Just as Jing Shaoyu finished his conversation with Leng Yaozhu, the meal she had prepared for him was delivered to his room.
"Shaoyu, it's time to eat." Leng Yaozhu set the food before him and smiled warmly. "Once you're done, you should rest."
"Teacher, won't you join me?" Jing Shaoyu looked at the lavish spread on the dining cart, his mouth watering uncontrollably. He glanced up at Leng Yaozhu with hopeful eyes.
Leng Yaozhu shook her head gently. "As a Title Douluo, I've already reached the stage where I can forego food entirely. Even if I didn't eat for a hundred years, I wouldn't feel the slightest hunger."
When Spirit Masters reach the Title Douluo rank, they no longer need to rely on regular meals to sustain their bodies. They can survive by absorbing the essence of heaven and earth. For them, food serves no purpose beyond satisfying their taste buds.
Jing Shaoyu couldn't help but think of the Glutton Douluo Xuanzai, a man mockingly referred to as the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder. As an exception among Spirit Masters, his martial spirit's defect forced him to eat constantly to fend off the invasive effects of his gluttonous bloodline.
"Well, I won't hold back then." Hearing Leng Yaozhu's refusal, Jing Shaoyu didn't press further. He eagerly grabbed his utensils and began to dig in.
To his surprise, he found himself eating like Tang Wulin. He polished off the entire cart of food, only to find himself just barely full. Something felt off.
Leng Yaozhu wasn't surprised. Seeing the perplexed expression on Jing Shaoyu's face, she chuckled softly. "Don't overthink it. You haven't eaten in three days, and the contract with your spirit beast consumes a lot of energy. Eating this much is perfectly normal! Besides, I ordered this meal based on your usual appetite. Isn't it just the right amount?"
Hearing her explanation, Jing Shaoyu's expression softened. He smiled and said, "Yes, it's perfect. Teacher, you really know me well."
He definitely didn't want to end up like Tang Wulin, a bottomless pit when it came to food. At least Tang Wulin's voracious appetite came with the power of the Golden Dragon King. If he became a glutton, what would he gain? Nothing but Tang Wulin's friendship—and honestly, that was the last thing he wanted. He was already planning to sever ties with Tang Wulin before they reached Shrek Academy. Doing so after arriving would be far more troublesome.
Fortunately, in the past three years, their relationship had remained surface-level. Neither showed any desire to deepen their friendship. After all, Gu Yue's clear disdain for Tang Wulin was no secret. Even someone as dense as Tang Wulin couldn't ignore it, and he wasn't the type to seek approval where it wasn't wanted. Thus, he kept his distance from Gu Yue to avoid conflict.
As a result, Class Zero had effectively split into two factions: Gu Yue, Xu Xiaoyan, and Jing Shaoyu on one side, with Tang Wulin and Xie Xie on the other. The only thing keeping the group together was Jing Shaoyu's role as captain, which maintained the bare minimum of teamwork.
Wu Zhangkong had long noticed this division but chose to turn a blind eye. He'd prepared himself for this outcome. As long as their conflicts didn't prevent them from entering Shrek Academy, he wouldn't intervene. Once they reached Shrek, whether they stayed united or parted ways would be up to them.
---
Back in his room, Jing Shaoyu quickly washed up before sitting cross-legged on his bed. A thought crossed his mind, and a black spirit ring materialized behind him. In a flash of light, the Holy Unicorn appeared in the room.
The Holy Unicorn looked a bit dazed, but as soon as it noticed Jing Shaoyu, its body stiffened. It stood upright, lowering its head submissively. Its voice echoed in his mind.
"My lord, please forgive my transgressions," it said in a remorseful and sincere tone. "I should not have offended your authority. Please punish me."
Jing Shaoyu waved dismissively. "Forget it. I didn't take it to heart. But I do have a question for you."
"My lord, please ask. I will answer truthfully," the Holy Unicorn replied reverently.
"You said I am the incarnation of calamity. What did you mean by that?" Jing Shaoyu asked.
"My lord, your second martial spirit represents the negative will of nature, governing all disasters and misfortune," the Holy Unicorn explained, a trace of fear in its voice. "In my inherited memories, there has never been a case of a Child of Nature coexisting with an incarnation of calamity. Such an existence only emerges before the end of the world—the birth of the Lord of Nature."
"You mean I'm the Lord of Nature?" Jing Shaoyu was stunned. Another new term?
"Yes, my lord," the Holy Unicorn confirmed, its eyes brimming with awe and reverence. "You are the newborn will of nature. Though you are still weak, the existing natural will is bound to protect you. I am proof of that!"
"Oh?" Jing Shaoyu raised an eyebrow. "By your logic, if I'm the new will of nature, wouldn't I replace the current one? Why would it protect me instead of eliminating me early?"
"My lord, I do not understand." The Holy Unicorn looked confused. "My kind exists to serve you. That is the mission given to us by nature's will."
Its evasive answer made Jing Shaoyu sigh. Clearly, his question touched on a forbidden topic, beyond the Holy Unicorn's knowledge. He decided to suppress his doubts for now and change the subject. "Fine. Tell me about the doomsday you mentioned. Why is the Lord of Nature only born when the end of the world approaches?"
"My lord, doomsday marks the end of the world, the conclusion of all things, and the beginning of something new," the Holy Unicorn replied cryptically. "The Lord of Nature will be the ruler of this new world—a new beginning and the ultimate end."
Jing Shaoyu rubbed his forehead, exasperated. "Alright, let's change the topic again. Do you have any kin left?"
"My lord, if you mean the unicorn race, yes. They currently reside in our sacred land, though I don't know if humans have ever trespassed there," the Holy Unicorn said, its eyes flickering with determination. "If you mean the Holy Unicorn lineage, then no. I am the only Holy Unicorn in existence. A new one will only be born if I die completely."
"Ah, so it's a single lineage," Jing Shaoyu muttered. "How did you end up as a spirit soul?"
"I do not know," the Holy Unicorn said, shaking its head. "I was searching for a kin when I passed through a forest and rested there for the night. When I woke up, I was already in this state. That was over three thousand years ago."
"Three thousand years!" Jing Shaoyu couldn't help but gape. His respect for the Spirit Pagoda's spirit soul preservation technology deepened. "In those three thousand years, have you encountered anyone noteworthy?"
"My lord, I do not remember," the Holy Unicorn replied. "Those unworthy of my attention are not worth remembering. Only one person stood out—a human girl with an exceptionally pure soul, a hundred years ago."
"A hundred years ago? A girl with a pure soul?" Jing Shaoyu's curiosity was piqued. "Do you know her name?"
"My lord, her name was Ya Li," the Holy Unicorn answered.
Jing Shaoyu's expression froze. His mouth twitched involuntarily as he muttered inwardly, Of course it's her. Waving dismissively, he said, "Alright, you can go now. I'll summon you when I have more time."
The Holy Unicorn hesitated briefly, its black-and-white eyes showing a flicker of resolve. Finally, it raised its head and said, "My lord, according to nature's will, you should attach a spirit ring to your second martial spirit next."
"?" Jing Shaoyu's face turned grim. His mind reeled. Nature's will? Could it be related to that mysterious voice I heard?
"My lord, my elder sister is a Nightmare Demon Eye Beast. Please allow her to serve you alongside me!" The Holy Unicorn's voice was solemn, as though it was presenting a great treasure.
Jing Shaoyu nearly blacked out. Sister? Nightmare Demon Eye Beast? You two aren't even the same species! And if she finds out you're offering her to a human, won't she beat you to death? What kind of sibling are you, really?
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