At dawn the next morning, Grandmaster woke Tang San and Qian Jue.
"Xiao Jue, I know exactly what kind of spirit beast your Wolf Spirit should obtain its spirit ring from!"
On his stiff face flickered a rare trace of excitement.
"Tell me—aside from battle, what do you think your Wolf Spirit is most suited for?"
"Scouting! It's scouting!"
Before Qian Jue could answer, Grandmaster exclaimed with conviction.
"But as I've observed, you cannot currently see what your Wolf Spirit sees. If—just imagine—its vision could be transmitted directly into your mind, then your Wolf Spirit would become the most formidable scouting tool. Invisible, silent, and sharing its sight with you. Even in the heat of combat, it could monitor the battlefield for you, leaving you without any blind spots. What do you think?"
Qian Jue smiled knowingly. "Teacher, you already have a target in mind, don't you?" He knew that whenever Grandmaster spoke in such detail, he had surely prepared a plan.
"There is a kind of spirit beast called the Two-Headed Lizard. As its name implies, it has two heads. Research has shown that although its two heads do not possess separate wills, their vision, hearing, and sense of taste are entirely shared.
Well? Doesn't that sound exactly like the ability you need right now? That's why I believe this spirit beast is perfectly suited for your Wolf Spirit. And—do you recall the Copper-Core Tree we discovered yesterday? The Two-Headed Lizard's favorite food is none other than the tree's core. If we return there, it's very likely we'll find its trail."
"So today's target is the Two-Headed Lizard, right, Teacher?" Qian Jue agreed that the beast's ability matched him well.
"Precisely. Let's eat quickly and set out." Grandmaster retrieved dry rations from his spirit tool and distributed them to the two.
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Perhaps because they now had a clear goal, the group retraced yesterday's long journey in half the time, soon arriving back at the Copper-Core Tree.
Plant-type spirit beasts generally lacked offensive power in their early years. At that stage, they survived either by relying on poison or on their sturdy defenses. The Copper-Core Tree was of the latter sort, its toughness and resilience protecting it from both beasts and spirit masters alike.
But once plant-types reached the ten-thousand-year level and gained mobility, their vitality and defense made them formidable. Unless their opponent was a very special beast, animal-type spirit beasts of the same age stood little chance against them.
The Copper-Core Tree here was particularly large, its branches lush and sprawling. The group circled it several times but saw no sign of a Two-Headed Lizard.
Qian Jue glanced toward Grandmaster for help. After a moment's thought, Grandmaster once again drew out the dagger. With much effort, he managed to dig a hollow through the tree's trunk that led straight into the core.
"The surface and texture of the Copper-Core's heart resemble copper, but it carries a unique scent absent from metal."
Qian Jue sniffed—it indeed smelled faintly of gasoline from his past life.
"Though we spirit masters find it unpleasant, for the Two-Headed Lizard, it is an irresistible lure. Let's hide. If one is nearby, it won't take long to appear."
So the three concealed themselves in a bush.
Sure enough, just as Grandmaster predicted, rustling soon came from the Copper-Core Tree.
Peering out carefully, they spotted a squat, meter-long lizard lurking amidst the branches.
"Mm. Judging from its tail length, its age should be about right. Let's take it! Xiao Jue, have your Wolf Spirit wait at the side. Xiao San, you'll shoot your sleeve arrow at its eye or armpit. The armpit is its weak point—can you manage it? And take care—never let it bite you. Its jaws are frighteningly strong. The fact that it can feed on Copper-Core hearts says enough."
"Understood!" the two boys answered softly.
The lizard crept toward the hollow Grandmaster had carved. Just as it was about to enjoy its treat, Tang San's eyes gleamed violet. He raised his hand, and a black flash shot forth in silence.
The beast suddenly felt a cold sting beneath its armpit, followed by a surge of pain. It tried to scramble back up the tree.
But before it could climb far, something unseen crashed into it—covered in spikes laced with a paralytic toxin. Agonizing pain coursed through its body, sending it writhing on the ground.
*Swish! Swish!*
Two radiant arrows streaked forth, blasting into its side and leaving bloody craters the size of fists. Strangely, instead of collapsing, the Two-Headed Lizard ceased its thrashing and turned, both heads glaring murderously at them.
It roared and charged. Its body swayed side to side as it rushed, its gait bizarre yet swift.
"Heavens Shaking, Earth-Shattering Luo San Pao!"
At Grandmaster's command, the rotund Luo San Pao launched a yellow sphere alongside a thunderous fart, hurling it at the beast.
But with four eyes, the lizard reacted quickly. Twisting, it leapt away—the blast struck the ground, the shockwave hurling it through the air. Yet the impact caused it little harm; it stabilized mid-air and, with borrowed momentum, darted straight toward them.
Its battle instincts were keen—using the enemy's attack to its own advantage.
But it hadn't anticipated an invisible predator waiting in ambush.
Qian Jue's Wolf Spirit slammed into it midair, sending it crashing down.
The lizard screeched from both mouths, its body wracked with pain.
"Blue Silver Grass, Bind!"
Tang San's vines lashed out, pinning the dazed beast tight.
Qian Jue sprinted forward. It had already been flung closer; within three seconds, he was upon it.
*Swish!*
The sound of a blade cutting air, followed by two heavy thuds. Qian Jue's 'Kindred Bow' sliced through both necks in one stroke, severing them along with some entwined Blue Silver Grass.
Twin fountains of blood sprayed. The body twitched briefly, then stilled. From the corpse rose a yellow spirit ring, darker than yesterday's Silver Thread Snake's.
Grandmaster hurried over, but upon flipping the corpse, his face stiffened again. His faint smile vanished.
He shook his head, sighing. "A pity. This ring cannot be used…"
"Teacher, didn't you say its age was suitable?" Qian Jue was dumbfounded. After such a hard battle, the prize was useless?
"My earlier estimate was only rough. The Two-Headed Lizard's true age is determined by the bends of the markings on its belly. Each bend equals one hundred years."
Grandmaster pointed to a black stripe along its green abdomen.
"See this fifth bend? That means it is close to five hundred years old. In my research, the safe maximum for a first ring is four hundred twenty-three years. Beyond that, the risk of failure becomes great—and failure means death."
He looked sternly at both boys.
"I will not allow such a risk to fall upon you. We'll find another. There must be more of these lizards nearby—or perhaps I'll think of another suitable beast."
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