The more Xuan Zi thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
But the thought only lasted for a moment before he forcefully suppressed it.
Impossible.
He shook his head inwardly.
The idea was simply too absurd.
He knew Liu Yuan's strength better than anyone.
Even if the boy had encountered some miraculous opportunity, it was impossible for him to be connected to such a terrifying existence in just half a day.
Moreover, Spirit Masters and Spirit Beasts had always been hostile toward one another.
Even if that young man truly was Liu Yuan, what did that prove?
At most, he had simply passed by.
To link that world-shaking existence to a student he had just expelled—
Was nothing but fantasy.
"Elder Xuan? You don't look well," Yan Shaozhe asked, noticing his abnormal expression.
"It's nothing." Xuan Zi waved his hand, discarding the thought completely and returning to his usual inscrutable demeanor. "We've found nothing. Let's return and report to Elder Mu."
Though Yan Shaozhe still had doubts, he chose not to press further.
After another fruitless search, the two returned to the Sea God's Pavilion.
---
In the end, the incident—
A phenomenon that shook heaven and earth—
Remained unresolved.
With no clues or source, it became a cold case.
Even after multiple discussions among Shrek's higher-ups, no conclusion was reached.
Eventually, the matter was shelved, leaving behind only a mysterious entry in the academy's history.
---
Meanwhile, the one responsible for everything—
Liu Yuan—
Had already left Shrek City far behind.
After several days of rapid travel, he finally arrived at his next destination:
The Star Dou Great Forest.
The moment he stepped inside, a dense surge of life energy and spirit power washed over him.
His spirits lifted instantly.
During his journey, he had experimented with another application of the Rayquaza martial soul—
Martial Soul Possession.
With a single thought, emerald dragon-scale patterns spread across his skin.
His pupils turned into majestic golden vertical slits.
Faint streams of energy drifted behind him like ribbons.
In this state, his speed, strength, and perception were all greatly enhanced.
Although it wasn't as overwhelming as directly summoning Mega Rayquaza, it was far more practical—
Low-profile, efficient, and perfect for everyday use.
"System, I've arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest," Liu Yuan said inwardly.
[Ding! Host has entered the check-in area. Mission "Stay for Three Days" has begun.]
For safety, Liu Yuan didn't venture into the core region.
Instead, he found a concealed cave at the boundary between the outer and mixed zones.
After clearing traces and setting up simple warning measures, he settled in.
Fortunately, luck was on his side.
For the next three days, no Spirit Beast disturbed him.
Time passed quietly.
Then—
[Ding! Countdown complete. Mission accomplished!]
[Reward: God-Bestowed Spirit Ring (Rayquaza Exclusive, 10,000-year level) ×1!]
A radiant emerald spirit ring, threaded with golden divine light, appeared before him.
"Finally…"
Liu Yuan's breathing quickened.
"My first Spirit Skill."
His eyes burned with anticipation.
A Rayquaza without skills was like a divine weapon without techniques.
Now—
He would finally unlock its true power.
Without hesitation, he sat cross-legged and began absorbing the spirit ring.
The ring descended slowly, merging with his martial soul.
Instantly—
A vast surge of pure energy flooded his body!
At the same time, a profound piece of information entered his mind.
And then—
Breakthrough!
The bottleneck shattered.
Rank 38…
Rank 39!
His spirit power surged directly to Rank 39—just one step away from becoming a Soul Ancestor!
[Ding! Absorption successful!]
[You have obtained Rayquaza's Origin Skill—Extreme Speed!]
Liu Yuan's eyes snapped open, golden light flashing within them.
"Extreme Speed…"
He clenched his fists, feeling the explosive power within him.
This was no ordinary skill.
In the Pokémon world, Extreme Speed was a legendary move of unmatched priority—
A strike so fast that the opponent couldn't even react.
It embodied the law of ultimate speed.
Now, as a Spirit Skill—
Its value was immeasurable.
It granted him overwhelming mobility and explosive force.
Whether chasing, escaping, or launching surprise attacks—
This would be his ultimate trump card.
"Incredible…" Liu Yuan exhaled, unable to hide his excitement.
Without wasting a second, he called out again:
"System, what's next?"
[Ding! New mission released.]
[Location: Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.]
[Requirement: Enter under any identity and remain for three months.]
[Reward: God-Bestowed Spirit Ring (Rayquaza Exclusive) ×1.]
"Three months…" Liu Yuan muttered.
Then—
A smile spread across his face.
"Worth it."
Another god-bestowed spirit ring meant another powerful skill.
This trip would definitely pay off.
"Alright… Sun Moon Empire, here I come."
He stood up, dusted himself off, and prepared to depart.
---
But just as he stepped out of the cave—
A violent gust of wind burst from the forest!
ROAR!
A black shadow lunged at him like lightning, claws aimed straight for his throat!
It was a thousand-year Spirit Beast—
A Wind Baboon.
However—
Liu Yuan didn't flinch.
Instead, his eyes lit up with battle intent.
"No fear… no hesitation…"
"Perfect timing."
"I needed something to test my strength."
A faint glow enveloped his body.
In an instant—
He activated Martial Soul Possession.
His body transformed into a half-human, half-dragon form—
A Dragonman.
A powerful aura erupted outward.
And at that exact moment—
The Wind Baboon's attack arrived!