Deep in the Star Dou Great Forest,
a massive crimson figure streaked frantically through the dense woods.
Its three enormous dog heads darted about in agitation. Trees snapped and bushes were flattened wherever it passed, sending flocks of birds scattering into the sky.
"Auspicious Beast! Auspicious Beast!"
The Scarlet King's voice echoed through the forest, growing from urgent to panicked.
It had fallen for a trick.
Recently, the Imperial Auspicious Beast had said she wanted to come out and play,
so, as her bodyguard, it had come along with her instead of catching that fat bug to drain its energy.
After accompanying the Auspicious Beast into the forest, it had also sensed an aura resembling Dragon King pressure. It had just been about to investigate,
when the Auspicious Beast had clung to it, insisting they play hide-and-seek and telling it to close its eyes and wait right there.
She had even said it wasn't allowed to secretly sense her,
and told it to block out some of its perception.
At first, it had refused.
After all, it was the Imperial Auspicious Beast's bodyguard.
If anything happened to her, it would be disastrous.
The Star Dou Great Forest would face a major crisis.
But after she pestered it relentlessly, it had finally blocked out its perception. It was a mighty two-hundred-thousand-year Ferocious Beast, yet it had believed the nonsense of this five-thousand-year-old little rascal and obediently crouched in place, counting for ages with its perception blocked.
When it finished counting and opened its eyes, the Auspicious Beast's aura had vanished completely.
The Scarlet King searched frantically for hundreds of miles in every direction, sniffing every leaf with its three noses.
Nothing. Still nothing.
How could this be?
The Imperial Auspicious Beast had a noble bloodline, and, like the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, could match a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast after just ten thousand years.
But she was only five thousand years old. How could she keep a two-hundred-thousand-year Ferocious Beast like it from detecting even the faintest trace of her aura?
The Scarlet King pressed its nose to the ground and sniffed inch by inch,
then lifted its head and sucked in great gulps of air. All three dog faces drooped at once.
This was bad. It had lost the Imperial Auspicious Beast. Di Tian would skin it alive.
Life Lake.
Zi JI folded her Dragon Wing and landed by the lake. She glanced at the Sky Azure Bull Python, the Titan Giant Ape, and the rabbit sprawled along the shore nearby, then turned into a streak of purple light and plunged into the lake.
Silver ripples silently spread in layers. Passing through what seemed like a doorway into space, she stepped into a separate, spacious realm brimming with life.
"Did you see the human with a trace of a newly awakened Dragon King bloodline?"
A voice filled with authority rang out from the depths of the space.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in a black robe turned around. His golden dragon eyes gleamed eerily in the gloom.
The Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Di Tian.
"I did."
Zi JI bowed slightly.
"That human also possesses some unusual abilities, unlike ordinary Soul Masters. She can use various Soul Skills to continually enhance herself, greatly increasing her strength."
Di Tian spoke in a low voice.
"Humans are indeed remarkable. In a short time, they can grow strong enough to rival a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. This human is even more unusual."
His dragon eyes were fixed in appraisal, but before he could finish speaking, a coarse, booming voice burst in from beside him.
"She has a secret technique that greatly increases her strength?!"
"Then what are we waiting for?!"
Bring her back, and our strength will soar!
And after all the energy we've been absorbing from that big, fat bug lately, we'll become even more powerful!"
Xiong Jun emerged from the shadows, his dark-golden fur standing on end and greed gleaming in his bear eyes.
He had never expected to stumble across something like this.
If she really did have such a secret technique,
then his strength would surge, and he'd surely be able to beat Di Tian.
Di Tian said nothing.
Just then, another figure stumbled in. Its three dog heads were lowered almost to the ground, and its voice trembled as it spoke.
"Lord Di Tian, this is bad. The Imperial Auspicious Beast is missing."
In an instant,
a devastating Dragon Might exploded through the space.
Di Tian stared straight at the Scarlet King with his golden dragon eyes. His voice held no emotion, yet it was cold as the ten-thousand-year ice of the Far North.
"What did you say?"
Every Ferocious Beast present turned to look at the Scarlet King.
The Scarlet King felt several crushing pressures bearing down on it at once. It lowered its three dog heads even further, unable to suppress the tremor in its voice.
"This subordinate... this subordinate failed. The Auspicious Beast said she wanted to play hide-and-seek and told me to close my eyes and wait.
"I waited for ages, and when I opened my eyes, the Auspicious Beast's aura had... had vanished completely.
"I sent out all my subordinates and searched the entire northern region, but I still couldn't find Lord Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
"Please, Lord Di Tian, give me a little more time—"
Before it could finish, Xiong Jun took a step forward,
his enormous body blocking the Scarlet King. His bear eyes brimmed with indignation and undisguised glee.
"Hah! Di Tian, this is what comes of putting your trust in someone!
You entrusted such an important Auspicious Beast to a dog that does nothing but wag its tail?
The lifeline of the Soul Beasts, the fortune of the forest, and it let her slip away just like that?"
He turned to Di Tian, openly fanning the flames.
"What are you waiting for? This useless waste should be dealt with by me. Better that than letting it disgrace us Ferocious Beasts!"
"That's enough."
A gentle female voice rang out.
Bi Ji emerged slowly from the shadows, her jade-green eyes full of compassion and worry.
She looked at the enraged Xiong Jun and spoke calmly.
"Now is not the time to blame anyone. The Scarlet King didn't want this to happen. Finding the Auspicious Beast is what matters most."
She turned to Di Tian, using her gentle, distinctive power to soothe the agitated feelings around them.
"Di Tian, the Auspicious Beast is blessed by destiny. She won't come to harm easily. There's no need to discuss punishment until after we find her."
From the shadows, the Ten Thousand Demon King spoke in a low, hoarse voice.
"Bi Ji is right. Finding her is what matters."
After speaking, he fell silent again. The strange demon eyes around them glimmered on and off, showing little interest in the farce.
"Hmph. The Imperial Auspicious Beast is just being mischievous and hiding."
Zi JI swept a cold gaze around the room, letting it linger on Xiong Jun for a moment in clear warning before turning to Di Tian.
"There's no time to lose. I'll go find her myself. As long as that little one is still in the Star Dou Great Forest, I can bring her back."
Di Tian closed his eyes, and an immense wave of Mental Power spread from Life Lake across the entire Star Dou Great Forest.
A moment later, he opened his eyes. The suffocating Dragon Might slowly receded.
"The Auspicious Beast is still in the Star Dou Great Forest. She used her Power of Destiny to conceal her aura."
Di Tian paused, a complicated glimmer passing through his golden dragon eyes.
"But she's with that human."
The entire space fell abruptly silent.
"What?!"
Xiong Jun was the first to explode.
"That human kidnapped the Imperial Auspicious Beast?!"
The Ferocious Beasts present exchanged uneasy, startled looks.
The Imperial Auspicious Beast, the vessel of destiny for the Star Dou Great Forest, had concealed her trail with her Power of Destiny and gone off with that human.
Di Tian ignored Xiong Jun's roar and spoke in a low voice.
"Zi JI, come with me. The rest of you will stay in the Core Circle and continue keeping watch on that Ice Silkworm. Without my orders, no one is to act on their own."
He stepped forward, and his figure vanished into the silver ripples.
Zi JI spread her Dragon Wing and followed close behind. As she skimmed over the lake, she glanced again at the two ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts, who remained completely unaware.
On the lakeshore,
the Sky Azure Bull Python lazily rolled over, while the Titan Giant Ape scratched its belly,
and the Soft Bone Rabbit perked up her ears and glanced toward the middle of the lake before going back to nibbling her carrot.
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