"Haha, then we won't stand on ceremony."
Zhao Wuji laughed heartily and cupped his hands, then turned and gave Oscar a meaningful look.
"Brat, hurry up!"
Overjoyed, Oscar hurriedly took out the short blade Zhao Wuji had given him earlier and ended the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's life with a single stab. He immediately sat cross-legged and began absorbing the spirit ring that emerged after its death.
With Zhao Wuji protecting him, he had no need to worry about his safety.
"Yiran."
Chao Tianxiang lightly sprang into the middle of the sparring ground and landed beside Meng Yiran.
"Grandma, I lost. The spirit ring is gone."
Meng Yiran seemed rather lost, her spirits thoroughly dampened.
Chao Tianxiang glanced at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Oscar had already killed and the spirit ring it had produced, then looked at Oscar as he began absorbing it. A trace of killing intent surfaced in her eyes.
But when she saw Zhao Wuji standing beside Oscar like a burly brown bear, she reined it in.
Looking at her dejected granddaughter, Chao Tianxiang sighed, stepped forward, and patted her shoulder, comforting her.
"Yiran, don't lose heart. A loss is a loss. It doesn't matter that the spirit ring is gone. Grandma will find you a better one."
After speaking, she turned toward Ye Qifeng, who was still standing in the middle of the grounds. Her sharp gaze fell on the Serpent Cane in his hand, her meaning plain.
Ye Qifeng understood immediately. He hurried forward and returned the Serpent Cane to Meng Yiran.
"Your Serpent Cane."
Meng Yiran remained silent and did not reach for it right away. Resentment and reproach lingered on her palm-sized face as her beautiful eyes studied Ye Qifeng's handsome features for a long while. Only then did she indignantly take back