"Roar!"
The Mountain Boar King let out a roar, its fierce aura directly striking one's heart. In the forest, even Spirit Beasts like bears and tigers, if their cultivation age didn't significantly surpass the Mountain Boar King's, generally wouldn't dare to easily provoke it, which spoke volumes about its power.
At this moment, its body was covered in vines, but these vines had no effect on it. It thrust its pair of sharp tusks, colliding with a large tree in front of it that would require two or three people to encircle.
Wrapped around this large tree was the main body of the vines, a hundred-year Azure Vine, as thick as a bowl. But facing the Mountain Boar King, it was like a delicate young girl encountering a brutal strongman, only able to endure the torment, constantly breaking and spilling sap.
About fifty meters away, Dean Zhang watched this scene, frowning, and thought to himself:
"Azure Vine, that's one of the milder types of plant Spirit Beasts. Normally, it coexists with the plants it wraps around and never actively attacks other Spirit Beasts!"
"The Mountain Boar King, although it's an extremely aggressive and invasive Spirit Beast, it doesn't feed on Azure Vine. Why would they be fighting, and in the outer area of the Hunting Soul Forest at that?"
Dean Zhang was completely perplexed. Suddenly, a thought came to him, and he excitedly thought:
"Or, perhaps, the Mountain Boar King's target isn't this Azure Vine, but something else, and that something just happens to be within the Azure Vine's territory."
"If it really is that thing, it can't be ruined by the Mountain Boar King. I must find a way to get my hands on it!"
Thinking of this, Dean Zhang's eyes turned slightly red, filled with desire, even greed.
With his Spirit attached, he raised his large bow and flashed out, leaving a blur as he rushed forward. Entering within ten meters, he took a big leap into the air.
Dean Zhang's two purple spirit rings flashed consecutively, his third Spirit Ability and fourth Spirit Ability were released in sequence. In an instant, his body was engulfed in blood-colored flames, and that powerful spirit power instantly startled the two Spirit Beasts still entangled in combat.
But it was already too late. Dean Zhang drew his bow and charged, and an arrow entirely condensed from spirit power appeared in his hand, also burning with blood-colored flames.
With a loud shout from Dean Zhang, the spirit power arrow shot out, stirring up air currents and trailing a fiery tail, directly hitting the Mountain Boar King's rear, then the flames exploded, engulfing everything around them.
"Roar!"
The Mountain Boar King's wail was utterly tragic...
Even if the Mountain Boar King's hide was as tough as armor, it couldn't possibly withstand the combined attack of Dean Zhang's two thousand-year Spirit Abilities. The third Spirit Ability boosted his state, and the fourth Spirit Ability launched the attack, instantly severely wounding it.
After that wail, the Mountain Boar King, dragging a body covered in burns, limped away quickly. The foul smell from its body had turned into a meaty aroma; if it stayed any longer, it would truly die.
Dean Zhang landed on the ground. He didn't pursue. He was panting heavily; simultaneously using his two strongest thousand-year Spirit Abilities was also a burden for him, who was no longer in his prime.
He quickly walked to the Azure Vine's location. The Azure Vine was also half-dead, looking withered. If not for the stronger vitality of plant Spirit Beasts, it would have died just now.
Dean Zhang waved his hand, using spirit power to disperse the residual power of the explosion, then he dug at the base of the tree. He quickly dug through the ground and finally found three dark, lumpy objects at the roots of the tree.
At this moment, Dean Zhang let out a chuckle, his face filled with excitement, not at all like a respected dean, but more like a ruffian full of swagger:
"Summer truffles, good stuff, hehe..."
This was what the Mountain Boar King truly wanted. Eating this thing could make its scent stronger, attracting female boars to mate with it.
For men, it also had miraculous effects: solidifying essence, replenishing blood, and enhancing sustained combat ability, truly a blessing for middle-aged and elderly men.
As the dean of Notting Academy, Dean Zhang had status, wealth, and reputation. Naturally, he couldn't avoid falling into decadence. After indulging in sensual pleasures for a long time, he would feel powerless and lack interest.
This was why he chose to act regardless of the consequences, otherwise, in the perilous Hunting Soul Forest, no one would want to engage in a pointless struggle.
Not long after, all the teachers and students of Notting Academy arrived. They had all heard the loud noise earlier, and now, upon arriving at the scene, they saw the ravines on the ground and the surrounding trees scorched bare, all marveling at Dean Zhang's power.
As for Dean Zhang, he had already picked the summer truffles and put them into his spirit tool. The expression on his face had returned to his usual dignified and respected demeanor. Seeing everyone, he explained:
"Just now, there was a great battle between the Mountain Boar King and the Azure Vine. I merely made a move and drove the Mountain Boar King away. The Azure Vine's root is right here; it can't escape."
"Wang Li, I remember on the list, your Spirit is Mutated Blue Silver Grass. A plant Spirit absorbs a plant spirit ring. This hundred-year Azure Vine is yours."
Fortune had fallen from the sky, and Wang Li felt incredibly surprised and delighted. He had just been anxious about how to obtain a hundred-year spirit ring, and now a hundred-year spirit ring had arrived.
At this moment, not only the other sixth-grade graduates but also many teachers looked at Wang Li with envy, jealousy, and hatred.
His first spirit ring being a hundred-year spirit ring meant his future was bound to be limitless.
Wang Li didn't hesitate at all. He quickly stepped forward and said:
"Thank you, Dean!"
Then he drew the short sword he bought at the blacksmith shop, looked at the withered Azure Vine, located its root, stabbed, twisted... swiftly cutting it off completely.
At this point, it wasn't dead yet, still twisting and struggling. It took a good while before it finally stopped moving completely.
A yellow stream of air surged wildly, finally condensing into a spirit ring. Wang Li looked at this spirit ring; it was a genuine hundred-year spirit ring, not a deceptive ten-year spirit ring. He felt a little excited inside.
Then he sat down cross-legged, summoned his Blue Silver Grass Spirit, and then summoned the yellow spirit ring.
As if sensing something, the yellow spirit ring flew towards Wang Li, finally settling on his Blue Silver Grass Spirit. The surging spirit power also entered Wang Li's body at this moment.
A hundred-year Spirit Beast, and it's even the most suitable vine Spirit Beast for me. This time, I've really hit the jackpot.
Thinking of this, Wang Li closed his eyes and circulated the meditation method he obtained from the system panel. His own spirit power, in an instant, like a dragon or snake, began to devour the spirit power from the hundred-year spirit ring.
The vast spirit power of the hundred-year spirit ring did not put too much pressure on Wang Li and was completely suppressed, showing how domineering this meditation method was; it was definitely a top-tier meditation method.
At this moment, Dean Zhang was also full of joy. This time, he was incredibly lucky to encounter three summer truffles; he had truly hit the jackpot.
Wang Li and Dean Zhang, both of them felt they had hit the jackpot, but it was hard to say who gained more.