A slightly older woman nearby cast an indifferent glance downward.
"She is merely a mortal, without a trace of divine power in her body. Too weak."
"However… her willpower is acceptable. And her physique…"
The woman took a closer look at Zhu Zhuqing. A hint of surprise flickered in her eyes.
"She actually carries a trace of an extremely thin Civet Bloodline. Though it's nearly negligible, it's still rare in a desolate place like this."
"Since we've encountered her, it can be considered fate."
"It just so happens that the Spirit Beast Garden in the sect is short of a few… poop shovelers—ahem, servant girls to care for the Spirit Civets. Although she is weak, she is at least of the same kin. She should suffice."
With that, the outer disciple casually waved her hand.
A beam of soft white light descended from the sky, enveloping Zhu Zhuqing.
In an instant, the crushing gravity that had nearly taken her life vanished without a trace!
A warm current flowed through her body, and her injuries healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Immediately after—
Her body rose uncontrollably, flying toward the massive bronze warship.
"Th-this is…"
Zhu Zhuqing stared in shock at the approaching warship and the two fairy-like figures standing upon it.
"Little sister, don't be afraid."
The green-clad servant girl smiled brightly at her.
"You're really lucky to run into our Taichu Immortal Court while we're out collecting spiritual materials."
"I think you're quite pleasing to the eye, so just follow me from now on!"
As she spoke, the girl casually took out a shriveled fruit from her waist pouch—something that looked like it had been left uneaten for days—and tossed it to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Look how thin you are. This defective Blood-Qi Fruit is leftover from feeding the Spirit Beasts yesterday. I was too lazy to throw it away, so I'll reward it to you."
"Hurry and eat it to nourish your body, or you might get blown to death by the wind when we ascend."
Zhu Zhuqing instinctively caught the fruit.
Although it looked withered, the moment it touched her hand, an incredibly concentrated aroma rushed into her senses.
With just a single breath—
Boom!
The spirit power within her body erupted violently!
Rank 27… Rank 28… Rank 29… Rank 30!
She hadn't even eaten it—just smelling it shattered her bottleneck!
"Th-this…"
Zhu Zhuqing was completely stunned.
Meanwhile, across the Douluo Continent, countless spectators turned red with jealousy!
At Shrek Academy—
Dai Mubai grabbed his hair in disbelief.
"That was leftover feed for Spirit Beasts? She broke through just by smelling it?! What would happen if she actually ate it?!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes filled with envy.
"That's an Immortal Fruit, right? It has to be! And they're feeding it to Spirit Beasts?! That sect is insanely extravagant!"
Inside the Spirit Hall—
Bibi Dong stared intently at the cloud-pattern emblem on the green-clad girl's attire.
"Taichu Immortal Court…"
"The trash casually discarded by a mere servant is a supreme treasure that our entire continent longs for."
"What kind of existence rules over such a sect…?"
Back on the screen—
Zhu Zhuqing's hand trembled as she took a small bite.
BOOM!!!
A terrifying surge of energy exploded within her body!
Rank 30… Rank 35… Rank 40!
In just three breaths, she advanced ten ranks!
If the green-clad girl hadn't casually patted her back to help disperse the excess energy, she might have exploded from the overwhelming power.
"Too weak, too weak. You nearly choked to death eating a defective fruit."
The green-clad girl shook her head in mild disdain, yet still pulled Zhu Zhuqing onto the warship.
Soon after—
The colossal bronze warship turned, piercing through the clouds as it sailed toward a distant, even more mysterious Immortal Palace deep within the Great Desolation.
As for Flender?
No one spared him even a glance.
He was left behind, alone on the ground, to fend for himself.
---
[Zhu Zhuqing has joined a High-Dimensional Power — Taichu Immortal Court (Servant Division)!]
[Current Status: Alive!]
[Obtained Opportunity: One piece of Spirit Beast fodder from Taichu Immortal Court (Defective)!]
---
Seeing these words, the people of the Douluo Continent nearly lost their sanity.
Some struggled desperately, only to be devoured by ants—
While someone else, through sheer luck, became a servant… and achieved a massive breakthrough just by eating leftovers?
Where was the justice in that?!
---
Aboard the bronze warship, astral winds roared.
The vessel sped across the Nine Heavens at an astonishing pace, clouds streaming past like flowing light.
If not for the faint golden barrier surrounding the ship, the violent wind pressure alone would have torn Zhu Zhuqing apart.
On a quiet corner of the deck—
Zhu Zhuqing sat cross-legged, a faint halo of spirit power swirling around her.
The medicinal power of the defective Blood-Qi Fruit was far too overbearing. Even after being partially neutralized, the remaining energy continued to push her cultivation higher.
Rank 41… Rank 42…
Finally—
Her power stabilized at Rank 43: Spirit Ancestor!
In just half an hour, she had crossed an entire major realm!
Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with shock and disbelief.
On the Douluo Continent, cultivation became exponentially harder at higher levels. Even a genius would need months of bitter training to advance a single rank at this stage.
Yet here—
It was nothing more than a discarded fruit?
"Awake?"
A crisp voice interrupted her thoughts.
The green-clad girl—Little Jade—was squatting nearby, casually gnawing on an unknown beast bone while curiously observing her.
"Thank you for saving my life… Fairy."
Zhu Zhuqing quickly stood and bowed respectfully.
After witnessing everything, she had long cast aside her pride.
"Pfft—Fairy?"
Little Jade nearly choked on her food laughing, waving her hand dismissively.
"Don't call me that. My name is Little Jade. I'm just a low-level servant in the Spirit Beast Garden, responsible for cleaning. I'm no Fairy."
She looked Zhu Zhuqing up and down with slight disdain.
"Honestly, your physical condition is terrible. Even a defective Red Vermilion Fruit almost made you explode."
"Judging by your bone age, you're in your teens, right? Yet there isn't even a trace of blood qi in your body. You're practically more mortal than a mortal."
Zhu Zhuqing's expression stiffened, a trace of bitterness surfacing.
She—
A young miss of the Zhu family of the Star Luo Empire…
A recognized genius…
Yet here, she was considered worse than a mortal?
Taking a breath, she cautiously asked:
"May I ask… Miss Little Jade, what is your current cultivation level?"
At this moment, even the live broadcast focused in on Little Jade.
Across the Douluo Continent, countless people held their breath.
Just how strong was this seemingly ordinary girl?
Little Jade scratched her head awkwardly.
"Me? My talent is pretty poor. I've been in the sect for three years and only just reached Early-Stage Perfection of the Blood Moving Realm."
"With a casual swing, I can only produce about… 8,000 jin of force."