A quiet hum, the gentle rustle of leaves, and the distant murmur of the lake—these were the sounds of peace that defined Soft Boned Rabbit, Ah Rou's existence. She was a soul beast, a protector of the forest, and a mother. From within the unassuming hut that served as her refuge, her thoughts drifted to her daughter, Xiao Wu.
Recently, Xiao Wu has achieved her human form, ready to venture out into a world filled with both wonder and peril. It was a world Ah Rou had long wished to see, to explore the human cities and witness their strange, beautiful architecture. But a persistent sense of unease held her back.
The balance was shifting. The number of Titled Douluos roaming the continent had increased dramatically in recent years, their presence a shadow that cast a long pall over the soul beast world.
Her long life, her vast knowledge, and her soul power had given her a unique sense of foresight, a gnawing intuition that something terrible was on the horizon. The age of peace for soul beasts was drawing to a close, and she knew she had to be extra cautious.
It was this hyper-awareness, a finely tuned sense born from her immense experience, that detected it first. It was a faint aura, barely a whisper on the wind, but it was there. It was not the familiar energy of a roaming beast, nor was it the boisterous life force of Da Ming or Er Ming.
It was human, but colder, more complex. It was a consciousness that felt both ancient and unsettlingly refined. Her senses screamed at her—this was not a hunter. This was a predator.
Without a second thought, Ah Rou activated her defensive measures. She sent out a silent spirit signal, a powerful soul wave that pulsed through the forest, calling out to her allies. She didn't need to speak; the signal carried a single, urgent message: Intruder. Prime hunting grounds. Now. A powerful sense of dread settled in her stomach as she silently hoped her daughter, Xiao Wu, was far away from this area.
Ah Rou's body blurred into motion as she exited the hut, her form a flash of motion. The air around her shifted, and a powerful, almost tangible pressure descended upon her. She had seen this before; it was a soul master's soul pressure, a pure, unadulterated force of will.
But this one... it was far more oppressive than any she had ever encountered. Ah Rou stood in the clearing, her body tense, her eyes darting through the foliage, searching for the source of this suffocating power.
Her voice, a melodic tenor, cut through the silence. "Who are you? This is not an area for you to enter. Leave now, or something terrible will happen."
There was no reply. No movement. No rustling leaf. Nothing. It was as if the air itself had become a stone wall. The silence was unnerving, and in her long, storied life, Ah Rou had learned that silence was the most dangerous weapon. She took a single, cautionary step back. She then felt it.
It was not a physical attack, but a wave of energy, cold and malevolent. It came not from the front or the back, but from every direction at once. Ah Rou, a being of immense soul power and experience, reacted instinctively, but her body had no time to fully evade. The energy wrapped around her, piercing her defenses like sharpened daggers.
She felt a wave of agony that caused her to gasp, a pain so intense it left her momentarily paralyzed. The attack, a silent and unexpected assault, had been aimed at her soul core. Her body remained unharmed, but her spiritual energy had been dealt a devastating blow.
Ah Rou staggered, her knees buckling, her spirit form now a faint, shimmering outline. Impossible, she thought, her mind reeling. What kind of Soul Master can inflict such damage without even moving? This is a level of power I have never felt before.
A silhouette emerged from the trees, a figure cloaked in shadow, walking with a calm, unhurried pace. A cold, amused laugh echoed in the clearing, a sound that held no genuine humor. It was a sound of absolute confidence, of a predator that had cornered its prey.
The figure stopped a few feet away from the trembling Ah Rou. Her maroon eyes, now clear and distinct, glowed with an eerie light, and her lips curled into a chilling smile.
"So, you can sense me after all," the woman said, her voice a soft, silken whisper that seemed to carry the weight of a storm. "It seems my concealment technique is not as perfect as I had hoped." Her smile widened, and she took another step forward. "But I suppose a being with your soul level would find it difficult to be fooled for long."
Ah Rou, despite the pain, glared at the woman. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice still strong, though her body trembled. "I have no quarrel with you. Leave my home."
"Oh, but we do have a quarrel," the woman said, her voice now filled with a cold, predatory glee. She raised her hand, and the cloak that shrouded her fell away, revealing the elegant robes of a Spirit Hall Saintess. Her Eight rings, with higher configuration, pulsed with a quiet menace.
The air grew thick with her aura, a palpable force that suffocated the air around them. "I am Bibi Dong, Saintess of Spirit Hall. And you, my dear, have a wonderful opportunity."
Ah Rou's breath hitched. Bibi Dong. The name was a whispered legend, a source of fear and respect among humans. A future Pope of Spirit Hall. Her blood ran cold.
"I need a soul ring," Bibi Dong continued, her voice deceptively gentle as she took another step forward. "My ninth. And I believe a 100,000-year-old soul beast king would be the perfect fit."
She took another step, the words now a cold pronouncement of fate. "You have a chance to surrender and sacrifice yourself. A small price to pay for my power. Don't worry, your sacrifice will not be in vain. I will use your power well."
Ah Rou felt the blood drain from her face. Sacrifice. It was the ultimate, tragic end for a soul beast. The term carried a weight of sorrow and injustice that had haunted her species for generations.
She saw the truth in Bibi Dong's maroon eyes—this woman was not just a hunter. She was an opportunist, a schemer who wanted to take more than just a soul ring.
"I will not sacrifice," Ah Rou said, her voice firm. "I will die before I allow that."
Bibi Dong laughed again, a sound devoid of mirth. "A pity. It's a shame, really. I saw in my future how much power a person can gain from a willing sacrifice. The benefits are incredible. But alas, not everyone can be reasoned with." She took another step forward, her hand slowly rising, her soul power coiling, ready for the final blow.
Ah Rou's entire being rebelled against her own instinct for self-preservation. She was injured, and the opponent was a monster. But she was a mother. She was a guardian. With a sudden burst of her remaining soul power, she launched a surprise counter-attack.
It was a desperate, all-or-nothing move, a concentrated force of pure soul energy that left her body utterly drained, leaving her defenseless. The attack, invisible and silent, was a powerful soul wave, a spiritual assault that could shatter the defenses of an ordinary Titled Douluo and leave them grievously wounded.
The wave of energy slammed directly into Bibi Dong. Bibi Dong's body shuddered, and a flicker of surprise crossed her face. The attack had drained her of a significant portion of her soul power, a force she had thought impregnable. She calmly took a step back, her hand dropping to her side.
"Impressive," Bibi Dong said, a genuine note of surprise in her voice. "To possess such a powerful soul attack even in your injured state... you could have crippled a lesser Titled Douluo. But alas, I am not a lesser being."
She had recovered from the attack in mere seconds, her Soul Devouring Spider Emperor's resilience proving invaluable. She looked at Ah Rou, who now stood utterly motionless, her body having given all it had to that last, failed attack.
Bibi Dong's lips thinned. It's a shame, she thought, a sense of loss settling in her heart. She wouldn't talk to me. She wouldn't even consider it. My power will be less than what it could have been. I could have gained so much more. But alas... A cold, determined look hardened her features.
There was no time to waste. She would simply take what she needed and leave. With a resolute expression, she raised her hand again, her soul power coiling around her palm, a lethal orb of energy ready to strike.
But the orb never left her hand.
Just as her attack was about to reach the defenseless Ah Rou, it was deflected. Not by a powerful attack, but by a sudden, jarring force that seemed to warp the very fabric of space.
Bibi Dong's attack exploded harmlessly into the sky, and she felt a powerful, suffocating pressure descend upon the clearing. It was a soul pressure so immense, so ancient, that it made her own feel like the power of a child.
She immediately sensed three new auras, each one more powerful than the last. A cold, chilling dread washed over her. Fool! she silently chastised herself. I was so distracted by the excitement of finding her that I didn't sense them at all! One was a powerful, earth-shaking aura, a force that could level mountains.
The second was a spiritual presence so vast and ancient it felt like a primordial force. The third was a playful, yet powerful aura, one that she recognized from her past life. It was a familiar, and terrifying, presence. It was the presence of a soul beast queen.
Bibi Dong felt a cold sweat on her brow. She was alone. Surrounded. The air grew still, the silence now a deafening roar. Her life was on the line, and she had to act quickly, or she would be dead. Her mind, a brilliant, scheming machine, began working furiously, calculating her chances of survival. She was trapped, and she knew it.
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Author's Note:
Dear readers, how do u want to proceed after this chapter? If u have any suggestion, please comment. I have story in my mind but still i want to ask u guys for it.