"GRANDMASTER, DEAN FLENDER, VICE DEAN LIU, XIAO SHEN IS MISSING!"
Nine figures barreled into the Golden Iron Triangle's room. They were panting and sweating.
"WHAT?!" Liu Erlong exploded. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"
Gu Xingyun hung his head and explained, "The festival, we decided to go. But we got separated. As we gathered again to leave, we realized that Xiao Shen was nowhere to be seen. We searched for her but couldn't find her."
All nine dropped to their knees. "Teachers, we've failed you. Please, punish us."
Yu Xiaogang's face twitched. "It must be Spirit Empire. Who else could steal away a Spirit Sage under everyone's noses?"
Liu Erlong blew up, "Xiaogang, let me go find her! Even if I burn down all of Suotuo City, no one will escape!"
Flender cried, "Erlong, doing so will just alert her kidnappers that we've found out. We need to be careful."
"CAREFUL MY ASS! SHE'S STILL A CHILD!"
"A child with God domains and tyrannical rings. She's smart. Surely Xiao Shen will have something up her sleeve," Yu Xiaogang tried to placate his lover.
Flender looked at the nine kneeling in front of them. "You stay here. We'll go look for Xiao Shen."
The Golden Iron Triangle left the inn and began to scour Suotuo City for a little white-haired girl.
<><><>
Meanwhile, Ru Shenqi spat at Xie Yue. "You bastards from Spirit Empire! Kidnapping a child!"
He looked at her. "You aren't just some normal child, Xiao Nuhuang. I can tell you're powerful."
She was pulled up from the chair and forced to stand. His spirit power released, aura growing heavier. She growled, and his force didn't weigh on her at all. But how could it? Xie Yue was at the eighty second rank. Ru Shenqi at the seventieth level definitely could hold her own for a while. Especially since he was only using thirty five percent of his spirit power.
Shocked she could withstand his aura, he upped it to fifty percent. Still, she didn't even break a sweat. After training in Slaughter City, after the bodily training Yu Xiaogang put them through, after eating the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, her body could be said to be as good as well-trained Spirit Sage. She did not have the physical strength of a twelve year old, but at least that of a grown woman who works out daily and keeps her body in great shape.
Xie Yue grew furious. He grew his spirit power to sixty percent and then sixty five. Ru Shenqi still managed to stand strong though.
"How is this possible? You're only twelve! You should only be a Spirit Ancestor at the most. How can you withstand almost seventy percent of my spirit power?"
But Ru Shenqi was smart. She knew that the more pressure Xie Yue exerted on her, the more her own potential would develop. If she could get him to raise his spirit power force even higher, then perhaps she might store up enough spirit power to be above the seventy first rank after she gains her seventh ring.
"Ambassador Xie, if you want to test me, then just say it. Don't kidnap me and worry my friends and teachers."
"Fine! Let's see what you can handle!"
He upped his spirit power to seventy five percent strength. Finally, Ru Shenqi began to sweat. After all, he was still twelve spirit ranks higher than her. The higher the spirit power ranks, the greater the difference in between them.
She closed her eyes and fell into meditation, absorbing his spirit power, a beneficial effect of the Goddess of Nine Stars God Seat. She could absorb others' spirit power to use for her own. Xie Yue gaped at her when he realized this.
"H- how do you have such a skill at twelve years old?!"
She glared at him. "How I can do anything has nothing to do with you!"
Infuriating him, he increased the pressure to eighty five percent. She started to quiver. The intensity was now overbearing. This was the difference in strength between a seventieth ranked Spirit Sage and an eighty second ranked Spirit Saint. Her knees were ready to give in, but her heart wasn't. Silently, she raged.
Spirit Empire, you won't mess with me! I will get even stronger to help the Shrek Seven Devils defeat you all for good! To avenge my parents, this is my life's goal.
Pure determination set in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and used all of her strength to remain standing. Xie Yue growled and gave her ninety percent of his spirit power pressure. Ru Shenqi spat out coagulated blood but didn't drop.
"Impressive. To be able to hold under a Spirit Sage for so long. You're quite like a little Tang San!"
Ru Shenqi's eyes blazed. Innate Fire Dragon Domain!
Red-orange flames spread over her body. Her aura spread across the room, battling Xie Yue. His eyes widened in shock.
"An innate domain?!"
Ru Shenqi straightened up as tall as she could get. "Spirit Empire is my enemy now and forever. I will never let past offences go."
"You-!"
Xie Yue's Moon Blades appeared in his hands. The red metal shone against her Fire Dragon Domain.
"Have a taste of my self-created spirit skill, Full Moon!"
His Full Moon spirit skill uses bodily rotation to produced a whirlwind with his Moon Blades to attack opponents. But of course, Ru Shenqi didn't know this. When she saw the blades flying towards her, she had no choice but to release her spirit.
Third spirit skill, Clear Crystal Armor!
Her black third ring lit up, contrasting against the red hues in the room. Xie Yue's eyes widened.
"A black spirit ring already?! A Spirit King?!"
His Moon Blades clashed against her invisible shield. With his self-created spirit skill not being powered by any rings, how could it compare to a decade millennium spirit ring skill? Her shield protected her, and she flicked her wrist. A golden wire shot out of her bracelet, shocked Xie Yue to his core.
"That bracelet..." he breathed.
As a member of Spirit Empire, how couldn't he recognize the bracelet on Ru Shenqi's wrist? It belonged to the most powerful Limit Douluo in Spirit Empire, Ru Zuanshi! She had even defeated Spirit Empire Elder Qian Daoliu who was of the same rank as her!
"Impossible..."
With a roar, Ru Shenqi wrapped the stunned Xie Yue up in her golden wire. She pivoted and swung him into the wall. Taking the opportunity, her White Wolf Emperor left leg bone appeared. His eyes widened in shock once more as she sped out of the room as fast as lightning.
"A black spirit ring and a spirit bone already? Truly she must be the disciple of Elder Ru Zuanshi," he muttered as he held his chest. "I must talk to Nana about her."
<><><>
When Ru Shenqi burst back into the inn and flew up the stairs, she barreled right into her friends.
"Xiao Shen!" they cried.
Gu Xingyun pulled her in tight. "Never scare us like that again. We had no idea where you'd gone."
She was shaking in his arms. "Ambassador Xie Yue caught me. He wanted to find out who I was. After realizing I could stand up to his spirit power at ninety percent, he launched a self-created spirit skill at me. I had no choice but to reveal my third ring. Clear Crystal Armor can protect me from any attack, similar to Senior Xiao Wu's Invincible Golden Body. He believes it's my fifth ring though since I didn't release all six rings."
Bai Shanxin and the others looked amongst themselves worriedly.
She said, "After the Finals, come with me immediately back to Tang Sect. Sect Leader Tang can protect you better than anyone. After having defeated the Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong and the Angel God Qian Renxue, Spirit Empire won't go after him recklessly."
Ru Shenqi nodded, "Alright."
Just as the Golden Iron Triangle came back dejected, they saw a little white-haired girl in the center of the Shrek team. "Xiao Shen!"
She turned around and bowed her head. "Sorry to make Teachers worry."
Walking towards Yu Xiaogang, Ru Shenqi dropped to her knees. "Xiao Shen had to reveal a spirit ring to Ambassador Xie Yue, disappointing Grandmaster. I will accept any punishment, even if it includes not being able to compete in the Finals Round of the Advanced Spirit Master Grand Competition."
Liu Erlong's jaw dropped. Flender sighed and shook his head. Yu Xiaogang stared down at her.
"Why?" he asked.
"Ambassador Xie Yue launched his self-created spirit skill at me. I used Clear Crystal Armor to protect myself. It has the same properties as Senior Xiao Wu's Invincible Golden Body, so I knew he wouldn't be able to break it. Xiao Shen also had to reveal White Wolf Emperor left leg bone to escape."
"How did he catch you?"
"I was grabbed from behind. A bag was put over my head and the next thing I knew, I was being forced into a seat in front of Ambassador Xie Yue."
"Is there anything else he knows now?"
"I used Mom's bracelet."
Yu Xiaogang's face turned sour. "He must guess you're Ru Zuanshi's disciple."
"He called me Xiao Nuhuang, so I don't believe he knows their Limit Douluo is my mom."
"Xiaogang," Liu Erlong began.
"We will make sure she's introduced as Huo Shenqi. No one else can know she's Ru Zuanshi's daughter for now. Otherwise, Spirit Empire will do everything in their power to covet her. If her mother could be so powerful, who says her child can't be more outstanding?"
Yu Xiaogang looked back down at Ru Shenqi. "Xiao Shen, what happened tonight is because of everyone's carelessness. But you did what you had to in order to escape from Xie Yue. I will still permit you to fight in the Finals on one condition."
Hope flashed in her golden eyes. "What is it, Grandmaster? Xiao Shen will agree."
"You cannot use your God power. No one must know you've inherited your mother's God seat."
Realizing this was for the best, she quickly nodded. "Xiao Shen agrees. Xiao Shen will remember not to use her God power."
"Good. Kids, take care of her."
"Yes, Grandmaster."
The Golden Iron Triangle took their leave and returned to their own room. Soon, all of the kids went to sleep as well.
<><><>
As the group arrived at Star Dou Great Forest, they left their carriages outside in a secluded area. All thirteen entered the forest and made their way towards the core, the most dangerous place.
Running fast fast as they could, it took them a day to reach the lake at the center of the forest. They made camp by the water for the night and the next morning headed just into the forest to find a suitable spirit beast.
Ru Shenqi relied on her eyes on the ground. Flender and Bai Shanxin patrolled the skies. Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang guarded the back.
They searched high and low, but couldn't find any century millennium spirit beasts. That is... until one found them.
A spirit beast only about ten jin1one jin = 600g, so 10 jin=6000g. 6000g = 13.23lbs crawled down a nearby tree and chittered at them. Its dark brown, velvety fur helped it to camouflage in with the tree, but its yellow eyes distinguished its form.
Yu Xiaogang tilted his head. "A Jester Tarsier King? I thought they were all extinct."
"Grandmaster, does this spirit beast suit me?" Ru Shenqi asked.
He nodded. "It's eyes are odd, but it should still improve your spirit. The Continent believes this spirit beast went extinct, so it must have a cultivation close to or of a century millennium."
"Then, let me take care of this spirit beast."
The others nodded and stepped back. Ru Shenqi released her spirit, and her six tyrannical spirit rings appeared. Her Ultimate Darkness Wings unfurled from her back.
As she released her innate Fire Dragon Domain, her voice rose up, "Ultimate Darkness Straight Line!"
She shot a blast of fire right towards the Jester Tarsier King. But being a high-level spirit beast, it countered her attack. It tucked its head, and the velvet fur acted as a shield, protecting it from harm.
Ru Shenqi's eyebrow twitched. "What?!"
Gu Xingyun called, "King Tiger left arm bone skill, King Tiger Halberd!"
He threw the halberd at the tarsier, but again, its fur protected it. Even he was shocked.
"First spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Blossom! Third spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Regrowth! Fourth spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Ten Ton! Fifth spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Run!"
After being boosted by Fang Youyou, Ru Shenqi and Gu Xingyun both cried, "Death God Domain, Evolved Skill: Demon Hell!"
They trapped the spirit beast in a block of ice. Han Niansui released his Dark Cover, cutting off its sight.
But then, it released a shocking skill.
Jester Domain.
Everyone suddenly clutched at their heads. All thirteen were trapped within a dense atmosphere and couldn't move.
They all thought, Domain!
But Yu Xiaogang was the first to realize the true nature of the Jester Tarsier King's innate domain.
He breathed, "Losing the six senses... a truly scary skill."
Ru Shenqi came to this realization as well. Even though she couldn't see, her eyes narrowed.
"Goddess of Nine Stars Domain!"
Compared to the spirit beast which hadn't ascended to God yet, her God domain was dominating. Slowly, her friends and Teachers started to regain their six senses.
"Flight of Nine Stars!"
Nine nine-pointed stars shot out, creating an array around the spirit beast. She began to draw its spirit power.
With furious, translucent eyes, she roared, "NINE STARS METEOR SHOWER!"
Thousands of tiny nine-pointed stars came raining down towards the Jester Tarsier King. They exploded upon impact, throwing the spirit beast meters away.
