Retreat

In the core of the Star Dou Great Forest, Lake of Life.

Sunlight spilled down, shattered gold dancing across the lake's surface.

Ancient trees towered all around, vines twisted together, and the dense aura of life was nearly tangible.

Within an inconspicuous deep pit by the shore, a large white grub covered in several gorgeous golden rings

peeked its little head out furtively. Its beady eyes darted about as it stared fixedly at the three terrifying, mountain-like shadows above.

They don't seem to have noticed me. What a chance!

Could Brother Sky Dream finally escape today?

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was overjoyed. Its plump body inched forward, wriggling cautiously toward the edge of the pit.

Every inch it moved, it nervously glanced at those three "jailers."

A little farther... a little farther... as long as I get out of their sensing range,

with my million-year spiritual power hidden, not even gods will find me!

"Whoosh—!"

The next second, its fat body, over a meter long, burst forth with astonishing speed wholly unsuited to its size.

It shot out of the pit and fled desperately toward the outskirts of the forest.

Hahaha! I did it! You three idiots, see you later!

Its meter-long body instantly darted away.

Hahaha, you three idiots, see you later.

Once I get out, I'll find some genius with absurd spiritual power and become his wisdom soul ring.

I'll make him soar! I'll make him a god!

Then... heh heh, you vicious beasts who imprisoned me can just wait to be reduced to ashes beneath the lightning tribulation.

It exerted all its strength, accelerating once more!

"Hey, fatty, where do you think you're going to 'get some air'?"

A mocking yet chilling voice pierced Tian Meng's ears like an ice pick.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's entire body stiffened, as though frozen in place.

It raised its head rigidly...

Scarlet King's three savage canine heads were baring their bloody maws. Six scarlet eyes looked down upon it from above, their terrifying beastly might nearly crushing it flat!

"G-Getting... some air! I'm coming back right now! Right now!" Tian Meng forced out a smile uglier than crying.

His beady eyes suddenly darted toward the gap on the left, and his fat body prepared to charge through like a living cannonball.

"Boom!"

A shadow descended!

Bear Lord's mountain-like dark-gold body blocked his path as though it had teleported there, its cold beast eyes utterly emotionless.

"..." Tian Meng completely wilted. He curled into a ball in grief and indignation, shielding his vital spots with his softest flesh.

"Just wait! Don't give me a chance! Otherwise, when the time comes... Awoo!"

The anticipated "daily meal" did not arrive.

One second... two seconds...

Tian Meng raised his little head in confusion, only to see Bear Lord and Scarlet King both staring solemnly into the distant sky as though facing a great enemy.

Then, a terrifying wave of Soul Power swept over them like a tsunami.

This power... is so strong! Who is it?

On the outskirts of Lake of Life.

Space twisted soundlessly, and Duanmu Ci's figure quietly emerged.

Kamui traversal, arriving with precision.

His target was crystal clear—the million-year cultivation "super tonic bug" in the deep pit.

An ultimate treasure with both spiritual and life attributes. Who else could compare?

Charging headlong into a vicious beast's lair? That would be suicide. But simply "stealing" a bug...

He had plenty of methods.

The moment he arrived at the outskirts of Lake of Life, he spotted Sky Dream Ice Silkworm fleeing at a glance.

He was immediately overjoyed. He hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. All he needed to do next was draw away every vicious beast.

In an instant, the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan of Samsara opened, deep purple light flowing within them.

"Sage Mode, activate!"

Vast Nature Energy surged madly into him. Eyeshadow appeared, and his perception instantly covered several miles around him.

"Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!"

"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"

A towering Wood Golem rivaling a mountain rose from the ground, entwined with a savage Wood Dragon. The pressure of Sage Chakra became almost tangible, stirring the winds and clouds.

"Roar—!"

Almost the instant the Wood Golem appeared, three furious beast roars erupted from the center of Lake of Life, shaking heaven and earth.

"Myriad Demon King, watch that useless thing! Scarlet King, come with me!" Bear Lord roared. His dark-gold figure became a streak of light that tore through space, carrying monstrous beastly might as he lunged straight at Duanmu Ci atop the Wood Golem's head.

Scarlet King's three heads howled in unison and followed close behind.

"Human! Those who trespass into this forbidden land shall die!" Bear Lord's killing intent boiled over, giving him no chance for pointless words.

A massive dark-gold bear claw tore through the air, carrying an edge that could destroy everything as it viciously struck at Duanmu Ci! "Dark Gold Claw!"

At the same time, flames erupted from Scarlet King's three heads. The left head spewed poisonous purple fire, while the right spewed bone-eroding green flames.

The center head condensed dark-red Hellfire capable of incinerating all things. Three destructive pillars of flame intertwined into a net of death, sealing off every route of escape for Duanmu Ci!

"Excellent!" Duanmu Ci stood atop the Wood Golem's head, his gaze sharp as a blade.

The Wood Golem's enormous Sage Technique fist met Bear Lord's giant claw head-on.

Duanmu Ci quickly swept his gaze around. Good, there were only three vicious beasts. He had thought this would be troublesome.

He hadn't expected heaven itself to be helping him.

He then looked at Bear Lord. Bear Lord was extremely powerful; his Rinne Sharingan was still not enough to control him.

In terms of raw strength, he could only contend with him for a short while. A prolonged battle would be dangerous.

First, cripple one of his helpers!

The Eternal Mangekyo pattern in Duanmu Ci's eyes spun madly, his Eye Power instantly locking onto Scarlet King's center head, the one spewing Hellfire.

"Illusion Technique: Rinne Sharingan!"

A terrifying Eye Power targeted at the spiritual origin of soul beasts, nearly on the level of a law, ignored Scarlet King's three-hundred-thousand-year vicious beast will and stabbed fiercely into the core of his soul like invisible shackles.

"Roar—?!" Scarlet King's center head suddenly stiffened.

Its scarlet beast eyes were instantly covered by an eerie purple, strange Mangekyo patterns reflected in its pupils.

The dark-red Hellfire brewing in its throat to the utmost limit... suddenly turned!

The violent pillar of Hellfire no longer shot toward the Wood Golem. Instead, it slammed viciously into the unguarded vital point at the back of Bear Lord's neck as he wrestled with the Wood Golem.

Dark-red flames exploded, scorching that patch of incomparably tough dark-gold fur black and tearing open flesh and hide.

"Now!" Duanmu Ci's eyes sharpened, Sage Chakra erupting from the Wood Golem's giant fist.

Seizing the instant Bear Lord staggered after being backstabbed by his ally, it smashed viciously into his bear face, twisted by shock.

A double strike!

Bear Lord's mountain-like body was actually blasted off the ground and sent flying backward, crashing through an entire stretch of forest behind him as dust filled the air.

"Scarlet King! Have you fucking gone mad?!" Bear Lord crawled out from the ruins, shaking his dazed head as searing pain shot through his neck.

He roared in shock and fury!

When his scarlet beast eyes swept toward Scarlet King, he discovered in horror—Scarlet King's three pairs of beast eyes had all become eerie purple Mangekyo patterns.

"Human!" Bear Lord abruptly turned his head and stared fixedly at Duanmu Ci, his voice carrying a chill of utter horror for the first time.

"You can actually... control vicious beasts?" He had never heard of such a soul skill.

If he was not eliminated today, the soul beast race would never know peace again.

Duanmu Ci frowned as he looked at the flesh rapidly wriggling beneath Bear Lord's scorched neck and his still-violent aura.

He silently cursed that freakish defense. Yet his expression remained icy, and his voice carried a bone-piercing chill:

"I can control Scarlet King... so tell me, will the next one... be you?"

Those words were like a cold wind from the Nine Netherworld, instantly freezing Bear Lord's massive body.

Bone-deep cold mixed with monstrous killing intent erupted!

"Myriad Demon King!" Bear Lord let out an unprecedented earth-shaking roar toward Lake of Life, filled with urgency.

"Forget that useless thing. Come here immediately, join forces with me, no matter the cost. Kill him! He... can control soul beasts!"

Myriad Demon King had been hovering over the lake, his mind already thrown into turmoil by Scarlet King's "betrayal."

Upon hearing the words "control soul beasts," his massive body, formed from countless ancient vines, shuddered violently. The soul rings at his core trembled fiercely.

Even Scarlet King... then what about me?

Boundless terror seized him in an instant. He was not much stronger than Scarlet King.

"Understood!" Myriad Demon King hesitated no longer. His enormous dark-green body transformed into a tide of poisonous miasma that blotted out the sky and sun.

He rushed madly toward the center of the battlefield. "Should we awaken Di Tian...?"

"Kill!" Bear Lord went completely berserk. Every strand of dark-gold fur stood upright like steel needles, and the radiance of Sky-Tearing Claw surged to its peak.

With a shriek that tore through space, he lunged again. "With you and me joining forces, even if he controls Scarlet King, he can't turn the tables."

Myriad Demon King suppressed the fear in his heart. Countless enormous vines gleaming with poisonous light, like countless venomous dragons,

swept down from every direction toward Scarlet King, who was tangled up with the Wood Dragon, and the enormous Wood Golem beneath Duanmu Ci's feet.