Star Dou Great Forest

The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, while the sky was still barely light, the group set out.

As one of the three great wild Spirit Beast habitats on Douluo Continent, the Star Dou Great Forest stretched across the Star Luo and Heaven Dou Two Great Empires and teemed with Spirit Beasts.

Even from afar, everyone could feel waves of cool air washing over them.

It gave them an indescribable sense of comfort throughout their bodies.

It was not Ning Chuan and Zhao Wuji's first time visiting the Star Dou Great Forest, so they felt nothing in particular. Xiao Wu had lived in the forest for tens of thousands—even a hundred thousand—years, so it was no different from returning home.

The others were different.

Including Tang San, each of them looked like country bumpkins visiting a grand estate for the first time, their faces filled with barely concealed gravity and awe.

As they reached the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, the group slowed from their rapid march to a normal walking pace.

At the same time, Oscar prepared a large bundle of Recovery Sausages and Detoxifying Sausages, distributing them among the group.

Ning Chuan summoned the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword and took the lead. After advancing for roughly two hours without finding anything, the group rested on the spot under Zhao Wuji's command.

Another hour passed when Ning Chuan, Zhao Wuji, and Tang San all turned to look in the same direction.

"Something is approaching. Everyone, stay alert."

At Zhao Wuji's command, Ning Chuan immediately stepped in front of Ning Rongrong and Oscar, the two Support Spirit Masters. Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun also assumed defensive positions.

Has it finally come? The Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent!

Ning Chuan clicked his tongue inwardly.

Tang San could sense the disturbance because he cultivated the Purple Demon Eyes.

Zhao Wuji could sense it because he was a Spirit Sage with formidable spiritual power.

As for Ning Chuan, it was because of his Second Spirit.

The Gold Devouring Insect.

Using the Gold Devouring Insect consumed not only his Soul Power but also his spiritual power. With Tang Hao as his Power Bank, Ning Chuan could frequently practice controlling swarms of insects.

Between that consumption and replenishment, his spiritual power had become considerably stronger than that of Spirit Masters at the same level.

But he had no intention of letting Oscar get this Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent.

A normal Thousand Year Spirit Ring would be more than enough for him.

"Tang San, Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, Fatty, protect Rongrong and Oscar. I'll go see what's happening."

With that thought, Ning Chuan circulated Soul Power beneath his feet and shot into the air. As though walking on level ground, he quickly climbed a large tree nearby and soon spotted the Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent.

It had pale red wings and was roughly seven meters long.

"It's a Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent around fifteen hundred years old. It's heading this way. It looks like something is chasing it," Ning Chuan called down to the others.

"Haha, Little Oscar, you're in luck this time."

Zhao Wuji did not care what was chasing it. This was the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, after all; no powerful Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast could possibly appear here.

"That's right. The flesh crest atop a Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent's head has many marvelous uses. If Oscar obtains it, there's an eighty to ninety percent chance he'll gain a speed-type skill. He might even gain a flight skill. Most importantly, this creature is not venomous. It only sprays pink mist to disorient its enemies, so capturing it carries little risk."

Ning Chuan was unwilling to give Tang San even a moment to show off.

"Oldest Ning, you really are a master of theory. You can actually determine a Spirit Beast's age at a glance," Ma Hongjun exclaimed.

The others also looked at Ning Chuan with amazement. Only Tang San and Oscar wore gloomy expressions.

The former was constantly being beaten to the punch by Ning Chuan, while the more outstanding Ning Chuan became, the slimmer the latter's chances of pursuing Ning Rongrong grew.

Yet, as the beneficiary of this Spirit Ring hunt, he could not say anything. He still needed everyone's help to obtain his Spirit Ring.

It was downright frustrating.

Ning Chuan said with a straight face, "I've merely read a few more books."

As he spoke, the Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent flew over. There was no strategy, nor was one needed. Ning Chuan simply dove from the air, and three Spirit Rings—one yellow and two purple—flashed into view.

His Third Spirit Ring lit up. Holding the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword, Ning Chuan split into three, transforming into three translucent azure figures that stabbed toward the Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent.

The Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent reacted quickly. While darting forward at high speed, it twisted its body and evaded the first translucent azure figure.

But it could no longer avoid the second and third.

The second sliced through one of its wings and shattered its balance. The third figure—Ning Chuan's true body—descended from above, gripping the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword in both hands and driving it into the ground, pinning the serpent down and leaving it unable to move.

"That's it?"

Only after Ning Chuan captured the Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent did everyone come to their senses. They had not expected the speed-renowned creature to be subdued so easily.

"What... is there a problem?"

The azure light around Ning Chuan faded, restoring his original appearance as he turned to face the group.

"Of course there's a problem. If it were merely an ordinary Thousand Year Spirit Beast, that would be one thing. But this is a Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent. Even a Spirit Emperor would find it incredibly difficult to capture one alive, yet you..."

Zhao Wuji stared at Ning Chuan as though he were looking at a monster.

Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun also nodded in deep agreement.

Compared to a Spirit Emperor, Ning Chuan might have been far inferior in strength, but he had no weaknesses whatsoever—he had speed when speed was needed, power when power was needed, offense when offense was needed, and defense when defense was needed. Most deadly of all was his unpredictable swordsmanship.

And then there were the exceptional spirit abilities granted by those three absurd Soul Rings of his.

Just how had this kid cultivated?

As for Tang San, his fists were clenched so tightly that his nails were nearly digging into his flesh, because he knew he could not do what Ning Chuan had done.

Especially against Ning Chuan's Third Spirit Ability—unless he used his Second Spirit and Hidden Weapons, he truly did not stand the slightest chance.

Xiao Wu stepped to Ning Chuan's side, her expression filled with reluctance. "Do we really have to hunt Spirit Beasts?"

"See those two wounds? That means someone was already hunting it before us."

Ning Chuan pointed at the Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent's abdomen, then looked up at the sky. "Besides, this isn't something we get to decide. It's determined by the rules of this world. In this distorted world of cultivation, Soul Masters need Soul Rings to grow stronger. Otherwise, they'll be stuck at a certain level, unable to advance any further. Even if we don't kill it, this Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent will die at the hands of other Soul Masters."

"Is there really no other way?" Xiao Wu's face turned somewhat pale.

"Unless you have the power to change the rules of this world. But among those who can reach that realm, how many would even think of such a thing? And among those who do, how many can remain true to their original hearts?"

Ning Chuan's words carried a deeper meaning.

In the original story, Xiao Wu had initially remembered that she was still a Spirit Beast. Yet before long, she had completely lost herself. It would have been one thing if she had simply stood by and done nothing, but later, she had even watched helplessly as Tang Buddha drove the Spirit Beast race to near extinction.

After hearing this, Xiao Wu fell into thought.