Two Hundred Thousand-Year Soul Beasts!

As his words fell.

Qin Zheng lowered his eyes to look at the petite Qian Renxue beside him, and all the dominance in his gaze melted into tenderness.

He extended his long, well-defined hand and gently took the girl's soft, slightly cool little hand.

Qian Renxue's entire body stiffened slightly, and an unprecedented sense of warmth and security suddenly surged through her heart.

That palm was broad and warm, as though it could firmly shield her from all her fear and helplessness.

Before she could savor that sense of protection.

Layers of transparent ripples suddenly spread through the surrounding space, and distorted spatial power instantly enveloped the two figures.

Whoosh—!

There was no earth-shaking commotion, not even the slightest leak of soul power.

The two figures in the secret chamber simply vanished into thin air.

Only the scattered fragments of the Black Dragon Jade Coffin remained, slowly drifting down through the still air.

The next instant.

The two figures had crossed countless restrictions and appeared out of nowhere beyond the forbidden ground's massive stone gates.

At the entrance to the forbidden ground, deep beneath the earth.

At this moment, Spirit Hall's Second Worshiper, Golden Crocodile Douluo, stood with his hands behind his back at the center of the raised platform.

The soul power around him stirred faintly, his brow filled with anxiety and unease.

"When will the Young Mistress finally come out...?"

He had waited here bitterly for several hours, his heart a tangled mess of emotions.

The forbidden ground, untouched for two thousand years, and the ancient legend of the sealed ancestor had always been Spirit Hall's most elusive secret.

Today, he had gambled everything and brought Qian Renxue, trapped in a desperate situation, into the forbidden ground.

If the awakening failed, forget about him—even the Young Mistress would likely be unable to escape punishment!

Perhaps he had been too reckless...

On either side of the forbidden ground lay two enormous snake-like hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.

One was covered in green scales, its patterns ancient and powerful.

The other was white as snow, wreathed in the aura of a dragon.

They were not pure snake-type soul beasts; thin traces of ancient dragon blood flowed through their bodies.

They were exclusive guardian beasts that Qin Zheng had personally found and tamed two thousand years ago.

For the past thousand years, they had faithfully fulfilled their duties, guarding the forbidden ground with incomparably proud natures.

When Qian Renxue had entered the forbidden ground earlier, even as Spirit Hall's Young Mistress, she had received only indifferent glances from the two beasts. Their attitudes were aloof and arrogant, without the slightest hint of respect.

Though they had not deliberately made things difficult for her, that lofty detachment had made the nine-year-old girl feel extremely restrained.

Even Qian Renxue had been treated this way, let alone Golden Crocodile Douluo.

They simply acted as though he did not exist.

At this moment, the two beasts lay coiled lazily on the ground, their eyes half-closed as they slept and rested. The fierce pressure emanating from their massive bodies made the air throughout the forbidden ground's entrance grow stagnant and heavy.

But at the instant Qin Zheng and Qian Renxue appeared.

A sudden change occurred.

The two giant snakes, which had been resting with their eyes closed and utterly motionless, abruptly raised their enormous heads. Their narrow nostrils quivered slightly as they carefully sniffed the scent that had suddenly permeated the air.

"This scent..."

This was the supreme aura that had crossed two thousand years and been deeply branded into the very origins of their soul beasts.

It was the unique dragon might of the supreme being who had saved them, tamed them, and ruled over them!

Boom!

Their previously lifeless, indifferent beast eyes flew open, blazing with dazzling spiritual light. Their enormous snake bodies trembled violently beyond their control, while the soul power around them surged madly into the sky.

Two thousand years of slumbering vigilance, two thousand years of obsessive waiting—all of it awakened in this moment!

Without the slightest hesitation.

The two unruly hundred-thousand-year soul beasts that had once dominated their domains slammed down to the ground.

Their massive bodies pressed tightly against the cold bluestone platform.

Their snake heads bowed heavily, and voices of ultimate reverence shook the entire forbidden ground.

"Little Green, Little White, pay respects to our Lord!"

This scene struck the platform like a thunderbolt.

"Huh?"

At the side, Qian Renxue's golden eyes widened slightly, her little face full of bewildered surprise.

She clearly remembered how, when she had first entered the forbidden grounds, these two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts had been so proud and cold, looking down on everything. They had even disdained to associate with her, the young mistress of Spirit Hall.

Yet now, these powerful soul beasts, whom even Titled Douluo treated with three parts fear, were bowing and kneeling before the black-robed youth at her side, utterly respectful without the slightest trace of arrogance.

The girl tilted her head slightly and secretly studied the tall, straight-backed ancestor beside her, whose aura seemed to look down upon the world. Her clear eyes sparkled like stars.

Qian Renxue's little heart was instantly filled with admiration.

Her ancestor was truly so handsome.

At the same time.

Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had witnessed this shocking scene, trembled violently.

The only one who could make two untamable hundred-thousand-year soul beasts that had guarded this place for a thousand years bow their heads in submission and kneel in devout worship—

Was the founding ancestor of Spirit Hall, who had slumbered for a thousand years!

In an instant.

All the doubts in Golden Crocodile Douluo's heart vanished, replaced by utmost reverence and shock.

He did not dare show the slightest disrespect. His body sank abruptly as he dropped heavily to one knee, his aged frame trembling faintly, his tone incomparably respectful.

"Golden Crocodile Douluo, Second Worshipper of Spirit Hall, pays respects to the Ancestor!"

Qin Zheng's deep, pitch-black eyes swept indifferently over the kneeling Golden Crocodile Douluo. There was not a ripple in his gaze as his thin lips parted lightly.

"No need for formalities."

The moment his words fell.

A gentle yet incomparably domineering invisible force abruptly enveloped Golden Crocodile Douluo's entire body.

Golden Crocodile Douluo had originally intended to rise using his own soul power.

But the next second, he discovered in horror that his vast soul power as a Rank 98 Peak Douluo was completely beyond his control. His body was lifted as though supported by the force of heaven and earth itself, and he slowly straightened up against his will.

At that moment.

Golden Crocodile Douluo's mind shook violently, and endless stormy waves surged through his heart!

He was a Rank 98 assault-type Peak Douluo, standing at the very pinnacle of power on Douluo Continent.

Even Qian Daoliu, the First Worshipper, would have needed to mobilize the full extent of his soul power and suppress him with ultimate pressure to move his body.

Yet this ancestor before him had merely spoken a single casual sentence and silently seized control of his movements by force. His strength was unfathomable—perhaps not even inferior to the First Worshipper's!

A thousand years of slumber had not only failed to diminish his cultivation; it had instead made him even more terrifying and defiant of heaven!

Beyond his shock, Golden Crocodile felt wild joy in his heart.

With such heaven-reaching strength, he would surely be able to change the order sending the young mistress to the Heaven Dou Empire!

Qin Zheng paid no heed to the turmoil in Golden Crocodile's heart. His gaze returned to the two serpentine soul beasts still prostrating themselves on the ground.

A faint smile crossed his cool features, his voice lazy and gentle.

"Two thousand years have passed. You two sisters have become even more in sync."

"I had thought that during the thousand years I slept in the forbidden grounds, with no one to restrain you, you would have long since broken free of your bindings, fled into the world, and lived carefree lives."

The green and white pythons hurriedly raised their heads, their eyes filled with sincerity and fear.

The green dragon python quickly bowed and replied, "You jest, Master! Without you, my sister and I would have long perished in the chaotic battles of myriad beasts, reduced to soul rings and soul bones for human soul masters."

"Master saved our lives back then. Such life-saving grace is etched into our bones and hearts. How could we possibly flee on our own?"

Qin Zheng lowered his gaze, smiling faintly without quite smiling. His eyes held a profound depth that seemed to see through everything.

"Do you truly not wish to leave, or do you simply not dare?"

One sentence exposed the heart of the matter!

This was Spirit Hall, after all, home to more Titled Douluo than anywhere else in the world.

They were merely two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. If they left these forbidden grounds, they likely would not survive more than two days.

The two pythons stiffened abruptly, suddenly left speechless. Then they hurriedly kowtowed heavily, their tones becoming even more earnest.

"We do not wish to leave!"

"My sister and I are sincerely grateful for Master's grace. We willingly remained to guard the forbidden grounds, awaiting Master's awakening!"

Qin Zheng nodded faintly without pursuing whether their words were true or false, then turned toward Qian Renxue, who was looking up at him by his side.

"When you entered the forbidden grounds earlier, did they use their strength to bully you or make things difficult for you?"

Qian Renxue hurriedly shook her head. Her little face was soft and obedient, her voice quiet and gentle. "In reply to Ancestor, no. Sister Little Green and Sister Little White have always fulfilled their duties and followed the rules. They never made things difficult for me in the slightest."

Qin Zheng smiled softly and rubbed her golden hair.

"You certainly know how to speak."

"Still, since you have said so, let the matter rest."

Upon hearing this, the two soul beasts instantly breathed sighs of relief and both looked toward Qian Renxue.

Their originally distant, indifferent gazes were instantly filled with tenderness and gratitude.

They had already come to regard this kind and generous little young mistress as someone they needed to protect with all their hearts.

Then Qin Zheng's gaze returned to the two of them as he spoke calmly.

"Now that I have awakened, I will be leaving these underground forbidden grounds."

"Are you planning to remain here and continue guarding this place in such enormous forms?"