Douluo: I achieve godhood through System

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Traveling to the Spirit Hunting Forest on foot was impossible; after all, the forest was a full four hundred miles from Nuoding City. Since Nuoding Academy's sixth-year graduates made this journey annually to hunt spirit beasts, they were well-prepared for the trip.

Four luxurious carriages bearing the Nuoding Academy emblem left the academy and headed toward the city outskirts.

Inside these four carriages, the headmaster and the director occupied one, six teachers rode in another, while the remaining two carriages carried the thirteen students, including Wang Li.

As they traveled through the bustling streets, the sight of Nuoding Academy's distinguished carriages caused the surrounding crowds to quickly step aside with respect. Even at the city gates, the guards were quick to let them through without delay.

Inside the carriages, the spirit masters, who had all reached level ten spirit power, were filled with anticipation, eagerly discussing the types of spirit beasts they hoped to hunt, the spirit rings they wanted to acquire, and their dreams of becoming true spirit masters.

Wang Li, however, remained silent. He wasn't familiar with most of the older students; the only one he knew was his dormmate, Wang Sheng. With his eyes closed, Wang Li pondered alone:

"What kind of spirit beast should I aim for? Tang San's path is worth observing, but I can't follow it exactly. After all, the academy teachers definitely wouldn't help me catch a four-hundred-year-old Mandala Snake."

"With my Blue Silver Grass spirit, I lack both attack and defense. For now, following the control system seems appropriate."

"If I want to significantly enhance the elasticity and toughness of Blue Silver Grass, I should hunt a vine-type spirit beast. The similarity in plant type should help with absorption, and the higher the age, the better. But that'll depend on luck."

With that thought, Wang Li couldn't help but hope for good fortune—to encounter a vine-type spirit beast suitable for his hunt.

The Spirit Hunting Forest was artificially cultivated, so its variety of spirit beasts was less diverse than in the wild. However, under the military's supervision and the constant patrols of the enforcement team, the forest generally didn't contain exceedingly ferocious or thousand-year-old spirit beasts.

It was expected they would spend considerable time in the Spirit Hunting Forest, enough for all students to obtain a spirit ring.

To maximize their chances of hunting spirit beasts suited to each student, the academy had allocated two full months for the expedition.

The headmaster and director themselves were personally leading the group, demonstrating the academy's dedication to these sixth-year graduates, showing they were willing to go the extra mile.

After all, this group consisted of spirit masters without even a single spirit ring; if they encountered a powerful spirit beast, they wouldn't be able to put up much of a defense.

After traveling day and night, they finally reached the Spirit Hunting Forest by midday on the second day.

At the forest's edge lay a lively marketplace filled with all manner of shops, their vendors calling out constantly to attract customers.

Even spirit masters, rarely seen on ordinary days, could be heard loudly seeking teammates to join them on spirit hunts.

As regular visitors here, the appearance of Nuoding Academy's carriages immediately drew attention from the crowd.

With Zhang Wei, a powerful Spirit Ancestor, leading them, Nuoding Academy was undoubtedly someone everyone wanted to curry favor with. However, the academy had its own team of teachers and never allowed unknown spirit masters from outside to join them.

They found an inn to settle in, leaving the drivers and carriages behind. After lunch and a brief rest, they prepared to continue.

Zhang Wei and Su Mo led the teachers and students to the entrance of the Spirit Hunting Forest. This forest, which housed spirit beasts, was surrounded by a ten-meter-high iron fence. At the open entrance, hundreds of fully armed soldiers stood guard, making it clear this was no place for unauthorized entry.

Beyond the soldiers' strength, they represented the power of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall. Although the true ownership of the Spirit Hunting Forest was somewhat ambiguous, any third-party force attempting to seize it would inevitably face backlash from both factions. Zhang Wei, as a Spirit Ancestor, commanded genuine respect from the soldiers; after verifying his authorization, they allowed the Nuoding Academy group to enter.

Barely a hundred meters into the forest, Zhang Wei turned to face the group, especially focusing on the students. His stern gaze and authoritative air demanded attention:

"Listen closely. You have now officially entered the Spirit Hunting Forest. This place is full of dangers; powerful spirit beasts can appear at any time. Your job is to follow instructions."

"Whatever you see or hear, do not panic, do not wander off. Report anything you intend to do—if you leave the group on your own, you alone bear the consequences!"

The students, sensing the gravity in the headmaster's tone, straightened and responded in unison:

"Yes!"

Zhang Wei nodded, then turned to the other teachers, instructing:

"Take your positions as usual. Prepare yourselves!"

Each teacher responded with a firm "Yes!" and began summoning their martial spirits.

Su Mo's body swelled, antlers grew from his head, and his hair thickened wildly as three spirit rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—appeared. He took a position at the back of the formation. Fiona, a female teacher with two yellow rings, summoned a staff; as a support-type spirit master, she stood among the students. Another teacher, Gou An, transformed with sharpened teeth, lengthened nails, and thickened hair, resembling a werewolf. His spirit was actually a dog, marked by one white and one yellow spirit ring, and he sniffed the air before swiftly scouting ahead.

The other four teachers, each with different martial spirits—a broadsword, a dagger, a black panther, and a monkey—also displayed the typical civilian allocation of one white and one yellow ring. They took positions around the students for protection.

Zhang Wei himself did not summon his martial spirit but confidently stood at the head of the group, clearly secure in his own strength.

With a wave of his hand, Zhang Wei gave the command:

"Move out!"

Under his lead, the group from Nuoding Academy began their exploration of the Spirit Hunting Forest.

They avoided delving too deeply into the forest, choosing instead to circle around its outer edges. Spirit masters without a single spirit ring were too fragile for the forest's interior, so the teachers remained in a state of constant vigilance, martial spirits at the ready.

Once inside the deeper regions of the forest, the group could encounter hundred-year spirit beasts, or even thousand-year ones. While the teachers weren't intimidated by hundred-year beasts and could retreat safely from a thousand-year beast if necessary, the students were another matter. The risk of serious injuries or fatalities among the students was high; although some casualties among graduates were inevitable each year, large-scale losses were unacceptable.

Excessive casualties would harm the academy's reputation, so they adhered to an unspoken rule: unless a student paid extra or had significant backing, they usually confined their hunts to the forest's perimeter, where they could select spirit beasts of about ten years for the students.

Occasionally, a hundred-year spirit beast would wander into the outer region. Such encounters were a rare fortune for the students; obtaining a hundred-year spirit ring was a privilege that even Xiao Chenyu, the son of the city lord, hadn't experienced.

(End of Chapter)