower-moving Soul Masters can become easy prey for Soul Beasts. So, if you ever consider forming a team, trust and the ability to rely on each other's backs are more critical than sheer strength," the master explained with sincerity.

Tang San nodded in understanding. It made sense; without trust, temporary teams were like shifting sands, unstable and unpredictable.

"Alright, let's go and get some provisions. We're going to be out there for a while," the master suggested. Finding Soul Beasts wasn't a quick task, and even with luck, it could take a day or two. So, they needed to make sure they were well-prepared.

"Understood," Qin Feng and Tang San replied in unison.

Together, they scoured the market for supplies. After more than half an hour, they arrived at a gate guarded by heavily-armed soldiers—the entrance to the Hunting Forest.