Jiang Qingtong was still mulling over the matter, but Xie Xiaoxiao was staring nervously at Xuan Zi.
"Is this really okay? This Darkgold Terror Claw Bear is nearly at the ten-thousand-year level. I'm… scared…"
"Don't be afraid. The bold are fed, the timid starve. With Elder Xuan here, what's there to worry about?"
Hearing Xiaoxiao's anxious voice, Jiang Qingtong patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"Really?" Xiaoxiao blinked at her, then looked to Xuan Zi.
Xuan Zi nodded. "Rest assured. With me here, all you need to do is deliver the finishing blow to this Darkgold Terror Claw Bear. Even if you can't absorb the ring afterward, I can still guarantee your safe retreat."
The moment Xuan Zi said this, Jiang Qingtong felt as if a sudden flash of enlightenment had struck her.
A soul ring produced by a soul beast can only be absorbed by the soul master who lands the killing blow. That should be because, at the instant of death, the beast's final resentment fuses with the killer's soul aura, imprinting itself into the ring. That's why it can only be absorbed by that person.
When absorbing, the soul master must also endure the impact of the beast's resentment. If they endure, the ring is gained; if they fail… well, it's game over. At that moment, both the beast's last resentment and the soul master's aura remain bound within the ring.
In essence, a soul ring is something that records soul aura, soul skill, and attribute.
So—if one could somehow imprint the attribute into it directly, wouldn't that work?
Still, Jiang Qingtong knew this was only a concept; to verify it would require extensive experimentation.
Xiaoxiao glanced at Qingtong, then at Xuan Zi, before her gaze settled on the Darkgold Terror Claw Bear pinned in place ahead. She clenched her fists as if steeling herself.
"Alright! I'll give it a try!"
The instant Xiaoxiao agreed, Xuan Zi raised his palm and struck toward the bear.
But at that moment, the beast suddenly threw its head back and let out a thunderous roar. Its earlier stillness had all been a prelude to this cry, a sound that rang through the forest, startling countless birds and beasts.
Xuan Zi frowned in puzzlement.
Just as his palm was about to land, a far more violent aura surged from the distance. Even the surrounding air seemed to freeze.
The ground rumbled. The sounds of trees splintering echoed closer and closer.
The Darkgold Terror Claw Bear before them curled up on the ground, facing toward the depths of Star Dou Forest as if bowing to its sovereign.
Seeing this, Xuan Zi's pupils contracted in shock. "No… could it be—"
Before he could finish, an even larger figure appeared before the three of them. It was another Darkgold Terror Claw Bear, but this one's aura and size completely eclipsed the first!
Around its dark-golden claws, space itself shimmered and warped, unable to withstand their terrifying sharpness.
The soul power storm swirling around it snapped the surrounding trees like twigs.
Its deafening roar split the sky, and the pair of cold, crimson eyes fixed on the three before it. Even Xuan Zi could not help but feel a crushing pressure settle over him.
His brow furrowed tightly.
"Darkgold Terror Claw Bear… Bear King!"
Ever since the day an aura belonging to an Ultimate Douluo had erupted outside Star Dou Forest, Di Tian had confirmed it was not aimed at the forest. Still, the ferocious beasts had tightened their patrols within its borders.
This particular Darkgold Terror Claw Bear was one the Bear King had sent to patrol the outer regions.
"You're that Gluttonous Douluo from Shrek? Coming into Star Dou Forest—do you mean to start a war with us?" The Bear King's cold, gravelly voice scraped against their ears, raising gooseflesh.
Xuan Zi's expression grew grave.
"I am here only to help a junior obtain a soul ring, not to wage war with Star Dou Forest. Bear King, your kind and Shrek Academy signed a pact back then. For you to appear in the outer region now—do you soul beasts intend to launch a beast tide again?"
"Pact?"
The Bear King snorted. "That was only Di Tian being overly cautious, letting you humans trick him. I am not Di Tian, and that so-called pact has no hold over me!"
Hearing this, Xuan Zi's brows knit even tighter.
Among the Ten Great Savage Beasts, the Bear King ranked sixth by age.
The top three each possessed power on the level of an Ultimate Douluo. The fourth and fifth were not battle-oriented. Though the Bear King's age was lower than theirs, the racial talent of the Darkgold Terror Claw Bear meant its combat strength was already close to Ultimate Douluo level!
It was said that in his clashes with Di Tian, he had even managed to wound him—and Di Tian was the acknowledged strongest being on the continent.
Only an Ultimate Douluo could completely suppress such a foe.
Xuan Zi locked eyes on the Bear King and began slowly backing away.
The Bear King roared, "Hunting for a soul ring from my own kin—how reckless! Human Super Douluo, let me see just how strong you really are!"
At those words, Xuan Zi entered Martial Soul Avatar state without hesitation. He shouted to Jiang Qingtong,
"Qingtong! Take Xiaoxiao and go!"
Qingtong didn't hesitate. She grabbed Xiaoxiao and activated Phantom Sea Sojourn, flying toward the forest's edge.
Once triggered, Phantom Sea Sojourn could not be restored for half a month unless a Rank 9 soul engineer replenished its energy. Fortunately, during the Soul Master Tournament's Evilfire Outburst, she had used Jiang Shengyu's version of the device instead of her own.
With Xuan Zi blocking the Bear King, he could not stop Qingtong and Xiaoxiao. The Bear King was unconcerned—his focus was entirely on Xuan Zi. As for the two girls, there would naturally be others to stop them.
The battle between Xuan Zi and the Bear King shattered the ground in moments. Cracks spread for hundreds of meters, and all trees within a kilometer were flattened!
The soul beasts here had already fled at the Bear King's approach, so there were no casualties.
In Martial Soul True Body form, Xuan Zi's power rose significantly. The massive body of the Gluttonous Divine Ox slammed into the Bear King's enormous frame like two savage beasts locked in primal combat. Sand and stone flew, mountains and earth shook.
Though Qingtong and Xiaoxiao had already put some distance between themselves and the battle, glancing back still made their hearts tremble. This wasn't even an Ultimate Douluo-level clash—if it were, the devastation would be unimaginable!
Fortunately, they were almost out of Star Dou Forest. Once they returned to Shrek Academy, they would be completely safe.
Or so Qingtong thought—until, ahead of them, countless purple-black vines suddenly shot up from below. They wove together into a massive wall of trees that blotted out the sky, cutting off their escape.
"—The Myriad Demon King!"
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