Chapter 7: 7. The Third Spirit Ring

After an arduous battle that lasted half a shichen, the Pearl Armored Shark looked worse for wear. It was heavily bleeding and very, very angry. Hu Liena turned towards Ru Shenqi, who was leaning on the taffrail.

"Come quickly and kill it before it explodes itself."

Ru Shenqi nodded and jumped out. She couldn't walk on water like the others, so she swam over and was picked up by Hu Liena. Two daggers in hand, she threw them straight at the shark's most vulnerable spot. Its gills. The shark fumed, but the blades hit their target. As the spirit beast died, Ru Shenqi couldn't help but feel pity for the animal.

I just need your spirit ring. I wish I didn't have to kill you for it.

A deep black spirit ring soon emerged from the Pearl Armored Shark's body. It spun around like a halo, waiting to be absorbed. Ru Shenqi looked up at Hu Liena.

"Do I absorb it here?"

"Take it, then I'll bring you back to the ship so you can focus on absorbing it there. Just collect it now."

Nodding, Ru Shenqi turned towards the spirit ring. Bright white light glowed from her as she released her martial spirit. She held out her right hand, and the black spirit ring floated over to her. Once it was over her head, Hu Liena swiftly took her back to the ship and set her down on the main deck. Ru Shenqi immediately got into the lotus position and began to meditate, focusing on absorbing the spirit ring.

Beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. She grunted in pain and scrunched her eyebrows. Her body rocked as she tried to adjust to the burning sensation. Her consciousness began to wane. Soon, everything went black.

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Hu Liena and the Spirit Saints watched over her for four days and three nights. As the sun began to set for the fourth night, black spirit power shot from the Cangshan ship and radiated all the way to Vast Sea City and Sea God Island. Its origin, was none other than Ru Shenqi.

Her eyes finally opened. Due to the Pearl Armored Shark having blue charcoal eyes, her's were no longer the azure blue of the Scaled Peacock Butterfly, but were more similar in hue to the shark's. Surprisingly, her hair still remained the same from the Mammoth Snowy Owl's effects.

Hu Liena breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, you've succeeded. What has been enhanced?"

"I can tell my color vision is better. I suppose my night vision will be enhanced as well, so the Pearl Armored Shark helped my two previous attributes."

"Anything else?"

"My peripheral vision is also better, thanks to the shark. I do have a third spirit skill as well."

"Release your martial spirit and show me," Hu Liena commanded.

Ru Shenqi nodded and did so. Her eyes flashed white before becoming transparent and lucent. The shark's decade millennium status also helped to improve her martial spirit, thus causing her activated eyes to be even clearer and brighter. Her two previous decade millennium spirit rings descended, with the new one following right behind. Ru Shenqi smirked.

"Third spirit skill, Clear Crystal Armor!"

Nothing appeared to happen. Hu Liena and the two Spirit Saints were confused.

"Are you sure you've gained a third spirit skill?" she asked warily.

"Try to attack me," Ru Shenqi responded. "Then see if anything's happened."

Taking her up on the offer, Hu Liena released her own martial spirit. "Charming Fox!" A fox tail from her sacral spirit bone grew from the small of her back, and two dainty fox ears appeared on the top of her head.

"Fourth spirit skill, Chaos Fog."

A fog soon grew over the entire main deck. Due to the power difference between a fifty fifth ranked spirit master and two spirit masters at ranked seventy seven, her spirit skill barely affected them. But Ru Shenqi was also fine. Thanks to her third spirit ring, a protective shield had spread over her. It was an all-body shield, set one chi市尺 - 1 chi = 33 ⅓ cm in radius from her, encircling her like a cocoon. When the fog faded, Hu Liena was shocked to find Ru Shenqi perfectly fine and grinning like an idiot.

"Now, do you really say there is no spirit skill?" she challenged. "Clear Crystal Armor can all-round protect me for five minutes. I can also have it protect up to ten people total."

Hu Liena was dumbfounded. How could this little seven year old before her be so powerful? But then she remembered... this little girl is a monster worthy of Shrek Academy.

After regaining her composure, she nodded. "Good. You're well on your way to becoming a great spirit master. Have you thought about which system you want to be?"

"Teacher Cang and Headmaster Bing thought it was best that I be a Control System spirit master."

"That makes sense. What are your two prior spirit beasts?"

"Decade Millennium Mammoth Snowy Owl and Decade Millennium Scaled Peacock Butterfly."

"And your first two spirit skills?"

"Clear Crystal Scatter, my first spirit skill, is similar to your Chaos Fog, I can confuse and disorient my opponents. Clear Crystal Crypsis is my second spirit skill. With that, I can illusion anyone or anything within a ten meter radius to look however I want."

Hu Liena stared, amazed. This little girl truly could become the best spirit master in the world.

"Xiao Shen, would you be willing to join Spirit Empire?"

Ru Shenqi shook her head. "I don't want to join Spirit Empire. I'd rather be free and not tied down by any place."

"The words of a Shrek monster, indeed," Hu Liena muttered under her breath.

"Now what, Mentor?"

"We're going to head to a special place. There, I'm going to see you off. You'll be on your own from then on."

"Where are we going?"

Hu Liena turned towards the sailors. "Take us back to Vast Sea City. Dock at the docks."

"Yes, Holy Maiden," they said.

The Cangshan ship slowly turned around. Once their bow was pointed towards Vast Sea City, Hu Liena looked at Ru Shenqi.

"I'll explain everything to you on the way."

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When they landed at Vast Sea City and were walking down the gangplank, Ru Shenqi asked, "Mentor, may I go see Headmaster Bing and Teacher Cang after I register my spirit ring? I'd just like to show them my progress."

"You're no longer a student of the academy. It's not as easy at it was before. Unfortunately, we also don't have time. Maybe, if you're lucky, and you succeed in becoming a great spirit master, then you can return to see them."

"Will you tell me where we're going now?"

Hu Liena shook her head. "Not just yet. We need to order a carriage. Otherwise, the journey will take a couple weeks."

"Are we going to Heaven Dou City? Are you taking me to Shrek Academy?"

"No. We're going somewhere else. If you want to go to Shrek Academy, you'll have to do so on your own. I cannot escort you there."

"Is it because the Shrek Seven Devils killed the Supreme Pontiff?"

Hu Liena nodded. "Since I am the successor to the Supreme Pontiff, I will take her place soon. That is why I cannot teach you much more. Though, before we part, I will give you one last lesson."

"What is that, Mentor?" Ru Shenqi asked, delight lighting in her big, innocent eyes. She couldn't help but get excited.

"Patience, Xiao Shen. I'll tell you everything in due time."

They headed towards Vast Sea City where Hu Liena sent the two Spirit Saints to escort Ru Shenqi while she waited at the entrance to the city. At the Spirit Hall, Ru Shenqi beamed when she saw Qing Qiangda.

"Spirit Ancestor!" she cried. "I got another spirit ring!"

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He turned, a smile breaking across his lips. "Really? Then come and show me."

She followed him into the testing room. Ru Shenqi released her martial spirit. Her eyes flashed and became transparent. A vibrant, lucent glow emitted from them. Three black decade millennium spirit rings slowly circled around her feet. Qing Qiangda stared, amazed.

"What was your third spirit beast?"

"A Pearl Armored Shark."

"Who helped you get that? Surely you couldn't on your own."

Ru Shenqi remembered Hu Liena's words. Whatever you do... don't mention my name at all.

"Just a good Samaritan. I'm really lucky."

He nodded in agreement. "Come, Xiao Shen, let me test your spirit power then."

She placed her hand, palm down on the crystal ball. Bright blue light glowed. His eyes widened.

"Thirty seventh ranked spirit power?!"

"Could it because of my third decade millennium spirit ring?"

"It shouldn't add that much. Not for normal spirit masters at least, but then again... you're far from ordinary, Xiao Shen."

He led her to the registration sector. A new line was added to her badge.

Thirty Seventh Ranked Spirit Elder, Registration Time: Douluo Calendar Year 2652, Registered at Vast Sea City Lord Spirit Hall

After Ru Shenqi confirmed her one hundred gold coin monthly stipend, she grinned and excused herself. She bounced outside, happy as can be. The two Spirit Saints appeared with two carriages in tow. They returned to the entrance where Hu Liena was still waiting.

"Is it done?" she asked.

Ru Shenqi nodded. "I'm all registered, Mentor."

"Good. We'll get into one carriage, and they'll get into the other," Hu Liena explained.

After their party had climbed in, the carriages lurched to a roll and were soon headed away from Vast Sea City. Ru Shenqi turned and watched as it grew smaller and smaller.

When will I return to the place of my birth and childhood?

Sadness flickered in her eyes as she finally turned away from the window. Hu Liena watched her carefully, mapping out her plan.

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After five days and night on the road, Ru Shenqi began to get bored.

She whined, "Mentor, will you tell me yet?"

"No."

"Where are we headed?"

"All in due time, Xiao Shen. Patience."

Meanwhile, Hu Liena thought about her plan. Her strength will grow considerable if she can survive the lawlessness of her destination. Am I too cruel sending her there now? Should she be older like I was? But if she can achieve it at this age... that truly would be a miracle worthy of a Shrek monster.

Two more days passed before the carriage finally rolled to a halt in a small, seemingly deserted small town. Hu Liena got out and helped Ru Shenqi down.

"It'll just be the two of us going in. Here, put this on."

She handed her a black cloak. Ru Shenqi took it from her, eyebrows furrowing.

"Mentor, what is this for?"

"So that you won't be recognized as a spirit master. Where we are is a very dangerous place."

"Where exactly are we?"

Hu Liena refrained from answering and headed into the town. Ru Shenqi could only trail behind her obediently. They entered a tavern where ten big, burly, muscular men were sitting spread out across the room. Ru Shenqi inched closer to Hu Liena, afraid. Hu Liena faltered.

Is she really ready for this?

But, she still sat down at an unoccupied table. Ru Shenqi sat across from her. A waiter came over and asked, "What can I get for you?"

"Two Bloody Mary's."

The waiter eyed her. "Are you sure? It doesn't seem like someth-"

Suddenly, the atmosphere changes, as if everything had gotten heavier. Hu Liena's eyes changed to red, and red light was suddenly emitting from her entire body. She turned and glared at the waiter.

Coldly, she asked, "Doesn't seem like what?"

The waiter gulped and scurried away. The red light retracted, and the atmosphere returned to its original feel. Hu Liena's eyes lost the red glare and became olive colored once more. She glanced at Ru Shenqi.

"Are you scared, Xiao Shen?"

Ru Shenqi quickly shook her head. "Ru Shenqi trusts Mentor."

Will you still trust me after this, though?

The waiter returned with two goblets of dark red liquid. It held an iron smell to it, almost like it was blood. Hu Liena took hers and knocked it back, finishing it in one go. Ru Shenqi reached out and picked up her own goblet. Swallowing, she raised the metal cup to her lips. Closing her eyes, she drank the entire portion.

Immediately, she coughed. Hu Liena watched her, not moving at all.

"Mentor, what is this? Why does it taste like blood?"

"Because, that's exactly what it is."

Ru Shenqi's head shot up as she cried, "What?!"

Surprisingly, she was able to hold down the Bloody Mary. The men around gazed at her.

Hu Liena said calmly, "What I want you to do... is for your own benefit. You can grow stronger through this experience."

She stood and made to leave. At Ru Shenqi's side though, she turned towards the waiter.

"You know my status. So, by my command, test her, and then let her enter Slaughter City."

Hu Liena leaned down and whispered into Ru Shenqi's ear, "Beware of the Bloody Mary. It's poisoned, so don't drink too much of it."

With that, she glided out of the tavern, leaving a dumbstruck seven year old behind.

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