Who could make two Titled Douluo turn pale at the mention of them?
Xue Qinghe's expression instantly became that of a humble gentleman.
Her voice was very soft. "You two go ahead. I'll handle this."
Pufferfish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo immediately withdrew.
Neither dared hesitate in the slightest. They were so careful that even as they left, they didn't dare make much noise.
Shadow's voice sounded. "A thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast is approaching nearby."
The two Titled Douluo had already retreated, yet the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast still didn't dare approach.
A thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast was already quite powerful.
But it only circled around Xue Qinghe.
Only after it was sure there was no danger did it slowly lower its head.
A Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon!
It was a kind of flood-dragon Soul Beast that closely resembled a snake.
Because it was born with only one eye, young Soul Beasts of this species had poor senses and were easily preyed upon by other Soul Beasts.
Compared with ordinary serpentine flood dragons, the Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon looked rather strange.
It wasn't just because of the long, vertical pupil growing on its face.
It was also because its whole body was pitch-black, save for its blood-red vertical pupil and its thick golden forelimbs!
It gave the impression of being top-heavy, but it was extremely dangerous.
When Xue Qinghe's guards saw the Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon, they all rushed over.
The Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon flicked its tongue, its sinister vertical pupil fixed on Xue Qinghe.
The two sides were at a standoff, but Dai Yunzhao saw what mattered.
"Shadow, I originally planned to wait until I'd settled in before giving you a Martial Soul. But looking at things now, there's no need to wait. The Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon in front of us is perfect for you!"
There weren't that many Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the world, just waiting for someone to kill them.
Besides, Shadow needed a Martial Soul with a Soul Ring to break through his genetic shackles!
What could be more suitable for the Golden Iron Beast than the Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon before them?
Shadow melted into the darkness. His voice was very soft. "Not yet. Someone's approaching."
Dai Yunzhao looked up and slowly gazed ahead.
The Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon suddenly pushed off with its forelimbs, lunging straight at Xue Qinghe.
Where it had been standing, a huge crater now gaped in the ground!
It was incredibly fast. Its claws were almost at Xue Qinghe's hair.
At that very moment, a wisp of sword energy appeared out of thin air!
The Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon abruptly turned around.
It was already moving very fast, but it was still too late!
In its vertical pupil, a sword grew larger and larger.
Until it pierced the only weak spot on its entire body: its vertical pupil!
Clang!
The sword rang out. Before the Golden-Armed One-Eyed Flood Dragon could even make out what had happened, the sword had already pinned its body to a tree!
That sword was sharp and domineering!
The Soul Beast's warm blood spilled across the ground, splattering before Dai Yunzhao and the others.
Whoosh!
The sword shot through the air again, flying off into the distance.
A hand reached up and caught the hilt with ease.
Two figures stepped into view.
The person in front held a scepter and wore the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's distinctive Sect Master robes. He looked refined and gentle.
Behind him, the swordsman held the blade. A strand of white hair hung over his forehead, his eyes were bright and his brows sharp, and he stood as straight as the sword in his hand.
Xue Qinghe put on an appropriately alarmed expression and hurriedly bowed. "Teacher, Senior Sword, if you hadn't arrived in time, this Soul Beast would have caught me off guard."
Xue Qinghe's teacher was naturally Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
And the only person who could follow Ning Fengzhi was Sword Douluo Chen Xin, the peerless swordsman of the world!
No wonder Pufferfish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo had withdrawn so quickly.
If they had faced them head-on, with Ning Fengzhi supporting Sword Chen Xin, that would have been more than most could handle.
There were differences even among Titled Douluo.
Someone like Sword Chen Xin ranked among the very best of the Titled Douluo still active on the mainland.
As for the old-timers and monsters who had hidden themselves away to cultivate, they wouldn't show themselves easily either.
Among the Titled Douluo who walked the world, few could best Sword Douluo.
And he had the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, to boot!
Ning Fengzhi quickly helped Xue Qinghe to her feet.
"Your Highness, I'd just returned from the sect when I heard His Majesty say you'd come to the Star Dou Forest alone to hunt Soul Beasts. I came to check on you."
Xue Qinghe bowed in return. "Thank you for your concern, Teacher."
Watching the two support one another, Dai Yunzhao couldn't help thinking they really looked like a pair of devoted teacher and student.
But in truth, each had their own agenda!
Ning Fengzhi needed the support of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and among all the princes, he had chosen to back Xue Qinghe.
As for Xue Qinghe, she was actually Qian Renxue, and she also needed Ning Fengzhi's help to rise to power.
Sword Chen Xin, standing at a polite distance from them, looked far more straightforward.
Dai Yunzhao pointed at Chen Xin and said to Shadow, "Shadow, see that man? Grow to be as strong as him, and preferably surpass him as soon as possible."
"Then, whenever I fight someone in the future, I'll just throw you at them."
"For a battle of peak Pokémon, I'll send you out!"
Shadow paused, then replied with complete seriousness, "He's stronger than me, but my mechanics are sneakier."
Dai Yunzhao rolled his eyes.
Shadow's mechanics really were devious. If he couldn't win, he'd escape through the shadows!
But that didn't always work.
For instance, against Qian Renxue here, whose family's Angel Martial Soul had a natural advantage over Shadow.
Xue Qinghe took several medicinal herbs from her Storage Soul Tool.
"These are herbs I happened to find during my hunt in the Star Dou Forest. Teacher, please see if they might be of any use to you."
Ning Fengzhi glanced at the herbs and quietly accepted them all.
"How thoughtful of you, Your Highness."
Xue Qinghe's gaze, however, kept drifting toward the depths of the Star Dou Forest.
It was clear she was still somewhat unwilling to give up.
"Teacher, do you think someone can be considered grown if they don't rely on the imperial family?"
Ning Fengzhi was slightly taken aback.
But Xue Qinghe continued, "I've grown up under Father and Teacher's protection. Everyone sees me as a prodigy, but in truth, I'm just a pretty ornament whose hands have never been stained with blood."
"This hunt for a Soul Ring was supposed to be something I did alone, but I still brought a whole troop of personal guards."
"I want to walk on my own for a while. You don't need to come along. I'll only be gone for one night!"
Ning Fengzhi was about to say something when Sword Chen Xin spoke from behind him. "That's how it should be!"
Ning Fengzhi's face turned cold, and he wanted to turn around and glare at Sword Chen Xin...
Oh, it was Sword Chen Xin. Never mind!
Ning Fengzhi could only force a smile. "A thousand-gold heir should not sit beneath a crumbling wall. Your Highness, if you don't need me to accompany you, please at least take these guards. If danger arises, we'll be able to come to your aid."
Xue Qinghe nodded.
As long as she could get away from Ning Fengzhi and the others, she didn't care how.
Xue Qinghe led her guards toward the depths of the Star Dou Forest.
Sword Chen Xin's eyes were full of admiration, while Ning Fengzhi looked deeply troubled.
Shadow asked softly, "Master, what should we do next?"
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