Seeing everyone shake their heads, Yan Shaozhe slapped the table and said, "Alright, since no one has any objections, it's settled then."
"Old Chen, Lin'er, you two get ready. We'll set off as soon as possible."
"Ice Emperor and Le Xuan are waiting for us in Tianya City, along the coast of the Star Luo Empire."
"It wasn't easy for to invite the Ice Emperor, so we can't keep him waiting too long."
"As for the academy, I'll leave it in the hands of Old Luo and i'er. We'll be back as soon as we can."
Yan Shaozhe made the decision straightforwardly and decisively, displaying a sense of authority and urgency.
Mainly because soone was indeed getting a little impatient—after all, the position of the Pavilion Master of Sea God Pavilion was proving to be a bit too hot to handle.
With the decision finalized, Yan Shaozhe and the others naturally wasted no ti. After making so arrangents, a group of three began heading toward Tianya City, located along the coast of the Star Luo Empire.
...
Tianya City, Glory Hotel, Rooftop.
Zhang Lexuan, dressed in black, with her long hair cascading like a waterfall, had a silver-white moon mark at the center of her brows, adding a touch of cold elegance to her aura.
Since her martial soul evolved, Zhang Lexuan's temperant has also undergone so changes.
From her previously gentle and serene deanor, there was now an added air of coolness and nobility—like a celestial maiden from the moon, sacred and refined, ethereal and otherworldly.
She quietly gazed at the dense crowds and the varied buildings below, lost in thought.
"Little Lexuan, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about the Young Master?"
A voice suddenly broke the silence. Zhang Lexuan turned slightly, revealing a sowhat proud figure—it was none other than Hai Bodong.
"Senior Ice Emperor."
Zhang Lexuan softly called out with respect. She was very polite and did not act arrogantly, even though she shared a special relationship with Su Yu.
Even Su Yu himself held great respect for Hai Bodong.
"You're thinking about the Young Master, aren't you?"
Hai Bodong asked with a smile. He had a favorable impression of Zhang Lexuan.
He couldn't help but think that the Young Master had excellent taste in choosing a wife—graceful, dignified, and without any petty-mindedness.
In Hai Bodong's view, even the Snow Empress couldn't compare to Zhang Lexuan.
Zhang Lexuan was well-mannered, understanding, and knew how to behave appropriately—a true model of a virtuous wife.
Perhaps only Shui Lingguang could rival her.
The Snow Empress was too aloof. The little girl from the Clear Sky Sect was too innocent. The Hongchen girl was overly simple.
It wasn't that they were bad, but in Hai Bodong's eyes, Zhang Lexuan embodied the ideal supportive partner.
Zhang Lexuan and Shui Lingguang were the two won he favored most.
Hearing his words, Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly and said, "Although it's only been a few days since I left, I do miss Xiao Yu a little."
"Also, I recently found out that the things Xiao Yu gave to eat—he could have used them himself."
"Did he give his cultivation resources?"
"So you've been troubled by this?"
Hai Bodong laughed heartily and said, "Little Lexuan, you're underestimating the Young Master—and the Ice God Palace as well."
"The Ice God Palace has tens of thousands of years of heritage and countless precious treasures and heavenly materials."
"There are many treasures that have been specifically reserved for the Young Master."
"The reason the Young Master hasn't used them yet is because he already has a plan in place—he's saving them for his mid-to-late stage breakthroughs."
"Breakthroughs?"
Zhang Lexuan blinked her big eyes in confusion.
"Exactly. Cultivation becos increasingly difficult as you progress. So items are far more effective when used at the right mont."
"The Young Master is currently at the Soul Emperor level. At this stage, his cultivation speed is still very fast, and ordinary resources can help increase his soul power. But what about when he reaches the Soul Douluo or Titled Douluo levels?"
"At the Soul Douluo and Titled Douluo stages, leveling up becos far more challenging. Ti becos the primary factor, and regular resources lose their effectiveness."
"Items like the Rebirth Life Ice Lotus Seed or the Profound Ice Spirit are being saved by the Young Master for his mid-to-late stage breakthroughs."
"The Young Master is different from others. His realm is already very high. You could say that even now, he possesses the realm of an Ultimate Douluo."
"When he reaches the Titled Douluo stage, others will need to spend ti comprehending their realm, but the Young Master won't. He just needs to accumulate soul power."
"Mark my words—during the mid-to-late stages of his cultivation, the Young Master's rate of improvent will shock countless people."
"Is that… really how it works?"
Zhang Lexuan was half-convinced, mainly because this was the first ti she had heard such an explanation.
"You'll see. And I bet the Young Master is still holding onto sothing and hasn't given it to you yet."
"Why? Because your cultivation is progressing too fast, and your realm can't keep up with your soul power. That's why he deliberately held back."
Hai Bodong smiled knowingly.
Zhang Lexuan was startled. Could this be true?
But thinking about Su Yu's always well-thought-out actions, she found Hai Bodong's explanation quite reasonable.
Yes, Su Yu's current level was still low. Ordinary resources were still useful to him.
If he consud too many treasures now and leveled up too quickly, he would lose the chance to use many resources that were still valuable to him.
By then, the only way to progress would be through the grind of ti.
No wonder Hai Bodong said that timing was crucial—it seed Su Yu indeed had a plan.
"So far, the only ones who have enjoyed such benefits are Miss Xue (Snow Empress), Lingguang, and you."
"But all of your situations are unique and shouldn't be compared to the Young Master's."
"Lingguang is already a Super Douluo, and you'll soon reach that level too. As for Miss Xue, she's even more special—she doesn't need to cultivate at all."
"In short, whatever the Young Master does, he must have his reasons. Don't overthink it."
Hai Bodong reassured her.
Zhang Lexuan nodded, half-understanding. She realized that whatever Su Yu did, he must have a big plan.
Still, thinking of Su Yu's kindness, Zhang Lexuan felt a sweetness in her heart.
She glanced at Hai Bodong, wondering if his effort to comfort her was sothing Su Yu had orchestrated.
Given her understanding of Su Yu, it wasn't impossible.
After all, in this world, the only person who would treat her so wholeheartedly was Su Yu.
"Xiao Yu, whether or not you truly have a plan, the benefits I've gained are real. Just watch—I will work hard to beco your right-hand woman."
Zhang Lexuan vowed to herself that she would quickly take control of Shrek Academy.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be worthy of all the resources Su Yu had given her.
Out of all of Su Yu's won, she was probably the only one who received such treatnt.
She would rember this kindness.
Seeing Zhang Lexuan's sudden look of determination, Hai Bodong was stunned for a mont before letting out a wry laugh.
...
About a day and a half later, Yan Shaozhe and his group finally arrived in Tianya City and reunited with Hai Bodong and Zhang Lexuan.
After so discussion, they stocked up on several months' worth of provisions, purchased a small private boat, prepared the sea charts, and set out to sea.
Ordinary sea soul masters typically hunted soul beasts in coastal areas, but their target this ti was a ferocious beast.
Without much hesitation, the group of five gradually left the coastal regions behind.
The vast ocean stretched endlessly before them—blue and boundless.
As far as the eye could see, the sea t the sky, creating a seemingly endless horizon.
Even soone as powerful as Hai Bodong couldn't help but feel a sense of insignificance amidst the vastness of the ocean.
It was hard to imagine how many powerful soul beasts might be lurking in the depths of this imnse sea.
Compared to the vast ocean, both the Star Dou Forest and the Evil Demon Forest seed like re drops in a bucket, utterly insignificant.
"According to the sea chart, this area should be the activity range of the Gray Demon Whale. But why are there so many other soul beasts around?"
Yan Shaozhe's eyes revealed a trace of confusion.
Since they left the coastal areas, they had encountered nurous large groups of sea soul beasts along the way.
Even though they were following the safe route recorded on the nautical map, they constantly found themselves face-to-face with sea soul beasts.
Take the current situation, for example. According to the map, this area was supposed to be the territory of the Gray Demon Whales, but instead, it was frequently visited by Octagonal Demon Squids, Bloodthirsty Starfish, Ascension Dolphins, and various other soul beasts.
These creatures moved in groups and even actively attacked humans. If not for Yan Shaozhe and the others being powerful, they might not have been able to repel them so easily.
"This is crazy. What's going on? Why does it feel like all these sea soul beasts are rioting?" Yan Shaozhe cursed.
It wasn't easy to venture out to sea, but could things not be a little calr?
"Perhaps sothing has happened in the ocean, disturbing these sea soul beasts. Or maybe... we're just plain unlucky," Xian Liner sighed.
She was feeling a bit exhausted herself.
After all, it was her and Yan Shaozhe who had been responsible for fending off those sea beasts. Once or twice was fine, but after so many encounters, it was undeniably tiring.
But there was no choice. These small fry weren't worth asking Haibodong to deal with. That would be like using a cannon to kill mosquitoes.
Besides, Haibodong might not even bother to help them.
"No wonder the people of Tianya City advised us not to leave the coastal areas. Turns out the open sea is this chaotic."
Yan Shaozhe grumbled, but the ship continued its course deeper into the ocean.
This ti, they were venturing out to find a soul ring for Zhang Lexuan. Although the start of their journey had been far from smooth, they weren't ready to give up just yet.
After regrouping, Yan Shaozhe and his crew continued drifting on the vast sea.
It soon beca clear that finding a suitable beast in this endless ocean was no simple task.
The ocean was vast—so vast it was shocking.
What's more, the sea was incredibly dangerous, with storms, tsunamis, and ocean currents among the many hazards.
Tsunamis, in particular, were terrifying. When extre weather struck, towering waves over a hundred ters high ca crashing down with such terrifying pressure that it was almost suffocating.
Fortunately, the group was strong, and with Haibodong keeping things under control, they managed to escape disaster.
Even so, the experience left Yan Shaozhe and the others shaken.
In the face of such natural disasters, human strength was undeniably insignificant.
Unknowingly, they all developed a deep sense of awe and respect for the vastness of the ocean and the forces of nature.
And so, the drifting continued for more than a month.
It had been over a month since they ventured into the ocean, yet they still hadn't found a suitable soul beast.
Both Yan Shaozhe and Xian Liner were starting to grow anxious.
Searching for the right beast was proving to be far more challenging than they had anticipated.
"Where are we now?"
Xian Liner looked at the endless blue sea around them, her gaze filled with a hint of confusion.
Spending such a long ti adrift on the ocean was far from an enjoyable experience.
Over the past month, she had felt nothing but boredom and exhaustion.
"Who knows? Ever since that big storm, we've been off course. Who knows where this is?"
Yan Shaozhe glanced at the nautical map in his hand and smirked.
Even with the map in hand, he could no longer determine their exact location.
If it weren't for the sun rising in the east and setting in the west each day, he would have had trouble distinguishing north, south, east, and west.
This forsaken place was truly testing their patience.
"But one thing's for sure—we're already in the deep sea."
Yan Shaozhe added.
Xian Liner rolled her eyes. Wasn't that obvious?
Anyone could tell they were in the deep sea. Look at the soul beasts appearing around them—they were all much stronger now.
They had even encountered ferocious beasts, though none of them were suitable for Zhang Lexuan.
"Senior Ice Emperor, have so water."
Zhang Lexuan handed a bottle of water to Haibodong, who was standing at the bow of the ship.
In the ocean, freshwater was the scarcest resource.
Food, on the other hand, was easy to co by. With fish and shrimp everywhere, there was no way they'd starve—not with their strength.
Haibodong took the bottle, drank a sip, and said, "Lexuan, tell them to stay alert. We're about to encounter sothing big."
Zhang Lexuan's eyes sparkled. "Senior Ice Emperor, do you an...?"
Haibodong nodded. "Head east. Twenty nautical miles from here, there's a soul beast suitable for you."
Zhang Lexuan's eyes lit up, and the others, who had been eavesdropping, perked up as well.
"Senior Ice Emperor, is that true?"
Yan Shaozhe asked excitedly.
Haibodong shot him a glance and didn't bother replying.
As always, Haibodong maintained his aloof deanor, paying attention only to Zhang Lexuan and ignoring everyone else.
Although Haibodong's attitude was dismissive, Yan Shaozhe didn't take offense.
It was a joke to even consider being upset. The man before him was the strongest soul master on the continent. A bit of arrogance was only natural.
Rubbing his hands together in excitent, Yan Shaozhe turned to Xian Liner and Chen Lao. "Get ready, everyone. We're about to get busy."
Twenty nautical miles wasn't far. At the ship's speed, it would only take about ten minutes to get there.
Ten minutes later, the group arrived at a strange area of the sea.
This stretch of ocean was eerily calm.
Compared to the bustling activity of the previous areas, the tranquility here was almost unnerving.
"Where's the soul beast?"
Yan Shaozhe looked around but didn't notice anything unusual. Even when he glanced below the water's surface, there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary.
"Why don't you try provoking it to draw it out?"
Haibodong glared at Yan Shaozhe. Did he think he could spot a soul beast hiding two or three thousand ters below the surface just by looking?
Haibodong could sense it from afar thanks to his powerful spiritual energy.
But compared to Haibodong, Yan Shaozhe was far inferior. At a re level 98, even as a Super Douluo, he lacked the depth and experience.
If not for Haibodong's reminder, Yan Shaozhe could have stood atop the water all day without detecting the beast lurking beneath.
In Haibodong's perception, this soul beast was no ordinary creature.
Embarrassed by Haibodong's scolding, Yan Shaozhe quickly composed himself. He exchanged a glance with Xian Liner, and the two of them simultaneously rose into the air.
In the next mont, the Bright Phoenix and the Azure Fla Dragon manifested, their brilliant light and azure flas illuminating the surroundings.
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