Early the next morning.
The Shrek group gathered once again in the hotel lobby.
"Fatty, you look a lot better today!"
Oscar said in surprise when he noticed that Ma Hongjun not only seemed energetic again, but that his aura was clearly stronger as well.
"Hehe. Even though I got burned pretty badly yesterday, once the Evil Fire was removed, my spirit power started flowing much more smoothly. I even broke through a Rank—I'm Rank 28 now!"
Ma Hongjun puffed out his belly proudly.
Everyone congratulated him.
"A blessing in disguise. Not bad."
Dai Mubai patted him on the shoulder, his expression complicated.
Tap, tap.
Footsteps sounded from the staircase as Bai Mu and Zhu Zhuqing slowly walked down.
"Go ahead and keep laughing. You were just lucky to gain Ranks at the cost of your Innate Spirit Power."
Bai Mu glanced at Ma Hongjun, the corner of his mouth curling into a meaningful smile.
"Good morning, Bai Mu, Zhuqing…"
Everyone greeted them.
"Zhu Zhuqing, you—"
Zhao Wuji was the first to notice something unusual. He said in shock, "You've actually reached Rank 30?!"
At his words, everyone turned to look at Zhu Zhuqing.
She had changed into a new set of black, tight-fitting clothes. Her skin glowed faintly in the morning light, and her aura was clearly much stronger than the day before.
"Good heavens! Zhuqing, your overall condition has improved so much! How did this happen overnight…?"
Ning Rongrong leaned closer to take a better look.
"Yes. I took something special last night and gained a bit from it."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded calmly, her expression still cool.
"Something special?! Could it be that?!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.
Zhu Zhuqing looked at her strangely, not understanding what she meant at all.
After a moment of confusion, she simply nodded politely. "Mm."
Ning Rongrong was shocked. "That thing has such an effect? How did it taste?"
"Mm. It was fine."
Zhu Zhuqing recalled that compared to most medicinal items, the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid actually tasted quite good.
"Even if it's good, you can't just eat it recklessly, can you?"
Ning Rongrong froze for a moment, then smacked Zhu Zhuqing, her face flushed red.
"?"
Zhu Zhuqing's expression darkened. She was completely speechless.
Such an innocent-looking girl, yet her mind was full of nonsense.
"What are you thinking about?"
Bai Mu walked over with a smile. "Didn't I say yesterday that I brought some local specialties for the little kitty? Her strength and aptitude improved a lot after eating it."
"Oh~ So it was a local specialty…"
Ning Rongrong immediately realized she had misunderstood.
Her eyes darted about, and she quickly leaned over, hugging Bai Mu's arm and looking up at him with watery eyes.
"Bai Mu, that local specialty… do you still have any left?"
Feeling the soft pressure against his arm, Bai Mu replied calmly, "That local specialty is extremely precious. How could I just give it to anyone?"
"Oh, come on~ just one portion, just one~"
Ning Rongrong began to act cute. "Whatever you want, I can ask my father to give it to you!"
"Oh?"
Bai Mu raised an eyebrow. "Then can you give yourself to me?"
"This… it's not impossible. As long as you're willing to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, I'll talk to my father."
Ning Rongrong's voice was soft and sweet, carrying the unique playfulness of the sect's little princess.
"Alright. I'll wait for you."
"Ah! Can't you give it to me first?"
"Don't worry. I'll definitely give it to you, but there needs to be a plan and a schedule. One gift leads to the next, until everything is finally given."
Bai Mu shook his head seriously. "Courtesy demands reciprocity. Once your father gives you to me, I'll give it to you."
"…Alright."
Ning Rongrong sighed.
She wondered whether she could secure Bai Mu early by officially confirming their relationship.
"Alright, I'm in a hurry to hunt a spirit ring, so I'll head out first. You all take your time."
Bai Mu said this to everyone, then looked at Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.
"Little Rongrong, little kitty—stay safe and cultivate well."
After rubbing their heads, he turned and left without hesitation.
He walked out of the hotel, summoned Zygarde, mounted the Dragon Hound, and sped toward the Star Dou Great Forest like a streak of light.
Before going far, Bai Mu had Zygarde stop and released the white Dragon Hound.
"Z2, finding the Man-Faced Demon Spider is up to you."
'Leave it to me.'
Z2 nodded and accelerated into the Star Dou Great Forest, beginning a large-scale search using its Ecological Perception.
Bai Mu and Little Soft then turned invisible, concealed their auras, and lay in wait near the path the Shrek group would take.
Two approaches—double insurance.
Not long after, the Shrek group appeared. Bai Mu followed from a distance, tailing them slowly.
He soon witnessed the Cockscomb Phoenix-Tailed Serpent escaping and also saw Snake Granny and Meng Yiran.
Perhaps because she was more mature, Meng Yiran currently had more feminine charm than the three Shrek girls.
However, Bai Mu knew his priorities and had no intention of getting involved.
It had nothing to do with him.
Compared to the Eight Spider Lances, women were nothing more than skeletons in pink robes.
As in the original events, Oscar successfully absorbed the spirit ring from the Cockscomb Phoenix-Tailed Serpent and obtained the Flying Mushroom Sausage.
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, two days went by.
Leaning against a tree with his eyes closed, Bai Mu suddenly opened them.
'I've found the target!'
Z2's voice rang out in his mind.
"It took this long?"
Bai Mu let out a breath. "That's a bit ridiculous."
With Ecological Perception, Z2 should have been able to lock onto a murderous apex predator like the Man-Faced Demon Spider much faster.
Taking this long meant either the spider was exceptionally good at hiding, or something was masking its aura.
"Whatever. Kill it first."
Just as Bai Mu was about to move, the ground beneath his feet suddenly shook violently.
Rumble—!
Not far away, towering ancient trees collapsed in swathes.
Through the Z-Cell he had placed on Zhu Zhuqing earlier, Bai Mu saw a mountain-like black giant ape charging out from the depths of the forest toward the Shrek group.
Each step cracked the ground. Its terrifying aura sent spirit beasts fleeing in panic for miles around.
The Titan Giant Ape—Er Ming.
Ignoring everyone else, it grabbed Xiao Wu and ran straight into the depths of the forest.
Zhao Wuji tried to stop it but was sent flying with a single slap.
"Xiao Wu—!"
Tang San's roar echoed through the forest.
"Pathetic."
Bai Mu commented lightly, then turned to Zygarde.
"Little Soft, if you transformed into your Z-Form now and fought the Titan Giant Ape to the death, what would your chances be?"
'Fifty–fifty.'
"Oh?"
Bai Mu raised an eyebrow. "That confident?"
'I'd split fifty–fifty—literally.'
'Five punches, and I'd be split into at least five pieces.'
Bai Mu fell silent.
A Rank 40 Zygarde fighting a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape was indeed unrealistic.
"Maybe after your next breakthrough, you'll have a chance to fight it head-on."
He shook his head, jumped onto Little Soft's back, and sped toward Z2's location.
On the way, he issued an order through telepathy.
"Z2, have some fun with the Man-Faced Demon Spider. Torture it properly. Don't hit the legs, and leave it with one breath."
'Leave it to me.'
Deep within the forest, in an area blanketed by spider webs, a Dragon Hound stood in the open, facing the Man-Faced Demon Spider at the center of the web.
Its body was covered in black armor. Eight spear-like legs extended outward, and a hideous white human face was etched onto its lower abdomen. Eight eerie eyes stared coldly ahead.
"Awoo!"
Upon receiving the command, Z2 opened its mouth and fired a Dragon Pulse.
The attack was too fast for the Man-Faced Demon Spider to dodge. It could only thrust its front legs forward to block.
Boom!
The energy exploded on impact. The shockwave shredded the webs and blasted the Man-Faced Demon Spider to the ground.
"Hiss!"
The spider let out a furious screech and spat out a massive poisonous web that blotted out the sky, trying to trap Zygarde within it.
Zygarde didn't dodge.
It stomped the ground, and earth energy instantly transformed into countless light arrows that shot forward together.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
The poisonous web shattered instantly, and the light arrows rained down on the Man-Faced Demon Spider.
The spider tried to evade, but the attack's range completely covered it.
As the arrows fell, its carapace cracked apart piece by piece, and purple fluid splashed everywhere.
If Zygarde hadn't deliberately restrained its power, that single attack would have been enough to kill it.
But the Man-Faced Demon Spider didn't know that.
"Hiss!"
It lunged forward angrily with its scythe-like front limbs, moving so fast it left afterimages behind.
It was fast—but Z2 was faster.
A white blur flashed, and Zygarde appeared at the spider's side, slamming into its body with a Tackle.
Thud!
The impact flipped the Man-Faced Demon Spider over.
"Screech—!"
The spider let out a miserable cry and spat a stream of dark green venom.
A Substitute appeared in front of Zygarde, blocking the venom perfectly and charging forward like a suicide soldier.
It clamped down hard on the Man-Faced Demon Spider's head.
"Screech—!"
The spider struggled violently, taking some time to shatter the Substitute.
But that was only the beginning of the nightmare.
At some point, eight Substitutes had already surrounded it.
They swarmed in—biting, tackling, tearing—
In a slow, agonizing process, the Man-Faced Demon Spider was subjected to a brutal execution.
Its carapace was peeled away, its facial plate torn off, and the demonic eyes on its abdomen were bitten out one by one.
Minutes later, the Man-Faced Demon Spider lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Dark green and purple fluids spread across the forest floor.
Only the single remaining eye on its head still flickered with rage.
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