Today, None of You Are Leaving

"Fight to the death?"

Di Tian repeated those four words, terrifying ferocity churning in his golden vertical pupils. Mu En's resolve was like a match, completely igniting the rage he had suppressed for so long. As the ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest, he had endured the encroachment of Human Soul Masters for long enough. And now, they had dared to come knocking on his doorstep and spout such arrogant words. Did they really think the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King was made of clay?

Bi Ji fell silent as well. She looked at Mu En's face, filled with tragic resolve, then at Di Tian's tense dragon body. The unease in her heart grew stronger. She knew Mu En's words were no empty threat. Shrek Academy's foundations ran unfathomably deep. If they truly turned hostile, even if the Star Dou Great Forest won, it would suffer devastating losses. But at this point, yielding was clearly impossible—Di Tian's pride and the dignity of the soul beast race would not allow them to bow before human threats.

The rain still raged, and the atmosphere in the forest was so oppressive it seemed ready to drip with water.

Just then, several overwhelming auras suddenly rushed over from the direction of the Lake of Life, the shockwaves they stirred sending the pooled water on the ground flying.

"Roar!"

A savage roar thundered through the forest as a massive Dark Golden Dreadclaw Bear charged out first. It was Xiong Jun, ranked sixth among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts.

His body was covered in dark golden fur, every strand standing erect like a steel needle. His lantern-sized eyes were blood-red, and his sharp bear claws gleamed with chilling light. Merely standing there, he seemed to tear the very air apart.

Close behind came a feminine-looking man in a purple robe, his body wreathed in dense plant energy. It was Myriad Demon King. Several equally powerful figures followed behind him, including Zi Ji in human form and high-level ferocious beasts retaining some of their beastly features. The Soul Power fluctuations emanating from each of them were enough to make ordinary Titled Douluo quail.

They swiftly took their positions in front of Bi Ji, forming an impregnable barrier. Aside from the few among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts who were not in the Star Dou Great Forest, nearly every top combatant they could deploy had arrived.

"Level ninety-seven... no, level ninety-nine!" Yan Shaozhe's expression changed drastically, and cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead.

He could clearly sense that the auras around Xiong Jun and Myriad Demon King were not the slightest bit weaker than Mu En's. They even carried a wilder, more violent pressure. The other ferocious beasts all possessed auras above level ninety-seven as well. With such a lineup, let alone their few senior elders, even if all of Shrek Academy came out in force, they would likely have to pay a terrible price.

Only now did he understand that the Star Dou Great Forest's foundations were far more terrifying than they had imagined. Bi Ji appearing alone earlier had not been because she lacked strength, but because she was not skilled in combat. With these ferocious beasts here, even if Di Tian were absent, no one could harm her in the slightest.

"Heh heh..." Xiong Jun rolled his thick neck, his knuckles crackling. His scarlet eyes fixed firmly on Mu En's group, his tone brimming with bloodthirsty desire. "I was just thinking of finding an excuse to visit Shrek City, but I didn't expect you lot to deliver yourselves right to my doorstep. Do you really think our Star Dou Great Forest is some soft persimmon for you to squeeze?"

What he hated most was the humans' lofty expressions, especially those so-called righteous sects. They spoke grandly of justice, yet when they hunted soul beasts in secret, they struck more ruthlessly than anyone. Since these people had come to their door of their own accord today, it suited him perfectly. It was time to let these humans know that soul beasts were not to be trifled with!

Myriad Demon King gently stroked the vines winding around his sleeve, a cold smile on his face. "Mu En, you should know that the Star Dou Great Forest is not a place for you to run wild. Take your people and get out. We can pretend none of this ever happened."

Zi Ji crossed her arms, her purple eyes full of mockery. "You think just the few of you can fight us to the death? How naive."

Mu En's heart sank to rock bottom. He had originally thought that Shrek Academy's reputation would at least make them sit down and talk. Even if they merely put on an act, it would have bought them time to investigate Bei Bei's whereabouts.

But judging by the situation before him, Di Tian and the others had no intention of giving him that chance.

Just as he was considering a countermeasure, Di Tian suddenly moved.

"Words are useless!"

As his cold voice fell, a ball of ink-black flame abruptly condensed in Di Tian's enormous dragon maw. The flames seemed capable of devouring all light, radiating a heart-palpitating aura of destruction. Before Mu En and the others could react, the Black Dragon Flame shot toward their position like a bolt of black lightning, accompanied by the sound of tearing air!

"Not good!" Mu En's expression changed drastically. Without a second thought, he pushed the power of the Bright Holy Dragon to its limit, forming a massive shield of radiant golden light before him.

"Boom—!"

The instant the Black Dragon Flame collided with the light shield, a deafening explosion erupted. Like maggots clinging to bone, the black flames frantically gnawed at the golden shield with a sizzling sound, and the golden glow visibly dimmed. Mu En felt an overwhelming force crash into him, sending him staggering backward again and again as blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Attack!"

Di Tian's dragon roar rang out again, like the horn signaling a final assault.

"Good!" Xiong Jun roared, his massive body shooting forward like a cannonball. His sharp Dark Gold Dreadclaws tore through the air with a shriek as they lunged straight at Xuan Zi. He had long found these humans displeasing, and now that he finally had the chance to strike, he naturally showed no mercy.

Myriad Demon King moved as well. The vines around him instantly swelled, transforming into countless green whips that lashed toward the several weaker senior elders with fierce gusts of wind. Zi Ji's figure flashed, turning into a streak of purple lightning aimed directly at Yan Shaozhe.

The remaining ferocious beasts attacked in turn, all manner of soul skills pouring down like a torrential storm and completely surrounding Shrek Academy's senior elders.

"Go!" Mu En roared, forcibly suppressing his churning blood and energy. There was no retreat now. They could only fight to the death!

Xuan Zi and the others reacted as well, swiftly taking their positions according to Shrek Academy's combined attack formation. Each unleashed their strongest soul skills, barely holding back the ferocious beasts' savage assault.

For a time, light and darkness intertwined as Soul Power clashed with beastly power, and the entire core region of the Star Dou Great Forest was engulfed by violent energy. The destructive aura of Black Dragon Flame, the sacred radiance of the Bright Holy Dragon, the tearing power of Dark Gold Dreadclaws, the binding arts of plant vines... all kinds of power exploded through the rainy night, ripping enormous ravines across the ground. Towering ancient trees snapped in half, letting out pained groans.

Mu En tightly held Di Tian back, and every collision sent his blood and energy surging. He could clearly feel that Di Tian's power was like a bottomless abyss. No matter how he attacked, he could not shake his opponent in the slightest. Instead, his own injuries only worsened.

"Mu En, give up."

Di Tian's voice sounded beside his ear. "Today, none of you are leaving!"

Mu En coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet he still gritted his teeth tightly, an unyielding light flashing in his eyes. He knew he might truly have been wrong. Perhaps Bei Bei's disappearance had not been the Star Dou Great Forest's doing. Perhaps this battle had been a misunderstanding from the very beginning.

But now, it was too late to say anything.

Rain mixed with blood, staining the ground red. Though Shrek Academy's senior elders fought desperately, they gradually fell into a disadvantage before the absolute gap in strength. Xuan Zi was forced back again and again by Myriad Demon King, several bone-deep wounds already marking his body.

Yan Shaozhe was suppressed by Zi Ji's speed and could only barely protect himself. The older senior elders faced peril after peril, liable to fall at any moment.

As Mu En watched all this, despair rose in his heart. Could it be that today, he and these pillars of Shrek would truly be buried here?

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