Now That's What You Call a Surprise!

The mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Qian Xunji was searching for a suitable Soul Beast with Huo Yuhao.

"Soul Rings and Soul Skills have to be suitable; you can't just make do. Many Spirit Masters enter the Star Dou Great Forest looking for the right Soul Beast, but they don't find one straight away. They might spend several months here."

Qian Xunji worried that Huo Yuhao was still a child at heart and would lose patience after a while, then settle for some random Soul Beast.

If that happened, his father wouldn't forgive him when they got back. And Qian Xunji himself would have to give himself a few slaps every day.

"Senior Brother, don't worry. I won't rush."

"Yuhao, look!" Before Huo Yuhao could finish speaking, Qian Xunji spotted a dark purple butterfly about half a person tall. He immediately reached out and scooped Huo Yuhao up. "A Silk Shadow Thought Butterfly!"

The butterfly's form seemed to waver between solid and illusory. At first glance, it looked like a dream, as if it might vanish on the breeze at any moment.

It was one of the few recorded spirit-type Soul Beasts in Spirit Hall.

Though the Silk Shadow Thought Butterfly was only a butterfly, it could fly incredibly fast.

Sensing the two of them approaching, a faint silver glow shimmered across its wings, and the patterns on them seemed to come alive.

In the blink of an eye, the single Silk Shadow Thought Butterfly became three, each flying off in a different direction.

Qian Xunji was about to give chase when a powerful pressure suddenly descended from the sky.

His expression changed drastically. He immediately set Huo Yuhao down and shielded him, then looked up with a grave expression.

A man had appeared in the sky without warning.

He wore a black, close-fitting outfit. His features were cold and stern, his bearing imposing, and he looked down at Qian Xunji and Huo Yuhao.

Qian Xunji braced himself as if facing a formidable enemy. The pressure this man gave him was even greater than that of his father, Qian Daoliu!

This was a Peerless Douluo no weaker than his father!

Huo Yuhao felt none of that pressure. He shifted half a step to the side and looked up at the man in black.

That single glance made the man's expression change dramatically.

He landed on the ground and stared at Huo Yuhao with fervent excitement!

In Huo Yuhao's Sea of Spirit, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm twisted itself into a knot.

"It's Di Tian! Why did he come out now?!"

"Yuhao, run! Don't let him catch you! Those Ferocious Beasts are completely insane!"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm knew that Huo Yuhao's Second Martial Soul was special and held an irresistible allure for Di Tian and the others deep in the Star Dou Great Forest.

But Huo Yuhao had kept his Second Martial Soul contained without letting even a trace of dragon aura escape, so Sky Dream Ice Silkworm hadn't voiced its worries.

Besides, at this point in time, they were still cultivating at the bottom of the lake by absorbing Ice Silkworm energy.

As long as Huo Yuhao didn't release his Ancestral Dragon Spirit in the Star Dou Great Forest, he would be safe!

So why had Di Tian, who was supposed to be cultivating, suddenly come out?!

"Could it be that Yuhao's awakening startled Di Tian? Or that someone even more powerful than him in the middle of the lake alerted him?"

At that moment, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm looked just like the figure in the world-famous painting The Scream.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had a bit of PTSD when it came to Di Tian and the other Ferocious Beasts.

It didn't want to escape the Lake of Life only to end up back there again so soon.

"Enough, you big bug. He means Yuhao no harm."

Electrolux appeared and put a stop to Tian Meng's incessant muttering.

Outside.

As soon as Di Tian landed, he bowed respectfully to Huo Yuhao.

"My lord, my Sovereign has sent me to bring you back."

Di Tian was the son of the Black Dragon King. The only one with a purer bloodline than his was the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.

Yet he could feel a bloodline suppression coming from this human boy—and it was even stronger than the Dragon God's had been!

If Gu Yuena needed to merge with the Golden Dragon King to become the complete Dragon God, then the boy before him was already a Dragon God!

At that moment, Di Tian saw hope for the rise of the Soul Beasts.

Huo Yuhao looked at the Beast God Di Tian, who was kneeling before him with one knee on the ground, then looked up and met Qian Xunji's bewildered gaze.

Huo Yuhao blinked, his expression blank with confusion.

Qian Xunji took a deep breath. "Has this Titled Douluo mistaken someone else for my junior brother? He's lived in the inner quarters since childhood and rarely meets anyone. After becoming my father's disciple, he hasn't even left the Pope's Palace."

With those words, he invoked Qian Daoliu's name.

Until now, Qian Xunji had hated hearing people say, "My father is so-and-so." He disliked people who relied on their parents' strength but made no effort themselves.

Who would have thought that today he'd have to pull that same trick?

Had the dragon-slaying hero become a dragon himself?

Just then, the two Titled Douluo assigned to protect Qian Xunji and Huo Yuhao hurried over from a distance.

The two elders, both below level ninety-five, faced Di Tian as if confronting a formidable enemy.

Di Tian slowly rose to his feet, his golden eyes sweeping over the three humans before him.

"Are you talking about that man with the Angel Spirit? This concerns my people. Anyone who dares stand in my way will meet only one fate!"

One of the elders summoned his Martial Soul, ready to fight to the death.

"Young Master, Old Yang and I will hold him off. Take Young Master Huo and get out of here!"

The other elder summoned his Martial Soul as well, keeping a wary eye on Di Tian.

At this tense moment, Huo Yuhao suddenly spoke up. "Uncle, I don't think we've met before."

Di Tian's expression changed in an instant.

Facing Huo Yuhao, he showed none of the arrogance or contempt he'd displayed toward Qian Xunji and the others.

"You're right. We haven't met. My Sovereign sensed your presence not long ago and ordered me to come find you."

Before leaving to search for Huo Yuhao on Gu Yuena's orders, Di Tian had made a point of finding the Scarlet King and telling him to keep a close eye on the Auspicious Beast.

The Auspicious Beast was far too important to the Star Dou Great Forest. Nothing could be allowed to happen to her.

When the Three-Eyed Golden Lion learned that Di Tian was leaving the Lake of Life—and even the Star Dou Great Forest—she clung to his leg and insisted on going out to play with him.

Di Tian treated the Three-Eyed Golden Lion just like his own daughter.

Who could resist his little darling pleading with him?

It took a great deal of effort before Di Tian managed to get away.

By the time he followed the aura he'd sensed earlier, Huo Yuhao had already been taken away.

Not long after, he sensed Huo Yuhao's presence again. He tracked it down and found himself in Spirit City.

Di Tian spent the next while searching for him around Spirit City.

But Huo Yuhao's movements were confined to a small area, and the Ancestral Dragon Spirit gave off no aura at all when it wasn't summoned.

The Ancestral Dragon had no blood ties to the dragons of the Douluo World, so Di Tian couldn't track him through their bloodlines, either.

He could feel that bloodline suppression only when he was right beside Huo Yuhao.

Just as he was about to give up, return to the Lake of Life, report back to his Sovereign, and continue the search later, he saw Huo Yuhao come right to his doorstep.

Now that's what you call a surprise!