Angel, Red Dragon, Glazed Tile Pagoda (Part 1)

Douluo Continent, outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest was the most vast and ancient gathering place of soul beasts on the Douluo Continent. As far as the eye could see, towering ancient trees stood one beside another, their spreading branches intertwined. Green mist lingered in the air, and the aura brimming with the rhythm of life seemed almost tangible.

"Roar—"

A furious roar shattered the forest's silence. A massive black shadow leaped forward, and wherever it passed, swathes of ancient trees toppled to either side like wheat before a scythe.

It was a soul beast resembling an ape, its entire body covered in steel-like brownish-black fur. Though it ran on all fours, its shoulders stood well over seven meters high. Its body was unbelievably muscular, every inch packed with muscles tougher than granite, each bulge resembling a small hill.

King Kong Baboon, two thousand years of cultivation.

King Kong Baboons were renowned among soul beasts. First, as the largest ape-type soul beasts, their brutish muscles gave them unparalleled physiques, along with extraordinary strength, speed, attack power, and defense. Other than lacking long-range attacks, they had virtually no weaknesses.

Second, despite being ape-type soul beasts, King Kong Baboons possessed exceptionally low intelligence. They acted entirely on instinct, were cruel by nature, loved slaughter, and were fierce and domineering. If they saw something they disliked, they fought it. Many soul beasts kept their distance from them.

Yet this King Kong Baboon, infamous as a brute among soul beasts, was actually fleeing!

Its bright yellow beast eyes no longer held their usual brutality and cruelty, leaving only terror and unease. The King Kong Baboon kept glancing back, as though some indescribable monster were pursuing it.

"First Soul Skill, Radiant Spirit Array."

A clear voice suddenly rang out.

A massive, brilliant golden seven-pointed star array instantly materialized above the King Kong Baboon's head. Flowing light glittered like a river of stars, as if all worldly splendor had scattered away. As it descended from the clouds, it seemed as though an immortal had swept a brush upward through the air, leaving trails of fleeting radiance behind.

"Roar!"

The flowing light had arrived. The King Kong Baboon immediately stopped fleeing and clasped its head with both hands, shielding its weak point with all its strength.

Streams of light carried a metallic chill. The defense formed by the King Kong Baboon's arms was ripped apart vertically, like a door violently forced open. Blood scattered in every direction like flying wood chips, and then a figure dropped from above into its vision.

Ling Bai spread his Angel Wings. Behind him, a hazy, illusory six-winged figure seemed to embrace him. He held a three-foot golden sword in his hand, while one yellow and two purple Soul Rings shone brightly beneath his feet. His handsome face was calm and indifferent, and his golden eyes held only cold, merciless killing intent.

The King Kong Baboon let out a thunderous roar. Sensing Ling Bai's murderous aura, it could no longer restrain itself. Its massive body charged forward like an armored tank, one arm as thick as a sky-supporting pillar swinging down with a violent gust toward Ling Bai's head.

The Angel Holy Sword came down to meet the bloodied arm. The instant they collided, a deafening boom rang out. The ground beneath the King Kong Baboon cracked inch by inch, terrifying fissures spreading in every direction as dust billowed into the sky.

A miserable scream came from within the dust. A fur-covered arm flew out and crashed to the ground, tracing a perfect arc through the air.

The severed wound was smooth and clean. Golden light surged as blood flowed freely, while a destructive aura rapidly invaded its body and spread madly through its limbs and bones. The King Kong Baboon was not intelligent, but its instincts as a soul beast screamed a warning. If it did not end this quickly, its strength would grow weaker and weaker until it became meat on the chopping block before this human.

Enduring the discomfort caused by the destruction raging inside its body, the King Kong Baboon thrust its other battered arm toward Ling Bai's abdomen.

Ling Bai seemed too slow to react. The King Kong Baboon curled its hand into a claw and drove it straight in, a triumphant grin spreading across its massive mouth.

The next second, its palm passed through Ling Bai's body without a single drop of blood splashing out. Ling Bai's figure grew fainter and fainter before dissolving into motes of light.

Afterimage!

"Roar!?"

The King Kong Baboon hurriedly used its remaining arm to protect its vital points. Then a brilliant golden sword beam struck its back, shredding great patches of brownish-black fur into countless specks of light that scattered through the air.

The blood-red specks of light looked strangely beautiful against the emerald forest.

Ling Bai reappeared before the King Kong Baboon. The brilliant golden radiance emitted by the Angel Holy Sword in his hand grew sharper and sharper. His Angel Wings spread wide, and as Soul Power surged, his three Soul Rings continuously rose and fell.

At that moment, two more figures arrived at high speed.

One was a stunning young woman with crimson hair tied in a high ponytail. Two faintly glowing yellow Soul Rings marked her as a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster. Fiery red diamond-shaped dragon scales emerged over both her arms, but cracks crisscrossed their surfaces as though they would shatter at the slightest touch. A trace of crimson blood hung at the corner of her lips.

The other was also a young woman, but whether in looks or temperament, she surpassed the red-haired woman by an entire level. Her platinum-blonde hair fell to her waist, and her lake-blue eyes were as pure as water. A seven-colored Glazed Tile Pagoda floated above her palm, making her flawless, fair face appear sacred and untouchable.

"Bai Ge, how is it?" The platinum-blonde young woman's voice carried concealed concern.

"I'm fine. You and Wu Feng be careful."

Ling Bai's gaze narrowed as he Lock-On to the battered King Kong Baboon. "It's going to risk everything."

"Crack... crack..."

The King Kong Baboon supported itself on its two hind legs and rose upright. Once standing, it stood more than ten meters tall. Its fangs ground against each other, producing sharp scraping sounds, while its reddened eyes stared fixedly at Ling Bai and the other two.

These damned humans were like chewing gum—sticky and impossible to shake off!

Especially that birdman who could fly!

"Roar—"

The agonizing pain in its body and the rage in its heart finally drove the King Kong Baboon mad!

Its eyes instantly turned blood-red. Even its brownish-black fur seemed to ignite, rapidly darkening until it became a deep dark red in the blink of an eye.

Innate Soul Skill, Berserk!

At the same time, the King Kong Baboon's aura became violent and frenzied. Its intelligence had already been lacking, but after using Berserk, it discarded even its last trace of reason and became a slaughtering machine that would not stop until one side died.

The King Kong Baboon no longer felt the pain within its body. Its already incredibly muscular frame swelled another size, and its remaining arm, thick as an iron pillar, swung through the air, producing a chain of sonic booms. Its huge body leaped like a cannonball toward Ling Bai.

The Berserk King Kong Baboon was overwhelmingly oppressive. Even from a distance, the violent wind kicked up by its leap made Ning Tian and Wu Feng's pretty faces turn pale. One bit her lip and stared stubbornly at the figure in the sky, who remained as calm as ever, while the other summoned her two yellow Soul Rings.

"Seven Treasures Turn Out With Glazed Tile!

Seven Treasures Invocation, first: Strength! Second: Speed!"

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda radiated rosy light. Two seven-colored chains shot from the first two levels of the pagoda and entered Ling Bai's body in an instant.

A curved sword aura streaked forth like a brilliant golden meteor, trailing a magnificent golden tail through the air. To the King Kong Baboon, however, it was a deadly beauty.

The dazzling golden light illuminated this patch of forest and lit up the faces of Ling Bai and the King Kong Baboon.

Ling Bai saw the shock and fury on the King Kong Baboon's face. The King Kong Baboon also saw the coldness and bloodlust in Ling Bai's eyes... along with the purple Second Soul Ring that had begun flashing at some unknown moment!

Six-Winged Angel Second Soul Skill, Evil-warding Slash!

"ROAR!!!"

Ling Bai swept past it, and the world seemed to shatter apart. Sunlight poured through the branches of the towering ancient trees and spilled over his body. Behind him, the enormous soul beast remained frozen in its final roar before crashing thunderously to the ground.