Target Soul Beast Appears, Far Beyond the Expected Age!

"Li Zha, I don't agree with you absorbing the Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf either! Thirty thousand years—you'll definitely die!"

Hu Liena stated her opinion seriously to Li Zha.

Gui Mei nodded as well. "His Holiness the Pope gave us a full half month,

even if we can't find the three soul beasts you were targeting, there's no need to take a risk like this."

Even with a ten-thousand-year soul beast, he felt Li Zha would have trouble absorbing it. There was no way he would let Li Zha absorb a thirty-thousand-year one.

Li Zha understood as well.

He had assessed himself, too.

Ten thousand years—perhaps with the cleansing effects of the Undying Lotus Root, along with having consumed the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue,

he might truly be able to withstand it.

But thirty thousand years was practically courting death.

Although if he could kill the Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf and absorb its soul ring,

there would be another benefit.

A soul bone.

For a soul bone to be produced, aside from tremendous luck, the soul beast needed to harbor intense hatred.

And the male wolf's hatred right now was absolutely sufficient.

Forget it.

Li Zha dismissed his greed inwardly as well.

Thirty thousand years had never been part of his plan.

If he rashly changed it, he might just perish here.

"Mm, I understand, Senior Gui, Nana."

Only after Li Zha spoke did Gui Mei and Hu Liena finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Before Li Zha said anything, they had truly thought he might want to absorb that thirty-thousand-year Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf.

"Roar—!"

The male wolf suddenly let out a threatening roar in Gui Mei's direction.

"It noticed us?!"

Hu Liena was slightly shocked.

Gui Mei frowned. He had not expected his Title Douluo-level aura concealment to be detected.

Soon, he shook his head.

"It hasn't noticed us. It's merely testing."

"Testing?"

"That's right. Every so often, it randomly roars in a certain direction to threaten others,

so that other soul beasts who hear it won't come close.

It only roared in our direction by coincidence."

Gui Mei explained.

Because there was no focused gaze in the male wolf's eyes, nothing indicating it had discovered the three of them.

Its pupils were unfocused.

That meant it had merely glanced this way.

"Let's go."

However, after Gui Mei had only taken two steps, his expression suddenly changed.

"Careful!"

Black Soul Power instantly enveloped Li Zha and Hu Liena.

The three of them concealed their auras even further than before!

Their presence weakened to the absolute minimum!

Gui Mei hurriedly led them behind a boulder to hide.

"Rumble!"

The ground suddenly began to shake.

Rubble rolled continuously down the slope.

Both Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolves stopped moving at once.

The male wolf swiftly turned around and stood in front of the female wolf, all the red fur along its back standing on end.

"Grr..."

It opened its jaws and let out a low, threatening growl.

Massive amounts of flame poured from between its teeth.

Before Hu Liena could even see the newcomer, she already felt immense pressure.

She grabbed Li Zha's arm and lowered her body.

Li Zha paid no attention to her movement.

His entire focus was on what lay ahead.

"Thud, thud!"

The footsteps drew closer and closer.

A gigantic soul beast covered in heavy armor emerged from the forest!

It looked nearly ten meters long!

Its limbs were thick and powerful!

The shell on its back was dark red.

Steam constantly rose from the gaps in its armor.

Its head was flat, with two rows of short teeth inside its mouth.

Every step drove its feet into the soil.

Li Zha stared at it for a few moments and immediately recognized it.

A Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast!

It was precisely the target at the top of his list.

His Flaming-tipped Spear martial soul reacted at that moment as well.

Li Zha's right palm grew hot, and the circulation of his Soul Power accelerated.

Hu Liena noticed the change in him and quickly moved closer.

"Is that the one you were looking for?"

"Mm."

"But it's way too big..."

Hu Liena looked over, her face turning slightly pale.

"It is indeed a Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast,"

Gui Mei said with a grave expression.

"But judging by the size of this Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast... its cultivation is most likely close to forty thousand years."

Hu Liena sucked in a breath.

"Forty thousand years...?!"

"Don't the records say that Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beasts are usually around fifteen thousand years?"

"The records describe what is common. Naturally, there are uncommon ones as well."

Gui Mei looked up at the colossal beast before them.

"No one has ever been able to accurately count how many soul beasts there are in the Star Dou Forest."

"A forty-thousand-year Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast's defense already surpasses that of many fifty-thousand-year soul beasts."

"Even if I dealt with it head-on, it would take me some time."

"And if I have to leave it barely alive for Li Zha, the difficulty will increase considerably."

After saying that, he watched Li Zha's expression.

He wanted to see fear or hesitation on Li Zha's face.

Unfortunately, he saw neither.

Instead, Li Zha's gaze remained calm.

As though there would never be much change in his emotions beyond life and death.

Hu Liena saw Li Zha's gaze as well and hurriedly grabbed him.

"Don't tell me you still want it."

Li Zha did not answer.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue had strengthened his body.

The Undying Lotus Root had also already adjusted his body to its optimal state.

He had ample confidence in absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring.

Forty thousand years was far beyond the originally planned range.

The backlash would be even more terrifying than the thirty thousand years he had estimated for the Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf.

The energy within the soul ring was simply too immense.

Whether his current body could withstand it, he could not accurately determine.

Gui Mei looked at him.

"I can deal with it."

"But forty thousand years is already beyond the limits of taking risks."

"If you insist, I'll take you straight back to Spirit City."

Hu Liena immediately nodded.

"Grandpa Gui is right."

"If you really dare absorb it, I'll help him hold you down."

Li Zha shook his head slightly.

"I'm not confident in myself to that extent."

"That's good."

Hu Liena patted her chest.

She was afraid Li Zha would still stubbornly insist.

Gui Mei looked at the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast before them, as massive as a small mountain, and slowly spoke.

"We'll have to wait here for a while. Although I can deal with it,

it'll be troublesome. Especially with the two of you here—if I fail to protect you properly, even a single aftershock could seriously injure you.

So try not to leave my side."

Li Zha and Hu Liena nodded.

A forty-thousand-year soul beast was no laughing matter.

"Roar! Roar—!"

Just then, the male wolf suddenly roared.

With a single leap, it directly blocked the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast's path.

Flames rose from its limbs, and the nearby blades of grass swiftly curled under the high heat.

It was warning its opponent to leave.

The Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast did not stop.

It merely lowered its gaze slightly at the Red-Mane Explosive-Flame Wolf standing before it, smaller by a full size.

Then—

It violently kicked off the ground with its forelimbs.

Whoosh—!

Its enormous body accelerated and charged forward.

When a small mountain started running, even the air howled with friction!

"Awoo..."

The female wolf let out a mournful, pleading cry.

Yet that did not make the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast pause in the slightest.

Its target had been her from the start!

"Roar—!"

The male wolf howled furiously and lunged at the charging Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast without a care for its own safety!

Swish, swish!

The male wolf was clearly a little faster than the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast!

After charging a few steps, it leaped into the air!

Its wolf claws immediately slammed fiercely onto the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast's head!

Boom!

Flames erupted completely!

Yet the Crimson Flame Heavy-Armored Beast merely tilted its head slightly.

Its eyes still held the same contemptuous look.

The next instant, it rammed its massive head directly into the male wolf's chest!

Crack!

The sound of bones breaking rang out.

The male wolf was sent flying more than twenty meters in an instant!

Bang! Bang!

After crashing through two trees in succession, she finally slammed hard into the ground.

After landing, her limbs twitched once, and she could no longer get back up.

Hu Liena's eyes widened.

"The gap is actually this huge!"