The instant that mighty roar rang out, Lin Xiao already knew whose power it was. Golden light flared through the heavens, and even within his spiritual sea, waves of pressure rippled violently.
Dragon God Douluo.
Though he hadn't appeared in years, many Spirit Masters still whispered his name with awe. Lin Xiao, however, understood all too well the connection between Zhang Lexuan and Mu En.
Yet before he could even let out a sigh of relief, Zhang Lexuan's voice reached him again. "Go! That strike can only delay it—it can't defeat a hundred-thousand-year beast!"
Lin Xiao froze for a brief second, then realized the truth: Zhang Lexuan had indeed come to the Star Dou Forest alone. The golden radiance he'd seen was not Mu En's intervention—it was a single stored strike Mu En had given her for protection.
He dared not relax. Soul power surged continuously from his core, flooding into the Soul Tool Thrusters on his back.
By the time his energy was nearly drained, the world around them suddenly brightened. The suffocating canopy fell away, revealing open ground bathed in moonlight.
Lin Xiao hit the ground hard, momentum carrying him several steps forward before he steadied himself. Turning back, he saw the tree line fading behind them—no trace of the beast's aura remained.
Only then did he exhale in relief.
Zhang Lexuan stood beside him, her face pale but steady, still glancing back toward the forest's edge.
So that's what true protection looks like.
Lin Xiao's heart sank with a complicated mix of admiration and envy. Such a technique, strong enough to stall even a hundred-thousand-year beast—if she had companions like that watching over her, no one would dare move against her.
How different from his own "teacher," who fled at the first sign of danger.
Zhang Lexuan caught his gaze and turned slightly, meeting his eyes. Seeing his disheveled state, she smiled faintly—just for a moment—before her expression hardened.
"My mission's done," she said briskly. "I'm heading back. The Star Dou Forest is too dangerous—don't come here alone again."
Without waiting for a reply, she pivoted and leapt away into the moonlit distance.
Lin Xiao stood there silently, watching her slender figure disappear beyond the trees.
Then—
"I didn't realize you'd made a friend like that."
That low, chilling voice slid into his ears like a blade of ice. Lin Xiao's entire body stiffened. He turned slowly—and there, not far behind him, stood Nightmare Douluo, smiling with a shadowed sneer.
Persistent ghost.
Suppressing the curse that rose to his lips, Lin Xiao bowed his head. "Teacher. That woman was the one who took Xu He away."
"Oh?" Nightmare Douluo turned toward the horizon where Zhang Lexuan had vanished. "That explains the strength of that technique."
He stood silently for a few breaths, then his gaze returned to Lin Xiao, cold and assessing. "Hmph. Very well. Since she's with Shrek, let her go. We have business to attend to—your Spirit Ascension Ceremony awaits."
Lin Xiao forced his tone steady. "Teacher… do we need to recapture the spirit beasts we lost?"
"No need." Nightmare Douluo's eyes gleamed. "You're in luck, boy. Though the others are gone, we now have a better substitute. That attack left the hundred-thousand-year beast gravely wounded. A perfect opportunity—for you."
With a flick of his wrist, a bulging sack flew from behind him and hit the ground with a dull thud. The creature within didn't move, but the pressure it emitted was unmistakable.
Lin Xiao's blood ran cold.
The relief he'd felt moments ago—escaping the jaws of that beast—vanished instantly.
He had thought this disaster would at least buy him time to delay the ritual. He hadn't expected it to accelerate it. Even with all the theories he'd pieced together about the ceremony, he now had no time left to prepare or resist.
He looked up at Nightmare Douluo, mind whirling, calculating every possibility—could he strike first, flee into the wild?
No. It was useless.
Nightmare Douluo might be among the weakest of Titled Douluo, but for a mere Spirit King like himself, the gap was insurmountable.
"Come," Nightmare Douluo said coldly. "Once you complete the Ascension, you'll be a true disciple of the Holy Church."
Without waiting for a reply, he stepped forward, his bony hand clamping around Lin Xiao's arm.
Lin Xiao steadied his breathing. "Yes, Teacher."
The scenery blurred below them. Darkness gave way to the dim flicker of artificial lights. They had crossed back into the Sun Moon Empire, where illumination Soul Tools dotted even the streets of ordinary towns.
The closer they drew to Radiant City, the heavier Lin Xiao's heart grew. The faces of the Saints he had seen—those hollow, broken souls—floated in his mind, clearer than ever.
He had always known: in this world, without strength, one could only kneel beneath another's hand.
The wind roared past. Soon, the glowing sprawl of the imperial capital stretched before them.
But Nightmare Douluo didn't slow. He veered westward, skirting Radiant City entirely, heading instead for the Evil Demon Forest.
Lin Xiao recognized the path immediately. The headquarters of the Holy Spirit Church lay within.
No beasts dared to hinder their flight. Before long, the hidden underground structure loomed into view once more.
"Elder."
The guards at the entrance bowed low, recognizing Nightmare Douluo instantly.
He gave a curt nod and strode in. Lin Xiao followed, his face hidden behind a mask.
Dim corridors lined with faint violet light stretched before them. The air was heavy with the metallic tang of blood—colder, thicker than the air outside.
Tap… tap… tap…
Their footsteps echoed down the stone passageway, each sound syncing with the pounding of Lin Xiao's heart.
Then a deep, commanding voice resonated from the hall ahead.
"Elder Eight. You're not in Radiant City. What brings you here?"
The space opened up into a vast chamber. The very walls of the Holy Spirit Church's headquarters seemed to stir at the sound, alive with whispers and footsteps.
"I've brought Lin Xiao for the Soul Ascension Ceremony," Nightmare Douluo replied.
"So soon?"
From the dais above, Zhongli Wu lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over Lin Xiao. "His cultivation hasn't reached the proper level, has it?"
Nightmare Douluo turned slightly, glancing back at his disciple. "His talent is exceptional. I believe he'll manage."
Zhongli Wu paused, then nodded faintly—until his eyes fell on the sack at Lin Xiao's feet.
His pupils contracted. "A hundred-thousand-year spirit beast?"
His astonishment was well justified. He knew Nightmare Douluo's power intimately—hardly enough to defeat such a creature.
(End of Chapter)