Terrifying Strength

Crack!

Ryūjin Jakka was actually caught by Dugu Bo with one hand. The flame-covered Zanpakuto left only a scorched wound in Dugu Bo's palm.

Aizen swiftly pulled Ryūjin Jakka free and stopped only after putting fifty meters between himself and Dugu Bo.

"Hah... I never expected a simple Half Soul Beast Transformation experiment to turn out like this."

Gripping his Zanpakuto with both hands, Aizen let out a long breath. A Level 92 Titled Douluo, after transforming into a Soul Beast, was already this terrifying with physical strength alone, without even using any Soul Ring Skills.

If he continued fighting with his current Soul Power, he might lose.

This could be called the most difficult battle in history.

To fight Dugu Bo, Aizen had to rapidly increase his strength.

The first step was to spend ten million Soul Coins to raise his Soul Power Level to Level 71.

Then, he unlocked Hadō spells numbered eighty-one through eighty-nine, which required incantations to complete.

"Urahara Kisuke, restrain Dugu Bo for a while. I'm going to use the strongest Hadō I can currently cast to defeat him."

Urahara Kisuke froze for a moment, then hurriedly set Dugu Yan down and rushed forward.

He circled near Dugu Bo while chanting a Bakudō incantation.

"The thunderous carriage, the spinning wheel's gap—this thing has light, divided into six."

"Bakudō 61: Rikujokoro!"

Six sheets of light flew out from Urahara Kisuke's side and pierced into Dugu Bo's body, forming shackles that trapped both of Dugu Bo's arms. Yet Dugu Bo could still move his legs, opening his massive jaws and relentlessly biting toward Aizen.

Immediately afterward, Urahara Kisuke continued with another Bakudō.

"The order of the heavens, the gaps between principles, barriers separating two paths, a distance of one hundred."

"Bakudō 62: Hyapporankan."

Rods of light continuously formed in Urahara Kisuke's hands. He hurled them into Dugu Bo's body, pinning them to the ground.

The first rod was immediately shattered by Dugu Bo, only slightly slowing his movement speed.

Then the second pierced Dugu Bo's thigh and fixed him to the ground, making him stagger and nearly fall. The barrier shattered in response.

Then came the third, the fourth...

More and more barriers were thrown out, and Dugu Bo grew slower and slower. After the twelfth barrier pierced him, Dugu Bo could no longer break free instantly. Urahara Kisuke was overjoyed and hurriedly continued throwing them. Finally, by the twenty-fifth, Dugu Bo was fixed in place.

Eight rods of light firmly pinned Dugu Bo to the ground, leaving him unable to move for the moment. Seeing that he was about to break free again, Urahara Kisuke continued chanting.

"The python of the jungle, the vines of the forest, their will like chains, binding and consuming all."

"Bakudō 63: Chain Binding."

Thick, serpent-like chains burst from Urahara Kisuke's hands, binding Dugu Bo once more and rendering him completely unable to move.

At that very moment, Aizen finished his incantation.

"Hadō 88: Flying Dragon Strike Thief, Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon!"

His Soul Power was instantly drained. Countless bolts of lightning gathered in Aizen's palm before suddenly expanding and blasting outward. The lightning fused into one, illuminating the entire valley as it surged straight toward Dugu Bo.

The unleashed thunder destroyed the ground in its path, reducing countless precious herbs to nothing in an instant.

The space between Dugu Bo and Aizen became a pool of lightning. Even the overflowing power alone made the distant Dugu Yan unable to stand steadily. Urahara Kisuke watched it all, hoping it would work.

After all, their opponent was a Soul Beast-transformed Titled Douluo.

Suddenly, Soul Rings rose around Dugu Bo.

Yellow, yellow, purple, black, black, black, black, black, red!

They were dazzlingly glaring beneath the thunder's glow.

"Kid, you can use such a terrifying Soul Skill, and you still claim you were hiding no strength!"

Dugu Bo's familiar voice rang out, while his eighth Soul Ring lit up as well.

"Eighth Soul Skill: Time Freeze!"

A silent force froze Aizen's Hadō 88 in midair. Then Dugu Bo swept his hand, directly erasing the Flying Dragon Strike Thief, Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon Aizen had unleashed. That terrifying power made hearts tremble.

Seeing Dugu Bo's overwhelming strength, Aizen could not help swallowing.

Could Soul Beast Transformation also increase the age of one's Soul Rings?

The sight of that glaring red Soul Ring filled Aizen with immense excitement.

Urahara Kisuke was initially shocked, then the corners of his mouth curled upward. Finally, he burst into laughter.

"So that's it, so that's it! I understand now! So this is how Soul Beast Transformation works!"

Dugu Bo calmly walked out from the ruins created by the Flying Dragon Strike Thief, Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon. He gave Aizen and Urahara Kisuke a deep look, then walked to Dugu Yan's side, pulled her tightly into his arms, and comforted her.

"It's all right now. Everything is all right."

"Waaah!" Dugu Yan wept with joy as she hugged Dugu Bo back and burst into tears. "Grandpa, I thought you were dead! I thought I'd never see you again, Grandpa!"

The joy of having him back made Dugu Yan forget all restraint.

"All right, it's fine. It's really fine. Do I look dead to you? Your grandfather is full of life now. Even if I ran into those two from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, I'd dare challenge them!" Dugu Bo laughed heartily.

"Mm, Grandpa is amazing!" Dugu Yan raised her tear-streaked little face, breaking into a smile through her tears as she praised him.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll go have a talk with them."

Dugu Bo gently set Dugu Yan down and walked over to Aizen and Urahara Kisuke.

"Do you have anything to say?"

Aizen kept signaling at Urahara Kisuke with his eyes, telling him to explain.

Urahara Kisuke stepped forward despite himself and said, "Didn't the detoxification go very smoothly?"

Dugu Bo snorted and pointed at the partially destroyed Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well as he cursed, "You call this smooth?"

"Luckily, only the outer area was destroyed. If you had ruined the core, I'd have torn your bones apart!"

"And how did detoxification make my Martial Soul evolve? The age of my Soul Rings has also increased by quite a bit."

Urahara Kisuke smiled. "That is my detoxification method. I discovered that the reason for your poison was actually that after your Martial Soul fused with your body, it had altered your body incompletely. For snakes, their own venom generally cannot kill them because they have a function that restrains their venom. But that function was incompletely expressed in your body, which is why you suffered every day. Now that your body has been fully altered, you no longer need fear poison. Your Martial Soul has even evolved into a flood dragon. Congratulations, congratulations!"

Dugu Bo chuckled.

"It was this dangerous, yet you didn't tell me earlier. You nearly got this old man killed for real!"

Urahara Kisuke scratched the back of his head, trying his best to look harmless as he said foolishly, "Well, the heavens favor the fortunate. Senior Dugu Bo, there was definitely no way anything would happen to you!"

"Mm." Dugu Bo nodded calmly. "Fortunately, I found the trick. Otherwise, you really would have gotten me killed. Forget it. You were trying to help, so I won't pursue the matter. I should even thank you. The Jade Scale Serpent King has evolved into the Blue Scale Flood Dragon, and it is already comparable to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. You two have done well. But Yan Er's detoxification should wait for now. I need to teach her a few things so she won't suffer backlash from your damned method."

"Your detoxification method is excellent. Not only has it freed me from pain, it has also greatly increased my strength. I believe Yan Er can achieve the same. All right, that matter is settled. Now for another matter: how will you compensate for destroying my Medicine Garden?"

"Senior Dugu Bo, that was beyond our control!" Urahara Kisuke argued.

"I know. But you must take responsibility. So from today onward, you will remain here. You may leave only once you have restored this place to how it was!" Dugu Bo said coldly.

"Ah!"

This outcome left Aizen and Urahara Kisuke both amused and exasperated.

Aizen had no way of defeating the current Dugu Bo. Even his strongest Hadō had been broken instantly. What could he possibly use to argue with the man?

"All right, I'm leaving. Repair this place properly."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo took Dugu Yan's hand.

"Oh, right. I should still thank you. I'm very satisfied today. Take as many herbs from the Medicine Garden as you want. The time you spend repairing it should be enough for you to make your selections."

With that, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan turned into a streak of blue light and vanished.

Urahara Kisuke and Aizen exchanged smiles.

"Whew, at least that guy has some conscience. Come on, let's continue researching the immortal herbs!"