Over the next few days, Lin Xian and Zhu Zhuqing continued roaming the outer regions of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Naturally, they didn't dare venture too deep—doing so would be no different from courting death.
Fortunately, persistence paid off. Lin Xian finally found the control-type Spirit Ability he had been searching for.
It came from a Spirit Beast known as the Astral Spirit Snake, one of the rare creatures associated with Stellar Power.
After some effort, they successfully tracked it down.
Lin Xian released his Stellar Power to lure the snake out of its lair. With Zhu Zhuqing restraining its movements, he unleashed a full-powered Galaxy Fall, successfully killing the 1,500-year-old Astral Spirit Snake.
His reasoning was simple—he needed a control-type skill.
Among Spirit Beasts, snake-type and vine-type were the most suitable. After careful consideration, the Astral Spirit Snake became his top choice.
"You're really going to absorb a thousand-year spirit ring as your second ring?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, slightly concerned. "I've never heard of anyone doing that."
"Well, now you have."
"Isn't it dangerous?"
"Don't worry. I can feel my body's condition—it's strong enough to handle it. You have to trust me. After awakening Dubhe through Star Attraction, my overall attributes have improved significantly. I'll be fine."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't argue further.
She had practiced Star Attraction herself and understood its effects.
Every time a star was awakened, it strengthened the body automatically, enhancing both physique and cultivation speed.
It was hard to imagine just how powerful someone would become after activating all seven stars of the Big Dipper.
Of course, that would take time.
"I'll stand guard for you," she said.
Lin Xian nodded. With a wave of his hand, the purple spirit ring was drawn into his body.
Unlike what he expected, the violent energy within the ring became docile the moment it encountered Stellar Power.
As the ring fused with him, Lin Xian frowned slightly—but quickly relaxed.
Zhu Zhuqing was stunned.
She had never seen anyone absorb a spirit ring so effortlessly—especially a thousand-year one.
In less than fifteen minutes, Lin Xian opened his eyes.
A yellow and a purple spirit ring floated around him, glowing faintly.
"You succeeded?"
"Easily."
"Want to test your new Spirit Ability?"
At that moment, a small rabbit darted out from the nearby bushes.
"Second Spirit Ability—Star Imprisonment!"
A beam of starlight descended, enveloping the rabbit.
Chains formed from condensed starlight wrapped tightly around its body, immobilizing it completely.
Lin Xian nodded in satisfaction.
Better yet, the ability allowed for precise targeting—even from behind.
Who could possibly withstand being bound like this and then struck by Galaxy Fall?
"This ability is really strong," Zhu Zhuqing commented.
"It's a thousand-year skill—it better be."
She nodded in agreement.
Lin Xian stepped forward and pulled her into a light embrace.
By now, Zhu Zhuqing had grown accustomed to it.
At first, she would meditate every night, but under Lin Xian's relentless persuasion, that gradually turned into sleeping together while holding each other.
According to him, people couldn't stay tense all the time—relaxation was necessary.
Besides, Star Attraction worked just as well, and cultivating together even provided a bonus effect.
After some half-hearted resistance, she eventually gave in.
"Once you absorb your third spirit ring, I'll give you a little gift," Lin Xian said with a grin. "You'll definitely like it."
"What is it?"
"If I tell you now, it won't be a surprise. Let's find your Spirit Beast first."
---
Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy…
A red-haired Fatty and a scruffy-looking man crouched together, staring intently at a small house.
"Fatty, are you sure about this?" the scruffy man whispered. "If we get caught tailing him, Boss Dai won't let us off easy."
"I'm telling you, his behavior has been weird lately. Let's just watch from a distance."
Dai Mubai sat in his usual VIP seat at the Great Spirit Arena, not participating in any matches—just staring at the entrance.
This had been going on for days.
His patience was wearing thin.
Logically, it didn't make sense. The masked girl had appeared every day last week, but now she had vanished completely.
Soto City was huge—finding two people was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
"Damn it!"
With a curse, Dai Mubai stood up and left.
"Fatty… I think I spoke too loudly just now," Oscar muttered.
"It's fine," Ma Hongjun replied confidently. "Based on my experience, Boss Dai definitely has a crush on that masked girl from the Spirit Arena. Top-tier figure, even if we didn't see her face. Now he's acting lovesick, waiting every day…"
"Don't you think I'm right, Little Ao?"
"That… actually makes sense. Yeah, that must be it. I'm a genius!"
But as he spoke, Oscar suddenly noticed something off.
He frantically signaled with his eyes.
Ma Hongjun turned his head slightly—
"Hahaha! Boss Dai, when did you get here? Little Ao and I were just… just…"
"No need to explain. I heard everything," Dai Mubai said flatly. "I've been in a bad mood lately. Why don't you help me blow off some steam?"
!!!
Ma Hongjun's face immediately turned pale.
Oscar, meanwhile, stepped back nervously, hugging himself.
"Boss Dai… did something happen to you? Your tastes haven't gotten that extreme, right? You're not going after Fatty now, are you?!"
"What nonsense are you thinking?" Dai Mubai snapped. "I mean we're going to the Rose Hotel. Little Ao, want to come too?"
Before Oscar could refuse, Ma Hongjun cut in excitedly.
"You've got to try it! The girls Boss Dai picks are top quality—way better than Cuihua back in the village. Aren't you curious?"
"Exactly," Dai Mubai added. "We're brothers. Or what—are you scared? Don't tell me you're… not capable?"
!
"I've got a big sausage spirit, and you're saying that? Fine—I'm in! Who's afraid of who?!"
---
At the Rose Hotel front desk…
A newly hired girl whispered nervously,
"Sister… is someone fighting upstairs? There's banging, screaming, and… some strange noises…"
The older receptionist smiled knowingly.
"They are fighting. Just not in the way you think."
"Huh?"
"Don't worry about what rich young masters do. Just focus on your work."
The girl's face turned bright red as the sounds echoed faintly from above…