Chapter 98: Tang San Absorbs His Third Spirit Ring
A glimmer of intelligence—mature, cunning—shone in Xiao Wu's eyes, one completely unmatched to her cute and gentle appearance.
She was remarkably well-informed about the major powers of the continent, even knowing about Tang Hao and Ah Yin.
There was not a trace of naïveté about her.
Just then, faint movement rustled through the forest.
A massive soul beast with a bull's head and serpent's body, its scales dark green and black, appeared beside the Titan Giant Ape.
"Xiao Wu!"
It was Da Ming. His enormous eyes shimmered with joy.
Since Xiao Wu had left, countless years had passed—it was their first reunion since then.
"Da Ming! We finally meet again. Don't worry about me.
I'm studying at Shrek Academy now—you wouldn't believe it, nearly every student there has noble background.
There's a little princess from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, a royal prince from the Star Luo Empire.
Unfortunately, I still haven't found any clue about breaking the curse, the path for spirit beasts to become gods. I can't help you yet," Xiao Wu sighed.
"Don't speak like that, Xiao Wu. The burden of our kind's fate isn't yours alone to bear.
Between us brothers, we lack your courage. We never had the will to take human form and start anew.
Just… be careful among humans," Da Ming rumbled, his deep voice carrying worry.
Beside him, the Titan Giant Ape's lantern-sized eyes brimmed with the same concern.
"Enough worrying!" Xiao Wu grinned. "Without courage, how could I still be your Big Sister Xiao Wu?
You two keep a close watch in the Star Dou Forest. Observe every spirit master who enters—no information must be missed.
The continent's two greatest forces, the Clear Sky Sect and Spirit Hall, are at odds—this is the perfect time to stir the waters."
She paused, her tone turning serious.
"Tang San has immense potential, twin martial souls. One day, he'll definitely reach the peak of human cultivation.
Both he and his teacher despise senseless slaughter of spirit beasts. Tang San once said a spirit master only needs nine beasts for a lifetime of rings.
There aren't enough spirit masters to justify mass extinction.
What truly threatens our kind are powerful soul masters killing recklessly.
When they enter the Star Dou Forest, even weak beasts are slain without hesitation—and evil soul masters hunt for spirit bones like maniacs.
If Tang San becomes the strongest human alive, he could end that."
She turned to leave. "That's all for now. I've been gone too long—they'll start suspecting something."
"Don't worry, Xiao Wu-jie," Er Ming said quickly. "We'll keep tracking human activity.
Oh, by the way, that Tang San you mentioned—he's fighting two powerful humans over a Human-Faced Demon Spider. One's a Spirit Douluo! Should we kill them?"
Xiao Wu stopped in place, eyes flashing dangerously.
"If they dare harm Tang San—kill them!"
With that, she leapt onto the Titan Giant Ape's shoulder.
Er Ming and Da Ming sprang into motion, thundering toward Tang San's location.
But before long, they sensed the conflict had already ended.
As it turned out, Flender and Zhao Wuji had solved the issue—by revealing Tang San's background.
When Dragon Grandmother and Snake Granny heard Tang San was of the Clear Sky Sect, they dared not press further.
No one wanted trouble with the sect that stood supreme.
After a small spar between Tang San and Meng Yiran, the elder pair retreated.
"See?" Xiao Wu smirked from Er Ming's shoulder. "Humans are never that different from us beasts—it always comes down to whose background is bigger.
The Dragon and Snake duo outmatched Flender and Zhao Wuji in strength but still didn't dare fight, not with the Clear Sky Sect's shadow over them."
The Titan Giant Ape's massive eyes softened. "Xiao Wu-jie, spending a few years among humans has really changed you—you sound like one of them."
Da Ming snorted through his nostrils in amused agreement.
Xiao Wu only smiled proudly.
A short while later, once Dragon Grandmother and Snake Granny had gone, she instructed Da Ming and Er Ming to wait as she bounded off toward Tang San's group.
Skipping lightly through the forest, carefree and confident, she made her way forward.
Here in the Star Dou Forest, under the protection of Da Ming and Er Ming, she practically ruled the domain.
Then, suddenly, she paused.
An idea flashed across her mischievous mind.
She ruffled her hair into disarray, tore her sleeve at the arm, and smeared some dirt onto her cheeks until she looked battered and desperate.
Only then did she emerge from the woods.
"Xiao Wu—you're alive?" Oscar gasped, astonished.
"What, you wanted me dead?" she snapped playfully, before quickly deflecting the topic.
"What's going on here? Heaven's mercy, what happened to San?"
She turned to Tang San, who was mid-absorption.
One glance and she recognized the Human-Faced Demon Spider—a creature over two thousand years old. Tang San was absorbing beyond his level.
"You can tell its age from the legs," she explained calmly. "Each thousand years adds about half a meter in length. These legs are over two meters—definitely past two thousand years."
Xiao Wu's heart tightened. Tang San was gifted, but this was dangerously close to the limits of overlevel absorption.
"Xiao Wu, how did you escape the Titan Giant Ape? Tell us what happened!"
Zhao Wuji narrowed his eyes, suspicion plain, as Flender adjusted his glasses beside him.
The whole story seemed too miraculous.
Xiao Wu had long prepared her excuse.
She blamed it on the Sky Blue Bull Python—a thunderous roar from deep within the forest had frightened the Titan Giant Ape into fleeing.
She claimed she took the chance to break through to level thirty and then conveniently found a fainted beast to absorb as her third ring.
"Seriously?" Ning Rongrong exclaimed, wide-eyed.
Zhu Zhuqing looked equally skeptical.
Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun exchanged glances—expressions that said, lucky idiot.
Though Xiao Wu's story had holes, no one could prove otherwise.
No one could have guessed her deep connection to Da Ming and Er Ming.
All attention soon shifted back to Tang San.
His condition looked dire.
The high temperature of the spirit ring's power had burned his clothes away; his bare skin glistened with blood beading from countless pores.
The agony lasted for a long while before finally subsiding.
Flender and Zhao Wuji exchanged a glance of relief.
If Tang San died here, the Clear Sky Douluo would hammer them to death himself.
Too many dangers had plagued this hunt—Dragon and Snake Duo, the Titan Giant Ape's appearance, Xiao Wu's capture, and now Tang San's overranked absorption.
Thankfully, he succeeded.
None of them noticed, however, that in the distance, nestled on a massive tree branch, a tiny jade-green serpent watched intently.
Its bright eyes glimmered—it was Dugu Feng's Jade Serpent Dragon, observing every detail.
Suddenly, a sharp cry split the silence.
"Ah!"
Tang San's body convulsed violently, muscles contracting as his back arched.
Eight bumps swelled from beneath his skin—fist-sized protrusions pushing outward.
At last, the Eight Spider Lances emerged.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Bankai10