NOVEL NEXT Chapter 131: Chapter 131
After comforting Ma Hongjun, Ning Fengzhi turned his attention to Oscar, a genius among auxiliary-type spirit masters whose talent was no less than Ning Rongrong's.
"Oscar, I have never seen a food-type spirit master as outstanding as you. I sincerely welcome you and the Unrivaled Dragon Serpent couple to join my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
Oscar scratched his head awkwardly "Master Ning, you're too kind. I know I'm not that exceptional. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan already has the strongest auxiliary spirit masters. What difference does it make if you add one more like me? My amplification ability is nowhere near the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's."
"Amplify? Who asked you to amplify?" Ning Fengzhi's smile froze upon hearing Oscar's words. His brows furrowed as he asked "Xiaotian told me that among your first three spirit skills, none of them provide amplification, correct?"
"Well, no, not the first three. But for my fourth, the master said he'd help me find a spirit ring that enhances all attributes. That way, I can be of greater help to our Shrek Seven Devils" Oscar explained
At this, Ning Fengzhi's expression darkened, his usual gentle demeanor replaced with anger "Well, what a great master of theory! Just to make a name for himself through the Soul Master Competition, he's willing to do anything."
Everyone was taken aback. They had never seen Ning Fengzhi so upset before
"Fengzhi, what's the issue? Isn't an all-attribute boost a good thing?" Gu Rong asked, puzzled
"It is—but only for the right kind of spirit master," Ning Fengzhi replied seriously "Oscar is a food-type spirit master. Do you know where food-type spirit masters shine the most? On the battlefield and in military supply chains—not in small duels or competitions."
He continued "A high-level food-type spirit master can sustain thousands, even tens of thousands, of soldiers. Oscar's first three spirit skills were chosen correctly—they allow for mass production, consume little spirit power,are easy to store, and offer benefits like recovery, detoxification, and flight. He is essentially a mobile supply depot, a resource of great strategic value."
"But once he chooses the amplification path, everything changes" Ning Fengzhi said, shaking his head "I've studied the amplification abilities of food-type spirit masters and they have significant drawbacks. First, their amplification range is extremely small—less than a fifth of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Second, they consume enormous amounts of spirit power and cannot be mass-produced. Third, they are difficult to preserve and must be consumed within minutes to remain effective. Fourth, many of these abilities come with serious side effects."
Jun Tianlin listened carefully and realized Ning Fengzhi was right
In the original storyline, Oscar followed Yu Xiaogang's advice when selecting his fourth and fifth spirit rings, but both turned out to be nearly useless. His fourth spirit ring, Excited Sausage only provided a 10% boost and had to be consumed within a minute, with only lasting five minutes—completely redundant when Ning Rongrong's abilities already surpassed it.
His fifth spirit skill, Dark Green Sausage, was even worse. It gave a fixed 30% power boost for three minutes but had extreme side effects—it left him weakened for three days, harmed his vitality, and could only be used once a month. Again, with Ning Rongrong present, why would anyone need an ability with such a severe drawback?
In reality, food-type spirit masters were poorly suited for small team battles. Their support required multiple steps—chanting to create food, distributing it to teammates and then teammates consuming it before any effect took place. In the fast-paced environment of a duel, this was far too slow.
Moreover, what if Oscar's sausages were stolen mid-battle? That would mean directly aiding the enemy. No wonder, aside from Shrek, no other seven-man teams in the original story ever included a food-type support member.
If not for his miraculous Mirror Image skill at the sixth ring—turning him into the first combat-type auxiliary spirit master—Oscar would have been no different from other food-type support fighters.
Notably, his seventh, eighth, and ninth spirit rings, granted by the gods, focused entirely on healing and recovery, with no amplification abilities at all. Even the gods seemed to share Ning Fengzhi's viewpoint.
Ning Fengzhi placed a firm yet gentle hand on Oscar's shoulder "Oscar, believe in your uncle. Now that you're part of our clan, I would never lead you astray. Your martial spirit sausage and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda may both be in the auxiliary system, but their roles are completely different. You hold an entirely unique and vital place in our clan. I will personally guide your future—you must not focus solely on short-term victories. Winning the Soul Master Competition means nothing in the grand scheme of your potential."
Oscar hesitated. He could sense Ning Fengzhi's sincerity. But if he abandoned Yu Xiaogang's plan, he would contribute little to the Shrek team's chances of winning the tournament. If they lost because of him, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.
Sensing Oscar's inner struggle, Jun Tianlin interjected "Oscar, you don't need to think so hard about it. Even if you follow the master's path, Shrek still won't win the championship. Don't forget—you have two massive mountains standing in your way: the Spirit Hall team and the Emperor Team. Not to mention… me!"
With that, Jun Tianlin released his Demon Sword martial soul. Five dazzling spirit rings—yellow, purple, purple, black, and black—shone brightly, leaving everyone stunned.
Gu Ran, in particular, was left in shock. "Boss… Boss, you're already a Soul King? Am I seeing this right?!"
Less than a month ago, when they last parted, Jun Tianlin had only been one level higher than him as a Spirit Ancestor.
"Level 55. Offensive Combat Soul King" Jun Tianlin stated calmly.
Not just a beginner Soul King, but already past the midpoint of the stage! Gu Ran was left speechless, but deep down, he couldn't help but admire him. The so-called Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall had probably already been left in the dust by Jun Tianlin.
"Brother Sword, you're amazing!" Ning Rongrong looked at Jun Tianlin with sparkling admiration.
Jun Tianlin chuckled and ruffled her hair affectionately. Then, turning back to Oscar, he asked "So, what do you think, Oscar? Do you still believe your amplification abilities would be useful on people like me?"
Oscar could only give a bitter smile "Useful? Not even close. Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda couldn't boost Xiao San and the others to match your level. You really are a monster. But this is good—it means I don't have to sacrifice my future."
The implication was clear—Oscar had decided to abandon Yu Xiaogang's plan.
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi sighed in relief "Oscar, don't underestimate yourself. As long as you reach level 40, don't worry—I will personally find a spirit ring that benefits both your long-term future and allows you to contribute in this tournament. No matter where our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan goes, we will never be a burden!"
"Thank you, Uncle Ning!" Oscar finally made his decision. Compared to Yu Xiaogang, who was willing to sacrifice his future for a fleeting tournament victory, Ning Fengzhi was far more trustworthy.
Ning Fengzhi nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Jun Tianlin and said "Xiaotian, take out the items you prepared."
Jun Tianlin smiled "Uncle Ning, I've already brought them with me."
With that, he retrieved a beautifully decorated box from his treasure bag.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong and Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up with excitement. This was precisely the reason they had returned!