Liu Yuan didn't know how much time had passed.
In that endless sea of chaos and stars, it felt like a fleeting instant—yet also like ten million years had slipped by.
When his consciousness finally returned, warm morning sunlight streamed through the window.
A new day had begun.
He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of turbid qi.
"What a strange cultivation state…"
Instinctively, he began an internal inspection, checking for any abnormalities.
But the moment he did—
He froze.
Shock flooded his eyes.
His meridians… were wider and tougher than ever before.
His spirit power surged like a vast river—roaring, endless.
And most importantly—
It had already broken through Rank 49 and stabilized at the Rank 50 bottleneck.
"This… I'm already Rank 50?!"
Liu Yuan shot to his feet, disbelief written all over his face.
Yesterday, he had only been Rank 48.
Yet in a single night, he had leapt two ranks and reached the peak of the Soul Ancestor realm!
For ordinary Spirit Masters, advancing from Rank 48 to Rank 50 could take half a year or more.
And he had done it… overnight.
---
"So that state last night… was an extremely efficient cultivation state…"
Even as he spoke, waves of shock continued to ripple through his heart.
This kind of speed was simply unheard of.
But soon—
Excitement replaced shock.
Rank 50 meant one thing:
His fifth spirit ring.
Once obtained, he would officially step into the realm of a Spirit King.
That would bring a qualitative leap in strength.
For the upcoming tournament, this was nothing short of perfect timing.
---
"A pity…"
After calming down, Liu Yuan frowned slightly.
The bottleneck was reached—
But the spirit ring was missing.
He had long grown used to god-bestowed spirit rings from the System—perfectly compatible, far superior to ordinary spirit beast rings.
But recently, the System had been silent.
No mission.
No reward.
Did he really have to go to the Star Dou Great Forest and rely on luck?
---
Right at that moment—
A cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Host has reached Rank 50 bottleneck.]
[Triggering Spirit Ring Acquisition Mission.]
[Time-Limited Mission: Star Dou Hunt]
[Objective: Within one month, hunt a "Gale Fiend Ape" (≥50,000 years) alone.]
[Reward: God-Bestowed Spirit Ring ×1]
---
For a moment—
Liu Yuan was stunned.
Then—
Joy erupted across his face.
"Perfect timing!"
Exactly what he needed.
The System had delivered.
A god-bestowed spirit ring… secured!
---
"Looks like it's time for a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest."
With this ring, his strength would rise to an entirely new level.
And on the tournament stage—
He would have even greater confidence facing Shrek Academy.
---
Requesting Leave
Without wasting time, Liu Yuan quickly washed up and headed straight to the dean's office.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
Inside, Jing Hongchen was already working through a mountain of documents.
"Oh? Little Yuan." He smiled. "What brings you here so early?"
"Dean," Liu Yuan said respectfully, "I would like to request a leave of absence."
"A leave?" Jing Hongchen raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. There are urgent matters at home. I need to leave immediately."
---
He didn't mention the spirit ring.
Because if he did—
Jing Hongchen would undoubtedly send powerful experts to protect him.
And that would create a problem.
If he killed a spirit beast but didn't absorb its ring…
It would be impossible to explain.
---
But to his surprise—
Jing Hongchen didn't question him.
Not even once.
Instead, his expression turned serious with concern.
"Is it serious? Do you need help from the academy?"
"If you need manpower or support, just say the word."
"The academy is your backing."
---
Liu Yuan was stunned.
No suspicion.
No pressure.
No "think about the bigger picture."
Only trust.
Only support.
A warmth spread through his chest.
---
This kind of treatment…
Would never come from Xuan Zi.
There, disciples were tools.
Here—
He was family.
---
"Thank you, Dean."
Liu Yuan bowed deeply.
"It's nothing serious. I'll return within a month."
"Good." Jing Hongchen nodded. "Stay safe."
---
After His Departure
At the training grounds, Xiao Hongchen, Ma Rulong, and the others were in the middle of practice when Jing Hongchen arrived.
Everyone stopped.
"Dean?"
He scanned the field.
No Liu Yuan.
Then spoke calmly:
"From today onward, Captain Liu Yuan will be taking leave for personal matters."
"During his absence—"
He paused.
"Vice Captain Ma Rulong will take full command of training and team management."
---
A brief silence fell over the team.
The captain… was gone?
Even if temporarily—
The atmosphere subtly changed.
Because everyone knew—
When Liu Yuan returned,
He wouldn't just be the same captain.
He would return as a Spirit King.
-------------Author---------------
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