51 Oscar's Third Spirit Ring (1)

Noticing eight figures walking down the stairs, Sheng Jun, who was drinking with Zhao Wuji, suddenly lifted his gaze. "You guys are finally up," he said, gesturing for them to sit down.

As everyone took their seats, Sheng Jun asked, "So, how are you guys feeling?" He inquired about everyone's well-being, particularly focusing on Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang. Others confirmed that they were fine after the rest, while Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang said they needed at least a week to recover fully, due to the side effects of their technique.

After ensuring that everyone was okay, Sheng Jun began to address them sternly. "So, do you know what you did wrong?" he asked, his gaze piercing as they flinched slightly under his scrutiny.

"I'm sorry, First Brother. We shouldn't have caused trouble. We won't cause any more trouble in the future" Dai Mubai spoke up first, taking responsibility for initiating the conflict.

The others nodded guiltily in agreement, their eyes downcast as they awaited Sheng Jun's response. However, his reaction caught them off guard.

"Who said anything about not causing trouble in the future?" Sheng Jun said with a light chuckle, earning confused looks from everyone. "What you did wrong was not knowing your opponent's power before causing trouble. Which one of you knows the Advanced Spirit Master Academy standard level of the teacher responsible for protecting students when they are outside to train to be a Spirit King?" he questioned, prompting guilty chuckles from the group.

"You are lucky and unlucky this time" Sheng Jun scolded, his tone firm yet understanding. "Even though he is on the weaker side of Spirit Kings, his Fifth Spirit Ring Skill is very potent for a thousand-year-old spirit ring. If you had to face opponents with ten-thousand-year-old spirit rings, imagine how much worse it could have been, even if Tang San could use his hidden weapons"

His words earned dejected looks from everyone, their spirits dampened by the reminder. While Zhao Wuji nodded in agreement.

"But... you guys did well this time" Sheng Jun said, his voice carrying a hint of pride and encouragement. "To be able to make it a draw against such an opponent is no small feat. Just be careful in the future, and you will have smooth sailing. Your potential is higher than your enemies. It's not cowardly to hide and get stronger before seeking revenge" he advised sincerely.

With his guidance imparted, Sheng Jun gestured for everyone to prepare to continue their journey.

…

Sheng Jun and the others carefully traversed the outer area of the Great Star Dou Forest, moving carefully to avoid attracting the attention of any unnecessary spirit beasts.

After an entire day of fruitless searching, the group decided to take a break and rest. As the group settled down to eat Oscar's sausages, the mood was tinged with a sense of disappointment at their lack of progress.

With a sigh of frustration, Zhao Wuji couldn't help but voice his discontent. "Back in my day, even the outer area of the Great Star Dou Forest was swarming with thousand-year-old spirit beasts. But now, it's a rarity to encounter even one without venturing into the Inner Area" he lamented, his tone tinged with nostalgia and disappointment.

Hearing Zhao Wuji's lament, Tang San nodded in agreement. "It is inherently harder for spirit beasts to cultivate" he concurred. "While one spirit master may kill up to nine spirit beasts during his lifetime for himself, before long, spirit beasts might truly become extinct" he added softly, his words resonating with the group.

Suddenly, the surrounding area fell silent, prompting everyone to become alert. Zhu Zhuqing swiftly climbed to the top of a nearby tree with her agile movements. From her vantage point, she spotted something approaching them at a rapid pace.

"There's a snake-like creature…" Zhu Zhuqing announced, her voice carrying down to the group as she described its appearance in detail.

"It's a Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent! It seems to be around 1300 to 1800 years old!" Tang San exclaimed excitedly, his voice filled with anticipation as he relayed every detail about the hard-to-catch creature to the group due to its speed.

"Haha, Oscar, it's your lucky day!" Zhao Wuji boomed with enthusiasm, gesturing for everyone to strategize quickly.

"Alright, let's do it this way" Sheng Jun concluded their strategy, his tone decisive. "Since Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang are weakened, they should stay with Zhao Wuji. Although their Martial Souls would be a great help, given their affinity against snakes, it's still better to be cautious"

Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang nodded in agreement, acknowledging Sheng Jun's decision as they made their way over to Zhao Wuji's side.

As they waited patiently for the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent to approach, tension filled the air. Suddenly, with a burst of speed, the serpent broke through the trees ahead of them, its majestic form gliding swiftly toward them.

"Stop! Sacrifice!" Sheng Jun's voice cut through the stillness, his command clear as he designated the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent who paused slightly as his target. With determination etched on his face, he shifted his attention to the knife in his hands, feeling a tremor of apprehension course through him. After all, he wasn't a masochist or a psychopath who relished in pain. Yet, at this moment, he knew he had to endure it for the sake of their strategy.

Gritting his teeth, Sheng Jun closed his eyes, summoning his resolve. With a swift motion, he plunged the knife into his leg, the searing pain shooting through him causing him to involuntarily wince. At the same instant, the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent experienced the damage mirrored in its own body, its wings convulsing in agony as it crashed to the ground with a resounding thud, its roar echoing in pain as it struggled to flap its injured wings.

"Mubai, Tang San, now!" Sheng Jun's voice rang out, commanding them into action as he swiftly began to heal his injured leg. As he focused on his recovery, Blue Silver Grass suddenly erupted from the ground, ensnaring the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent in its place. With a mighty roar, Dai Mubai unleashed his charged White Tiger Intense Light Wave directly at the serpent's head, causing it to thrash about wildly as blood streamed from the wound until it finally stopped struggling.

"Is it dead?" Dai Mubai questioned, his voice laced with uncertainty as he pondered the outcome of his attack. "It shouldn't be, since the spirit ring hasn't appeared," Sheng Jun reassured him, as he assessed the situation. Turning towards Oscar, he gestured for him to approach quickly, signaling for the next phase of their plan.

Oscar nodded in understanding, his sword already drawn as he leaped forward, ready to deliver the final blow if necessary.

"Do we... really need to kill the spirit beast? Can we not spare it?" Xiao Wu's voice trembled with sadness as she questioned the necessity of taking the creature's life.

Hearing her heartfelt plea, Sheng Jun sighed, his expression reflecting a mixture of empathy and resignation. "While it's not completely impossible to create a technique for self-created spirit rings, thus eliminating the need to kill spirit beasts" he began, his tone gentle yet firm, "the law of the strong eating the weak will always exist in nature. The cycle of life and death, driven by the need for sustenance, is inherent to all living beings, both spirit masters and spirit beasts alike. Even if we were to spare this one, countless others would still fall prey to the same fate, as not all spirit beasts are herbivores"

He paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "This is just a part of nature, Xiao Wu, if we don't kill them do you think they will spare us? This is a harsh reality we must face and accept"

As Sheng Jun's explanation settled over them, Xiao Wu and the others nodded slowly. Then, as if struck by a revelation, they collectively realized that something didn't quite add up in his words.

"F-first Brother, what do you mean by self-created spirit rings?" Xiao Wu's voice trembled slightly with anticipation as she sought clarification from Sheng Jun. Her gaze was fixed on him, eager for more insights into this revelation.

Sheng Jun paused, realizing that he had inadvertently sparked their curiosity with his mention of self-created spirit rings. "Hmm, one day while researching for the perfect spirit ring as my second spirit ring, I stumbled upon a peculiar piece of information" he began "It's said that spirit beasts above a hundred thousand years old can transform into humans. Not only can they create their own spirit rings, but these rings are also perfectly compatible with their Martial Souls"

A sense of wonder rippled through the group as they absorbed this revelation. Sheng Jun's excitement was palpable as he continued "So I thought, if they can do it, why can't we? Imagine a world where unnecessary killing is eliminated, not only does it give spirit beasts time to breathe but it also benefits all spirit masters by removing the danger of hunting" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with conviction.

However, his excitement waned slightly as he let out a sigh, his expression turning more serious. "Grandmaster and I have been researching this for years. But for me to successfully create and perfect such techniques, I need two core 'ingredients'" he revealed, raising two fingers for emphasis, signaling the importance of these components to his research.

"The first one is Oscar" Sheng Jun said, as he pointed towards Oscar, the group's attention shifted to him, their curiosity piqued by Sheng Jun's revelation. "We've been waiting for his Enlightenment Ability to grow stronger so we can use him to develop a prototype. For me to create and perfect the technique, I need that prototype"

"The second one is naturally the source of the prototype" Sheng Jun continued, his tone somber. "Oscar needs to observe a phenomenon to create a technique out of it, and in this case, it's to witness a transformed human in the process of creating their own spirit ring. However, this is almost impossible"

A sense of solemnity settled over the group as they absorbed Sheng Jun's words. The rarity of hundred-thousand-year-old spirit beasts, let alone those that had transformed into humans, made the second ingredient seem nearly unattainable.

"Because of the almost impossible second ingredient, I never brought this up" Sheng Jun concluded with a sigh, his gaze reflecting that of resignation.

However, Sheng Jun quickly dismissed everyone's thoughts, urging them to focus on the task at hand.

"Don't dwell on it too much, it's not possible anyway" Sheng Jun reassured them, his tone firm as he directed Oscar to swiftly kill the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent. With a sense of urgency, he emphasized the need to continue their search for Ma Hongjun's spirit ring.

Nodding at Sheng Jun's urgency, Oscar prepared to deliver the finishing blow with his raised sword. However, just as he was about to strike, a long tongue suddenly shot toward the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent. Reacting instinctively, Oscar deflected the attack with his sword.

"Who goes there?" Zhao Wuji stepped forward, his gaze sharp as he scanned the area. Before them stood a beautiful girl with short hair cascading down to her ears, adorned in brilliantly bright clothing that highlighted her well-developed curves.

"That Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent is mine" she declared confidently, her voice ringing out with authority.

"Oh? And how can you prove it?!" Zhao Wuji's voice held a hint of a challenge as seven spirit rings began to float around him, a clear display of his formidable power.

"Yiran, don't be rash" admonished an old woman's voice from behind the girl named Yiran, her own six spirit rings floating around her in a display.

Zhao Wuji's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing the newcomer. "Haha, so it's Serpent Grandmother of the legendary Unrivaled Dragon Serpent. Nice to meet you. I am Zhao Wuji" he greeted her with a friendly smile, though his demeanor remained cautious, as he looked around them.

"Oh, so it's Junior Zhao Wuji, the famous Acala. You are too kind, there's no need for pleasantries" replied Serpent Grandmother, her smile forced as she concealed her annoyance at the unexpected encounter. In her mind, she cursed her luck for stumbling upon such a troublesome lunatic.

"Acala? I didn't expect Teacher Zhao Wuji to be a famous Acala" exclaimed Ning Rongrong suddenly, turning her head to look at Zhao Wuji in surprise. She recalled his past experience in defeating dozens of Bishops from Spirit Hall alone when he was only Spirit Emperor at the time. Now that he had ascended to Spirit Saint, she couldn't fathom how much stronger he had become.

"Ning Rongrong, since you seem to know about Teacher Zhao Wuji's past, do you know who this Serpent Grandmother is?" Ma Hongjun asked curiously, eager to learn more about their unexpected guests.

Ning Rongrong nodded in response. "The Unrivaled Dragon Serpent consists of two people: the Spirit Douluo Meng Shu, the Dragon Duke, and Spirit Emperor Chao Tianxiang, Serpent Grandmother. Alone, they might not be that strong, but when they are together, they could even pose a threat to Titled Douluo with their Martial Soul Fusion" she explained calmly before adding, "Luckily, it seems that the Dragon Duke isn't here, or else we might have our spirit beast stolen"

"Acala, please understand that we found the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent first. I need it for my granddaughter's Third Spirit Ring. I can prove it, if you check the belly of the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent, you will find three marks from my attack" Chao Tianxiang explained calmly as Zhao Wuji gestured for others to verify the fact.

After confirming that it was indeed true, Zhao Wuji could only sigh to himself slightly. Luckily, the Dragon Duke isn't here. "Esteemed Serpent Grandmother, my student also needs it for his Third Spirit Ring, and it was us who captured it, so we can't give it to you" Zhao Wuji stated firmly.

Frowning lightly, Chao Tianxiang proposed, "Then why don't we go by the rules of spirit masters? Your student will fight against my granddaughter, and the winner will be the one to absorb the spirit ring"

Zhao Wuji hesitated, considering Oscar's capabilities. After all, Oscar was a fake Attack Power System with the body of an Auxiliary System Food-type spirit master. This might prove to be too challenging for him.

At that moment, Sheng Jun approached and whispered something into Zhao Wuji's ear. Zhao Wuji's expression brightened as he spoke, "Alright, Serpent Grandmother, let's do as you said. Oscar, come forward" He gestured for Oscar to step up, whispering something to him before Oscar nodded and approached the girl named Yiran ready to fight her.