Du Busi Helps Scarlet King? Dai Tu's Scheme Succeeds!

"Pfft."

The tiger claw pierced through that coat of brilliant golden fur, tearing an even larger bloody hole in her already grievously wounded abdomen.

Fragments of organs mixed with blood gushed out. Three-Eyed Golden Lion's body convulsed violently, letting out a weak whimper that was almost inaudible before... falling completely still.

Silence.

Dead silence.

Only Dai Yueheng's agonized screams as he clutched his burning right hand and rolled on the ground echoed through the clearing.

Scarlet King froze.

Xuan Zi froze.

Everyone from Shrek Academy froze.

They stared at Three-Eyed Golden Lion, whose abdomen had been ripped open as blood flowed incessantly from the wound, her presence so faint it was almost imperceptible. Their minds went blank.

Dead... dead?

The Emperor Auspicious Beast... had been accidentally killed by Dai Yueheng?

"No... no... I didn't mean to..." Dai Yueheng struggled to his feet, staring at his blood-soaked right hand before looking at the dying Three-Eyed Golden Lion, his face filled with terror and confusion. "Just now... that fireball... where did it come from? I... I don't know..."

"You deserve to die!!!"

Scarlet King flew into a rage and was about to strike Dai Yueheng down!

"This soul beast is already done for. Even if we do not kill her, she will not survive the day. Rather than let her die in agony, it would be better to let my disciple grant her a quick death. As for the fortune of the soul beast race... we can compensate you. Shrek Academy is willing to provide resources of equal value to make up for your losses."

"Compensate? Hahaha!" Scarlet King threw his head back and laughed, his voice full of mockery and sorrow. "Humans, you have always been this selfish, this shameless! Can the life of the Auspicious Beast be measured in resources? She is the hope of the soul beast race, the future of the Star Dou Great Forest! You harmed her, so you will pay with your lives!"

With that, Scarlet King stopped wasting words and attacked directly.

He raised his right claw and viciously tore it toward Xuan Zi.

"Rip!"

Space split apart like cloth. Five scarlet claw marks carrying heat capable of incinerating everything crossed dozens of meters in an instant and appeared before Xuan Zi.

Xuan Zi snorted coldly. He neither dodged nor retreated, merely raising his right hand, spreading his fingers, and lightly clenching them at the five claw marks.

"Buzz."

Space froze once again, locking the five claw marks in midair. Then Xuan Zi closed his fingers, and the marks shattered like glass, turning into sparks that scattered through the air.

"Scarlet King, you are no match for me," Xuan Zi said calmly. "Step aside and let my disciple deliver the final blow. I can pretend that nothing happened today. Otherwise..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing through his eyes. "I do not mind killing another ferocious beast."

Scarlet King's expression turned extremely ugly.

He knew Xuan Zi was telling the truth. Though he was also a three-hundred-thousand-year ferocious beast, with strength comparable to a human Rank 96 or even Rank 97 Super Douluo, Xuan Zi was Rank 98, only one step away from a Limit Douluo. If they truly fought, Scarlet King's odds of winning were slim.

But he could not retreat.

The Auspicious Beast was behind him, barely clinging to life. If he retreated, she would undoubtedly die.

"Roar!!!"

Scarlet King let out a crazed roar. No longer holding back, he erupted with all his strength.

Scarlet flames surged skyward from his body, forming a sea of fire that engulfed the entire clearing. The temperature instantly soared to several thousand degrees. The ground began to melt, grass and trees turned to ash, and even the air twisted and burned.

"Stubborn fool." Xuan Zi shook his head and finally became serious as well. Behind him, a massive phantom resembling Taotie appeared. It opened its enormous maw and savagely inhaled the sea of flames.

"Whoosh."

A terrifying suction force descended. That inferno capable of burning the heavens and boiling the earth was swallowed whole by the Taotie phantom, without even a spark remaining.

Scarlet King grunted and staggered back three steps, a trace of golden blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He stared fixedly at Xuan Zi, his eyes full of unwillingness and despair.

But at that moment...

"Well, this is quite lively."

A lazy, teasing voice suddenly rang through the clearing.

Immediately afterward, a dark green figure appeared out of thin air between Xuan Zi and Scarlet King like a ghost.

It was Du Busi.

He raised his right hand, spread his fingers, and lightly clenched them at Xuan Zi's strike, powerful enough to shatter mountains.

"Bang!"

Xuan Zi's attack stopped in midair.

No, it had not stopped in midair. It had halted three inches before Du Busi's palm. A dark green barrier resembling poisonous mist had appeared from nowhere, firmly blocking Scarlet King's violent strike.

"Du Busi?!" Xuan Zi's expression changed. "Why are you here?!"

"Why can't I be here?" Du Busi withdrew his hand, glanced at Xuan Zi, and curled his lips into a mocking smile. "Does the Star Dou Great Forest belong to you? You can come, but I cannot?"

"You..." Xuan Zi's face turned livid with anger, but he had no interest in arguing with Du Busi now. He snapped, "Du Busi, move aside! This beast wants to kill a disciple of Shrek Academy. Are you helping soul beasts deal with humans?!"

"Helping soul beasts deal with humans?" Du Busi raised his brow, then laughed coldly. "Xuan Zi, have you gone senile? Who was the one bullying the weak and trying to kill a ten-thousand-year soul beast? Who indulged his disciple in hunting the Emperor Auspicious Beast, who bears the fortune of the soul beast race? Now that you cannot win, you remember that you are 'human'? Pah. I look down on you!"

Xuan Zi was left speechless, his face alternating between green and white.

Scarlet King was stunned as well.

He stared intently at Du Busi, his eyes full of vigilance and... confusion.

Why was this human powerhouse helping him? Were they not on the same side?

"What are you looking at?" Du Busi shot Scarlet King a glance and said irritably.

"I just cannot stand certain people being so shameless, bullying the weak. Such a cute soul beast, and you could still bring yourselves to hurt her? Are you even human?"

A cute soul beast?

Scarlet King's mouth twitched as he looked at Three-Eyed Golden Lion lying on the ground with a hole in her abdomen. What did this human mean?

But he could sense that Du Busi bore no ill intent. At least, not for the moment.

"Du Busi, what exactly do you want?" Xuan Zi took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"This Emperor Auspicious Beast is already beyond saving. Even if you rescue her now, she will not live much longer. Rather than let her die in pain..."

"Rather than let your disciple pick up a bargain and absorb her soul ring?" Du Busi cut him off with a sneer. "Xuan Zi, is there anything in that brain of yours besides soul rings? Such as... a conscience?"

"You...!"

"What about me?" Du Busi waved his hand impatiently. "Enough. I cannot be bothered to waste words with you. I am protecting this soul beast. If you want to fight, I will accompany you. If not, take your people and get lost."

Xuan Zi stared fixedly at Du Busi, killing intent churning in his eyes.

He knew there was no way to resolve today's matter peacefully. The Emperor Auspicious Beast had been severely injured, Scarlet King was enraged, and Du Busi had interfered... If they continued fighting, even if they won, both sides would suffer grievously.

But it was not over yet. Du Busi called Long Aotian and Dai Tu out as well.

The two appeared, and Dai Tu walked directly toward the Emperor Auspicious Beast. Scarlet King looked puzzled.

"What is this?"

"My disciple," Du Busi said impatiently. "Stop talking and move aside. My disciple is a healing-type soul master. Let him see whether he can save this little thing."

A healing-type soul master?

Scarlet King froze, then quickly stepped aside.

Dai Tu walked over to Three-Eyed Golden Lion and crouched down. Looking at this dying soul beast, once sacred and noble, a complicated expression flashed through his eyes.

Then he extended his left hand and pressed it against the wound on Three-Eyed Golden Lion's abdomen.

A jade-green glow lit up from his palm.

The Tree of Life Martial Soul's Life Eulogy soul skill activated at full power.

Gentle yet immense life force poured into Three-Eyed Golden Lion's body like floodwaters bursting through a dam, nourishing her shattered organs, repairing her broken bones, and soothing the wounds in her soul.

Three-Eyed Golden Lion's body trembled slightly.

Those pure golden vertical pupils, which had nearly closed, slowly opened and looked at Dai Tu.

Their eyes met.

Dai Tu saw his own face reflected in those golden eyes, along with... a bottomless starry sky that seemed to span the ages.