Xue Beng Beheaded

The soldier's mention of a "Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast" struck Prince Xue Xing's ears like a thunderclap.

"W-what?!" The composure on his face was instantly replaced by extreme shock and disbelief; his body swayed uncontrollably, and his complexion turned as pale as paper.

"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? Holding Fourth Prince hostage? Demanding to see me?" Xue Xing's mind buzzed, every word feeling like a heavy hammer striking his heart.

"What Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? I don't recall ever provoking such a creature!" Immense confusion and icy fear gripped him instantly.

But the soldier dared not rely on Xue Xing's one-sided account in a situation like this.

"Your Highness, we must go! That soul beast is hovering above the Fourth Prince's residence, specifically demanding your presence! It... it said the Fourth Prince has already confessed!"

The soldier captain's voice was laced with tears, filled with terror and urgency.

They were merely ordinary soldiers, caught between a prince and a terrifying soul beast capable of speech, and they were already scared out of their wits.

"Confessed..." The world went black before Xue Xing's eyes, and he nearly fainted.

He understood; he understood everything. This Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was most likely an elder of the creature Xue Beng had mentioned; in any case, there was definitely a connection between them.

"Xue Beng! You've ruined me!" To think he had offended a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast because of Xue Beng alone—how could Xue Xing accept such a thing?

But he knew that at this moment, he could not afford to hesitate.

If he didn't go, the soul beast would be in a rage, and Xue Beng would undoubtedly die. The entire imperial palace, perhaps even Heaven Dou City, could suffer a catastrophe, and he, Xue Xing, would become a sinner of the Heaven Dou Empire, damned for eternity!

If he went... perhaps there was still a glimmer of a chance for a turnaround? After all, this was the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, the core of the human empire! The Emperor, the Crown Prince, the titled Douluo protectors... could they really sit by and watch a soul beast run rampant here?

"Lead... lead the way!" Xue Xing forcibly suppressed his churning blood and fear, ordering in a hoarse voice.

He tried to straighten his back, attempting to maintain his final shred of princely dignity, but his slightly trembling hands and deathly pale face had already betrayed the turbulent waves within his heart.

The soldiers, as if granted a reprieve, immediately half-supported and half-escorted Prince Xue Xing toward the direction of the imperial palace.

Along the way, Xue Xing looked at the chaotic palace, listening to the faint commotion and the oppressive aura of the soul beast in the distance, his heart sinking further and further.

Above the residence of Xue Beng, the atmosphere was as heavy as frozen ice.

The four Soul Saints remained in a surrounding formation, suspended in the air. Their spirit rings flickered, and their powerful spirit power fluctuations were held in check, yet they felt like four volcanoes ready to erupt at any moment.

Their gazes were locked firmly onto Xiao Yu and the Xue Beng held in the claws of Yu Yi, their eyes filled with wariness, anger, and a deep sense of powerlessness.

The pressure of the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was like a physical shackle, pressing heavily upon everyone's hearts, making it difficult for them to even breathe.

Xue Beng's screams had already faded into intermittent whimpers and pleas for mercy. Fear and excruciating pain had caused him to nearly lose consciousness, leaving him to be dangled by Yu Yi like a ragdoll.

Xiao Yu hovered in the center, his deep gaze sweeping over the terrified crowd below and the Soul Saints in the air who were acting as if facing a great enemy.

At the same time, he remained vigilant, guarding against any sneak attacks.

Just then, a burst of rapid footsteps and the clatter of armor approached from afar.

"Make way! His Highness the Prince has arrived!"

The crowd parted like a tide, creating a path.

The soldiers crowded around Prince Xue Xing, finally arriving at the center of this storm.

When Xue Xing looked up and saw the massive figure hovering in mid-air, appearing like a god descended, all his forced composure instantly collapsed!

Merely by making eye contact, Xue Xing felt his soul trembling! The oppressive force of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast far exceeded his imagination!

"Xue Xing." Xiao Yu's mental intent pierced into Xue Xing's mind like an icy blade, crystal clear. "Do you know your crime?"

This voice, which resonated directly through his soul, completely shattered Xue Xing's last shred of wishful thinking.

His legs went weak, and had it not been for the soldiers behind him instinctively supporting him, he would have knelt on the spot.

"Soul beast, the Prince has arrived. What exactly do you want to do?" one of the four Soul Saints asked toward Xiao Yu.

"What do I want to do?" Xiao Yu let out a cold snort. "Nothing much. Since you humans are allowed to hunt us down, why shouldn't I be allowed to retaliate? There is no such rule in this world."

"What!" Upon hearing this, the expressions of the four Soul Saints shifted in shock, and they immediately realized something.

One of the Soul Saints moved instantly, charging toward Yu Yi, shouting as he did so, "Attack! Protect the Fourth Prince!"

His spirit power surged, and his seventh spirit ring shone brilliantly, as if he were preparing to unleash his Avatar of the Martial Soul!

"Noisy."

Xiao Yu didn't even look at him directly, his massive right wing casually flicking toward the direction of that Soul Saint.

"Hum—!"

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a condensed, transparent wind blade with icy blue light flickering at its edges that instantly tore through the air!

The Soul Saint felt an irresistible, terrifying force collide with him head-on. His pride-and-joy Soul Saint-level defense shattered like paper, and the process of manifesting his Avatar of the Martial Soul was forcibly interrupted!

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his entire body feeling as if it had been struck by a giant hammer. He flew backward for hundreds of meters, screaming, before crashing heavily into the roof of a distant palace, his life or death unknown!

Silence!

A deathly silence!

Just one strike! A casual flick of a wing! A powerful Soul Saint had been severely wounded and sent flying without the slightest ability to resist!

The remaining three Soul Saints had their pupils shrink, cold sweat instantly soaking their backs.

Those who had originally intended to strike stopped instinctively upon seeing this scene, and it was precisely this hesitation that caused them to completely miss the only chance to save Xue Beng.

"Yu Yi, take your revenge."

Xiao Yu did not hide his voice in the slightest; he wanted to tell them exactly this: they could make a move, but they had to be able to bear the consequences afterward. As long as they failed to kill him in one strike and allowed him to leave successfully, then this would be the result.

"No--!!" Xue Xing let out a desperate roar.

"Stop!" The crowd was suddenly pushed aside by a group of soldiers as Great Emperor Xue Ye rushed out, shouting toward Xiao Yu.

However, it was too late. Yu Yi had always listened only to Xiao Yu. The moment Xiao Yu spoke, a flash of vengeful satisfaction crossed its sharp eagle eyes, and the talons gripping Xue Beng tightened violently!

"Puchi!"

The jarring sound of shattering bone echoed through the silent night sky.

Xue Beng's scream, filled with terror and despair, came to an abrupt halt.

His head, which had once been held high and filled with malicious thoughts, burst open like a crushed watermelon, spraying red and white matter everywhere!

The headless corpse hung limply beneath Yu Yi's talons, devoid of any further sound.

The Fourth Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Beng, was dead!

"Bang!"

Xue Beng's corpse landed heavily on the ground, and in that moment, there was dead silence!