44: Chapter 44 begins the hunt for soul beasts.

Tang San looked at Xiao Wu's sparkling eyes, which were staring straight at them. The strange feeling in his heart lingered, but he did not refuse, merely nodding slightly to agree.

Xiao Wu was instantly overjoyed, and the System's notification sounded in her mind once again.

"Ding! The host has initially gained the favor of two targets. SSS-Rank target Tang San's strategy progress is 5%, and SSS-Rank target Lin Yue's strategy progress is 8%! Please keep up the good work, Host. Unlock more strategy targets and gain more devoted followers!"

Xiao Wu clenched her little fist secretly. To resurrect her mother, become strong and ascend to godhood, and establish a firm foothold in this World, she had to rely on these Geniuses!

Forget about being omnivorous regarding gender or species; she was determined to firmly grasp the top Geniuses and powerhouses of the entire continent in her own hands!

Meanwhile, Tang San and Lin Yue were completely unaware that they had just dodged Yu Xiaogang's schemes, only to turn around and fall straight into Xiao Wu's scumbag-girl strategy net.

The original plot trajectory that belonged to them had, from this moment on, completely veered off into an unknown direction.

Even the culprit, Qian Chongguang, did not know to what extent this plot would deviate.

The news that three Geniuses with Innate Full Spirit Power had gathered at Nuoding Academy spread throughout the entire campus in less than half a day, and even the surrounding towns had heard of it.

The Dean looked at the report sent by the Academic Affairs Office and grinned from ear to ear, unable to suppress his pride even after drinking three pots of good tea.

After running the academy for decades, he had finally struck gold—and three at once!

The only thing that made him hesitate was the fear that these three children with top-tier talent would get together, be young and arrogant, refuse to yield to each other, and cause chaos by fighting.

However, after observing them secretly for two days, he felt completely at ease.

Tang San had a steady personality and was meticulous, never causing trouble; Lin Yue was spirited and straightforward, and although she had a temper, she was reasonable; Xiao Wu was even more of a social butterfly, sticking to them like a little tail every day, calling them "sister" and "brother," coaxing them until they were all smiles. Far from having conflicts, the three of them hadn't even had a single argument, and they got along exceptionally well.

Little did he know, Xiao Wu's little abacus was clicking loudly in her heart.

These past two days, she had relied on acting cute, acting spoiled, and occasionally playing the "hero saving the beauty."

For example, helping Tang San block students who accidentally bumped into him, or helping Lin Yue carry her spear training gear—her strategy progress kept rising, and the System's reward notifications never stopped.

This afternoon, just as the three of them walked into the academy cafeteria, they were caught red-handed by the Dean.

The Dean was wearing a proper robe with a kind smile on his face. He walked straight to their table and sat down, not beating around the bush, and got straight to the point: "Tang San, Lin Yue, Xiao Wu, I came here today to talk to you about your spirit rings."

He paused, his tone full of seriousness: "Tang San, you have Innate Full Spirit Power, and your Blue Silver Grass Spirit urgently needs a first spirit ring to unlock its abilities. Lin Yue, you are already a Spirit Master above Rank 10, your hundred-year first spirit ring is already stable, and you can look ahead to a suitable Spirit Beast for your second spirit ring. Once you reach the Breakthrough to Rank 20 Spirit Grandmaster, you can use it immediately. Xiao Wu, you also have Innate Full Spirit Power and a Soft Bones Rabbit Spirit, and you also need a suitable first spirit ring. You three are the treasures of our academy. After much thought, I have decided to lead the team myself to take you to the Hunting Forest to help you hunt the most suitable Spirit Beasts."

As soon as he said this, Tang San was the first to react.

He nodded slightly and agreed without the slightest hesitation: "Thank you for your trouble, Dean."

He knew clearly in his heart that since the Dean valued him so much, he would definitely pick the most suitable and highest-quality Spirit Beast for him. It was much better than him searching blindly, and far more reliable than following that liar Yu Xiaogang.

Lin Yue's eyes instantly lit up, and she slapped the table: "Great! I was just worrying about not having a place to test actual combat! Dean, I'll go with you! It's perfect to see if there are any suitable targets for a second spirit ring. Even if I don't hunt one for now, I can practice and familiarize myself with the combat usage of the war spear!"

Her Battle Mage template had long unlocked basic skills, but aside from stabbing trees in the backyard, she had never fought a living creature, and her hands were already itching.

As for the threshold of a Rank 20 Spirit Grandmaster, she wasn't worried at all. With the System and actual combat enhancements, the Breakthrough was just a matter of time.

Xiao Wu immediately raised her little hand, squeezed softly between Tang San and Lin Yue, and shook their arms while acting spoiled: "I want to go too! Brother Tang San and Sister Lin Yue are both going, and I'm scared to be alone in the academy! Besides, I also need to find my first spirit ring. Uncle Dean, please take me with you!"

She was already overjoyed in her heart. The System had just released a new mission: Enter the Hunting Forest with the strategy targets, step forward to protect the targets when attacked by Spirit Beasts, significantly increase strategy progress, and receive rewards including +1 Rank in Soul Power, precise positioning of a hundred-year Soft Bones Rabbit suitable Spirit Beast, and rare Spirit Bone fragments!

Forget about just going to a safe, enclosed Hunting Forest; even if it were a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, for the sake of the rewards and the chance to resurrect her mother, she had to go.

The Dean looked at Xiao Wu's big, watery eyes and couldn't bear to refuse. He smiled helplessly: "Alright, alright, I'll take you. I didn't intend to leave a little Genius like you behind anyway."

He had already planned it out. They weren't going to the kind of desolate, wild Hunting Forest from the original story where hundred-year and thousand-year Spirit Beasts could be seen everywhere, but rather the Royal Hunting Forest branch officially enclosed by the Heaven Dou Empire. The Spirit Beasts inside were raised in partitioned areas according to age and species. There were no overly dangerous top-tier Spirit Beasts, the guards were strict, and the safety factor was maxed out.

"Let me make it clear to you, we are going to the Empire's enclosed Hunting Forest, it is very safe."

The Dean smiled and added: "I am a Rank 42 attack system Spirit Ancestor. I will also bring our academy's Rank 35 agility-attack system Spirit Master teacher and our Rank 38 defense System Spirit Master teacher. With three Spirit Masters protecting you three little ones, there absolutely won't be any accidents."

The three of them naturally agreed readily and thanked him repeatedly.

But they didn't expect that somehow, Yu Xiaogang heard about this.

Early the next morning, just as the group gathered at the academy gate, ready to set off, they saw Yu Xiaogang running over in a hurry, his face plastered with a deliberate, gentle smile as he blocked the front of the carriage.

"Dean, Tang San, Lin Yue, Xiao Wu, wait a moment!"

Yu Xiaogang panted, his gaze landing on Tang San first, his tone urgent: "I heard you are going to the Hunting Forest to hunt for spirit rings? I have studied Spirit theory for decades, and my research on Spirit Beast adaptation and spirit ring absorption is unmatched in the entire Nuoding City! I must go on this hunt to select the most perfect and suitable Spirit Beasts for the three children and guide them to safely absorb the spirit rings, ensuring there isn't the slightest mistake!"

...

PS: Writing this is definitely because of looking for Lone Bamboo.