Prologue

Douluo Continent, Star Dou Great Forest.

One of the three most famous Soul Beast habitats on Douluo Continent, it covered an area almost equal to the Balak Kingdom's entire territory and stretched across the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire. Two-fifths of it lay within the Heaven Dou Empire, while the other three-fifths lay within the Star Luo Empire. It was an enormous primeval forest with complex terrain, including wetlands and swamps. The Soul Beasts there were exceptionally terrifying. The closer one came to the heart of the forest, the stronger the Soul Beasts became. There were even hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts within. Any Soul Master with sufficient strength and good fortune could find the Soul Ring best suited to them there.

At this moment, a group of Soul Masters clad in Martial Soul Hall Uniforms entered the Star Dou Great Forest. Leading them was an Old Man, an Elder of Spirit Hall's Elder Hall, whose Martial Soul was Snake Lance and who was a Level 91 Titled Douluo. Behind him stood a handsome young man in his twenties. He was Qian Xunji, son of Qian Daoliu, the Angel Douluo of this generation. Yet his face was clouded with gloom. They had spent five days searching for a Soul Beast, but had not found a single one suitable for Qian Xunji, leaving him thoroughly impatient. Either the Year Limit was far too high, or the Soul Beast type did not match. At his side stood Ci Xue Douluo, also a Titled Douluo. A group of Spirit Hall Soul Masters brought up the rear behind them.

"Still haven't found one?" Qian Xunji asked impatiently.

"Reporting to His Highness the Holy Son, we may need to go deeper before we can find one. His Holiness the Pope instructed us to search carefully for your Soul Ring and find one that suits you best," Ci Xue Douluo said from the side.

As the strongest member of Douluo Continent's second generation, with Qian Daoliu, a Peerless Douluo, as his father, he had been raised by Qian Daoliu as the Heir since childhood. With top-tier resources poured into him, he had already reached the Soul Saint realm at only twenty-six. This journey was meant to help him hunt his seventh Soul Ring.

Suddenly, as they passed through a dense forest, everyone's hearts seemed to skip a beat as they sensed an aura that inspired terror. Even Qian Xunji's expression changed, and his hands began to tremble slightly.

Roar— A low growl rang out. The group immediately saw a massive Soul Beast rise abruptly from its crouch within the trees not far away, glaring viciously in their direction.

It was an enormous black tiger. Its Entire Body was pitch-black without the slightest trace of another color, and its eyes gleamed with sinister red light as it stared at them viciously.

"Gulp." No one knew who had swallowed, but the sound added a touch of desolation to the silent atmosphere. Though the Soul Masters were afraid, none showed it on their faces. In a place like the Star Dou Great Forest, no one could make it out alone. Only through teamwork could they have a better chance.

That Black Tiger was the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. To advance, it had to devour living creatures, whether Soul Beasts or humans. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had a premonition that if it devoured these people before it, it would certainly advance. At that thought, it gazed greedily at Qian Xunji and the others, making no effort to conceal the hunger in its eyes.

He who struck first gained the advantage. Qian Xunji exchanged glances with the two Titled Douluo, and all of them unleashed their strongest Soul Skills against the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. The Spirit Hall Soul Masters on the outskirts formed a great formation to restrain it.

For a time, Soul Skills flew everywhere, bringing a different kind of sound to the silent Star Dou Great Forest. Before long, the Spirit Hall Soul Masters fell into a disadvantage. Everyone could not help but marvel at the Soul Beast's power. Not only was it incredibly fast, its attacks were bizarre and formidable. Its combination of multiple elements was immensely powerful, leaving Qian Xunji and the others scrambling to cope. A moment's carelessness would result in injury.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger revealed an impatient expression and suddenly looked toward Qian Xunji, who was protected by the two Titled Douluo. He had summoned his Angel Martial Soul and was struggling to resist the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Dark Attribute. He was only a Soul Saint and could not contend with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. Qian Xunji did his best to remain behind the two Titled Douluo. Fortunately, they bore most of the pressure for him, preventing him from appearing too miserable.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger showed a humanlike expression and seemed to ponder for a moment. Then it suddenly pounced before the two Titled Douluo and released an ear-splitting tiger roar. The two Titled Douluo froze rigidly for several seconds. In those few seconds, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger rushed before Qian Xunji and raised its black, razor-sharp Tiger Claws, about to bring them down.

Qian Xunji watched the enormous claws and felt death drawing so near. His eyes widened, filled with unwillingness. He had not yet reached the pinnacle. He refused to accept this. It was as though heaven had sensed his unwillingness. A flash of golden light erupted from his chest, followed by an incomparably vast surge of Soul Power. It instantly shattered the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Tiger Claws, pierced through its body, and made it cry out in agony as it flew like a meteor Five Hundred Meters away.

Qian Xunji remembered that Qian Daoliu had once prepared a life-saving trump card for him, though he did not know what it was.

Ci Xue and Snake Lance also came to their senses and hurried to Qian Xunji's side, asking,

"What was that just now?"

"That was the life-saving trump card my father gave me," Qian Xunji said with a gloomy expression. At the thought of that detestable Soul Beast, rage immediately surged in his heart. He had nearly died.

In the distance, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger wailed in agony. A strike containing the power of a Level Ninety-nine Peerless Douluo was naturally no trivial matter, especially since the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had taken it head-on. That Tiger Claw was already completely ruined.

Fear appeared in the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's eyes. The strength of a Level Ninety-nine Peerless Douluo was far too terrifying. No, it could not die here. It seemed it could only use that move.

Qian Xunji looked at the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, which had remained curled up in place without moving for a long time, and revealed a cruel smile. His gaze was also filled with greed. A Soul Beast like this ought to become his Soul Ring.

Thus, Qian Xunji walked toward the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger and launched an attack. At that moment, mockery flashed through the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Tiger Eyes as it activated its ultimate Soul Skill.

"Welcome to the Life and Death Arena. Only when one side dies can this battle of life and death end, allowing the other to leave this space. Countdown: five, four, three, two, one, begin."

Qian Xunji's eyes widened as he felt his Soul Power slowly draining away while his body shrank. Shock appeared on his face.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was shrinking as well, no longer possessing its massive former body. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger thought, That attack just now was not something he could have unleashed. His elder must be protecting him. I need to kill him and escape before that person arrives.

Suddenly, before the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger could launch an attack, an assault countless times stronger than the previous one followed close behind.

"Soul Beast, how dare you!" If the one who had come was not Qian Daoliu, then who else could it be?

Knowing it could not escape, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger opened its mouth and spat out a black pearl containing nearly ninety percent of its essence. A streak of black light quietly attached itself to it, piercing through space and vanishing to an unknown destination.

After a dream spanning thousands of autumns, who would return?