After Returning to the Dormitory
Tang Yin had barely flopped down onto his bed when a blur of pink and fury leapt at him.
"You!!" Xiao Wu shouted, pinning him down with surprising strength for someone so petite. "You're the brother of that hateful Tang San, right? Why is he always staring at me and—eating rabbit meat?!"
Her big ruby eyes glistened with frustration, and it looked like tears might spill any second.
Tang Yin froze for a beat, then burst into laughter. "Whoa there, wild bunny! Stop for me!"
He immediately switched to damage control, gently coaxing her with jokes and tickles, trying to cheer her up. Xiao Wu squirmed, trying to look mad, but her pout gave way to reluctant giggles.
After a while, Tang Yin grinned and looked into her sparkly eyes. "Actually, Bunny, I'm heading to the Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow with Grandmaster to get tang san a soul ring. Can I count on you to cover my cleaning duties for some days?"
Xiao Wu raised a brow, then smirked mischievously. "I can... but only if you take me on a grand tour of Nuoding City this weekend!"
Tang Yin chuckled, unable to resist poking her puffed-up cheeks. "Deal."
And with that, the two quietly drifted off to sleep—fingers intertwined, hearts a little closer than before.
Next Morning – Departure
A pale mist still clung to the ancient stone walls of Nuoding Soul Master Academy. From the courtyard, a young boy emerged—Tang Yin—yawning and rubbing his eyes, the standard gray robes of a working student hanging loosely from his shoulders.
On the road ahead, Tang San was already marching with purpose toward the gate, practically glowing with anticipation.
Waiting at the gate, arms folded and face grave, stood the clown Yu Xiaogang.
"You're early," the Grandmaster said, glancing dramatically at the cloudy sky. "Good. A Soul Master's journey doesn't wait for the sun."
Tang San bowed respectfully. "Teacher, I'm ready."
Tang Yin, still half-asleep, Tang yin didn't give a flying fuck and stared blankly. While feigning drowsiness, he was already using his telepathy to locate Tang Hao in the surrounding area.
Without further exchange, the three boarded a horse cart and began their journey toward the Soul Hunting Forest.
Inside the Horse Cart
The wooden wheels creaked over the damp trail, echoing through the quiet morning forest. Tang San sat cross-legged, cultivating silently. Yu Xiaogang sat across from him, watching for a while before finally breaking the silence.
"Tang San."
"Yes, Teacher?" he replied, opening his eyes.
The Grandmaster reached into a chest and retrieved a pristine white belt with intricate moonlight patterns and twenty-four tiny jade plates, each glowing faintly.
"This is for you."
Tang San took it without hesitation, running his fingers over the belt. The jade plates shimmered with gentle luster.
"This is… a soul tool?" he asked in awe.
Yu Xiaogang nodded. "The Twenty-Four Bridge Moonlit Night Belt. A storage-type soul tool. Each jade piece contains one cubic meter of space—perfect for a control-type like you."
Tang San blinked, confused. "Only twenty-four cubic meters? That's kind of small… Doesn't really suit my style. I think it's more fitting for someone like... Tang Yin."
Yu Xiaogang was stunned for a moment, but before he could speak, Tang Yin had already suggested the idea into his mind using subtle mental telepathy.
The Grandmaster turned to Tang Yin and gave a firm nod. "Very well. Utilize it well and don't disappoint me."
Tang Yin beamed shamelessly. "Haha, thank you, Grandmaster! You're so generous!"
He immediately strapped the belt around his waist beneath his robe and tapped it proudly. "Ooh, sleek and functional."
Arriving at the Soul Hunting Forest
As the cart rolled to a stop near the forest gates, the trio stepped out. The area buzzed with activity. Soul masters of all kinds were hawking goods—spirit beast meat, soul weapons, cheap herbs. Others shouted out offers for soul ring escort services, trying to snag rich clients.
Yu Xiaogang strode forward with pride, pulling out a high-ranking Spirit Hall badge from his robes and flashing it with casual arrogance. The guards quickly let them pass without a word.
The Soul Hunting Forest loomed ahead—ancient trees rising like sentinels, shadows dancing beneath their branches.
Tang Yin narrowed his eyes, instincts tingling.
Even if he knew the low-level soul beasts inside couldn't kill him, there was still a strange fear of the unknown