Yin Yu: "Brother Meng, Long Time No See!" Meng Shu Pleads: "Your Excellency, Please Spare the Women and Children"

Yin Changqing understood at once. He smiled and shook his head.

"Father plans to give them a taste of their own medicine."

"Come on. Let's see what those two old-timers are up to."

Yin Yu said no more. His immensely powerful spiritual sense instantly locked onto their auras deep in the forest below.

He swept out a hand and took Tuoba Tingxue and Yin Changqing with him, turning into a dark streak that shot toward Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang.

Yin Yu formed a concealment seal with his fingers. His vast Soul Power hid all three of their auras without a trace. "Those two old-timers are wary. Let's hide our auras first.

"If they spot us from afar and flee, chasing them down will be a nuisance."

Within a few breaths, Yin Yu had brought the other two silently onto the thick trunk of an ancient tree. From there, they looked down on the people below.

Dragon Duke Meng Shu and Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang stood in the forest. Beside them was a short-haired girl of fifteen or sixteen, holding a Serpent Cane.

Yin Changqing studied the girl and immediately understood. He lowered his voice. "Looks like Dragon Duke and Snake Granny brought a younger member of their clan to hunt for a Soul Ring."

Tuoba Tingxue followed his gaze and nodded slightly. "The girl's Soul Power has reached level thirty. She must be looking for her third Soul Ring."

Yin Changqing studied Meng Yiran and the Serpent Cane in her hand, silently working out the timing.

In the original story, Meng Shu had not been present when Chao Tianxiang took Meng Yiran to hunt the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent. Yet here Dragon Duke and Snake Granny were together.

It seemed there was still some time before those events took place.

Yin Yu glanced in the direction the wind blew through the trees and sneered. "They're heading straight for the thousand-year soul beasts' territory.

"If they're here for a Soul Ring, the timing couldn't be better."

"Father, what do you plan to do?"

Yin Changqing asked.

A mocking smile touched Yin Yu's lips. "No rush. We'll follow them first.

"Once they've gone to all the trouble of crippling a suitable soul beast, we'll show ourselves."

Looking at Meng Yiran, Yin Changqing thought of the two-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider that Tang San had "stolen" from her.

Martial Souls and soul skills both triggered the Choose Two of Four System.

What about External Soul Bones?

Yin Changqing was not sure, but he decided to try.

Night fell, and a thin mist spread through the forest.

Meng Shu suddenly stopped and lowered his voice. "Old woman, Yiran, look at that tree ahead on the left!"

Chao Tianxiang looked over, delight flashing in her eyes. "A Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, around fifteen hundred years old!

"Its wings have a reddish tint. Its Soul Ring is just right for Yiran!"

Meng Yiran tightened her grip on her Serpent Cane and licked her lips nervously. "Grandpa, that soul beast is so fast. Can we really catch it?"

"Hmph. Not with me here, it won't escape!"

Meng Shu snorted and raised his dragon staff, ready to strike.

But the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent was exceptionally alert. The crest on its head flushed red, and it spat a cloud of thick mist before streaking deeper into the forest.

"Damn it! Slippery little worm!"

Meng Shu's strike missed, and his expression shifted. "After it!

"We can't let it get away!"

The three chased it for several miles.

Suddenly, a suffocating air of bloodlust and savagery filled the forest.

"Roar!"

A deafening roar tore through the night. In the dense woods ahead, an enormous shadow rose like a mountain, its crushing pressure sweeping toward them.

Meng Shu stopped short, his face draining of color. "Is that... a fifty-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear?!"

Before he had finished speaking, the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent twisted around, terrified by the bear's roar. It skimmed the ground on its way back and vanished in an instant.

Cold sweat beaded on Meng Shu's forehead. He pulled Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran away and shouted, "We've woken that monster!

"Old woman, take Yiran and chase the serpent!

"I'll hold this stupid bear off!"

Chao Tianxiang knew how terrifying a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was. "Can you hold out alone?

"Shouldn't we use our Martial Soul Fusion Skill together—"

"Enough talk!

"There's no time! Go!"

Meng Shu roared as eight Soul Rings lit up around him. He fixed his eyes on the approaching bear.

A fifty-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was far beyond what he could handle as a lone Soul Douluo!

Up in the treetops, Yin Yu had watched the whole thing. He could not hold back a snort of laughter.

Tuoba Tingxue covered her mouth and chuckled. Yin Changqing laughed quietly too.

The three of them were plainly audible in the still night air.

Meng Shu's body was taut as he prepared to fight for his life. At the laughter overhead, his face changed sharply. He looked up and bellowed, "Who's hiding up there?

"Come out!"

Yin Yu released his concealment seal and floated down with Tuoba Tingxue and Yin Changqing. He looked down at Meng Shu, whose face had gone pale.

"Well, if it isn't Brother Meng.

"Fifteen years, and you're still as hot-tempered as ever."

Yin Yu spoke with a faint, teasing smile. Nine Soul Rings suddenly appeared around him.

The ninth blazed with the blood-red light of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

The terrifying pressure of a Titled Douluo swept out like a tidal wave.

Meng Shu's pupils shrank. His legs nearly gave way, and he blurted out, "Yin Yu?!

"A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?

"So the rumors were true. You... you really did become a Titled Douluo?!"

Meng Shu had already heard that Yin Yu had reached that level. But the last time they met, Yin Yu had only been a Soul Emperor whose soul beast he could snatch away by force.

Seeing him now, Meng Shu still struggled to believe it.

Chao Tianxiang stopped with Meng Yiran in tow. Her face turned deathly pale as she cried, "Demon Dragon Douluo!"

"Roar!"

Enraged that anyone would disregard him, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear swung a massive claw capable of tearing through a mountain. It came down on the group with a shriek of wind.

"Beast, get out of the way!"

Yin Yu did not even look back. He raised a hand and unleashed an apparently casual Black Dragon Claw.

A huge black dragon shadow slammed into the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear and sent it flying over a hundred meters.

It crashed through several trees, then scrambled up with a frightened whimper and fled.

Watching Yin Yu casually drive off a fifty-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, Meng Shu broke out in cold sweat. His throat dry, he swallowed hard. "Brother Yin... no, Your Excellency!

"What happened back then was just a misunderstanding. May I ask what brings you here today?"

"A misunderstanding?"

Yin Yu folded his arms and smiled mockingly. "When you used your strength to steal my soul beast, you didn't call it a misunderstanding.

"My wife, son, and I were passing by today. I saw a bear chasing Brother Meng and thought I'd help you out. While we're here, we can settle that old score."

Meng Shu gave a bitter smile and bowed. "I was blind back then and offended Your Excellency.

"Now that Your Excellency is a Titled Douluo, if you wish to settle accounts, I will gladly apologize and make amends. I only ask that you spare the women and children."