Three-Eyed Golden Lion

Not long before, just as Ji Lin summoned the Heavenly Fire Holy Judgment and prepared to absorb the soul ring.

In the Core Area of the Star Dou Great Forest, within the Great Fiend Zone, beside the Lake of Life, a brilliant golden soul beast lay by the shore, dozing.

This soul beast was over three meters long, its entire body resembling translucent crystal and possessing a strange texture. Its overall shape resembled a lion, but its four paws were like a dragon's. Beneath its golden fur were fine, dense scales. Besides its normal pair of eyes, it actually had a third eye on its head.

The third eye on its head flickered with red light, and a clear, pleasant female voice came from its mouth. "Such pure fire energy—it's almost on par with mine. Let's go see what's giving it off."

After roughly determining the direction, it flashed forward and turned into a streak of golden light.

Another three-headed canine soul beast by the lake sensed the strange soul beast leaving and actually spoke in human language as well. "What's the Imperial Beast going off to do now? Didn't she just eat?" It transformed into a streak of light and chased after the strange soul beast.

If anyone knew the rankings of the Fierce Beasts, they would certainly recognize this three-headed canine as the eighth-ranked of the Ten Great Fierce Beasts—Scarlet King.

Just as Ji Lin was preparing to leave with Chi Yuan.

The golden light shooting over from the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest was also about to reach Ji Lin's vicinity.

Just as the golden light was about to approach Ji Lin's location, a three-headed canine appeared in front of it.

"Imperial Beast, you can't go any farther. There's a very powerful human ahead. I'm not confident I can take her down."

The golden light came to an abrupt stop, revealing the handsome figure of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. A melodious voice came from her mouth. "Scarlet King, I can sense an extremely pure fire energy ahead, even purer than mine. Let's take a look. If it's being given off by that powerful human, we'll go back."

"Fire energy purer than the Imperial Beast's, when she possesses fire close to Ultimate Fire? I'll go take a look." Scarlet King's curiosity was piqued.

Scarlet King flew into the sky and gazed toward Ji Lin's direction. "Hm? Such a powerful woman—fire energy?"

It first spotted Chi Yuan. As a Fierce Beast, it could clearly sense Chi Yuan's strength, as well as her fire affinity.

"Could the fire energy the Imperial Beast sensed, one even purer than hers, be coming from this powerful woman?"

Then it saw the young child beside Chi Yuan, holding a crimson greatsword. Centered around that greatsword, the temperature within a one-kilometer radius was clearly higher than elsewhere.

Scarlet King suddenly understood. "A soul master with Ultimate Fire. No wonder the Imperial Beast sensed fire energy purer than hers."

Scarlet King descended from the sky and said to the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, "The one giving off the fire energy is a human boy. He possesses an Ultimate Fire martial soul. Let's return and tell Di Tian about this boy. I'm sure he'll be very interested."

"I'm interested too, Scarlet King. Isn't there only one powerful human there? I'm comparable to a human Titled Douluo too. You hold off that powerful human, and I'll capture that boy and play with him."

Scarlet King was somewhat tempted. After thinking for a moment, all three of its heads shook at once. "No. If something happens to you, Imperial Beast, I can't bear the responsibility."

"Oh, nothing will happen. I'm going to capture that human boy." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion flashed forward and charged straight toward Ji Lin.

Scarlet King felt rather helpless. The Imperial Beast was usually quite obedient to Di Tian, but its words had gone in one ear and out the other.

Scarlet King flashed forward, overtaking the Imperial Beast despite moving later, and pounced directly at Chi Yuan.

At that moment, Chi Yuan's expression changed. "Be careful. A soul beast is coming toward us. Judging by its aura, it should be one of the Ten Great Fierce Beasts."

Ji Lin's expression changed as well. "A Fierce Beast? Why would a Fierce Beast appear here?"

The two looked simultaneously toward the direction Scarlet King and the Imperial Beast were coming from.

A three-headed soul beast over five meters long appeared before them. It was extremely robust and somewhat lion-like. Its three large heads roared at the same time as it blocked Chi Yuan's path.

Ji Lin's expression turned strange. Scarlet King? Why was it here? Wasn't it the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's guardian? Then the one following behind was the Three-Eyed Golden Lion!?

Why had this little ancestor come here? Ji Lin was not particularly worried about his own safety. With Chi Yuan here, unless Di Tian personally made a move, no one could hurt him under Chi Yuan's protection.

However, this creature was the inverse scale of the Star Dou Great Forest, the emperor acknowledged by all soul beasts. If anything happened to her, it would likely trigger a beast tide in the Star Dou Great Forest, bringing devastation to all living things. The Imperial Beast was a natural emperor among soul beasts. Wherever an Imperial Beast lived, the growth speed of all soul beasts would double, while Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts that reached a bottleneck would have twice the chance of breaking through.

Suddenly, a golden figure appeared from behind Scarlet King and pounced forward, its target clearly Ji Lin.

Good grief, was this Imperial Beast here to throw herself away? What made her think Scarlet King could stop Chi Yuan?

Chi Yuan stepped forward. A terrifying aura instantly pressed down on Scarlet King and the Imperial Beast like a mountain.

Feeling that aura, Scarlet King's expression changed drastically, and the Imperial Beast's body also stalled.

Scarlet King's heart shook. This is bad. This woman is a Limit Douluo. It's over—I can't beat her.

Scarlet King hurriedly shouted at the Imperial Beast, "Imperial Beast, run! Go find Di Tian! I'll hold her back!"

The Imperial Beast also realized something was wrong. She came to an abrupt stop, then turned and ran.

"You come when you want and leave when you want? It won't be that easy."

Chi Yuan tore through space and appeared directly before the Imperial Beast. Her slender jade hand clenched into a fist, and the flame-wreathed punch struck the Imperial Beast. With a bang, the Imperial Beast was sent flying back and landed not far in front of Ji Lin. She appeared severely injured and could not get back up for the time being.

Only then did Scarlet King react. Its three large heads roared at once, and every soul beast within ten li dropped to the ground, not daring to move.

Scarlet King roared, "Bastard! Do you know who she is? If you dare harm her, you'll become the enemy of every soul beast in the Star Dou Great Forest!"

Chi Yuan looked coldly at Scarlet King. "I don't care who she is. I only know that you attacked us first."

As she spoke, Chi Yuan stepped forward. A terrifying aura instantly pressed down on Scarlet King like a mountain.

"Wait!" Scarlet King was growing desperate. Although its cultivation had already surpassed three hundred thousand years and it ranked eighth among the Ten Great Fierce Beasts, it truly was no match for the human before it. It was already too late to send a call for help. Even the top experts of the Star Dou Great Forest would need time to rush over from the Fierce Beast Zone. The human before it clearly would not give it that much time.

"Wait for what?" Chi Yuan asked coldly.

Scarlet King said, "Human, don't attack. The one you just injured is the Imperial Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest, and also the only Imperial Beast on the continent today. If she dies, the entire Star Dou Great Forest will go mad."

"I don't care whether you go mad or not. You were the ones who attacked first." Chi Yuan spoke expressionlessly.