For instance, eating food even more delicious than what the Gourmet Tablecloth could produce.
(Wu Tong and others: This ambition... is impressive, but just barely. Sigh~.)
At this thought, Pardo's eyes practically sparkled.
The others watched as Wu Tong teased the "cat," exchanging silent glances. They chose not to expose him, instead smiling at the scene.
The sight of the little "cat," furious yet unable to voice her anger, was rather amusing, wasn't it?
The only question was when Pardo would finally catch on (laughs).
Truly, everyone here was a mischief-maker.
As Wu Tong continued his playful deception, the dishes he had ordered arrived one after another.
Once the table was fully set, the group stopped spectating and began sampling the delicacies that Dugu Bo had praised.
The taste...
It was decent—not exceptionally delicious, but it had a unique flavor.
Turns out Wu Tong wasn't entirely wrong.
The Gourmet Tablecloth could only recreate dishes one had tasted before, and there were countless untried delicacies in the world. It was always worth exploring new flavors.
As they ate, Elysia and the others silently reflected on this.
After the meal, Wu Tong paid the bill and led the group toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
Gazing at the clearly visible forest in the distance, a faint smile curled on Wu Tong's lips, and a sense of anticipation welled up in his heart.
I wonder if we'll run into those Shrek Academy folks during this trip?
Truthfully, Wu Tong could have teleported the group directly to the Life Spring Lake—it wouldn't have taken much effort.
But he chose not to. Instead, he brought everyone to this small town.
Aside from dining, there was another reason for this detour.
Before heading to the Star Dou Great Forest, Wu Tong had received a report from an undercover agent he'd planted near Shrek Academy.
According to the agent, a few days prior, Shrek's student Oscar had broken through to the 30th rank. Under Zhao Wuji's leadership, the students had set off for the Star Dou Great Forest.
What a coincidence.
Since the timing aligned perfectly, and Wu Tong wanted to seize this opportunity to meet the protagonist team—infamous for their polarizing reputation on their Home Planet—he teleported the group to this town, planning to enter the forest from the outskirts.
Unbeknownst to Wu Tong, the moment this thought crossed his mind, his immense fortune began to stir, intertwining with the world and subtly shifting the tides of fate.
Soon enough, the world would undoubtedly deliver the outcome he most desired.
——
Star Dou Great Forest
"Two Nether Wolves."
"Six Lonely Bamboos."
"Three Cloud Dream Butterflies."
"Four Blazing Tigers."
...
As the group advanced toward the inner forest, Mobius and the others followed while casually dispatching any Spirit Beasts they hadn't encountered before. They stored the remains in the storage Soul Tools Wu Tong had provided, amassing research materials for future experiments.
"Wu Tong, give me another storage Soul Tool. This one's full."
Once her storage ring reached capacity, Mobius took stock of its contents, nodded in satisfaction, and then turned her gaze back to Wu Tong.
"Another one? That's almost twenty now. Are you here to restock supplies?" Wu Tong grumbled, eyeing her outstretched hand.
At this point, he was starting to question whether entering from the outskirts had been the right call.
This entire trip felt like a dedicated hunting expedition for Mobius's research.
"Come on, we're already here. Might as well gather as much as we can. Just hand it over—are you giving it or not?"
Mobius paid no heed to Wu Tong's tone and demanded with unshakable confidence.
"Fine, fine. Here."
This time, Wu Tong didn't complain further. He retrieved a few large-capacity storage Soul Tools and handed them over.
"Of course it's not enough. How could an entirely new system be so easily deciphered? These Spirit Beasts are just the initial test subjects."
After replying, Mobius lost interest in further conversation. She, along with Vill-V and Mei, resumed their hunt, collecting more Spirit Beasts.
Wu Tong shrugged and continued leading the way without comment.
As for the Spirit Beasts being slaughtered?
Pfft—what did they have to do with him?
Wu Tong had never cared about the thoughts of non-humans, let alone Spirit Beasts, who were natural enemies of Spirit Masters.
Cases like Tang Hao and Tang San were rare. Most Spirit Masters viewed Spirit Beasts as mortal foes.
And so, the group leisurely admired the unique scenery of the Star Dou Great Forest as they made their way deeper inside.
——
Inner Forest
The Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python—the two overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest in the eyes of outsiders—now cowered on the sidelines, not even daring to approach the Life Spring Lake.
Because at this moment, a gathering of powerful Beast Kings was holding a meeting by the lake.
At the lakeside stood the black-cloaked Di Tian, the green-robed Jade Emperor, the purple-armored Violet Emperor, the unshaped Bear Lord, Scarlet King, Ten Thousand Demon Lord...
All the Beast Kings had assembled, their expressions grave as they focused on the man in black.
"Are you certain, Auspicious Beast? You're saying that the powerhouse who unleashed two attacks rivaling a Godking's might yesterday is now heading our way?"
Di Tian, in his middle-aged human form, asked with solemn disbelief, addressing the small golden beast beside him.
The creature's body was covered in golden fur, its form semi-transparent like crystal, exuding an otherworldly aura.
It resembled a lion, but its claws were draconic, each resting atop a golden flame. Its snout was slightly longer than a lion's, and beneath its fur lay fine golden scales.
Its face was particularly unique: in addition to two normal eyes, a third vertical pupil sat between them.
The normal eyes shimmered gold, while the vertical one glowed with an eerie red.
This was the favored child of the Spirit Beast world, the true darling of the Star Dou Great Forest, the princess of Spirit Beasts—the Emperor's Auspicious Beast·Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
...
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(End of Chapter)