Everyone gaped at Ru Shenqi. She smiled and bowed towards Tang San.
"Lord Sea God."
His eyebrow twitched. "Eh, you can just call me Sect Leader. No need for Lord Sea God."
She bowed a bit lower in acknowledgement.
Ma Hongjun spoke up in amusement. "We've seen how well Xiao Shen has improved, but what about the rest of you Tyrants? What else besides your tyrannical ring configurations?"
"Our spirit bones!" the Shrek Six Tyrants cried.
"You all have spirit bones now?" Liu Erlong breathed in amazement.
The Shrek Six Tyrants nodded.
"Good," Tang San said. "Spirit bones are good to have."
Just then, Ru Shenqi sensed something. Coldly, she said, "Goddess of Nine Stars Domain, evolved skill: Omnipresent Supremacy."
Cancelling out any other presence and any domain, she slowly turned around. Her eyes narrowed when she was seven figures approaching.
"You should be dead," she growled.
"Xiao Nuhuang! Don't think you'll get away with killing Peacock Douluo, Gilded Umbrella Douluo, and Storm Douluo!" the Platinum Generation roared.
She raised an eyebrow at them. "Oh? I've gotten away with it so far. Do you think you can kill me to avenge them?"
Duan Zheliang glared at her. "Seven against one."
"Challenge accepted," Ru Shenqi smirked.
Her friends stepped back. She walked forward to square off against the Platinum Generation. They released their spirits. She was surprised to see that they were all Spirit Sages now. The others besides Duan Zheliang and Sun Tianzhao had all gotten another black decade millennium year spirit ring.
But still, she scoffed, "Is that the best you can do?"
Zuo Dongmei snapped, "Do you think you're better than us just because you have better rings?!"
"Yes. Because I am better than you."
"You-!" Mu Jingmu cried.
Her eyes flashed silver-white as her spirit released. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Then, her red and silver-white spirit rings descended. As each one appeared, dread filled the hearts of the Platinum Generation. When all ten of her spirit rings danced around her, they realized that they'd never match up to her.
"Seventh spirit skill, Clear Crystal Eyes Spirit Avatar!"
Her body became crystalline, and her immunity set in. Before the others could react, her ninth spirit ring was already lighting up.
"First Divine Skill, Ice Goddess!"
She trapped the Platinum Generation in her ice cages. With them being where she wanted them, a cruel smile spread across her lips. Her eyes narrowed as her slaughter intent surged.
Spirit Empire... you have no future.
"Fifth spirit skill, secondary ability, Clear Crystal Annihilation!"
Countless purple bubbles flew down from the sky. They exploded around the ice cages, creating a double attack. The Platinum Generation suffered physical and internal injuries.
Without waiting for them to recover, she added, "First spirit skill, secondary ability: Clear Crystal Mass Enfeeblement!"
Her area of effect ability struck their central nervous systems and caused them to feel weakness and fatigue. Her skull bone emerged on her forehead.
"Swift Demon Cougar skull bone skill, Swift Demon Attack!"
With the mental attack, the seven clutched at their heads and screamed. The spirit power difference was too great. Ru Shenqi had damaged their minds. Permanently. She watched, silently, as they suffered. Their screams of torment rang in her ears, but compared to the horrifying environment that was Slaughter City and the tortured souls that haunted that desolate place, it was nothing.
Behind her, everyone was not entirely surprised. They knew Ru Shenqi had the power to hold her own. The Platinum Generation were seeking their deaths coming here. But at the same time, they hadn't expected her to torture them like this.
She watched them cry out with a deadness in her chest. She felt nothing. No glee, no relief, no triumph. Not even arrogance.
So she waited. And waited. And waited.
After an arduous hour of torture, she finally decided to put them out of their misery. Ru Shenqi summoned all of her spirit power. The Golden Scepter appeared in her left hand. And with her right, she pointed at all of them. The intense pressure she released weighed down on Duan Zheliang, Sun Tianzhao, Ruo Yingyue, Li Xiurong, Mu Jingmu, Ye Zhuwei, and Zuo Dongmei.
Tang San shivered. He had felt this pressure before when he had battled Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi. With one finger, she had sent him flying backwards into the ocean. If he hadn't protected himself with Xiao Wu's Invincible Golden Body, he would've died.
A few seconds later, the Platinum Generation's bodies burst. Blood, bone, and tissue flew everywhere. Ru Shenqi's third spirit skill lit up. Her Clear Crystal Armor shielded her from the flying debris. When everything died down, the courtyard was scattered with human remains.
The others behind her gaped. Turning around calmly, she said, "Platinum Generation? What Platinum Generation?"
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened. Four spirit bones suddenly emerged, floating in mid-air. Seeing them, the Shrek Six Tyrants gasped.
"Spirit bones?!"
They ran forward and gaped. Ru Shenqi spun as well. The Platinum Generation had left a torso bone, a skull bone, a left arm bone, and a right leg bone. Yu Xiaogang and Tang San approached.
"You Seven Tyrants are lucky today," Yu Xiaogang began. "Spirit bones are becoming harder and harder to come by."
Tang San added, "They also suit you. Liao Suyin."
She nodded. "Senior."
He pointed to one of the spirit bones. "The torso bone suits you the most. Spirit bones can physically strengthen a spirit master to a certain degree. And your spirit naturally leaves you one weak spot. Your torso. So the torso bone will help reduce that natural weakness. It comes from a seventy thousand year Black Tortoise and seems to have a teleport ability. It also draws very little spirit power."
She walked forward and reached out towards the spirit bone. It floated over to her, and Liao Suyin sat down to begin absorbing it. Tang San released the Light of the Ocean to help her. Then, he turned towards Fang Youyou and pointed at the silver and navy blue skull bone.
"This skull bone suits Auxiliary Systems best. It is called Endless Reach and comes from an eighty two thousand year old Reinforced Creeper Vine. With it, you can create a domain-like space that increases amplification attributes. So if you launch it, anyone who uses an amplification skill on any attribute will gain triple the amplification. The only downfall is that the less spirit power you have, the harder it will be to maintain this skill."
"Woah," the other Tyrants breathed. "Youyou, this really is a good skull bone!"
Fang Youyou bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Senior."
He walked over and reached towards the skull bone. It floated to him, and he sat down to begin the absorption process. Tang San summoned another beam of the Sea God's Light to protect him. Then, he turned towards Bai Shanxin.
"The right leg bone suits you most, Shanxin. Your speed is unparalleled in the air. But if you're forced to the ground, your speed suffers. This seventy eight thousand year Red Spotted Cheetah spirit bone can eliminate that issue. It can give you a quick speed burst, especially on land. It, like the Black Tortoise Torso Bone, drains very little spirit power. Go ahead and absorb it."
She bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Sect Leader, for your consideration!"
Bai Shanxin flew over and landed by the right leg bone. She sat down to begin absorbing it. Tang San created a third beam of Light for her. Finally, he turned towards Shu Jiaxiang.
"This Sickle Left Arm Bone was probably passed down to one of the Platinum Generation by Hu Liena. It used to belong to the former Supreme Pontiff, Bibi Dong. It transforms your hand into a giant black sickle. As an Agility Attack and Power Attack System spirit master, this spirit bone suits you well."
"Thank you, Senior."
She shot over to it and sat down to begin the absorption process. Tang San released another beam of the Light of the Ocean for her. Finally, he touched his Twenty Four Moonlight Bridges belt. Out of it, he pulled another spirit bone. Ru Shenqi, Ming Yong, and Gu Xingyun gaped.
"Xiao Wu and I went to Star Dou Great Forest to help His Majesty get his sixth spirit ring. We fought and killed an eighty thousand year Siren Sparrow Queen. Although its spirit bone didn't suit any of us, His Majesty let me keep it for one of you Tyrants. Ming Yong, since your spirit is a Seven Stringed Dragon Qin, this Siren Sparrow Torso Bone suits you best. It gives an ability called Siren Song which can weaken others' spiritual power and mental strength. As long as enemies can hear it, it will work. And the best part is that it doesn't drain spiritual power at all and the spirit power consumption is very low."
"Thank you, Senior."
Ming Yong bowed and accepted the spirit bone. He sat down to begin absorbing it, and Tang San protected him under the Sea God's Light also. Ru Shenqi knew she had a lot of spirit bones, so she didn't say a word. Although Gu Xingyun tried his best to hide the feelings in his heart, the others could sense it anyways.
Oscar walked over to him and said, "Boss Dai always used to be competing with Xiao San to be the best out of us Shrek Seven Devils. But we all knew that we were still monsters in our own rights. Xiao San was just the best of us. We were all at different phases and had different strengths. Our innate talent was all fairly equal, and we liked to try and one-up each other. But us seven also went through life and death together. Any jealousy disappeared. We cared more about each other's lives than being better. You're still young, Your Highness, and I know that Guang Kingdom might raise their children differently. But you Shrek Seven Tyrants are, at your core, a family. Just like us Shrek Seven Devils. When you join Tang's Army and Heaven Dou Army on the battlefield, you will realize the true meaning of comradery. I can tell you have a good heart. You might be jealous now, but when the time comes, I believe you'll choose to keep this family together rather than dwell on who's stronger than who."
Gu Xingyun lowered his head, ashamed. Ru Shenqi laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Vice-Master Oscar has a point. You and Yong have always been close in terms of spirit power and strength. It's always been a teetering back and forth between you two. But you're the eldest of us Shrek Seven Tyrants and also our Boss. I know you wouldn't let any of us come to harm."
He nodded, and she smiled.
If only you knew. But your jealousy is strong. If I tell you now, will us Shrek Tyrants no longer be seven?
Tang San accidentally read her thoughts. He looked at Xiao Wu, who understood his intention. She stepped forward and said, "Xiao Shen, come with me."
"Yes, Laoshi."
She walked off with her teacher. They stopped outside of the Heaven Dou Palace.
"Ge gathered that you knew something. Something you're hesitant to talk about."
A chuckle escaped Ru Shenqi's lips. "Sect Leader is good at reading people... and their minds."
Xiao Wu grinned. "It seems even Ge has underestimated you. Haishen Island really did you some good."
"I had to grow up to survive. Some of the tests put my friends in peril. If I wanted to keep them safe, I needed to mature."
"You've grown wiser. That's good. Now, what don't you seem to want to tell His Highness?"
Ru Shenqi sighed sadly. "While we were on Haishen Island, Yong admitted that he cared for me beyond that of a friend or sister. But he also knew that Xingyun and I have always been close and are devoted to each other. If Xingyun knew Yong liked me in that way, I'm worried what his jealousy would cause. I love all of the other Tyrants; they're my family. But Xingyun holds a different place in my heart than anyone else. But at the same time, he'll become King of Guang Kingdom one day, and I'll remain as the Head Flamen of Haishen Island. With such different futures, how could we be together?"
Hi all! Sorry for the delay in posting a new chapter. I had no idea where I wanted to go with this story for a while. But I hope to upload more chapters soon now. Thanks for all the love and support, and don't forget to like this fanfic or leave a review if you love the Shrek Seven Tyrants as much as I do!
