After Ye Yu used his Spirit Bone ability, Devouring Parasitism, to implant two stalks of Demon Willow Fluff into Tang San's body, everything went just as he planned.
One Demon Willow Fluff rooted itself deep along Tang San's meridians, absorbing the violent Spirit Power released from the Man-Faced Demon Spider's Spirit Ring—power that Tang San couldn't withstand on his own.
The second stalk burrowed into his spinal column and quietly siphoned off the unique spirit energy responsible for nurturing the Eight Spider Lances—the external Spirit Bone that would have formed.
With the help of the two implanted Demon Willow Fluff, the Man-Faced Demon Spider's intense Spirit Power was quickly suppressed to within a level Tang San could handle.
And that external Spirit Bone—Eight Spider Lances—was silently absorbed by Ye Yu instead through the Demon Willow Fluff embedded in Tang San's spine.
By the time the Man-Faced Demon Spider's Spirit Ring was nearly exhausted, Ye Yu casually withdrew the Demon Willow Fluff from Tang San's spine.
Throughout the process, Ye Yu had kept his palm pressed against Tang San's back. The implantation, absorption, and retrieval of the Demon Willow Fluff were all done under the cover of his palm—seamless and unnoticed.
To those watching—Zhao Wuji and the others—it simply looked like Ye Yu was helping Tang San stabilize his Spirit Power while absorbing the ring.
Finally, as the absorption completed, Tang San slowly opened his eyes.
"Xiao San!"
Seeing that Tang San had successfully absorbed the Man-Faced Demon Spider's Spirit Ring, Zhao Wuji, Dai Mubai, and Oscar all gathered around him excitedly.
"You were in real danger just now while absorbing the ring," Zhao Wuji said, patting Tang San on the shoulder. "Fortunately, Lord Ye Yu was here to help. Otherwise, you might not have made it."
Tang San himself had felt the danger while absorbing the ring. But thanks to the Demon Willow Fluff's effect, even though his body had suffered, he remained unaware of the parasite. In fact, once the fluff had rooted itself, it had triggered a regenerative response, rapidly healing the internal damage.
To Tang San, it felt as though a powerful force had pulled the violent Spirit Power away from him, just when he was about to lose control.
It allowed him to endure the final wave and successfully absorb the Spirit Ring.
But the realization that Ye Yu had once again saved him left Tang San shaken and deeply conflicted.
Why would he save me again?
Even if Zhao laoshi and Ning Rongrong begged him… there's no reason for him to help me. We're enemies!
Something about Ye Yu just felt off to Tang San.
The name… Ye Yu… it sounded so familiar. He seemed to recall his teacher mentioning someone with that name before—a selfish and arrogant student from Nuoding Academy, also with a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.
But Ye Yu's Martial Soul wasn't Blue Silver Grass at all—it was a crystalline blue tree. Though it shared the color, it looked entirely different.
I must be overthinking it…
As the ring absorption ended, Tang San suddenly felt a strange new sensation—as if a second set of meridians had been grafted onto his body, running parallel to his original ones.
Even though he still suspected Ye Yu had an ulterior motive, he couldn't just ignore the fact that, in everyone's eyes, Ye Yu had saved him—twice.
So despite his inner turmoil, Tang San forced a respectful smile and bowed deeply to Ye Yu.
"Thank you, Lord Ye Yu, for saving me—again. I will never forget this second debt of gratitude. I promise, one day I'll repay it!"
Ye Yu, meanwhile, couldn't help but smirk inwardly.
He'd already taken Tang San's Eight Spider Lances, and now the kid was thanking him?
He should be thanking me!
Ye Yu's lips curled slightly. "Good. I'll be waiting."
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the nearby forest.
"Who's there?!" Zhao Wuji barked, immediately on guard.
Out from the trees stepped a tall, graceful girl in a flowing pink dress. Her long scorpion-tail braid reached down to her waist, and her pretty face was flushed—but unharmed.
"Xiao Wu!"
Everyone except Ye Yu was stunned.
"It's Xiao Wu!"
Tang San was the most emotional of all. His voice choked as he sprinted toward her.
"Xiao Wu! Are you okay?!"
He rushed to her side and frantically checked for injuries. But aside from a few wrinkles in her clothes and messy hair, she looked perfectly fine. Her skin was glowing, and her face was as rosy as ever.
The others quickly gathered and asked what had happened after the Titan Giant Ape had taken her.
Xiao Wu gave her usual story.
She said that after the Titan Giant Ape had abducted her, it had suddenly heard a deafening ox roar in the distance. For some reason, it let her go and vanished into the forest.
On her way back, she happened to come across a Millennium Lightning Rabbit that had been killed by the Titan Giant Ape's aura. She absorbed its Spirit Ring and successfully broke through to the Spirit Elder rank.
The miraculous tale left everyone speechless.
Only Ye Yu, however, knew the truth.
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Xiao Wu, deep in thought.
Tang Hao is in my spatial pouch…
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is mine now…
There's no way I'll let this Soft Bone Rabbit go to the Continental Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. If I do, she'll just be handed over to Spirit Hall!
Now that Tang San had absorbed the Man-Faced Demon Spider's ring and Xiao Wu had "miraculously" returned, Zhao Wuji began preparing the group to return to Shrek Academy.
Having received Ye Yu's help not once, but twice, Zhao Wuji now regarded him with genuine respect—not just for his power, but for the kindness he'd shown.
On the way back, Tang San introduced his hidden weapons, especially the Zhuge Crossbow, which he'd used during the clash with Dragon Duke Meng Shu.
Everyone—particularly Ning Rongrong—was deeply curious.
Tang San also quietly studied the strange new set of meridians in his body. To his surprise, they could store and circulate Spirit Power, just like his normal ones.
If this is real, he thought excitedly, then I'll be able to store even more Spirit Power… maybe even use two martial techniques at once!
—
One day later.
The group finally arrived back at Shrek Academy.
While Zhao Wuji went to report the mission to the Headmaster, Flender, he found an unfamiliar face sitting in the office—a thin, middle-aged man with a stiff expression, stubble on his face, and cropped hair. He wore a long, black academic robe.
"Old Zhao, come in," Flender said, pushing up his black-rimmed crystal glasses.
"Let me introduce you. This is my old friend. Just call him 'Grandmaster.' He's also Xiao San's teacher."
"From now on, Grandmaster will be teaching Spirit Master theory here at Shrek."
Flender looked extremely pleased with himself as he introduced Yu Xiaogang.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin