Meanwhile, by the Lake of Life in the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The Emperor Auspicious Beast—Three-Eyed Golden Lion—was lying bored on the grass, counting ants to pass the time when she suddenly jerked her head up!
The Eye of Destiny standing upright on her forehead throbbed violently.
A familiar presence that made her very soul tremble had entered her range of perception.
He's here!
That man—he'd finally come!
The lazy Auspicious Beast instantly perked up. Her golden eyes lit up like two giant lightbulbs, as if she'd just seen the most delicious food in the world... no, the most important person in the world.
A goofy, almost lovestruck grin appeared on her furry head, so humanlike it was downright strange.
She was practically drooling, too.
"Awwooo~!" (He came to see me!)
Without a moment's hesitation, the excited Auspicious Beast let out a low growl. Her four hooves kicked up a gale as she shot off like a golden bolt of lightning, racing toward the mixed region!
She looked more eager than someone rushing to grab a meal!
The sight left Scarlet King, who was watching over the Auspicious Beast nearby, completely dumbfounded.
All three of Scarlet King's dog heads sprouted giant question marks, and all six eyes were filled with bewilderment.
"???"
What on earth had gotten into this little ancestor now?
Scarlet King sighed helplessly.
A while back, this little ancestor had been like a bandit, turning the core region upside down as she dug up high-grade Spirit Bones and rare treasures. She'd even robbed quite a few Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts of their private savings.
She'd been acting like she was "saving up her dowry," to the point that Scarlet King had wondered if she'd lost her mind and planned to take human form to experience life in the human world.
And now she was scampering off again without even saying a word.
Watching the Auspicious Beast's joyful figure practically fly away, Scarlet King fell into deep thought.
After all these years, this was the first time he'd seen the usually proud Auspicious Beast wear an expression like that... like a girl in love going to meet her sweetheart.
"The world really has changed..."
Scarlet King shook the middle head and resignedly got to his feet, trudging after her.
What could he do? He was the babysitter, after all.
The scene shifted to the Star Dou Great Forest.
Three figures streaked through the dense forest like shooting stars, startling a flock of birds.
Su Chen, Du Busi, and Zhang Lexuan.
Their group was a formidable one: a Level 99 Limit Douluo, Shrek Inner Court's senior sister, and Su Chen, the oddball.
They ignored the low-level Soul Beasts in the outer region and, with a few flashes of movement, entered the danger-filled mixed region.
As far as Su Chen was concerned, ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were beneath his notice.
His target was none other than the creatures with the strongest bloodlines and the most terrifying cultivation.
"Disciple, have you decided?"
As they traveled, Du Busi's deep voice rang out.
"How many years of cultivation are you aiming for with your fourth Soul Ring? And which unlucky clan have you set your sights on?"
Su Chen didn't break stride. A glint flashed in his eyes as he slowly gave a name:
"Sixty thousand years. A Shadow Demon Tree."
This target wasn't a whim. It was the "optimal choice" after careful consideration.
In his first Simulation, Su Chen's fifth Soul Ring had come from a Shadow Demon Tree.
Absorbing a Shadow Demon Tree could grant a Soul Skill that was practically a "divine technique"—Shadow Clone!
It could instantly create three physical clones with 80% of his strength. Even more ridiculously, they had the ability to "transfer damage"!
As long as an attack didn't kill him outright, he could transfer the damage he took to his clones.
That was practically three extra lives!
For Su Chen, who pursued both maximum survivability and damage output, it was tailor-made.
With King Crimson, ordinary Soul Masters could hardly hurt Su Chen anyway, but who would complain about having more Soul Power?
"A Shadow Demon Tree?"
Du Busi raised an eyebrow and stroked his beard, pondering.
"An assassin among Plant-type Soul Beasts. You don't see those often. They're cunning and devious, and good at disguising themselves. It does suit your style, brat."
Zhang Lexuan, standing nearby, also stirred slightly. She added:
"Shadow Demon Trees are top-tier Plant-type Soul Beasts, and extremely rare in the depths of the mixed region.
"According to Shrek's records, the Shadow Demon Tree clan is very close-knit. They're often led by a Shadow Demon Tree King with a cultivation of a hundred thousand years."
As she spoke, she glanced at Du Busi beside her, her tone becoming much more relaxed.
"But with Sect Master Du here to protect us, even a hundred-thousand-year-old tree king would have to think twice. A Ferocious Beast would have to think twice, too."
"Hahaha! Of course!"
Du Busi was so pleased by the flattery that he laughed heartily.
"Let's go! Since my disciple wants it, even if the Heavenly King himself shows up, that tree is going to turn into a Soul Ring for me!"
"It's over there."
Su Chen gave a slight nod. A crimson figure appeared behind him.
Second Martial Soul—King Crimson. Future, activate!
Before Su Chen's eyes, images of the future flashed by like frames on a reel.
Soon, he clearly saw the strange ancient tree hidden in the shadows, along with the death that awaited it...
Coordinates locked. The hunt begins!
Before long, the three reached the territory of the Shadow Demon Tree clan.
As soon as they entered the forest, the bright sunlight seemed to be swallowed up.
A rotten, chilly air filled the surroundings. The forest was terrifyingly quiet, broken only by the crisp sound of their feet snapping dry twigs.
Countless twisted shadows of trees swayed in the darkness, like evil spirits ready to devour anyone who came near.
"Teacher, just kill any one of them. The ones around here all look pretty good."
Su Chen pointed at the gnarled, menacing trees around them. He sounded as relaxed as someone picking cabbages at a market.
"Got it! Just watch!"
Du Busi grinned. He didn't use any flashy Soul Skills, or even summon his Martial Soul.
He simply reached out one large hand and grabbed at the air!
Rumble—!
As the earth groaned, a Shadow Demon Tree thick enough for three people to wrap their arms around was yanked out of the ground, roots and all!
"Eee—!!!"
The Shadow Demon Tree let out a piercing, mournful shriek and thrashed its roots wildly. But under the palm of a Limit Douluo, it was like a helpless chick.
"Who dares cause trouble in our clan's territory!"
With one of their companions under attack, the surrounding Shadow Demon Trees erupted at once! Countless black vines darted out like venomous snakes, trying to strangle the intruders.
But the next second—
Hum—!
Du Busi snorted. The terrifying pressure of a Level 99 Limit Douluo burst forth, sweeping across the whole area like a mountain crashing down!
The forest, which had just been in chaos, fell instantly silent.
The vines that had just lashed out recoiled as if they'd been shocked, whisking back into hiding.
Every Shadow Demon Tree chose to play dead. Not even a leaf dared tremble.
The Shadow Demon Trees: Sorry to bother you. We didn't realize it was... a Limit Douluo. Please, carry on.
Deep in the forest, the Shadow Demon Tree King, whose cultivation exceeded a hundred thousand years, had switched straight to "AFK mode."
It reined in every trace of its presence and disguised itself as an ordinary dead tree, wishing it could drive its roots all the way to the center of the earth.
Who was it kidding? That was a Limit Douluo!
Better that someone else died than it did.
If it dared show its face, forget saving its underlings—it might even have its own Spirit Bone ripped out as spoils.
The absurd sight left Zhang Lexuan completely bewildered.
"So... hunting Soul Beasts can be this easy and leisurely?"
Whenever she'd hunted a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast before, she'd had to be careful, set traps and bait, and fight a hard battle.
But here, it had turned into an all-you-can-eat buffet?
"Of course."
Su Chen smiled as he explained, "The Shadow Demon Trees around here are all old hands with at least thirty or forty thousand years of cultivation. They've long since developed intelligence.
"They know better than anyone that going after a Limit Douluo isn't protecting their own. It's suicide.
"That's the law of the jungle: prey on the weak and fear the strong. It never changes."
Then Du Busi dragged the half-dead Ten-Thousand-Year Shadow Demon Tree out of the forest like a dead dog.
After finding a relatively safe clearing, Su Chen struck once and finished it off.
As the Shadow Demon Tree's life force faded, a deep, brilliant black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring slowly emerged from its trunk, quietly awaiting Su Chen's absorption.
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