Zhao Wuji Breaks Through to Level 90: Chief of Mount Buzhou's Twenty-Four Protectors!

A flicker of surprise crossed Cao Kun's eyes.

He had expected Zhao Wuji's martial soul to evolve into a top-tier bear martial soul focused more purely on strength, such as the Earthshaking Violent Bear or Vajra Demon Bear. He had never expected it to evolve toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!

The dark gold terrorclaw bear was one of the supreme overlords among soul beasts!

Its attack, defense, and strength were all top-class. That pair of dark gold dreadclaws, capable of cutting through anything, ranked among the deadliest weapons of all!

Xiong Jun, the ferocious beast deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, was a dark gold terrorclaw bear over four hundred thousand years old.

His strength rivaled that of human Super Douluos at level 97 or above!

If Zhao Wuji's martial soul successfully evolved into a dark gold terrorclaw bear, its potential would far surpass ordinary top-tier martial souls. His future achievements would be limitless!

The evolution continued.

The giant bear's phantom steadily solidified, its details growing clearer and its terrifying pressure mounting.

It even stirred the surrounding Heaven and Earth essence into a small energy vortex that slowly revolved around Zhao Wuji!

Sand and stones flew across the clearing as fierce winds howled!

Had the formation not contained most of his aura, the disturbance would already have spread throughout Suotuo City!

Cao Kun stood with his hands behind his back and watched quietly, his divine sense covering the entire area, ready to handle any unexpected developments.

Still, he could tell that Zhao Wuji had a solid foundation and a firm resolve. Though the evolution was painful, it remained stable overall, with no signs of spiraling out of control.

Time passed little by little.

Two hours, four hours...

As the sixth hour drew to a close, the giant bear's phantom behind Zhao Wuji abruptly swelled and unleashed a deafening roar, terrifying enough to seemingly tear the heavens apart!

"ROAR...!!!"

Amid that roar, the giant bear's phantom fully solidified!

Its entire body took on a deep, dark gold hue, its steel-needle fur gleaming with a metallic luster.

It stood on all fours, massive as a mountain. Most striking were its forepaws: curved, hooklike dark gold claws half a foot long extended from each of its five digits, gleaming coldly. Even a slight swipe tore through the air with a sharp explosive crack!

The lava-like patterns on its chest had fully emerged as well, flowing slowly like an active volcano and radiating both scorching heat and immense weight!

Zhao Wuji's martial soul had successfully evolved!

His high-grade martial soul, the great strength vajra bear, had evolved into a top-tier martial soul: the dark gold terrorclaw bear!

At the very instant the evolution finished, something like a shackle broke within Zhao Wuji. His soul power, at the peak of level 89, erupted and smashed straight through the level 90 bottleneck!

BOOM...!!!

An aura even fiercer and heavier than when he had reached level 89 surged skyward from Zhao Wuji, like an ancient ferocious beast awakening!

The ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, and the compressed air around him burst with explosive reports!

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—eight soul rings appeared on their own, slowly revolving around the dark gold terrorclaw bear martial soul as his soul power surged like a tsunami!

Level 90!

A Quasi-Titled Douluo!

All he needed was a suitable ninth soul ring, and Zhao Wuji would officially join the ranks of Titled Douluos, becoming one of the continent's true elite!

Moreover, he would be a Titled Douluo with the top-tier dark gold terrorclaw bear martial soul. His combat strength would be far beyond that of an ordinary Titled Douluo!

Zhao Wuji snapped his eyes open, brilliant light flashing within them!

Feeling the terrifying power coursing endlessly through his body, as though he could shatter a mountain with a single punch, and the fundamental transformation brought by his martial soul's evolution, he could not help throwing his head back and roaring!

"Hahahaha! Incredible! This feels incredible!"

His rolling cry brimmed with boundless exhilaration and boldness!

A smile appeared on Cao Kun's face as well.

Zhao Wuji's success meant that Mount Buzhou now had another elite fighter with immense potential.

"Congratulations, Teacher! Your martial soul has successfully evolved, and your cultivation has reached new heights!" Cao Kun said with a smile, cupping his hands.

Zhao Wuji reined in his aura and strode over to Cao Kun, his face flushed with excitement. He clapped Cao Kun firmly on the shoulder. "Kun! Words can't repay such a debt! From now on, my life is yours! Tell me to go east, and I'll never go west!"

Cao Kun smiled and shook his head. "You're being too generous, Teacher. As master and disciple, we stand together. An increase in your strength is an increase in Mount Buzhou's strength."

He paused, then said solemnly, "Now that you've reached level 90, in accordance with the sect's rules, I hereby formally appoint you as one of Mount Buzhou's twenty-four Protectors."

"You will serve as Chief Left Guardian and oversee the sect's external campaigns. What do you say?"

Zhao Wuji grew even more excited at this. He cupped his hands and declared in a deep voice, "I, Zhao Wuji, accept the appointment! I will not betray the sect's trust!"

The Chief Left Guardian, foremost among the twenty-four Protectors—this was not merely a position, but a weighty responsibility and a profound expression of trust.

"Good!"

Cao Kun helped Zhao Wuji straighten up. "Yan'er will deliver your Guardian Token and the detailed duties to you later, Teacher."

"Our immediate priorities are stabilizing your cultivation and finding a suitable ninth soul ring. The sect will give you its full support."

"Yes!"

Zhao Wuji nodded firmly, his heart brimming with ambition.

Becoming a Titled Douluo, once an unreachable dream, was now within his grasp!

And he owed it all to the mysterious, powerful disciple standing before him!

While they spoke, Cao Kun's brow stirred slightly. His divine sense detected a familiar presence rapidly approaching the cottage.

"It seems we have another guest." Cao Kun smiled faintly and looked toward the courtyard gate.

Zhao Wuji sensed it too and grinned. "It's that old fellow Flender. My breakthrough probably drew him here."

Sure enough, a moment later, Flender appeared at the courtyard entrance.

When he saw Zhao Wuji, whose powerful aura carried a faint but unnerving pressure, his eyes behind his glasses instantly went wide. His mouth fell open far enough to fit an egg.

"O-old Zhao?!"

Flender's voice trembled with disbelief as he hurried closer and looked Zhao Wuji up and down.

His expression changed even more drastically when he sensed that immense aura, far stronger than before and as heavy as a primeval beast's, along with the faint, not yet fully restrained ferocity of the dark gold terrorclaw bear martial soul.

"You... what happened to you...?"

Seeing his old friend's shock, Zhao Wuji felt thoroughly pleased with himself. He deliberately puffed out his chest and grinned. "Well, Flender? Scared you, didn't I? Hahaha!"

As he laughed, a trace of his aura escaped, intensifying the domineering pressure of his top-tier beast martial soul. Even Flender, a level 79 Soul Saint, felt his heart quail and involuntarily stepped back half a pace.

"You... you've broken through again? Don't tell me you've already reached level 90?!"

Flender's voice brimmed with shock and wild delight.

"And your martial soul..."

"This aura... why does it feel completely different from before? It's... it's stronger!"

"Could it be...?"