The Xuan Zi whom the fallen boy called for did not appear. The Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast's massive foot crashed down, shaking the earth. The boy's cries for help cut off abruptly.
"Wang Feng! Wang Feng! Wang Feng!"
The eleven remaining boys and girls cried out almost in unison. But the boy named Wang Feng had already been trampled into a puddle of blood.
"Human ants, you dare trespass in the Star Dou Great Forest? I am the Hundred-Thousand-Year Saber-Toothed Tiger King! Remember who sent you to hell!" The Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast actually spoke in a human tongue, then pounced at them with terrifying might.
"Eldest senior sister, what do we do?" a red-haired girl hurriedly asked the girl leading them.
The leader shouted anxiously, "Wu Ming, you and the others hold this beast off for ten seconds. Just ten seconds!"
"Yes!"
As her reply rang out, flames surged all over the girl named Wu Ming, and she led the others in a charge toward the Saber-Toothed Tiger King. Wu Ming was at the very front, but before she could get close, a sweep of its tail sent her flying dozens of meters backward. She only stopped after slamming hard into a tree.
After the Saber-Toothed Tiger King sent several more people flying in succession, the eldest senior sister activated her Martial Soul Avatar. Then, once she had built the power of her sixth Soul Skill, "Light of the Silver Moon," to its limit, she unleashed it with a fierce strike.
Dazzling silver moonlight blasted the Saber-Toothed Tiger King. Several wounds instantly split open where it struck, blood seeping out and staining its thick fur red.
"Not bad power. Too slow, unfortunately. You're nowhere near qualified to kill me."
The vicious gleam in the Saber-Toothed Tiger King's eyes intensified. With a cold laugh, its powerful body swept up a gale as it lunged straight at the eldest senior sister.
Watching from afar, Feng Luan had roughly grasped the situation. The next moment, his figure flickered and vanished into the dense woods as he hurried toward Qian Chen.
"Big brother, second brother Feng Luan is back!" the most muscular boy beside Qian Chen reminded him.
"I know, Pan Long." Qian Chen slowly opened his eyes. While Feng Luan had gone to investigate, he had seized the time to close his eyes and regulate his breathing. By now, he had returned to peak condition.
Feng Luan came up to him. "Big brother, I've found out what's happening."
"Thank you for the effort, second brother. Tell me," Qian Chen promptly asked.
"They're students from Shrek Academy." Feng Luan caught his breath and continued, "They encountered the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Saber-Toothed Tiger King. They have no Titled Douluo protecting them, and they're still fighting for their lives. Some are already dead, and others are seriously injured."
After hearing this, Qian Chen was weighing the pros and cons when Bibi Dong's voice suddenly rang out in his Sea of Consciousness. "Little fellow, do you want a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Soul Bone? Hahaha!"
Qian Chen turned a deaf ear to her, paying her no attention whatsoever. Bibi Dong was not angry at being ignored; this had long since become routine. Whenever Qian Chen entered his Sea of Consciousness, he only went to look at the golden bead Qian Renxue had become in her slumber. He all but treated Bibi Dong, who could speak and move, as though she did not exist.
"Kill everyone from Shrek Academy, and I'll help you hunt down this Hundred-Thousand-Year Saber-Toothed Tiger King!" Bibi Dong said viciously.
"No need to trouble you with that, esteemed Rakshasa God. Just stay put and don't cause me any trouble."
Bibi Dong clenched her teeth, her fists creaking as she tightened them. "Let's see what brilliant tricks you have."
Qian Chen looked at his three brothers in the real world, recalling the Plane Consciousness's instruction to lay his plans within Shrek Academy as early as possible. A moment later, a simple plan took shape in his mind.
Qian Chen told his three brothers, "Second brother, third brother, let's go help Shrek's students. But remember, only act when I tell you to. I want to maximize both the favor they owe us and the benefits. Fourth brother, you fight at close range. Guard the perimeter. You're not to join the battle."
"Yes!" all three answered in unison, their trust in Qian Chen's words almost unconditional.
Meanwhile, the battle between Shrek's students and the Saber-Toothed Tiger King had reached a white-hot pitch. During this time, Shrek's students had lost another two people, leaving only nine. The Saber-Toothed Tiger King was also covered in wounds, its breathing somewhat unsteady.
The Saber-Toothed Tiger King's scarlet eyes remained fixed on the eldest senior sister, the strongest of the nine. It knew very well that it had to kill this Soul Saint, who posed the greatest threat to it, first. Opening its enormous, fang-filled maw, it unleashed another soul-shaking roar. This roar carried an extremely powerful mental attack. In an instant, all the Shrek students fell into a daze, followed by fear, and their fighting strength plummeted.
Seizing this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, the Saber-Toothed Tiger King launched its enormous body forward, its gaping, blood-red maw snapping straight at the eldest senior sister!
At this critical instant, an ice arrow tore through the air and struck the Saber-Toothed Tiger King squarely in the head. A thick layer of frost instantly formed, abruptly checking its swift movement. The next moment, its body gave a slight shudder, shattering and dispersing the frost. But its deadly jaws did not stop, continuing to bite savagely toward the eldest senior sister.
At the same time, the eldest senior sister felt a hurricane blast into her face, its current dragging her unprepared body to one side.
The Saber-Toothed Tiger King's bloody jaws snapped shut viciously beside her. Its sharp fangs clashed, and saliva sprayed from its mouth, much of it splattering onto her clothes.
Only then did the eldest senior sister abruptly come to her senses, cold sweat instantly breaking out across her back. Had it not been for the ice arrow's slowing effect and that hurricane, the Tiger King would certainly have bitten her to death. Even if she had survived, she would have been gravely wounded.
The Saber-Toothed Tiger King's lunge missed, carrying its enormous body deep into the Shrek students' encirclement instead. Everyone immediately concentrated their attacks on it. With a low growl, it hastily withdrew, preparing for its next furious assault.
Only then did the Shrek students gain a moment to breathe. They had all clearly sensed the ice arrow and hurricane that had just saved a life, and they could not help turning together toward the dense woods where Qian Chen and the others stood.
Just then, five Soul Rings lit up in succession: yellow, purple, purple, black, black. A Soul King's top-tier set of Soul Rings, exceeding the age limits, slowly bobbed in the air.
Immediately afterward, four more Soul Rings lit up: yellow, purple, purple, black. This, too, was an over-age configuration far beyond the norm!
"A Soul King! And a Soul Ancestor! We have reinforcements!" a Shrek student shouted excitedly.
Another hurriedly called out as well, "We're inner-court students of Shrek Academy! Friends over there, we beg you to help us!"
Only the eldest senior sister shook her head gently, her eyes filled with worry. They had just saved her life, but the newcomers were merely a Soul King and a Soul Ancestor. Before the savage, overbearing Hundred-Thousand-Year Saber-Toothed Tiger King, even once-in-a-century geniuses at those ranks would be of no use at all. They would only throw their lives away.
She had intended to tell them to leave at once, lest their well-intentioned help cost them their lives. But looking at her wounded junior brothers and sisters around her, after such terrible casualties, she ultimately swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.
Just as the eldest senior sister was torn, unable to decide either way, the Soul Rings around Qian Chen suddenly blazed to life!
Purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black. Seven Soul Rings of rich color and terrifying age slowly rose, layered one above another!
"Eldest senior sister! A Soul Saint! A Soul Saint with Soul Rings beyond the norm! We're saved!" Wu Ming shouted excitedly. Her sudden surge of excitement tugged at her severe injuries, making her grimace in pain, yet it could not hide the wild joy in her eyes.
Three tall, straight-backed figures slowly emerged from the woods, their bearing distinguished and their physiques extraordinary. One held a long, slender sword; one had undergone Martial Soul Possession with his Azure Luan Martial Soul; and one held a longbow of ice.
At that moment, the girl among the Shrek students holding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda completely disregarded the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast facing them. She hurried up to Qian Chen, grabbed his arm, and asked with eyes full of excitement, "Friend, is your Martial Soul the Seven Kill Sword?"