At dusk, inside an inn in a small town.
Yu Tiancheng sat down in a corner and ordered a few dishes.
The inn wasn't large, but it was clean. There were only a few tables of customers at that hour.
As he ate, he planned out his itinerary for the next day.
"At this pace, I can reach the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest by noon tomorrow."
"But my Soul Power still hasn't reached level twenty, so I can't get my Second Soul Ring yet."
"Forget it. I'll take things as they come. If tomorrow's diary reward gives me two levels, I'll go get a Spirit Ring right away. If not, I'll wait a few more days."
Only then did he remember that he hadn't written in his diary today.
As he was thinking about it, the inn's door swung open.
A group of people walked in.
At the front was a purple-haired girl of about sixteen or seventeen. She was tall and pretty, her purple hair shimmering faintly in the lamplight. Her violet eyes held a hint of pride and lively spirit.
Following her was an elderly couple. The old man was tall, with a head of white hair, and carried a strangely shaped dragon-headed cane. The old woman was hunched over and leaned on a Serpent Cane, but her eyes were exceptionally sharp as she surveyed the inn.
"Grandpa, Grandma, let's stay here tonight," the purple-haired girl said, her voice bright and clear.
"Of course. Wherever Yiran wants to stay is fine by me," the old man said with an indulgent smile.
Yu Tiancheng's eyes lit up.
Meng Yiran! The Peerless Dragon Snake couple! He hadn't expected to run into them here.
He lowered his head to avoid drawing attention, while pricking up his ears to listen to their conversation.
"Yiran, once we enter the forest tomorrow, be sure to stay close to us," Snake Dowager Chao Tianxiang warned her. Her voice was gentle, yet carried an unquestionable authority.
"I know, Grandma. I'm not a child anymore," Meng Yiran muttered.
"This time, we'll find you a suitable third Spirit Ring," Dragon Duke Meng Shu said solemnly. "Your Serpent Cane Martial Soul naturally suits serpent-type Spirit Beasts best, but if we come across another suitable one, we shouldn't pass it up."
A third Spirit Ring.
Yu Tiancheng considered this to himself.
In the original story, Meng Yiran had competed with Shrek over the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent and lost. Later, when they hunted the Human-faced Demon Pearl, she ran into Tang San and lost again.
What a poor girl...
Since he hadn't written in his diary today, he willed it into being, and the diary began writing on its own in his mind.
[I traveled all day and settled in a small town a day's journey from the Star Dou Great Forest] [I didn't expect to run into Meng Yiran and the Peerless Dragon Snake couple here!] [Meng Yiran is even prettier in person than she was described in the original story. Purple hair, violet eyes, tall, with a unique air about her—there's a wild, proud beauty to her] [She doesn't seem to be in a very good mood, though. She must be worried about her third Spirit Ring] [She had it pretty rough in the original story, too. Oscar took the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent she wanted, and later Tang San took the Human-faced Demon Pearl] [Anyone would be upset after having their Spirit Beasts stolen twice in a row] [But seriously, the Peerless Dragon Snake couple really dote on their granddaughter. The Dragon Duke is a Soul Douluo, the Snake Dowager is a Soul Saint, and they even have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. They could pretty much do as they pleased on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest] [Too bad they ran into the Protagonist Group... No matter how strong you are, you have to yield in the face of the protagonist's halo] [Going by that, the people from Shrek should be arriving soon, too. I just don't know when, or whether anything will be different this time] [Speaking of which, I'll be entering the forest the day after tomorrow. I hope I can break through to level 20 without a hitch] [The Second Spirit Ring for my Time Dragon Emperor Martial Soul... That's a lot of pressure] [Time for bed. I'll continue traveling in the morning] [Diary entry complete] [Rewards will be calculated at midnight the following day]
After he finished writing, Yu Tiancheng's food arrived, and he began eating.
At the next table, Meng Yiran was drinking water when she suddenly choked.
She was reading the diary Yu Tiancheng had written.
The previous day, while she was cultivating, the diary had suddenly appeared in her possession. At first, she had taken it for a prank.
But that morning, she'd suddenly received a reward: her Soul Power had risen by one level.
That was what had allowed her to come to the Star Dou Great Forest to get a Spirit Ring.
She'd also begun to believe in the diary's uncanny powers.
Just now, she'd sensed that the diary had updated. Since the food hadn't arrived yet, she'd decided to take a quick look.
She hadn't expected that, as soon as she read it...
What a frivolous man. Her cheeks flushed, and she instinctively touched them.
[Meng Yiran is even prettier in person than she was described in the original story... There's a wild, proud beauty to her]
Such a direct compliment made her heart race, but she felt even more embarrassed and annoyed. No one had ever dared describe her that way before.
At the same time, she realized that this Yu Tiancheng must be nearby. Otherwise, how would he know what she looked like?
She looked around. There weren't many people in the inn, but there were still seven or eight other customers. And Yu Tiancheng hadn't described his own appearance, so she had no way to recognize him.
Never mind. I'll keep reading.
[She had it pretty rough in the original story, too... The Human-faced Demon Pearl was taken by Tang San]
Her hand trembled slightly with anger.
"The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent... the Human-faced Demon Pearl... stolen?"
She tightened her grip on the cup. The force was so great that it cracked slightly, making a faint "crack" sound.
"Steal my Spirit Beasts?" A cold glint flashed in Meng Yiran's eyes. "I want to see if you have what it takes!"
The Peerless Dragon Snake couple noticed their granddaughter's unusual behavior.
"What is it, Yiran?" Chao Tianxiang's sharp gaze swept over the cup in her granddaughter's hand.
"It's nothing, Grandma." Meng Yiran let go and set the cup down. "I was just thinking about tomorrow's hunt. It's got me a little excited."
She paused, then added, "When we find a Spirit Beast this time, we have to strike right away and give no one else a chance. If anyone dares to steal it... we'll show them the might of the Peerless Dragon Snake!"
Dragon Duke Meng Shu laughed heartily and lightly tapped his dragon-headed cane on the ground. "Naturally. Your grandmother and I will find you the most suitable Spirit Beast. Whoever dares to steal it will learn what it means to regret it!"
Hearing her grandfather's words, Meng Yiran felt a little reassured. But she'd already made up her mind: this time, they would act quickly in the forest and give no one an opening!
Spirit City, Pope's Palace.
Bibi Dong reclined against her throne. When she saw the diary update, her eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Meng Yiran... the granddaughter of the Peerless Dragon Snake."
"Shrek Academy..."
She continued reading. When she saw the words "protagonist's halo," a trace of confusion flashed in her eyes.
"Protagonist's halo? What does that mean?"
This Yu Tiancheng always said such strange things.
And why did Shrek Academy keep coming up? Could there be something unusual about that academy?
"Still, it should be interesting to see Shrek Academy clash with the Peerless Dragon Snake." Bibi Dong's lips curled into an amused smile. "If they can both end up badly hurt, that would be good news for Spirit Hall."
Her slender fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the throne.
"Yu Tiancheng is in the Star Dou Great Forest too... It looks like I'll have to get Yue Guan and the others to hurry up."
Before you continue