Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent

Early the next morning, everyone found Zhao Wuji already waiting on the training ground.

When Zhao Wuji saw Bai Ge, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and his expression stiffened for some inexplicable reason. "Everyone's here, so let's go. Mu Bai, lead the way."

Zhao Wuji had originally planned to make everyone run there, but his plan fell through again when Bai Ge paid to hire carriages.

Flender might have been stingy, but since Bai Ge was spending his own money, he had nothing to say.

Zhao Wuji had even less to say.

Ever since Bai Ge had come to Shrek, his authority as dean had been slipping away.

Likewise, in the town near the Star Dou Great Forest, Bai Ge paid to treat everyone to the best hotel.

The matter with Canghui Academy was thus avoided.

Bai Ge was quite happy about that. Not being afraid of trouble did not mean looking for it when there was none.

The night passed without incident. At dawn the next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Zhao Wuji roused everyone with his booming voice.

Tang San did not mind. He rose early every day and had long developed good habits, but it was rather painful for the others, especially someone as fond of sleep as Oscar. Even while eating breakfast, most of them were still groggy.

The sun slowly rose in the east, gradually spreading that pale fish-belly white as the sky brightened.

Although Tang San saw this sight every day, no matter how many times it repeated, the emergence of light still stirred his heart. The sun's radiance drove away the darkness, heralding the arrival of a new day.

Once they left the town, everyone sped up. They were already very close to the Star Dou Great Forest, and as they hurried onward at full speed, the most excited was naturally Oscar, who was about to obtain his third Soul Ring. He desperately wanted to know what kind of enhancement his third Soul Ring would bring him.

He knew that even without his reminder, Zhao Wuji would certainly lead everyone to hunt at least a thousand-year soul beast for him.

The Star Dou Great Forest lay directly south of the Heaven Dou Empire. The forest spanned both great empires, and because it was home to countless soul beasts, this was also the least clearly defined stretch of their border.

Judging from the map, most of the Star Dou Great Forest lay within the Star Luo Empire. Of course, the Heaven Dou Empire had never acknowledged that.

As one of the three great wild soul beast habitats, this was naturally the place soul masters most wished to visit.

Because every visit here meant they were about to advance.

No one knew how many years the Star Dou Great Forest had existed on Douluo Continent, but once they entered the forest, its dense canopy blotting out the sky was enough to reveal its ancient age.

Zhao Wuji looked gravely at the eight students, including Bai Ge. "Listen carefully. The Star Dou Great Forest is not one of those places where the state raises soul beasts.

"The soul beasts here are all extremely dangerous. At any moment, you may face attacks from thousand-year, or even ten-thousand-year soul beasts.

"Therefore, after entering the forest, none of you may move more than twenty meters away from me.

"Ning Rongrong, Oscar, you two especially must stay close to me.

"Without my order, no one is to attack a soul beast lightly. Understand?"

After traveling through the forest for about two hours, as noon approached, Zhao Wuji ordered them to rest.

Xiao Wu leaned against Tang San's shoulder, looking somewhat listless. But when Tang San asked her about it, she merely shook her head and said she was fine.

After a while, Zhao Wuji and Tang San suddenly looked in the same direction.

"Get up. Something's coming," Zhao Wuji shouted.

Everyone rose and became alert at once, hearing a rustling sound drawing closer and closer.

"Zhu Zhuqing, go take a look."

Zhao Wuji spoke in a low voice.

Zhu Zhuqing nodded. With a flicker of her body, she leaped onto the treetops and looked toward the source of the sound.

Very soon, Zhu Zhuqing's cool voice came back. "A flying snake. It has a fleshy crest on its head and a fan-shaped tail."

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up. "A Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent?

"Zhu Zhuqing, keep an eye on its direction. If its age is suitable, Oscar is in luck."

Tang San asked, "How long is it? What color are its wings?"

"It is between six and eight meters long. Its wings are pale red."

Tang San said delightedly, "Between thirteen hundred and fifteen hundred years. It's exactly right."

Oscar asked eagerly, "What kind of soul beast is a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent? What type of Soul Skill can it give me?"

"The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is incredibly fast. Moreover, the nutrients in its crest can increase its speed even further at critical moments, so the Soul Skill it gives you should be related to speed."

Oscar rubbed his hands and laughed. "Good. Then it's decided. My third Soul Ring will be this one."

Zhao Wuji burst into laughter. "Good, then I—"

However, Zhao Wuji suddenly seemed to think of something. Stroking his chin, he said, "I've decided. You'll deal with this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent yourselves."

Seeing Oscar's anxious expression, he added, "Don't worry. I'll step in when it matters. I won't let it escape, but..."

Zhao Wuji chuckled. "If your performance doesn't satisfy me, then once we get back, all of you will be taking practical combat lessons."

Before Zhao Wuji had finished speaking, Bai Ge had already vanished. Several breaths later, Bai Ge returned, gripping the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent by its vital point.

By then, the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent had already fainted.

Bai Ge tossed the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent in front of Oscar. "Oscar, do it. Pierce the fleshy crest on its head with your sword. That will destroy its brain!"

Hearing this, Oscar gripped his short sword and quickly ran to its head, preparing to drive the blade fiercely into its crest.

"Stop!"

A hoarse voice rang out. Immediately afterward, two figures sprang from the nearby bushes.

One was old and one was young, both women. The elder was around sixty or seventy, but her eyes were sharp and her spirit vigorous. She held a Snake Head Crutch, while six Soul Rings rose and fell around her body.

Beside the old woman stood a young girl of sixteen or seventeen, beautiful in appearance. She too held a Snake Head Crutch, and two hundred-year Soul Rings surrounded her.

Everyone looked displeased at the two uninvited guests. Zhao Wuji said blandly, "What is it?"

Then seven Soul Rings slowly rose beneath his feet.

The old woman's expression changed. She then said gently, "Hello, respected Soul Sage. Could you give this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent to this child?"

"Why?"

The old woman smiled and pointed at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's abdomen. "Because we discovered this snake first. I intended to make it my granddaughter's third Soul Ring, and there are wounds on its abdomen that I left just now. Otherwise, why would we have tracked it all the way here?"

Zhao Wuji glanced at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. There were indeed two wounds beneath its abdomen, but for her to think she could take this Soul Ring from him, Zhao Wuji, the Immovable Bright King, was nothing but a fool's dream.

Zhao Wuji sneered. "May I ask your name, Senior?"

The old woman said calmly, "I am Chao Tianxiang. My friends in the soul master world think highly of me and bestowed upon me the title of Snake Woman. My husband is Meng Shu, known as the Dragon Duke."