Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent? Chao Tianxiang: A bunch of old, weak, sick, and disabled, and you want to steal this Seat's prey?

Before Huang Yan could even make a move.

His spiritual power captured an aura, rapidly darting toward this direction.

"Hmm?

This is..."

Huang Yan surveyed the area from his vantage point, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"A Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent?

These cripples actually have quite good luck."

Below, the vigilant Zhao Wuji also abruptly halted his steps, his only remaining left hand pulling Tang San and the others behind him.

"Everyone, be careful!

Something is coming!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth.

A strange venomous snake with a massive fleshy crest and wings on its back burst out from the shrubbery, crashing toward the group in a blind panic.

Upon seeing what it was, Zhao Wuji was stunned for a moment, then a light of wild joy erupted in his eyes.

"It's a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent!

Judging by its size and wings, it definitely exceeds a thousand years!"

Zhao Wuji turned his head to look at the pale-faced Oscar and shouted:

"Little Ao, your third spirit ring has been found!

This beast is practically tailor-made for you!"

"Dai Mubai, Tang San, move together!

Don't let it get away!"

Although the Shrek group was battered and broken.

This Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent seemed to have been frightened already and was in a terrible state.

Under the suppression of Zhao Wuji's formidable spirit power, it took only a few moves before this thousand-year spirit beast was pinned firmly to the ground, gasping its last breaths.

"Quick!

Little Ao, bring the blade and deliver the final blow!"

Zhao Wuji gripped the snake's head tightly with his left hand, panting heavily as he urged him on.

Oscar endured the excruciating pain of his severed wrist, holding a short blade in his only remaining left hand, and walked forward tremblingly.

"O-okay, Teacher Zhao..."

Just as Oscar raised the short blade, preparing to strike.

An aged yet vigorous shout suddenly exploded from the woods not far away:

"Stop!"

Immediately following, two figures darted out from the forest at high speed, landing steadily in front of the Shrek group.

The arrivals were an old woman holding a Serpent Cane.

And a short-haired young girl with a hot figure and a beautiful face.

The old woman's sharp gaze swept over Zhao Wuji and the others.

Her eyes lingered on their miserable injuries for a moment, then she spoke coldly:

"This Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was spotted by my granddaughter and me first, and we have been hunting it all the way here.

I ask that you show mercy, Excellency, and return it to us!"

Zhao Wuji frowned, signaling for Oscar to stop for a moment.

He looked the old woman up and down and let out a cold laugh:

"Senior, the spirit beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest are ownerless things; whoever catches them gets them.

You say it's yours because you saw it first? What proof do you have?"

The old woman was not annoyed; she slammed her Serpent Cane heavily onto the ground and pointed at a wound on the belly of the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent:

"Look at that cane mark on its belly; it was left by this old woman.

I am Chao Tianxiang, and friends in the spirit master world give me face by calling me Serpent Granny.

This spirit beast was chosen by my granddaughter Yiran, so I ask you to make things convenient for us."

"Serpent Granny?"

Zhao Wuji's heart tightened, but he refused to back down even an inch, gritting his teeth as he said:

"So it is Senior Serpent Granny of the Peerless Dragon and Serpent.

This junior is Zhao Wuji!"

"However, this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is equally important to my student, so I must respectfully decline!"

"Zhao Wuji?

The Immovable Wisdom King?"

Chao Tianxiang sneered.

Her gaze swept unscrupulously over Zhao Wuji's empty right sleeve, as well as Oscar and Tang San, who were missing hands and fingers behind him.

"If you were in your prime, this old woman might have feared you by three parts.

But look at your miserable state now—a nest of the old, the weak, the sick, and the crippled!

Do you really think you are qualified to snatch things from me?"

"You!"

Dai Mubai, Tang San, and the others were instantly burning with rage, yet because of their severe injuries, they dared not speak out despite their anger.

Meng Yiran, standing beside Chao Tianxiang, looked on with utter disdain and let out a haughty huff:

"Grandma, why waste words on this bunch of cripples!

Look at that one holding the knife; he's already missing a hand. Does he really think he can absorb this young lady's spirit ring in such a pathetic state?

Just drive them away!"

"Bastard!

Who are you calling a cripple?!"

Oscar, having his sore spot poked, trembled with rage, his eyes turning bloodshot.

Ning Rongrong stood to the side; although she harbored resentment toward Oscar, hearing outsiders humiliate Shrek Academy to this extent made her bite her lip in anger.

Because she had not yet left Shrek, Chao Tianxiang's words were also an insult to her.

This only solidified Ning Rongrong's resolve to leave Shrek Academy.

Once this spirit-hunting trip was over, she would leave Shrek Academy for good!

"What?

Did my granddaughter say something wrong?"

Chao Tianxiang stepped forward, releasing the pressure of a Spirit Emperor without the slightest restraint, bearing down directly on Zhao Wuji.

"Zhao Wuji, this old woman does not wish to take advantage of your misfortune.

Hand over the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, and this old woman will let you cripples leave.

Otherwise, once my old man arrives, you won't be able to leave even if you want to!"

High up in the tree canopy, Huang Yan leaned leisurely against the trunk, watching the tense standoff below, and laughed silently.

"Tsk tsk, 'a nest of the old, the weak, the sick, and the crippled'—this old woman's tongue is truly venomous.

But, she's absolutely right."

Huang Yan shifted into a more comfortable position, having no intention of intervening.

"Fight, then. It would be best if you both end up severely wounded.

This play is becoming more and more spectacular."

"Come to think of it, I sent Dugu Bo to recruit Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang, yet I haven't seen hide nor hair of him.

Has Dugu Bo not found them yet?

Or did Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang bring Meng Yiran to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for spirits before Dugu Bo could arrive?"

Zhao Wuji's expression flickered between shades of black and white, his remaining left hand clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

He knew clearly that Chao Tianxiang was telling the truth.

If the Dragon Duke Meng Shu were also here, with their current state as a broken and defeated force, they would likely all perish here today.

But to just hand over a spirit ring that was already within his grasp was something he simply could not swallow.

"Senior Serpent Granny, since Senior Dragon Duke is not here, I'm afraid it won't be so easy for a single Spirit Emperor like you to snatch this from my hands, Zhao Wuji!"

Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth and stood his ground.

"Even if I have lost an arm, the foundation of a Spirit Saint remains. If we really fight to the death, no one is going to have an easy time of it!"

"Oh?"

"Zhao Wuji, are you truly determined to fall out with this old woman?"

Chao Tianxiang's eyes turned icy, and she slammed her Serpent Cane into the ground, causing her soul power to surge.

Seeing that both sides were about to clash, Tang San suddenly stepped forward, suppressing the excruciating pain from his severed finger, and said in a deep voice:

"Senior, wait!"

Chao Tianxiang cast a cold glance at him:

"A junior with a severed finger—what right do you have to interrupt?"

Tang San took a deep breath and spoke neither servilely nor overbearingly:

"Senior, since everyone here needs this spirit beast, a head-on fight will only result in mutual destruction.

Why not follow the rules of the spirit master world and let those who need the spirit ring decide the ownership of the beast through a duel!"

"A duel?"

Meng Yiran acted as if she had heard the greatest joke in the world, pointing at the bandaged, severed wrist of Oscar and scoffing:

"Him?

A cripple who doesn't even have a hand left, and he thinks he's worthy of dueling me?

I'm afraid I might accidentally kill him with a single blow!"