Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue, and Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Tianheng

Outside the Star Dou Great Forest, a spatial rift tore open with a "crack," followed by a few muffled thuds of "thump thump." Several figures plummeted to the ground like chiaotzu, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Lu Jing had the roughest landing, nearly vomiting his undigested dinner when he hit the ground on his backside. Gritting his teeth, he rubbed his lower back and looked up—Beibei's face was buried in a bush, only his legs kicking in the air.

The man in black was even more disheveled, half his body stuck in a tree branch, his long robe snagged and torn in several places.

Wang Dong was relatively more composed, managing to land on her side, though her light blue skirt was now speckled with mud.

"What the hell... where did they throw us?" Lu Jing was stunned.

Beibei finally managed to pull his head out of the bush, his face smeared with dirt, his hair a mess like a bird's nest.

He spat out the dirt in his mouth and was about to curse when his gaze landed on Lu Jing. He instantly forgot his pain, his scarlet eyes seeming to spew fire, "Kid! You still dare to run?!"

The man in black also broke free from the tree branch, dusting himself off. He looked at Lu Jing as if they were mortal enemies. Wang Dong pushed herself up from the ground, clutching her still-aching abdomen. She glanced from one to the other, her brow furrowed into a knot.

What was this situation? They were fighting, and suddenly it felt like they'd switched maps?

Lu Jing reacted the fastest. Wherever they were, running was the priority! He scrambled to his feet, not bothering to brush off his messy appearance, and darted into the depths of the forest without looking back. As he ran, he shouted in his mind, "Tian Meng, think of a way, fast! These two lunatics are like sticky plaster!"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice was choked with tears, "Think of what! That spatial tear just now scattered half my mental power! Let's just run further away first!"

"Stop him!" Beibei roared, blue lightning erupting at his feet. He shot forward like a bolt of lightning. The man in black was no slouch either; a pair of black wind wings unfurled from his back, making him even faster than Beibei. He was closing in on Lu Jing.

The three figures, one chasing and two fleeing, vanished into the dense forest in the blink of an eye. Wang Dong watched the direction they disappeared, falling silent.

She bit her lip, and finally pushed herself up with the support of a tree trunk, unfolding her light wings and following. No matter what, she had to go see what was happening.

Meanwhile, less than three miles from this chaotic scene, the atmosphere was entirely different.

Beneath a thousand-year-old ancient tree, a pale golden Soul Ring slowly rotated around a young girl. The girl wore a pale golden dress, her waterfall-like golden hair cascading to her waist. Her skin was as fair as snow—it was Qian Renxue. Her eyes were closed, her small face tense, clearly enduring the pain of absorbing the Soul Ring.

Beside her stood a handsome man with golden hair, wearing a gray robe. He possessed an aged majesty, and it was Qian Daoliu, the Great Enshrined of the Martial Soul Hall. His hands were clasped behind his back, his Soul Power subtly enveloping Qian Renxue, helping to stabilize the Soul Ring's energy. His eyes held a barely perceptible gentleness.

"She's almost there," Qian Daoliu murmured, looking at Qian Renxue as if she were a rare treasure. This child was the last hope of the Angel Divine Bloodline, and not a single mistake could be made.

Qian Renxue didn't respond. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, her golden hair dampening and sticking to her cheeks. As the Soul Ring's rotation slowed, her aura steadily climbed, soon to break through level thirty.

Just then, hurried footsteps approached. Qian Daoliu frowned slightly and turned his head to look—a figure, old and young, was walking towards them. The elder wore a purple robe and had a resolute face; it was Yu Yuanzhen, the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

The younger one was dressed in fine clothes, with a youthful face and a hint of stubbornness in his eyes; it was his grandson, Yu Tianheng.

Yu Tianheng was not yet seven years old but was already a level ten Soul Master. At this moment, he was curiously observing Qian Renxue, tugging on Yu Yuanzhen's sleeve, "Grandpa, who is that sister?"

Yu Yuanzhen patted his hand, signaling him to be quiet. As they approached, he recognized Qian Daoliu's face, his pupils contracting slightly. He quickly pulled Yu Tianheng into a bow, "Junior Yu Yuanzhen greets the Great Enshrined."

His heart pounded. Who was Qian Daoliu? The pillar of the Martial Soul Hall, a level ninety-nine Limit Douluo, whose presence was usually harder to obtain than ascending to heaven. And today, he was here helping a young girl absorb a Soul Ring? Seeing that the girl's hair color was the same as Qian Daoliu's, could it be... He dared not think further, only feeling that this young girl's identity was definitely not simple.

Qian Daoliu turned around, nodding faintly. His gaze swept over Yu Yuanzhen, then landed on Yu Tianheng, his brow rising almost imperceptibly, "So it's Sect Master Yu. What, are you also looking for a Soul Ring for your child?"

"Yes."

Yu Yuanzhen replied respectfully, "My grandson Tianheng just broke through level ten and wanted to try his luck in the Star Dou Great Forest, hoping to find a suitable Beast Martial Soul."

He didn't mention Yu Xiaogang—that "waste" whom the clan considered a disgrace, long forgotten by him. Yu Tianheng was the future of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Qian Daoliu let out a sound of acknowledgment. His gaze lingered on Yu Tianheng for a moment, and then he suddenly said, "This child... is not bad."

Although Yu Tianheng was young, he possessed a calmness that belied his age. Especially his eyes, they were astonishingly bright, with a hidden dragon's might. Given time, he might become the pillar of the Blue Lightning family.

Yu Yuanzhen's heart leaped with joy. Just as he was about to offer a humble reply, he felt something was amiss. Qian Daoliu's gaze had already passed him, looking towards the dense forest to the left, his eyes holding a hint of inquiry. He subconsciously turned his head to look—

Not far away, several figures could be seen moving rapidly, accompanied by the sound of thunderous explosions and wind blades tearing through the air. It was clear that someone was fighting. Even stranger, within the aura of the fight, there seemed to be a trace of... an evil dark energy?

"Hmm?" Qian Daoliu's brow furrowed even tighter. Why was there such intense fighting on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest? And that dark energy made him feel inexplicably uneasy.

Yu Yuanzhen also sensed something was wrong. He pulled Yu Tianheng behind him and said gravely, "Great Enshrined, shall we go take a look?"

Qian Daoliu didn't reply. His gaze fell on Qian Renxue, who had just finished absorbing her Soul Ring and was slowly opening her eyes.

A flicker of confusion crossed Qian Renxue's golden eyes, "Grandpa, what's happening over there?"

"It's nothing," Qian Daoliu waved his hand, but his eyes remained fixed on the depths of the forest, saying softly, "Just some random scuffle."

He hadn't intended to intervene, but that dark energy seemed capable of suppressing even his own sacred light, piquing his interest to see what exactly was going on.

With that thought, he moved, taking Qian Renxue with him like a phantom towards the direction of the fighting.

With his strength, even a casual strike would be enough to quell any disturbance in the outer regions.

Yu Yuanzhen watched Qian Daoliu's disappearing back, then looked at Yu Tianheng beside him, his brow tightly knit. This Star Dou Great Forest, he feared, would not be peaceful today.

Yu Tianheng, however, didn't have so many worries. He merely stood on tiptoe, peering into the dense forest, and curiously asked, "Grandpa, that sister just now was so beautiful. Was she also here to get a Soul Ring?"

Yu Yuanzhen patted his head and said solemnly, "Don't ask too many questions. No matter what you see later, stay close to me."

He had a vague premonition that this seemingly coincidental meeting today might involve a lot of trouble. And the fight in the depths of the forest was likely far more complicated than he imagined.