Black World — Shrek Academy
A suffocating silence filled the training grounds.
All eyes were fixed on the heavenly curtain above.
What they had just witnessed—
Was beyond reason.
Beyond logic.
Beyond everything they had ever learned.
Yu Xiaogang… had chosen a thousand-year Spirit Beast as his very first spirit ring.
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Then—
A collective gasp erupted.
"Is that even possible?"
Zhao Wuji and Flender stared at each other, their expressions identical—wide eyes, parted lips, and disbelief written all over their faces.
This wasn't just shocking.
It was absurd.
They were not inexperienced novices.
They were powerful Spirit Masters—one a Spirit Saint, the other a Spirit Emperor. They had personally absorbed thousand-year spirit rings before.
And precisely because they had experienced it firsthand—
They understood how terrifying it truly was.
The difference between a hundred-year spirit ring and a thousand-year one was not merely numerical.
It was qualitative.
A gulf.
A chasm.
Why was the standard spirit ring configuration considered to be two hundred-year rings followed by a thousand-year ring for the third?
Because only upon reaching the Soul Elder stage could a Spirit Master's body begin to withstand the immense spirit power contained within a thousand-year ring.
Even then—
Many still failed.
There were countless Spirit Masters whose third spirit ring remained at the hundred-year level simply because they could not endure the pressure.
And yet—
Here was someone attempting it as their first.
Even if one used ten-thousand-year whale jelly to strengthen the body…
It still shouldn't be possible.
It simply defied all known principles.
Yet the truth stood before them.
The title Dragon God Douluo was proof enough.
That Yu Xiaogang—
Had succeeded.
A Voice of Denial
"Impossible!"
A sudden voice shattered the silence.
"Absolutely impossible!"
Yu Xiaogang, who had been standing at the side, suddenly waved his arms wildly.
His face twisted into a strange expression—half laugh, half denial.
"How could something like this exist?!"
His voice rose higher.
"This is nonsense!"
Before anyone else could respond—
A clear, sharp voice cut through the air.
"How is it impossible?"
Ning Rongrong stepped forward, her eyes shining with conviction.
"The heavenly curtain already showed the result from the very beginning."
"The one on the curtain became a Titled Douluo."
Her tone was firm.
"The fact that he didn't die proves everything!"
"He must have succeeded!"
Her words echoed through the courtyard.
For Ning Rongrong—
The Yu Xiaogang on the heavenly curtain had already become something more.
An ideal.
An inspiration.
She had grown up surrounded by power.
Her grandfather, Sword Douluo.
Her other grandfather, Bone Douluo.
Both were pinnacle experts in the world.
Naturally, she admired strength.
At the same time, she also respected talent.
Like Tang San—someone who could fight far beyond his level and still win.
But now—
A third type of admiration had emerged.
Someone who dared to do what others wouldn't even imagine.
Someone who defied the impossible—
And succeeded.
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but ask herself:
If I were in his position… what would I do?
The answer came quickly.
"I would continue searching for a suitable Spirit Beast," she thought silently.
"I wouldn't even consider attempting something like that."
And that—
Was precisely why she admired him.
The Grandmaster's Counterargument
"Not dying doesn't prove anything."
Yu Xiaogang let out a dry laugh.
His expression gradually regained confidence.
"Have you all forgotten something?"
"The person on the heavenly curtain had a Titled Douluo by his side."
The moment those words fell—
Everyone paused.
Yu Xiaogang continued, his voice steady and analytical.
"With a Titled Douluo's control over spirit power…"
"It is entirely possible to interrupt the spirit ring absorption process."
His eyes gleamed.
"This means…"
"The process could have been stopped halfway."
"And he was saved."
The logic seemed sound.
Even persuasive.
Yu Xiaogang folded his arms, confidence radiating from him.
"This time, there are no unknown variables."
"Absorbing a spirit ring depends entirely on one's own endurance."
"No one can assist you."
"Therefore—"
"There is only one possible conclusion."
His gaze sharpened.
"He failed."
Silence.
Then—
Murmurs.
A Shift in Belief
Tang San lowered his head slightly, thinking deeply.
After a moment—
Understanding dawned in his eyes.
"That… makes sense."
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun also nodded.
Compared to believing in a miracle—
They found it easier to accept a logical explanation.
Zhao Wuji and Flender exchanged glances.
Then—
They, too, nodded slightly.
Because deep down—
They agreed.
There were no shortcuts in absorbing spirit rings.
It was a test of endurance.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Ning Rongrong's Hesitation
"But…"
Ning Rongrong clenched her fists.
She wanted to argue.
She wanted to believe.
But—
She couldn't find a reason.
Before, there had only been two possibilities:
Success or death.
So even if it seemed absurd—
She had to believe.
But now—
A third possibility had appeared.
Failure… followed by rescue.
And her rational mind—
Pulled her toward it.
Because everything she had learned told her:
A thousand-year first spirit ring… is impossible.
Relief and Rationalization
A collective sigh spread through Shrek Academy.
The tension eased.
They had truly believed—
For a moment—
That the gap between themselves and that Dragon God Douluo was insurmountable.
But now—
It seemed…
More reasonable.
More understandable.
Across the Black World
Similar discussions unfolded everywhere.
In every corner of the Black World—
Powerful factions reached the same conclusion.
No one believed it.
Not truly.
Because if it were real—
If someone could start with a thousand-year ring—
Then the gap between him and others would be immeasurable.
Unfair.
Unacceptable.
"If that were the case…"
"Why stop at Titled Douluo?"
"Why not ascend directly to godhood?"
Clear Sky Clan
Inside the grand hall of the Clear Sky Clan—
A group of elders sat in silence.
Their expressions gradually shifted.
From shock—
To understanding—
To disdain.
"So that's how it is," one elder said coldly.
"He only survived because a Titled Douluo protected him."
"Otherwise, with such recklessness… he would have died long ago."
Another elder snorted.
"Hmph. Not much different from the Yu Xiaogang in our world."
"Just slightly smarter."
At the head seat—
Tang Xiao nodded faintly.
The atmosphere relaxed.
Even turned… optimistic.
Because now—
They believed they understood.
And understanding—
Brought confidence.
"If that's the case…"
An elder's eyes lit up.
"Then the key lies in whale jelly."
"If we master it…"
"We can cultivate more Titled Douluos!"
Laughter echoed through the hall.
"This Yu Xiaogang…"
"Has paved the way for us!"
Final Thought
Yet—
High above—
On the heavenly curtain—
The truth remained unchanged.
What they believed—
And what had truly happened—
Might not be the same at all.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)