Star Dou Core, Two Beasts Bow Their Heads

Yu Xiaogang took out a map from his Soul Tool and used the fading light of sunset to identify their direction.

"Three li north, there's a cave. I camped there when I previously surveyed the Star Dou Forest. We'll spend the night there and head back to the academy tomorrow morning."

Night gradually deepened. The campfire in the cave crackled.

Tang San sat cross-legged beside the fire, consolidating the cultivation he had just broken through to.

Xiao Wu leaned against the cave wall, already letting out soft snores.

Yu Xiaogang sat at the entrance, using the firelight to record something in his notebook.

And several dozen zhang above the three of them, in the empty sky.

Tang Ling stood with his hands behind his back. His robes fluttered gently in the night wind without making a sound.

His gaze pierced through the mountain wall and fell upon Tang San.

An unfathomable light flickered in those pitch-black eyes.

"Grow well, Xiao San."

Tang Ling turned around, and his figure slowly faded into the void.

Star Lake. The core region of the Star Dou Forest.

This was a forbidden zone within a forbidden zone for humans. Even Titled Douluo did not dare set foot here lightly, because it was the territory of the Star Dou Forest's two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape.

Within the Soul Beast hierarchy of the Douluo Continent, they stood at the very peak of the pyramid.

A hundred thousand years of cultivation was enough to crush human Titled Douluo. And in the Star Dou Forest, their home ground, even Super Douluo above Rank Ninety-Five would not dare claim they could leave unscathed.

Tang Ling stood by the pool before the waterfall, hands behind his back, his azure robes fluttering softly in the wind.

Less than ten breaths later.

Boom—

The ground suddenly shook violently. A colossal creature burst from the dense forest.

It was a giant ape more than fifteen meters tall, its entire body covered in black fur. Its muscles bulged like granite, and every breath rumbled through its chest like muffled thunder.

Titan Giant Ape. Er Ming.

Its arrival made the surrounding trees sway wildly as countless Soul Beasts fled in panic. Vigilance and hostility burned in its bell-sized eyes as it stared fixedly at the tiny human by the water.

"Human, leave this place. Otherwise—die."

The Titan Giant Ape's voice was like boulders tumbling down a cliff, heavy and deep. It spoke in the language of Soul Beasts, but Tang Ling's cultivation had long reached the point where he could understand another's intent without language.

Tang Ling looked at the Titan Giant Ape without moving.

Just then, the center of the pool suddenly exploded.

A massive head emerged from the water. It resembled a python's head, yet was larger than that of any python. Two curved ox horns grew from either side of its forehead, its scales were blue-black, and its vertical pupils shone with a pale golden light.

Sky Azure Bull Python. Da Ming.

Most of its body remained hidden underwater, yet the portion exposed above the surface alone exceeded ten meters. Its vertical pupils fixed upon Tang Ling, deeper and more dangerous than those of the Titan Giant Ape.

"Human, you are strong. But you are alone."

The Sky Azure Bull Python's voice was far lower than the Titan Giant Ape's, yet carried a stronger sense of oppression. There was no fear in its vertical pupils, only the composure of an ancient apex predator.

Tang Ling looked at the two colossal beasts, the corner of his lips lifting slightly.

"You two are Xiao Wu's little brothers?"

The Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape froze at the same time.

Xiao Wu? This human knew Xiao Wu?

"You've seen Xiao Wu?" Urgency entered the Titan Giant Ape's voice. "Where is she? Did you—"

Before it could finish, Tang Ling's aura abruptly erupted.

The pressure of the Integration Stage descended like towering waves from the heavens, enveloping the entire core region. This was not the oppression of Soul Power, but the crushing superiority of a higher level of life.

The Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape shuddered violently at the same time.

The Titan Giant Ape's legs went weak, and it nearly dropped to its knees.

It exhausted all its strength just to barely support itself, but every bone in its body creaked under unbearable strain.

The Sky Azure Bull Python fared no better. Its massive head was pressed down until it nearly touched the water's surface, and fear appeared in its vertical pupils for the first time.

"Xiao Wu is my younger sister."

Tang Ling withdrew his pressure, his tone as calm as if he were discussing something insignificant.

"I saved her mother Ah Rou's life. Mother and daughter are both under my protection now. If I had wanted to make a move against you, you would already be dead. I came today only to see what Xiao Wu's little brothers were made of."

The Sky Azure Bull Python raised its head. The fear in its vertical pupils gradually faded, replaced by a complicated expression.

It had lived for so long and seen countless powerful humans. Yet none had ever given it that kind of oppressive feeling. It was not a difference in strength, but an abyssal gap in the level of life.

Like a rabbit facing a tiger—no matter how large the rabbit was, it could never be the tiger's opponent.

This human's strength far surpassed everything they understood about Titled Douluo.

"Who are you?" the Sky Azure Bull Python asked in a low, wary voice.

"Tang Ling."

Tang Ling stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the two massive beasts. There was a hint of appraisal in his voice. "Xiao Wu often mentions you two. One is called Da Ming, the other Er Ming. You've protected her quite a bit in the Star Dou Forest. Now that I've seen you, you're not bad. Your cultivation is somewhat shallow, but your foundations are solid enough. I just don't know how capable you are in actual combat. Take three moves from me. If you can withstand them, I'll grant you a fortune."

The corner of his mouth curved slightly. He had no intention of using much strength.

Two streams of white vapor shot from the Titan Giant Ape's nostrils, and the vigilance in its eyes was replaced by fighting spirit.

It was a naturally warlike species. How could it retreat after being provoked like this?

"Three moves? I can take on three of you by myself!" It let out an earth-shaking roar, raised its right arm high, and smashed its mountain-sized fist down at Tang Ling with overwhelming force.

Before the punch even landed, the force of it had already blown the shattered stones around the pool flying in all directions.

The air was compressed to its limit, letting out a piercing explosion.

Tang Ling stood there without budging. He raised his right hand, extended one finger, and lightly touched the Titan Giant Ape's descending fist.

Bang—

An incomparably dull, thunderous sound rang out.

The Titan Giant Ape's fist stopped in midair. Time seemed to freeze at that instant.

The next moment, the Titan Giant Ape's enormous body was sent flying backward like a cannonball. It snapped more than ten ancient trees thick enough for several people to encircle before crashing into a mountain wall, smashing out a massive pit several meters deep.

One punch. Just one punch. The Titan Giant Ape had lost.

The Sky Azure Bull Python's vertical pupils contracted sharply. It knew how strong Er Ming was. That punch, if it landed solidly, could flatten a small mountain. Yet this human had sent Er Ming flying with a single finger.

This was no longer merely a gap in strength.

"First move." Tang Ling withdrew his finger and turned toward the Sky Azure Bull Python. "Your turn."

The Sky Azure Bull Python drew a deep breath, determination flashing through its vertical pupils. It could not retreat. If it did not even dare take three moves, how could it ever face Xiao Wu again?

It suddenly opened its massive jaws, and an invisible wave explosively spread outward from its body.

That was the Sky Azure Bull Python's proud innate domain—the Slowing Domain.

Within the domain, the speed of all things would be forcibly reduced, as if time itself had become viscous. Even Titled Douluo-level experts would move sluggishly, react slowly, and suffer a drastic loss in combat strength once trapped within it.

At the same time, its massive body shot out of the pool like an arrow released from a bow, its right claw crashing down toward Tang Ling with overwhelming force.

Blue-black light condensed into substance around the claw. Even the air was torn apart, releasing a shrill sonic boom.

Azure Bull Python's Slowing Divine Claw!

This attack contained all its strength. Combined with the Slowing Domain, it was enough to leave any Titled Douluo with nowhere to evade.

Tang Ling merely waved a hand casually.

The Slowing Domain silently collapsed before him like a torn spiderweb.

Then, the Sky Azure Bull Python's giant claw, capable of splitting mountains and shattering stone, was lightly stopped by Tang Ling's extended index finger.

The instant fingertip met claw tip, an indescribable rebound force surged back along the Sky Azure Bull Python's arm.

The Sky Azure Bull Python's massive body was blasted backward. It spun twice in midair before barely stabilizing itself, then crashed back into the pool with a boom, sending waves several zhang high into the air.

"You're still far from enough."

Tang Ling's figure suddenly appeared atop the Sky Azure Bull Python's head, his right palm landing lightly on its forehead.

"Third move. I won't attack. Let me show you what true power is."

Tang Ling sent an extremely faint thread of spiritual energy into the Sky Azure Bull Python's body.

That spiritual energy was only an infinitesimal fraction of his total cultivation, but to the Sky Azure Bull Python, it was like a river pouring backward into its body.

The Sky Azure Bull Python trembled violently.

A scene was reflected in its vertical pupils. It saw the true heavens and earth—not the Douluo Continent, but a broader, more boundless world.

In that world were immortals who could summon clouds with a flip of their hands and bring rain with another, gods and demons who could destroy stars with a single thought, and existences billions upon billions of times stronger than itself.

When the scene faded, the Sky Azure Bull Python's eyes were already filled with reverence.

Tang Ling withdrew his hand and landed beside the pool.

The Titan Giant Ape crawled out from the bottom of the pit, covered in wounds. Yet there was no resentment in its eyes, only an almost crazed worship. It had lived for more than a hundred thousand years and had never encountered such a powerful being.

In the world of Soul Beasts, the strong were revered. The man before it was worthy of its submission.

The Sky Azure Bull Python felt the same.

It emerged completely from the water and lowered its massive head to the ground, assuming the highest form of submission among Soul Beasts.

"My lord. I submit. Please enlighten me—what fortune did you speak of?"

Tang Ling looked at the two submissive Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, took out two jade slips, and casually tossed them over.

"These two jade slips contain a cultivation method created specifically for demon beasts, the Heavenly Demon Transformation Art. By cultivating this method, you can take human form without losing your cultivation."

The Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape both went blank.

Take human form without losing their cultivation?

How was that possible? When Soul Beasts took human form, they had to lose all their cultivation and start over. This was an ironclad law of the Douluo Continent. Yet this human claimed to possess a cultivation method capable of breaking that law?

"When cultivated to an advanced level, this method will not only allow you to freely switch between beast and human form, but also let you advance further while retaining all your cultivation." Tang Ling's tone remained calm. "To be honest, your current strength is still not much to look at. Cultivate this method, and breaking through the shackles of your bloodline will only be a matter of time. If you can cultivate it to mastery..."

He paused, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"Transforming into a dragon is not impossible."

The Sky Azure Bull Python's vertical pupils widened abruptly. Transforming into a dragon! That was the ultimate dream of all serpent-type Soul Beasts. For countless years, innumerable serpent Soul Beasts had pressed onward one after another, trying to break through their own shackles and evolve into higher beings. But very few had succeeded. And this human actually said it could transform into a dragon?

The Sky Azure Bull Python's enormous body trembled violently. It lowered its head and slammed its forehead heavily against the ground.

"My lord's grace in remaking me shall never be forgotten by Da Ming! From this day onward, Da Ming is willing to follow my lord. Command me as you wish—I will not hesitate even in death!"

The Titan Giant Ape also dropped to its knees with a boom, pounding its chest with its right fist and producing a dull thud.

"Same here!"

Tang Ling looked at the two colossal beasts kneeling before him and waved a hand.

"There is no need to declare anything so quickly. I gave you this cultivation method not because I want you to follow me. Xiao Wu calls me Big Brother Tang Ling. Since you are her little brothers, it is only proper for me to look after you while I can."

He turned around and stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze passing through layers of dense forest toward the distant north.

Holy Soul Village, Tang Ling's small courtyard.

Morning light filtered through the Purple Bamboo leaves, scattering mottled shadows across the ground. The violet-gold patterns between the bamboo joints were deeper than they had been three years ago, and the spiritual energy they released was so dense it was nearly tangible, shrouding the entire courtyard in a faint purple mist.

Tang San sat alone cross-legged at the outermost edge of the Purple Bamboo grove, his eyes closed as pale blue Soul Power light swirled around him.

He had returned to Holy Soul Village three days ago.

Three days earlier, after returning from the Star Dou Forest, Xiao Wu had listened to Tang Ling speak about Da Ming and Er Ming, then immediately pulled Ah Rou back into the depths of the Star Dou Forest to visit her two little brothers.

Tang San, meanwhile, had plunged headfirst into the Purple Bamboo's spiritual energy field.

His Rank Twenty-Two Soul Power had already completely stabilized. The bloodsucking ability granted by the eighteen-hundred-year Ghost Vine soul ring had caused a qualitative leap in his Blue Silver Grass martial soul. But Tang San was not satisfied.

His goal today was the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Beneath the Purple Bamboo, spiritual energy surged into Tang San's body like a tide.

The inner force of the second level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill flowed slowly through his meridians. Each circulation was smoother and more complete than the last. The bottleneck that had trapped him for so long was already on the verge of collapse beneath the cleansing tide of the Purple Bamboo's Dao resonance.

Rustle—

A breeze brushed through the Purple Bamboo, making its leaves sway gently and emit a deep Dao resonance like the tolling of an ancient bell.

That sound pierced Tang San's eardrums, flowed down through his meridians, and gathered in his dantian. The inner force of the Mysterious Heaven Skill seemed to ignite, suddenly boiling over.

Tang San's entire body shook.

He could feel a fine crack appear in that bottleneck. The crack spread at a visible rate, branching out like a spiderweb.

"Now!"

Tang San suddenly mobilized all his inner force and slammed it fiercely against the bottleneck.

Boom—

A roar only he could hear erupted within his dantian. The bottleneck of the second level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill shattered in that instant.

Third level!

A surge of inner force far more majestic than before poured from his dantian, rushing and roaring through his meridians like floodwaters bursting through a dam. Tang San's aura began to rise uncontrollably as pale blue Soul Power light intertwined with the Mysterious Heaven Skill's inner force, forming a thin membrane of light over his body.

He could feel his five senses becoming sharper than ever. He could hear the faint crackle of tobacco leaves burning as Old Jack smoked outside the courtyard, smell the scent of coke drifting over from the blacksmith shop, and sense the path of every Purple Bamboo leaf swaying in the wind.

Tang San slowly opened his eyes, violet light flashing through them.

It was not the violet of the Purple Demon Eye, but a phenomenon produced by the fusion of the Mysterious Heaven Skill's inner force and a millennium soul ring.

The light vanished in an instant. His eyes returned to deep blue, but they were now even more profound than before, like two pools of bottomless water.