Fleeing into the Star Dou Great Forest

Beibei was a Soul Elder, and Tang Ya's Soul Power had also reached Level 30. From this, Lu Jing could tell that the timeline he had crossed into was four or five years earlier than that of Huo Yuhao, the Child of Destiny.

Although the World-Destroying Black Lotus was one of the four great lotus pedestals, it was only a Martial Soul and had not yet been fitted with a Soul Ring. Against Beibei and Tang Ya working together, all he could do was run.

Of course, beyond those two reasons, there was an even more important one: he did not know what his Innate Soul Power was.

If it was Level 20, he would have a good chance of escaping, or even killing them in return.

But if it was only Level 10, or even lower, then he had even more reason to run.

So whether his Innate Soul Power was Level 10 or Level 20, he had to choose the Star Dou Great Forest as the battlefield. Only then, after Beibei and Tang Ya fell, could he make Mu En, whose Soul Power had reached Level 99, and Shrek Academy vent their hatred on the Star Dou Great Forest.

On the forest path, dust flew beneath hurried footsteps. Lu Jing's small figure darted ahead, while a black lotus pedestal flickered in and out above his head. The black mist around its edges surged from time to time, blocking the Blue Silver Grass vines chasing after him.

He could feel two burning gazes at his back, as well as Soul Power Fluctuations that nearly tore through the air—Beibei's Lightning Power carried an aura of destruction, while Tang Ya's Blue Silver Grass clung to him like maggots on bone, constantly trying to wrap around his ankles.

"Stop running!"

Tang Ya's voice was angry, crisp yet tempered with ice-coldness. "At such a young age, you possess such an evil thing. Leaving you alive will surely bring disaster!"

As she spoke, she formed hand seals with both hands. Several thick Blue Silver Grass stalks suddenly burst from the ground and snapped at Lu Jing's calves like venomous snakes.

Lu Jing made a sharp sidestep and barely avoided them. The World-Destroying Black Lotus spun half a circle before him, and the black mist instantly swelled, corroding the pursuing Blue Silver Grass until it smoked.

"An evil thing?"

He glanced back, his childish face entirely devoid of fear. Instead, a cold smile tugged at his lips as he mocked, "You're hunting down a child. Does that not make you evil?"

"Enough nonsense!"

Beibei's voice was deeper. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul behind him opened its massive jaws, and blue lightning poured down like a waterfall. He roared, "Such an annihilating fiend cannot be allowed to remain! If we do not eliminate you today, the Douluo Continent will surely suffer catastrophe someday!"

The blue thunder dragon roared and dove down. Lu Jing's pupils contracted slightly as the World-Destroying Black Lotus flashed before him.

With a loud boom, lightning struck the lotus pedestal. The black mist churned violently, and both Lu Jing and Beibei were sent stumbling back again and again.

"Damn it, what kind of Martial Soul is this? Why does it possess such immense power right after awakening?" Beibei steadied himself, his expression grave.

The nearby passersby, who had no idea what was going on, watched the scene with faces full of fear and confusion.

They did not understand good or evil. They only saw two well-dressed young people trying to kill a child. The intertwined might of lightning and vines made even the ground tremble. Afraid of being caught in the crossfire, they could only chase after them while shouting, "Stop fighting! Talk it out properly!"

"Get lost!"

Tang Ya shouted sharply and flicked her hand. A Blue Silver Grass stalk lashed toward the foremost passerby like a whip as she warned, "Take one more step, and don't blame me for being merciless!"

As a member of the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, she understood all too well the danger and power of Evil Soul Masters. If they let him go and allowed him to grow, the world would surely descend into chaos one day.

The passersby hurriedly retreated in fright. Their gazes toward Tang Ya shifted from sympathy to fear—this woman looked sweet and pretty, yet her heart was so vicious.

Beibei paid no attention to the passersby. He stared fixedly at the World-Destroying Black Lotus behind Lu Jing, his eyes filled with resolve. "Xiao Ya, put more into it! He can't hold on much longer! This Black Lotus reeks of evil and is no ordinary thing. We must cut the weeds and pull out the roots today!"

"I know!"

Tang Ya gritted her teeth and pushed her Soul Power to its limit. The Blue Silver Grass grew wildly, nearly blocking the entire path ahead. "That child's gaze is far too vicious. Keeping him alive will only leave trouble behind!"

Seeing Lu Jing's calmness, so unfitting for his age, she inexplicably felt a chill rise in her heart. Her attacks became increasingly ruthless.

Lu Jing suddenly changed direction and charged toward a denser patch of woods on the right. The trees there grew taller and taller, their branches and leaves blotting out the sky. The air was thick with the damp scent of grass and trees, and faint beastly roars could be heard in the distance—the Star Dou Great Forest was close!

"He wants to enter the Star Dou Great Forest!"

Beibei's eyes narrowed as he said coldly, "Chase him! We were going there to hunt for Soul Rings anyway. We can finish him off inside!"

Tang Ya gave a light laugh, utterly unconcerned. "Even better if he enters the forest. It'll save us from dirtying the ground outside."

One chased while two fled, and they quickly rushed into the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. The trees here were so thick that several people would be needed to encircle them. Vines coiled around the trunks like giant pythons, while sunlight could only filter through gaps in the leaves as scattered specks. The air held not only the scent of grass and trees, but also a faint bloody smell—the scent of Soul Beasts.

The Star Dou Great Forest was unquestionably the greatest Soul Beast forest on the Douluo Continent.

The number of Soul Beasts here far surpassed that of Sunset Forest and the Far North. From ten-year Soul Beasts to hundred-thousand-year Ferocious Beasts, the hierarchy was clear, like a complete kingdom.

And the one who ruled this kingdom was Di Tian—the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King who had lived for more than eight hundred thousand years, acknowledged as the strongest person on the Douluo Continent. Even Ultimate Douluo at Level 99 had to think twice before entering the Star Dou Core Area. Unless Gu Yuena, the sleeping Silver Dragon King, awoke, no one could truly act recklessly here.

A massive roar came from deep within the forest, shaking leaves down in a rustling shower. Lu Jing did not slow his pace, but his heart settled somewhat. As long as he went deeper, the density of Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest would prevent Beibei and Tang Ya from releasing their Soul Power without restraint. That would be his chance.

"Be careful. There are many Soul Beasts here." Beibei slowed down and swept a vigilant gaze around them. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul remained spread behind him, ready for any sudden situation.

Tang Ya, however, did not care at all. Under her control, Blue Silver Grass spread out like a radar, probing the movements around them. "What are you afraid of? As long as we don't go deep into the Core Area, ordinary Soul Beasts can't do anything to us. Find that brat first. We'll deal with the Soul Rings after we kill him!"

Her voice carried unquestionable determination, as though Lu Jing's life mattered even more than their Soul Rings.

Lu Jing hid behind an ancient tree, listening to their conversation as coldness flashed through his eyes. He could sense that Beibei's Killing Intent contained the obsession of someone who believed he was carrying out justice, while Tang Ya's ruthlessness was far purer. As long as she considered someone a threat, they had to be erased, even if they were only a child.

He gently stroked the World-Destroying Black Lotus, feeling its immense yet terrifying power.

"Want to kill me?"

He muttered softly, an age-inappropriate gloom curling at the corner of his mouth. "Then let's see whether you kill me, or I kill you instead!"

The black mist surged again, gently enveloping his body. Lu Jing turned and darted deeper into the forest, his footsteps as light as a civet cat's. Behind him, Beibei and Tang Ya's footsteps drew closer and closer, accompanied by Tang Ya's impatient urging. "Find him, quickly! Don't let him get away!"

The sunlight vanished completely, and the forest became as dark as dusk. The beastly roars in the distance drew ever closer. A new hunt had only just begun.