Chapter 23: Tianshui Academy, Shui Bing'er
In the outer zone of the Star Dou Forest, the soul beasts are mostly below ten thousand years old. Soul beasts with a cultivation under ten thousand years usually have very low intelligence. When they sense a terrifying presence, they are quick to run away in fear, which easily causes a soul beast tide.
If, at that moment, humans were hunting soul beasts nearby, they could easily lose their lives.
Although Ye Wen had become a soul beast, he would not recklessly harm others.
"Alright, Boss, let's head back then," said the Titan Giant Ape.
"Mm, go ahead," Ye Wen nodded.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Titan Giant Ape returned to the Life Lake, while Ye Wen, Xie Hu, and Xiao Bai planned to leave the Star Dou Forest quickly in their human forms.
The appearance of the Titan Giant Ape had caused a small soul beast tide in the outer zone.
Although they avoided the tide, many soul beasts were fleeing from their territories, making them easy to encounter.
Normally, soul beasts have fixed territories, especially carnivorous ones. They don't easily leave their land and will only hunt within their area. But now, with many beasts moving, the chances of encountering them increased.
Ye Wen and his group had already dealt with several thousand-year soul beasts. With their human forms, they had soul bones, making it possible to handle those.
Unexpectedly, they encountered a ten-thousand-year soul beast in the outer zone!
It was a bear, a recently upgraded Furious Magic Bear, now at the ten-thousand-year level.
"Roar!!"
The Furious Magic Bear blocked their way, roaring loudly.
"Looks like we're a bit unlucky. To meet a ten-thousand-year soul beast in the outer zone," Ye Wen shrugged helplessly.
The outer zone had ten-thousand-year beasts, but they were rare and hard to come by.
"I'll take care of it," Xiao Bai said, preparing to take action and switching into half-human form.
At this moment, Ye Wen suddenly called out, "Wait! Someone's coming!"
"Third Soul Skill, Ice Scorpion Seal!"
Sssss!
A woman dressed in a light blue gown rushed toward them, and the ground quickly froze, freezing the Furious Magic Bear in place.
Behind her, two girls appeared, one about 11 years old and the other close to 10.
The younger girl, almost ten, had a slight hint of womanhood. Her body seemed to be in the early stages of development. Though her figure wasn't great—after all, a 10-year-old girl's figure can't be that good—she was quite pretty. She had long blue hair flowing over her shoulders, fair skin, and delicate features. Though not exceptionally stunning, her beauty revealed itself upon closer inspection, a subtle beauty that grew more appealing the longer you looked.
"It's her," Ye Wen recognized the girl, and it was Shui Bing'er, the beauty from one of the Five Elements Academies, Tianshui Academy.
"Why are you three still standing there? Come over here!" the woman, who had frozen the Furious Magic Bear, called out.
Ye Wen, Xie Hu, and Xiao Bai quickly jogged over to stand behind her.
"Roar!"
At this moment, the Furious Magic Bear broke free from the ice and charged toward the woman.
The woman was Shui Xiu Zhen, the strongest teacher at Tianshui Academy. She was a 71st-level attack-type soul master with the high-quality martial soul Ice Scorpion.
Not fearing the ten-thousand-year soul beast, Shui Xiu Zhen released her soul skill again: "Fifth Soul Skill, Ice Scorpion's Fury!"
A giant Ice Scorpion, formed from soul power, rushed toward the Furious Magic Bear, and wherever it passed, the surroundings froze.
Boom!
The Furious Magic Bear was severely injured by the blow and, realizing it couldn't win, cleverly turned around and fled.
Shui Xiu Zhen didn't pursue. Her goal was to save Ye Wen and his group.
"Are you all okay?"
Shui Xiu Zhen withdrew her power and approached Ye Wen and his group. Shui Bing'er and another Tianshui Academy student came over, eyeing the three six-year-olds curiously, with many questions in their minds.
"We're fine. Thanks for your help, senior," Ye Wen cupped his hands in gratitude.
"Look at you three. You must be around the age where you've just awakened your martial souls, right? How did you end up in the Star Dou Forest? Where are the adults accompanying you?" Shui Xiu Zhen interrogated.
Usually, if young kids came here, they would be accompanied by a soul master adult.
Ye Wen understood this, so he quickly thought of an excuse. "Our instructor brought us to the Star Dou Forest to obtain soul rings. However, we unexpectedly encountered a soul beast tide. My teacher, in trying to protect us, unfortunately... died."
After saying this, Ye Wen quickly gestured to Xie Hu and Xiao Bai.
Xie Hu and Xiao Bai instantly understood.
Xie Hu said emotionlessly, "Yes! Our teacher died!"
Ye Wen couldn't help but roll his eyes inwardly, thinking, "Xie Hu, could you be any worse at acting?"
Xiao Bai, however, was exceptional. Tears flowed down her face as she cried out, "Our instructor, he sacrificed himself to protect us. He died in the hands of those soul beasts. Waaahhhh~"
"We were orphans, and our teacher was our only family. Now... now we have no one left!" Xiao Bai cried pitifully.
"Little girl, don't cry, don't cry."
"Sister doesn't know how to comfort you, but I believe you'll be okay soon."
Xiao Bai's acting was so impressive that Shui Bing'er and the others were completely convinced. They surrounded Xiao Bai, comforting her with great sympathy.
Xie Hu was left dumbfounded.
Ye Wen's lips twitched. This acting was way too good.
Good grief, I almost believed it myself! Xiao Bai, you're really something!
"Teacher, they're so pitiful. Let's take them back to Tianshui Academy," Shui Bing'er said, looking heartbroken as she hugged Xiao Bai.
Shui Xiu Zhen shook her head. "Tianshui Academy only accepts girls, and only those who are soul masters with the Water and Ice elements. Even I, as a teacher, can't make exceptions. However, I can help them find a place at the academy to study."
"Tianshui Academy? Seems like a good choice," Ye Wen thought as he listened to their conversation.
His soul was no longer a child's, and he carried the memories of the Sea Soul Beast King. But he was still unfamiliar with much of the human world on Douluo Continent—the culture, knowledge, history, various things, and soul beasts. He didn't know much about different soul beast species, their traits, and various plants or plant-based soul beasts.
To truly understand the human world of Douluo Continent, there were many things that couldn't be learned just from novels or TV shows.
For this reason, Ye Wen thought it might be beneficial to join a soul master academy to learn more about the world and to better blend into the human world.
Joining an academy was part of his plan, but it definitely wouldn't be Tianshui Academy.
(END CHAPTER)
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