Eliminating evil Spirit Masters and all potential dark threats had been a rule established by Spirit Hall since its founding.
Thanks to Spirit Hall's strict methods, the term "evil Spirit Master" was now rarely heard across the continent.
"What's the situation now? Is it resolved?" Wu Qi asked quietly.
Chang Kong frowned. "One was killed, one escaped. The methods of evil Spirit Masters are unheard of. The Level 60 Spirit Emperor leading the team failed to capture him."
Wu Qi nodded and did not ask further.
Evil Spirit Masters had always been a hidden danger.
In the original timeline, after Spirit Hall was destroyed, evil Spirit Masters began appearing openly. Later, after the two continents collided, their numbers surged dramatically.
Since Wu Qi was here, he would not stand by and watch Spirit Hall be destroyed.
Even so, evil Spirit Masters would remain a major threat in the future.
After the Spirit Hall members withdrew, the many Spirit Masters in Spirit Beast Town only discussed the matter briefly.
Under Bibi Dong's leadership, Spirit Hall had become increasingly forceful in its actions.
Many Spirit Masters had experienced pressure from them, so no one dared speculate about the details of this operation, nor did anyone spread rumors.
The three of them lost their appetite and found a hotel in town to stay the night.
Nothing more was said.
Early the next morning, they left the hotel and searched within the town for Spirit Beast hunting teams to purchase information.
Seeing their fine clothing, many people approached them as soon as they entered the area where hunting teams gathered, eagerly promoting their services.
Ning Rongrong, inexperienced in such matters, asked, "If we hire a hunting team to help, our safety would be guaranteed. Perhaps we should—"
Wu Qi interrupted her.
Surrounded by the teams, he did not explain the full situation.
In the early years when hunting teams first became popular, they helped Spirit Masters who were unable to hunt high-year Spirit Beasts alone.
Back then, many Spirit Masters would actively hire them upon arriving in Spirit Beast Town, rather than being approached for business.
However, as all kinds of dubious individuals joined their ranks, the reputation of hunting teams deteriorated.
Rumors of teams killing their employers spread repeatedly, leading the Spirit Master world to grow increasingly wary of them.
Of course, not all teams were corrupt. But under such circumstances, many legitimate hunting teams were already on the verge of disbanding.
For Wu Qi, having the Golden Eagle Spirit Douluo secretly protecting them was sufficient to complete the hunt. He would not gamble on whether they could find a trustworthy team.
As more and more people crowded around them, Wu Qi clarified his purpose.
"I'm here to purchase information on thousand-year Spirit Beasts. If you don't meet that standard, don't surround us."
With increased human activity, thousand-year Spirit Beasts had already disappeared from the outer regions of the Star Dou Great Forest. To obtain information about one, a team would need to venture deep into the forest.
Most hunting teams only had high-level Spirit Grandmasters or Spirit Elders at best. A thousand-year Spirit Beast was beyond their ability to handle, so naturally they lacked such information.
Soon, the lively crowd dispersed, leaving only two or three people behind.
Judging by their expressions, Wu Qi could tell they most likely did not have the information either.
After a moment of thought, he decided to seek out higher-level hunting teams.
Teams with strength and good reputations would not solicit customers openly. One had to approach them instead.
Before long, a man drawing water from a well caught their attention.
"I recognize the tattoo on his arm," Ning Rongrong whispered beside Wu Qi. "That's the emblem of a Heaven Dou Empire Spirit Master legion. It's an elite unit, and few outsiders even know of its existence."
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was a major supporter of the Heaven Dou Empire, so it was not surprising that she knew such secrets.
On the Douluo Continent, however, there was no fixed term of service. Ordinary soldiers might retire after a few years if their bodies failed them, but Spirit Master legions generally served for life, at most being reassigned to lighter duties in old age.
The man before them was most likely a deserter.
A deserter was certainly not someone upright, though not necessarily evil. Since they were only purchasing information, dealing with him posed no issue.
With that thought, the three approached him.
Chang Kong clasped his hands politely. "Sir, are you part of a hunting team?"
The man lifted the bucket from the well and turned around. Seeing their youthful faces, he replied casually, "What is it? If you want to hire us, our price isn't low."
Chang Kong quickly responded, "We're looking to buy information on tiger-type or bear-type Spirit Beasts, around fifteen hundred years in cultivation."
The man raised an eyebrow. A Spirit Ring of that age could only serve as a third Spirit Ring.
Wu Qi and the others were not very old, yet one of them had already reached Spirit Elder. Such talent was indeed remarkable.
His tone softened considerably. "Follow me. Our captain has the information you need."
Disciplined.
Wu Qi nodded inwardly.
They followed the man into a tent, where three sturdy middle-aged men were seated.
On the inner sides of their arms were identical tattoos.
After the man briefly explained their request, the middle-aged leader stood up and asked, "Five hundred, one thousand, or five thousand? What price range do you want?"
Different price tiers corresponded to Spirit Beasts of varying bloodline strength.
Chang Kong was not short of money and replied seriously, "The best."
The middle-aged man thought for a moment, then took out a route map from his storage Spirit tool.
"This is a sixteen-hundred-year Dread Bear. The price is ten thousand gold spirit coins. If you can afford it, take it."
Ning Rongrong could not help muttering, "That's expensive for just information. Who knows if it's even real?"
When she was in Heaven Dou City, many people had tried to sell her treasure maps, only for them all to turn out fake.
After being deceived multiple times, she was wary of such high-priced information.
Hearing her words, the men in the tent darkened in expression.
"Our Black Tiger Team has never done anything dishonorable. If you lack sincerity, you may leave," one of them said coldly.
Chang Kong hesitated for a moment, then ultimately paid and purchased the information.
After leaving the tent, Ning Rongrong said in a low voice, "How could you trust them so easily?"
"They have a military background. We don't know why they left the legion, but compared to common opportunists, they are more trustworthy."
Wu Qi agreed with Chang Kong's decision.
The Dread Bear's bloodline strength was second only to dragon-type Spirit Beasts. It was a rare Spirit Beast worth taking the risk for.
At the same time, in Suotuo City:
Flender had searched the entire night without finding any trace of Ning Rongrong. Wu Qi and Chang Kong were also nowhere to be found.
When he returned to the academy, his expression was grim.
It was the first day of the new term at Shrek Academy. Standing before the students, he forced a smile.
After briefly stating the academy's rules and motto, he instructed the new students to pay their tuition.
Originally, he had planned to ask Tang San about Yu Xiaogang, but he had no mood for it now.
He called Dai Mubai to the headmaster's office and explained the results of his search.
Dai Mubai was shocked. "Headmaster, that can't be. Three talented Spirit Masters disappearing in Suotuo City, could someone be secretly hunting them?"
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