"Of course!" Zhu Ziyang nodded, a gentle smile on his face. "Not only you, but all of them can too!"
"You... you mean, we can all become free beings with hands and feet like Kui Kui?" Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse's voice was filled with surprise and delight.
"Yes, as long as you are willing to give up your Spirit Bones and spirit rings to become a Soul Spirit for a Spirit Master, then you can leave the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and gain relative freedom," Zhu Ziyang said. "You can even break free from the Spirit Beast's inability to ascend to godhood and ascend simultaneously with that Spirit Master when he transcends to godhood!"
Zhu Ziyang's voice was full of temptation, causing these naive Immortal Herbs and Spirit Beasts to fall into deep fantasy. Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier watched this scene and smiled in unison. Ninety percent of Zhu Ziyang's words were true, and if these Immortal Herbs believed him, Shrek Academy would inevitably benefit!
As for Tang Sect, sorry, Tang Sect has declined. Their sect master and members are all students of Shrek Academy. It's perfectly reasonable for Shrek Academy to inherit Tang Sect's assets, right?
"Soul Spirit?" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass looked at Zhu Ziyang in confusion, asking, "Are you saying Kui Kui's current state is called a Soul Spirit? What kind of existence is that?"
"Yes, Soul Spirit," Zhu Ziyang explained. "The Spirit of a spirit ring means that while preserving the life of a Spirit Beast, it becomes the spirit ring of a Spirit Master, existing in a spiritual form and having a special contractual relationship with the Spirit Master. The Soul Spirit coexists with the Spirit Master, retaining all its memories, wisdom, and a portion of its strength from before, and will also grow stronger as the Spirit Master's strength increases."
"Such a miraculous existence actually exists!" The Immortal Herbs were all stunned into silence upon hearing Zhu Ziyang's explanation. After a long time, Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse finally murmured.
"How about it? If you're interested, you can tell me. I know many geniuses, and you can become their Soul Spirits!" Zhu Ziyang continued to tempt them.
"We need to discuss it. You've achieved your goal, so please leave quickly." Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's voice had become much calmer. She said, "When you come to find Cha Cha next time, we'll give you an answer. Not now."
"Alright, I respect your decision!" Zhu Ziyang knew he couldn't rush things, so he replied with a smile. Anyway, these Immortal Herbs couldn't run away. Letting them discuss it was fine. He believed that from the moment they gained sentience, these Immortal Herbs must have yearned for freedom every moment.
"Hehe, Bing Bing, Jiao Jiao, Cha Cha, and everyone else, I'll be taking my leave first!" Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower flew triumphantly over every conscious Immortal Herb, her voice full of showing off. "Oh, right, remember to explain it to You You for me!"
Phoenix Cockscomb Sunflower landed on Ma Xiaotao's shoulder, then was slapped back into her spirit ring by Ma Xiaotao. Ma Xiaotao was very dissatisfied with this somewhat silly little guy.
"Senior Sister, Junior Sister, let's leave first!" Zhu Ziyang gave Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier a look, and the two women immediately understood his meaning.
"Alright then, let's go!" Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier nodded.
The four quickly disappeared from the Immortal Herbs' perception. The Immortal Herbs immediately dropped their act, all beginning to express envy, jealousy, and longing.
"Jiao Jiao, what are you thinking now?" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass said to Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse.
"I'm thinking, even if we become a Spirit Master's Soul Spirit, will we truly gain freedom? Won't we still be controlled by that Spirit Master?" Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse accurately grasped the flaw of the Soul Spirit System for Spirit Beasts.
"That's still better than staying in this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, living in constant fear, worrying that years of cultivation will be easily taken away by that person!" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's tone was resentful. She said, "Have you forgotten the fate of our predecessors? I don't want to repeat her mistakes!"
"Then do we really have to become Soul Spirits?" Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse empathized with Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's words, but she still harbored doubts about Soul Spirits. She said, "You should know that a Spirit Master's lifespan is limited. If we become the Soul Spirit of a certain Spirit Master, and that Spirit Master eventually dies due to exhaustion of their lifespan, will we, as Soul Spirits, die with them? Or will we become truly free beings?
That human didn't mention this, but I think the former is more likely, after all, humans are a race that doesn't like to suffer losses."
"That really is a problem!" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's tone was also full of distress. She said, "If we want to become a Soul Spirit, it's best to become the Soul Spirit of a Spirit Master who has the highest chance of ascending to godhood. However, it's also very difficult for humans to ascend to godhood, isn't it? Over so many years, only that person and his companions have ascended to godhood. Alas, it's so frustrating!"
"Bing Bing, Jiao Jiao, there's no need to worry so much. If you want freedom, it's impossible to pay no price at all." Moon Laurel Fairy Tea had heard the two Immortal Herbs' conversation clearly. She saw things very clearly, so she spoke directly.
"Cha Cha, you say that so easily. You've already chosen someone, so of course you don't care about these things," Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass said. "But for us, we really don't want years of hard cultivation to go to waste!"
"If you ask me, you're just too self-important," Moon Laurel Fairy Tea said disdainfully. "Becoming a Soul Spirit will make your cultivation go to waste, but wouldn't being arbitrarily controlled by that person also make your cultivation go to waste? Can he give us a chance to ascend to godhood? No, he won't. He'll only use us.
On the contrary, becoming a Soul Spirit offers a glimmer of a possibility to ascend to godhood!
One is impossible to ascend to godhood, and the other is possible to ascend to godhood. Does that even require consideration?"
"This..." It had to be admitted, Moon Laurel Fairy Tea was very eloquent and successfully persuaded Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse.
"What's 'this'? You're just worried about entrusting yourselves to the wrong person. So, why not let that human named Ziyang choose the most talented humans for you?" Moon Laurel Fairy Tea said, "I think that girl who took Kui Kui is quite good. A seven-ring cultivation at such a young age, able to merge with a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, and she even possesses Ultimate Fire. She's very suitable for you, Jiao Jiao!
As for you, Bing Bing, let him find a human with Ultimate Ice for you then. I don't think that should be too difficult."
Moon Laurel Fairy Tea's audacious words, however, completely solidified the two Ultimate Immortal Herbs' resolve.
"Mm! We understand, thank you, Cha Cha!" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse said in unison.
"Hehe, you're welcome, you're welcome. Cha Cha loves helping friends solve their problems the most!" Moon Laurel Fairy Tea said with a giggle.
"Jiao Jiao, Bing Bing, you've both decided to leave, so have you thought about how to explain it to You You?" A huge golden-yellow chrysanthemum swayed its body, speaking. This was the Immortal Herb, Odd-Shaped Silvery Chrysanthemum.
"Hmph! We don't need to explain our decisions to her!" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's voice immediately turned cold upon hearing this. Her dissatisfaction with Qiluo Youxiang Immortal Plant was already very deep.
Logically speaking, in this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, she, born from the Yin Spring, and Jiao Jiao, born from the Yang Spring, should have been the leaders of all the Immortal Herbs. Yet, Qiluo Youxiang Immortal Plant, simply because she preserved items for that person, jumped from being an Immortal Herb of equal status to becoming the boss of the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. This truly made Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass feel indignant and displeased.
"It's fine, we'll just tell her the truth. Although You You serves that person, she is still very reasonable," Blazing Apricot Charming Sparse said.
"Oh!" The Immortal Herbs nodded in response.
——
Outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the four of Zhu Ziyang appeared.
"Ziyang, what do we do next?" Xian Lin'er asked Zhu Ziyang.
"Senior Sister, Junior Sister, please take Sister Xiaotao back to the Academy first. I can stay here alone," Zhu Ziyang said to Xian Lin'er.
"Ziyang, do you have something else to do?" Ma Xiaotao didn't know why Zhu Ziyang was staying behind, so she was full of confusion and curiosity as she asked.
However, Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier knew a little. Before they left, Mu En had instructed them that Zhu Ziyang would stay in Sunset Forest to cultivate in seclusion for a period, and for the two of them to be careful.
"I need to cultivate in seclusion in this forest for a while," Zhu Ziyang explained with a smile. This was the explanation he had discussed with Mu En. After all, the less people knew about the divine trial, the better. Only when everything was settled could it be truly revealed to the world. "You all go back first. Just remember to send me supplies."
"Alright then, we won't stay any longer. You take care, and be careful in everything!" Cai Meier looked deeply at Zhu Ziyang, speaking her words.
Soon, Xian Lin'er, Cai Meier, and Ma Xiaotao disappeared from Zhu Ziyang's sight, and Zhu Ziyang could finally begin the Three Trials of the Death God!