Tang San's Despair: Those Beasts! Xiong Jun's Ambition!

Tang San gasped for air, his body swaying, yet he kept his gaze locked firmly toward the Star Dou Great Forest, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.

"Too weak... I am too weak..."

"If I had the strength of a Title Douluo... if I had the strength of that Gu Yuan on the Sky Screen..."

Not far away, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun watched this scene, exchanging glances filled with worry, yet none dared to step forward to intervene.

For the past few days, Tang San had been like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment, radiating a frigid aura that warned everyone to keep their distance.

Just then, the clear sky suddenly changed color.

A vast, ancient aura instantly enveloped the entire Shrek Academy, and the wild pressure belonging to soul beasts made everyone's breath hitch.

Tang San, who had been venting his frustration, suddenly stiffened and jerked his head upward.

Above, on the Sky Screen, green light swirled, and the gilded characters struck his eyes like heavy hammers:

[Douluo Continent: Top Ten Peak Soul Beasts!]

[All those who make the list shall be granted supreme fortune and the blessing of the Heavenly Dao!]

"Soul beast... ranking?"

Tang San muttered to himself, a terrifying gleam suddenly erupting in his deadened eyes.

"Xiao Wu... she was taken back to the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest... that is the stronghold of the soul beasts..."

His mind raced, his heart pounding violently.

If this was a ranking of peak soul beasts, then the Titan Giant Ape that snatched Xiao Wu, or perhaps even more terrifying legends, would surely appear on the list!

"As long as I watch this ranking... as long as I watch this ranking, I will know exactly what kind of thing took Xiao Wu! I will know what lies in the depths of that forest!"

Tang San's voice trembled with agitation; he stared fixedly at the Sky Screen, as if trying to pierce through it.

However, when he saw the final line—[All those who make the list shall be granted supreme fortune and the blessing of the Heavenly Dao]—his face turned deathly pale, as if he had fallen into an icy abyss.

"Rewards... a blessing from the Heavenly Dao?"

Tang San stumbled back two steps, clutching his hair in despair.

"No... this cannot be..."

"Those two transformed soul beasts are already despairingly strong... if they receive some kind of Heavenly Dao reward and their strength increases further..."

"Then how long must I cultivate before I can rescue Xiao Wu? Ten years? Fifty years? Or a lifetime?!"

A profound sense of powerlessness surged in his heart.

This was already a rescue mission with an extreme disparity in strength; now, the Sky Screen was actually going to distribute rewards to those terrifying beasts?

This was effectively severing his last shred of hope!

"Tang San, calm down."

A hoarse, steady voice sounded from behind him.

Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang walked slowly out of the shadows of the woods with his hands behind his back.

He looked at his most prized disciple, now a shadow of his former self, and a flicker of heartache crossed his eyes, though his expression remained rigid and stern.

"Teacher..."

Tang San turned his head, his eye sockets red, his voice choked with emotion. "The Sky Screen... the Sky Screen is helping those beasts..."

"That is the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao is ruthless, yet impartial."

Yu Xiaogang walked up to Tang San, raised his hand to press down on his trembling shoulders, and said in a deep voice:

"By wallowing in self-pity or blaming the heavens here, can you save Xiao Wu?"

"What you must do is not fear them growing stronger."

Yu Xiaogang pointed at the sky, his tone severe.

"You must use this opportunity to see the truth of this world clearly!"

"This Sky Screen will lift the veil on the highest echelons of the soul beast world. You must watch carefully to see what level of existence took Xiao Wu, what their weaknesses are, and what their abilities are!"

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Even if they receive rewards, as long as you are alive and willing to cultivate, there will come a day when you can surpass them!"

"But if you go insane and collapse now, then Xiao Wu... will truly be beyond saving!"

Yu Xiaogang's words were like a basin of ice water poured over Tang San's head, instantly clearing his chaotic mind.

That's right.

Information!

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gather intelligence!

Tang San took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning blood in his chest, and used his soul power to seal the wounds on his palms. His gaze became firm once more, even colder and sharper than before.

"Teacher, I understand."

Tang San turned around, his eyes like blades, locked firmly onto the Sky Screen.

"I will carve the appearance, abilities, and rankings of every soul beast on this list into my mind."

"No matter how strong they become... one day, I will slaughter them with my own hands and bring Xiao Wu back!"

Grandmaster watched as Tang San's fighting spirit reignited, feeling a sense of relief, yet as he looked at the words "Heavenly Dao Blessing" on the Sky Screen, his hands behind his back clenched into tight fists, his palms slick with cold sweat.

As a master of theory, he understood the implications far better than Tang San.

Soul beasts possessed long lifespans and formidable physical bodies; their only weaknesses were slow cultivation and the tribulation of taking human form.

If the rewards from this Sky Screen could bridge those gaps...

Then the heavens of the Douluo Continent were truly about to change.

The nightmare for human soul masters might have only just begun.

Just as the members of Shrek were lost in their own thoughts, the image on the Sky Screen finally began to shift.

Lines of ancient, rustic text slowly emerged, accompanied by a dragon's roar that shook the heavens and the earth.

[Tenth Place...]

Star Dou Great Forest, core area, Life Lake.

The surface of the lake, once calm as a mirror, now seemed to boil, rippling with violent, layered waves.

That vast pressure descending from the firmament might only cause heart palpitations for humans, but for soul beasts with their strict bloodline hierarchy, it was a trembling from the depths of their souls and... pure ecstasy!

"ROAR--!!!"

A roar of extreme brutality, like a thunderclap, instantly tore through the tranquility of the core area.

The ground shuddered violently, and countless towering ancient trees trembled in the wake of that terrifying sound wave, many shedding their leaves in a sudden, frantic shower.

A figure as towering as a mountain suddenly rose from the depths of the jungle.

It was a giant bear, its entire body covered in dark golden fur, each strand standing upright like a steel needle. Its arms were long and thick, and those claws, glinting with a bloodthirsty light, seemed capable of easily tearing through the void.

The King of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, Xiong Jun!

His fierce, small eyes were currently locked onto the words "Bestowing supreme opportunity, Heaven's Dao descends" on the Sky Screen. His breathing was as heavy as a bellows, and the hot air from his nostrils scorched the rocks before him until they glowed red.

"Opportunity! A heaven-sent opportunity! Hahahaha!"

Xiong Jun swung his Terrorclaw, capable of splitting mountains and shattering stones, with manic energy, smashing a boulder weighing dozens of tons into dust as if it were tofu. His voice was laced with unconcealable greed and ambition:

"How many years have I, this old bear, been trapped at this bottleneck! If I can obtain this Heavenly Dao Blessing, what kind of damn heavenly tribulation could stop me? I'll tear it to shreds with a single claw!

When that time comes, I will be a true god!

Even Di Tian..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a flash of ferocity crossed his eyes, and he instinctively glanced at the black-clad figure standing with hands behind his back by the lake. Though he left the words unsaid, the provocative intent was self-evident.

On this list, he, Xiong Jun, was determined to fight for the highest rank!