Hulk Transformation

At the words, a burly man seated on a bronze chair let out a muffled voice like a thick cowhide drum.

"Three years ago, Demon Bear returned to the hall seriously wounded. Not only did he fail to bring back the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, word also spread that Tang Hao, a Soul Douluo, had broken his leg. Since returning, he had kept to himself. We thought he had been crushed by the setback, turning from a demon bear into a cowardly bear. But now, it seems that was probably a smokescreen released by Demon Bear."

A smokescreen?

Ci Xue, an ordinary-looking man of average build with a large black mole at the corner of his mouth, fell into thought. His murky eyes were filled with decayed scheming.

"Lei Dao, what do you mean?"

Lei Dao cast a casual glance at Ci Xue with his drooping dark-yellow eyes, then slowly revealed a startling piece of information.

"Demon Bear's serious injuries were fake. His secret plot to seize a Worshipper seat is real."

"What?!"

Ci Xue's pupils suddenly contracted. This was clearly beyond his expectations.

Flash Mongoose Lin Xie, however, showed little change in expression. Before this meeting, he had already discussed matters with Lei Dao, which was why this "bear hunt" had taken place.

"Brother Ci Xue, there is no need for surprise. Demon Bear may appear rough and bold, but he is actually vigilant and calculating. According to the reliable information Brother Lei provided, this Demon Bear had broken through levels repeatedly over the past three years and had already reached the peak of Rank 95. One more level, and he would have one foot across the threshold of the Worshippers."

"So we suspect that although Demon Bear lost the battle against Tang Hao, his injuries were not severe. He may have encountered some opportunity and deliberately used his injuries as an excuse to withdraw from the Elder power center, focusing entirely on seclusion and breakthroughs. That is the only way to explain why his cultivation advanced so quickly."

"Furthermore, we discovered that Demon Bear had been secretly in contact with the Holy Maiden. That should also be why he could ruin the Pope's important affair yet remain so fearless."

After hearing this, Ci Xue frowned tightly, irritation appearing on his gloomy face.

After a moment, he raised his head. His voice was hoarse with ruthlessness, each word emerging like an icy iron nail driven into bone.

"We have long had conflicts with Demon Bear over interests. We absolutely cannot allow Demon Bear to rise again, much less let him step onto the path of the Worshippers."

"Otherwise, you and I will be suppressed forever, with no chance to rise again!"

Lei Dao and Flash Mongoose exchanged looks and nodded solemnly.

With matters having reached this point, Flash Mongoose Lin Xie's silver eyes rolled as he said,

"You both know that my biological younger sister, Lin Yanli, is married to Demon Bear's elder brother, Xu Longgang. Therefore, I have a plan..."

Lin Xie laid out his plan.

When he finished, he laughed loudly. "Demon Bear finally has a son, and an only son at that. Using him as leverage is like pinning down Demon Bear's vital point. Severing his path to becoming a Worshipper will be effortless."

"However, this plan puts me at great risk. So when we divide Demon Bear's family assets afterward, my Lin Family will take the largest share. You two have no objections, correct?"

After a stretch of silence.

"No."

"It will work."

What a vicious scheme!

Using family members as hostages meant completely tearing off all pretenses.

If it failed, then...

Lei Dao and Ci Xue both knew the consequences.

With Demon Bear's murderous nature, he would definitely fight to the death without regard for anything else!

With the matter settled, the three discussed the details further before Lei Dao and Ci Xue left separately.

In the darkness of the secret chamber.

Only Lin Xie's pair of silver, lightning-like eyes remained, wild and unrestrained. His crimson tongue licked his lips, like a demon waiting to hunt.

"A man without ruthlessness is no true man! Xu Bayan, let's see how much weight your son carries in your heart. If being ruthless and heartless is your true face, then I, Lin Xie, will acknowledge you as a formidable hero and lead my Lin Family into anonymity, retreating into the mountains and forests from now on."

"If not, then you can only become a bear waiting to be butchered. That leg Tang Hao failed to destroy—I will make you offer it up with your own hands."

"But no matter what, your son is dead for certain. Every top Soul Master knows that Innate Soul Power is directly proportional to Martial Soul quality. A Body Arms Martial Soul, yet Innate Full Soul Power... He may truly be a mutant, but it is more likely that he is a genius hiding something. Hahaha! This time, I will not only sever your path to becoming a Worshipper, I will also pull out the roots and destroy the foundation of your Xu Family's rise!"

Pain!

It hurt so much!

His head hurt so much!

Outside Spirit City, inside an unknown dark cave, Xu Huxiao lay on the ground bound by thorny vines. His face was twisted in pain as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Hiss... What happened to me? I remember eating the fresh flower pastries Aunt gave me. I felt a little sleepy, so I took a nap in my room. Why am I here now? Where is this?"

The surroundings were pitch-black and silent.

"I... didn't transmigrate again, did I???"

Xu Huxiao could not be blamed for thinking so. When he had transmigrated to Douluo Continent, he had merely dozed off during math class.

Then his consciousness went dark.

When he woke and opened his eyes, he discovered that he had transmigrated.

Just as Xu Huxiao was feeling lost.

Bang—!

Something was thrown inside.

Before Xu Huxiao could react, a familiar blood-covered face filled his vision in the darkness.

Slap!

Warm, sticky blood dripped onto his young, stunned face.

"Uncle Luo???"

The person before him was Luo Ming, the Xu Residence steward who had served him since childhood!

Not only was Luo Ming's face covered in blood, his fat body was also covered in gruesome bloody wounds. There was almost no uninjured spot left on him.

He carefully propped himself up with trembling arms, shielding Xu Huxiao beneath him. The moment he opened his mouth, bloody foam uncontrollably poured out.

"Young... Young Master, don't be afraid. It's all right. Uncle Luo will... will protect you. I'll protect you with this life. I will never let those thieves who kidnapped you harm even a single hair on your head."

Xu Huxiao's heart pounded violently. Goosebumps rose all over his body as a chill swept through him. The unknown danger and the bloodied face before him hit him hard.

"Uncle Luo, stop talking. I'll help you right now."

As he spoke, Xu Huxiao moved and discovered that he was bound tightly. He surged with strength, trying to break free, but the vines around him were like iron chains, impossible to tear apart. After a burst of Soul Power, they instead tightened further, their spikes piercing directly into his flesh.

In just a moment, the bluish-purple tainted energy on the spikes entered his entire body through his blood vessels.

Intense numbness and dizziness washed over him.

Poison!!

Xu Huxiao's pupils abruptly shrank.

At that moment, an indescribably hoarse, piercing laugh echoed out, as though it belonged to some bloodthirsty pervert.

"Kehehehe! A piece of trash who is already so old yet has only Rank 19 Soul Power cultivation, and a genius with Innate Full Soul Power who is suspected of possessing Twin Martial Souls. What interesting toys. I wonder how wonderful those heart-rending screams will sound when I slice your flesh off piece by piece. Kehehehe!"

In the darkness, Xu Huxiao had gradually passed the initial stage of total blindness. He could more or less make out the newcomer's appearance.

It was a thin humanoid wrapped in a black robe and hood. The lower half of his exposed face was covered in dense, terrifying centipede-like scars.

Was this person the one who kidnapped me?

But inside the residence, there were not only countless guards and warriors, but also two Soul Sages under Father's command. How could a mere Soul Ancestor kidnap me?

That's right!

This black-robed man was a Soul Ancestor!

As Xu Huxiao's thoughts raced, after staring at the other party for three seconds, the Eye of Omniscience granted by the system sent information into his mind.

[Human]: Sors

[Age]: Forty-two

[Martial Soul]: Black Venom Thorn Vine

[Level]: Forty-one

[Soul Skills]: One Yellow—Thorn Entanglement; Two Yellow—Thorn Impalement; Three Purple—Thorn Tentacles; Four Purple—Black Thorn Venom Spikes

[Inner Monologue]: This is so exciting. It was worth spending such a high price to apply to carry out the execution. I can finally enjoy the pleasure of slaughtering again. No one will interrupt this time, so I have to play a little longer. The son of a Title... such a rare opportunity! Kehehehe~

From the Inner Monologue, this person was merely the executioner. There were most likely other powerful figures guarding the outside.

In other words, someone else was behind all this!

"Get this trash out of my way first. I need to taste the main course."

Vast Soul Power rose around Sors as he kicked Luo Ming away as casually as if kicking aside a broken sack.

Then, like the Death God, he approached step by step until the prey before him was within reach.

The hood slipped down, revealing Sors's ugly, bald, scab-covered head. He glanced at Xu Huxiao, who was immobilized by the thorny vines, then took out a string of round beads from his black robe.

Looking carefully.

They were actually a ring of preserved eyeballs!

Sors sniffed the specimens in his hand. The corners of his mouth split apart, revealing a sickly, satisfied expression like that of a hellhound.

"Do you see them? These nine eyeballs are my most satisfying collection. Every one of them belonged to a Soul Master genius. With you added in, I'll finally have a perfect set of ten. Kehehehe!"

"Be afraid! Be angry! Despair! Yet there is nothing you can do. That is the most delicious seasoning for my collection!"

However.

Contrary to Sors's expectations, the golden-haired brat before him showed no panic or tears in the face of his approaching miserable death. He did not tremble or beg for mercy. Those black pupils merely stared at him as fiercely as a hawk.

There was only anger within them.

And seemingly, a sudden flash of deep green.

"If you want me dead, then you have to die too!"

Xu Huxiao's voice still carried a childish tone, but the determination in his words was as sharp as a steel blade. His fist clenched at his side, digging deeply into his flesh.

Blood dripped down.

The pain kept him clear-headed.

He knew that his only way to survive now was to release the green monster within him.

Without obtaining his first Soul Ring, he could not complete Martial Soul Possession, but that applied to ordinary Martial Souls. The core nourishment his Hulk Martial Soul required was not Soul Ring energy, but extreme rage.

However.

It was not enough yet.

When Sors saw Xu Huxiao's eyes, which did not resemble those of a child at all, a chill rose in his heart. Then embarrassment turned into rage, and disgust involuntarily welled up within him. His bony fingers came together like hooks and reached forward.

"Hmph! What arrogant nonsense! Brat, I'll dig out your eyeballs right now. Let's see how you plan to make me die!"

Facing those approaching, spike-like fingers, Xu Huxiao's heart beat wildly. The great hand of fear yanked desperately at his nerves.

But he did not retreat.

He merely forced his eyes wide open.

Crack!

The corners of his eyes split, and a streak of blood flowed out.

Rage meant not taking even one step back!

Compared to his life, what did a pair of eyes matter!

Even if he lost his eyes, as long as Hulk emerged, he could still tear the person before him apart!

"Come on, you bastard!!"

But just as Sors's hooked fingers were about to strike, his body suddenly swayed, stopping his movement.

He looked down and saw the fat man he had kicked away earlier clutching his legs tightly.

"Such tenacity..."

Luo Ming, his mouth full of bloody foam, desperately tugged at Sors's legs and shouted between ragged breaths,

"No, don't hurt Young Master Huxiao! Little Young Master, run!!"

But he only trapped Sors for a moment before thorny vines wrapped around him and dragged him away. Then an especially thick thorny vine shot forward like a spear, carrying tremendous force as it pierced directly through Luo Ming's left chest and nailed him to the cave wall.

Thorn Impalement!

Luo Ming looked at the thick thorny vine through his chest, then at the little young master who was completely unable to resist. He tried hard to open his mouth, but could not say anything. Only blood gushed out wildly.

"Don't... don't... let him... hurt Young Master Huxiao..."

As the last syllable fell.

Slap!

Luo Ming's arm fell limply, and the light vanished from his eyes.

Xu Huxiao froze at the sight.

His heart had been pierced!

He was dead?

Uncle Luo was dead! No, no, that couldn't be. It couldn't be...

That voice echoed through Xu Huxiao's mind again and again. The scene of Uncle Luo being pierced appeared over and over. Then his vision began to twist and sway. He felt all the hot blood of rage turn cold, leaving only Sors's demonic laughter and heartbeats that sounded like war drums.

Thump!

Thump, thump!!

Thump thump thump thump thump...

The war drums joined into a single roar, growing louder and stronger.

His cold, congealed blood seemed to be ignited by explosives in an instant, erupting and boiling within his small body!

His nerve endings seemed to be violently torn apart by an iron hand, threatening to split his consciousness in two. The extreme pain forcibly stopped all of Xu Huxiao's thoughts. He slammed his head against the stone wall and let out beast-like roars.

Aah!

Aah!!

Then, the Golden Sun in his dantian was swallowed by a green shadow. His pupils turned completely green, his brilliant golden hair turned black, and the thorny vines binding him exploded. Muscles burst forth like growing green roots, tearing apart his moon-white robe.

Only a pair of tattered brown knee-length shorts remained on his body.

Not only his eyes, but his entire body was dyed green. His young body directly expanded to twice its size. Every meridian throughout his body opened amid the mutation, and Golden Sun Soul Power completely fused into his flesh. His muscles swelled into a knotted, explosive mass.

Xu Huxiao dropped onto all fours, completely transforming into a green monster as he threw back his head and roared again and again.

Just as his consciousness was about to vanish, those eyes filled with slaughter and brutality locked onto the black-robed Sors before him. He spat out a hoarse, barely intelligible voice.

"Dark little bastard, you truly deserve to die, to die!!!"