Zhu Zhuqing: Zhou Tao, You Bastard!

"I wouldn't take a Mandala Snake Spirit Ring even if I were a dog!"

"I'm not absorbing it."

Zhou Tao curled his lips in disdain, casting a disgusted look at the dark yellow Spirit Ring before leaving without looking back.

Along the way, he used all sorts of Spirit Beasts as test subjects to gauge the power of his first Spirit Skill.

Lone Wolves, Venomous Snakes, Savage Bears...

Before his Lightning Blue Silver Grass, they all ascended to heaven on the spot.

Dusk was approaching.

"It's getting late. I should find a cave to hide in, eat something, and head out again tomorrow."

A large, burly wild boar as tall as a person let out a miserable scream before being killed by golden lightning that suddenly exploded from the ground.

The powerful lightning directly cooked the thousand-pound boar through, filling the air with the fragrance of golden-brown roasted meat.

Zhou Tao sniffed the scent and nodded in satisfaction. "I tested ten Spirit Beasts. The earlier ones were all burned black, but this one is just right—golden, crispy, top quality."

"It's just a little too hairy."

"There's a river up ahead. I'll get some water and wash it."

Fortunately, Zhou Tao had prepared plenty of supplies before leaving, all stored inside his Soul Tool.

Even if he stayed in the great forest for a month, it would be enough.

Half an incense stick later.

Zhou Tao found a small river in the southern forest.

The river murmured along, crystal clear to the bottom. Its water was sweet and suitable for drinking.

"Gulp~"

"Refreshing!"

Zhou Tao downed three large cups of clear river water.

"This water is really clean."

"Since it's not dark yet, I might as well take a bath."

"I'm exhausted today. I'm covered in sweat."

With a splash, Zhou Tao plunged into the river.

Meanwhile.

In the outer forest, the light beneath the trees was dim.

A young girl stopped amid a dark green forest.

A several-hundred-year Spirit Beast had been slain by her.

Her face was cold and refined, exquisitely beautiful.

She wore tight black leather clothing that perfectly outlined her curvaceous figure.

Because of the material of her leather outfit, her thighs looked round and straight.

In stark contrast to her fiery figure, she radiated an innate chill.

There was not even a trace of vitality in her black eyes, only fragility, despair, and pain.

"Even if the family doesn't think highly of me, even if no one helps me hunt Spirit Beasts, I'll still fight my way forward on my own."

"Zhu Zhuyun, I won't lose to you unless I die!"

"My first Spirit Ring... I finally obtained it!"

"Even without you, I can grow stronger on my own!"

Zhu Zhuqing's expression was indifferent, though her words carried coldness and unwillingness.

Her family had an incredibly cruel selection system. Those who failed would be killed.

Zhu Zhuqing's older sister, Zhu Zhuyun, had better talent and greater strength. The family considered her the future heir.

As for Zhu Zhuqing, she had been neglected because of it and had suffered plenty of bullying since childhood.

At that moment.

Zhu Zhuqing had slain her first Spirit Beast and finally fused with her first Spirit Skill.

A rare smile appeared on her cold face, only to vanish again almost immediately.

"Rumble~"

Zhu Zhuqing's stomach growled like thunder.

"I'm so hungry. I need to find something to eat."

Zhu Zhuqing looked around and suddenly noticed an extremely brilliant bolt of lightning strike in the distance. A wild boar Spirit Beast let out a heart-wrenching cry, followed by an enticing scent of meat.

"Smells so good~"

Following the scent, Zhu Zhuqing quickly ran over.

She arrived before a wild boar as tall as a person. Its entire body gave off an alluring roasted fragrance.

"My luck is actually this good? Heavenly lightning struck down a Spirit Beast."

Zhu Zhuqing immediately took out a knife, cut herself a fragrant piece of pork, and began devouring it.

"So delicious~"

After eating her fill, Zhu Zhuqing leaped onto a nearby tree and rested.

Before she could fall asleep, she saw a sneaky figure furtively emerge from the forest and head straight for the pork on the grass.

Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul was the Hell Spirit Cat. Even at night, she could see very clearly, so there was no way she would miss this thief.

If he was stealing pigs now, wouldn't he be stealing people at night?

No matter how cold she was, she was still a young girl in the bloom of youth.

How could she ever have seen a boy's body before?

Zhu Zhuqing was greatly shocked, and her cold, lovely face quickly flushed red.

Who would have thought that, among the Spirit Masters of this world, where talented individuals emerged in great numbers, there would still be such a vulgar Spirit Master who dared to steal in broad daylight?

"Bastard!"

"You dare steal a pig!"

After his bath.

Zhou Tao felt wonderfully at ease.

Humming a little tune, he strolled leisurely back to the grass bare-chested.

After battling Spirit Beasts all day, soaking in cool water and washing away his exhaustion felt absolutely incredible.

Just as he returned to the grass and prepared to enjoy his wild boar feast, a shout of "bastard" interrupted him.

He subconsciously looked around, searching for the bastard.

"Who dared steal a pig?"

"Where's the bastard?"

But there was no one around, leaving Zhou Tao rather puzzled.

It was only when he spotted a beautiful young girl standing in a tree, glaring at him furiously, that he understood.

She was accusing me of stealing a pig?

Calling me a bastard?

How was that possible?

Just as Zhou Tao was about to explain himself, he suddenly thought.

Why should I explain?

I didn't steal any pig!

Besides, he had clearly noticed earlier that a huge chunk of the boar he had roasted was gone.

This beautiful girl was obviously the one who did it!

She was the pig thief!

Zhou Tao changed tack and said,

"You're slandering me for nothing!"

"You're the one who stole the pig!"

"You're the pig thief!"

Zhu Zhuqing's lovely face turned bright red, both furious and embarrassed.

This bastard was so shameless. Not only was he indecently walking around naked, but he even dared to steal her roasted pig.

"This is my roasted wild boar. You came over and stole food from it. If that isn't stealing a pig, what is?"

"And you're naked too. Aren't you ashamed?"

"You've completely disgraced Spirit Masters."

Zhu Zhuqing stamped her feet in anger, her face red all the way to her ears.

Looking at this pretty young girl, Zhou Tao did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"It was obviously my roasted wild boar. How did it become yours?"

"And you, a girl, hid here and secretly peeked at my body. You're a female hooligan!"

"I worked so hard to roast a wild boar, only for you to claim it as your own."

"You even stole my wild boar. You're a thief!"

Zhou Tao was furious. His wild boar had been eaten, and someone had even peeked at him.

In broad daylight, under the clear skies, there was actually such a shameless female Spirit Master!

"Impossible! This boar was struck to death by heavenly lightning!"

"It wasn't roasted at all."

"I saw it first, so it's mine."

Zhu Zhuqing puffed up her cheeks and spoke angrily.

Zhou Tao shook his head and laughed in irritation.

"You mean lightning like this?"

The next moment, a two-meter-tall vine rapidly grew from Zhou Tao's hand. It was blue and gold all over, wrapped in golden lightning.

A golden bolt shot skyward from the blue-gold vine before striking down in front of the beautiful girl.

Zhu Zhuqing's lovely face instantly turned crimson. She stared at the golden lightning before her in disbelief, her small mouth forming a round O as it remained open for a long while.