Departure

'I was really lucky there...'

Wang Shòu thought absently as he lay on top of one of the branches of a particularly huge tree.

'Thankfully, in the early stage, the body of a spirit master is not as strong as their spirit rank. Otherwise, my attack probably wouldn't have worked at all'

Wang Shòu pondered while eating the juicy fruit that the Wooden Monkey Clan had given him out of gratitude.

'But in the later stage, that won't be the case anymore, especially with the Battle Armor too, and the same goes for spirit beasts. I can't underestimate them either'

'I have decided. I will not easily help others unless I have the absolute power to solve the situation, even if the situation changes'

After coming to a decision, Wang Shòu quickly finished his food and decisively jumped down from the branches.

As he walked forward, the dark clouds cleared up, revealing the dazzling night sky, and starlight showered the Great Star Dou Forest.

Looking up at the starry night sky, filled with many dazzling stars that he had never seen in his past life, Wang Shòu felt inexplicably lonely.

From the beginning, when he transmigrated into the Douluo Dalu world, he had been alone. He didn't initially care, as survival was the priority. But as he grew stronger and become more comfortable, he begin to feel lonely.

Yes, Wang Shòu had made friends with the Wooden Monkey Clan, but it had only been two weeks, and besides, they were weak and would never be on equal ground with him in the future.

When Wang Shòu left, they would be sad, but soon they would forget. He was merely a passerby in their life – a good friend, but one they would forget as time passed.

Only the system was the one who had been with him from the very beginning and was still with him.

'...hey, system?'

[Yes, Wang Shòu?]

'...nothing. Just glad you are here.'

Shaking his head, Wang Shòu smiled and went off, leaving amidst the dazzling starry night.

----------------

At Shrek City, the Headquarters of Spirit Pagoda.

"So you mean to tell me that you, a spirit elder, lost against a 200 to 300-year-old mouse spirit beast?"

Leng Yaozhu spoke with an indifferent feminine tone, sitting in her office, staring coldly at Su Yuntao, who was bowing down.

She was a tall, beautiful, elegant woman who appeared to be in her thirties. She had ruby red eyes with a delicate appearance and fiery red hair falling straight down her back like a curtain. She exuded an aura of superiority, and with her mere presence alone, the room's temperature seemed to rise.

"Y-yes. That is correct, Madam," Su Yuntao said, nodding fearfully as he kept bowing down.

After all, how could he not? The woman in front of him was the Deputy Master of Spirit Pagoda, second only to the Pagoda Master, the head of Spirit Pagoda! At the same time, she was a Limit Douluo, known as the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo!

"I see. So not only did you fail your mission, but you lost to a mere 200-year-old mouse spirit beast, forcing you to retreat from the outer region of the Great Star Dou Forest."

As Leng Yaozhu keep speaking, her tone became colder and colder.

"I-I have no excuse," Su Yuntao said shamefully, bowing down even further.

Leng Yaozhu didn't say anything for a while.

Sweating profusely, Su Yuntao almost had a look of despair, as he knew there was no way he could get out of this.

"Explain," Leng Yaozhu said sharply, indicating that she was willing to let Su Yuntao explain and make amends.

"Yes! Thank you for giving me the chance!" Su Yuntao said, overjoyed and bowing down constantly.

After some time explaining what had occurred in the Great Star Dou Forest and how the 200-year-old mouse spirit beast managed to defeat Su Yuntao, a spirit elder, Leng Yoazhu fell silent.

"....You may leave. You will not be punished," Leng Yaozhu finally spoke after a period of silence.

"Yes, Madam. Thank you for your mercy and grace." After bowing down one last time, Su Yuntao finally left Leng Yaozhu's office.

The office, which had been a little vibrant, fell silent as Leng Yaozhu sat at her desk, lost in thought.

"....a yellow mouse around 200 to 300 years old spirit beast, with the unusual skill to decrease the attack of others and boost its own attack...and it's even comparable to a 1,000-year-old spirit beast, interesting..."

Leng Yaozhu chuckled before her face turned serious.

"This kind of spirit beast which has never been recorded in the data of Spirit Pagoda, and it has power far beyond other spirit beasts of the same age, even dragon spirit beasts. Even have intelligence comparable to 10,000 years old spirit beast. It might even be rarer than a 1,000 years old Dragon type spirit beasts. Such a shame it's only 200 years old..."

Leng Yaozhu shook her head regretfully. If that mouse were a 10,000-year-old spirit beast or even a 1,000-year-old spirit beast, she would definitely be tempted and would try her best to acquire it.

But unfortunately for her, and fortunately for Wang Shòu, it was only a 250-year-old spirit beast.

"Hmm, if I had a disciple, I might consider choosing that mouse as a spirit ring for my disciple. But for now, forget about it since I don't have any disciples."

Shaking her head, Leng Yaozhu walked toward the window, facing down the brightly lit Shrek City, shining amidst the night.

Looking at it, she sighed before gazing at Shrek Academy the biggest and most respected place in Shrek City, gazing at one particular place in Shrek Academy, her eyes turning incomparably lonely.

"Yun Ming..."

Speaking the name of the person she loved so dearly and yet could never obtain, she snapped out of her trance.

"Perhaps I should travel around the continent...it might help me forget about him. And after ten more years, I should probably get a disciple too...after all, I'm growing old."

Leng Yaozhu sighed and then left her office. As for the yellow mouse? She didn't care about it. No matter how unusual or powerful it was, it was only 250 years old.

The cultivation age of spirit beasts is usually the same as their true age. But there are indeeds many ways to increase the cultivation age, but they share one common characteristic: they are incredibly rare and coveted by many powerful spirit beasts – not something a 250-year-old spirit beast can covet.

Leng Yaozhu happened to decide that she would accept a disciple ten years later and if nothing unusually happened, that mouse should probably be around 300 years old. Just almost the perfect age for her future disciple.

Even if it isn't suitable, it could also work as a Spirit Soul too.

After all, it's not like that mouse would suddenly have the power to rival a Limit Douluo within ten years, right?

A lone yellow mouse with a system traveling in the Great Star Dou Forest, never dreamed that he is so lucky that he actually escaped the attention of a Limit Douluo.