Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!

"I've reached level thirty and need this soul ring. Since you're not here to steal it, help me."

Shi Meng nearly lost his composure.

Good grief, girl, what kind of logic is that?

I don't even know you. Why should I help you?

Before he could speak, a chill crept up his back.

That familiar scent of a romantic battlefield...

No, I need to get out of here!

"Miss."

Shi Meng gave a dry cough. "We're complete strangers. You can discuss the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent with the people from Shrek. I have other business. Farewell!"

"Shi Meng!"

Meng Yiran tried to follow, but Chao Tianxiang grabbed her arm.

"Yiran, stop making trouble."

Chao Tianxiang lowered her voice, a hint of warning in her eyes.

Having lived more than half a lifetime, she was far better at reading the situation than her granddaughter.

There are four Titled Douluos standing over there, and a little girl like you wants to pester their Holy Son?

Have you lived long enough already?

Meng Yiran bit her lip and stamped her foot in frustration.

Shi Meng had already led his group away without so much as looking back.

After all, Meng Yiran had never had a role in Shi Meng's script from the very beginning.

Xiao Wu walked at the head of the group, her rabbit ears slightly raised and her steps light.

She knew the Star Dou Great Forest all too well.

Which paths were safe, which were short, which territories belonged to water-type soul beasts and had to be avoided, where the old monsters over ten thousand years old lived... she could sense it all with her eyes closed. It was like coming home.

"This way. Once we cross that bamboo grove up ahead and go over a low slope, we'll reach the edge of the core region."

Xiao Wu glanced back at Shi Meng.

"That path is shorter, but it runs through a ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's territory. That fellow is a light sleeper with a nasty temper when woken. The slightest sound will wake it, so we need to go around."

Shi Meng nodded.

"You lead. We'll follow."

Xiao Wu's rabbit ears twitched, and her steps quickened.

Her heart brimmed with delight.

Brother Shi Meng trusts me.

That alone made her happier than anything else.

Walking beside Shi Meng, Hu Liena couldn't resist leaning closer.

"Junior brother, isn't Xiao Wu a little too familiar with the Star Dou Great Forest? She came from Nodtin Academy, so why does she act as if she's coming home?"

Shi Meng invented an explanation without batting an eye. "Xiao Wu's rabbit martial soul is special. It can sense the natural environment."

"Is that so?"

Hu Liena gave him a suspicious look.

Why do I feel like my junior brother is lying to me?

At the rear of the group, Zhu Zhuqing walked quietly. Zhu Zhuyun leaned toward her ear. "Zhu Zhuqing, do you think that girl Xiao Wu has feelings for Shi Meng too?"

Zhu Zhuqing didn't answer. Her gaze kept sweeping their surroundings, ensuring she could quickly spot anything that might threaten Shi Meng.

Zhu Zhuyun wasn't annoyed. She merely sighed inwardly.

Tsk, tsk. She really is devoted.

Qian Renxue walked toward the back of the group, her emerald eyes calmly watching the path ahead.

She didn't move closer to Shi Meng.

There's plenty of time ahead. No rush.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo guarded the left and right, She Long brought up the rear, and Sword Douluo rode his sword overhead.

With four supreme demon kings guarding them, their journey was completely unobstructed.

After roughly four hours, Xiao Wu suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?"

Shi Meng immediately noticed the change in her.

Xiao Wu's face had gone a little pale.

"It... it's coming."

"Who?"

"The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger."

Shi Meng's pupils contracted.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had been his target for this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest all along.

For his fifth soul ring, he needed a sufficiently powerful soul beast.

And the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger happened to be the perfect choice.

But he hadn't expected it to come looking for them.

Shi Meng glanced at Xiao Wu, only then remembering that, in the original story, a Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had an old grudge against her and her companions.

Sure enough, the next moment, a black shape emerged from behind a rock face in the valley ahead.

It was pure black from head to tail, without a trace of any other color.

Over eight meters long, it had bulging muscles, every one of them seeming cast from molten iron.

The character for "king" on its forehead gave off an icy black mist.

Its red eyes held nothing but coldness.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!

Its gaze swept straight past everyone else and settled on Xiao Wu at the edge of the valley.

"Soft Bone Rabbit? I recognize you."

Xiao Wu's rabbit ears gave a violent twitch.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger stared at her, its great mouth curling upward. It wasn't a smile, but pure murderous intent.

"The Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python drove me out of the core region back then. I've never forgotten that grudge."

Xiao Wu remembered it too.

This Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had once tried to establish a territory near Star Lake, only to be driven out by Da Ming and Er Ming together.

Back then, it had been only fifty thousand years old, yet its combat strength had already rivaled that of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Now that it was eighty thousand years old, it could only be stronger.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity. Today, it has finally come."

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's voice carried a hatred long held in check.

"I'll kill you-all of you-and hang you up to strip out your tendons and peel off your skin!"

Shi Meng stepped forward, placing himself between Xiao Wu and the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.

"Oh? Then I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed."

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger turned its red eyes on him.

"You? A human brat? You think you can stop me?"

Shi Meng didn't answer, because the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was telling the truth.

The gap between level fifty-three and eighty thousand years was far too great.

But he had demon kings guarding him!

"Sword Douluo, Uncle Chrysanthemum, Uncle Ghost, She Long. You four, come with me."

All four nodded at once.

"Qian Renxue, hold the line. Only act when I tell you to."

Qian Renxue gave a slight nod, no unnecessary emotion showing in her blue eyes.

"Hu Liena, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Zhuyun, you four guard the perimeter."

All four acknowledged their orders.

"Xiao Wu, stand farther away."

Xiao Wu froze for a moment.

"But..."

"It's after you. Keep your distance. I need you to watch it for me. Pay attention to its tail, and call out if anything unusual happens."

Xiao Wu bit her lip, but finally nodded.

"All right."

She retreated to the edge of the valley, her rabbit ears standing tall as she carefully picked up every movement on the battlefield.

"Attack."

The instant Shi Meng finished speaking, Sword Douluo moved first.

The Seven Kill Sword left its sheath, and Sword Douluo's figure became a streak of white light, charging straight at the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.

"Sixth soul skill, Myriad Swords Return to the Origin!"

Thousands of streams of sword energy gathered from every direction, pouring down like a torrential rain.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger raised a forepaw. Gray currents surged out, forming an energy shield before it.

The sword energy struck the shield with a dense barrage of explosive cracks.

Cracks appeared in the shield, but it didn't shatter.

"Seventh Soul Skill, Seven Kill Avatar!"

Sword Douluo's body suddenly grew into a giant over ten meters tall, and the Seven Kill Sword swelled along with him.

The massive sword tore through the air and slammed viciously into the shield.

The shield shattered.

But the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had already leaped backward at the instant it broke. Its four claws dug into the ground as it landed, and a pair of black wings snapped open.

Seeing this, Shi Meng immediately activated his indicator martial soul and charged toward the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's flank.