The core of the God Realm was destroyed? Huo Yuhao? This name caused a stir in his heart.
The Great God Circle collapsed and the gods were reborn; it seems things are gradually becoming interesting.
...
The next day.
At high noon.
The Shrek group stepped on damp, withered branches as they shuttled quickly through the dense forest.
Zhao Wuji and Flender walked at the very front, their brows furrowed, clearly still having a headache over their tight budget.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun, who followed behind, looked completely different from usual. Gone was their typical frivolous smirking; instead, they carried a sense of ease and leisure that didn't match their age.
The three of them all carried memories from after becoming gods, so they naturally knew what Oscar's third spirit ring should be.
That thousand-year Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake possessed both speed and defense, which could perfectly compensate for the Sausage Spirit's weakness in being purely support-oriented; it was also the key to Oscar's breakthrough as a Spirit Elder in his previous life.
Had it not been for the delay caused by Ye Zhiqiu's injuries a few days ago, they should have intercepted this Spirit Beast a step earlier.
"Almost there, it's right at that rocky slope ahead!" Oscar lowered his voice, his eyes shimmering with a light of absolute determination.
His memories from after becoming a god were incredibly clear; he could even precisely recall the location where the Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake appeared.
As long as he took down this Spirit Beast, his third Spirit Ability would take shape, and his strength would undergo a qualitative leap.
Dai Mubai nodded, a cold glint flashing in his Evil Eyes.
"Don't worry, with me and Hongjun here, no matter how slippery this snake is, it won't get away."
Ma Hongjun also clenched his fists, the flames of his Phoenix Spirit faintly pulsing in his palms, clearly ready for battle.
However, as they turned a mountain bend, the sight before them caused Oscar's pupils to shrink suddenly, and the color drained from his face instantly.
On the rocky slope, two figures were standing beside the carcass of a fiery-red snake.
The snake's body was a full ten meters long, with a brilliant cockscomb on its head—it was exactly their target for this trip.
A thousand-year Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake!
At the center of the snake's forehead, a fist-sized spirit ring was slowly rising, carrying the dense purple halo characteristic of a thousand-year spirit ring, before finally being steadily absorbed by a young girl in a green dress.
Beside the girl stood two figures, one old and one young.
The old man had hair and a beard as white as snow, holding a snake-shaped staff with eyes as sharp as an eagle's; the old woman wore a gray robe, her face covered in wrinkles, her body emitting faint fluctuations of spirit power.
It was the renowned Duke Dragon Meng Shu and Snake Dowager Chao Tianxiang of the Spirit Master's world, along with their granddaughter, Meng Yiran!
"No—!"
Oscar's heart let out a gut-wrenching roar; as if all his strength had been drained, he stumbled back two steps, his heart constantly crying out, "That's mine! That's my spirit ring!"
He couldn't believe it; with only a single day's delay, his opportunity from his previous life had actually been snatched away by someone else!
Without this Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake, he would have to find another Spirit Beast for his third Spirit Ability, which would not only waste a lot of time but might not result in finding such a perfect match.
In his previous life, this snake was clearly waiting for him to take it; how could it have been suddenly snatched by Meng Yiran?
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's expressions also darkened. They naturally knew how important this Spirit Beast was to Oscar; exchanging a glance, they both saw the gravity in each other's eyes.
But the strength of the Duke Dragon and Snake Dowager far exceeded theirs; even with their memories of becoming gods, they were currently only Spirit Elders around level thirty and were no match for them at all.
Zhao Wuji and Flender also saw the situation clearly, and their expressions instantly became complicated.
They had long heard of the Duke Dragon and Snake Dowager's reputation; in the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, they were definitely figures who could do as they pleased.
The two of them looked at each other, both seeing wariness in the other's eyes.
Zhao Wuji stepped forward, squeezed out a smile, and cupped his hands. "Lord Duke Dragon, Lady Snake Dowager."
Flender also quickly chimed in, "I didn't expect to meet you two seniors here; it is truly an honor."
Duke Dragon Meng Shu glanced at them and gave a cold snort, clearly not taking these two Spirit Saints seriously.
Snake Dowager Chao Tianxiang crossed her arms, her gaze indifferent. "Oh? Flender the Winged Corner, and... Zhao Wuji? I didn't expect a fierce god like you to be hanging around with Flender."
Zhao Wuji gave a couple of dry laughs, not daring to respond.
Their current strength was insufficient; they simply weren't qualified to challenge these two seniors.
Just then, Meng Yiran slowly opened her eyes.
She had just finished absorbing the spirit ring; her face carried a hint of paleness, yet it couldn't hide the prettiness between her brows.
The energy of the thousand-year spirit ring caused her aura to surge, and her entire being exuded a spirited temperament.
She looked up, her gaze sweeping across the Shrek group, and when it landed on Fu Qin at the back of the line, her eyes suddenly lit up.
Fu Qin was standing beside Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu, his posture upright and his face handsome, with an air of indifference and composure between his brows.
Unlike Dai Mubai's flamboyance, Oscar's wretchedness, or Ma Hongjun's silliness, the refined, jade-like yet subtly sharp temperament Fu Qin possessed immediately captured Meng Yiran's attention.
In this desolate wilderness, suddenly seeing such an exceptionally handsome youth caused Meng Yiran's heart to skip a beat.
Relying on the backing of the Duke Dragon and Snake Dowager, she was naturally willful and bold; she immediately took graceful steps directly to Fu Qin, looked up at him, and asked in a voice as clear as a bell, "Hey, what's your name?"
Her voice wasn't loud, yet it spread clearly across the area. Everyone's gaze fell on Fu Qin in unison, and the atmosphere instantly became subtle.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun exchanged glances, a knowing glint flashing in their eyes.
Good heavens, Meng Yiran has taken a liking to Fu Qin!
These four now all carried memories from after becoming gods, and each was making their own little calculations.
They had long found Fu Qin disagreeable.
If they could pull Meng Yiran over and have her become Fu Qin's girlfriend, it would not only divert Ning Rongrong's and Xiao Wu's attention but also allow them to use the influence of the Duke Dragon and Snake Dowager to safeguard them—it was truly killing two birds with one stone!
The four of them exchanged a look and reached a tacit understanding.
Tang San was the first to speak, a gentle smile on his face, but his tone carried a hint of deliberate matchmaking.
"Young lady, his name is Fu Qin. He's twelve years old this year, and his Spirit is the Mind Glove, which has undergone a beneficial mutation. He is already a level thirty-four Spirit Elder. Most importantly, he's still single and doesn't have a girlfriend."
As soon as he finished speaking, Dai Mubai immediately chimed in.
"That's right! Brother Fu Qin is a genius of our Shrek Academy; his strength is formidable, and his character is beyond reproach!"
Oscar also suppressed the heartache of his spirit ring being snatched and forced a smile. "You have great taste, miss. Brother Fu Qin is definitely someone worthy of your trust!"
Ma Hongjun also nodded like a woodpecker on the side. "Right, right, right!"
The four of them chimed in one after another, putting on a full-blown display of pitching Fu Qin.
However, just as they finished speaking, a pretty yet utterly furious voice rang out.
"Who said he's single!"