Chapter 11: The Fourth Spirit Ring
Ru Shenqi made her decision. It's time to go to Shrek Academy.
She left the grassy meadow and started east, hoping she'd wind up in Heaven Dou City. But soon, she came across a great forest. It was actually Star Dou Great Forest. Tagging along just behind another group entering, she snuck inside past the Spirit Empire guards.
Ru Shenqi broke away from them and started towards the center of the forest. I'm so close to the fortieth rank. Maybe after a bit of meditation, I can make the breakthrough.
She found a quiet place and sat down, assuming the lotus position and closed her eyes. She cultivated for the rest of the day and throughout the night. As dawn broke out across the vast sky, she broke through the usually difficult fortieth rank bottleneck with ease. Opening her eyes, she grinned.
"I've done it! I've reached the fortieth rank! While I'm here, I might as well hunt for my fourth spirit ring."
Standing up, Ru Shenqi turned towards the center of Star Dou Great Forest and skipped along happily. As she passed a clearing, a low growl echoed through the tall trees. Her feet drew to a stop. Looking around, she immediately went on guard. A sounding of paws beating against the hard ground thundered from behind her. She whipped around, eyes widening as an all black spirit beast lunged at her, teeth bared.
Ru Shenqi dodged out of the way. After regaining her footing, she faced the spirit beast. She released her spirit, and her eyes turned translucent. "First spirit skill, Clear Crystal Scatter!"
The spirit beast shook its head, unaffected by the spirit ability.
Oh no, Ru Shenqi thought. This spirit beast must be a decade millennium one. None of my spirit abilities will work on it. What do I do? I've never hunted a spirit beast alone before.
She looked at her silver bracelet. I still have my gold wire, my innate fire domain... oh wait, I can use the Death God Domain!
Releasing her slaughter intent, the atmospheric pressure heavily increased as Ru Shenqi released the Death God Domain. She flicked her wrist and her golden wire shot out. It wrapped around the spirit beast's neck. She pulled hard on the wire, cutting into the animal's neck. When the beast fell, she shot forward and used a dagger that she had gotten from Slaughter City to kill the spirit beast before it exploded itself and the spirit ring was lost.
Soon, a deep black ring rose up from the spirit beast. Her eyes returned to their blue charcoal color from the Pearl Armored Shark. She was just about to reach out to absorb the rings when voices reached her ears. Turning around, she watched as a group of five spirit masters approached. Their eyes widened upon see her, but then they noticed the dead spirit beast behind her.
"A Swift Demon Cougar?!" one of them exclaimed.
Another cried out, "A decade millennium spirit ring?!"
A third asked her calmly, "Little girl, did you kill this spirit beast?"
Ru Shenqi nodded. "That's right, dage(1)."
"You?" the fourth member scoffed. "How could you have killed a decade millennium spirit beast?"
She bowed slightly, smirking, and said, "Ru Shenqi, spirit Clear Crystal Eyes, fortieth ranked control system Battle Spirit Elder, at your discretion."
"FORTIETH RANKED SPIRIT MASTER?!" all five exclaimed, jaws dropping.
She straightened and nodded. "That's right. Don't believe me? Fine, then I'll let you see my spirit rings!"
Her eyes flashed, becoming lucent and clear. Her three black decade millennium rings descended from above her, coming to rest around her feet, bouncing up and down. Their gazes caught on her spirit rings.
"Three decade millennium spirit rings?! How is this possible?!"
She chuckled, and pointing to the dead Swift Demon Cougar behind her, asked, "I have just broken through the fortieth level bottleneck. This spirit beast had lunged at me, so I fought and killed it to protect myself. Coincidentally, it also suits me very well. Do you still wish to fight me for this spirit ring?"
The five spirit masters looked uneasy. Sighing, she also released her innate fire domain. Bright red-orange flames flickered around her body.
"INNATE DOMAIN?!" the others couldn't believe it. This child really was too scary. They turned tail and fled. Once they were gone, Ru Shenqi turned around and extended her hand towards the spirit ring. It floated over to her and twisted along her wrist, snaking up her arm, until it circled around her torso. She sat down to meditate and absorb the spirit ring.
Beads of sweat dotted her forehead. She grunted in pain. Though she had absorbed other decade millennium spirit rings before, this one highly exceeded the recommended age limit. The Swift Demon Cougar was only five hundred years away from becoming a century millennium spirit beast.
Her body felt like it was burning in a furnace. Her veins popped and strained against her porcelain white skin. Pain shot through her muscles and joints, while her bones ached for relief. Her internal organs twisted, and the beating of her heart sped up, causing her to spit out a mouthful of bright red blood. Ru Shenqi groaned.
While she struggled to absorb the decade millennium spirit ring, three other children accompanied by two adults came across her. The one girl amongst the children turned towards the teachers.
"Vice Dean Zhao Wuji, is this girl...?"
Zhao Wuji stepped forward and peered at Ru Shenqi. He noticed the color of the spirit ring that floated around her and used some spirit power to test its age. When he realized it, his eyes grew to the size of weiqi stones(2).
"This child can't be more than ten years old. How can she already be trying to absorb a decade millennium spirit ring, especially one so close to the century millennium level?" he muttered to his peer, Flender.
Flender shrugged. "I don't know. It's dangerous, I'm surprised she hasn't exploded yet."
Just as he finished speaking, a bright white light exploded. Everyone gathered turned in the originating direction. As the light faded away, Ru Shenqi opened her eyes. They were a vibrant greenish-yellow. This time, oddly enough, her hair had become black as night to match the fur of the Swift Demon Cougar.
Seeing everyone in front of her, her guard immediately went up. Leaping to her feet, she backed away. "W- who are you?"
The little girl with deep black eyes and dark brown hair gave a small wave. The two boys stared at her in shock. The one with platinum blonde hair and amber yellow eyes recovered first, giving her a small smile. The other boy, with shaggy light brown hair and silver eyes, still gaped at her.
Flender's shock quickly turned into a gentle smile. "Child, I am Dean Flender of Shrek Academy. I and Vice Dean Zhao Wuji were accompanying our three students here when we came across you trying to absorb a spirit ring."
Ru Shenqi couldn't believe her ears. Shrek Academy? The same one she was trying to locate?
She saluted. "Greetings, Dean Flender. I am Ru Shenqi."
"Tell me, child, what number spirit ring is this for you? It's a miracle you survived absorbing it."
"My fourth spirit ring, Dean Flender. I'm now a Spirit Ancestor."
Jaws dropped. "Eh, what?!"
Ru Shenqi released her spirit, eyes glowing clear and lucent. Smiling, she said, "Fourth Spirit Skill, Clear Crystal Time!"
Suddenly, her perception of the world around her enhanced. Everything glowed, and she could see even the tiniest of ants crawling over a log nearby. The spirit masters across from her, turned slowly.
"Amazing," Flender enunciated slowly. "You- can- change- the- sense- of- time."
She nodded. "This spirit skill lasts for five minutes. So much can be done in that timeframe."
As the caster of the spirit skill, Ru Shenqi was the only one not affected by the slowed time.
Flender looked thrilled. "Child- are- you- a- part- of- any- school?"
She shook her head. "My primary academy teachers told me to go to Shrek Academy because I count as a monster."
Ru Shenqi recalled her spirit skill, allowing the others to speak properly.
Flender continued, "Really? And we just happened to bump into each other! How old are you?"
"I'm eight."
"EIGHT?!"
She nodded. "Yes, let me show Dean Flender and Vice Dean Zhao Wuji my spirit rings. Perhaps then, you can decide if I'm monstrous enough for Shrek Academy?"
Flender nodded in agreement. Ru Shenqi grinned and released her spirit rings. Four black decade millennium spirit rings descended around her. Her last ring was the deepest of black.
The two teachers stumbled back in shock. "ALL DECADE MILLENNIUM SPIRIT RINGS?!"
She bowed respectfully and said, "Ru Shenqi, forty eighth ranked Control System Battle Spirit Master, greets Dean and Vice Dean."
Eyes bugged.
"FORTY EIGHTH RANK?"
"FOUR SPIRIT RINGS AT AGE EIGHT?!"
Flender watched her carefully. "Your spirit is a body spirit, am I right?"
Ru Shenqi nodded. "My spirit is Clear Crystal Eyes."
~~~
1. 大哥 - meaning varies, but is usually "eldest brother" (is an address of respect to those a bit older than oneself)
2. Weiqi (aka Go) stones diameter is 21.5mm. The normal pupil diameter is 2-4mm
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