Just as Oscar was about to swing the blade in his hand and seal the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's fate, a hoarse, commanding shout suddenly tore through the still air. "Stop!"
At that shout, two figures raced over like twin gusts of wind from the direction the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent had come, swiftly appearing before the group from Shrek Academy. These two uninvited guests, one old and one young, were both female.
The elder looked to be in her sixties or seventies, her white hair combed with meticulous care. Though the years had etched many wrinkles into her face, she was remarkably spry, and her complexion was rosy.
A sharp light gleamed in her eyes. In her right hand, she gripped a three-meter-long Snake-Headed Cane, while six Soul Rings pulsed around her, releasing powerful fluctuations of Soul Power.
Although the elder's body showed no obvious changes, her Soul Rings had already made it clear to everyone that she had activated her Martial Soul.
There was no need to ask-the Snake-Headed Cane in her hand was the manifestation of her Martial Soul.
"Wait! Wait!"
Beside the elder stood a girl brimming with youthful vitality.
She had short hair that reached her ears and looked about sixteen or seventeen. Her sleek, close-fitting outfit hugged her already well-developed figure, giving her a distinctive air of youthful energy.
The girl's large, dark brown eyes were fixed on the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent in Zhao Wuji's hand, shining with resolve and determination.
She, too, held a Snake-Headed Cane. Though hers was somewhat shorter than the elder's, measuring only two meters, and she had just two Soul Rings, clearly both hundred-year rings, her strength was still unmistakably impressive.
The sudden appearance of the old woman and the young girl surprised several of those present.
But when the group from Shrek Academy saw the six faint Soul Rings around the old woman, their expressions relaxed a little, and they inwardly counted themselves fortunate.
After all, their leader, Zhao Wuji, was a Soul Saint. His seven Soul Rings, especially those deep black Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, all radiated a pressure that made hearts tremble.
Yet just as the Shrek Academy group was silently breathing a sigh of relief, the old woman's expression grew grave.
She had only intended to stop them from killing that thousand-year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, but as she approached, she immediately spotted the seven Soul Rings around Zhao Wuji.
"A... a Soul Saint!" The old woman's voice trembled slightly. She had never imagined that she would encounter such a powerful Soul Master on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
In an instant, her confidence vanished without a trace. She knew she would probably come away empty-handed today.
Zhao Wuji glanced at the old woman, his gaze settling on the Snake-Headed Cane in her hand, and a faint ripple stirred in his heart.
"Is there something you need?" Although Zhao Wuji's voice was mild, it carried an unquestionable authority.
At that moment, Zhao Wuji's usually stern, unsmiling demeanor gave way to a rare gentleness.
The change surprised both Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun. They knew Zhao Wuji's temperament well. He had always treated those weaker than himself with a cold face, never showing such a pleasant expression.
"Greetings, esteemed Soul Saint." The old woman's voice was somewhat hoarse, but her tone was exceptionally firm. "You cannot give this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent to that child."
Zhao Wuji paused, taken aback. He had not expected the old woman to object so directly.
He glanced at Oscar, who stood nearby with longing shining in his eyes, then turned back to the old woman and asked evenly, "Why?"
The old woman drew a deep breath, as though gathering her strength, then spoke slowly, her voice carrying an unshakable firmness. "Because we discovered this serpent first and were the first to begin hunting it. Otherwise, why would we have tracked it all the way here?"
At that moment, the anxiety in Oscar's heart was like boiling water on the verge of spilling over as he stared at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent before him.
This was the suitable Soul Ring they had finally found after an arduous pursuit, only for this old woman to appear out of nowhere and try to snatch it from under their noses.
Oscar's brows knitted tightly, and dissatisfaction crept into his voice. "Ma'am, how can you insist that you were the first to hunt this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent? We didn't see any sign of you while we were searching for it."
At his words, a kindly smile appeared on the old woman's face. She spoke slowly, her voice calm and confident. "Young man, be patient. Take a close look at this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's belly. There are two clear wounds there, left by blows from my cane. Look beneath its wings, and you'll find similar wounds. It's just that this little creature was so cunning that it slipped away in a moment of carelessness."
Then the old woman pointed to the girl beside her. "My granddaughter has just crossed the threshold of rank thirty and urgently needs a suitable Soul Ring to aid her cultivation. As you can see, she inherited my Tool Martial Soul, the Serpent Cane. A high-level serpent-type Martial Soul is the best match for her."
Hearing this, Zhao Wuji lowered his head and carefully examined the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent in his hand.
Sure enough, just as the old woman had said, there were clear wounds on the serpent's belly and beneath its wings.
But those wounds did not conclusively prove that they had been the first to hunt this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent.
Zhao Wuji silently weighed the matter. He knew how important this Soul Ring was to Oscar and could not possibly give it up.
His expression darkened slightly, yet a cold smile curled at the corners of his mouth. He spoke slowly. "Senior, forgive my failure to recognize you. May I ask your esteemed name?"
The old woman nodded slightly, her tone calm and confident. "You flatter me. I am Chao Tianxiang. The friends of the Soul Master World have kindly honored me with the title Snake Granny. My husband is named Meng Shu, known as the Dragon Duke. We have come to the Star Dou Great Forest chiefly to find a suitable third Soul Ring for our precious granddaughter."
At the mention of her granddaughter, pride and affection spread across Chao Tianxiang's face.
Her gaze swept over the children behind Zhao Wuji, and she frowned slightly. "From what I can see, none of these children beside you look old enough to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Although the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's Soul Ring is relatively mild, it still isn't something they can absorb easily, is it?"
In Chao Tianxiang's eyes, even Dai Mubai, the oldest among these children, looked like no more than a young boy, a little younger than her own clever granddaughter.
She had tremendous confidence in her granddaughter, believing that she would surely stand out among these children and reach rank-thirty Soul Power before them.
Upon hearing the old woman introduce herself, Zhao Wuji was inwardly startled. He quickly held back Oscar, who was about to argue, and asked in a low voice, "Are you Senior Snake Granny of the Peerless Dragon Snake?"