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Meng Yiran stood there with a look of pure confusion on her face. She watched the group for a moment before turning to her grandmother. Grandma, are we really not going to take the Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake anymore? She could not understand why they were giving up so easily.
Nearby, Ning Rongrong and the other girls stayed quiet, though they were clearly holding back their thoughts. They wondered if Meng Yiran actually believed she had a chance to win. Looking at their group, it was obvious that almost everyone there was a powerful fighter.
Aside from the support system Spirit Masters, there was nobody Meng Yiran could actually beat in a fight. It had to be said that the girls actually respected the Snake Granny. That old woman had very good judgment and knew when to step back.
Snake Granny looked at her granddaughter and gave her a small, gentle smile. She spoke softly, telling her that the young man was correct. She explained that it is always better to make friends than to make enemies.
Since they were close in age, she suggested that forming a good relationship now might lead to a strong friendship in the future.
Meng Yiran found this very strange. This was not the way her grandmother usually acted at all. She was usually much firmer and more aggressive. Thinking she could prove herself, Meng Yiran looked at Su Yan and asked if she could have a match with him.
The moment the words left her mouth, Dugu Yan and the others burst out laughing. They could not help themselves. Meng Yiran looked at Ning Rongrong and the rest of the group, feeling the clear disdain in their eyes. She got annoyed and asked them what they were laughing at.
Ning Rongrong replied with a little giggle, telling her that they were just laughing at how sharp her eyesight was. Dugu Yan nodded along, adding that out of everyone there, Meng Yiran had managed to pick the strongest person to fight. She joked that Meng Yiran was truly an expert at judging people's strength.
Snake Granny looked at her granddaughter again and then turned her attention to Su Yan. She told the young man that he was welcome to visit the Exotic Beast Academy whenever he had free time. She said he should come find Yiran to play and spend time together. With those final words, she announced that they would part ways there.
Meng Yiran gave Ning Rongrong and the others one last annoyed glare. She hesitated for a second, her eyes lingering on Su Yan with a complicated expression, before she turned around and followed her grandparents away into the forest.
After they had walked a good distance away from the group, Meng Yiran finally spoke up again. She was still very confused and asked her grandmother why they had left like that. She reminded her that they had been chasing that Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake for a very long time and it was perfect for her.
Snake Granny's face became very serious and solemn. She told her granddaughter that the young man, Su Yan, was not simple at all. She explained that she had met many people in her long life, and she knew for a fact that Su Yan was someone they could not afford to offend.
Meng Yiran became even more curious. She told her grandma that she didn't see anything special about him, other than the fact that he was very handsome and had a nice voice. Snake Granny gave a tired, wry smile. She asked Yiran if she had noticed him flying down from the sky earlier. She also pointed out that nobody had seen his Spirit possession or his Spirit Rings.
Furthermore, she mentioned that the girls with him were dressed in very expensive clothes and acted like royalty. They were clearly from very powerful families. She told Yiran it was impossible for a group like that to only have Zhao Wuji protecting them. There were likely other hidden masters watching from the shadows.
She told Yiran that when they got back, she should look into who Su Yan was, as she thought the boy was quite a good match. Meng Yiran's face turned slightly red, and she shyly asked her grandma what she was talking about.
Back at the clearing, Zhao Wuji looked at Su Yan with a surprised expression. He admitted that he was impressed Su Yan had actually handled it. He hadn't expected the Snake Granny to give in so easily without a fight. Oscar walked over, looking at Su Yan with a face full of gratitude. He thanked Su Yan sincerely for helping him get the snake.
Su Yan just smiled and patted Oscar on the shoulder. In his head, he was thinking that Oscar didn't need to thank him. He was happy to help him get a spirit ring, but he planned on playing plenty of tricks on him later anyway.
However, Su Yan suddenly remembered something important. According to what he knew of the original story, Tang San and Meng Yiran were supposed to fight. During that fight, the pressure should have caused Tang San to break through to level 30. But because Su Yan had stepped in, that fight never happened.
Now, Tang San still hadn't reached the next level. Su Yan started to worry. He had entered the Star Dou Great Forest specifically to take the Eight Spider Spirit Bone. If Tang San didn't break through and hunt a spirit beast, that Spirit Bone wouldn't appear, and Su Yan wouldn't be able to snatch it.
While Oscar went off to start absorbing his new spirit ring, Zhao Wuji let out a long breath of relief. He told the group they were very lucky to have found such a perfect spirit ring so quickly.
He suggested that as soon as Little Ao was finished, they should all head back home. Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling looked at Su Yan with confusion when they heard this. They remembered the plan was to take Tang San's opportunity.
To them, Tang San looked a bit weak and underwhelming right now. Su Yan looked over at Tang San and the others. He knew that if they left now, he wouldn't have a chance to deal with Tang Hao later.
Su Yan cleared his throat and looked at Tang San with a very serious face. He asked Tang San if he was still just a little bit away from breaking through to level 30 spirit power.
Tang San looked very surprised and asked how Su Yan could possibly know that. Dai Mubai and the others also looked at Su Yan with doubt in their eyes.
Zhao Wuji gave a little smile and asked Su Yan if he was really planning to wait for Tang San to break through just so they could hunt another ring. He warned that staying in the forest longer was very dangerous.
Su Yan ignored the warning and kept his focus on Tang San. He asked him again if he wanted to reach level 30 today. Tang San started to say that he did, but he stopped halfway. A look of fear appeared in his eyes and he took a step back.
He wondered if Su Yan was thinking of another mean way to mess with him. Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong wanted to laugh because they knew Su Yan was definitely up to something.
Zhao Wuji asked Su Yan if he truly had a way to make someone break through that fast. Ma Hongjun was curious too, while Dai Mubai started to guess what was happening.
Su Yan said very seriously that he could help, but it might require a small sacrifice. He asked Tang San if he trusted him. Tang San was stunned and asked if he really had a way.
Zhao Wuji chimed in, saying that Su Yan's own strength had grown in a very strange and fast way.
He told Tang San that if Su Yan said he could help, he probably could. Su Yan then looked at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun. They were confused at first, but then they quickly agreed, telling Tang San that Su Yan was definitely capable of it.
Tang San felt very uneasy, but then Su Yan acted hurt. He told Tang San that it made him sad that he wasn't trusted. He claimed that because they were such good buddies, he was willing to share a secret method for breaking through.
He pointed out how much the girls' spirit power had improved lately. He acted like Tang San was being rude for doubting him. Everyone was watching them now.
Even the spirits were talking. Ah Yin was confused and asked why Su Yan wanted to help Tang San. Bibi Dong was just confused, while others in the group laughed about how naive Ah Yin was being. They all knew Su Yan was likely setting a trap.
Tang San still wasn't sure. He felt like he would break through on his own soon anyway. But the idea of getting it done today and getting his spirit ring immediately was tempting. He finally asked Su Yan how he planned to help.
Su Yan acted very mysterious and said it was a secret that he couldn't show everyone. He made a bet, saying if he failed, he would buy Tang San dinner for a month, but if he succeeded, Tang San just had to say thank you. Zhao Wuji told Tang San he was lucky to have such a great friend.
Tang San hesitated one last time before asking again how it worked. Su Yan told him it was a private method and led him toward a small patch of trees. He asked Ah Yin to follow them and record what was about to happen.
As they walked away, Ma Hongjun asked Zhao Wuji if such a secret method really existed. Zhao Wuji said it must, considering how fast Su Yan and the girls were growing. Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang sat thinking that he desperately wanted to know that secret method for himself.