Tang Wulin's toxin had finally had some effect, numbing the lions' nerves. Normally, the Lion Pride could easily detect the slightest rustle or trace of blood. Now, however, they were less than ten meters from the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear before their leader abruptly stopped. By then, it was too late to turn.
The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear slammed its massive body into a tree, snapping it. The unfortunate Xie Xie failed to react in time and was crushed beneath it, his entire body turning into motes of light that slowly faded away.
Inside the Junior Life Platform, the two powerful species finally met.
Yet the instant they met, something happened that made everyone's jaws drop.
The Flame Demon Lion leader hurriedly tried to stop, but its momentum kept it from braking. Its forequarters pitched toward the ground, and it fell flat on its face. Without a shred of dignity befitting a pride leader, it simply lay down, prostrating itself before the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
But the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was in a rage. Jiang Mingyuan had led it around by the nose for so long that it needed somewhere to vent.
The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear raised its sharp claws and sliced through the Flame Demon Lion leader's skull as easily as cutting tofu, killing it instantly.
That threw the Lion Pride into chaos. Several lionesses wanted to avenge their former mate, but they lacked the courage.
Finally, the second most imposing lion in the pride, surpassed only by the leader, stepped forward. The lionesses instinctively gathered around it.
In the end, beneath everyone's watchful eyes, that imposing lion actually took the leader's mates with it and turned to flee into the forest, leaving only a few old, weak, sick, and crippled lions behind.
"Heh!" Even Jiang Mingyuan had to laugh.
Amazing. There was even a cuckolding segment.
Now only he and Tang Wulin remained. At this point, there was little reason to stay in the Spirit Ascension Platform.
Below them, the remaining Flame Demon Lions united under the threat of death. Working together, they managed to leave a few wounds on the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, but that was the extent of it.
"Wulin, let's use that move."
Jiang Mingyuan reached up and brushed aside the strands of hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. He slipped his hands beneath Tang Wulin's armpits and crossed them over his chest. The Phoenix's wings spread, and blood-red flames radiated from around them, enveloping them both.
The flame-wrapped form began spinning as it plummeted toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. Having finished dealing with the remaining lions, the bear stood on its hind legs again and raised its right arm.
Only five meters from the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, the flames suddenly burst outward. A breathtakingly beautiful figure shot out from within, holding a greatsword of flame.
"Come on! Today, either you die or I do!"
The Phoenix King Annihilation Sword slashed down with the force of thunder. Hampered by the flames, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear could only hastily swing its Dark Gold Dreadclaw to counterattack.
Boom!
The Phoenix King Annihilation Sword cut through the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's body. It stared at its right claw in astonishment, unable to understand. For countless days and nights, it had ruled this domain, and every creature had fallen beneath its Dark Gold Dreadclaw.
Yet today, it had broken.
Scorching flames stretched from the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's right shoulder to the left side of its abdomen. Blood gushed from the enormous wound like a fountain, and its diagonally severed upper body fell to the ground alongside the fragments of its Dark Gold Dreadclaw.
Jiang Mingyuan was not doing much better. Unsteady on his feet, he staggered forward a few steps and reached out with his right hand to brace himself against a nearby tree trunk. Three claw marks deep enough to expose bone had appeared across his chest.
Surprisingly, there was little pain. He simply felt unable to muster much strength.
Since they were regular visitors, the Spirit Pagoda had given them a separate little room with five machines specifically for their visits to the Spirit Ascension Platform. Wu Changkong could watch from beside them, with their experiences displayed on the screens.
When they woke inside the "coffins," everyone looked at them differently. That Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was the strongest soul beast in this section of the Spirit Ascension Platform. When it had been placed there, no one had ever expected anyone to defeat it.
The staff could not help applauding and praising them. One man who looked like a supervisor walked over to Wu Changkong. "Teacher Wu, these children you've taught are truly outstanding."
Although Xie Xie was still somewhat annoyed, he could not help giving the two of them a thumbs-up.
"Well done."
A week later, after a written exam that was little more than a formality, Jiang Mingyuan and Tang Wulin's first semester at Eastsea Academy finally ended.
In the end, Tang Wulin followed his childhood dream and accepted Wu Changkong's invitation to join the Tang Sect. Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and the others did the same.
Wu Changkong told them not to rush off for their vacation yet. He would take them to practice the Tang Sect Basic Cultivation Arts.
Outside Eastsea Academy's gates, Jiang Mingyuan smiled as he said goodbye to the others.
"Oh, Wulin, don't look so glum. I'll only be gone for half a month. By the time you finish training with Teacher Wu and get home, I'll probably be back in Aolai City too."
Wu Changkong stood beneath the shade of a tree some distance away, silently watching. He still felt rather regretful that Jiang Mingyuan, the child he valued most, had not joined the Tang Sect. But the boy had suddenly announced that he wanted to visit Shrek City, so Wu Changkong thought he might have been drawn to Shrek Academy.
Surely he wasn't going straight to the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters to apply to join the Spirit Pagoda.
Wu Changkong stepped forward and walked over.
"Teacher Wu." Seeing him, they all greeted him together. Wu Changkong waved a hand, his expression still somewhat conflicted, as though he were considering something.
He stared at Jiang Mingyuan a little longer before finally relaxing his brow. He took a card with a distinctive sheen from his Storage Soul Tool, holding it in his hand with obvious care. In the end, he handed it to Jiang Mingyuan.
"Since you're going to Shrek City, how could you not take a look inside Shrek Academy? The academy opens to visitors every Saturday and Sunday, though its identity checks are quite strict. If you want to go, you can swipe this card. There are some contribution points on it too. You can think of contribution points as Shrek Academy's own currency. You can visit Shrek's dining hall or library."
After the Spirit Ascension Platform's Turbulent Period ended, Wu Changkong had laid his cards on the table with them. He intended to train them and eventually lead them into Shrek Academy through its entrance exam.
Jiang Mingyuan accepted the card with a smile, thinking he might as well stop by and check it off his list. Tang Wulin and the others curiously gathered around him, studying the card. There was nothing particularly unusual about it.
The beeping horn of a Soul Guidance car sounded from the roadside. The taxi Jiang Mingyuan had called had arrived.
"Well, goodbye, everyone."
Jiang Mingyuan said one final goodbye to the others, then climbed into the taxi.
His Communication Soul Tool was still on the messaging screen, displaying the latest message from half an hour earlier.
Na'er: Big brother, has your academy started vacation yet? Come to Shrek City. I'll pick you up.
Jiang Mingyuan silently put away his Communication Soul Tool. He felt that if he replied, Na'er would probably send those ferocious beasts to fetch him immediately.
Jiang Mingyuan had already bought a train ticket to Shrek City. The entire journey would take a day and a half. He planned to take in the sights along the way. With this rare chance to spend some time alone, he wanted to properly appreciate the continent's beautiful scenery.