War Between Soul Beasts

Dugu Bo was also stunned for a moment before saying in realization:

"I once heard that beast packs of similar strength and the same race would sometimes erupt into war for certain reasons. Take the Demon Soul Great White Sharks and Evil Spirit Orcas in the ocean—they have always remained hostile over food and territory."

"The Swamp Crocodiles and Spined Earth Crocodiles before us are the same. The rainy season in the Star Dou Great Forest is nearly over, and the water levels in these swamps and rivers are dropping rapidly. These two races are preparing to fight for dominance over this stretch of water. I never expected to witness such a strange sight in my lifetime. This journey has not been in vain..."

The corner of Shen Hanyu's mouth twitched. He then asked somewhat baffledly:

"Then what about the Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast? Don't tell me it moved away long ago. Did we come all this way for nothing?"

Dugu Bo shot Shen Hanyu a glare and said:

"Soul Beasts have a far stronger sense of territory than humans, especially a terrifying Soul Beast like the Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast. How could it possibly yield its territory to a group of inferior crocodile Soul Beasts? For all we know, that fellow may be lurking beneath the water somewhere, waiting to launch a sneak attack."

Shen Hanyu had no reply and could only study the two beast packs before him.

Swamp Crocodiles were a type of high-level Soul Beast. Their strength and size generally fell short of the Spined Earth Crocodiles, but they made up for it with their numbers, which were more than triple those of the Spined Earth Crocodiles. The Swamp Crocodile King had a cultivation of roughly eighty thousand years and measured well over ten meters long, making it a colossal creature.

Although the Spined Earth Crocodiles on the opposite side were fewer in number, they had enormous bodies. Among crocodiles of the same age, a Spined Earth Crocodile could be more than twice the size of a Swamp Crocodile. Their backs and limbs were covered in blade-like protrusions, exuding an oppressive aura.

The Spined Crocodile King's cultivation was also close to eighty thousand years, though it was slightly inferior to the Swamp Crocodile King. In terms of presence, however, it completely crushed its opponent.

Shen Hanyu narrowed his eyes as he observed this rare spectacle.

With roars from the two Crocodile Kings, the two packs swiftly crashed into one another. In an instant, sounds of slaughter and anguished cries echoed throughout the area, while the clear river water was rapidly stained red with Fresh Blood. The scene became incomparably bloody.

Many corpses were carried downstream by the river, only to be dragged ashore or devoured on the spot by starving Soul Beasts of every kind. A feast of slaughter and gluttony had begun...

One hour later.

The Swamp Crocodile pack had been massacred into disarray. Less than one-tenth of its members remained. Even the Swamp Crocodile King was covered in several savage wounds so deep that the bottom could be seen. It panted heavily as it and its surviving clansmen were surrounded in the middle of the waters.

The Spined Earth Crocodile pack, by contrast, had also suffered casualties, but their foundation had not truly been harmed. Still, quite a few wounds had been left on their massive bodies.

Watching the Spined Earth Crocodile pack clearly prepare to wipe them out completely, Shen Hanyu could not help but silently praise the decision. This was the smart choice.

As the saying went, if you did not pull out the weeds by the roots, they would grow again with the spring breeze.

After making an enemy, it was best to eliminate their entire family, young and old, sick and crippled alike, lest some absurd catastrophe of "thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river" come back to haunt you.

Just as the Spined Crocodile King opened its enormous, blood-filled maw to finish off the Swamp Crocodile King before it, a huge and bizarre Soul Beast suddenly burst from the water and actually stood directly atop the surface.

The strange Soul Beast was not particularly large. Its entire body was covered in purple-gold scales, and its eyes were also a deep, sharp purple-gold. Purple mane grew beneath its head, while icy-spike-like protrusions surrounded its scales, radiating a piercing chill. It had three tails, each covered in long purple-gold fur, with a purple-gold crystal at the tip that gleamed brilliantly beneath the sunlight.

Dugu Bo extended a finger and pointed at the imposing Soul Beast standing on the river, saying:

"That is the Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast. In merely a few decades, this beast has already completely crossed the fifty-thousand-year threshold. It even has a cultivation of fifty-three thousand years. It must have devoured quite a few native Soul Beasts here. Boy, are you confident?"

Shen Hanyu looked at the elegantly shaped Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast, clenched his fist, and said:

"Seventy percent."

Dugu Bo glanced at him and said:

"You don't have absolute confidence? Do you want to choose another target? If you die, I will not be collecting your corpse."

"I need to warn you: without complete certainty, what you are doing is no different from courting death."

The corner of Shen Hanyu's mouth twitched. For some reason, he felt the other man resembled someone he had once known.

"Take a gamble. I think that if Senior Dugu dared to risk it, then with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's innate venom, even if you couldn't kill Ghost Douluo, you could still make him suffer for a while."

Dugu Bo froze, then quickly came back to his senses. His gaze turned somewhat obscure as he said:

"That Dead Chrysanthemum has no bloodline inheritance. Whether he even has that function is unknown. If I did not have a Granddaughter who needed looking after, that Dead Chrysanthemum would have died countless times already..."

Shen Hanyu nodded without saying anything further. Looking at the Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast below, which had already crushed several Ten Thousand Years Spined Earth Crocodiles to death and begun feasting heartily, he said:

"Senior Dugu, please!"

Dugu Bo gave a cold snort, and his figure swiftly vanished.

The Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast, which was devouring its meal, sensed a terrifying aura suddenly appear nearby. Without hesitation, it dropped the mutilated corpse in its claws and swiftly darted to one side.

The next moment, an enormous green serpent tail smashed into the water's surface, raising towering waves.

In the sky, Dugu Bo stood atop the head of a Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor more than thirty meters long. Nine Soul Rings revolved continuously beneath his feet, radiating the overwhelming might of a Titled Douluo.

The Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast let out an enraged roar and shot into the air the next instant. Its terrifying claws swept toward Dugu Bo, carrying dreadful force.

Dugu Bo's expression darkened. The Eighth Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up, and the space before the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor seemed to instantly freeze solid. The Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast was unable to move, its eyes spinning constantly as though searching for a way to escape.

"Sixth Soul Skill! Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Break!"

The next moment, Dugu Bo gave a low shout, and his Sixth Soul Ring rapidly lit up. A green Flowing Light directly pierced through the Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast's body. Dugu Bo casually tossed it aside, and it landed just a short distance from Shen Hanyu.

"Boy, it is yours."

Dugu Bo's voice drifted over. Shen Hanyu thanked him, then swiftly leaped down from the tree and ended the life of the super Soul Beast with a single thrust of his Cold Sky Spear.

A Black Soul Ring slowly rose, carrying the Purple Gold Profound Ice Beast's former majesty. It seemed invincible even in death.

Shen Hanyu took a deep breath and sat down directly to begin absorbing it. The Cold Sky Spear was planted beside him, emitting a faint blue radiance. Its flickering light was like the first glow of fireflies—small, yet dazzling...

PS: I really didn't want to write this part. It felt kind of boring, so I just wrapped it up in one chapter. I cut out whatever I could.

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