I walk sideways in the game world

Chapter 241 The road to becoming a favorite is long and the awakening conditions are strict

In the darkness, Ren Xiaoyao's consciousness was like a lone boat, tossed by a raging energy storm. The Spirit Pet King's spiritual world was far more vast and dangerous than he had imagined. Fortunately, he was resolute, and relying on his understanding and empathy for the Spirit Pet King, he forcibly broke free from the suction and returned to reality.

"Brother Xiaoyao! Are you okay?" Xia Lin's anxious voice came. Ren Xiaoyao opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground. Xia Lin was looking at him worriedly.

"I'm fine." Ren Xiaoyao shook his head, struggled to stand up, and looked at the behemoth in front of him again, "I'm going to keep trying."

The king of spirit pets still lay quietly on the ground, but this time, its eyes were less frenzied and more curious and inquisitive. It seemed surprised by Ren Xiaoyao's persistence, and also had a slight interest in this human who dared to step into its spiritual world again and again.

"You are very special." The King of Spirit Pets' voice was no longer as hostile as before, but instead held a hint of admiration. "You are the first human to enter my spiritual world and emerge alive."

"You are special too." Ren Xiaoyao responded, "I believe there must be some special connection between us."

"Perhaps." The King of Spirit Pets growled, and his massive body slowly stood up. An invisible pressure spread out again. "But if you want to become my partner, you still have a long way to go."

"I know." Ren Xiaoyao nodded. He knew that taming the king of spirit pets would not happen overnight, but he would not give up. "I will prove to you that I am worthy of being your partner."

The King of Spirit Pets was silent for a moment, as if thinking about something, then it suddenly raised its head and growled at Ren Xiaoyao. This time, Ren Xiaoyao didn't sense any hostility, but instead felt a hint of helplessness and... a request from that growl?

Ren Xiaoyao concentrated his mind, trying to understand what the King of Spirit Pets wanted to express. Gradually, a vague message emerged in his mind.

"You mean..." Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, a flash of shock in his eyes, "You need... it to truly awaken?" "You need... it to truly awaken?" Ren Xiaoyao's voice trembled slightly, his eyes full of disbelief. This information was too shocking for him to digest for a while.

The king of spirit pets growled in response, its massive head lowered, as if to say something.

Xia Lin, who was listening nearby, was completely confused. She had no idea what was going on between Ren Xiaoyao and the King of Spirit Pets, so she could only anxiously ask, "Brother Xiaoyao, what happened? What does it need?"

Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, suppressed his shock, turned to look at Xia Lin, and explained, "The King of Spirit Pets told me that the reason it can't fully awaken is because it's missing something. Only by finding this thing can it truly break free from its shackles and become a true king."

"What is it?" Charlene asked.

Before Ren Xiaoyao could answer, an old voice suddenly rang out: "It's 'Moon Soul Grass'."

Elder Feng suddenly appeared behind them, stroking his beard, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "The Moon Soul Grass is the purest and most spiritual of all spirit creatures. Possessing a powerful life force, it can unleash the potential of spirit beasts. It's a treasure coveted by many high-ranking spirit pets. It seems this spirit pet king must possess it if he wants to truly awaken."

"Where can we find the 'Moon Soul Grass'?" Xia Lin asked anxiously.

Elder Feng pondered for a moment and slowly said, "According to ancient records, 'Moon Soul Grass' only grows in extremely yin places, and the only place nearby that meets these requirements is... the Misty Swamp."

"Misty Swamp!" Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin exclaimed in unison. The Misty Swamp was one of the most dangerous places in the area, shrouded in thick fog year-round. It harbored not only a variety of venomous insects and ferocious beasts, but also many unknown dangers. Even experienced adventurers rarely ventured into it.

"Yes, it's the Misty Swamp." Elder Feng nodded, his tone solemn, "Also, there's one more thing you must know..." He paused, looking at Ren Xiaoyao sharply, "Lei Hu must have heard this news as well, he definitely won't give up this opportunity easily."

A cold glint flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. He knew what Elder Feng said was true. Lei Hu had always regarded him as a thorn in his side, opposing him at every turn. This time, he would not miss the news of the King of Spirit Pets.

"I understand, Elder Feng." Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, a glint of determination flashing in his eyes, "I will find the Moon Soul Grass before he does."

"Brother Xiaoyao, I'll go with you!" Xia Lin said without hesitation.

Ren Xiaoyao nodded, not rejecting Xia Lin's offer. He knew that this trip to the Misty Swamp was extremely dangerous, but in order to subdue the King of Spirit Pets, he had to take the risk.

The two said goodbye to Elder Feng and immediately set off for the Misty Swamp. As Elder Feng expected, Lei Hu had already learned the news and set up many traps on their way to the Misty Swamp in an attempt to stop them.

Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin relied on their extraordinary strength and tacit understanding to resolve the crisis time and time again, but Lei Hu's traps kept emerging, greatly delaying their journey.

"Damn it! This Lei Hu guy is really haunting us!" Xia Lin said angrily. They once again dodged a wave of trap attacks.

Ren Xiaoyao's face was solemn. He knew that Lei Hu was deliberately delaying time so that he could reach the Misty Swamp by himself.

"We can't go on like this. We must get to the Misty Swamp as soon as possible!" A look of determination flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. He took Xia Lin's hand and rushed towards the Misty Swamp.

However, when they finally reached the edge of the misty swamp after going through untold hardships, they found that the scene before them made them feel heartbroken...

At the entrance to the Misty Swamp, a gigantic guardian spirit pet suddenly appeared. It exuded a powerful aura, its cold eyes fixed intently on them, as if warning them to stay away. Thick fog swirled at the entrance to the Misty Swamp, and a massive bear loomed large. A dark green mist shrouded it, its sharp fangs gleamed coldly, and its deep roar was ear-piercing. This was the guardian spirit pet—the Soul-Devouring Bear, renowned for its ferocity and venom.

"Roar—" The Soul-Eating Bear roared to the sky, declaring the inviolability of its territory. It swung its palm violently, bringing with it a strong, smelly wind, and struck Ren Xiaoyao and Xia Lin.

"Be careful!" Ren Xiaoyao was quick to pull Xia Lin away. With a loud bang, a huge hole was smashed into the spot where they had been standing, demonstrating the power of the attack.

"This guy is not easy to deal with!" Ren Xiaoyao's face was solemn. He drew the long sword from his waist, and the sword suddenly ignited with blazing flames. He knew that facing an opponent of this level, he had to give it his all.

"Brother Xiaoyao, let me help you!" Xia Lin also summoned her own pet—a nimble snow fox. Under Xia Lin's command, the fox nimbly roamed the edge of the battlefield, occasionally releasing icicles to disrupt the Soul-Devouring Bear's attacks.

Ren Xiaoyao seized the opportunity, his body swift as lightning, transforming into a streak of fire as he charged towards the Soul-Devouring Bear. He swung his sword with impenetrable force, each strike striking directly at its vital points. Despite its tough skin and flesh, the Soul-Devouring Bear couldn't withstand Ren Xiaoyao's fierce assault, and wounds gradually appeared on its body.

However, the Soul-Eating Bear was a guardian spirit pet after all, and its strength should not be underestimated. It roared, and the mist around it suddenly became violent, forming dark green wind blades that swept towards Ren Xiaoyao.

Ren Xiaoyao didn't dare to take the blows head-on, and could only dodge them. However, the wind blades were extremely fast and difficult to defend against, so he was inevitably hit by several of them, leaving him with several deep wounds that could be seen to the bone.

"Brother Xiaoyao!" Xia Lin shouted anxiously upon seeing this. She wanted to step forward to help, but was forced back by the poisonous mist released by the Soul Devouring Bear.

"I'm fine!" Ren Xiaoyao gritted his teeth, enduring the pain as he continued to fight the Soul-Eating Bear. He knew in his heart that he couldn't fall down, or else he and Xia Lin would both die.

As time passed, the battle between Ren Xiaoyao and the Soul-Devouring Bear reached a fever pitch. With his exquisite swordsmanship and agile movements, Ren Xiaoyao gradually gained the upper hand. Finally, he seized a weakness in the Soul-Devouring Bear and pierced its vitals with a single blow.

"Roar--" The Soul-Eating Bear let out an unwilling roar, and its huge body fell to the ground with a bang, turning into starlight and dissipating in the air.

"We won!" Xia Lin cheered and ran to Ren Xiaoyao, checking his injuries with concern. "Brother Xiaoyao, are you okay?"

Ren Xiaoyao shook his head, indicating that he was fine. He took a pill, sat cross-legged, and regulated the surging Qi and blood in his body.

A moment later, Ren Xiaoyao opened his eyes and stood up. He went to the spot where the Soul-Eating Bear had fallen and began searching carefully. He knew that guardian spirit pets usually guarded treasures, and the "Moon Soul Grass" he needed might be there.

Sure enough, he discovered a strange plant emitting a shimmering white light beneath the rock that the Soul-Eating Bear had been guarding. Palm-sized, the plant was crystal clear, as if formed from moonlight. It was the "Moon Soul Grass" he was looking for.

Ren Xiaoyao carefully picked the "Moon Soul Grass" with joy in his heart. He rushed back to Xia Lin without stopping, eager to use it to help the King of Spirit Pets awaken.

However, when he handed the Moon Soul Grass to the King of Spirit Pets, Elder Feng's voice suddenly rang in his ears: "If you want it to fully awaken, only the Moon Soul Grass is not enough, you also need..."

"What else do you need?" Ren Xiaoyao asked anxiously.

Elder Feng didn't answer, but simply looked at him meaningfully and slowly uttered four words: "...The time has not yet come." Ren Xiaoyao frowned, and asked in confusion: "Time? What time? Elder Feng, please don't keep me in suspense. What exactly do I need to do to make it fully awaken?"

Elder Feng stroked his graying beard and smiled meaningfully, "Young man, you can't get what you want in a hurry. I've said before that the conditions for awakening the King of Spirit Pets are extremely demanding and can't be solved with a simple panacea."

Xia Lin, standing by, couldn't help but interject, "Yes, Brother Xiaoyao, Elder Feng is right. Do you remember what that mysterious old man said earlier? He said that the bloodline of the Spirit Pet King contains a powerful force, and only those who are truly recognized by it can awaken this power."

"To truly gain its recognition..." Ren Xiaoyao muttered to himself, his mind racing back to the moment he met the King of Spirit Pets. From the initial tension to their subsequent battles side by side, a subtle bond seemed to have formed between man and beast, but to truly gain its recognition, something seemed to be missing.

He looked down at the "Moon Soul Grass" in his hand, which was emitting a brilliant white light, and a cool breeze filled his face. This hard-earned spiritual herb was the key to the awakening of the King of Spirit Pets, but now it was unable to function due to the lack of an unknown condition.

Elder Feng patted Ren Xiaoyao on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Xiaoyao, I know you're anxious, but some things can't be rushed. Choosing a spirit pet is a two-way process. If you want to gain its power, you must first gain its trust and respect. You have to feel and experience it with your heart to find that crucial opportunity."

Ren Xiaoyao fell silent. He knew that what Elder Feng and Xia Lin said made sense. He put away the "Moon Soul Grass" and looked firmly at the King of Spirit Pets. As the man and the beast met eyes, an invisible tacit understanding flowed between them.

"I will definitely find a way." Ren Xiaoyao vowed secretly in his heart. He had a hunch that the key step was hidden in every little bit of his interactions with the King of Spirit Pets.

Night fell, the stars twinkling. Ren Xiaoyao sat cross-legged in front of the tent, holding a crystal-clear scale in his hand. It was dropped by the King of Spirit Pets in a previous battle, and he treasured it like a treasure.

He looked at the spiritual object in his hand, his heart filled with doubts. He began to carefully recall the various behaviors of the Spirit Pet King and the mysterious old man's words, trying to find the missing key step...