Ambushing Shrek!

Favored by the destiny of the Star Dou Great Forest, she was the symbol of hope for the soul beast race.

Legend had it that wherever she was, the growth rate of nearby soul beasts would accelerate, and their chances of breaking through bottlenecks would increase. She was the emperor among soul beasts, an existence all soul beasts would protect even at the cost of their lives.

That was why the Shadow Demon Tiger did not dare fight back.

It was not that it could not win, but that... it could not fight back. Attacking the Emperor Auspicious Beast was a betrayal of the entire soul beast race. It would be hunted by every soul beast and incur the thunderous wrath of the true ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest.

As Dai Tu watched the Three-Eyed Golden Lion stroll through the forest, chasing the Shadow Demon Tiger like a cat toying with a mouse, countless thoughts raced wildly through his mind.

Memories from his previous life about Douluo Continent, about Huo Yuhao, about the Star Dou Great Forest, about... the Eye of Destiny.

Then, a mad idea quietly took shape in his heart.

"Senior Brother." Dai Tu turned to Long Aotian, lowering his voice so much that only the two of them could hear it.

"I have a plan. A plan that will let us quickly find suitable soul rings and also... teach those people from Shrek Academy a profound lesson."

Long Aotian's eyes lit up. "What plan?"

Dai Tu leaned close to his ear and whispered a few words.

Long Aotian's eyes widened further and further. The expression on his face shifted from surprise, to shock, to disbelief, and finally... to wild delight.

"Junior Brother, you're fucking brilliant!" Long Aotian slapped Dai Tu hard on the shoulder, his voice trembling with excitement.

"This plan is downright vicious, but... I like it! Let's do it!"

Watching his excited expression, Dai Tu's lips curled into a cold arc as well.

"Then... let's begin."

At the same time, elsewhere in the Star Dou Great Forest.

The seven members of Shrek Academy were surrounding a soul beast and attacking it together.

It was a leopard covered entirely in black fur, patterned with dark golden stripes.

It was over thirty feet long and stood taller than a man at the shoulder. Its muscles bulged beneath sleek lines, brimming with explosive strength. Its eyes were ghostly green, flickering like two will-o'-wisps in the dim forest with cold, cruel light.

A Nether Leopard.

A ten-thousand-year soul beast renowned for its speed, agility, and stealth. This Nether Leopard had a cultivation of roughly thirty thousand years. It was Dai Yueheng's ideal target for his sixth soul ring, capable of greatly enhancing his speed, explosive power, and stealth, making his White Tiger martial soul even more formidable.

The battle had already lasted a quarter of an hour.

Just as the Nether Leopard was about to be killed on the spot.

Boom!

A figure descended from the sky without warning, crashing down between the Nether Leopard and Chen Zifeng.

When he landed, both feet sank deep into the earth, blasting out a crater thirty feet across.

A terrifying shockwave erupted from him, knocking Chen Zifeng's Soul-Chasing Sword, Xi Xi's dagger, Ma Xiaotao's Flame Blade, and Dai Yueheng's tiger claws all flying back.

Amid the billowing dust, the man slowly straightened.

White martial attire, a black belt, a tall, straight figure, a handsome face, and amber eyes filled with amusement and mockery.

Long Aotian.

"Oh, what a coincidence?" Long Aotian dusted himself off and grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. "You're hunting too? Sorry, my hand slipped just now, so I missed."

Silence.

Deathly silence.

All seven from Shrek stood frozen, staring blankly at the white-clad young man who had suddenly appeared with an innocent look on his face. Their minds were utterly blank.

His hand slipped? He missed?

You fucking dropped from the sky, landed between us and the soul beast, scattered all the killing blows we had been building up, and then told us your hand slipped?!

"Long! Aotian!" Dai Yueheng was the first to react. Bloodshot veins instantly filled his golden pupils as he stared fixedly at Long Aotian, his voice distorted and hoarse from sheer rage.

"You're fucking dead!"

"Oh, don't be angry." Long Aotian waved a hand, wearing an expression that said, "I really didn't mean to." "I was chasing a soul beast too. I was in such a hurry that I didn't see where I was going. Go on, then. I won't disturb you anymore."

With that, he turned and took off running.

He was as fast as a streak of white lightning, shooting dozens of feet away in the blink of an eye.

The Nether Leopard had already been scared out of its wits when Long Aotian landed. Seizing the chance, it rolled to its feet. It did not even care about its injuries, tucked its tail, and fled deeper into the forest without looking back.

"Trying to run? Stop right there!" Dai Yueheng trembled with fury. Without a second thought, he immediately gave chase.

The others followed at once.

Long Aotian ran quickly, but he was not fleeing at full speed. Every so often, he glanced back. Once he confirmed that the people from Shrek were following, he continued onward at an unhurried pace, always keeping a safe distance.

He was leading the way.

Leading the people from Shrek in the direction Dai Tu had designated.

Dai Yueheng charged at the very front.

Rage had completely clouded his mind. There was only one thought in his head: catch Long Aotian, break his legs, and tear apart that punchable face of his!

Ma Xiaotao, Chen Zifeng, and Xi Xi followed close behind him. Gongyang Mo, Ling Luochen, and Yao Haoxuan lagged slightly behind, while Xuan Zi drifted at the rear of the group, his gaze dark as he watched ahead, ready to strike at any moment.

After chasing for roughly a quarter of an hour, Long Aotian suddenly stopped.

He stood at the edge of a forest clearing and turned around to look at the pursuing Shrek group. The amusement and mockery on his face were gone, replaced by a cold, indifferent expression.

Dai Yueheng stopped as well, panting heavily as his golden eyes locked onto Long Aotian like a vicious tiger ready to devour prey.

"Run, then. Why did you stop?" Dai Yueheng's voice was hoarse and thick with killing intent.

Long Aotian ignored him and merely turned his head toward the other side of the clearing.

There, beneath the shadow of an ancient tree, Dai Tu slowly emerged.

He walked slowly and calmly. His short black spiky hair looked somewhat disheveled beneath the mottled shadows of the trees. His large, round eyes calmly regarded the people from Shrek, utterly devoid of emotion, as though he were looking at a dead man.

He walked slowly and calmly. His short black spiky hair looked somewhat disheveled beneath the mottled shadows of the trees. His large, round eyes calmly regarded the people from Shrek, utterly devoid of emotion, as though he were looking at a group of... dead men.

"It's you?" Dai Yueheng recognized Dai Tu, frowning. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Dai Tu said nothing. He simply walked to Long Aotian's side. Then the two exchanged a glance and raised their hands at the same time, placing them on each other's shoulders.

"Kamui: Intangibility."

Dai Tu spoke softly.

Their bodies began to blur, like reflections in water. They rippled and distorted in the air before... slowly vanishing.

It was not invisibility, nor was it Teleportation. Their very existence had truly been "erased" from this world.

Dai Yueheng froze.

Ma Xiaotao froze.

Everyone from Shrek froze.

They watched helplessly as Long Aotian and Dai Tu faded like pencil marks erased by an eraser, becoming transparent bit by bit until they completely vanished, without leaving behind even the slightest fluctuation of Soul Power.

As though everything that had just happened had been nothing but an illusion.

"Th-this... what kind of soul skill is this?" Gongyang Mo's voice was a little dry.