Xie Yue crouched down, slipped his other hand under Yan's armpit, and with a little effort, helped him up. "Alright, don't push yourself." His voice was a few decibels lower than usual, and his brows furrowed slightly as he glanced at Yan's blood-stained lips. "That last blow was enough to make you suffer."
Yan abruptly shook off his hand, her chest heaving violently. "I'm not reconciled! What right does he have...?"
"Because he is Yu Tianheng." Xie Yue interrupted him, his tone calm to the point of cruelty, "You felt it too, that level 70 Soul Power pressure is something no ordinary Soul Saint could possess. The terrifying combat power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul is undeniable, coupled with his own cultivation speed..." He paused, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, "He is indeed not on the same level as us."
Yan's movements suddenly froze, as if he had been nailed to the spot by those words.
"Want to defeat him?" Xie Yue raised his hand and patted the dust off his back, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of weariness. "Difficult. At least for now, it's as difficult as climbing to the heavens."
The wind whipped up the fallen leaves, swirling them past their feet.
Yan slowly loosened his clenched fist, and drops of blood seeped from between his fingers, spreading a small patch of dark red on the ground. He finally stopped arguing, but the flame in his eyes had dimmed somewhat.
On the other side, the figures of Chrysanthemum and Demon King, both Titled Douluo, remained hidden in the shadows, their gazes still fixed on the battlefield they had just witnessed.
"That kid Yu Tianheng is truly surprising." Chrysanthemum Douluo's fingertips swirled with golden Soul Power, his tone full of amazement. "He's only in his early twenties, yet his Soul Power has already reached level seventy. The domineering power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul combined with this kind of progress... he might really break the record and become the youngest Titled Douluo."
Ghost Douluo's voice, tinged with coldness, rang out. "His talent is indeed monstrous. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is already the number one Beast Martial Soul in the world, with extremely strong combat power. If he continues to grow like this, the day he fully develops his power, he will surely become a major threat to our Spirit Hall." His eyes under the black robe darkened, clearly indicating that he already regarded Yu Tianheng as a potentially huge threat.
Chrysanthemum Douluo chuckled and waved his hand, "No need to worry. Have you forgotten? His uncle, Yu Xiaogang."
" Yu Xiaogang..." Ghost Douluo repeated the name, his murderous aura slightly subsiding. " His Holiness the Pope and his connection are well known throughout the Spirit Hall. With this relationship in place, as long as Yu Tianheng doesn't provoke them, the two sides won't reach the point of armed conflict."
"Besides, there's another layer." Chrysanthemum Douluo's gaze shifted to a spot not far away, where Hu Liena was handing a water pouch to Yu Tianheng, her profile showing a tenderness she herself didn't realize. "The way the Holy Maiden looked at that boy, who couldn't see it? With this double bond, in the short term, Yu Tianheng doesn't need to be considered an enemy."
Ghost Douluo glanced in the direction of his gaze, but ultimately only let out a muffled groan and said nothing more, though the shadows around him seemed to have faded slightly.
After resting for a night, Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo continued to lead the team forward.
Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, the Spirit Hall's troops were already traversing the outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest, their feet glistening with dew.
Chrysanthemum Douluo Guan, dressed Chrysanthemum Guan magnificent attire, walked ahead, his golden Soul Power flickering in and out, both scouting the way for the team and remaining vigilant about the surrounding movements.
"Keep up, maintain formation." His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every Soul Master. Suddenly, he stopped, his sharp gaze sweeping towards the dense forest on the left.
A fiery red figure suddenly darted out, its six fluffy fox tails unfurling behind it—a Six-Tailed Demon Fox with 30,000 years of cultivation. Clearly startled by the group, its eyes were filled with ferocity, and its Soul Power fluctuations carried intense hostility.
"Perfect, the Holy Maiden needs Sixth Soul Ring, so I'll choose you." Chrysanthemum Guan chuckled, his figure flashing out like Gui Mei.
Faced with the counterattack of this Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, he didn't even use his full strength. He casually unleashed golden chrysanthemum-shaped Soul Power, easily sealing off all of the fox demon's escape routes. In just a few breaths, the ferocious Six-Tailed Demon Fox was knocked unconscious by his palm, and its massive body crashed heavily to the ground.
"Holy Maiden, come here." Chrysanthemum Guan waved to the back of the group.
Hu Liena hurried forward, looked at the unconscious Six-Tailed Demon Fox on the ground, a flash of understanding crossed her eyes, and she immediately knelt on one knee. "Thank you, Grandpa Ju!"
"Your Fifth Soul Ring was designed for offense, and the fire attribute of this Six-Tailed Demon Fox complements your Charm perfectly," Chrysanthemum Guan said calmly. "Make your move; the breakthrough is at this moment."
Without further hesitation, Hu Liena's Martial Soul, Purple Fox, quietly emerged, its sharp claws slicing across the fox demon's neck. As the Soul Ring rose from the fox demon's body, she immediately guided the black, ten- Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring to merge into herself.
The intense impact of the Soul Power made her tremble all over, but she gritted her teeth and endured it with her extraordinary willpower.
A moment later, a brand new Soul Ring lit up beneath her feet, pulsating in unison with the previous five rings. A surge of Soul Power spread out, clearly indicating that Hu Liena had officially broken through to level sixty and become a Six-Ring Soul Emperor.
She slowly rose and bowed deeply to Chrysanthemum Guan: "I have successfully completed my mission."
"Not bad." Chrysanthemum Guan nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "Let's go, the team needs to continue."
The group set off again, with Hu Liena walking in the ranks, feeling the even stronger power within her, her gaze becoming increasingly resolute.
After several days of searching the Star Dou Great Forest, the search finally yielded results on the afternoon of the seventh day.
As the elite Soul Master of the Spirit Hall passed through layers of towering ancient trees and stepped into the core area, a region permeated with rich Soul Power, a deafening roar suddenly came from the depths of the dense forest ahead.
"Found it!" A Soul Master in charge of the reconnaissance whispered, pointing to the towering black shadow in the distance, like a mountain range—its gray-black fur was faintly visible through the gaps in the forest, and its thick ape arms were casually draped over a giant tree. It was the Titan Giant Ape, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!
Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes narrowed, and he immediately raised his hand to signal the team behind him. "Hold your ground! Stay where you are and do not move without orders!" Golden Soul Power flowed around his body, and he was ready to fight at any moment.
Ghost Douluo silently took a half step back, blending into the surrounding shadows. His hoarse voice, carrying a chill, rang out. "This beast is even more robust than rumored. Be careful."
"Of course." Chrysanthemum Douluo chuckled, his figure already flashing forward like Gui Mei. " Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is not so easy to deal with."
Before the words were even finished, the Titan Giant Ape seemed to have sensed the threat and suddenly turned around, its lantern-sized eyes flashing with a ferocious red light.
It roared and pounded its chest, its massive body whipping up a gust of wind as it charged toward Chrysanthemum Douluo was the first to approach.
"Well done!" Instead of retreating, Chrysanthemum Douluo advanced, clasping his hands together. Countless golden chrysanthemum petals suddenly condensed and shot towards the Titan Giant Ape's face like sharp blades.