Dawn broke gently over the vast, mist-shrouded canopy of Sunset Forest, where shafts of golden sunlight pierced through the treetops and painted the earth with scattered brilliance. Every leaf shimmered with dew, each droplet trembling like liquid crystal. The air held a heavy silence—not peaceful, but anticipatory, as if the forest itself hesitated to exhale after the battle that had raged here just hours before. No birds sang. Even the insects kept still. Nature knew: something terrible had died, and something far more dangerous had awakened.
Meng Yiran sat cross-legged at the edge of a scorched clearing, the soil around her still reeking faintly of acid and venom. Her posture was straight, yet her breathing slow and rhythmic, calm as an undisturbed lake. Her eyes remained closed, but her aura radiated a new, venomous power, dark and sinuous.
She had won. And she had changed.
Around her floated the fourth spirit ring, a brilliant obsidian band laced with faint purple lightning, pulsing like a heartbeat. In other words a black ring. Its power was immense and almost suffocating, a storm contained in orbit. To those of lesser cultivation, its mere presence might have brought pressure enough to stagger them. But to Meng Yiran, it felt like a long-lost part of herself had finally returned.
Li Wei stood silently nearby, arms folded across his chest, his keen gaze never leaving her. His Diend martial spirit had not been summoned, but the faint blue gleam in his eyes betrayed his deep spirit awareness. He could feel it. Her soul resonance, once already deadly, had now deepened into something altogether more terrifying.
She opened her eyes.
Gold irises, slit like a serpent's, glimmered before slowly reverting to their usual form. She exhaled, a long breath that seemed to carry away the last remnants of struggle.
"It's done," she said simply, her voice lower and richer than before, carrying the faint rasp of transformation.
Liu Erlong stepped forward first, her eyes narrowed with concern but also fascination. "How's the integration? Any rejection or backlash?"
Meng Yiran shook her head. "None. It's like it was always a part of me. As if the Venomous Serpent King chose me."
Zhao Wuji let out a booming laugh, clearly pleased. "Good! You're one of us now more than ever. That beast didn't just die—it crowned you."
Flender adjusted his glasses with one hand, his gaze piercing as he analyzed her spiritual fluctuations. "Incredible. There's no instability in your spirit sea whatsoever. It didn't just accept you—it amplified you. Your compatibility must've been perfect."
Meng Yiran smiled slightly. "More than I ever expected. I felt it the moment our powers collided. Our venom sang the same song."
Li Wei gave a short nod. "Then show us what that harmony created."
Without hesitation, Meng Yiran rose. Her serpent cane, once ordinary, now shimmered with dark green runes that flickered like living flame. She stepped into the center of the clearing, twirling the staff once before slamming it into the ground.
"Fourth Spirit Skill: Serpent Legion!"
A deep hiss filled the air, and a thick green miasma unfurled from the cane head. The fog swirled unnaturally, forming a circle around her. Then, from within it, twelve spectral serpents erupted like arrows loosed from a bowstring.
They were longer than a man arm, glowing with sickly green light, semi-transparent but pulsing with dark life. Their eyes burned with malevolent intent, the same hue as the Venomous Serpent King before it had fallen. They circled Meng Yiran like a living barrier, moving in coordinated formation, responding to her silent will.
Gasps of awe and alarm rippled through the small group.
Three of the serpents suddenly darted toward a large boulder on the edge of the field. Upon impact, they detonated in violent bursts of venom, each explosion releasing a mist that hissed against stone and soil. The rock cracked and corroded within seconds, its surface melting like wax.
Even from several meters away, the others could feel the heat and danger in the air, as if standing beside a cauldron of acid.
Meng Yiran withdrew her cane and allowed the remaining serpents to dissolve back into mist. She turned calmly to face her team.
"Each serpent is formed from concentrated venom essence, forged through the spirit ring spectral memory," she explained. "They are semi-intangible until they strike. I can command up to twelve at a time. Once they hit, they explode—covering the area in corrosive venom."
Zhu Zhuqing, eyes gleaming, nodded slowly. "So they're autonomous projectiles… like sentient, venom-infused bombs."
Meng Yiran gave a satisfied smirk. "Exactly. But there's more. Anyone infected by the venom suffers a drastic reduction in healing. Ninety percent reduction, for a full minute. Regeneration abilities, spirit bone recovery, healing-type skills—they all get nearly nullified."
Ning Rongrong jaw fell open slightly. "That's... terrifying. You could paralyze an entire support team. Or even render food-type spirits completely useless."
"That's the point," Meng Yiran said. "This ability isn't just raw damage—it's anti-sustain. It shuts down recovery and stacks pressure. Against any team reliant on prolonged battle or healing, it gives us overwhelming advantage."
Xiao Wu whistled appreciatively. "You're basically our secret weapon against control and support specialists. One move from you and their whole rhythm collapses."
Li Wei nodded in approval. "Multi-target offense and recovery suppression in one skill. This is a battlefield ability. You didn't just gain power—you gained control."
Flender smile grew as he crossed his arms. "You've stepped into the realm of true spirit masters. Not just a fighter, but a tactical threat. Your enemies will have to account for you before they even plan."
Zhao Wuji stepped up and clapped her hard on the shoulder. "I wouldn't want to spar with you now—not unless I was wearing three layers of anti-venom armor."
Meng Yiran chuckled. "Wise decision, Teacher Zhao. Unless you're secretly immune to toxins. And not only that, my rank already increase to the rank 45."
"What? Rank 45!" All of them say in shock. Even Li Wei felt a little shock.
"That is because of the Thousand Snake Ginseng that you give me before Wei." Meng Yiran explains.
"So that how it is. Now that confirm my speculation, your rank before already rank 39. So with the herb it increase to Rank 40. Because of the limit it stop there and accumulate it, now with the limit already remove it like a dam that burst to fill the container combine with the ten thousand spirit ring, it increase more." Hearing the explanation they understand it.
Liu Erlong stayed alert, her gaze scanning the treeline. "Excellent progress, but don't lose focus. This is still Sunset Forest. Loud explosions tend to attract the wrong kind of attention."
Li Wei activated the Diendriver with a flash, its blue lens sweeping across the trees. "Agreed. Rest period's over. Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong—you're next."
Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward without hesitation. Her long black hair swayed slightly as her eyes narrowed. "I'm ready."
Ning Rongrong tightened the sash at her waist, standing tall. "Me too. Even if I'm not a frontline fighter, I refuse to be the weak link."
Li Wei gave a small nod. He glanced once more at Meng Yiran. "You did well. The Serpent King was a test—and you didn't just survive it. You dominated it."
Her usual pride flickered into something gentler for a moment. Her gaze lingered on him. "It was your training that made it possible. I just followed the path you carved."
He nodded, wordless, already turning to scan ahead.
"Let's move. The next spirit beasts won't walk into our lap. We hunt now."
The group gathered their belongings, spirit pressure now subtly reshaped by the presence of Meng Yiran new power. The sun continued to rise, illuminating the mist-wrapped forest floor in hues of jade and gold.
Behind them, where the Venomous Serpent King had fallen, the ground remained blistered and scorched. The venom still steamed where it had sunk into the earth, a grim monument to what had been—and what had been gained.
______________________
Meng Yiran had earned her fangs.
And now, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong would earn theirs.