Supported by several trembling students from Blue Sunshine Academy, Ye Zhi-Qiu finally managed to crawl up from the dirt. He opened his mouth and coughed, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. His chest felt incredibly tight, as if a massive mountain had violently crushed his back, leaving him gasping for air. However, that physical agony was absolutely nothing compared to the storm of profound shock overwhelming his heart.
He was perfectly clear about the absolute limits of his own defensive power. Yet, that bear-like opponent hadn't even bothered to summon his martial spirit! With just a single, seemingly casual barehanded slap, the man had shattered his defense and inflicted severe internal damage. Even if that opponent was a pure power-type Spirit Master, the sheer gap in their spirit ranks couldn't possibly be less than fifteen levels perhaps even terrifyingly higher!
Of course, Dai Mubai paid absolutely no attention to Ye Zhi-Qiu's suffering. It couldn't be said that this White Tiger was a pure, innocent man; thanks to his natural arrogance and overbearing aura, beautiful women were always drawn to him, and his refined tastes were worlds apart from Fatty's sleazy standards.
As they walked back to the inn, Zhao Wuji, who was in exceptionally high spirits, suddenly paused his steps. His sharp gaze abruptly shifted, locking directly onto Ning Rongrong.
"Rongrong, why didn't you use your spirit at all during the fight?" he asked, his tone demanding.
Ning Rongrong's large eyes blinked calmly, completely unfazed. "It wasn't the right time. I was waiting for the perfect moment."
Hearing her response, the others all turned to look at Ning Rongrong with expressions of disbelief, assuming she was just making excuses to slack off. However, Tang San suddenly nodded in understanding, backing her up.
"Rongrong acted perfectly," Tang San explained calmly. "She was conserving her spirit power, waiting for the critical moment when Mubai unleashed his White Tiger Vajra Transformation and when Kyle completely unsealed his ultimate power. It is at that exact point of maximum explosive force that her Pagoda's support would have delivered the most lethal impact."
Hearing Tang San's tactical analysis, Zhao Wuji's harsh expression gradually softened. He nodded in profound relief. With a heavy, deeply earnest voice, he looked at his eight students.
"You must always remember this well," Zhao Wuji stated firmly. "From the very second you stepped foot into Shrek Academy, you are no longer individuals fighting alone. You are one single, undivided entity."
"Yes, Teacher Zhao!" they answered in unison, engraving those words deeply into their hearts.
Accompanied by the admiring and reverent gazes of the ordinary crowd, the Shrek student party walked back to the inn with their heads held high. The night passed peacefully without any further incidents.
Early the next morning, just as the eastern horizon revealed the first glimmer of dawn, Zhao Wuji's resonant, booming voice woke them all. Wasting no time, they left the small border town and sped directly toward their main destination: the Star Dou Great Forest.
This massive forest was situated on the southern border of the Heaven Dou Empire, its vast expanse sprawling across the continent's two great empires. Because it was densely populated by countless wild beasts, this region was also where the boundary line between the two nations was at its most obscure, devoid of any concrete legal authority. Looking at a map, the majority of the Star Dou Great Forest's area actually fell within the Star Luo Empire's territory, but naturally, the Heaven Dou Empire would never officially recognize such a claim.
As one of the three great natural habitats for wild spirit beasts, this was the ultimate hunting ground a paradise and a hell that Spirit Masters yearned for the most. Every time a Spirit Master set foot here, it meant they were about to evolve and advance in their cultivation.
Finally, the Shrek party arrived at the perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest. Even at the absolute outermost edge, the towering ancient trees easily exceeded twenty meters in height, creating an incredibly dense canopy. The primeval forest had essentially no pathways; the heavy shadows cast by the thick foliage completely obscured the sunlight, making the landscape lurking deep within look dark, dense, and full of mystery. Standing just outside the treeline, the atmosphere perceptibly shifted. The temperature dropped significantly, bringing a continuous, refreshing breeze that carried the distinct, earthy scent of damp soil and the wild wilderness to everyone's senses.
"Everyone, halt," Zhao Wuji commanded with a heavy voice.
The group immediately stopped in their tracks. The rapid journey had thoroughly warmed up their bodies, taking a particular toll on Oscar and Ning Rongrong. As Auxiliary-type Spirit Masters, even though their physical condition was good, their stamina ultimately couldn't be compared to frontline fighting monsters like Tang San and the others.
Understanding this, Oscar quickly distributed a recovery sausage to each person. After enduring the mental tempering of the journey, no one felt disgusted by his sausages anymore; at most, they simply turned their heads and pretended to be deaf whenever he chanted his summoning incantations. As soon as the sausages hit their stomachs, a warm current of energy surged outward, instantly sweeping away their physical exhaustion and reinvigorating everyone's battle spirit.
Zhao Wuji stared solemnly at the eight students standing before him, his expression deadly serious.
"The Star Dou Great Forest is not a playground like those captive state-run forests. At any given moment, you could cross paths with a thousand-year, or even a ten-thousand-year beast! Listen to me carefully: once we step inside, not a single one of you is allowed to stray more than twenty meters away from me. Especially Ning Rongrong and Oscar. Without my direct order, absolutely no one is permitted to rashly attack any spirit beast! Do you understand?!"
"Understood!" they replied in unison, their voices ringing with firm resolve.
Zhao Wuji looked at everyone. Seeing that the youths in front of him were fully prepared, he gave a firm wave of his hand.
"Move out!"
For this formation, Zhao Wuji had Dai Mubai, and Tang San walk at the very front as the vanguard, while he personally brought up the rear to watch over the group as they took their first steps into the dense Star Dou Great Forest. Using his White Tiger Enhancement, the razor-sharp blades on Dai Mubai's tiger claws swung in a constant rhythm, effortlessly slicing through the waist-high thorns and thick brush ahead without slowing the group's pace in the slightest. Tang San followed closely behind him, his vision and hearing heightened to their absolute sharpest state, cautiously and solemnly observing their surroundings.
Grandmaster had once taught him extensive knowledge about wild spirit beasts. In the wild, these creatures were highly aggressive and harbored a deep-seated hatred for humans who constantly hunted them to increase their own strength. The most terrifying aspect was that among wild spirit beasts, many lived and moved in packs. In other words, encountering a tyrannically powerful group of wild beasts was a very real nightmare for any Spirit Master. Therefore, Grandmaster had repeatedly urged that upon entering a wild spirit beast territory, extreme caution was paramount.
At a low, suppressed command from Zhao Wuji, everyone stopped in their tracks. Tang San was the first to spot the presence: a pack of Rodent Weasels.
These types of spirit beasts were not large in stature, nor was their attack power considered particularly threatening, but their teeth were incredibly troublesome to deal with, capable of piercing through solid gold and iron. With one hand, Tang San grabbed Dai Mubai's shoulder to stop him from charging into the thorns ahead, and with the other, he waved back at the rest of the group, indicating there was no major danger but they should remain alert. Relying on the knowledge Grandmaster had imparted, Tang San recognized at a glance that this pack of twenty to thirty Rodent Weasels were mere ten-year spirit beasts, nothing more. Tang San pointed to the side, and Dai Mubai tacitly understood, redirecting his path to carve a new trail through the thorny bushes, guiding everyone safely around the pack.
As they continued moving forward, Dai Mubai whispered to Tang San in confusion, "Why do we have to take a detour?"
Tang San replied with a faint, wise smile. "Spirit beasts cultivate and evolve very slowly. If we can avoid them, we should. If all Spirit Masters indiscriminately slaughtered every beast they encountered, would there be any spirit beasts left in this forest eventually? Another crucial reason is that the smell of blood from a battle will attract much stronger, predatory spirit beasts. In an ecosystem this dangerous, it is always better to be cautious."
Dai Mubai chuckled cheerfully, genuinely impressed. "You really know a lot, don't you?"
Kyle chimed in proudly, "Our Teacher taught us all these principles."
However, the tranquil atmosphere shattered instantly when Zhao Wuji suddenly bellowed with a booming voice that shook the air, "Everyone on guard! Something is approaching!"
Tang San, Kyle, and Dai Mubai instantly took up defensive positions at the vanguard, shielding Oscar and Ning Rongrong safely behind them. Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Fatty moved swiftly to secure the flanks. In a split second, everyone simultaneously released their martial spirits, including Zhao Wuji.
The rustling of leaves, initially faint, rapidly grew into a terrifying roar. Even Auxiliary Spirit Masters like Oscar and Ning Rongrong could clearly sense that the mysterious creature was approaching at an unbelievable speed.
"Zhu Zhuqing, go see what that is," Zhao Wuji commanded in a low, stern voice.
Without wasting a breath to reply, Zhu Zhuqing leaped silently into the air. Sharp cat claws extended from her fingertips. With peerless agility, she scaled a massive ancient tree as effortlessly as if she were sprinting on flat ground, seeking a vantage point toward the source of the noise. A feline spirit's vision was absolutely extraordinary; it was as sharp as an eagle's even in the dead of night, let alone now when the sun was at its peak.
Very quickly, Zhu Zhuqing's crisp, icy voice drifted down from the canopy. "It looks like a flying snake. It's gliding about three meters above the ground. It has a blood-red crest on its head, and its tail is shaped like a fan."
Zhao Wuji's eyes instantly lit up with anticipation. "That is a Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent! Oscar, your luck today is absolutely phenomenal! Unfortunately, we don't know the exact age of this serpent yet. Keep a close eye on its trajectory!"
Amidst the tension, Tang San suddenly interjected with an analytical question, "How long is this Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent, and what color are its wings?"
From up in the canopy, Zhu Zhuqing narrowed her eyes to observe closely and replied, "Its wings are a pale red, and its body length is roughly between six to eight meters."
Tang San quickly processed the information in his head, his tone brimming with absolute certainty. "It is a thousand-year Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent! Judging by the wings and its body length, it is somewhere between 1,300 to 1,800 years old. Oscar, this is absolutely perfect for you."
"This type of serpent is incredibly rare and non-venomous," Tang San continued to explain rapidly. "It attacks by wrapping tightly around its prey and crushing them. However, its absolute greatest advantage is its speed. That red crest on its head functions as a nutrient reservoir. When in danger, it can burn those stored nutrients to grant itself an instantaneous, massive burst of speed."
Hearing such a detailed and precise analysis, Zhao Wuji couldn't help but ask, clearly impressed. "Since you are so clear on this type of spirit beast, tell me, what is the most effective method to capture it alive?"
Tang San answered without a shred of hesitation, "Snakes inherently fear predatory birds. Fatty's Phoenix fire will absolutely suppress this Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent. This beast is naturally not very aggressive and heavily prefers to flee, so our absolute priority is trapping it. We must not let it escape!"
"It's here!"
Zhu Zhuqing's timely, low-pitched warning cut through their conversation at the most critical moment. Without the slightest fear of facing a thousand-year spirit beast head-on, Zhu Zhuqing abruptly dove from the high canopy like a deadly shadow. Her razor-sharp claws gleamed brilliantly alongside the light of her first spirit ring as she activated her lethal Hell Rush Stab.
However, the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent's reflexes were equally terrifying. Despite hurtling forward at maximum speed, the massive serpent hastily jerked its head to the side, perfectly evading Zhu Zhuqing's lethal strike by a mere hairsbreadth! Startled by the sudden ambush, the serpent instantly triggered its survival instincts. The blood-red crest atop its head lit up radiantly, and its speed suddenly exploded to an absurd degree.
Seeing the terrifying acceleration of the thrashing beast and realizing the immediate danger to Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai didn't even take a second to think before roaring loudly, "Zhuqing, watch out!"
In response to the danger, Dai Mubai immediately activated his thousand-year spirit ring ability, White Tiger Vajra Transformation. His muscles bulged, radiating a ferocious aura as he charged straight at the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent.
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile, Second word: Speed!"
Ning Rongrong's crisp, clear voice echoed at the perfect moment. Dai Mubai felt his entire body lighten as his speed increased exponentially.
BANG! With a loud, deafening crash, Dai Mubai's forceful strike halted the massive serpent and repelled it nearly ten meters backward. Losing its momentum, the charging Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent shrieked to an abrupt halt, its huge body spinning wildly in the air before crashing down to the earth.
However, the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent was an incredibly cunning thousand-year beast. Borrowing the repulsive force from Dai Mubai's punch, the serpent shrieked, burned the energy in its crest, and spun wildly in the air, attempting to shoot upward into the forest canopy to escape.
"Not so fast!"
A silhouette flashed, perfectly intercepting the serpent's aerial escape route. It was Kyle. Anticipating the creature's trajectory, Kyle had leaped much higher into the air. His two spirit rings flared brilliantly, radiating a blinding, holy aura in the dim forest.
"Twin Spear of Light!"
Gripping his twin spears tightly, Kyle twisted his body mid-air and executed his strike.
Instead of piercing, Kyle used the solid shafts of his twin spears to ruthlessly bludgeon the base of the serpent's wings and back with brutal, pinpoint precision. CRACK! The sound of fracturing cartilage rang sharply in the air. Kyle's immense kinetic blow not only shattered the serpent's aerodynamic balance but also forced it to plummet back to the earth like a falling meteor.
Kyle's strike created the absolute perfect opening. At the exact same time, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass erupted from the ground, tightly binding the serpent's fallen body. The thick vines specifically wrapped around both of its wings, rendering it completely unable to take flight again. Fatty unleashed a full-power Phoenix fire attack from the flank, but the agile serpent still managed to writhe and successfully evade it.
"Thinking of escaping? Is it really that easy?"
Zhao Wuji's heavy, domineering voice echoed. Following this, his third spirit ring lit up. The struggling thousand-year serpent suddenly slowed down significantly, as if weighed down by a mountain—this was his Gravity Increase.
Immediately chaining it with his fourth spirit ring ability, Position Tract, Zhao Wuji's massive bear claws extended, gripping the serpent's tail and ruthlessly slamming it against the ground again and again like a toy. Unable to withstand the sheer destructive force of the Vajra Bear, the thousand-year serpent instantly passed out.
"Done!"
Everyone cheered in unison. Oscar, who was after all only fourteen years old, couldn't hide the pure joy in his voice as he eagerly ran over to Zhao Wuji.
Xiao Wu stood beside Tang San, her head bowed and her large eyes filled with a disturbed, sorrowful expression. "Must we always hunt and kill spirit beasts?"
Tang San sighed softly. "The weak are prey for the strong; this is the absolute law of nature. If this snake were stronger than us, do you think it would let its meal escape alive?"
Xiao Wu said nothing more, but she kept her head down, her complexion still looking slightly pale.
Zhao Wuji pulled a short knife from his belt and handed it to Oscar. "Don't delay any longer. Stab it through the head, and the spirit ring will be yours."
Trembling with excitement, Oscar took the short knife. Just as he was about to thrust the blade down, a harsh, authoritative voice suddenly echoed through the air.
"Stop!"
Immediately following the command, two figures leaped out from the direction the serpent had originally come from, landing right in front of the group. The two people were both women—one old and one young.
The elder appeared to be in her sixties or seventies. Her head full of white hair was combed meticulously, and though her face bore quite a few wrinkles, her eyes were bright and piercing. Her right hand held a three-meter-long cane with a snake-head carving, while six spirit rings moved rhythmically up and down around her body. Since her body showed no physical changes, it was obvious that the cane in her hand was her martial spirit.
Beside the old woman stood a beautiful young girl. Her neatly cut, ear-length hair framed a face that looked to be around sixteen or seventeen. Dressed in a brilliant, well-tailored outfit, her large dark brown eyes stared fixedly at the serpent under Zhao Wuji's foot. She also held a snake-head cane, though hers was slightly shorter at two meters, and only two hundred-year spirit rings circled her body.
The sudden appearance of the old woman and the young girl initially startled everyone. However, the moment they saw the six spirit rings on the old woman's body, the Shrek group collectively breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the seven spirit rings on Zhao Wuji's body—especially the deep black ten-thousand-year rings—flaunted absolute dominance.
Conversely, as Tang San and the others relaxed, the old woman's expression changed drastically. She had shouted loudly earlier to stop what she heard Zhao Wuji telling Oscar to do, but upon getting closer and actually seeing his seven rings, her momentum immediately shrank.
"What's the problem?"
Zhao Wuji asked, glancing coldly at the old woman. However, when his gaze fell upon the snake-head cane in her hand, something clicked in his mind. Uncharacteristically, his normally rough voice softened considerably. This subtle shift left Dai Mubai feeling quite dumbfounded. The Motionless Bright King never showed a pleasant face to anyone weaker than him, especially in a situation where the other party clearly wanted to snatch their loot.
The old woman coughed, forcing her expression to soften. "Greetings, honorable Spirit Sage. I am Chao Tian-Xiang. You cannot kill that Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent."
Zhao Wuji tilted his head. "Why not?"
Seeing that he wasn't attacking immediately, Chao Tian-Xiang's mind relaxed slightly. "Because we found this snake first."
Oscar couldn't hold back his frustration. "How can you prove you hunted it first? When we encountered it, we didn't see a single trace of you!"
The old woman smiled faintly, maintaining her composure. "Young man, there's no need to fret. Look at the belly of this serpent; you will find three wounds caused by my cane. My granddaughter has just reached rank 30 and desperately needs this spirit ring."
Zhao Wuji lowered his head to inspect the serpent. Sure enough, just as the old woman claimed, there were indeed such puncture wounds on its belly. However, if she thought she could make Zhao Wuji surrender with just a trivial reason like this, she was living in a fantasy.
"We came to the Star Dou Great Forest this time purely to find a suitable third spirit ring for my granddaughter," Chao Tian-Xiang added persuasively.
Hearing her introduction, Zhao Wuji was suddenly startled. Holding back Oscar, who was about to argue further, he asked in a low, cautious voice, "Could it be... that you are the Serpent Senior of the legendary Unrivaled Dragon Serpent?"
Chao Tian-Xiang smiled calmly. "Oh, so you know me?"
The arrogant expression on Zhao Wuji's face vanished instantly, replaced by a high degree of vigilance. He had, of course, heard the illustrious name of the Unrivaled Dragon Serpent before. This husband and wife pair were living legends who had long ago established their tyrannical reputation in the Spirit Master realm. It was rumored that when they executed their Spirit Fusion, their destructive power was comparable to that of a true Title Douluo!
Zhao Wuji was highly self-aware; he was merely a Spirit Sage. Even if the Serpent Grandma standing before him appeared to be slightly weaker than him in spirit rank, her presence was akin to an omen of death. The Unrivaled Dragon Serpent couple were famous for being completely inseparable. If the Serpent Grandma was here, it meant the Dragon Duke absolutely had to be somewhere nearby.
Furthermore, even though Zhao Wuji had the advantage of one extra spirit ring, if Chao Tian-Xiang firmly resolved to flee, he fundamentally possessed no absolute certainty of stopping her or killing her in one strike. If he attacked rashly and let the Serpent Grandma escape, what awaited him was a relentless, deadly hunt from the Unrivaled Dragon Serpent.
Weighing all these risks, Zhao Wuji's expression softened drastically. He cupped his fists and announced his name with a highly polite tone. "So it is the Serpent Senior. This humble one is Zhao Wuji."
Hearing the name, Chao Tian-Xiang's expression also shifted slightly. "No wonder. I was just wondering how one could casually stumble upon such a young Spirit Sage in the outskirts of this forest."
Zhao Wuji could only force a slightly awkward smile. In his heart, he knew perfectly well that his "fame" in the Spirit Master Realm consisted almost entirely of infamy and notoriety. Nevertheless, he maintained his amiable facade. "Senior flatters me. The reason I brought these children all the way to the Star Dou Great Forest this time is because one of them recently broke through their bottleneck and desperately needs this spirit ring."
Behind that smiling face, Zhao Wuji was secretly laughing grimly. 'Thinking you can make me surrender a thousand-year spirit beast with just a few words and a big name? Heh. Even if you Unrivaled Dragon Serpents are terrifying to deal with, I won't roll over that easily. Especially when the Dragon Duke isn't even here yet!'
On the other side, Chao Tian-Xiang stared blankly for a moment, processing his words. "Are you saying that, out of these young students, someone has already reached the level of a Rank Thirty Spirit Master?!"
Zhao Wuji nodded slowly. Thinking of their apparent ages, Chao Tian-Xiang's face revealed an expression of utter disbelief. Her gaze instinctively swept over the group and locked directly onto the one who looked the oldest, possessing the most robust build and emitting the most tyrannical aura: the Evil-Eyed White Tiger, Dai Mubai.
Seeing the old woman's scrutinizing gaze, Zhao Wuji smiled meaningfully. He turned his head and called out. "Oscar, step forward. Tell the Senior what your current spirit power rank is."
From the back of the group, a thin, fourteen-year-old boy stepped forward. With a polite demeanor, Oscar looked at the old woman and stated, "Answering the Senior, I have just reached Rank Thirty."
Chao Tian-Xiang stared intently at Oscar, her facial expression gradually becoming increasingly unsightly. As a veteran cultivator, she knew perfectly well what a top-tier spirit ring meant for a Spirit Master's future and potential. Right now, the thousand-year Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent was locked securely in someone else's hands. Trying to make the notoriously fierce Zhao Wuji spit out a piece of fat that had already reached his mouth was going to be anything but easy.
She had long heard rumors of this man's infamy and ruthlessness. If it weren't for the terrifying deterrent of the Unrivaled Dragon Serpent name, this fierce youth might have immediately slaughtered this grandparent-grandchild pair right here and now to eliminate any witnesses. But naturally, Chao Tian-Xiang was entirely unwilling to simply give up to fate.
Her eyes rolled as her mind worked rapidly, carefully calculating her next move. With one hand lightly stroking her white hair, her face suddenly broke into an amiable, yet incredibly cunning, smile.
"If things are at a stalemate like this," Chao Tian-Xiang said softly, "why don't we handle it according to the established customs and unwritten rules of the Spirit Master world?"
"Oh? Spirit Master customs? Please enlighten me, Senior."
Zhao Wuji replied casually, remaining completely unmoved. Throughout his life, he had never considered himself bound by the rules or etiquette of the Spirit Master realm. He always acted purely according to his own whims, relying solely on his fists—which was exactly why he had landed such an infamous reputation.
Chao Tian-Xiang stated with a challenging tone, "The rule is simple. If this student of yours can defeat my granddaughter in a one-on-one duel, this old woman will say no more, and we will leave this place immediately. Conversely, if my granddaughter wins, I will ask Brother Zhao to hand over this thousand-year Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent to us."
Instead of feeling intimidated, Zhao Wuji spread both his hands outward. He put on a highly exaggerated, fabricated expression of utter helplessness.
"I'm very sorry, Senior," Zhao Wuji sighed. "I cannot follow your wishes on this one."
Hearing his blunt refusal, Chao Tian-Xiang's expression turned ugly. Her anger instantly flared.
"Zhao Wuji!" she snapped. "I have already yielded a step and offered you an honorable compromise, what more do you want?! Are you purposely trying to bully me just because my husband isn't here?! Hmph!"
Zhao Wuji hastily replied with an apologetic—yet somehow incredibly infuriating—smile. "No, no, it's not like that at all, Senior. It's just that... my student here is a food-system Spirit Master."
Those words struck like a bolt of lightning from a clear blue sky. The remaining traces of anger on Chao Tian-Xiang's face instantly froze, replaced by a wave of profound, absolute shock.
"What... what did you just say?!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. "He is a food-system Spirit Master?!"