Douluo: I Am Unrivaled Thief, Explosive King Returns

"Great! I'm finally getting my third Soul Ring!" Shifty-eyed Thief was beside himself with excitement.

Before his words had even faded, an earth-shaking roar suddenly came from deep within the distant forest, making the ground tremble faintly.

Unrivaled Thief was not afraid. Instead, his eyes gleamed like a hunter watching prey fall into a trap.

"I spared you last night. I hope you won't disappoint me either."

Meanwhile, at the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Titan Giant Ape raised its head and looked toward the outskirts. As if it had received some signal, it excitedly rushed toward the outer region.

Shifty-eyed Thief's Strength, the Titan Giant Ape Appears

On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, although the sun hung high in the sky, the morning mist among the trees had yet to fully disperse.

Unrivaled Thief walked at the very front of the group, silently spreading his Wind Domain.

In an instant, every breeze within several hundred meters became an extension of his senses.

Not only could he detect lurking soul beasts, he could even clearly sense insects crawling beneath fallen leaves.

"Boss, what kind of soul beast should I absorb for my third Soul Ring?" Shifty-eyed Thief rubbed his hands and sidled up, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Unrivaled Thief nodded and analyzed, "The Demon Motion King excels in close combat. A balance of offense and defense best suits your fighting style. We should first consider soul beasts with defensive and offensive abilities."

Shifty-eyed Thief usually attacked from afar with Flying Blade Rock-Breaking Slash, but that did not mean he specialized in ranged combat.

The main reason was that Unrivaled Thief was stronger. To avoid becoming a burden, he had always used Flying Blade Rock-Breaking Slash to support the team from a distance.

In truth, the Demon Motion King had always been meant for close-quarters entanglement.

Shifty-eyed Thief chuckled. "I'll listen to you, Brother. It'd be even better if it came with some underhanded effects. Otherwise, I always feel out of place with you guys."

Unrivaled Thief's mouth twitched, but after thinking about it, that really was true.

They all had rather underhanded soul skills, while Shifty-eyed Thief's moves were comparatively upright and straightforward.

"Fine. I'll find you a more 'underhanded' soul beast."

Shifty-eyed Thief's eyes sparkled as he circled Unrivaled Thief. "Boss, I knew you spoiled me the most!"

After traveling dozens more li deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest, Unrivaled Thief suddenly stopped.

"Fourth Brother, your wish has arrived."

As soon as he spoke, the ground trembled. A soul beast more than three meters long burst from the earth, purple-black venom seeping between its scales. Wherever it passed, grass and trees withered.

After getting a clear look at its size, Unrivaled Thief said, "Over three meters long, around eighteen hundred years old. A Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast. It suits you perfectly."

"An armored earth-piercer beast?" Shifty-eyed Thief was somewhat disappointed. It still seemed like an ordinary soul beast.

Unrivaled Thief chuckled and patted his head. "Remember, the truly underhanded things are often hidden within the most upright techniques. Don't forget the words 'Corrosive Rock' before Earth-Piercer Beast."

Shifty-eyed Thief seemed to realize something and grinned. "Boss, let me finish it myself!"

"Mm, go ahead. Let me see whether your strength has declined."

Unrivaled Thief had great faith in his strength. An eighteen-hundred-year soul beast should be easy for him to handle.

Shifty-eyed Thief activated his Demon Motion King Martial Soul Possession and shot forward in an instant.

The Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast let out a shriek. Its scales flared open, firing countless venomous spikes like a torrential downpour.

Shifty-eyed Thief sneered and used his earth escape technique, instantly burrowing underground.

Flying Blade Rock-Breaking Claw!

With a boom, the ground exploded.

His claw struck the Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast beneath the jaw, launching it several meters away.

The Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast rolled to its feet, but could not find Shifty-eyed Thief.

Yet before it knew it, Shifty-eyed Thief had already circled behind it like Gui Mei, his sharp claws aimed straight for its heart!

Clang!

Driven by its survival instincts, the Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast curled into a ball, using its hard shell to block the attack.

Seeing his attack blocked, Shifty-eyed Thief's fighting spirit only burned hotter. His fists and claws rained down like a violent storm.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The ground cracked apart, and the Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast's scales shattered inch by inch!

Roar!

The Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast flew into a rage. Its scales became coated in a layer of purple-black slime, instantly forming a poisonous mist around it.

Shifty-eyed Thief was forced back, but he gave a vicious grin and turned to Ning Rongrong. "Support me. Watch me finish it in one slash!"

Ning Rongrong was slow to react, but she still completed her support in an instant.

Shifty-eyed Thief leaped into the air and drew his blade toward the sky. The Fire Cloud Blade summoned heavenly lightning.

Flying Blade Rock-Breaking Slash!

The blade light was like thunder, tearing through the poisonous mist.

A chilling blade flash exploded across the Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast's body. Dirt scattered as dust filled the air.

When the dust settled, a purple Soul Ring floated up from its body.

Shifty-eyed Thief sheathed his blade and stood tall, as though everything had gone exactly as it should.

"H-He was actually that strong?!"

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong stood there in a daze. Shifty-eyed Thief was not mediocre after all.

It was only because Unrivaled Thief's brilliance was too overwhelming that Shifty-eyed Thief's own light had seemed less dazzling.

With the strength of a level-thirty Soul Elder, he had smoothly taken down a thousand-year soul beast. His combat power was terrifyingly strong.

After all, a certain level-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster could not even defeat a mere four-hundred-year-old Datura Snake.

Unrivaled Thief stepped forward and patted Shifty-eyed Thief on the shoulder. "Stop showing off and hurry up to absorb the Soul Ring."

"Hehe, Boss, I'm going!"

Shifty-eyed Thief hurried over and drew the purple Soul Ring onto himself to begin absorbing it.

Unrivaled Thief continued spreading his Wind Domain, searching for a soul beast suitable for his fourth Soul Ring.

"My fourth Soul Ring still needs a strength-and-speed-type soul beast. Only then can I maximize the power of Overlord Wind-Chasing Fist."

He continued searching within several hundred meters, but after making a full sweep, he found nothing suitable.

After all, this was only the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. A thousand-year soul beast could already be considered a regional overlord here.

Other than the Corrosive Rock Earth-Piercer Beast, they would have to venture deeper to find soul beasts with higher cultivation.

There was no other choice but to wait quietly for Shifty-eyed Thief to finish absorbing the Soul Ring before continuing deeper.

While they waited, Mighty Lion Douluo's voice exploded in Unrivaled Thief's mind like thunder.

"Kid, it's unbelievable! The Titan Giant Ape really showed up in the outskirts!"

The corner of Unrivaled Thief's lips rose slightly, and a cold glint flashed through his eyes.

The Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone was finally within reach!

He tapped his temple with a finger and transmitted, "Keep an eye on it. Once Fourth Brother finishes absorbing it, close the net immediately."

"Hahaha!" Mighty Lion Douluo's laughter made Unrivaled Thief's sea of consciousness tremble. "Qian Jun and Jiang Mo have gone to block its path! Since this beast dared to come out, it can forget about returning alive! Wait..."

His voice suddenly sharpened. "The Titan Giant Ape has attacked Shrek's people! Tang Hao is guarding them!"

Not long ago, on the other side of the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Just as in the original story, Tang San had helped Oscar take the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent from Meng Yiran.

Seeing that Oscar had completed the absorption of his Soul Ring, Zhao Wuji urged him in a hoarse voice, "Tang San, quickly decide what soul beast you need."

Tang San was displeased at being rushed, but he still had to rely on Zhao Wuji for now.

"Teacher Zhao, I want..."

At that moment.

Boom!

Two towering ancient trees behind the camp, each requiring several people to wrap their arms around, suddenly toppled to either side as if they had been forcibly torn apart by an invisible giant hand.

Amid the violent trembling of the ground, a mountain-like black shadow smashed through the dust and appeared before them.

It was a gigantic beast black as ink, its muscles knotted like iron and stone. Its pair of scarlet beast eyes were as large as lanterns, gleaming with horrifying ferocity.

It resembled an ape, yet it was larger and more terrifying than any gorilla.

Simply standing there made the surrounding air freeze.

"The King of the Forest, the Titan Giant Ape?!" Tang San's pupils contracted sharply, his voice trembling slightly with shock.

Unlike the others' terrified reactions, a flicker of delight flashed through Xiao Wu's eyes.

She immediately transmitted, "Er Ming, don't hurt my friends. Hurry and take me away. I have a task to give you."

The Titan Giant Ape obediently stepped forward, preparing to do as Xiao Wu said.

But the moment its gaze swept over Tang San's right leg, it sensed the aura of another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Boundless fury abruptly erupted from its beast eyes!

Roar!

The deafening roar uprooted the surrounding trees. Birds and beasts scattered in panic, and every soul beast throughout the outskirts fled in terror.

The Titan Giant Ape suddenly erupted, its mountain-sized fist carrying a Hurricane as it smashed down toward Tang San's head!

At the same time, Mighty Lion Douluo's voice had just faded from Unrivaled Thief's mind.

Then an earth-shaking furious roar rang out, clearly heard by every living creature throughout the outskirts.

Unrivaled Thief narrowed his eyes and muttered, "That kind of commotion? The Titan Giant Ape and Tang San's group have really gone all out?!"

Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, Clear Sky Battles the Titan

"But what does that have to do with me? It would be best if they both suffered heavy losses and let me reap the benefits."

Too far away, Unrivaled Thief could not sense what was happening, but he knew it was definitely not as peaceful as in the original story.

Sure enough, the second the roar vanished, an earth-shaking boom rang out.

He turned to Shifty-eyed Thief, who was still absorbing the Soul Ring, and muttered, "Fourth Brother, you need to speed up. We can't miss this opportunity!"

Elsewhere, the Titan Giant Ape's fist crashed down, uprooting all the surrounding trees!

Tang San and the others were blown away, their hands, legs, and other body parts cut by flying splinters of wood as they flew.

Zhao Wuji's expression changed drastically. He immediately activated his Martial Soul Avatar, all seven Soul Rings lighting up as he stood before the others.

"Everyone, retreat immediately!"

Yet the Titan Giant Ape's scarlet beast eyes were locked firmly onto Tang San's right leg, as if something there had driven it into a rage.

Roar!

It raised its giant fist again and smashed it down like a mountain!

Martial Soul Avatar! Second Soul Skill, Great Strength Vajra Palm!

Zhao Wuji used every ounce of his strength and met the attack with a palm strike.

The instant fist and palm collided, the Titan Giant Ape's arm merely paused slightly before continuing to press down!

Zhao Wuji's Martial Soul Avatar exploded like papier-mâché, the sound of shattering bones mixing with spurting blood.

With a bang, he was sent flying like a cannonball. He crashed through more than ten giant trees before finally stopping.

Blood sprayed wildly from his mouth. The bones in his remaining arm were completely shattered, and with a tilt of his head and a roll of his eyes, he passed out!

In the shadows, Tang Hao's pupils shrank. "Why has this beast suddenly gone berserk?!"

Following the Titan Giant Ape's gaze, he saw that it was fixed squarely on Tang San's right leg.

"Could it have sensed the aura of the Hundred Thousand Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone and been enraged by it?!"

Clearly, that was exactly why the Titan Giant Ape had flown into a rage.