Golden Crocodile Douluo stroked his grizzled beard, a trace of disdain flashing through his eyes.
"In my view, this is most likely the skeleton of an ancient Soul Beast that died long ago."
"Or perhaps it's simply some rare ore that happens to look like a scale."
Yue Guan immediately grew anxious at his words.
"Second Worship, there is definitely more to this thing. Old Ghost's injuries are the best proof!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo shot Yue Guan a glare and said dismissively, "That's because his skills were lacking."
With that, Soul Power surged through him, and a layer of fine golden scales instantly covered his entire body.
Golden Crocodile King Martial Soul, possess!
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!
Nine Soul Rings pulsed beneath his feet, with the last one, a hundred-thousand-year red Soul Ring, radiating especially overwhelming pressure.
"Today, I'll see just what this thing really is!"
As his words fell, Golden Crocodile Douluo's seventh Soul Ring suddenly lit up.
Martial Soul Avatar!
An enormous phantom of a Golden Crocodile King, over thirty meters long, appeared in midair.
The phantom opened its enormous, blood-red maw at the Dark Gold scale and bit down viciously.
He had not used his strongest offensive Soul Skill, but he had still unleashed seventy percent of his strength.
Clang!
A deafening crash rang out, sending sparks flying.
Immediately afterward, a muffled grunt came from midair.
The thirty-meter-long Golden Crocodile King phantom actually disintegrated in the air.
Golden Crocodile Douluo staggered backward more than a dozen steps, each footfall producing a dull sonic boom in the air.
After finally managing to steady himself, he lowered his head and looked at his hands.
Several of the once-indestructible Golden Crocodile King scales had actually cracked, and blood was dripping between his fingers.
"How is this possible?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo stared ahead in utter disbelief.
The instant his jaws had closed on it, it had felt nothing like biting into ore.
The force that rebounded through him had been even more overpowering than Qian Daoliu's Angel Divine Power!
Most terrifying of all, the Dark Gold wall had not only remained completely unscathed—it had not even produced a ripple of Soul Power.
It was as though his attack had not even qualified to scratch an itch for it.
At this sight, Bibi Dong's breathing quickened.
Even the Level 98 Golden Crocodile Douluo could not budge it in the slightest!
If this truly was a sleeping Soul Beast, just how terrifying would its age be?
If they could kill it and take its ring before it woke, or even just knock off a scale to forge a weapon...
Wouldn't unifying the entire Douluo Continent, and even confronting the Divine Realm in the future, become as easy as turning over a hand for Spirit Hall?
At this thought, Bibi Dong felt no fear. Instead, she brimmed with ambition.
"Pass down my orders. Seal off this entire area!"
"Without my command, no one is to take so much as half a step closer. Kill any violators without mercy!"
Meanwhile, outside Suotuo City.
On Shrek Academy's training grounds, everyone had yet to recover from the previous night's earthquake.
It was already broad daylight, but none of them felt like going back to rest.
The disturbance coming from the direction of Star Dou Great Forest was simply too great.
Tang San gazed at the distant sky, his heart full of questions.
Just then, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang approached with his hands clasped behind his back.
He wore an inscrutable expression.
"Little San, are you wondering what exactly happened over in Star Dou Great Forest?"
Tang San hurriedly turned and bowed respectfully.
"Teacher, please help clear up my confusion."
Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others nearby gathered around as well, eager to hear what insights this Grandmaster, whose theories were unmatched, had to offer.
Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat, a glimmer of confidence flashing through his eyes.
"Actually, I was working it out all last night."
"Based on the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul that I've researched for years, tremors on this scale definitely weren't caused by a living creature."
Utterly bewildered, Ma Hongjun could not help interrupting, "Grandmaster, then why did you just say it sounded like some enormous creature breathing?"
Yu Xiaogang glared at Ma Hongjun, his hands clasped behind his back and his tone utterly certain.
"That was only a preliminary assessment."
"After further, careful consideration, there simply isn't a Soul Beast on the Douluo Continent large enough to cause an earthquake like this."
"Do you understand the law of conservation of energy?"
"If a Soul Beast that large really existed, it would have drained Star Dou Great Forest of energy long ago. The other Soul Beasts wouldn't be able to survive at all."
At his words, everyone nodded, feeling that Grandmaster made perfect sense.
Tang San, too, wore a look of sudden realization.
As expected of Teacher. His analysis is sound at every turn. Why didn't I think of that?
Seeing everyone's reactions, Yu Xiaogang felt deeply gratified.
He continued confidently, "So there is only one truth."
"Intense movements of the earth's crust must have exposed some sort of ancient ruins there."
"It could be a temple left behind by an ancient deity, or perhaps some peerless formation lost to the ages has been triggered."
"Those rumbles and tremors are the disturbances produced by the formation's operation."
Flender came over as well, rubbing his hands, his head filled with thoughts of riches.
"Xiaogang, are you saying there's treasure over there?"
Yu Xiaogang nodded, his expression proud.
"And it's definitely a treasure precious enough to change the balance of power on the continent."
"An opportunity like this comes once in a century."
"Little San and the others happen to need new Soul Rings, too. We might as well take all of Shrek Academy to the outskirts of Star Dou Great Forest and try our luck."
Hearing this, Tang San's heart burned with excitement as well.
If these are ancient ruins, there might be supreme-quality metals inside, perfect for making the Tang Sect's finest mechanical Hidden Weapons.
"Teacher, you are wise. Your student has learned much."
Tang San spoke with wholehearted conviction.
"Mm."
Seeing his disciple treat him with such respect, Yu Xiaogang smiled in satisfaction.
He could almost see himself leading Shrek's group to shine brilliantly in the ruins, proving to the whole world that he, Yu Xiaogang, was no good-for-nothing.
In fact, it was not just Spirit Hall and Shrek Academy.
Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, in the Heaven Dou Empire, not too far from Star Dou Great Forest.
Sect Master Ning Fengzhi stood atop a lofty tower, holding an exquisite scepter.
He gazed southward, his brows slightly furrowed.
He, too, had felt that strange tremor the previous night.
Not long ago, he had even faintly sensed a powerful surge of energy from a Titled Douluo-level clash in that direction.
Just then, a figure in robes whiter than snow silently appeared behind him.
It was Sword Douluo, Chen Xin.
"Uncle Jian, what do you think?" Ning Fengzhi asked softly without turning.
Chen Xin's eyes were filled with gravity.
"Fengzhi, I have an ominous feeling."
"Something major seems to have happened in Star Dou Great Forest."
At this, Ning Fengzhi could not help drawing in a sharp breath as well.
Sword Douluo was a level ninety-six Super Douluo, and one of the Titled Douluo with the greatest offensive power on the continent.
Just what could make him feel this way?
"Whatever it is, Spirit Hall must have already made its move."
Ning Fengzhi made his decision immediately.
"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect cannot fall behind either. Uncle Jian, sorry for the trouble, but please accompany me there."
"Let's see just what is hidden in Star Dou Great Forest."
For a time, with the exposure of that Dark Gold scale.
All the major powers across the Douluo Continent moved at the news.
Whether driven by greed or curiosity.
They all turned their attention toward Star Dou Great Forest.
In Star Dou Great Forest, at the edge of the newly split Abyss Canyon.
A large force from Spirit Hall had already surrounded the place so tightly that not even water could pass through.
Bibi Dong stood at the very front, her expression so dark it seemed about to drip water.
Just moments earlier, she had given her subordinate Soul Masters strict orders to dig in both directions along the Dark Gold wall, attempting to find its boundaries.
Yet half an hour had passed.
"Report!"
A Red-Robed Archbishop at the Soul Saint level came scrambling over, drenched in sweat.
"Your Holiness, we've searched a hundred li to the east, and there's no end in sight!"
"The team searching west has also sent a signal. They followed the fissure for a hundred and fifty li, and it's still all this same Dark Gold material!"
At this report, every Titled Douluo present drew in a sharp breath.
A hundred li? A hundred and fifty li?
What the hell did that even mean?
Even a massive iron deposit couldn't possibly stretch for hundreds of li with nothing but the same material!
Golden Crocodile Douluo's face was ashen. As he nourished his cracked hands with Soul Power, he gritted his teeth.
"Pope, I take back what I said."
"This thing is definitely no ore or remains."
"Even divine iron fallen from the Divine Realm could never be so absurdly enormous!"
Bibi Dong said nothing, merely tightening her grip on her scepter.
Towering waves had long since surged through her heart.
Just how big is this thing?
How many years has it been buried beneath Star Dou Great Forest? Why has no one ever discovered it before?
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Star Dou Great Forest.
Shrek Academy's group had just stepped into this ancient Soul Beast habitat.
The once-vibrant forest was now a scene of devastation.
Towering trees lay toppled every which way, and bottomless cracks covered the ground.
A pungent, raw smell of earth filled the air.
"Everyone, be careful. There's something sinister about this place." Flender walked at the front, ready to have his Cat Owl Martial Soul possess him at any moment.
Ma Hongjun shrank his neck. "Dean, whenever we come to Star Dou Great Forest, the outskirts are full of ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beasts. Why can't we hear even a single insect today?"
It was not just Ma Hongjun. Tang San had noticed something wrong as well.
It was too quiet.
The entire forest seemed to have become a wasteland.
The normally active low-level Soul Beasts seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth.
Just then, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang stopped and crouched before a snapped tree.
He reached out and felt the tree's broken surface, a confident smile curling his lips.
"All right, there's no need to make a fuss."
With that, Yu Xiaogang stood and dusted off his hands.
Before you continue