Time passed. A month later.
Star Dou Great Forest, Mixed Zone.
Ancient trees towered overhead. Their lush branches sifted the sunlight into flecks of gold that swayed in the breeze, casting shifting patterns across the ground.
Three people walked deep in the forest.
One looked over eighty, his lean body straight as a spear. He held a Snake Lance nearly two zhang long.
Another was broad and rugged, covered in dark-gold armor and sharp bone spikes.
Between them walked a graceful blond young nobleman with a gentle air.
Their Martial Souls identified the two men as Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo. The youth under their protection was Xue Qinghe, Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Or perhaps she should be called Qian Renxue, Young Master of Spirit Hall.
The three strode through the forest as casually as if strolling through their own courtyard, their gazes sweeping the surroundings for suitable Spirit Beasts.
"Snake Lance, searching like this is too slow. Let's use our Spiritual Power," Porcupinefish Douluo said.
"No. Our Spiritual Power is too strong. It would alert the Spirit Beasts. They might scatter, and worse, we could draw the forest's two overlords." Snake Lance Douluo raised a hand in refusal.
"Then leave it to me." Qian Renxue closed her eyes, and her Spiritual Power spread through the trees like a tide.
"Twenty meters away, a thousand-year Snake Vine Flower. Not suitable."
"Fifty meters away, a ten-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider. Ruled out."
"Sixty meters to the right, a ten-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit. Trash!"
Her Spiritual Power continued spreading, but she found nothing ideal. Frowning, she searched farther afield.
Eighty meters away, a blue giant wolf clad in ice-crystal armor was running for its life. One icy wing had been torn off, and the other bore bite marks deep enough to expose bone.
A sixty-thousand-year Ice Wolf... fleeing for its life? Qian Renxue's heart tightened.
With its cultivation, it could dominate a corner of Star Dou Great Forest. What could have driven it to this?
What is it so afraid of? She sent her Spiritual Power probing behind the wolf.
A golden figure pursued it relentlessly. It resembled a lion, but had an elongated muzzle, and fine scales showed faintly beneath its golden fur. It was extraordinary.
An unknown Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Beast! Qian Renxue's heart leaped.
"I've found my target!" Her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul possessed her instantly, and four Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple—rose beneath her feet.
An aura of sanctity and flame spread from her. With a beat of her wings, she shot toward the strange Spirit Beast.
"Young Master, don't rush in!" Porcupinefish Douluo cried. The two Titled Douluo followed close behind, not daring to delay.
The fleeing Ice Wolf suddenly sensed two terrifying auras ahead. It stopped dead and looked back, only to see the Emperor Auspicious Beast still hot on its heels.
It froze, unable to decide what to do.
As both sides rapidly closed in, a vicious glint flashed in its eyes. Its body swelled like a balloon.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the forest. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, staining the surrounding ground scarlet.
"Has it lost its mind?" Qian Renxue stared, baffled.
But she had no time to dwell on it. Her gaze passed over the bloody wreckage and locked onto the golden Spirit Beast, which had stopped.
The Emperor Auspicious Beast halted its pursuit. Its golden eyes stared coldly at the three of them, blazing with fury.
There was a commanding authority in its gaze, as though it looked down on them.
Qian Renxue studied it, growing more pleased by the moment. Its wondrous form, its pure aura of light... everything was exactly what she wanted.
"I'll kill it and make it my fifth Soul Ring!" Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Snake Lance Douluo looked at the Emperor Auspicious Beast and felt a chill down his spine, as though something lurked in the shadows watching them. He hurried to warn her. "Young Master, there's something strange about this Spirit Beast."
"Spirit Hall has no record of such a beast. To be safe, let's choose another!"
Qian Renxue waved him off. "It has light and fire attributes, and it's at the ten-thousand-year level. It was hunting that Ice Wolf, so it must be powerful."
"If I absorb her as my fifth Soul Ring, my strength will increase enormously."
The Emperor Auspicious Beast was only five thousand years old. Qian Renxue had never seen one before, and the chase she had just witnessed had led her to the wrong conclusion.
"Young Master, we can't be too careful!" Porcupinefish Douluo stepped forward to urge her. Qian Renxue's safety concerned Spirit Hall's future. Nothing could be allowed to happen to her.
"My mind is made up. Say no more!" Qian Renxue declared.
I'll kill the Emperor Auspicious Beast today, no matter what!
"If you won't act, I will!" Before she finished speaking, her First Soul Ring blazed. "First Soul Skill: Angel Assault!"
She gathered the sacred energy within her around her fist, forming a golden shield of light, and charged straight at the Emperor Auspicious Beast with tremendous force!
The Emperor Auspicious Beast showed no fear. It slammed its paws into the ground, cracking it inch by inch, and roared at the sky!
ROAR!
It charged straight at Qian Renxue!
When less than five meters separated them, the air grew scorching hot. Ancient trees burst into flame, turning the area into a fiery inferno.
"You're asking for death!" A furious, commanding voice cracked like thunder. The next instant, a massive crimson claw shot out of the shadows, straight at Qian Renxue!
"Protect the Young Master!" Snake Lance Douluo raised his Snake Lance Martial Soul. Nine Soul Rings rose beneath his feet: two yellow, three purple, and four black.
He struck at the crimson lion's claw.
Porcupinefish Douluo unleashed his power at the same time. His Martial Soul possessed him, and nine Soul Rings—two yellow, three purple, four black—swirled around him as his aura surged.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Thorn Bone Spikes!" he roared.
Countless poisoned bone spikes hurtled forward, engulfing the crimson lion's claw like a violent storm.
"Get out of my way!" The commanding voice rang out again, thick with contempt and anger. An even more terrifying pressure crashed into the two Titled Douluo like a tidal wave!
The next instant, the crimson figure emerged fully. It was over five meters long, lion-like but with three savage heads, red-gold fangs, and hellfire raging around its body.
It was the Scarlet King, a Three-Headed Crimson Demon Mastiff with two hundred and seventy thousand years of cultivation, ranked eighth among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts!
It closed in on the two Titled Douluo and swept its crimson claw. Both men flew backward like kites with severed strings, smashing through several ancient trees and spraying blood.
The dense barrage of Porcupinefish Douluo's poisoned spikes struck the Scarlet King without leaving even a pale mark. The demonic flames surrounding it burned them to nothing.
Qian Renxue was aghast!
The two Super Douluo could not withstand even a single blow!
Another unknown Spirit Beast... Once Qian Renxue saw it clearly, her pupils contracted, and she stumbled backward.
All three of the Scarlet King's heads turned. Its crimson eyes burned with rage as they fixed on Qian Renxue. It advanced, its vast shadow swallowing her whole, then raised its necks and roared loud enough to shake the sky:
ROAR!
Engulfed in its shadow, Qian Renxue stared at its three heads as a chill spread from the depths of her heart.
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