Wang Nan's attack was more ferocious than imagined. With one strike, one of the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff's heads was brutally deformed, and its two eyeballs burst under the pressure, spilling bright red blood and clear fluid everywhere.
The Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff had endured many attacks since its appearance, but none were as powerful as Wang Nan's single blow. This was a One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast that even ordinary Titled Douluo would avoid, yet Wang Nan's unadorned strike caused it significant harm.
Agonized roars erupted simultaneously from the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff's three massive mouths. Its active innate skill was forcibly interrupted, and the surrounding blood-red aura began to gradually dissipate.
Only then did the other Disciples slowly regain their senses.
The innate ability the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff had just unleashed was its Eclipse, filling the area illuminated by the blood-red light with a sense of oppression. Even Zhang Lexuan and Wu Ming, who had already activated their Martial Soul True Body, felt their Spirits gradually melting under the Eclipse's attack.
Under the influence of the Eclipse, the surrounding terrain had completely changed. All nearby plants were severed at their roots, the parts above ground completely evaporated, and even some plant-type Spirit Beasts could not escape.
The Inner Courtyard Disciples were in worse shape, barely able to circulate their spirit power to resist the Eclipse's damage. A sea of blood seemed to churn before their eyes, causing the energy and blood within their bodies to churn as well.
In this situation, only Wang Nan could barely maintain his composure with the help of his chest bone, and then deliver that strike while the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff was unleashing its innate ability.
Several Inner Courtyard Disciples with lower spirit power ranks were clearly heavily depleted. After the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff's innate skill was interrupted, they had no strength left and collapsed to the ground.
If it were an ordinary Spirit Beast, damage to its eyes would lead to blindness, but the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff had three heads. With its innate skill interrupted, it still counterattacked immediately.
A blood-red moonlight flashed. Unlike Zhang Lexuan's Spirit, this moonlight brought a sense of bloody carnage upon its appearance. The next moment, the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff appeared behind Wang Nan.
"Beast, how dare you!"
Xuan Zi had already arrived at the scene, just in time to see the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff raise its front paw, about to bring it down on Wang Nan's head with immense power.
Wang Nan felt as if someone had violently struck his abdomen, followed by a soft body falling to the ground with him.
Xuan Zi's eyes instantly turned bloodshot. The aura of a Rank 98 Super Douluo was no longer concealed. Earth-yellow light erupted from Xuan Zi, sending the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff flying to the side before its front paw could even descend. Immediately after, a gigantic Taotie Divine Ox descended from the sky, pinning it down and rendering it immobile.
The Inner Courtyard Disciples all looked pale. Although they appeared disheveled, they had ultimately survived. Upon seeing Xuan Zi appear, they finally breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for their escape from danger.
Xuan Zi was furious at heart. He raised his right hand, ready to strike the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff.
"Old Xuan, wait!"
Zhang Lexuan's voice came from beside Wang Nan. Only then did Wang Nan realize it was Zhang Lexuan who had just tackled him to the ground.
"Le Xuan?" Xuan Zi frowned, looking in her direction.
She had already retracted her Spirit, but her face clearly didn't look too good either. She helped Wang Nan up, nodded slightly, and then walked to Xuan Zi.
"Old Xuan, this Spirit Beast's abilities are very compatible with me."
"But, this is a One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast after all."
"I want to try." Zhang Lexuan's eyes were complex; no one knew what she was thinking.
"Alright, but this is not the place to absorb a spirit ring. I'll send you all out first, then see how Shao Zhe is doing. We'll discuss the spirit ring matter after returning to the Academy. As for the Spirit Bone..."
A One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast, once hunted, would inevitably produce a One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone. However, none of the Inner Courtyard Disciples vied for ownership of the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff's Spirit Bone. Instead, their gazes were fixed on Wang Nan.
A One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone was indeed precious, but they all knew that if not for Wang Nan's final strike, whether they could have held on until Xuan Zi arrived would have been a question, let alone the matter of the Spirit Bone.
The Disciples who could enter Shrek Academy's Inner Courtyard were not foolish. They could clearly distinguish between the importance of a One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone and their own lives.
Finally, it was Zhang Lexuan, leading the team, who spoke first, "Let's leave the Spirit Bone to Junior Brother Wang Nan. If not for him just now, I'm afraid we wouldn't have lasted until you arrived, Old Xuan."
The other Inner Courtyard Disciples also nodded in agreement. Recalling the fear and suffocation they felt under the Eclipse, not a single person raised an objection.
Seeing that everyone had already allocated the Spirit Bone, Xuan Zi then made a grasping motion with his right hand. The earth-yellow light enveloping the Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff grew tighter and tighter.
The Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff whimpered continuously, but Xuan Zi paid no heed. He only gradually stopped when it fell unconscious. Then, he wrapped it in spirit power and flew out of the Star Dou Great Forest with the thirteen Disciples.
With such an unexpected turn of events, even though Wang Nan and another Inner Courtyard Disciple had not yet obtained the spirit rings they needed, it was no longer suitable to remain in the Star Dou Great Forest. After Xuan Zi re-entered the Star Dou Great Forest to bring Yan Shaozhe out, everyone set off to return to Shrek Academy.
Only then did a golden figure run and leap out from deep within the forest, its three eyes looking in the direction of Shrek Academy.
"Go back," Chi Wang's voice sounded behind the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. "You know what the consequences will be if human Spirit Masters see you. The Star Dou Great Forest has already lost that 'nourishment'; we cannot lose you too."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion shook its head. It was a long while before it slowly spoke, "I can no longer perceive the trajectory of fate as clearly as before. My tribulation has arrived."
...
On Sea God Island, Wang Nan's spirit power had fully recovered after a night's rest. The next morning, he arrived at the Sea God Pavilion.
Besides Mu En, who was almost always there, Xuan Zi, Zhang Lexuan, and the healing-type Super Douluo, Old Zhuang, were also present.
Mu En looked at Wang Nan's arrival and slowly nodded. "Le Xuan, you can begin. Don't be nervous, I'm right here. If there are any problems, I will intervene."
Upon hearing this, a crescent moon appeared behind Zhang Lexuan. Moonlight fell, and the still unconscious Corrosion Moon Mad Mastiff instantly split into two. A moment later, two red lights slowly rose. One of them was indeed a One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone.
Zhang Lexuan stepped forward and used her spirit power to communicate with the blood-red One Hundred-thousand-year spirit ring. Her expression immediately changed, showing a look of pain.
Xuan Zi was about to step forward but was stopped by Mu En's outstretched hand. "Trust this child, Le Xuan. Her Heart-Nature is far more resilient than we imagine."
Sure enough, after a short while, Zhang Lexuan's aura gradually stabilized. It seemed she had endured the mental force impact of the One Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast and was beginning to absorb the spirit power from the spirit ring.