Pursuit and Kill

Seeing Qian Renxue prepare to strike at the Sky Azure Bull Python, the second-eldest, the Titan Giant Ape Er Ming, could no longer restrain himself.

He let out a thunderous roar and, ignoring Xiao Wu's attempts to dissuade him, lunged out from the shadows.

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

Clenching his fists, which were as large as earthenware pots, Er Ming charged straight at Qian Renxue, his movement carrying a violent, gale-force wind.

At the critical moment, Snake Lance Douluo and Pufferfish Douluo simultaneously unleashed their Martial Soul Avatars, stepping in front of Qian Renxue to take the heavy blow head-on.

Chen Xin was not surprised to see another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Titan Giant Ape.

Legend had it that these two soul beasts were sworn brothers who were inseparable; if one appeared, the other was surely nearby.

"You beast, you seek death!"

Chen Xin shouted sharply. The Seven Kill Sword moved with the wind, and sword techniques imbued with killing intent slowly coalesced in the air.

With a single thought from him, the terrifying character for "Kill" would come crashing down.

Looking at the dying Da Ming behind him, Er Ming's eyes were filled with grief, indignation, and resolve; he no longer cared whether he could win or not.

Even if he died, he would take one of them down with him!

"ROAR! Take this punch!!"

Er Ming hammered the earth, using the momentum to charge wildly toward Qian Renxue.

He realized that this golden-haired girl was clearly the weakest, yet she was being tightly protected by so many people; she must be someone of great importance, and he had to kill her!

Seeing Er Ming charging straight for Qian Renxue, the three Title Douluo—Pufferfish Douluo, Snake Lance Douluo, and Dugu Bo—struck simultaneously, layering their strongest defensive soul skills to shield Qian Renxue completely.

Seeing this, Chen Qi was consumed by a burning rage.

This damn ape should never have pointed his spearhead at Qian Renxue!

The ten massive angel wings behind his back unfurled uncontrollably. Suddenly, rings of blinding golden light appeared in the sky above Er Ming, and in the next second, a terrifying pillar of energy descended, slamming into Er Ming with everything it had.

Er Ming retreated dozens of steps in agony, and by then, Chen Xin's "Kill" sword technique had already been launched. Dozens of sword auras, brimming with powerful killing intent, whistled from all directions, locking the Titan Giant Ape firmly in place.

The other three Title Douluo did not remain idle, each unleashing their strongest killing moves, bombarding Er Ming frantically.

Witnessing this world-shattering offensive, Er Ming was completely stunned. What exactly was the identity of this girl they were protecting with their lives? She could actually make four Title Douluo attack him at any cost!

Facing a terrifying assault capable of splitting mountains and shattering the earth, Er Ming had no way to parry; amidst the explosions of massive mushroom clouds, he was blasted into a state of critical injury.

Like the Sky Azure Bull Python, he collapsed into a pool of blood, his aura withered, on the verge of death at any moment.

Seeing this, the four Title Douluo withdrew their power simultaneously.

They looked at the slightly weakened Qian Renxue and breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Fortunately, she was unharmed, though the sheer power Chen Qi had just exerted left Qian Renxue temporarily drained.

In the shadows, Xiao Wu was so terrified by the sight of Er Ming lying half-dead, just like Da Ming, that her entire body stiffened, and she dared not move a muscle.

From birth until now, she had never seen a Title Douluo in action, nor did she know just how powerful they truly were.

Most of the soul masters she had encountered before couldn't even withstand two or three of her moves, which had always led her to believe that humans were weak.

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

The strength of humans far exceeded her imagination.

Two powerful Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts couldn't even withstand a single exchange against four Title Douluo.

Watching her two kin reduced to such a miserable state, Xiao Wu was overcome with grief.

She suppressed her tears, adjusted her state, and made a shocking move.

With a powerful push from her legs, she dashed out, bit down on Er Ming's arm, and used every ounce of her strength to drag him toward the forest on the other side.

You ask why she didn't save Da Ming? Da Ming's body was simply too massive; she couldn't drag him at all!

Seeing a Soft Bone Rabbit actually rescuing the Titan Giant Ape, the group frowned in confusion.

They had never heard of a Soft Bone Rabbit with hundred-thousand-year cultivation, and even stranger, weren't Soft Bone Rabbits supposed to be prey for Titan Giant Apes?

Why would she save her natural predator?

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

He knew this was the legendary ten-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit, Xiao Wu, the future wife of the Sea God Tang San.

In this period, she had not yet transformed and was still playing around with Da Ming and Er Ming.

But she shouldn't have appeared before him, Chen Qi.

Because now, she was effectively Qian Renxue's soul ring.

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

Qian Renxue looked toward Chen Xin.

"No matter. You absorb the Sky Azure Bull Python first, and then we shall pursue."

Chen Xin waved his hand.

He narrowed his eyes, looking in the direction the Soft Bone Rabbit had fled, a hint of coldness flashing in his gaze. He had never let prey he had set his sights on escape.

The Sky Azure Bull Python watched Qian Renxue draw closer, its eyes filled with despair. It slowly closed its eyes; perhaps this was its final destination.

On the other side, Xiao Wu dragged Er Ming into a hidden cave.

She gathered some herbs and carefully applied them to Er Ming's wounds, then poked her head out, staring nervously at the area outside the cave, terrified that Chen Xin and the others might catch up.

"Sister Xiao Wu, you should run..."

Er Ming said, his breath weak.

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

Xiao Wu looked at Er Ming, her eyes instantly turning red, her voice thick with tears.

"No! Er Ming, I will never abandon you! Even if I have to die, I will die before you do!"

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 last time."

Half an hour later, the Sky Azure Bull Python was successfully absorbed by Qian Renxue, becoming her fifth soul ring.

Immediately following this, something that opened everyone's eyes once more occurred: Qian Renxue's level began to leap frantically, quickly breaking through to level sixty!

With a rate of improvement that was like riding a rocket, calling her a monster was an understatement.

"It's perfect. Since the Young Mistress has reached level sixty, that stinking ape will have a place to go as well."

Pufferfish Douluo said coldly.

He still held a grudge over Er Ming's attack on Qian Renxue earlier.

If they hadn't reacted quickly, the Young Mistress might have been in serious trouble.

Chen Qi looked at the corpse of the Sky Azure Bull Python and discovered a reflective bone inside.

It was the legendary Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone.

"There is a soul bone here as well."

Chen Qi reminded them.

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, looked at Chen Xin, and said earnestly.

"Grandpa Sword Douluo, thank you for accompanying me on this journey. This Hundred-Thousand-Year Right Arm Bone is for you."

Seeing the precious gift Qian Renxue was handing him, Chen Xin's mouth fell open in shock.

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

"You should keep it for yourself. Your grandfather's birthday is coming up; it would make a fine gift for him."

Qian Renxue shook her head and forcibly shoved the soul bone into Chen Xin's hands.

"Grandpa's soul bone slots are already full, and he told me not to absorb any more soul bones. So, Grandpa Sword Douluo, please just accept it."

Seeing her resolute attitude, Chen Xin had no choice but to accept this extremely precious gift.

This was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone! Countless Title Douluo spent their entire lives unable to obtain even a single low-year soul bone.

With this soul bone, his strength would increase by a significant margin.

In the future, when he sparred with Gu Rong, that stupid dragon would be the only one losing.

Now, Qian Renxue was the greatest benefactor of Chen Xin's life.

Originally, he had only been protecting Qian Renxue under orders, but now, he was genuinely willing to give his all and risk his old life to protect her.

"Let's go! We're going to finish off that damn ape and that annoying rabbit!"