Xue Ke looked utterly bewildered.
Immediately after, she watched as soul rings began rising from beneath Bi Ji's feet—two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red.
The exact same soul ring configuration as the earlier Ten Thousand Demon King. A terrifying pressure enveloped the entire Soul Master Tournament arena.
"My name is Bi Ji. My Title is 'Life.' My strength isn't much, but it's barely passable—99th Rank, Limit Douluo. If any of you have any thoughts, you're welcome to come find me."
"Oh, and one more thing—I'm currently a teacher at Blazing Wind Academy. Xue Ke is my disciple. That's all for now!"
After speaking, Bi Ji retracted her soul rings and leisurely walked back to the rest area.
Silence—
The entire arena fell deathly quiet.
Another 99th Rank Limit Douluo, just like the previous Ten Thousand Demon Douluo, with a 100,000-year soul ring as her ninth. This…
All the sects and powerful Soul Masters who had designs on Xue Ke were thoroughly intimidated.
A full soul bone set was indeed powerful, but one had to be alive to use it!
How could such a small academy manage to recruit a Limit Douluo as a teacher? Did Limit Douluos have no dignity? Lowering themselves to serve an academy?
Compared to the trembling Soul Masters, two individuals stood out with expressions completely different from the rest.
These two were seated in the exclusive rest area—Tang Xiao, the Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, and Yu Yuanzhen, the Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
The name "Bi Ji" was all too familiar.
But her appearance, aside from her long, emerald-like hair, seemed different from the Emerald Swan, Bi Ji, they had encountered before. Her soul power aura was entirely human.
"Could it just be a coincidence—same name, same title?"
Almost the same thought flashed through the minds of Yu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiao.
Yu Yuanzhen fell silent. He was now a 96th Rank Title Douluo. Even if the woman below really was Bi Ji, it had nothing to do with him. Since she wasn't causing trouble, it was best to pretend he hadn't seen her.
He had been effortlessly defeated before, and even Yang Wudi, whom he had valued highly, was now crippled.
Not only that, but after attempting to recruit Yang Wudi, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's business dealings with the Spirit Hall had completely collapsed. Now, they were barely scraping by, living hand-to-mouth.
"Forget it. If the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up. Why should a mere 96th Rank Title Douluo like me get involved?"
Yu Yuanzhen had given up. Until Yu Tianxin grew strong enough, he had no intention of stepping out to fight. He had to admit—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan couldn't compare to the three giants at the top.
Though no one explicitly said it, the fact that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was unworthy of its position among the Top Three Sects might as well have been written on the faces of every Soul Master in Douluo Continent.
Sure, Yu Yuanzhen was a 96th Rank Title Douluo—but could he really make everyone shut up?
Unlike the resigned Yu Yuanzhen, inside the Shrek Academy's exclusive rest area, Tang Xiao, Sect Master of the world's number one sect, had far more to consider.
"Could she be the same one from back then?" Tang Xiao's brows furrowed tightly as he stared intently at the projection screen transmitting the scene.
If she was…
Her soul rings and soul bones would be absolutely priceless.
But did the Clear Sky Sect dare make a move against such a soul beast?
Even with Tang Chen, the sect's pillar of strength, the Clear Sky Sect remained deeply wary of the Star Dou Great Forest. After Bi Ji had reflected his techniques, Tang Chen had returned and scoured through countless texts, uncovering numerous records about the Star Dou Great Forest.
Soul beasts lived far too long, while human lives were fleeting. Even recorded information, given enough time, would eventually be dismissed as legends or myths.
A single phrase, passed from one person to the next, could end up completely distorted—let alone records spanning thousands, even tens of thousands of years.
From the fragmented historical texts and the intelligence provided by Xiao Wu, one thing was clear—
The Star Dou Great Forest was terrifying beyond measure!
"No, it's still not confirmed whether that woman is the Emerald Swan."
Tang Xiao stepped out of the rest area to personally sense the overwhelming pressure.
The soul power Bi Ji emitted was vastly different from that of the Emerald Swan they had encountered before. It was almost as if they were two different beings.
Thinking this, Tang Xiao smiled bitterly. "Even if she is, what can we do?"
His grandfather and Tang Hao were currently unable to act. There was no telling whether they'd fully recover before the tournament ended.
"A Nine-Headed Bat… A soul beast capable of affecting a Limit Douluo is no ordinary existence."
He could only hope the ancestor was alright.
Tang Xiao couldn't confirm whether the woman below was the Emerald Swan, and he was no match for her either. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
If even the Heaven Dou Imperial Family didn't suspect her of being a soul beast, why should he stick his neck out?
Shaking his head, Tang Xiao returned to the rest area.
Bi Ji's appearance and display of Limit Douluo strength preemptively quelled potential conflicts, ensuring a peaceful night.
That is, unless one counted a certain someone sneaking out at night to "steal chickens."
At this moment, Ning Rongrong arrived at a soul beast forest near Heaven Dou City.
"You saw nothing. Understood?" Ning Rongrong's pupils shimmered with a multicolored glow as she forcibly hypnotized a Soul King patrolling the forest entrance.
"Yes… We saw nothing. Everything is normal." The Soul Master murmured dazedly, swaying slightly before continuing his patrol. Ning Rongrong strode confidently into the soul beast forest.
She wasn't sure whether soul beasts counted as viable sources for Kurumi to absorb time and recover.
There was a fundamental difference between soul beasts and humans.
Due to the Dragon God's laws, soul beasts couldn't ascend to godhood. Would this affect their ability to replenish time? Ning Rongrong wasn't certain.
Stopping before a ten-year-old emerald bamboo plant, Ning Rongrong summoned her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
A dark abyss opened beneath the bamboo, and countless shadowy hands reached out, dragging it into the void.
Ten seconds… Twenty seconds…
Ning Rongrong slowly opened her eyes, her irises returning to normal.
"Was the age too low? It seems there's no effect at all."
She continued deeper into the forest.
Soon, a snow-white rabbit with blood-red eyes darted past.
Ning Rongrong moved swiftly, grabbing the rabbit by its ears.
"A 300-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit, and a female one at that."
"Ah well, might as well. Meeting like this is fate."
Black light surged from her palm. The rabbit's expression twisted in terror as it kicked wildly, desperate to escape. But how could a rabbit, held by its ears, possibly break free?
In moments, the 300-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit was devoured by the darkness.
Closing her eyes briefly, Ning Rongrong reopened them and sighed softly.
"As expected, no recovery. The time within soul beasts has some kind of boundary—it's not pure enough."
"If it had time-based abilities, maybe it'd work."
But a rabbit with time powers? That was just absurd.
Then again, a certain 100,000-year-old hooligan rabbit having an Invincible Golden Body was pretty absurd too.
"Whatever. Let's check out Heaven Dou's death row prison."
Ning Rongrong unfolded a map previously given to her by Ning Fengzhi, detailing the locations and defenses of Heaven Dou City's execution grounds and prison camps.
After studying it, she left the soul beast forest.
Yet, the patrolling guards acted as if she were invisible, continuing their sluggish rounds.
"Southwest of Heaven Dou City."
Before long, Ning Rongrong arrived at the marked location.
"Hmm? Another Soul King." She muttered. "Seems like after the tournament started, Qian Renxue tightened security everywhere."
Whoosh—
In an instant, Ning Rongrong appeared behind the Soul King. With her flawless stealth and near-Sovereign-level strength, slipping behind a Soul King was child's play.
Slowly, she pulled out a baseball bat from behind.
THWACK!
"GYAH—!"
The Soul King yelped before collapsing face-first onto the ground, drooling and eyes rolled back—completely unconscious.
"Sorry. As a support-type Soul Master, I don't have as many bizarre abilities as the others."
"Knocking people out the old-fashioned way is just more efficient."
After confirming the Soul King wouldn't wake up even if kicked, Ning Rongrong stowed her "weapon" back into her soul tool and stepped through the prison gates.