Fusion

(This chapter took so long to arrive. So many people roasted me because of Chen Hao... Right now, I feel like singing: So Wronged.)

Great Soul Fighting Arena

After several rounds of coordination and effort, Tang San and the others finally began to look like a team. Their strength had improved noticeably, and Flander was making so much money his mouth was practically watering.

Elsewhere

Chen Hao's original body and clone slowly merged. In the dark cave, Chen Hao roared, "Why? Why?"

"Why did you let me live another life, only to make me feel so miserable?"

Suddenly

A woman's laughing voice rang out in his mind...

"Don't you think you're very foolish? You are yourself. Why do you have to become someone else?"

"Hurry up and merge with your body. That boy Yu Xiaofeng is rather interesting. Didn't you say you were willing to do anything for her?"

"You've disappointed me too much. Don't let Chen Hao's consciousness control you anymore. Don't forget your identity and your mission."

"Yu Xiaofeng is Chen Hao's enemy, while my enemy is Tang San. How much Soul Power did I waste to reincarnate you? Think about her. Perhaps the two of you can be together in this life, can't you?"

A trace of tenderness flashed across Chen Hao's twisted face as scenes from the past replayed in his mind. His hands clenched into tight fists, and he murmured, "Ye Yue, in this life, I will definitely become a god. I won't let the tragedy of my previous life repeat itself."

"I swear, I absolutely won't."

Two phantoms rippled out from Chen Hao's body. One was Chen Hao's figure, while the other was that of an armored man. The instant the two figures overlapped, a shrill scream rang out. "No... no... You can't kill me... You can't kill me... I'm a prince of the imperial family..."

The man said disdainfully, "A prince? Everything you saw and knew was merely what they allowed you to see. Staying in Spirit Hall was only to obtain better resources."

"Did you really think Qian Daoliu was doing it for your sake? Did you really think the people at your command were real?"

"It was all merely to satisfy your vanity and allow me to better merge with your soul and body."

"As the saying goes, money can make ghosts turn millstones. I spent so much money creating that illusion, all for today."

"If our compatibility weren't the highest, and if your surname weren't Chen, would I have chosen an idiot as dense as you?"

The man's heart-piercing words caused Chen Hao's soul to fluctuate violently. Chen Hao cried madly, "No, impossible... I'm a prince of the imperial family. You're lying to me... You're lying to me..."

The man ignored him and seized the moment to instantly devour his soul.

Chen Hao's entire body trembled as he howled and wailed. His pig-slaughtering screams came one after another without end.

The drip-drip of falling water merged with the screams, their mingled sound resembling a symphony of rebirth.

Elsewhere

Yu Xiaofeng and the other two had been searching for soul beasts all the way, but their journey had gotten off to a terrible start. There were plenty of soul beasts along the way, yet not a single one suited him.

Ghost Douluo looked at Old Wu and asked, "What soul beast are we even looking for?"

"How would I know? Ask him. He's making it all so mysterious."

Old Wu complained.

Yu Xiaofeng grinned. "Actually, we're looking for a thousand-year Devouring Beast."

"Though I hope we can find a mutated Devouring Beast."

Ghost Douluo's eyelids and mouth twitched. Old Wu wiped away a bead of sweat and said, "Devouring Beasts are rare as hell. Can you at least make your bullshit sound believable?"

Yu Xiaofeng asked in surprise, "Doesn't the book say there are quite a lot of these soul beasts?"

"Teacher also said they're easy to find in the depths of Star Dou Forest. Could we be searching in the wrong direction?"

The two elders rolled their eyes at Yu Xiaofeng and continued onward. It wasn't as though they had not encountered any along the way, but the Devouring Beasts Yu Xiaofeng had found were all around a thousand years old. He was not greedy; one six or seven thousand years old would do. If it was ten thousand years old, he did not think he would be unable to absorb it. Thus, he searched for suitable soul beasts as much as possible.

Underground Divine Palace

Elder Fang led the defeated remnants back to their headquarters. It was a palace carved deep underground. Most of its architecture had pointed roofs in a Nordic style, though there were occasionally low, flat-roofed buildings topped with special large ballistae.

Palace Hall

The walls of the hall depicted scenes of ferocious beasts battling winged people wielding weapons. Every image was lifelike. At the center of the palace stood two rows of eight stone pillars resembling tentacles.

In the spaces between the stone pillars, two rows of seats stood along either side of a black leather carpet.

At this moment, Elder Fang and the defeated remnants stood upon the black leather carpet. Facing the seat piled with skulls at its front and back, they respectfully said, "God, we failed!"

Their voices were filled with unwillingness, their eyes with humiliation.

A green soul flame lit up on the skull throne, followed by black smoke slowly gathering together. A blurred face appeared before everyone.

Everyone felt the temperature in the hall rise to a suffocating level, making even breathing difficult.

The blurred face spoke in a distant, profound voice. "Just as I expected, I was overly optimistic about this operation."

He took out a black crystal ball and tossed it to Elder Fang. "Point this at Yu Xiaofeng. As long as he is within ten meters, the crystal ball will automatically draw him inside."

"The crystal ball can only last for five hours. You must bring him back to me within those five hours."

"If you fail again, I would not mind letting you taste the feeling of purgatory."

Everyone's bodies trembled, and they broke out in cold sweat. Sweat even ran down Elder Fang's cheeks.

After the smoke dispersed, the temperature in the hall noticeably dropped. Elder Fang's hand holding the crystal ball trembled violently. After wiping away his sweat, he placed the crystal ball into his soul tool, then said to the people behind him, "Go back and rest."

"Er Lengzi, go fetch Wuxin and Wunao. This time, we need to end things quickly."

Er Lengzi nodded and hurried off in a flash.

Elsewhere

Liu Tian had wandered through the forest for several days, yet he still had not found any trace of Yu Xiaofeng. He could only give up and head back toward the Underground Divine Palace.

However, after walking for just over an hour, he detected two familiar Soul Power fluctuations.

At the same time, Wuxin, Wunao, and Old Fang also sensed Liu Tian's Soul Power fluctuations.

"Old Fang?"

"Why have you come back again?"

Liu Tian asked in surprise.

Old Fang sighed. "Liu Tian, I don't care what you think, but you cannot kill Yu Xiaofeng. This time, the 'God' gave me a special tool. We will definitely capture him. You can join Wuxin and Wunao in killing Ghost Douluo and the others to avenge your younger brother."

"As for you leaving without permission, I did not tell the God."

"As long as you make up for your crimes with merit, I'll treat what happened before as though it never happened."

Liu Tian looked gratefully at Old Fang, then followed him onward.

Along the way, Liu Tian said, "I've searched for that Yu Xiaofeng for several days, but I never found him. I don't know if he's hiding somewhere."

Old Fang said, "Will hiding be of any use?"

Holding the black crystal ball, Old Fang said, "The crystal ball shows that he is to the east. He's not far away."

"Later, we must act quickly. Once I capture him, Wunao, you take me away. Wuxin and Liu Tian will cover our retreat."

Yu Xiaofeng's eyelids kept twitching. He had the feeling that someone was watching him.