"What should I choose for my Second Spirit Skill?"
Bai Mu sat cross-legged on the ground and began to ponder.
For a Spirit Master, every Spirit Skill was crucial.
Even for Zygarde, who could learn moves on its own, it was the same.
But unlike others, who pursued balance and limits when absorbing Spirit Rings, he and Zygarde sought versatility!
Take the First Spirit Skill, for example. Offensive Spirit Skills could be ruled out without consideration.
For the rest, the choices were nothing more than strengthening oneself, weakening others, or providing utility.
As for weakening enemies, Zygarde possessed the divine move Glare. As long as it hit, the opponent would be instantly paralyzed and their speed halved.
So—
"Xiao Ruan, do you need a boosting Spirit Skill first?"
Bai Mu looked at Zygarde beside him.
Over the past half year, he had tried to have Zygarde learn Dragon Dance, a move that boosted attack and speed.
Yet for some reason, it had failed to master it, leaving him somewhat impatient.
Not for now. I feel that I am only one step away from learning Dragon Dance.
Zygarde shook its head slightly, its tone resolute. "As long as I obtain the Second Spirit Ring, I will successfully awaken it!"
"The move awakened by the Second Spirit Ring will be Dragon Dance? Excellent!"
Hearing the good news, Bai Mu smiled.
Though Dragon Dance was not especially powerful among enhancement moves, it was still a divine move beyond the reach of other earth dragons!
At the very least, it would be more than enough to carry them through the early and middle stages. Once he had the chance, he could try using Spirit Ring Resonance on the strongest enhancement move!
However—
"What kind of Spirit Skill should I get next—"
Bai Mu rubbed Zygarde's head with some hesitation and asked, "Xiao Ruan, do you have any suggestions?"
"Woof~"
Zygarde did not use Telepathy. It merely stared fixedly at Bai Mu and raised its little claw toward him.
"You lack nothing and want me to think more about myself first?"
Confusion flashed across Bai Mu's face before realization struck him. "That's true. Although I can turn invisible and my physique isn't bad, I'm ultimately just a slightly stronger ordinary person."
"If the enemy ignores Zygarde entirely and attacks me like mad, then I would still die without the means to protect myself!"
There were many geniuses, but few powerhouses.
A genius who had yet to grow was nothing at all!
"Only by surviving can I become a powerhouse who determines his own fate!"
Bai Mu's eyes lit up as he began frantically recalling information about Spirit Beasts and Pokemon Moves.
Before long, a special Spirit Beast appeared in his mind: the Mirror Shadow Beast.
In the original story, Oscar had obtained two abilities from a Mirror Shadow Beast's Spirit Ring and spirit bone respectively: Mirror Copy and Mirror Clone.
"If I can hunt a suitable Mirror Shadow Beast, perhaps I can obtain the Spirit Skill I want without resonating with a move."
However, this kind of Spirit Beast mainly lived in the snow-covered north.
He had to head north once again.
He packed his belongings and returned the stone house he had rented.
Before leaving Blazing Fire City, he visited the Blazing Fire Great Soul Arena once more and watched two Spirit Elder- and Soul Ancestor-level spirit battles as a spectator.
"Lord Dragon of Order, aren't you participating in any spirit battles today?"
After he finished watching and was about to leave, a staff member asked curiously.
"I'm not."
Bai Mu glanced at the spirit battle badge inlaid with a sapphire. "The next time I participate, it may be in another city."
"Ah? You're leaving?"
The staff member was a little stunned.
"Yes, it's time to go."
Bai Mu smiled faintly and turned to leave.
Several days later, "What?! That guy left?!"
Huo Wu flew into a rage upon receiving news of Bai Mu's departure.
"Why? Why did he leave without saying a word?"
"I haven't defeated him yet. How could he just leave like that?"
With her mentality shattered, Huo Wu immediately issued a bounty notice, determined to find the [Dragon of Order] and wash away her humiliation!
Meanwhile, Bai Mu, who knew nothing of this, headed north and successfully arrived in Skywater City.
He did not rush to visit Skywater Academy. Instead, he first found an inn, bathed, changed clothes, and washed away the dust of travel.
The next morning, he stepped into Skywater Academy.
Unlike the luxury of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Skywater Academy carried a clear, elegant air of nature.
The blue-and-white buildings stood amid mountains and water, clearly an excellent place for water-attribute Spirit Masters to cultivate.
"Please wait patiently for a moment. The Director will be here shortly."
After briefly speaking with the guards and presenting his credentials, an assistant instructor soon led him to the Director's Office.
"Please wait patiently. The Director will arrive shortly."
After saying that, the assistant instructor left first.
Not long afterward—
"Xiao Mu?!"
Shui Yunxin pushed open the door, her face filled with delight.
Behind her, Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er hurried in after her.
"Aunt Shui, Bing'er, Yue'er, long time no see!"
Bai Mu smiled and waved, briefly sweeping his gaze over them.
They had not seen one another for nearly a year. Shui Yunxin was still as gentle as water, but both sisters seemed to have grown taller.
Shui Bing'er's temperament had become increasingly cool and composed, wisdom gleaming in her bright eyes.
Shui Yue'er still looked lively and energetic, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw Bai Mu.
"Long time no see."
Shui Bing'er smiled slightly, the corners of her eyes and brows curving faintly.
"Is it just my imagination, or do you seem much stronger than before?"
Shui Yue'er circled Bai Mu twice, then blushed as she poked the muscles on his arm.
"Be confident. Drop the 'seem.'"
Bai Mu smiled and held his hand out before Shui Yue'er, raising an eyebrow as his gaze conveyed, Want to feel them?
"Then I won't hold back!"
Shui Yue'er blinked and excitedly stretched out her mischievous claws.
Slap!
Her claw had only risen halfway when Shui Yunxin mercilessly smacked it down.
"You're a girl. Have some restraint."
Shui Yunxin glared at Shui Yue'er, then quickly pulled Bai Mu over to sit down and asked with concern, "When we received your letter and saw that you had withdrawn from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, we were terribly worried—Prince Xue Xing and that Fourth Prince have gone too far!"
"You knew?"
Bai Mu was somewhat surprised.
He had indeed written a letter to Shui Yunxin after leaving Heaven Dou, but he had not explained how he had withdrawn from the academy.
"Mom went to see the Commissioner, but they said—this was the dean's decision, and there was nothing they could do."
Shui Bing'er pursed her lips and spoke softly.
Shui Yue'er angrily waved her little fist. "If we'd been there, we definitely would've beaten Xue Beng up for you!"
"It's fine. It's all in the past. As long as the outcome was good."
Warmth filled Bai Mu's heart.
There were not many people in this world who genuinely cared about him. The Shui Family Mother and Daughter were among the few.
Shui Yunxin asked concernedly, "How have you managed on your own all this time?"
"How did I manage—"
Bai Mu thought for a moment and deliberately omitted the two "unimportant" matters of stealing Immortal Herbs and kidnapping a Prince to extort the Royal Family.
He only said that he had traveled and cultivated in various places, then stayed in Blazing Fire City, earning money through spirit battles—
"This time, besides coming to Skywater to see you all, I'm also heading north to hunt for my Second Spirit Ring."
Before you continue