Sword Douluo Strikes, Ten Thousand Swords Returning to Origin Lingchi Execution

"This is the place. There's a Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino in the center of the valley. Once we go in, I'll cripple it first so it'll be much easier for you to hunt," Sword Douluo said to Ye Zhiqiu with an easy smile.

A Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast was no more troublesome than a chick in the hands of a Titled Douluo like him. Besides, Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword Spirit was hailed as the number one attack-type Tool Spirit on Douluo Continent, renowned throughout the land for its devastating power.

Ye Zhiqiu hesitated for a moment before nodding and agreeing to Sword Douluo's request.

In truth, he had wanted to handle it himself. There were things he wanted to test—for example, now that his physique had become much stronger, could he open the first four Gates of Eight Gates of Dunjia without injury? How powerful were Amaterasu and Susanoo in his right eye? If his clone used Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu, would it affect his original body's eyes? These were all things Ye Zhiqiu wanted to investigate.

But if Ye Zhiqiu refused Sword Douluo and fought the Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino himself, many of his hidden methods would be exposed.

Now that Sword Douluo had volunteered to be his hired muscle, Ye Zhiqiu was naturally happy to take it easy and just wait to deliver the final blow.

The woods within this small valley were incredibly dense. Branches and leaves spread across the sky, crisscrossing and overlapping in layer upon layer, blocking out every trace of light. Half-man-high weeds carpeted the ground, leaving no path that was even slightly easy to traverse.

After Ye Zhiqiu and Sword Douluo discussed their plan, they entered the small valley one after the other. Both of them kicked off tree trunks for leverage, darting through the Small Woods as swiftly as agile apes. Ning Rongrong, naturally, was held in Ye Zhiqiu's arms. She did not possess such skills.

After running for a quarter of an hour, Sword Douluo suddenly stopped ahead and raised his right hand in a signal to halt.

Ye Zhiqiu knew they had likely found their target. He quickly stepped off a tree trunk and, after several leaps, landed beside Sword Douluo. Leaning his head slightly forward, he followed Sword Douluo's gaze.

Several dozen meters away, a massive jet-black creature lay belly-up amid a vast patch of weeds, leisurely rolling from side to side. Its legs occasionally kicked forward and backward, as though it were scratching an itch.

The enormous beast was seven or eight meters long and over three meters tall. Large, dark-black, turtle-shell-like scales covered its entire body, emitting a faint black gleam and giving off an indestructible impression.

Its head was huge, its eyes as large as bronze bells. Most notably, the thick horn on the tip of its nose was dark and ugly, yet brimming with power. If someone were gored by it, they would surely end up disemboweled.

This was the Ironclad Rhino, also known among Spirit Masters as the Ironclad Rhino Beast, an omnivore. It ate plants but also loved meat. Its scales were indestructible, and the horn on its nose possessed boundless strength, giving Spirit Masters of the same rank endless headaches.

Even Spirit Masters a rank above an Ironclad Rhino would need to spend some effort breaking through its defenses.

"Little Qiu, today I'll let you witness the methods of a Titled Douluo." Sword Douluo smiled calmly, forming a sword gesture with his fingers as he shouted, "Sixth Soul Skill, Ten Thousand Swords Returning to Origin."

The instant Sword Douluo's words fell, an incomparably sharp and fierce aura descended between heaven and earth.

Countless energy swords condensed out of thin air, radiating a bright white glow. Every sword tip was aimed at that Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino.

Ye Zhiqiu was stunned by the sight. Holy shit, Titled Douluos seemed kind of insane! There were way too many swords! The sky, the ground, even the gaps between trees were filled with floating energy swords. Just how much Soul Power did Sword Douluo have?

At last, the Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino reacted. Someone had actually approached within several dozen meters of it without its notice? Seeing the dense mass of energy swords in the air, it panicked. It seemed to have encountered a powerful human.

A flicker of fear appeared in the Ironclad Rhino's eyes, but its beastly nature still drove it to roar. Lowering its head slightly and pointing its thick rhinoceros horn at Sword Douluo, it broke into a charge on all four legs, thundering toward him with rumbling footsteps.

The situation was clear: this powerful human intended to kill it. Even knowing it was no match, the Ironclad Rhino would not foolishly sit there and await death. It began to fight back desperately.

Ye Zhiqiu looked at it with some pity, secretly admiring the Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino's courage. At least you dared bare your fangs at a Titled Douluo. After you die, you'll have something to brag about in hell. Back then, I fought a Titled Douluo in the depths of a valley and was unfortunately defeated. Sword Douluo looked at the charging Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino with a disdainful smile. He lightly waved the right hand holding the sword gesture. "Slash~"

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

The sounds of sharp weapons tearing through the air rang out incessantly. It was as if white sword rain had begun to fall over the area, as every energy sword transformed into specks of white radiance and shot toward the Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino.

The energy swords were too fast, as if they had torn through space itself. The white trails left by each blade lingered in the air for a long time.

The Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino seemed to have been thrown into a meat grinder. Countless swords spiraled and danced around it. Its hard armor was like tofu, unable to block them in the slightest, and was sliced into a mangled ruin. The only thing it could do was let out waves of miserable howls.

Ye Zhiqiu watched nervously. This Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino might be the only Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast in Soul Hunting Forest. Don't kill it, or I might have to go all the way to Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a second Soul Ring.

Sword Douluo seemed to read Ye Zhiqiu's thoughts from his expression and smiled. "Don't worry. I've held back and avoided its vital points. Once I torture it until it's completely exhausted, you can go up and deliver the final blow."

Ye Zhiqiu let out a breath and nodded slightly.

Ning Rongrong was too embarrassed to remain in Ye Zhiqiu's arms any longer. Ye Zhiqiu would soon be absorbing the Soul Ring, so she could only wriggle herself free and climb down.

Sword Douluo watched her with an amused smile and teased, "Oh? Our little princess is finally willing to come down from someone's arms? Won't you stay a little longer?"

Ye Zhiqiu awkwardly rubbed his nose.

Ning Rongrong's pretty face instantly turned crimson. She deliberately put on a stern face and gave a soft snort. "Grandpa Sword, you shameless old man. I'm ignoring you."

"Ah, young people these days." Sword Douluo shook his head with a smile and sighed.

"Grandpa Sword, isn't that about enough? I think that Soul Beast is almost dead," Ye Zhiqiu said, changing the subject.

That Ten Thousand Year Ironclad Rhino was indeed close to death. Sword Douluo's Ten Thousand Swords Returning to Origin was far too powerful. Its scales were completely useless. By now, chunks of flesh had been carved from all over its body, as if it had suffered a Lingchi Execution. Blood covered its entire body. It was truly pitiful.