Dog! Let Go of the Opportunity!

Outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Xu Qing crouched on a bluestone, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, watching the rolling sea of trees in the distance with utter boredom.

Behind him, Du Busi sat cross-legged on a larger rock, his green beard ruffled by the wind as he kept his eyes closed in meditation.

They had left the Body Sect three days ago and arrived at the outskirts of Star Dou two days ago; today marked their second day wandering the forest's edge.

"I'm telling you, apprentice," Du Busi opened one eye and muttered, "what exactly are you waiting for? I've been trailing you around these outskirts for two days. Just name the spirit beast you want, and I'll slap it dead for you."

"What's the rush? Just trust me, old man. In all the years I've been alive, has anything I've said ever failed to come true?"

"Tch, talk is cheap, but I'm warning you: your second martial soul, the Self, must not have a spirit ring attached yet. You'd better keep that in mind."

Du Busi stretched his arms and leaned his head toward Xu Qing, the bald, sunken patch on his scalp a sight too painful to behold.

"My precious apprentice, I know your cultivation speed plummeted after reaching level thirty because your first martial soul is Ultimate Ice, but these are trials you must endure."

"Without weathering the storm, how can one see the rainbow? Your master knows you're feeling frustrated; anyone would struggle if they only broke through two levels in a year."

"Heh, why don't you mention when I first awakened my martial soul? I was destined to be invincible!"

At this, Xu Qing couldn't help but stand up, a look of indignation on his face. He clenched his fists and said in a deep voice:

"Six years old, innate full spirit power! Seven and a half, breakthrough to Great Spirit Master; I stepped on Long Aotian, punched Zhang Yanfeng, and suppressed Gu Tong with one hand! At nine, my strength reached an unprecedented realm! Spirit Grandmaster!"

"How high-spirited I was back then! I was the talk of the town!!"

"Sigh..."

Xu Qing sat back down, propping his chin with both hands and glancing sideways at the indifferent, green-haired old man beside him.

"Now I'm eleven, yet my strength is still only level thirty-five!! I'm so powerful! Damn this Ultimate Ice!"

Ling Luochen: Do not insult Ultimate Ice!!!

Du Busi rolled his eyes and said nothing.

This disciple of his had displayed inhuman intelligence since childhood—it was truly world-shaking!!

He had found the boy shortly after birth and brought him back to the Body Sect. He could speak and walk at one, move with the speed of a gale at two, and had finished reading the sect's entire library by three...

And after awakening his martial soul, he had inexplicably mastered the superpower of prophetic dreams!!!!

It sounded ridiculous, but it was just that ridiculous!!!

Du Busi was a staunch materialist warrior who believed only in the fists at the end of his arms; he didn't believe in such things at all!

Yet the facts were right there. No one had told the boy about the history between the sect and Shrek, yet he knew... such instances of precognition were countless.

A few days ago, he had even dragged him to an auction, as if he had known in advance, to buy that carving knife radiating black energy...

Sigh, it's fine, he'll adapt.

Xu Qing's ears twitched, his mind completely unaware of what Du Busi was thinking.

According to the original plot, Dai Yuhao should be entering the Star Dou Great Forest with Beibei and Tang Ya within these next few days. This was the answer I calculated after bribing the White Tiger Duke Mansion; it couldn't possibly be wrong!

Heh heh heh, it's about time! Little worm, and Elder Yi.

Sigh... there's no helping it; the Ultimate attribute is just too slow to cultivate!!!

He estimated that for every level he gained, he consumed at least five times the spirit power of a spirit master at the same level!

At this rate, he'd be waiting until the year of the monkey to reach Spirit Saint and escape this snail-paced cultivation.

How else would he attach all-red rings to his second martial soul? How would he walk his path of raw power!?

Therefore, he had to take a shortcut.

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm: a million-year spirit beast, pure spiritual attribute, its vitality as vast as the sea.

In the original story, it sacrificed itself to Huo Yuhao, becoming his first spirit ring and his greatest golden finger.

What if it were him instead?

Even if the attributes didn't match, why couldn't he imitate the ancestors in the Star Dou Lake of Life?

Think of it as a Tian Meng-brand power bank.

This worm was at its weakest during the sacrifice; it had been imprisoned by the Star Dou spirit beasts for who knows how many years, its spirit power long since drained.

Plus, with the old man—an ultimate powerhouse who had broken through to level ninety-nine—by his side, recreating the Star Dou imprisonment wouldn't be a problem.

And then there was Electrolux; he had managed to track down the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife that shouldn't have appeared until much later!

With a carving knife forged entirely from life gold, combined with the formidable spiritual power of two lifetimes and his innate spirit sea, why would he worry about failing to attract Electrolux?

Children make choices; a real man chooses everything!!

Just then, the inexplicable aroma of grilled fish suddenly drifted into Xu Qing's nostrils.

"Hm? This is the scent!! This incomparable fragrance, it must be you!! Old man, hurry!"

Du Busi smelled it too, and his stomach growled right on cue. Just as he thought there was a free meal to be had...

BOOM!!!

An incredibly terrifying mental fluctuation was erupting from deep within the forest not far away.

The sensation was like an invisible tidal wave crushing down from the horizon, sweeping across every inch of land, every tree, and every soul beast.

Xu Qing let out a muffled groan and took two steps back, a sharp, needle-like pain piercing his temples.

Damn! What a stinging sensation; that's intense!

Du Busi frowned, and green soul power instantly surged from his body, forming a barrier in front of Xu Qing.

"This is... a mental attribute? So strong? Hmm... a disturbance like this is somewhat similar to the soul beast sacrifices recorded in the classics—the kind of storybook where the guy dances to sacrifice himself for his brother. I wonder if you've ever read that, my good disciple."

"Heh, hahaha! It's finally here! The million-year soul beast that chooses to sacrifice itself in dreams, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm!!" Xu Qing gritted his teeth, enduring the headache to finish his sentence. "Old man, it's a pure mental attribute type with extremely weak combat power. This is the opportunity I've been waiting for!"

"Then what are we waiting for!? Let's go!"

Du Busi's eyes seemed to ignite with fire, his entire body's soul power appearing as if it had been set ablaze. He snatched up Xu Qing and dashed toward the source of the mental energy eruption.

"Oi, old man, can't you just tear through space!!"

It didn't even take a second to arrive at the scene.

"We're here! It's right below!"

Before Xu Qing's voice had even faded, Du Busi had already seen it.

In a small clearing in the forest, a person lay shivering, surrounded by a ring of white soul light.