Xiao Yan and the other three fled wildly through the forest, for they knew exactly what was behind them.
It was a small black mountain moving at an unbelievable speed. No, it was no mountain. It roared and pounded the ground, its crimson eyes fixed on the four as they fled.
It was one of the undisputed kings of this forest, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Titan Giant Ape.
Despite its enormous size, the Titan Giant Ape was not slow in the slightest. It also had an Innate Domain that could increase gravity within its range, which would clearly work wonders in a pursuit. With the abilities of the three Soul Kings, there was absolutely no way they could escape its vengeance, much less when they were carrying a weakened Soul Ancestor. Clearly, they now faced an even more dangerous situation than before.
Xiao Yan watched the charging Titan Giant Ape with cold eyes. He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Put me down, senior sister."
"No!" Hu Liena cried out in terror. "You want to sacrifice yourself? Don't even think about it." She had already experienced the pain and helplessness of nearly losing Xiao Yan once. At this moment, Hu Liena knew that even if she had to sacrifice herself, she never wanted Xiao Yan to push himself and wring himself dry to that extent again.
Hearing this, Xie Yue and Yan adjusted their positions, guarding Xiao Yan on either side for fear that he would do something foolish.
The sight sent a faint ripple through Xiao Yan's heart... His adoptive father had turned against him, and his sworn elder brother had become a stranger to him, but in Spirit Hall, he had found a true family for the first time. Xiao Yan of Douluo Continent had found his first home here.
"In that case, even if I have to stake my life, I must protect my family." With that, Xiao Yan lowered his head. The Heavenly Flames inside him trembled violently and surged out.
"Xiao Yan, don't!" Yan Xiao stopped him. He knew Xiao Yan intended to risk his life to use Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus once more. At present, Yan Xiao lacked the strength and feared he could no longer protect Xiao Yan. If Xiao Yan used this move, he would likely face ten deaths and no life.
Yet Xiao Yan did not hesitate in the slightest. In an instant, three Heavenly Flames spun around him, beginning to take the shape of a fusion. At the same time, the Titan Giant Ape leaped into the air, raised a massive fist, and brought it down on the four with all its strength.
"Beast, how dare you hurt Spirit Hall's chosen!" An angry shout rang out. Xiao Yan and the other three were startled, then joy lit up their faces.
A flickering ghostly shadow swept up the four and sped away at an astonishing speed. Without a doubt, Gui Mei had intervened.
"My, my, were you planning to hurt our children while us old folks were away?" An androgynous voice rang out. It came from a beauty dressed in splendid gold and silver robes, whose sex was impossible to discern. Then he swept both hands outward, and a huge golden chrysanthemum burst apart. Its petals spun like blades, forming a terrifying golden storm. Seeing this, the Titan Giant Ape dared not take the attack head-on and could only dodge backward.
This was Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's ninth Soul Skill. Xiao Yan and the other three had long heard of its fame, and seeing it today, they found it truly extraordinary. Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo had saved the four in an instant and neutralized the Titan Giant Ape's terrifying attack. With only a few moves, they had made the life-and-death crisis vanish without a trace. They truly lived up to their reputation as partners of over sixty years; working together, the two had few rivals.
Ghost Douluo lightly tapped Xiao Yan's body, interrupting the power he was gathering and halting the formation of Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus. He said in a low voice, "You are Spirit Hall's future, the Pope's personal disciple. Use such life-risking techniques sparingly, and with caution." With that, he leaped into the air and stood beside Yue Guan, saying fiercely, "Chrysanthemum Guan, make your move!"
With those words, the two unleashed all their vast Soul Power. Dazzling gold and silver light spread outward, forming a massive domain that covered a hundred li. The Titan Giant Ape's senses jolted. It knew this imposing skill was no empty show. Its muscles swelled as it tried to strike first and gain the upper hand. Yet it discovered that everything around it seemed frozen in a single instant, including the Titan Giant Ape itself.
Xiao Yan and the other three were shaken, and the answer came to them. This was Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo's greatest killing move, and the ultimate trump card on which they relied to dominate Spirit Hall and hold their lofty positions.
Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Two Extremes Stillness Domain.
"Go!" Xiao Yan shouted. The four unleashed every bit of their remaining Soul Power and fled the Star Dou Great Forest as fast as they could.
"This kid isn't stupid after all," Yue Guan said with a smile, clearly quite appreciative of Xiao Yan. "Stop looking. We'd better run too. That's the King of the Forest; we won't get the better of it either." Ghost Douluo glanced contemptuously at his old partner, whose face wore the look of a doting aunt, then released the Martial Soul Fusion Skill and turned into a ghostly shadow, racing away.
"That old ghost..." Yue Guan sighed, then pushed his speed as well, fleeing the Titan Giant Ape, whose rage soared to the heavens.
In a corner no one paid attention to, on the patch of ground stained red by Xiao Yan's blood, one drop had never soaked into the earth. On closer inspection, the blood seemed to contain a faint trace of violet-gold. Suddenly, as though summoned by some mighty power, it began to fly involuntarily into the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest, where it merged into an enormous lake.
An immensely vast being slept quietly in the lake. Suddenly, a faint force drew her attention. Though she did not open her eyes, she seemed to sense the presence of the violet-gold drop of blood. She gently raised her head and swallowed it in one gulp.
Deep within the giant dragon's body, a hidden injury seemed to have been partly healed by that drop of blood. Though the recovery was only slight, it would have taken the silver dragon a thousand years of recuperation. The silver dragon opened her eyes, and that tiny movement alone caused the entire Lake of Life to tremble.
Sensing the heavy, godlike tremor, the sleeping Beast God abruptly opened his golden eyes, barely restrained shock showing in his gaze. Clearly, judging by the injuries he had examined before, she should not have recovered so quickly. Had her injuries not been so frightening, the ten Ferocious Beasts would not have gathered here, given all their energy and most of their life force to their shared sovereign, and then fallen into slumber. Now, an unexpected disturbance had awakened the sleeping Di Tian. Clearly, some terrifying power unknown to them had intervened.
Di Tian turned his gaze toward the Lake of Life and said slowly:
"My lord...?"
A giant silver claw reached out, and the roars of every Soul Beast between heaven and earth fell silent. Wherever they were, they all bowed in worship.
Their king, their god, the only hope they had ever known in their lives-she had returned.