Retribution from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion!

The next morning.

At daybreak, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Tang Chuan rose early.

After washing up, he briefly gathered his belongings and quietly left the tavern.

The small town's streets were still quiet in the early morning, with few pedestrians around.

A few Soul Masters occasionally hurried toward the Star Dou Great Forest. When they encountered one another, they would nod in greeting.

Draped in a black cloak, Tang Chuan swept past the end of the street and vanished into the morning mist in the blink of an eye. Before long, he had reached the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

At the same time, on the other side of the Star Dou Great Forest, a group of figures slowly appeared in an open area at the forest's edge. They were none other than the Imperial Dou Team led by Qin Ming.

The morning light filtering through the forest was mottled, and thin mist curled between the trees. The faint dew made the blades of grass tremble.

Qin Ming stood at the front and sternly swept his gaze over the people behind him. In a steady, authoritative voice, he said:

"Yesterday, I saw people from Spirit Hall at the town tavern. They seemed to be students from Spirit Hall Academy. Judging by their lineup, they're likely here to hunt Soul Beasts and obtain Soul Rings as well."

At this point, he paused and gave Dugu Yan a pointed look before continuing:

"I'll emphasize this again. Once we enter the Star Dou Great Forest today, no one is allowed to act on their own, especially you, Yanzi. You must stay within ten steps of me. Our only goal this time is to hunt a Third Spirit Ring for Lingling. Once we succeed, we'll withdraw immediately and make no unnecessary stops."

Hearing this, everyone's expressions turned solemn. After exchanging glances, they nodded slightly. Even Dugu Yan, who was usually unruly, did not say a word.

On the other side of the Star Dou Great Forest, among the verdant ancient trees.

A group of people quietly stepped into the mist-shrouded woodland. They were the people from Spirit Hall Academy.

The seven people at the front were the outstanding members of Spirit Hall's younger generation: Hu Liena, Xie Yue, Yan, and the others.

They were young, yet each of them looked composed, their auras deep and steady.

Hu Liena stood in the very center. Her golden outfit rustled in the breeze blowing through the forest. Several gray-robed elders stood nearby, protecting her in a semicircle.

Several hours later, everyone successfully entered the Mixed Area of the Star Dou Great Forest.

At this moment, one person stepped out from the group. It was none other than Hu Liena's number-one sycophant, Yan.

He held a water flask made from a Soul Tool and quickly approached. A smile piled onto his face as he said ingratiatingly, "Nana, are you thirsty? I prepared this water especially for you. Would you like some?"

"I'm not thirsty." Hu Liena did not even turn her head and replied indifferently.

After Hu Liena rejected him, the smile on Yan's face became somewhat strained. However, he did not get angry. Instead, he forced a relaxed smile, scratched his head, and said:

"Nana, you're taking this too seriously, aren't you? We're not obtaining the Soul Ring ourselves this time. We're just accompanying Xu Yu for show."

"Besides, don't we have several teachers protecting us? When have any of us ever come out and failed to return safely? Even if we run into danger, it won't be our turn to act personally."

His tone was frivolous and carried a hint of indifference, as though he wanted Hu Liena to relax and also use the opportunity to speak with her a little longer.

"This is to obtain Xu Yu's Fourth Spirit Ring, and you think we're just going through the motions?" Hu Liena frowned after hearing this, a trace of displeasure flashing in her eyes as she questioned him.

"Before we set out, the teachers specifically instructed us to ensure Xu Yu's safety. He's the only Support-Type Spirit Master in our Spirit Fighting Team. Do you think this is a sightseeing trip? Besides, this is the Star Dou Great Forest. There are countless Soul Beasts here, and even the outskirts may not be safe."

After Hu Liena rebuked him, Yan froze. His expression stiffened, and although he opened his mouth, he could not say a word. He could only retreat awkwardly to the side.

Just after the group from Spirit Hall passed through a dense stretch of woodland, the view suddenly opened up before them.

A lake as clear as a mirror quietly reflected the morning light.

A faint blue glow shimmered across the Lake Surface, while mist curled around the surroundings like a fairyland.

"There's actually a lake ahead?" Xie Yue narrowed his eyes, his voice carrying a hint of surprise.

Hu Liena's gaze sharpened. She stopped and said solemnly, "This lake looks somewhat strange. It may be a Soul Beast habitat."

Just then, ripples suddenly spread across the Lake Surface. A white radiance slowly rose from the bottom, growing brighter and brighter.

Immediately afterward, everyone saw a gentle and sacred figure emerge from the water.

It was a snow-white Soul Beast over four meters long. It resembled a Qilin, with a pale-blue crystal horn atop its head and thin wings growing from its back. Its entire body seemed to have been condensed from Flowing Light as it floated lightly above the Lake Surface.

"That's... a Pure Kirin Beast!" One of the gray-robed elders sucked in a breath. A rare flash of excitement appeared in his eyes as he said:

"This is a high-level Life System Soul Beast with extremely powerful healing and purification abilities! It's said that wherever it lives, no one suffers from illness, and all souls remain pure and flawless."

The atmosphere by the Lakeside instantly grew tense.

After confirming the aura of the Pure Kirin Beast, the gray-robed elder's gaze sank. He spoke quietly to Hu Liena and the others:

"This Pure Kirin Beast has a cultivation of around 5,000 years. It's quite suitable for Xu Yu to absorb. I'll capture it."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure shot up like lightning. He broke through the air, and his palm struck out like thunder, heading straight for the 1,000-Year Pure Kirin Beast floating on the Lake Surface.

"Bang—!"

With a muffled boom, the elder's palm landed on the Pure Kirin Beast's back. The Pure Kirin Beast cried out in pain, its body twisting violently.

However, at that very moment, the Lake Water exploded.

A massive figure roared out from the bottom of the lake and appeared beside the elder in an instant!

It was a gigantic beast over ten meters tall. Its entire body was snow-white, with two horns growing from its head. Its aura was far more surging and fierce than that of the 1,000-Year Pure Kirin Beast. Its dense Life Aura was mixed with majesty and fury, and then its tail swept horizontally.

"Boom!!"

Before the elder could react, his entire body flew backward like a kite with a severed string, smashing heavily into the ground dozens of zhang away and leaving a huge crater.

"Elder Lin!"

Hu Liena, Yan, Xie Yue, and the others cried out in unison, their expressions changing drastically!

The 1,000-Year Pure Kirin Beast by the lake let out a mournful cry. Taking advantage of the chaos, it leaped into the air and flew toward the forest outside the lake at astonishing speed, beginning its escape!

The enormous 10,000-Year Pure Kirin Beast slowly turned its head and coldly stared at the people from Spirit Hall. In the next second, the Lake Surface began to churn with Energy Ripples that seemed almost tangible.

At this moment, Elder Lin, who had been sent flying, struggled out of the crater. His face was pale, and blood stained the corner of his mouth, yet he still shouted angrily:

"That's its mother... a Pure Kirin Beast with a cultivation of around 50,000 years! Its protective instincts are extremely strong. The other old fellows and I will restrain it! Hurry and chase the smaller one! Don't let it escape!"

Hearing this, Hu Liena immediately understood. She swept her gaze around and shouted solemnly:

"Xie Yue, Yan, Xu Yu, follow me and pursue the 1,000-Year Pure Kirin Beast. Everyone else, stay behind!"

"Yes!"

Several people answered in unison.

Immediately afterward, they shot toward the direction in which the Pure Kirin Beast had fled.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Tang Chuan was slowly walking through the forest. His footsteps were unhurried, and his eyes were slightly closed. His Spiritual Power quietly spread out, establishing a subtle spiritual connection with the Blue Silver Grass growing beneath his feet.

He seemed to be searching for a suitable Plant-Type Spirit Beast!

"Swish, swish—"

Suddenly, intense rustling came from the vegetation in the distance. The sound of branches snapping and the ground trembling followed, as though a Soul Beast was fleeing.

"A Soul Beast is running away?" Tang Chuan's gaze sharpened. He immediately stopped, spread open his palm, and let Blue Silver Grass slowly emerge from it. Finally, it spread outward like a hidden web of perception, taking in every movement within a hundred meters.

He had unexpectedly acquired this special ability after absorbing the 100,000-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone. It was somewhat similar to the Blue Silver Domain, but far weaker than the Blue Silver Domain.

As his perception extended, the Blue Silver Grass in Tang Chuan's palm trembled lightly.

In Tang Chuan's mind, he saw a long-bodied, glistening-white Soul Beast fleeing in disarray. Several streaks of blood marked its back, its white scales were shattered, and blood seeped from the corners of its mouth.

"A Pure Kirin Beast?"

Looking at the scene before him, Tang Chuan's pupils contracted. He then revealed a trace of disappointment and said:

"What a pity. It only has a 1,000-year cultivation. If it had a 10,000-year cultivation, and I couldn't find a suitable Plant-Type Spirit Beast, I could consider absorbing its Soul Ring."

Watching silently, he saw the Pure Kirin Beast continue weaving through the dense forest.

The next second, it suddenly stepped forward. A large patch of shrubs was uprooted, and the surrounding trees collapsed with a boom, causing the view ahead to suddenly widen.

"Hmm?"

Using the Blue Silver Grass around him as his eyes.

Tang Chuan discovered that after breaking through the shrubs, the Pure Kirin Beast suddenly stopped. Seven or eight figures had appeared directly in front of it. They were none other than the Imperial Dou Team!

Qin Ming stared fixedly at the Pure Kirin Beast that had suddenly appeared. His expression instantly turned solemn as he shouted:

"Everyone, be careful. Although this Soul Beast is injured, judging by its cultivation, it has at least a 1,000-year cultivation. Don't lower your guard."

As soon as he finished speaking, his aura suddenly changed. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black—six Soul Rings spiraled upward from beneath his feet.

"Martial Soul Possession, Blazing Sky Wolf!"

As his low shout fell.

A massive phantom of a scarlet-red wolf wreathed in blazing flames suddenly emerged behind Qin Ming. When its four claws struck the ground, even the earth trembled.

Immediately afterward, scorching heat spread through the forest, and the air faintly distorted.

"Roar—"

The Blazing Sky Wolf let out a low growl like a beast's roar, and Soul Power rippled outward.

The powerful pressure instantly bore down on the Pure Kirin Beast in the distance, forcing it to take a step back. Its eyes were filled with terror and struggle.

"So strong..." Yu Tianheng looked up at the wolf phantom behind Qin Ming, admiration on his face. He then turned to the trembling Pure Kirin Beast and said, "Teacher Qin, I recognize this Soul Beast. It's called a Pure Kirin Beast! It belongs to the Life System and excels at recovery and removing negative effects. Its defense is also quite strong. It's extremely compatible with Lingling's Martial Soul, Nine Hearts Begonia, and should be able to serve as her Third Spirit Ring."

At that moment, the members of the Imperial Dou Team had not yet had time to carefully determine the Pure Kirin Beast's age. They only felt that its cultivation was at least 1,000 years.

Meanwhile, deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, ancient trees towered into the heavens and thick mist coiled through the air.

Sunlight could barely penetrate the branches and leaves, only scattering mottled shadows across the ground.

The forest was extremely quiet. Only a few low murmurs from unknown Soul Beasts could be heard faintly.

In this dark and tranquil space, a Soul Beast with a golden body and a slender figure like a Qilin coiled atop the center of a massive bluestone. Three eyes were clearly set on its forehead, and the central Vertical Pupils were tightly shut, making it seem mysterious.

Suddenly, it opened those deep eyes wide. Starlike radiance flickered within them.

This Soul Beast was none other than the Imperial Auspicious Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest—the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.

"That fellow from last time? You actually dared to return to the Star Dou Great Forest!" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion slowly lowered her head and stared at the Blue Silver Grass twitching faintly beneath her feet. She spoke in human language:

"This time, I absolutely won't let you get away again!"

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