The Hunt

Seeing that Qian Renxue was about to attack the Sky Azure Bull Python, Er Ming, the second-in-command, could no longer hold back.

He let out a roar and, ignoring Xiao Wu's attempt to stop him, charged out from the shadows.

"Roar!!! Humans, don't you dare touch my big brother!"

Er Ming clenched his giant, wok-sized fist and charged straight at Qian Renxue, bringing a fierce gale with it.

At the critical moment, Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo simultaneously unleashed their Martial Soul Avatars and stepped in front of Qian Renxue, taking the punch head-on.

Chen Xin wasn't surprised to see another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Titan Giant Ape.

According to legend, these two Soul Beasts were sworn brothers who were inseparable. If one appeared, the other was sure to be nearby.

"You vile beast, you're asking for death!"

Chen Xin shouted sharply. The Seven Kill Sword moved with the wind as sword arts brimming with killing intent slowly took shape in the air.

With a mere thought from him, the terrifying Kill Character would come crashing down.

Er Ming looked at Da Ming, who lay behind him on the brink of death. His eyes were filled with grief and grim determination, and he no longer cared whether he could win.

Even if he died, he would take someone down with him!

"Roar! Take my punch!"

Er Ming slammed the ground and used the force to charge wildly toward Qian Renxue.

He could tell that the golden-haired girl was clearly the weakest, yet all these people were guarding her so closely. She had to be someone important. He had to kill her!

Seeing Er Ming charge straight for Qian Renxue, the three Titled Douluo—Pufferfish Douluo, Snake Lance Douluo, and Dugu Bo—acted at once. Their strongest defensive Soul Skills layered one over another, shielding Qian Renxue completely.

Seeing this, Chen Qi was instantly consumed by fury.

That damned gorilla should never have pointed his attacks at Qian Renxue!

The ten enormous angel wings on his back unfurled beyond his control. Rings of dazzling golden light suddenly appeared above Er Ming, and the next instant, a terrifying pillar of energy came crashing down from within them, striking Er Ming with its full force.

The blow sent Er Ming stumbling back dozens of steps, while Chen Xin's Kill Character Sword Art had already been unleashed. Dozens of sword auras filled with immense killing intent howled in from all directions, locking onto the Titan Giant Ape.

The other three Titled Douluo didn't hold back either. They unleashed their most powerful finishing moves and bombarded Er Ming with everything they had.

Faced with this world-shattering barrage, Er Ming was utterly dumbfounded. Who was this girl they were protecting so desperately? What could make four Titled Douluo attack him at any cost?

Against attacks powerful enough to split mountains and shatter the earth, Er Ming had no way to defend himself. Amid the explosions of massive mushroom clouds, he was blasted into a critical state.

Like the Sky Azure Bull Python, he collapsed in a pool of blood, his breathing feeble and his life hanging by a thread.

Seeing this, the four Titled Douluo withdrew their power at the same time.

They looked at the somewhat weakened Qian Renxue and all breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, she was unharmed. It was just that Chen Qi had used too much power, leaving Qian Renxue temporarily drained.

In the shadows, Xiao Wu saw that Er Ming was half-dead just like Da Ming. Her whole body stiffened, and she didn't dare move.

From the day she was born until now, she had never seen a Titled Douluo fight. She had no idea how powerful they really were.

Most of the Soul Masters she had met before couldn't withstand even two or three of her moves, so she had always thought humans were weak.

But today, she finally understood how terribly wrong she had been.

Human strength far surpassed anything she had imagined.

The two powerful Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts couldn't even withstand a single move from the four Titled Douluo.

Seeing her two family members in such a wretched state, Xiao Wu was overcome with grief.

She held back her tears, steadied herself, and then did something astonishing.

She pushed off hard with both legs, rushed out, and bit down on Er Ming's arm. Summoning all her strength, she dragged him toward the woods on the other side.

Why didn't she save Da Ming? Because Da Ming was simply too big. She couldn't drag him!

Seeing a Soft Bone Rabbit rescue a Titan Giant Ape, everyone frowned.

They had never heard of a Soft Bone Rabbit with a hundred thousand years of cultivation. Stranger still, weren't Soft Bone Rabbits part of the Titan Giant Ape's diet?

Why was it rescuing its natural enemy instead?

Chen Qi gradually returned to normal. He gazed in the direction the Soft Bone Rabbit had fled, his eyes turning cold.

He knew this was the legendary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit, Xiao Wu, the future wife of Sea God Tang San.

At this point in time, she hadn't taken human form yet and was still playing around with Da Ming and Er Ming.

But the one thing she absolutely shouldn't have done was appear in front of Chen Qi.

Because that meant she was as good as a Soul Ring for Qian Renxue.

"Grandpa Sword Douluo, that Titan Giant Ape..."

Qian Renxue looked at Chen Xin.

"It's fine. Absorb the Sky Azure Bull Python first, and then we'll catch up."

Chen Xin waved a hand.

He narrowed his eyes as he looked in the direction the Soft Bone Rabbit had gone, a cold glint flashing through them. None of the prey he set his sights on had ever gotten away.

As the Sky Azure Bull Python watched Qian Renxue draw closer, despair filled its eyes. It slowly closed them. This was perhaps where its life would end.

Elsewhere, Xiao Wu dragged Er Ming into a hidden cave.

She gathered some herbs and carefully applied them to Er Ming's wounds, then peeked outside, anxiously watching the entrance for fear that Chen Xin and the others would catch up.

"Sister Xiao Wu, hurry and run..."

Er Ming said weakly.

"I won't live much longer in my current state. As long as you survive, Big Brother and I will be content."

Xiao Wu looked at Er Ming. Her eyes immediately reddened, and her voice caught with tears.

"No! Er Ming, I'll never abandon you! Even if I die, I'll die before you!"

Er Ming looked at her and shook his head helplessly.

"Let's go back to the Lake of Life... I want to see the place where we lived together one more time."

Half an hour later, Qian Renxue successfully absorbed the Sky Azure Bull Python, making it her fifth Soul Ring.

Then, something that left everyone even more stunned happened: Qian Renxue's level began to soar wildly, and she soon broke through to level sixty!

Her progress was like a rocket. Calling her a monster would hardly do her justice.

"Perfect. The young mistress has reached level sixty again, so that stinking gorilla will have a place to go, too."

Pufferfish Douluo said coldly.

He was still brooding over Er Ming's attack on Qian Renxue.

If they hadn't reacted so quickly, something might have happened to the young mistress.

Chen Qi looked at the Sky Azure Bull Python's corpse and spotted a bone reflecting the light inside it.

It was the legendary Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.

"There's a Soul Bone here, too."

Chen Qi pointed it out.

No one was surprised. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was guaranteed to drop a Soul Bone. It would have been strange if it hadn't.

Qian Renxue took the Soul Bone and looked at Chen Xin, speaking earnestly.

"Grandpa Sword Douluo, thank you for accompanying me all this way. I'd like you to have this Hundred Thousand Year right arm bone."

Chen Xin stared at the precious gift Qian Renxue had offered him, his mouth falling open in shock.

This was a legendary Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, and she was just giving it to him?

"Keep it for yourself. Your grandfather's birthday is coming up. It would make a nice gift for him."

Qian Renxue shook her head and pressed the Soul Bone into Chen Xin's hands.

"Grandpa already has a complete set of Soul Bones, and he told me not to absorb any. So please take it, Grandpa Sword Douluo."

Seeing how firm she was, Chen Xin could only accept this incredibly precious gift.

It was a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone! How many Titled Douluo spent their entire lives without obtaining even a low-year Soul Bone?

With this Soul Bone, his strength would rise by a great deal.

Next time he sparred with Gu Rong, that foolish dragon would be the one losing.

By now, Qian Renxue had become the greatest benefactor of Chen Xin's life.

At first, he had only protected Qian Renxue because he had been ordered to. Now, he was willing, from the bottom of his heart, to fight with every last breath to protect her.

"Let's go! We'll finish off that damned gorilla and that saucy rabbit!"