Meanwhile, within the academy!
The members of the Spirit Hall Golden Generation were all awake...
Evil Moon rubbed his tired cheeks, "I don't know why, but I really didn't sleep well last night."
Flame, sporting panda eyes, mumbled, "Me too, it doesn't make sense. Could it be we were really scared yesterday?"
Hulena glanced at the two of them and said, "Maybe that's not the reason. Oh, I almost forgot something."
"Yesterday, Xu Sheng and Elder Gui went deep into Aquipeia Forest to capture soul beasts for us. I don't know if they returned safely!"
With that, a deep worry spread across her face...
Evil Moon raised an eyebrow, "For these kinds of things, wouldn't it be enough to just ask a Spirit Hall guard?"
Flame nodded in agreement, "Evil Moon's right. Xu Sheng and Elder Gui might have returned and are resting. After all, it's just a few thousand-year soul beasts, it shouldn't be a big deal for them."
Upon hearing this, Hulena snapped back to reality...
She then stepped towards the guard responsible for watching outside the academy...
"I ask you, have Elder Gui and Xu... His Highness the Holy Son returned to the Pope Hall?"
The guard responded almost without hesitation, "Returning to you, Your Highness the Holy Daughter, His Highness the Holy Son and Elder Gui returned not long ago. I believe they are now inside the hall talking with Your Holiness the Pope!"
Hulena finally breathed a sigh of relief, "Phew... So they have returned from the Aquipeia Forest, that's good!"
The guard added, "By the way, Your Highness the Holy Daughter, Elder Gui and His Highness the Holy Son seemed to have brought back some soul beasts, probably related to your soul rings!!"
Hulena nodded slightly, "I see, thank you!"
The guard seemed flattered, "Your Highness the Holy Daughter, you're too kind, it's my duty."
After returning, Evil Moon curiously asked, "Nana, what did that guard say?"
Hulena truthfully replied, "He said Xu Sheng and Elder Gui returned to the Pope Hall not long ago, and they brought back some soul beasts!!"
Hearing this, Flame exclaimed excitedly, "Soul beasts? Doesn't that mean we can finally absorb the suitable soul rings and break through today??"
They had searched the Aquipeia Forest for so long without finding suitable soul beasts!
But Xu Sheng and Elder Gui managed to handle it so easily!
Yet next moment, he furrowed his brow, "But I wonder about the soul beasts they captured, what if they're not suitable..."
Evil Moon rolled his eyes at him, "You really are greedy."
"But you can rest assured for sure. I'm confident the soul beasts Elder Gui and Xu Sheng caught for us are not only top-notch, but also match our Martial Souls better."
Given Xu Sheng's experience and knowledge, the soul beasts he casually caught are likely far better suited than what we could catch ourselves!
Flame scratched his head awkwardly, "Hehe, that's true. If it were someone else, I might have doubts, but with Xu Sheng, it doesn't surprise me!"
Just then, Gui Mei's figure appeared beside them without warning...
And along with him, several soul beasts fell from the sky, crashing onto the ground...
They were battered and barely breathing, clearly unlikely to survive much longer!
After looking at Hulena and the others, Gui Mei said with surprise, "Your Highness the Holy Daughter, it seems you've woken up, although you didn't rest well last night."
Hulena didn't deny it, patiently explaining, "Elder Gui, last night, you and Xu Sheng were still deep in the Aquipeia Forest capturing soul beasts for us. How could we rest easy?"
"But it seems everything went smoothly, right?!"
Hearing this, Gui Mei's expression turned strange...
Smoothly?
Well, it did go smoothly, there were no attacks from abyssal creatures or powerful foes!
It just took unnecessarily long!!
If he hadn't later realized Xu Sheng's true intentions, he might have gone crazy!
Evil Moon and Flame seemed to notice something...
Cautiously asking, "Elder Gui, could it be something happened last night that we don't know about?"
Could it be something unpleasant happened in the Aquipeia Forest?
Otherwise, why was Gui Mei's expression so odd earlier!
Gui Mei shook his head without much explanation, "You are overthinking, nothing happened yesterday."
"Alright, enough about that, have a look at these soul beasts here on the ground, they don't have much time left!"
Seeing Gui Mei didn't want to dwell on the topic, Hulena and the others wisely refrained from asking further...
They all focused their attention on the soul beasts...
Upon closer look, Flame couldn't help clicking his tongue, "Hiss... these soul beasts are in such a pitiful state. What kind of torment did they endure?"
Evil Moon pursed his lips, "Hmm, I just sensed it, their meridians and bones are nearly all broken, not a single healthy spot on them. Surviving truly is a miracle."
Hulena was a bit uncomfortable but didn't know what to say...
Noting everyone's thoughts, Gui Mei coughed into his hand, "Ahem, there's no choice. You know thousand-year soul beasts don't surrender easily. Capturing them without killing is very difficult!"
"So we had to break their limbs to bring them back. The methods were violent, but it worked, and they don't have to lose their lives!"
Hulena took a deep breath, "Elder Gui, no need to explain, it's all so we can absorb suitable soul rings!"
Flame and Evil Moon nodded, clearly not finding fault with Gui Mei's methods...
They were merely taken by the miserable state of the soul beasts...
If it led to a misunderstanding with Elder Gui, that wouldn't be good, as the journey to becoming a Soul Master meant soul beasts had to be sacrificed!!
Gui Mei nodded slightly, "It's good that you understand. But these soul beasts don't have long, deal with them quickly."
"I will stand guard here for you as protector!"
Hulena and the others exchanged glances and said no more, instantly releasing their Martial Souls and delivering swift blows to the soul beasts...
As the soul beasts died, three thousand-year soul rings quietly emerged...
They immediately sat cross-legged, each releasing Soul Power, guiding a soul ring for absorption...
Watching this scene, Gui Mei didn't dare relax for a moment...
"Although the age of these thousand-year soul rings is a bit high, given the strengths of Your Highness the Holy Daughter and the others, absorption shouldn't be risky, right?"
Hmm... there should be no problems!
After all, these were the most suitable soul rings carefully chosen by Xu Sheng!!
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