A Minute and an Hour

Star Dou Great Forest!

Zhao Wuji restrained the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, grinned, hesitated for a moment, then turned and shouted:

"Oscar, get over here and kill this Spirit Beast so you can absorb its Spirit Ring! Your First Soul Skill and Second Soul Skill are the Recovery Sausage and Detoxification Sausage respectively. If this Third Soul Skill is really speed-related, just as Tang San said, then it will undoubtedly be extremely practical!"

Oscar's face filled with delight. He took out a dagger and quickly stepped forward. They had only been in the Star Dou Great Forest for such a short time, yet they had already encountered a Spirit Beast suitable for his Spirit Ring.

But at that moment, an aged voice rang out:

"Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji, this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was chosen by this old woman as my granddaughter's Third Spirit Ring. It fled all the way under our pursuit, only to be subdued by you. Please return it to us, and my husband and I will owe you a favor."

As soon as those words fell, everyone looked over.

They saw an old woman and a young girl hurrying toward them through the forest. The girl was young and beautiful, her face filled with urgency. The old woman held a Serpent Cane, while two yellow, two purple, and two black Spirit Rings revolved beneath her feet. She was a Spirit Emperor powerhouse.

Seeing that the newcomer was merely a Spirit Emperor, Zhao Wuji's attitude immediately hardened. He grinned and said:

"Old woman, in the Star Dou Great Forest, Spirit Beasts belong to no one. Whoever catches one owns it. My student also needs this Spirit Beast for his Third Spirit Ring. I don't need your favor!"

The old woman's expression darkened. She had some standing in the Spirit Master world, yet today she was being so thoroughly ignored. Her voice sank as she said:

"Immovable Bright King, arrogance comes at a price. This old woman is Chao Tianxiang, known among Spirit Masters as Snake Granny. My husband is Meng Shu, respectfully called Dragon Grandfather by others. A favor from us is quite valuable. Will you not reconsider?"

Zhao Wuji's expression changed. Dragon Grandfather and Snake Granny—they were the Peerless Dragon Snake couple. When they used their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Dragon Snake Fusion Strike, they could even rival a Titled Douluo. They were renowned throughout the Spirit Master world.

What had been going on lately? Why did he keep getting involved with such major figures? This was going to be troublesome.

Zhao Wuji's expression quickly shifted back and forth. He definitely could not fight them. Meng Shu might be nearby, and he was a Soul Douluo powerhouse. Left with no choice, he said:

"So it is Snake Granny. I was disrespectful earlier. However, we truly need this Spirit Beast. Oscar, come here. Snake Granny, look—this is my student. He has also reached level thirty Soul Power and needs this Spirit Beast as his Spirit Ring."

Seeing Oscar's youthful face, Chao Tianxiang's expression revealed a trace of surprise. Reaching level thirty Soul Power at such a young age meant this boy was no ordinary person.

She was deeply conflicted as well. Meng Shu was not at her side, and she did not wish to clash with the notoriously fierce Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji. After steadying herself, she said:

"Then let us settle this according to the rules of the Spirit Master world. The two children will duel. Whoever wins will absorb this Spirit Ring."

After speaking, she looked at Zhao Wuji. This was already the greatest concession she could make.

Zhao Wuji fell silent for a moment before giving a bitter smile.

"Snake Granny, I'm afraid that won't work. My student is a food-type Spirit Master without any combat ability. How can he fight your granddaughter?"

Chao Tianxiang paused. Looking at the innocent-faced Oscar, she could only grit her teeth and say:

"No matter what, we cannot simply hand this Spirit Beast over. There must be a duel. If this boy cannot fight, then choose someone else—but they can only be a Soul Grandmaster!"

Chao Tianxiang thought that this was fine as well. Her granddaughter had level thirty Soul Power, and among Soul Grand Masters, she had few opponents. This would give her a better chance of winning.

Chao Tianxiang's granddaughter, the young and beautiful Meng Yiran, stepped forward confidently. As she summoned her Martial Soul, she said:

"Meng Yiran. Martial Soul: Serpent Cane. Level thirty assault-type battle Spirit Master!"

Black light flickered in her hand and transformed into a Serpent Cane. Two yellow Spirit Rings appeared beneath her feet, her imposing aura making others wary.

Oscar was startled. His gaze shifted from side to side among his companions. Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, and Zhu Zhuqing were all Soul Grand Masters, but Tang San was undoubtedly the strongest. He waved his hand and said:

"Tang San, help me out, brother! This Spirit Beast suits me perfectly. We can't let someone else take it away!"

Tang San nodded upon hearing that. Since Oscar had asked, he could not simply stand by. He stepped forward and said:

"Tang San. Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass. Level twenty-nine control-type battle Spirit Master!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Yiran's Willow Eyebrows rose sharply and her almond eyes widened. She said coldly:

"You're sending a Blue Silver Grass Spirit Master? You're looking down on me. I'll make you regret this!"

With that, she took the initiative and attacked. She was incredibly fast, every movement carrying forceful momentum. The Serpent Cane in her hand was like a living snake, leaving countless afterimages that were utterly terrifying.

Tang San was no slower, and his movements were exceptionally nimble. None of Meng Yiran's attacks could even touch the corner of his clothes. At the same time, he urged a large quantity of Blue Silver Grass to entangle her.

Meng Yiran used her First Soul Skill and Second Soul Skill. Her Serpent Cane spat out short swords like a snake flicking its tongue. The blades gleamed with a sinister light and were clearly coated in poison.

The short swords were extremely sharp, enough to tear apart Tang San's Blue Silver Grass. However, the poison on them had little effect on the Blue Silver Grass.

The battle fell into a stalemate. Meng Yiran could not catch Tang San, while Tang San could do nothing to Meng Yiran. But after more than ten minutes, the situation changed completely.

Tang San used his Second Soul Skill, Parasite. The seeds he had planted on Meng Yiran long ago began to grow, instantly binding her. The poisonous thorns on the Blue Silver Grass pierced through her clothes and skin, injecting poison into her body.

Meng Yiran felt a wave of weakness sweep through her body. Though unwilling, she could only say:

"I concede."

Only then did Tang San withdraw his Martial Soul and clasp his hands.

"Thank you for letting me win."

Meng Yiran snorted coldly. Thinking of what had just happened, she felt utterly unconvinced, but she had no face to remain any longer. Turning away, she said aggrievedly:

"Grandmother, let's go."

Chao Tianxiang narrowed her eyes, looked at Oscar, then at Tang San, and finally fixed Zhao Wuji with a heavy gaze.

"Immovable Bright King, we will give up this Spirit Beast. But we will never forget what happened today."

With that, she turned and left. The two quickly departed from the area.

At this moment, Zhao Wuji said anxiously:

"This is troublesome. Dragon Grandfather and Snake Granny are inseparable—where one goes, the other follows. If we stay any longer, something may happen. Oscar, hurry and kill the Spirit Beast. Once you absorb this Spirit Ring, we will leave the Star Dou Great Forest as quickly as possible."

Oscar was both shocked and delighted. Without wasting words, he stepped forward with his dagger and killed the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. Soon, a purple Spirit Ring emerged above its corpse.

Oscar sat down cross-legged, summoned his Martial Soul, and began absorbing it. At the same time, Tang San began meditating to recover from his Soul Power expenditure.

Several hours passed!

Oscar was the first to awaken. The moment he opened his eyes, he laughed joyfully, summoned his Martial Soul, and recited his incantation:

"I Have a Mushroom Sausage!"

In the blink of an eye, Soul Power condensed in his hand, forming a sausage with a mushroom-shaped head. He said smugly:

"Do you know how powerful my Third Soul Skill is?"

Whether it was powerful or not was beside the point. After hearing his incantation and seeing that bizarre sausage, everyone around him instinctively moved far away. It was simply too disgusting; even thinking about it was nauseating.

Seeing this, Oscar's face filled with grief and indignation. He immediately swallowed the Mushroom Sausage. A pair of cicada-wing-thin feathers sprouted from his back and carried him straight into the sky. Wanting to clear his name, he shouted:

"My Flying Mushroom Sausage can not only let people fly, but lets them fly at the speed of a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent for one minute!"

Everyone was startled after hearing that. His Third Soul Skill truly was very powerful.

But at that moment, Ning Rongrong hugged Chen Yuan's arm and said with a perfectly serious expression:

"Only one minute? Wouldn't that mean it's over before you can even enjoy it? Unlike my Brother Chen Yuan, who can keep going for over an hour in one go and recover his Soul Power quickly with just a little meditation!"

The surroundings fell deathly silent. Oscar's face turned pale, and his lips trembled. He had lost. There was simply no way to refute that.

Chen Yuan sighed helplessly and flicked Ning Rongrong on the forehead.

"While you're not wrong, don't say things like that next time. How can such scandalous words come from the mouth of a girl like you?"

Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue at Chen Yuan and said:

"I was only telling the truth."

Everyone wore strange expressions. Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, in particular, had flushed crimson. They both understood the scandalous implication and suddenly did not dare look at Chen Yuan.

Ning Rongrong was no innocent little flower. There was plenty she knew.