Zhou Qing and Tang San, having taken leave from class, returned to Dorm Seven to pack a change of clothes each, then left the dormitory, planning to head to the Notting Guild to post a task and see if any spirit master teams were willing to accept their mission.
Just as they stepped out of the dorm, Xiao Wu walked up to them, her expression downcast. "Do you really have to go get your spirit rings?"
"Do you feel sorry for spirit beasts?" Zhou Qing asked in return.
"No! Not at all! Don't say that!" Xiao Wu waved her hands, flustered. "I just… just think that some spirit beasts are very cute. Like, the Soft Bone Rabbit."
"This has nothing to do with whether they're cute or not. Without a spirit beast's ring, a spirit master cannot grow stronger," Zhou Qing said calmly. "And if humans don't have power, they'll be hunted by spirit beasts. Their immense strength can bring great harm to us. Except for a very small number of ten-year spirit beasts that can be tamed, the vast majority even herbivores possess powers far more dangerous than normal tigers or wolves."
"So—"
"If you sympathize with spirit beasts, consider this: when humans are weak, they become food for spirit beasts."
With that, Zhou Qing and Tang San walked past Xiao Wu toward the front gate of Notting Academy.
"She really doesn't seem like someone from a small village," Tang San said quietly. "She's a bit too naïve. Could she actually be a noble's daughter?"
"She just hasn't figured out who she really is yet."
Zhou Qing had already realized from their close interaction yesterday that after taking human form, Xiao Wu's body was essentially indistinguishable from a human's definitely not just an illusion.
In truth, spirit beasts who chose to take human form and start cultivating anew, for whatever reason, had already distanced themselves from their original kind. The act of forming a self-generated spirit ring was likely part of a process to strip away everything beastly about them.
"Doesn't know who she is?" Tang San didn't quite grasp Zhou Qing's meaning and simply chalked Xiao Wu's behavior up to being overly sentimental. "Kids like us who mature early are rare."
"Wait up!"
Xiao Wu caught up. "I'm coming too."
"What for?"
"I said I wanted to become an adventurer, remember? I'm going to the Notting Guild to register as one." Xiao Wu had her reasons, but more than that, she instinctively knew she had to get used to killing spirit beasts. To avenge her mother who had been killed by someone powerful she too needed strength. She could condense her first six spirit rings herself, but the seventh would have to be obtained from a spirit beast.
If she didn't grow accustomed to killing them now, even if she found the murderer later, she wouldn't be able to take revenge.
In the original story, Xiao Wu was largely sheltered by Tang San and her playful nature suppressed the vengeful thoughts in her heart.
But now, without sharing a bed or being treated as a little sister by Tang San, and with the academy's work-study tasks to do on her own, that desire for revenge was starting to take over even more so than her carefree spirit… though who knew how long it would last?
"Then come along," Zhou Qing agreed.
The three left Notting Academy, asked for directions, and made their way to the Notting Guild located in the city's northern district.
The Notting Guild sat at the edge of the city near the walls—convenient for spirit masters who took patrol or inspection tasks.
The guild wasn't big—more like a bar from Zhou Qing's past life.
When he pushed the door open, a lively tavern-like scene greeted them.
Aside from the path leading to the mission counter, wooden tables filled the room. Adventurers of all sorts were eating, drinking, and gambling, creating a raucous atmosphere.
But judging from the spirit energy subtly leaking off them, none seemed to have reached the twentieth level.
"It's really lively in here," Xiao Wu said softly, shrinking a bit in the face of so many adults, her rabbit instincts making her slightly timid.
Zhou Qing found the scene familiar and even a bit nostalgic. He approached the front counter and looked up at the receptionist in black-trimmed white robes. "Hello, beautiful big sister. We want to post a mission to hunt spirit beasts and get our spirit rings. What procedures do we need to follow?"
"Little ones, have you both reached the tenth level of spirit power?" the receptionist asked.
"Yes. We're both from small villages, born with full innate spirit power. Here are our spirit soul certificates." Zhou Qing handed over their documents, and so did Tang San.
When the surrounding adventurers heard "innate full spirit power," many turned to look. Some were intrigued, but still waited to see more.
"Seems legit... though your martial souls..." The receptionist saw the words "Blue Silver Grass" and "Heart" and looked a bit regretful, but didn't read them aloud to avoid embarrassing the boys.
"Martial souls aren't a problem. I'm something of a self-proclaimed theory expert. I've already planned out our first spirit ring choices," Zhou Qing said with a smile. "Beautiful big sister, can you tell us how to post a task? We've saved up thirty-six gold spirit coins—our families scraped them together over time."
He took out a cloth pouch and poured the coins onto the counter.
The receptionist picked one up, checked the date, and said, "Over two hundred years old… Looks like these really were passed down over generations."
She pulled out a form. "What kind of spirit beasts are you each targeting? Different beasts have different difficulty levels, and the task fee varies. I'll give you estimates, but you set the final payment."
"His first ring will be from Wolf Bristle Grass—300 to 400 years old," Zhou Qing replied. "I checked the latest Notting Academy records. There's a patch of them in the nearby hunting forest. Since Notting has had few plant-type spirit masters over the last two hundred years, that area should still have them."
Zhou Qing had considered better options like Lightning-struck Wood and Thousand-root Banyan, but none were in Notting's local forest.
They were too young to travel far, let alone to places like Star Dou Forest.
So, they settled for Wolf Bristle Grass.
Tang San actually liked this choice. Its ability to store life energy could protect the heart and boost future soul skills very practical.
Especially the heart-protection part, which he valued deeply.
Compared to his martial soul, Tang San still prioritized his Xuantian Technique training. With that ability, he could start breaking through more meridians and increase his cultivation speed.
"A hundred-year beast, huh? That'll cost a bit more. But Wolf Bristle Grass doesn't attack, so the only danger is other beasts in the forest. Usually, fifty gold spirit coins is enough," the receptionist smiled. "Normally, hunting a hundred-year beast costs over a hundred coins."
"We only have thirty-six. Would ten coins be enough?" Zhou Qing asked.
"Technically yes, but no one might take the job."
She explained that two coins would go to the guild as commission, leaving eight as the reward for the hired spirit master.
"And you?" she asked Zhou Qing.
"My first ring will be from a Moo Spring Ox—same forest, same age range."
"Moo Spring Oxes are gentle but tough, strong, and have dangerous horns. Usually, that's a two-hundred-coin job. But you only have twenty-six..."
"How about twenty-five? We'll save one coin just in case," Zhou Qing bargained.
"Fine. Five coins go to the guild, twenty to the task-taker." She noted it down and returned one coin.
(So the guild takes a 20% commission?) Zhou Qing noted mentally.
The receptionist then pinned their mission slips onto the board.
"Thank you, big sister," Zhou Qing smiled. "What's your name?"
"I'm Alice. You can call me Miss Alice," she replied sweetly.
"I want to register as an adventurer," Xiao Wu suddenly said, handing over her spirit soul certificate.
"Innate full spirit power again?" Alice was surprised, but then frowned. "But without a spirit ring, you can't register..."
Before she finished, Xiao Wu activated her martial soul rabbit ears sprouted from her head, and a fluffy white tail appeared.
Most shocking of all, a yellow spirit ring about 400 years old floated beside her.
The entire guild fell silent.
Even though many there were spirit masters, almost all had white rings. Only a rare few had hundred-year ones.
A little girl with a hundred-year ring? They couldn't believe it.
Many assumed she came from a powerful background only a major clan could help someone so young get such a ring.
Some even started to think Zhou Qing and Tang San were also from such a background perhaps sent to this small city to "taste hardship" while being secretly protected by a powerhouse.
Several adventurers began considering befriending them.
"No problem now, right?" Xiao Wu grinned.
"No... none at all," Alice snapped back to attention and registered Xiao Wu, "but there's a one gold coin fee."
"So expensive?" Xiao Wu frowned she only had one bronze coin, and that was borrowed from Zhou Qing.
"It's for a special adventurer ID card," Alice explained, producing a brown card. "This card records your coin balance and works across the Douluo Continent's banks. With it, most adventurers don't need other bank cards."
(Wow, Douluo Continent is kind of advanced in some ways...), Zhou Qing thought.
Tang San nudged him. "This must be a soul tool too, right?"
"Yes," Alice answered for them. "These soul cards are a type of soul tool, but much cheaper than others."
"Zhou Qing, you still have a coin, right? Lend it to me. I'll pay you back," Xiao Wu said.
"Sure," Zhou Qing handed it over. "Now that you're officially a spirit master, you can register at the Spirit Hall and get one gold coin per month."
"Really?" Her eyes lit up, but she didn't return the borrowed coin. "I'll pay you next month then."
"All done—here's your adventurer card." Alice slid the card into a soul tool similar to a cash register and infused it with spirit power. Xiao Wu faced a camera-like lens. Her card activated, displaying her portrait.
"So cool..." she murmured.
Tang San was itching to study the device's internal structure.
But Alice said firmly, "Sorry, these are not for sale."
"How do you deposit spirit coins?" Zhou Qing asked.
Alice patiently explained: "At any guild or bank, give your money to the staff. Then insert your card, input the number, inject spirit power, and confirm. The card stores your balance."
"Withdrawals work the same way."
"These machines aren't sold, and even royalty can't control them. There was a time in Heaven Dou Empire's history when coin inflation spiked the silver to gold ratio reached 100:1, disrupting trade across the continent."
"The Spirit Hall intervened, working with both empires to restore the 10:1 ratio. Since then, only trusted individuals, who belong to no faction and have high moral standing, can operate these machines."
"So that's how it is." Zhou Qing mused.
Even in a world with supernatural powers, if the economy breaks down, fists alone can't fix it...
"Can I take on missions now?" Xiao Wu asked eagerly.
"Yes," Alice gestured to the mission board with a warm smile. "They're all posted there. Please choose, honored spirit master."
"She's not really gonna..." Tang San had a feeling—
Sure enough!
Xiao Wu reached out for the task slip with Zhou Qing and Tang San's names...