A ''Plan''

"Flender, have you noticed Tang San with your ability yet?" Grandmaster's voice was tinged with concern, breaking through Flender's absent-minded reverie as he searched for Sheng Jun.

Startled back to attention, Flender nodded solemnly. "Tang San is absorbing a spirit ring not far from here. Follow me" he directed, taking the lead as he guided Grandmaster towards Tang San's location.

Arriving at the scene, Grandmaster's gaze narrowed as he observed the dead spirit beast nearby. "A 2172-year-old Man-Faced Demon Spider?" he exclaimed, his voice betraying a hint of surprise. His attention then shifted to Tang San, whose face contorted in pain as he struggled with the spirit ring absorption process.

"2172?! Then shouldn't we stop him?" Flender's voice trembled with concern, his memories of Sheng Jun's manipulation casting a shadow over his judgment when it came to absorbing spirit beasts beyond a certain age limit.

Grandmaster shook his head slowly in response. "His physical and mental attributes should be barely enough to withstand it. Of course, if his will is not strong enough, he will fail. But knowing Tang San, I'm sure he will be able to make it," he reassured, placing his trust in his disciple.

As the others absorbed Grandmaster's explanation, a sense of cautious hope settled over them. They knew the risks involved, but they also believed in Tang San's strength after hearing Grandmaster's explanation.

Suddenly, Flender's eyes narrowed, his expression shifting from concern to shock, confusion, and finally, joy. "This... how can this be?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of disbelief and wonder.

Intrigued by his reaction, the others turned their attention towards Flender, their curiosity piqued. Sensing their questioning gazes, Flender merely instructed them to wait as he flew off in a certain direction…

Moments later, Flender returned, cradling a girl in his arms. The girl greeted them respectfully, her presence earning a stunned look from the group before she rushed toward Tang San with evident concern. Her sudden appearance left them all speechless, their minds racing with questions.

"This... Xiao Wu, how did you manage to get away and how did you manage to break through to Spirit Elder?" Zhao Wuji, who couldn't contain his curiosity, asked directly, as his gaze fixed on Xiao Wu. As a Spirit Saint, he could discern her newfound strength as a Spirit Elder with a glance.

Xiao Wu, sensing the weight of everyone's curious scrutiny, recounted her story once more. "When the Titan Giant Ape was taking me towards the core area of the Great Star Dou Forest, a cowlike roar suddenly sounded. The Titan Giant Ape was startled and threw me off before fleeing" she began, pausing for emphasis before continuing. "As I hid to recover my energy, I accidentally broke through to level 30. Then I stumbled upon an unconscious rabbit spirit beast, likely injured by the Titan Giant Ape's rampage. I decided to kill it and absorb its spirit rings before returning"

As Xiao Wu finished her explanation, a skeptical air hung over the group. Zhao Wuji voiced their collective doubt. "This... seems a bit too unbelievable," he remarked, garnering nods of agreement from those around him.

However, Grandmaster's gaze lingered on Xiao Wu, a thoughtful expression crossing his features. After a moment of contemplation, he glanced toward Flender and Liu Erlong, silently making his decision to shield Xiao Wu from further scrutiny this time. 

After all, Sheng Jun was like their own child, and Grandmaster couldn't bear the thought of what might happen to Xiao Wu if they discovered her true identity as a hundred-thousand-year-old spirit beast, likely responsible for the Titan Giant Ape's behavior. With a solemn shake of his head, Grandmaster decided to intervene, steering the conversation away from Xiao Wu.

"The cowlike roar likely came from the true ruler of the Great Star Dou Forest, the Sky Azure Bull Python" Grandmaster explained, his gaze fixed on Zhao Wuji's confused expression. "Long ago, a Titled Douluo ventured to the lake at the core of the forest. 

Upon encountering the Titan Giant Ape, he sought to test his powers against it. However, before he could make a move, the lake trembled, and the Sky Azure Bull Python emerged. Not only could it speak human language, but it also warned the Titled Douluo to leave. In its presence, the Titan Giant Ape seemed like a mere child," Grandmaster recounted the tale, earning surprised nods from Zhao Wuji and the others choosing not to dwell on the matter further for the time being. 

As they turned their attention back to Tang San, who was still absorbed in absorbing the spirit ring, another sigh escaped Flender's lips. His gaze shifted towards another direction, where three figures emerged, their expressions dark and unpleasant.

"It's you guys again!" Yiran's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, her finger pointed accusingly at them as she recounted the events to the old man beside her.

Before the old man could react, Flender stepped forward, his demeanor calm and composed. "If it isn't the Esteemed Dragon Duke and Serpent Grandmother of Unrivaled Dragon Serpent. My name is Flender, and these two here are Xiaogang, also known as Grandmaster, and this is my partner, Liu Erlong" he introduced himself with a polite smile, though there was a hint of challenge in his tone.

Meng Shu's expression hardened as he recognized their names. If it came down to a confrontation, he wasn't confident in his ability to emerge victorious without a price. Not to mention the famous Grandmaster, who seemed to have some connection to the current Pope, it is in their best interest not to start a fight, however, his granddaughter had been mistreated twice now, and he had to at least demand an explanation.

"This Man-Faced Demon Spider was also injured by us. I believe you owe us an explanation as to why you stole our prey, yet again" Meng Shu stated icily, his gaze fixed on Flender as he awaited a response.

Hearing Flender's explanation, Meng Shu frowned skeptically. "You're saying this boy killed the Man-Faced Demon Spider alone in self-defense?" he questioned, his tone tinged with disbelief.

Flender simply nodded, gesturing towards the spider's body to encourage them to verify his claim. Without a word, Meng Shu and his companions approached the fallen creature, examining it closely. After a thorough inspection, they confirmed that only one type of soul power was involved in its death.

Realizing the difficult position they were in, Flender offered a solution. "Twenty-six kilometers from here, in that direction, two Red Tooth Venom Serpents are mating. They would be more suitable for your granddaughter's third spirit ring than a Man-Faced Demon Spider" he suggested, pointing towards the indicated direction as he spoke.

Meng Shu's interest was piqued. "Red Tooth Venom Serpents? How certain are you of this information?" he inquired.

"I can put my name on the line and vouch for its accuracy" Flender replied calmly, his confidence unwavering. Satisfied with his assurance, Meng Shu expressed his gratitude before leading the protesting Yiran and Serpent Grandmother away.

"This is the least I could do" Flender remarked respectfully as he bid them farewell, his attention returning to Tang San, who appeared to be in distress. With a heavy sigh, he refocused his attention on Tang San, waiting for him to finish absorbing before he could continue looking for Sheng Jun.

…

"We can't just stay here and do nothing!" Oscar's voice rang out angrily as he paced back and forth, his frustration palpable. His words garnered solemn nods from Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Bai Chenxiang, and Ma Hongjun, though the latter's eyes hinted dullness.

"We need to go looking for them!" Dai Mubai declared resolutely, a flicker of determination lighting up his gaze. However, his resolve wavered slightly as he added, "But what can we do? We're being monitored right now. There's no way for us to reach the Great Star Dou Forest"

A heavy silence fell over the group, each member grappling with their sense of helplessness. Then, Ning Rongrong spoke up, her words giving them a glimmer of hope. "I...have a token that can call for help from my clan three times. My father gave it to me before I left. I can use it to make the members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan help us enter the Great Star Dou Forest" she explained, revealing the token she held in her hand.

Oscar's face lit up with a bright smile. "That's fantastic! Can you do that, Rongrong?" he exclaimed eagerly. Ma Hongjun and the others' eyes also sparkled with anticipation as they expressed their gratitude to Ning Rongrong in advance.

With no objections raised, Ning Rongrong pressed the token without hesitation. After a while, white-cloaked figures materialized around them, their sudden appearance naturally noticed by the Sheng Company personnel nearby.

"Princess, what are your commands?" A white-cloaked man stepped forward, addressing Ning Rongrong with respect, ignoring the black-cloaked figures that appeared around them.

"Mu Kong, help them get into the Great Star Dou Forest" Ning Rongrong replied quickly, gesturing towards Dai Mubai, Oscar, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun, and Bai Chenxiang.

"Understood" Mu Kong acknowledged, preparing to issue orders to his subordinates.

But before he could act, a commanding voice interrupted. Saixi walked out from the group of black-cloaked figures around them, his gaze fixed on the white-cloaked man, "Wait" Saixi called out, addressing Mu Kong directly. "The Sheng Company has received orders not to allow them back into the Great Star Dou Forest. If you proceed with the princess's orders, you'll have to face us. Are you prepared to involve our factions in this?" Saixi's tone was firm, betraying his familiarity with Mu Kong.

"Saixi? What's the leader of the Sheng Company's protection team doing here?" Mu Kong exclaimed in surprise, but Saixi did not explain. With a slight twitch of his forehead, Mu Kong sighed inwardly. Some things never changed with Saixi.

Despite his hesitation, Mu Kong knew he had no choice. "I'm sorry, Saixi, but the Patriarch has ordered us to follow the princess's every command" he explained, signaling his subordinates to proceed with their mission. After all, knowing that Saixi's defensive skills were formidable but his speed was lacking. There is no way for him to catch up with his subordinates, he thought as he attacked.

As Dai Mubai and the others were taken away, Saixi snorted lightly, before facing Mu Kong head-on. But in a sudden turn of events, Dai Mubai's shadow flickered, and one by one, he and others were pulled into the shadows, leaving Mukong and almost everyone present shocked.

Mu Kong's expression soured at the unexpected turn of events, realizing the presence of someone he hadn't anticipated. "She's here too?" he muttered regretfully, ceasing his attack on Saixi as the latter also halted his assault. Turning to Ning Rongrong, Mu Kong spoke with a tone tinged with guilt. "Princess, I'm sorry, but it's not possible to take them to the Great Star Dou Forest any more, now that she is here" he apologized, casting a regretful glance at Ning Rongrong.

Meanwhile, Qinyu emerged from the shadows with Dai Mubai and the others securely bound by a treasure, preventing their escape. She addressed Saixi's subordinates, her tone brisk and business-like. "Have Sir Bernard and Arthur been informed about the recent events and are they available right now?" she inquired, directing her attention to the closest black-cloaked man.

"Yes, they have" the man replied promptly, but his tone held a note of concern. "However, they experienced backlash due to forcibly stopping the condensation process. They are trying to recover right now before arriving here to assist."

Qinyu frowned at the news, her gaze piercing. "Backlash? Is Arthur all right? I mean, are they okay? Why wasn't this information relayed to them in the first place, if they knew that they were condensing that thing?" she demanded, her tone sharp.

The man hesitated before responding, his words rushed. "No one informed them directly, but their keen spatial awareness enabled them to overhear their subordinates on the Dalu Link. They then forcibly interrupted their condensation process to make a way here to help in searching for the Young Master" he explained.

Acknowledging the explanation with a nod, Qinyu shifted her attention to Dai Mubai and the others, who remained restrained. With Sir Bernard and Arthur unavailable, the authority fell to her as the third in command. "Take them back to Shrek Academy," she ordered coldly, ignoring the protests from Dai Mubai and Oscar, who struggled against their bindings in vain.

As Dai Mubai attempted to unleash his White Tiger Intense Light Wave, Qinyu swiftly incapacitated him before he could do so. For the safety of all involved, she decided to render them unconscious before gesturing for them to be taken away.