"Master."
The tall figure at the head of the group leaned forward slightly and bowed respectfully to the girl.
The girl was slender, with a pair of dark eyes that shimmered faintly. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders, and her fair, delicate skin glowed with a soft radiance. A cool, noble pressure seemed to emanate from her.
Strangely, the girl bore a striking resemblance to Na'er, sharing seven or eight tenths of her features. The difference was that her eyes held a greater maturity.
"Master, your other half was swept into the human world by a spatial rift and ended up in the Spirit Pagoda, one of the strongest forces in the human world today. We were unable to retrieve her."
The black-haired man reported in a low voice. When he finished, he lowered his head further, a trace of bitterness at the corner of his mouth.
Once, the Soul Beast Clan had never needed to act with such caution. And he, once the strongest on the continent, had gradually been surpassed by humanity.
This was none other than Di Tian, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, ranked first among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts.
Behind him were the remaining members of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts.
"It doesn't matter. In three years, I will go to the human world myself. Then I will bring her back, and reclaim with my own hands everything that belongs to our Soul Beast Clan."
A faint light glimmered in the girl's dark eyes. After sweeping her gaze over the Ferocious Beasts before her, she spoke coolly, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
"As you command!"
At the sight of the girl, all the Soul Beasts dropped to their knees, their expressions alight with excitement. The woman before them was their long-slumbering Master.
"Very well. I still need to recuperate. Guard the Core Area. In three years, we will set out in earnest."
Gu Yue gave the order softly. Silver light then shone around her, and she slowly sank into the Lake of Life, brimming with life force.
Only after Gu Yue went into seclusion did the Ferocious Beasts rise as one. Di Tian felt that the Soul Beast Clan finally had a future.
"Humans, Spirit Pagoda, and Federation—get ready to face the revenge of our Soul Beasts."
Di Tian's golden dragon pupils swept across the surroundings. Looking at the once-vast Star Dou Great Forest, now reduced to this final Core Area, he felt anger surge within him.
Even this last remaining Core Area had been surrounded by layer upon layer of human defenses, like iron walls. They had penned the Soul Beasts in as if they were livestock.
"Di Tian, why do you think the Master didn't lead us straight back into battle, but chose to take human form instead? With the Master's strength, and the Divine Realm gone, shouldn't the humans be no match for us?"
Hearing Di Tian's growl, a bald, burly man scratched his head and asked in confusion. A dense, dark-golden aura radiated from him.
"Xiong Jun, how could you possibly guess the Master's intentions? Your job is to obey orders."
Di Tian shot Xiong Jun a sideways glance and spoke sternly.
"Fine. Old Bear will listen to you. But if I ever see Huo Yuhao again, I'll make him look into my eyes and tell me honestly: is this what he meant by humans and Soul Beasts living together in harmony?"
"Now they've even captured the Scarlet King..."
At Xiong Jun's muttering, a rare trace of melancholy flickered in Di Tian's eyes. Then he spoke with renewed resolve.
"Now that the Master is here, the Soul Beast Clan has a clear sky ahead."
"And the balance of power between the Soul Beast Clan and humanity is about to shift!"
His low growl mingled with a dragon's roar. It was impossible to tell whether Di Tian was speaking to himself, to the Ferocious Beasts behind him, or to the many Soul Beast species that had vanished from the world...
If this era had no ship capable of carrying the remnants of their bygone age, then they would carve out an ocean that belonged to the age of Soul Beasts alone!
Inside the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.
"Dragon Battles in the Wild!"
Silver light flashed. A phantom silver dragon swayed out from the Silver Dragon Spear and savagely bit into the enormous Soul Beast before them.
The Soul Beast was covered in earthen-yellow light. Its thick legs planted firmly on the ground, and its huge body stood nearly ten meters tall, with bulging muscles. Its massive fists struck again and again, setting off sonic booms, while it seemed to constantly absorb energy from the earth beneath it.
It was a Titan Giant Ape that had just broken through the thousand-year mark. Both its attack and defense ranked among the best of all Soul Beasts, and it possessed the powers of both strength and earth.
However, the Titan Giant Ape was already covered in wounds. Hideous gashes crisscrossed its body, wrapped in cold, dark energy that continued to eat into it.
"Na'er, go for its legs!"
Watching the Titan Giant Ape, now in a berserk state, Jiang Xiu's Blood Pupil shifted slightly. Dark Soul Power gathered in his hand and took the shape of a straight black blade, its edge gleaming with a sharp, eerie light.
The First Soul Ring on Jiang Xiu's body shone with a dazzling purple halo. It had already evolved from a Hundred-Year Soul Ring into a Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
This Titan Giant Ape was the last Soul Beast Jiang Xiu and Na'er had chosen to face in the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform. Once they killed and absorbed it, both their First Soul Rings would reach the highest age possible at their current stage.
"Got it, boss!"
At his words, Na'er's violet eyes narrowed. She swung the Silver Dragon Spear again, her petite figure darting forward from the ground to attack the Titan Giant Ape's legs.
As silver light flared beneath its feet and wave after wave of pain surged through its body, the Titan Giant Ape seemed to go mad, its massive fists pounding down without pause.
"Raven!"
Seeing the Titan Giant Ape pinned down, Jiang Xiu called out softly. The Dark Night Raven circling overhead understood at once. It dove toward the Titan Giant Ape, slowing as it flew, while the concealment effect of the Monarch Domain spread over both man and beast.
"Whoosh!"
Jiang Xiu stepped forward and shot out. When he was ten meters from the Titan Giant Ape, his lithe body suddenly sprang upward. He planted one foot on the Dark Night Raven and used it to launch himself even higher.
Jiang Xiu gripped the straight black blade in both hands. His body arched like a crescent moon drawn taut, and he plunged the blade straight toward the Titan Giant Ape's pointed crown.
"Roar!"
As if sensing the deadly threat, the Titan Giant Ape saw Jiang Xiu coming down from above, looking like a king descending in fury. Its massive hand suddenly shone with earthen light and transformed into a shield, blocking its front.
"Titan Giant Ape, don't underestimate the bond between us! You bastard!"
Seeing this, Na'er cried out. The purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring on her body shone again. A cold glint arrived first: clutching her spear, Na'er leaped forward as a dragon's roar rang out and struck the Titan Giant Ape's knee.
"Pfft!"
The spearhead pierced through, and blood sprayed.
The Titan Giant Ape's knee buckled. Its enormous body swayed and toppled to one side, and the shield in its hand dropped with it, revealing a gap.
"Second-in-Command Na'er, you're a genius!"
At the sight, Jiang Xiu praised her as Soul Power surged through his body and gathered violently into the straight black blade. He slipped past the shield and aimed straight for the Titan Giant Ape's crown.
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