Through the communication token, Lin Qian naturally learned of the three elders' final decision, as well as Zhou Yi'an's act of burying his communication token in the ground.
The fact that the three elders also chose to embark on a journey of training brought a smile to Lin Qian's face.
Indeed, humans possess a strong desire to challenge and surpass themselves, or rather, a desire to gain greater power and never be satisfied with the status quo.
Like Lin Qian, as well as the three elders, when given the chance to explore and train, how could they pass it up?
For soul martial artists, the most important thing is to continuously refine and strengthen their abilities.
Back to the present, Lin Qian was walking through the dense forest of the underground ancient forest world, followed by a group of over three hundred people—the very four races that had previously been held captive.
The faces of these people showed signs of exhaustion, but they still trudged forward, determined to keep up with the group ahead.
Having been shackled by the spirit-suppressing chains for so long, they needed some time to regain their strength.
Lin Qian hadn't offered them any potions. He felt that rescuing them was already a significant favor. He still needed to observe whether these four races were worth investing further effort in.
Unlike the Starting State, where humanity's plight had reached a point of utter degradation, the humans here fared much better by comparison.
Moreover, aside from humans, this underground ancient forest world was home to four other races.
The Blackhorn Clan was one of them. This race possessed incredibly strong soul power, and they had a unique racial talent related to their dual horns.
Their horns allowed them to sense the spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth, which they could use to enhance their soul power attacks.
For example, the Blackhorn Clan leader's attack on Lin Qian earlier had not only transformed his soul power into burning flames but also slightly influenced the surrounding spiritual energy, causing it to burn as well.
Although the amount of spiritual energy affected wasn't much, it was limited by his cultivation level.
The Redhorn Clan was very similar to the Blackhorn Clan, with their racial characteristics differing only in skin and horn color. Otherwise, they were nearly identical.
Similarly, the Redhorn Clan's dual horns could sense the spiritual energy of the world. However, unlike the Blackhorn Clan, who used this energy to enhance their attacks, the Redhorn Clan used it to temper their bodies.
Thus, while the Blackhorn Clan excelled in soul power, the Redhorn Clan excelled in physical strength.
As for the humans, Lin Qian was naturally very familiar with them. However, he was puzzled as to why their strength was so weak.
Then there was the Dwarf Clan, a short-statured race with long, bushy beards and bright red noses. Their fingers were long and nimble, making them natural-born craftsmen. Although their cultivation abilities were somewhat lacking, their creativity was unparalleled.
In the Blackhorn Kingdom, the Dwarves had been enslaved as blacksmiths. Lin Qian noticed that the weapons and armor of the Blackhorn Clan were indeed of high quality, much better than those of the Qin Dynasty.
Of course, they still couldn't compare to the works of the Hua Xia Empire.
Thinking of this, Lin Qian couldn't help but smile proudly. "The Hua Xia Empire is truly the best!"
What amused Lin Qian even more was that the Dwarves here were very similar to the Dwarves from his past life, often depicted in games. They shared a fondness for drinking, often getting drunk, which gave them large, red noses.
Crafting weapons required both physical and mental stamina, and for the Dwarves, there was nothing better than downing a hearty drink of fine spirit wine—an ultimate pleasure in life.
Then there was the Spirit Hoof Clan, as their name suggested, a race with beast-like lower bodies and hooved feet. They were incredibly fast, with powerful legs that granted them exceptional stamina, allowing them to travel long distances without tiring.
Moreover, the Spirit Hoof Clan had an innate sense of direction. They could find their way with just a brief description, a natural gift of their race.
However, the Spirit Hoof Clan members were puzzled by Lin Qian's reaction as he gazed at them with gleaming eyes, mumbling to himself.
"What did the Honorable Lord just say?" one Spirit Hoof Clan member tilted his head and asked his companion.
The other Spirit Hoof Clan member shrugged, equally confused. "Did the Honorable Lord say something?"
"The Honorable Lord muttered something to himself, but maybe you didn't catch it," the first one replied, thinking for a moment before continuing, "I think he said something like, 'Hua Xia Express has found its new couriers?'"
"Hua Xia Express? Couriers?" The other Spirit Hoof Clan member chuckled, shaking his head in bewilderment. "The Honorable Lord's words are beyond our understanding. They must be profound and full of wisdom."
"Oh, I see!"
Little did the two Spirit Hoof Clan members know that in the future, they would become the shining stars of the Hua Xia Empire's express delivery service, known far and wide.
At this moment, Lin Qian continued to lead the group through the ancient forest world beneath the earth. The Redhorn Clan members moved nimbly through the dense forest, encountering only weaker soul beasts and taking detours along the way.
"Barrett, why do you keep taking detours?" Lin Qian asked curiously as he followed the group.
Barrett bowed and replied, "Honorable Lord, if we don't take these detours, we may enter the territories of stronger soul beasts, which could be dangerous."
Lin Qian chuckled at Barrett's response. "But isn't that why I'm here?"
"Forgive me for troubling the Honorable Lord," Barrett said, but Lin Qian just shook his head.
"No need to make things so complicated. Just take the shortest route. If we encounter any trouble, I'll handle it," Lin Qian instructed Barrett to lead them directly.
With Lin Qian's assurance, Barrett complied and led the group straight ahead without taking further detours.
Soon, the group experienced the benefits of having a powerful protector in their midst. They no longer had to worry about avoiding dangerous paths or encountering formidable soul beasts.
Previously fearsome creatures, which had once filled them with dread, now cowered under Lin Qian's imposing presence, trembling on the ground, too afraid to even glance at the group.
And so, the group passed by these beasts with ease, even taking the opportunity to study the soul beasts that had once terrified them.
However, their good fortune didn't last long, as they soon faced an overwhelming terror once again.