Beast Tide

On the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest, Bo Saixi looked at the Emerald Swan ahead of her. After hesitating for a moment, she could not help asking, "Xiaoqing, are you sure you can absorb it? This is a three-thousand-year spirit ring!"

It was not that she did not trust Li Changqing; the gap was simply too great.

According to the rules of the Douluo Continent, for a soul master to absorb a three-thousand-year spirit ring, their cultivation had to be at least at the Soul Ancestor level—above level forty.

The energy contained within a thousand-year spirit ring was simply too vast. If one's body was not strong enough, their meridians could easily burst. At best, they would be severely injured; at worst, they would die on the spot.

Although Li Changqing had a special constitution and was the son of a God King, his cultivation level was right there for all to see.

Level twenty, and he did not even have both of his spirit rings yet.

If something went wrong while directly absorbing a three-thousand-year spirit ring, how was she supposed to explain it to the Sea God?

How was she supposed to explain it to the Goddess of Life?

Li Changqing merely waved his hand and said with an easy expression, "Don't worry. Back in the God Realm, Mother refined my body with the origin of life. Besides, this Emerald Swan shares my attributes. We are both life-element types, so there won't be any problems absorbing it."

Only then did Bo Saixi feel somewhat reassured.

A body personally tempered by a God King was certainly not something ordinary people could compare to.

And with matching attributes, the rejection would be much weaker as well.

"Alright, then."

Seeing this, Bo Saixi did not refuse any further and nodded. "Wait here. I'll go catch that fellow."

With that, her figure flashed, and she turned into a white afterimage before vanishing from the spot.

As a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo, Bo Saixi stood at the very pinnacle of the world in both strength and speed.

Before the Emerald Swan on the lake and the guards around it could react, a slender, fair hand had already seized its neck.

The Emerald Swan flapped its wings in terror, trying to break free, but that hand was like an iron vise and did not budge in the slightest.

The next moment, Bo Saixi had already returned to Li Changqing with the Emerald Swan. The entire process took no more than three seconds.

"There, got it." Bo Saixi set the Emerald Swan on the ground and clapped her hands, looking as relaxed as though she had merely gone to the market to buy a cabbage.

The Emerald Swan lay limp on the ground, its eyes filled with terror.

Though it had three thousand years of cultivation, before a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo, it was no different from a chick.

Li Changqing stepped forward, crouched down, and released his martial soul.

A pale green light surged from his body, and the phantom of the Ancient Tree of Life slowly emerged behind him.

The towering ancient tree emitted an intense aura of life. Its branches and leaves trembled lightly, as though it were breathing.

Then something magical happened.

The previously terrified Emerald Swan suddenly calmed down the moment it saw the Ancient Tree of Life.

Its emerald-green eyes stared fixedly at the Ancient Tree of Life, filled with reverence and longing.

Then, before Li Changqing could do anything, it stretched out its head on its own initiative and pressed it against his palm.

Its posture was like that of a pilgrim paying homage.

At the sight of this, not only was Bo Saixi stunned, but even Li Changqing froze for a moment.

Seriously, is this right?

Shouldn't spirit beasts fight desperately and refuse to yield even in death?

What kind of move is this, voluntarily handing over your head?

Bo Saixi gave a bitter smile and could not help rubbing her forehead. Is this the bloodline of a God King who governs life?

Truly heaven-defying.

Even spirit beasts could not resist such an attraction, willingly offering up their spirit rings.

Though Li Changqing was also somewhat surprised, he quickly understood.

The Ancient Tree of Life was formed from the Goddess of Life's super divine artifact and represented the supreme authority over life and creation.

As a life-element spirit beast, it was only natural for the Emerald Swan to feel closeness and reverence toward such an aura.

He no longer hesitated. Closing his eyes, he began circulating his Soul Power and guided the Emerald Swan's spirit ring into his body.

A purple spirit ring slowly rose from the Emerald Swan, spinning around Li Changqing before gradually merging into his body.

Warm, pure life energy flooded into his meridians and fused with the Ancient Tree of Life.

The entire process was incomparably smooth, without the slightest obstruction.

It was as though the Emerald Swan had willingly offered its power to him.

Night fell, and the Star Dou Forest sank into darkness.

Bo Saixi lit a campfire beside Li Changqing. The orange-red flames scattered the surrounding darkness and brought warmth with them.

Ordinarily, one could not light a campfire in a spirit beast forest at night.

The firelight and heat would attract spirit beasts.

Especially in a place like the Star Dou Forest, where spirit beasts were abundant, doing so was no different from courting death.

But who was Bo Saixi?

Forget the spirit beasts of the outskirts—even if the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python came, they would have to obediently take a few slaps before leaving.

To put it bluntly, so long as neither Di Tian nor the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena awakened, there was nowhere in this vast world that Bo Saixi could not go.

Even in the Far North, guarded by the Snow Empress, she could make seven trips in and seven trips out.

Li Changqing sat cross-legged beside the fire, his eyes closed as a faint green glow radiated from his body.

He was absorbing the Emerald Swan's spirit ring, and the process had reached its final stage.

Bo Saixi sat beside him with her eyes closed, resting her mind, though her spiritual power remained constantly alert to every movement around them.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes.

The ground began trembling faintly, and rumbling sounds came from the distance, as though thousands of troops and horses were charging toward them.

Countless birds were startled from the trees, flapping into the night sky.

The roars of all kinds of spirit beasts rose and fell, drawing nearer and nearer.

Bo Saixi's willow-like brows furrowed as she murmured, "A beast tide? How could a beast tide suddenly occur for no reason? Did something happen in the core region?"

She rose to her feet and looked deep into the forest, a trace of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

If she had not needed to protect Li Changqing, she would have almost been unable to resist going to take a look.

The trembling of the ground grew stronger, and the beast roars came closer.

Bo Saixi could sense that at least a hundred spirit beasts were rushing in this direction, including quite a few with ten-thousand-year auras.

Just then, two figures staggered out from the forest.

They were a man and a young girl.

The man looked to be around twenty-five or twenty-six. He wore fitted combat clothes, and his body bore many wounds. Blood had stained his lapels red, making it clear that he had just experienced a fierce battle.

The girl appeared to be around twelve or thirteen and wore a long black dress. Her features were delicate.

But her face was now filled with panic.

She supported the wounded man, her eyes full of anxiety.

When they saw Bo Saixi, they froze at first, as though stunned by her beauty and bearing.

To encounter such a breathtakingly beautiful woman even at such a critical moment was truly astonishing.