Qian Renxue's Figure, External Soul Bone: Blood Scale Armor!

The soul beasts lurking in the dark could no longer restrain themselves from baring their fangs and claws.

They were silently closing in on Dai Yunzhao.

As things stood, any soul beast suited to either Fierce Tiger King or Wild Gorilla would do for Dai Yunzhao.

As long as he reached Rank 90, all of his Soul Rings could evolve into hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings!

This boost meant he did not need to choose between his two Martial Souls.

He only needed to cultivate steadily as usual.

Shadow, who had been prowling through the darkness, slowly drew closer beneath Dai Yunzhao's shadow.

"Master, there aren't any soul beasts in the outer region that suit you. Should we head deeper in?"

Dai Yunzhao raised his head and looked toward the deeper reaches of Star Dou Forest.

The farther one went toward the center of Star Dou Forest, the more dangerous the soul beasts became.

Likewise, the Soul Masters one encountered would be stronger.

After all, no one would blindly head inward without knowing their own limits.

That would only make them food for soul beasts.

Dai Yunzhao stared deep into the forest for a moment before finally nodding. "All right!"

Dai Yunzhao truly had no interest in the soul beasts of the outer region.

Soul beasts that boosted speed and strength were simply too scarce there.

Besides, Dai Yunzhao needed to find out whether, with the two great War Kings he possessed, he could absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring as his first Soul Ring!

Previously, Dai Yunzhao had wanted to play it safe.

But Shadow beside him had given him a great deal of encouragement.

Since Shadow could do it, could the two War King Martial Souls—the most important two among Hextech's five choices—help him absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring?

Dai Yunzhao slowly made his way deeper into the forest.

"Shadow, focus on supreme attack, supreme defense, and supreme strength. Don't pay too much attention to anything else."

"Mm."

Dai Yunzhao continued onward, but Shadow's voice suddenly exploded beside his ear. "Master, move!"

Before Dai Yunzhao could react, a hand had already dragged him into the shadows.

Shadow could bring others through the shadows!

Shadow's ability to hide was extremely powerful. With a flicker, he brought Dai Yunzhao onto a nearby tree branch.

The shadow cast by a single fallen leaf was enough to conceal him!

Directly beneath them, a thousand-year Blood Scale Beast had been beaten until it was covered in wounds.

The Blood Scale Beast was a soul beast that looked much like a pangolin.

But unlike docile pangolins, Blood Scale Beasts were extremely violent and fed on the flesh and blood of soul beasts.

The scales on its body and its claws were the weapons it relied on to survive!

Its scales could withstand the attacks of most soul beasts of the same age, while its meter-long scale claws could easily tear apart the bodies of soul beasts of the same age!

It was an exceptionally perfect soul beast.

Whether it was Wild Gorilla or Fierce Tiger King, either could absorb this soul beast's Soul Ring.

Yet neither Dai Yunzhao nor Shadow made any move. The two remained hidden in the shadows.

The tree shadows swayed as two burly men appeared.

Dai Yunzhao finally understood why Shadow had been so flustered.

Because both of the men who had arrived were Title Douluo!

One wore golden armor and carried a long spear, with a snake-shaped mark between his brows.

The other wore spiked armor, poisonous fumes billowing from his body. Wherever he walked, even the ground was corroded with hissing sounds!

With such distinctive appearances and weapons, Dai Yunzhao guessed their identities.

Pufferfish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo!

One of them wielded poison so potent that it could even suppress Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.

The other possessed overwhelmingly powerful offensive strength as well.

These two were Qian Renxue's guards while she infiltrated Heaven Dou Empire. For both of them to appear here at once...

As Dai Yunzhao was thinking this, another figure walked toward the area.

He was a refined and handsome young nobleman, dressed in the exclusive robes of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family.

Far behind him was a squad of Heaven Dou royal guards.

Xue Qinghe!

No!

More precisely, it was Qian Renxue, except she had disguised herself as the crown prince of Heaven Dou Empire.

Xue Qinghe walked step by step to the Blood Scale Beast's side.

Snake Lance Douluo spoke as though seeking credit. "Young Master, I pinned it here for you. Hurry and absorb it!"

Xue Qinghe's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Who said I wanted to absorb its Soul Ring?"

Pufferfish Douluo was more seasoned. Smiling, he explained, "Young Master's Martial Soul is not suited to this Blood Scale Beast."

Snake Lance Douluo froze.

"Then why did Young Master..."

Xue Qinghe looked at the Blood Scale Beast struggling endlessly on the ground, and a cold smile tugged at her lips.

"Why kill it? Because I find it disgusting! Anything covered in blood is disgusting!"

Snake Lance Douluo did not understand.

Pufferfish Douluo lowered his head in thought as well.

Only Dai Yunzhao, hiding beneath the shadow of the leaves, understood that this was Qian Renxue's hatred for her mother.

Bibi Dong's Martial Soul and the Soul Rings she had absorbed carried a bloody aura to varying degrees. Qian Renxue despised Bibi Dong, so she vented her anger on soul beasts.

What surprised Dai Yunzhao was that those royal guards had witnessed everything.

They were also fully aware of the existence of the two great Douluo.

The current Qian Renxue really was steadily infiltrating Heaven Dou Empire.

These people were likely all her trusted subordinates from Spirit Hall.

But if Dai Yunzhao had to judge, this woman was simply making trouble for herself.

With talent that high, she should have cultivated properly and strengthened Spirit Hall.

Instead, she came here to be an undercover agent?

Even her cultivation had to be done in secret!

She was just making things harder for herself.

Xue Qinghe turned around, her voice icy. "Beat it until it can't move, but don't let it die. Let it bleed dry, then leave its corpse for other soul beasts to devour!"

Dai Yunzhao frowned.

How ruthless!

But it also confirmed from another angle that she deeply hated Bibi Dong.

Snake Lance Douluo raised his Snake Lance and fiercely thrust it into the Blood Scale Beast's body.

Rip!

A bloody gash opened to the air.

The Blood Scale Beast's internal organs spilled out.

It could no longer possibly survive!

After doing all this, the two Title Douluo followed behind Xue Qinghe and continued deeper into Star Dou Forest.

Shadow's senses were beyond ordinary imagination. Only after a long while did his voice sound.

"They've all left."

Shadow pulled Dai Yunzhao out of the shadows and headed toward the Blood Scale Beast, which still had one last breath left.

The Blood Scale Beast's organs kept sliding toward the ground, yet its eyes still weakly opened and closed.

Dai Yunzhao could not help clicking his tongue. "This soul beast really is tough. It's already in this state, yet it can still hold on for so long."

The Blood Scale Beast forced its eyes open and saw two slender figures. It remembered the terror of being hunted by the two Title Douluo!

All the pain it was suffering flooded its senses.

It never wanted to experience that pain again!

The Blood Scale Beast's eyes suddenly widened as it stared straight in Dai Yunzhao's direction.

It died with its eyes open!

A purple Soul Ring floated out from the Blood Scale Beast's body.

At the same time, a Soul Bone flew out.

It was the Blood Scale Bone formed from the Blood Scale Beast's back armor.

It did not belong to any of the six main Soul Bone categories. It was an External Soul Bone.

It offered both defense and counterattacks!

Dai Yunzhao took it into his hand.

"I didn't expect such an unexpected gain."

Dai Yunzhao still needed to consider whether he should absorb this Soul Bone.

What mattered most now was absorbing the Soul Ring that had fallen into his lap!