The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent

He walked over to the table, sat down opposite Ji Ye, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a sip. After a long silence, he let out a deep sigh.

Flender, oh, Flender.

Neither you nor I could teach a talent like this.

He looked up at Ji Ye, his expression complicated.

"You really aren't afraid of Canghui Academy coming after you for revenge."

Ji Ye kept eating without looking up and replied calmly.

"Teacher Zhao, do you think they'd dare come after me?"

Zhao Wuji froze for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

That was true.

This kid had the backing of Spirit Hall.

Though he had no idea why Ji Ye had stayed at Shrek Academy all this time, neither he nor Flender dared provoke the boy right now.

Halfway through the meal, Ji Ye put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and got up, heading for the stairs.

"Take your time, everyone. I'm going upstairs to sleep."

At the doorway, Ji Ye heard footsteps behind him.

He turned around and saw Ning Rongrong following him. Zhu Zhuqing was following her, too. They were close on either side of him.

Ji Ye stopped and turned to look at them, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"Why are you following me?"

Ning Rongrong froze, then stopped. Her face flushed in an instant, the red spreading from her cheeks all the way to her ears.

Zhu Zhuqing stopped, too. She held her arms across her chest, her face tense as she looked away.

"I... I..."

Ning Rongrong stood with her mouth open, stammering "I" for a long while without managing to get anything else out.

"I'm sleeping in the room next to yours." After saying that, Ning Rongrong went next door, opened the door, and went inside.

"I... me too," Zhu Zhuqing murmured, then hurriedly turned and went into another room.

Ji Ye stood on the stairs, looking at the two firmly shut doors. He shook his head and went into his own room.

Early the next morning, just as dawn began to break, the group set out from the inn.

Zhao Wuji led the way, his steps steady and his expression alert.

No one mentioned what had happened the night before, and the bruises on Dai Mubai's face had faded a little.

He walked at the very front of the group. He didn't look back at Ji Ye or speak to anyone.

Ji Ye walked in the middle of the group, unhurried and as relaxed as if he were out for a picnic.

Zhao Wuji had started out at the front. After they had walked about a li, his pace suddenly slowed. He glanced back at the group, his gaze settling on Ji Ye.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but swallowed the words. After hesitating for two seconds, he called on someone else instead.

"Tang San, arrange the formation for the group," Zhao Wuji said.

Tang San froze, clearly not expecting Zhao Wuji to call on him.

He glanced at Zhao Wuji, then quickly flicked a look at Ji Ye before nodding.

"Okay."

He stopped and waited for everyone to gather around before beginning his instructions.

"Boss Dai, you take the front."

Tang San looked at Dai Mubai. "You're strong in frontal combat. If anything unexpected happens, you can withstand the first wave."

Dai Mubai nodded without a word and took his place at the front of the group.

"Xiao Wu, take the right flank, five paces from the main group. Keep your view clear."

"Ma Hongjun, take the left flank, opposite Xiao Wu."

"Sure thing. Leave it to me."

"Oscar, Rongrong, you two stay in the middle." Tang San paused.

"Your Soul Skills provide a lot of support for the team, so the safest place is the best place for you."

Oscar nodded and moved to the center of the group. Ning Rongrong went over, too, but after two steps, she edged a little closer to Ji Ye.

"Zhuqing, you're responsible for watching the perimeter." Tang San looked at Zhu Zhuqing.

"You're the fastest, and you have a clear view. Sound the alarm as soon as you spot anything." Zhu Zhuqing gave a slight nod. In a flash, she leaped onto a tree branch. Her catlike eyes swept over the surroundings, like those of a true spirit cat.

At last, Tang San looked at Ji Ye.

"Ji Ye, stay in the middle and provide support. Be ready to deal with anything unexpected."

Ji Ye smiled faintly and nodded, raising no objections.

Everyone took their positions, and the group re-formed.

"Move out."

Zhao Wuji waved his hand, and the group continued deeper into Star Dou Forest.

After walking for about half an hour, the surroundings grew denser. The trees were thick, their branches and leaves blotting out the sky. The light dimmed, and the air was heavy with the damp smell of soil and rotting vegetation.

Their feet sank into the thick layer of fallen leaves with a soft rustle. Now and then, several wild birds were startled from the treetops and flapped skyward.

Walking in the middle, Ji Ye scanned the surroundings, his mental perception spreading out like a net.

He knew the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent would arrive soon. In the original story, the thing flew fast, swooped over everyone's heads, and was caught by Tang San with Blue Silver Grass.

Then Snake Granny arrived, and there was some sort of contest.

Ji Ye had no interest in waiting that long.

Sure enough, before long, the sound of flapping wings came from somewhere ahead, drawing nearer at incredible speed.

The airflow sent the leaves in the treetops clattering. A long, slender shadow arced through the sky above the forest, racing toward them.

"Something's coming!" Zhu Zhuqing called from the tree. Her catlike eyes were fixed on the approaching figure.

Dai Mubai immediately stopped. He clenched his fists, Soul Power surging over his body as he stared intently at the rapidly moving shadow above the forest.

"It's a Soul Beast. It can fly." Tang San had spotted it, too, and narrowed his eyes as he tried to make it out.

"It's not very big, but it's fast."

Ma Hongjun craned his neck and stared for a long while without making anything out. He asked anxiously, "What kind of Soul Beast is it?"

"Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent," Ji Ye said from the side, unhurried.

"Thousand-year level."

Ma Hongjun turned to look at him.

"How do you know?"

Ji Ye didn't answer. His gaze fell on the rapidly approaching Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

Then he slowly raised his right hand.

His fingers spread, aiming at the serpent's shadow as it dived through the sky.

The space in front of the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent rippled.

A translucent ripple appeared, and two translucent flying blades shot out of it, slicing straight toward the serpent's wings with pinpoint accuracy.

The space beside them rippled, as if a pebble had been tossed into still water. A translucent ripple spread out before Ji Ye.

"Shhk—"

Two nearly overlapping slicing sounds rang out.

The Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's wings were cleanly severed at the roots. Blood burst through the air in a crimson mist.

The serpent lost its balance and plunged from the sky, crashing into the ground in front of the group with a thud and sending leaves and dust flying.

Its body writhed and spasmed violently on the ground. Blood kept pouring from the wounds where its wings had been, staining the surrounding earth red.

It struggled a few times, then gradually went limp. Only its tail still twitched faintly, and its pupils had gone unfocused. It wouldn't last much longer.