Star Dou lay desolate.
Tang Hao was likely hidden in the dense jungle of the Star Dou Great Forest, his entire body shrouded in a black robe. He held his breath, concealed every trace of his presence, and remained motionless.
A ten-year-old black rat crawled onto his head without even noticing that the thing beneath it was alive.
Only after Qian Daoliu's presence had receded into the distance did bone-deep hatred burst from Tang Hao's eyes.
Soul Power surged through his body, blasting the black rat into a bloody mist that showered his head. Blood covered him, and coupled with his crimson eyes, it made him look furious and terrifying.
"Qian Daoliu! Spirit Hall! For what you did to Ah Yin and the Clear Sky Sect, I'll make you repay your blood debts in blood!"
Back then, Qian Daoliu had hunted him for a month. He had faced death at every turn before finally escaping by sheer luck.
Qian Daoliu's strength remained fresh in his memory. Even if he detonated all nine of his Soul Rings at once, he would be no match for him.
Tang Hao gazed into the distance in Tang San's direction, his eyes grave.
"Qian Daoliu actually came to the Star Dou Great Forest. I can't let him discover me, or Xiao San and I will both be in danger."
"I'll leave the Star Dou Great Forest for a while. With Zhao Wuji, a Soul Saint, watching over Xiao San, nothing should go wrong."
He glanced at Xiao Wu again and hesitated for a moment. Deciding that she probably wouldn't take this chance to return to the Star Dou Great Forest and never come back, he turned and slipped away without a sound.
At the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest lay the Lake of Life.
The lake shimmered, rich with the breath of life, and the trees around it grew especially thick. The place was peaceful and serene.
Suddenly, towering waves rose across the lake. A giant python with a bull's head and a serpent's body churned the water and emerged from the Lake of Life, its eyes as large as lanterns.
In the forest beside the Lake of Life, two towering trees suddenly parted slowly to either side, and a colossal figure, as huge as a mountain, emerged between them.
The two Soul Beasts were the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape. They had occupied the Lake of Life and made their home here.
"Big brother, you sensed Sister Xiao Wu's presence too, didn't you? She's back! I'm going to meet her!"
Visible delight spread across the Titan Giant Ape's rugged face, and his muffled voice rumbled like a bell.
The Sky Azure Bull Python raised his head toward the sky, his eyes filled with concern.
"Er Ming, I also sensed a powerful presence moving toward us. Don't act rashly."
The Titan Giant Ape didn't care in the least. "Big brother, what expert could stand against the two of us together? I'm going to meet Xiao Wu!"
With that, the Titan Giant Ape headed toward the outskirts of the forest.
Helpless, the Sky Azure Bull Python could only warn him, "Er Ming, remember to hide your presence. Don't lead that expert to Sister Xiao Wu!"
At those words, the Titan Giant Ape immediately became cautious.
The Sky Azure Bull Python watched the Titan Giant Ape leave, an ominous premonition rising in his heart.
Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue had reached the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest. Once there, Qian Daoliu descended from the sky and concealed his presence.
Qian Daoliu looked at Qian Renxue, his expression serious.
"Xiao Xue, are you sure you want the Sky Azure Bull Python as your Sixth Soul Ring? He's certainly powerful and possesses both wind and lightning attributes, but he isn't the best choice for you. The Light Heavenly Dragon Horse would be better."
Qian Renxue's expression was resolute as she insisted, "I want the Sky Azure Bull Python. I can choose the Light Heavenly Dragon Horse for my Seventh Soul Ring."
How could she not know what Grandpa had told her?
But as he understood it, the Sky Azure Bull Python had ultimately sacrificed himself to Tang San, so she wanted to intercept him beforehand.
Even if its attributes didn't match, a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring couldn't be too bad.
Qian Daoliu nodded. "All right. Grandpa will capture the Sky Azure Bull Python for you."
As they spoke, the two arrived at the shore of the Lake of Life.
The lake was still and tranquil. Qian Daoliu fixed his golden eyes on the surface and said with absolute certainty:
"Come out. There's no need to hide."
The Sky Azure Bull Python's enormous serpent body leaped out of the water. He stared at Qian Daoliu, his gaze grave.
"Humans, this is no place for you. Leave!"
Qian Daoliu said calmly, "My granddaughter needs a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. I'll borrow yours!"
"Arrogant!"
The Sky Azure Bull Python flew into a rage. His serpent body churned, whipping up towering waves as wind and lightning surged overhead, dyeing half the sky cyan. Cyan lightning of immense force struck at Qian Daoliu amid the glitter of water, like punishment from heaven.
"Hmph!"
Qian Daoliu merely gave a soft snort. He could shatter an attack like this with a casual gesture.
His wings spread behind him, bursting with boundless radiance that illuminated half the sky. Nine Soul Rings, seven black and two red, radiated a terrifying might beneath his feet.
At the same time, a giant angelic projection formed behind him. Its six wings trembled, sending countless golden feathers surging out to shoot at the Sky Azure Bull Python from every direction.
The mighty lightning collided with the feathers of light and dissolved in an instant. The Sky Azure Bull Python let out a pained hiss.
The golden feathers pierced the Sky Azure Bull Python, leaving his massive body drenched in blood.
The Sky Azure Bull Python's mountain-sized body fell, sending towering waves splashing into the air.
Without giving the Sky Azure Bull Python a chance to continue resisting, Qian Daoliu raised the Angel Holy Sword. A gigantic projection of a sword of light slashed into the Lake of Life, stabbing straight into the space between the Sky Azure Bull Python's brows.
This time, the Sky Azure Bull Python let out no heartrending scream. Sacred power penetrated deep into his sea of consciousness, the golden force steadily dissolving his spiritual power and awareness.
He soon fell unconscious.
Qian Renxue stared wide-eyed at her incomparably powerful grandfather. The Sky Azure Bull Python, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, had been subdued by him without even putting up a decent fight.
This was the might of a Limit Douluo!
The Sky Azure Bull Python was at most comparable to a level ninety-six Super Douluo. Had the Titan Giant Ape been at his side, the two might have been able to put up some resistance with their fusion skill. But with the Sky Azure Bull Python alone, a difference of three levels was as vast as the gulf between heaven and earth.
Qian Daoliu recalled his Martial Soul and wrapped the Sky Azure Bull Python's enormous divine body in Soul Power. Turning to Qian Renxue, he said, "Let's go. We'll find a safe place for you to absorb the Soul Ring."
In a hidden space deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, Qian Daoliu's powerful presence had alerted the Ferocious Beasts inside.
Xiong Jun roared, a fierce light in his eyes. "Di Tian, that human captured a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast alive right under our noses. Let me out to slaughter him!"
Di Tian's gaze passed through space and fell upon Qian Daoliu. He frowned slightly.
"That human carries the presence of a god. Don't stir up trouble. The priority now is to absorb this big worm's origin and increase our strength."
Several Ferocious Beasts surrounded a large, chubby worm, which screamed from time to time.
Xiong Jun could only suppress his anger for the moment, and the small space fell silent once more.
They wouldn't even rescue one of their own captured right under their noses, but instead absorbed the origin of another of their kind. A Soul Beast Clan like this had long been destined for destruction.
Elsewhere, after the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent escaped, the group from Shrek Academy had no choice but to continue searching for a Soul Ring for Oscar.
An hour later, they finally encountered a fire-attribute Explosive Mating Ape.
The Explosive Mating Ape was powerful, though lecherous, cruel, and hot-tempered. Even so, with Zhao Wuji there, it was subdued.
Oscar successfully absorbed the Soul Ring and opened his eyes. Zhao Wuji smiled at him.
"Congratulations, Xiao Ao. What does your Soul Skill do?"
At first, excitement showed on Oscar's face, but after sensing it, he could hardly smile. He said awkwardly, "I'd better tell you when we get back."
Ma Hongjun said irritably, "What's so hard to tell us? Are you afraid we'll laugh at you?"
Oscar stammered, "My third Soul Skill is Pink Excitement Sausage. It can increase a Soul Master's attributes by ten percent across the board for five minutes."