Yu Yuanzhen's voice continued to echo through the forest.
Golden Crocodile Douluo frowned.
"Who is Xiao Wu?"
"What is Yu Yuanzhen shouting about? Has he gone mad?"
Just as he was pondering the meaning of Yu Yuanzhen's words, two earth-shaking roars rang out like thunder.
Hearing the roars, Golden Crocodile didn't react outwardly, but his frown deepened.
Two soul beasts?
Could they be two-hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts?
That doesn't make sense.
Their current location was deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, which shouldn't be within the territory of hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts.
"Damn it."
A weak voice muttered.
Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at Ning Fengzhi, who was sneering, and suddenly realized.
"Heh, did you lure these soul beasts here?"
"You think two brainless beasts can save you?"
Golden Crocodile, extremely proud of his strength, was unlike other soul masters who feared hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts.
His spirit power was just one step away from the limit, and the perfect compatibility of his hundred-thousand-year-old spirit ring gave him confidence in his invincibility.
Leaning against a tree, Ning Fengzhi grinned.
"Just don't start crying after getting beaten up."
Golden Crocodile's eyes narrowed, and he slapped Ning Fengzhi hard across the face.
The palm strike sent him flying backward, crashing through several large trees before coming to a stop.
Looking at bloodied Ning Fengzhi, Golden Crocodile Douluo said coldly,
"Then I'll show you how strong a real man is."
"After I deal with these two soul beasts, I'll skin everyone in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and your Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and burn them into sky lanterns."
Spit!
Golden Crocodile's only answer was a mouthful of blood-laced spit from Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Fengzhi had been refined and graceful all his life, and now he finally had the chance to vent his anger.
Rumble, rumble—
Heavy footsteps approached rapidly, and towering trees were constantly snapped. The brutal aura unique to hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts surged forth like a mighty tide.
Moments later, a massive dark-furred ape and a giant sky-blue python with a bull's head appeared in Golden Crocodile's sight.
"Titan Giant Ape!"
"Sky Blue Bull Python!"
Golden Crocodile Douluo's pupils shrank. He had never expected two soul beasts, considered kings of the forest, to appear.
He was extremely familiar with the Titan Giant Ape.
His own hundred-thousand-year-old spirit ring came from one, hunted by Qian Daoliu a hundred years ago in the Star Dou Great Forest.
At that time, the old Hall Master was also level 98—just like him now.
Yet even so, the battle was fierce, and he, who only assisted on the side, was nearly killed several times by the Titan Giant Ape.
A hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape was comparable to a top-level Titled Douluo in attack, defense, and speed—with almost no weaknesses. In terms of raw strength, it was even more terrifying.
The Titan Giant Ape also had an innate domain: it could manipulate gravitational changes in an area at will, increasing or decreasing them. This domain had caused them much suffering.
Though the Titan Giant Ape charging at him now was clearly not as powerful as the one before, it was still no easy opponent.
Even more so with the Sky Blue Bull Python beside it—no less powerful.
This soul beast, known as the king of the forest, was even more terrifying than the Titan Giant Ape.
According to Spirit Hall records, it supposedly had traces of true dragon blood, making it not only immensely strong but also capable of mysterious abilities.
These two two-hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts were vastly different from the Blue Silver Grass and Soft Bone Rabbit killed by Spirit Hall.
If the grass and rabbit were equivalent to just-breaking-through Titled Douluo, then the ape and python were easily above level 97.
"I was too arrogant this time."
Golden Crocodile Douluo laughed self-deprecatingly.
But he wasn't afraid of the coming battle—instead, his fighting spirit surged endlessly.
Nine shining spirit rings lit up the forest again, fierce soul power erupted, and a massive golden crocodile phantom appeared behind him.
Sensing Golden Crocodile Douluo's momentum, Da Ming and Er Ming stopped and faced him warily from a distance.
"You two, I think there's been a misunderstanding?"
Taking advantage of the soul beasts' hesitation, Golden Crocodile spoke first.
It wasn't that he feared the ape and python. Even if he couldn't defeat them, he could still escape.
It was simply better not to make enemies out of such powerful creatures.
Da Ming and Er Ming said nothing, but Yu Yuanzhen, lying far off, started causing trouble again when he saw they weren't fighting.
He followed what Yu Xiaowei had taught him and shouted at full volume,
"This old guy is the second worshiper of Spirit Hall."
"Your sister Wu was captured by people from their Spirit Hall!"
"Oh, by the way, this old guy was bragging earlier that he had killed a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit!"
"He said your hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts are nothing but chickens and dogs, weak and easy to kill, destined to obediently become spirit rings!"
Hearing this, Golden Crocodile immediately flew into a rage. When had he said that?! Was this Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon patriarch shamelessly trying to sow discord?!
Furious, he slapped Yu Yuanzhen mercilessly.
Hundreds of meters away, a golden palm appeared out of thin air and smacked Yu Yuanzhen into the ground like swatting a fly.
After a loud boom, Yu Yuanzhen's voice abruptly stopped, and the entire forest fell silent.
But Yu Yuanzhen had achieved his goal—the two soul beasts, previously hesitant, now showed expressions of rage.
At this moment, Er Ming, who had been eyeing Golden Crocodile Douluo the entire time, suddenly spoke.
"Brother, this old man smells familiar."
"I feel it too."
"This scent… it's my father! Bastard! The spirit ring on you belongs to my father!!!"
After shouting "my father," the Titan Giant Ape suddenly went berserk and charged like a madman.
The Sky Blue Bull Python's eyes widened in realization, and it followed the Titan Ape to attack Golden Crocodile.
Seeing this, Golden Crocodile Douluo cursed in his heart: damn it.
He hadn't expected the Titan Giant Ape he helped kill a century ago to be the father of the one before him now.
This was no longer about Xiao Wu.
This was a blood feud over the killing of their father.
Quickly, he activated his spirit power. His seventh ring lit up, and the golden crocodile martial soul emerged again in the Star Dou Great Forest.
In an instant, the three beasts clashed.
The nearby forest shook as if struck by a massive earthquake. Their immense bodies generated shockwaves that shattered surrounding trees.
Flashes of gold and green lit up alternately, even obscuring the sun.
Dozens of meters away, Ning Fengzhi shivered. He poured a healing potion into his mouth and fled in panic.
This top-tier battle was not something a weakened support-type Soul Saint like him could observe safely.
Who knew when a stray attack might crush him to death?
---
Time returned to one hour earlier.
At that time, Yu Yuanzhen and Golden Crocodile Douluo were fiercely battling.
Far away from the battlefield, Chen Xin unleashed his Titled Douluo aura over the skies of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Using the Seven Killing Sword's speed, they quickly reached the forest's central area—the domain of legendary hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts.
As he neared, Chen Xin realized what Yu Xiaowei was planning.
But he didn't understand how Yu Xiaowei was so sure that the soul beasts here would help him and attack Golden Crocodile Douluo.
If those beasts went berserk, with enemies ahead and Golden Crocodile behind, forget saving the kids—even Chen Xin's old bones wouldn't escape.
Still, he thought again—his granddaughter-in-law's grandson had never failed when it came to planning.
So, Chen Xin put aside his doubts for now.
Soon, a response came.
Two earth-shaking beastly roars rang out ahead.
Hearing one of the voices, Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing turned pale.
They would never forget that roar.
The fear and helplessness of that night, when even their strongest protector Zhao Wuji was powerless before the terrifying beast, remained etched in their memories.
"Titan Giant Ape…"
Chen Xin's hand trembled as he heard their whisper.
A hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape?
Damn it—Yu Xiaowei was actually seeking this beast?
A creature like this could match a decade of battle experience in just a year—it was terrifying at a hundred thousand years.
Seeing Chen Xin's uneasy expression, Yu Xiaowei smiled to reassure him.
"Grandpa Jian, don't worry. These two idiots are allies I arranged."
He then shouted to everyone riding the flying sword:
"Our guests are here! Everyone, get ready!"
He waved to Zhu Zhuqing and Oscar, signaling them to move to the front.
Everyone tensed, their eyes fixed ahead.
As the giant beasts crashed through the trees and their overwhelming aura approached, everyone—except Yu Xiaowei—felt their hearts pounding wildly.
"Humans, leave the Star Dou Great Forest."
The soul beasts hadn't arrived yet, but their deafening roar came first.
Chen Xin took a deep breath, recalled what Yu Xiaowei taught him, and roared:
"I am Chen Xin, senior advisor of Shrek Academy in Soto City!"
"We were attacked by Spirit Hall in this forest, and my disciple Xiao Wu was captured by them."
"Before she was taken, she asked me to come to you and said that you would surely save her!"
"She told me to say this:"
"Da Ming! Er Ming! Avenge me!!!"
The soul beasts' roars grew louder—they charged in an instant.
Seeing the towering forms of the Titan Ape and Bull Python below, Chen Xin swallowed hard.
If they go berserk, today might be the anniversary of my death next year.
Er Ming suddenly said,
"Brother, I know those two humans. They came to the Star Dou Great Forest with Xiao Wu."
"Damn Spirit Hall! They killed my father! They killed Aunt Rou! Now they've taken Xiao Wu too!"
"I'll kill all those bastards!!!"
Da Ming stayed silent, ignoring the furious Er Ming. Instead, he stared at Chen Xin, making the latter nervous.
After a few minutes, Da Ming asked,
"Why should I trust you?"
"You're a human Titled Douluo. There's no way you don't know Xiao Wu is a soul beast."
"You're strong. Whoever attacked you had to be at least level 97 to beat you like this. How did you escape with these students unharmed?"
The question stunned Chen Xin. Just as he was thinking of a reply, Yu Xiaowei pulled out a comb.
It was a plain wooden comb.
But the purple hue and delicate wood grain emitted a faint fragrance.
Seeing it, Da Ming and Er Ming were shocked. They recognized it as Aunt Rou's comb—Xiao Wu never left it behind.
Yu Xiaowei sighed.
"Xiao Wu is our classmate, so what if she's a soul beast?"
"She gave me this before she was taken."
"She told us where you lived and said if we showed you this comb, you'd come save her."
"As for why we're unharmed…"
"It's because three teachers came with us. Two stayed behind to protect us."
"Spirit Hall knows Shrek Academy's strength, so they sent a level 98 Titled Douluo to hunt us."
Seeing Da Ming's hesitation, Yu Xiaowei secretly pinched his thigh hard.
Tears streamed from his eyes. Grabbing Chen Xin's sleeve, he shouted with anguish:
"Are you afraid?"
"Haha, I didn't expect Xiao Wu to trust you so much. But at the mention of her name, you cowards dare not help."
"If you're afraid, stay here. We'll risk our lives to save Xiao Wu!"
"Teacher Chen, let's go. Let's avenge Xiao Wu!"
Chen Xin glared at Da Ming and Er Ming, turned around, and flew off on his sword.
ROAR—
Yu Xiaowei's words enraged Er Ming. Da Ming's voice followed.
"Which direction?"
Yu Xiaowei turned, face still full of sorrow and anger, and pointed without a word.
Da Ming growled,
"Where?! Say it!"
"There, half an hour from here."
Without delay, the two soul beasts charged in the direction Yu Xiaowei indicated—faster than Chen Xin's flying sword.
Watching their figures fade into the forest, Yu Xiaowei rubbed his sore thigh and grinned at Chen Xin.
"Grandpa Jian, see? I was right."
"They're so dumb—they were easy to trick."