Overwhelming

Noon, Sunset Forest.

After a morning of traveling, the three of them—one old and two young—had crossed the outer reaches of Sunset Forest and begun exploring deeper into the woods.

"Elder, Yan Yan, didn't you say Sunset Forest was fraught with danger, its peril rivaling even the Soul Beast Holy Land, Star Dou Great Forest?"

But they had only been deeper in for a few minutes when Yu Tianheng, walking beside Dugu Yan behind the clan elder, suddenly spoke up. His tone held a trace of confusion.

"Have we really not run into a single Soul Beast this whole way?"

They had been moving for several hours and still hadn't seen a single Soul Beast. As this was Yu Tianheng's first visit to Sunset Forest, he couldn't help growing restless.

He had agreed to come to Sunset Forest to hunt for a Soul Ring at Dugu Yan's suggestion, and their elder had approved as well.

But after walking all this way, how had they not seen a single Soul Beast?

Seeing Yu Tianheng's reaction, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan elder and Dugu Yan stopped too.

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with the same confusion.

"Tianheng, something must have happened in Sunset Forest today. This place feels wrong."

Dugu Yan patted Yu Tianheng on the shoulder and spoke with a frown.

She had practically grown up in Sunset Forest with Dugu Bo. She had never seen anything like this before. They were almost at the forest's heart, yet hadn't encountered a single Hundred-Year Soul Beast along the way.

The elder beside them nodded in agreement.

But just as he was about to say something, an inexplicably powerful force came crashing down on him.

"Crack!"

The once-hard ground shattered, and one of the Soul Saint elder's knees slammed into the earth.

He tried to shout, but under this immense pressure, even lifting his head to call for help was impossible. He could barely even open his mouth.

"Who's there?!"

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, who had been standing around casually, froze. After a brief moment of shock, they hurried to stand together, keeping wary eyes on their surroundings.

Their bodies were still trembling. This was terrifying.

Yu Tianheng had never seen their elder humiliated like this before.

At the same time, two figures—one large and one small—appeared in the sky. They were Guang Ling Douluo and Luo Chen.

"Well, Chen'er? I'll keep an eye on this level-70 little dragon for you. Now you can do whatever you want."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan felt their hearts leap into their throats.

Neither of them was an ordinary Soul Master. Putting together the elder's predicament and the sight of Guang Ling Douluo, they understood at once.

"Titled Douluo!"

They cried out in unison, their voices full of shock and fear.

But Dugu Yan soon froze. While they had been reeling in shock, Guang Ling Douluo had already teleported to stand before the three of them, bringing Luo Chen with him.

The moment she recognized their faces, the memories of the previous night rushed back into Dugu Yan's mind.

"Wait, you're the two people from the inn last night!"

At Dugu Yan's reminder, Yu Tianheng remembered them too. He stared at the pair in shock.

As for the Soul Saint elder, though he still couldn't move, his heart had already gone cold.

He was imagining which enemy had come to attack them.

But Guang Ling Douluo and Luo Chen clearly couldn't be bothered with him.

Luo Chen turned back and smiled faintly at Guang Ling Douluo.

"Thank you, Grandpa Guang Ling."

Then he turned his gaze to Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan.

"Don't worry. Fifth Grandpa and I mean you no harm. He only stepped in temporarily to keep that senior in check, so he wouldn't interrupt what we need to discuss."

Luo Chen still wore a smile, but to Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, it looked utterly false. It even sent a chill through them.

After all, their lives were now entirely in someone else's hands.

"Who are you? Do you even know who we are?"

Shielding Dugu Yan with one arm, Yu Tianheng tried to sound calm.

"My grandfather is Yu Yuanzhen, the current head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"

He introduced himself, clearly hoping to scare them off with his background. But the next moment, he was met with Guang Ling Douluo's merciless laughter.

"So that's who it is. You're Yu Yuanzhen's grandson."

Guang Ling Douluo laughed cheerfully and patted Luo Chen on the shoulder.

"Don't be afraid, Chen'er."

"He's just an old dragon at level 95. Your Grandpa Golden Crocodile can beat him with one hand!"

As he spoke, Guang Ling Douluo turned his gaze to Dugu Yan and paused to think.

"As for this little girl, she's from the Jade Scale Snake Clan. She must be from Dugu Bo's line."

Although the Worship Hall had stayed out of worldly affairs for many years, they still knew the Titled Douluos who had been active on the continent in earlier days.

When Guang Ling Douluo finished speaking, a chill shot straight through everyone present—the elder still kneeling under the pressure, Yu Tianheng, and Dugu Yan alike.

The meaning behind Guang Ling Douluo's words was obvious. He knew who stood behind them, and he wasn't afraid of them at all!

"Ahem, there's no need to be afraid. I came mainly because I want to test the power of your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Martial Soul."

Just then, Luo Chen cleared his throat and spoke to them.

"I've long heard that the world's strongest Beast Martial Soul is unmatched. I want to see for myself just how powerful it is."

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan both froze.

They exchanged a glance.

"Um, little friend..."

"Are you sure you're the one who wants to test it, and not your grandfather?"

Most of Yu Tianheng's fear faded. He looked at Luo Chen as if to say, "Don't talk nonsense."

To Yu Tianheng, who was already over ten years old, Luo Chen really did look like a little kid.

And he was one, too. He wasn't even seven yet.

It had only been a little over half a year since he awakened his Martial Soul.

So Luo Chen didn't get angry. He simply stepped forward.

In an instant, the aura of death swept across the entire area. The two standing directly before Luo Chen felt completely engulfed by its shadow.

A flash of purplish-black light appeared, and the Death Spider Emperor possessed him.

Then three purple Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet.

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan: "?!"

The elder remained pinned down, still unaware of what was happening. He could only keep trying to look up, unable to move at all.

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan were utterly dumbfounded.

Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?

This little boy, who looked far younger than them, was a Soul Elder?

And what did he mean, all three of his Soul Rings were Thousand-Year Soul Rings?

Crack!

Something shattered, but only Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan heard it.

It wasn't anything else. It was the resolve they had forged through all their years of cultivation.

At that moment, only one saying echoed in their minds:

There's always someone stronger, and there's always a higher heaven.