Li Chang'an raised his hand slightly, and a pale cyan longsword fell into his palm—it was the same Martial Soul he used during his battles in the Spirit Arena. Behind him, two pitch-black soul rings appeared—both of them were ten-thousand-year soul rings!
Even though it wasn't the first time Tang San and the others had seen Li Chang'an's two ten-thousand-year soul rings, they were still shocked. After all, those were ten-thousand-year soul rings!
Zhao Wuji was also seeing Li Chang'an's second Martial Soul for the first time. When he saw both the first and second soul rings were black, he couldn't help but be taken aback.
As for Serpent Grandmother and Meng Yiran across from them, their reactions were even more dramatic. Though they could hardly believe what they were seeing, Serpent Grandmother still vividly remembered the oppressive aura she had sensed from Li Chang'an. That lingering fear made her call out immediately, "Yiran, come back. You're no match for him!"
Whether it was real or not, Serpent Grandmother chose the safest option in the face of a Spirit Master with two ten-thousand-year soul rings.
Meng Yiran looked utterly stunned, her voice trembling as she stared at Li Chang'an.
"You… How do you have two ten-thousand-year soul rings? You…"
Li Chang'an smiled kindly, then dismissed his soul rings.
"Let's not make this about bullying today. I won't use any soul rings. If Miss Meng Yiran can defeat me, I'll admit defeat and hand over the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent without a fuss."
Meng Yiran raised a brow, anger flashing across her face.
"Are you looking down on me? All these fancy tricks!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she launched her attack!
Her first soul ring lit up behind her, and a two-foot-long serpentine blade shot out from her snake staff, slashing fiercely at Li Chang'an.
Li Chang'an stood still as a statue, looking almost like he was paralyzed with fear. But just as the blade was about to strike, he simply lifted his right hand and made a simple motion—block.
Li Chang'an never relied on flashy techniques; his moves were always solid and effective. Although the attack was a soul skill, it was only a hundred-year soul ring—what threat could it pose to him?
Seeing her attack dismissed so casually, Meng Yiran was infuriated. Her second soul ring began to glow, and her body became incredibly flexible. In the next moment, she vanished into the underbrush.
Li Chang'an saw her attempt to play a hit-and-run game and let out a small chuckle. Instead of reacting, he started pondering how to resolve the situation.
It didn't take long for him to come up with a plan.
When dealing with a proud woman like Meng Yiran, the best approach was to smack her once… and then give her a lollipop.
Just then, Meng Yiran struck from the underbrush—eight serpent blades lashed out at once, some real and some fake, creating a dazzling display.
Li Chang'an didn't draw his sword. Instead, he casually reached out, and with an almost lazy motion, he caught the real blade. Meng Yiran's figure immediately appeared.
"How did you know that was the real one?" Meng Yiran asked, incredulous.
"I guessed," Li Chang'an replied honestly. His Luck stat was a full ten points—his luck was basically off the charts.
"Hmph, liar!" Meng Yiran clearly didn't buy it. Her purple soul power surged toward her blade as she attempted to overwhelm Li Chang'an with raw strength.
"Silly girl," Li Chang'an said helplessly. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the blade flying back. His soul power wasn't something Meng Yiran could hope to match. The fact that he didn't blow her weapon to pieces was already him holding back.
Luckily, Serpent Grandmother reacted quickly and caught Meng Yiran in her arms before she crashed to the ground. She gave Li Chang'an a long, searching look and said,
"We concede. Let's leave it at that."
Li Chang'an's power was clearly in a different league from Meng Yiran's. The fact that he had held back was already a mercy.
"Senior Serpent Grandmother, we were also at fault in this matter," Li Chang'an suddenly said. "How about this—we three step aside and have a quick chat?"
"What, you've got something to say that can't be said in front of others?" Meng Yiran frowned, visibly displeased. She was starting to regret thinking Li Chang'an was handsome earlier.
"It's fine. Let's hear what he has to say," Serpent Grandmother interrupted, nodding. She was no fool—she didn't believe Li Chang'an was just some ordinary Spirit Master. She was curious what he had in mind.
——
From Tang San and the others' perspective, Li Chang'an and the two women walked a short distance away to talk in private. Though they couldn't hear the conversation, they could clearly see Serpent Grandmother's expression shift from shock to disbelief—and then, surprisingly, she bowed deeply to Li Chang'an!
Meng Yiran's face went from icy to stunned, then softened. She even accepted something from Li Chang'an's hand… and finally, to everyone's amazement, smiled at him sweetly.
In the end, all three seemed to part on good terms. Serpent Grandmother and Meng Yiran left with pleased expressions—Meng Yiran even tossed Li Chang'an a flirtatious wink on her way out.
"Teacher Li, what did you give Meng Yiran to make her that happy?" Ma Hongjun couldn't help but ask the moment Li Chang'an returned.
"Can't say. That's a secret," Li Chang'an replied with a smile as he returned to stand beside Xiao Wu. He gestured to Oscar to finish off the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent.
What did he do, really? He had simply started with an apology, then, as a gesture of goodwill, gifted Meng Yiran a piece of Immortal Herb.
While the herb wasn't top-tier, it could refine one's bloodline. Serpent Grandmother clearly recognized its value, and from there, everything became much simpler.
Meng Yiran now saw him as a strong, handsome man who knew how to admit his mistakes. Serpent Grandmother saw him as a potential grandson-in-law...
——
Oscar sat down beside the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent, raised his hand, and summoned his signature sausage. A faint pink aura surrounded him as he began to guide the beast's soul ring into his body—the third soul ring of his life.
By this time, the sky had darkened. The air in Star Dou Great Forest was humid and thick with the fresh scent of vegetation. If it weren't for the ever-present danger of spirit beasts, the place might have been a paradise.
About half an hour later, Oscar opened his eyes.
He let out a deep breath as a transformation overtook him. The gentle pink glow around him turned bright and vibrant, bathing his body in radiant pink light.
Three soul rings rose at his feet: two yellow ones, and a brilliant purple one. The powerful hue of the third ring signified its strength. Oscar had officially broken through the Spirit Grandmaster rank and stepped into the realm of Spirit Elders.
Oscar: Level 32 Spirit Elder – Food System Spirit Master.
"Congratulations, Oscar," Zhao Wuji said with a warm smile.
Oscar's breakthrough brought subtle changes to his entire being—he looked taller and more spirited. His peach blossom eyes now shimmered with multicolored light, reminiscent of the energy the Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent had unleashed to intimidate them.
Dai Mubai let out a hearty laugh.
"Oscar, you're the second among us to reach level 30. Congrats! Come on, let's see—what's your third soul skill? Is it that flying technique Teacher Li mentioned?"
At that, everyone perked up. After all, flight—before reaching the Spirit Sage level, who wouldn't want to experience what it's like to fly?
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T/N:
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