In terms of cultivation speed, the Golden Guard was even more exaggerated than Lu Jingming's own group. Of course, their growth was a one-step leap, entirely due to Herta and Haiyuan City's abundant resources. Their upper limit depended on the fusion warrior surgery, and they couldn't break through on their own.
Everything they had came from Haiyuan City, so they were bound to it.
"Xiao Ming, you broke through!" As soon as Lu Jingming entered the director's office, Zhang Lexuan instantly sensed the leaking soul power from him—a clear sign of a recent breakthrough.
"Yes, Sister Lexuan, we can set off to obtain our soul rings now." Lu Jingming nodded.
Zhang Lexuan had broken through several days ago but had waited to get her eighth ring until Lu Jingming was ready, so they could go together.
"Great, I'll go find Teacher right away." Zhang Lexuan's eyes lit up with excitement and impatience.
She was determined to become stronger—in her heart, only by being powerful enough could she truly help Lu Jingming.
When Zhang Lexuan and Lu Jingming found Jingliu, she was supervising March 7th's sword practice.
On an academy training field, March 7th was practicing with two swords, her face full of misery as she swung them with great vigor.
Upon seeing Lu Jingming, March 7th's face brightened and she quickly shot him a look: 'Xiao Ming, save me!'
'No problem, leave it to me.'
Lu Jingming gave her a reassuring glance.
Their silent exchange took only a moment, but the tacit understanding was deep. Lu Jingming didn't disappoint.
"Teacher, both Sister Lexuan and I have broken through. We'll have to trouble you to take us to the Star Dou Great Forest again."
He got straight to the point.
Jingliu nodded coldly, then glanced at March 7th: "You have great talent with the sword, but… never mind."
Her words, half spoken, left March 7th a bit embarrassed. She'd asked to learn swordsmanship from Jingliu on a whim, but her three-days-fishing, two-days-sunning approach had already tested Jingliu's patience.
Still, March 7th's sword talent was undeniable—she had quickly reached the beginner level.
While she couldn't yet release sword aura or comprehend deep sword intent, her sword technique was already quite advanced.
Considering she'd previously only practiced archery, making the switch from ranged to melee was a leap most couldn't handle, but she had adapted quickly, proving herself a martial prodigy.
Unfortunately, March 7th was too playful to focus on sword training. Otherwise, with her talent, she could become a sword master in no time.
Waving goodbye to March 7th, the three of them left the training grounds, Jingliu not requiring March 7th to continue.
As the trio walked away, March 7th immediately dropped her swords and plopped down to rest, staring at the blades with hesitation.
After a long while, she slowly picked them up again, as if making a difficult decision.
'Maybe I'll train ten more minutes after all!'
In the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, the atmosphere was suffocating. "Sister Wu Ming, take Sister Ruoruo and run!" A black-haired girl's voice was desperate but unwavering.
Soul power radiated from her, her fifth spirit ring flashing black—she had used her fifth skill, standing protectively before Han Ruoruo, who was coughing up blood and deathly pale. She forcefully pushed Han Ruoruo toward Wu Ming.
"No!" Han Ruoruo, gravely injured, was powerless to resist and could only watch as a beam of silver moonlight descended from the sky, enveloping the black-haired girl.
She watched in despair as, just like their junior classmates before, the girl was gradually consumed by the moonlight, ultimately dissolving into silver rays that vanished, leaving only endless grief and anguish.
"Damn it!" Once again, Wu Ming watched a classmate die before her eyes. Rage filled her vision, her silver teeth biting into her lip until blood trickled down.
Her anger raged, on the verge of consuming her reason.
Yet, feeling the faint breath in her arms—Han Ruoruo, who had been gravely wounded protecting her—a sliver of rationality pulled her back.
She gave a last, lingering look at the black-haired girl who vanished into light. The complex look in the girl's eyes as she died—sadness, despair, hatred, and deep confusion—stabbed into her heart.
Until her final moment, that black-haired girl could not understand why their teacher, Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi, who was secretly supposed to protect them, never stepped in and simply watched as the Shrek Academy inner court students were slaughtered by the Silvermoon Flood Dragon King.
Wu Ming was equally confused but felt more anger than doubt.
But now was not the time to think—the terrifying hundred-thousand-year Silvermoon Flood Dragon King was closing in.
Wu Ming's golden crow wings spread behind her as she desperately flew away, clutching Han Ruoruo, not caring for the other fleeing juniors—her only thought was to get Han Ruoruo to safety.
A huge shadow blotted out the sun—a hundred-meter-long beast streaked across the sky, silver moonlight raining down like a storm.
Those fleeing were caught by the moonlight; screams tore through the night as they were consumed, leaving not even a corpse behind.
Hearing the endless screams and feeling Han Ruoruo's life fading, Wu Ming was pushed to the edge. She screamed, "Elder Xuan, what are you doing?!"
Her shout echoed through the forest, but only silence answered.
Ironically, her shout caught the attention of the giant beast.
The Silvermoon Flood Dragon King's silver vertical pupils turned toward Wu Ming and Han Ruoruo, its cold gaze penetrating everything.
Its hundred-meter-long body was covered in silver scales, each engraved with natural moon patterns, gleaming chillingly.