"Could Soul Beasts really have such deep reserves of power?"
Bibi Dong's pale hand gripped her scepter tightly, her long fingernails turning faintly white.
In a corner of the Worship Hall,
Qian Daoliu also wore a look of astonishment.
"If the eighth-ranked Soul Beast is already five hundred and fifty thousand years old, could the ones at the very top be million-year-old monsters?"
More than the Soul Beasts' strength, what occupied his thoughts now was the ancestor mentioned in the Divine Oracle.
"Since our ancestor has appeared in the mortal world, yet concealed the secrets of heaven, where should we look for him?"
Qian Daoliu lifted his head, watching the Sky Screen gradually light up with anticipation.
"Since this Sky Screen can rank the strongest under heaven, perhaps it'll reveal some clues about our ancestor later on."
On the training field at Shrek Academy,
all the students and teachers had gathered by now.
Tang San looked at Yu Xiaogang beside him, puzzled.
"Teacher, you're widely learned. Have you ever heard anything about this Demon Eye Demon Tree?"
At his disciple's question, Yu Xiaogang's expression grew awkward.
He cleared his throat, looking a little uneasy.
"Xiao San, a Ferocious Beast with cultivation like this has long surpassed the limits of ordinary Soul Masters' understanding."
"Even in the ancient texts held by Spirit Hall that they've never made public, there are probably very few detailed records about it."
Oscar muttered in disappointment from the side,
"Even Grandmaster doesn't know..."
Xiao Wu stood nearby with her head lowered. Her delicate, pretty face was etched with shock and worry.
"Star Dou Great Forest again..."
"How many secrets are still hidden there, even from Da Ming and Er Ming?"
Meanwhile, beside the Pool of Life at Rainbow Academy,
Xiao Bai had finished transforming into human form and was now curiously fiddling with her skirt.
Long Yun settled back into his stone chair and took a relaxed sip of freshly brewed tea.
"The King of Ten Thousand Demons, huh?"
"Just a lucky fellow with a bit of good fortune on his side."
Hearing Long Yun's assessment, Xiao Bai pouted in displeasure.
"My lord, that guy's just an old tree. He can't compare to the majesty of a Sea Soul Beast."
At that moment, comments once more flooded the Sky Screen.
"What's so special about this King of Ten Thousand Demons? Why should a busted old tree rank above the mighty Xiong Jun and Xiao Bai?"
"Exactly! Xiong Jun's Golden Hawksbill bloodline and the Demon Soul Great White Shark's status as an apex predator—aren't they both nobler than a tree?"
"The Soul Beast Clan values bloodline above all else. Did the King of Ten Thousand Demons get his position through connections?"
Countless comments questioned how the King of Ten Thousand Demons could have earned eighth place.
Just then, the images on the Sky Screen began to shift violently.
The once-dim screen started sketching out an ancient-looking forest.
On the screen,
there stood a Demon Eye Demon Tree that still looked rather young.
Not far beside it grew a peculiar Immortal Herb that glowed with a soft white light.
The Immortal Herb had nine translucent leaves, each giving off a refreshing medicinal fragrance.
The fragrance was rich, and as soon as the ordinary plants around it came into contact with its scent, they began growing at a wildly rapid pace.
"W-what level of natural treasure is that?"
"Just its medicinal fragrance alone has made the surrounding plants undergo a hundred years' worth of evolution?"
Someone on the Sky Screen cried out in shock.
Immediately afterward,
the King of Ten Thousand Demons' countless roots and branches began to writhe greedily, tightly wrapping around the nameless Immortal Herb.
An immense force of devouring erupted.
He refined the peerless Immortal Herb bit by bit, until at last it merged into his trunk.
In an instant,
the black bark covering the King of Ten Thousand Demons began to fall away, replaced by a new layer that shimmered with a dark golden sheen.
His aura surged wildly, and his bloodline underwent an almost perfect transformation.
A line of dazzling golden text appeared on the Sky Screen:
[The King of Ten Thousand Demons devoured and perfectly assimilated a top-grade Immortal Herb. His physique, attributes, and potential have all improved tremendously!]
Watching this scene, the entire Douluo Continent's comments instantly filled with envy.
"How is that fair? It's like heaven shoved the food right into his mouth!"
"One Immortal Herb changed his bloodline. No wonder he can keep Xiong Jun under his thumb!"
"I'm so jealous my eyes are turning red! Such a precious thing was eaten by a Soul Beast. What a terrible waste!"
Deep in the Star Dou Great Forest,
the King of Ten Thousand Demons' aged face was now filled with gloom and fury.
"Damn Sky Screen!"
"It's gone and openly revealed the greatest fortune and secret of my life!"
He glanced around warily. Now that his secret had been exposed, there was no telling whether the other Ferocious Beasts—or even powerful humans—would come coveting it.
On the neighboring mountain, Xiong Jun was grinding his teeth in anger.
"That old tree spirit had that kind of damn luck back then?"
"If I'd eaten that Immortal Herb, I'd be strong enough to flatten that Clear Sky Sect by now!"
Inside the Ice and Snow Palace in the Far North,
Ice Empress gave Snow Empress's arm an envious shake.
"Sister Snow, this must be the Immortal Herb Long Yun mentioned before, right?"
"One herb can have such incredible power. If we got our hands on it, we wouldn't need to worry about transforming into human form or anything like that!"
A strange look appeared in Snow Empress's eyes, and she gave a soft sigh.
Back at Shrek Academy,
as Tang San watched the Immortal Herb radiating boundless vitality, his hands beneath his sleeves had clenched tightly at some point.
His normally pale knuckles had turned faintly blue from the force of his grip.
"An Immortal Herb..."
"How could a beast deserve to enjoy such a divine treasure?"
"If it fell into my hands, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul would surely complete its final evolution!"
Tang San thought darkly to himself, greed flashing briefly in his eyes.
Beside him, Yu Xiaogang stared fixedly at the Sky Screen, murmuring with sour envy,
"If I could take an herb like that, I wouldn't still be stuck, unable to break through to Titled Douluo..."
Before the crowd's envy and jealousy had subsided,
the images in the sky changed once more.
A rather complex panel displayed the King of Ten Thousand Demons' attributes.
The most eye-catching of his special abilities was the ultimate skill bestowed upon him by the Immortal Herb: [Millennium in an Instant].
The screen began showing a battle.
It was a shattered battlefield.
A proud-looking young woman stood facing off against the King of Ten Thousand Demons, a long sword in her hand.
"Who's that girl? She doesn't look like she's from Spirit Hall."
"Ye Xinglan? Is there really someone like that on the continent?"
"I've never heard of her. Could she be some future powerhouse?"
Before you continue