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Inside the Star Dou Forest. Nighttime.
Moonlight filtered through sparse treetops, casting over the dim forest and draping it in a mysterious silver veil.
Just then, three elders who looked exactly alike, with gloomy faces, appeared silently in the forest. Their figures resembled ghosts in the night, sending chills down one's spine.
"Have you verified it?"
The apparent leader asked.
"Big brother, none succeeded." The voice of the elder on the left sounded like a broken wind box, unbearably hoarse.
"Nothing but a bunch of useless trash!"
The leader snorted coldly. "But the Sect Leader anticipated this, otherwise he wouldn't have sent us three brothers to the Star Dou Forest. Be careful this time and set up the items."
"Big brother, shall we act now? Hehe—"
The elder on the right suddenly let out an unpleasant laugh. He took a deep breath, seemingly intoxicated. "This is the Star Dou Forest—our paradise. I've already smelled those little soul beast darlings. Big brother, they smell so fragrant!"
His words were echoed by the elder on the left.
"Don't you fear the Sect Leader's punishment?"
Upon hearing "Sect Leader," the two elders seemed doused with ice water, chilled to the bone and shivering. Their Sect Leader's methods were no ordinary affair; failure to complete their mission meant death might be the best outcome.
But immediately after, the leader changed his tone. "However, hunting soul beasts and enslaving souls now is to strengthen ourselves and better complete our mission. Isn't that right? Hehehe—"
Hearing this, the two elders on either side exchanged glances, then emitted identical laughter. "Big brother speaks the truth!" ×2
Before long, a bloody scent permeated the forest...
...
Early morning. Before the sun fully rose, thin mist mixed with moisture filled the mixed zone of the Star Dou Forest. Within it, four figures continuously moved through the area. Their pace was not particularly fast, as if they needed to pay attention to something.
These four figures were precisely Chen Junting's group.
Nearly half a month had passed since they hunted the Titan Giant Ape's soul ring.
However, besides Tang Ya obtaining a nearly five-thousand-year Sky Azure Vine as her fourth soul ring, both Chen Junting and Huo Yuhao had gained nothing so far. After all, the soul beasts they needed were exceptionally difficult to find—a spirit-type soul beast over ten thousand years old, a Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear between thirty to forty thousand years.
If their luck was poor, they might search for over half a year without results.
Just then, Chen Junting, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped. Huo Yuhao's spiritual detection had already been shared into everyone's minds, indicating that soul beasts were approaching.
Tang Ya and Xiao Xiao immediately assumed defensive postures.
The moment the Seven Kill Sword appeared in his hand, Chen Junting's eyes turned indifferent, with a trace of killing intent flowing within them.
The next second, the sword edge slashed out!
Ripping through the grass and trees ahead, without making a sound, blood suddenly splattered everywhere!
Through shared spiritual detection, they knew what soul beast Chen Junting had slain without needing to approach.
"Why would this Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent be here?"
Tang Ya frowned slightly, voicing her confusion.
Because this Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent was only about seven thousand years old—far from powerful for its kind in this mixed zone they were in. Combined with its timid nature, it shouldn't have ventured into this area at all.
"Perhaps it was frightened and fled blindly."
Walking to the grass, Chen Junting used the Seven Kill Sword to lift half of the snake's corpse, showing it to everyone.
Then he instructed Huo Yuhao: "Yuhao, form your spiritual detection into a straight line and probe in the direction the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent fled from. See what exactly it encountered."
"Alright."
Huo Yuhao naturally didn't delay, immediately doing as instructed.
However, possibly due to distance, even with linear spiritual detection, Huo Yuhao found nothing. Fortunately, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm in his sea of consciousness intervened, truthfully reporting the situation in that direction to Huo Yuhao.
"Hmm... there's a forty-thousand-year Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear. Yuhao, your big brother is lucky—this Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is perfect for his fifth soul ring. But it's being surrounded by three human soul masters, all at the Soul Douluo level... wait!"
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's exclamation made Huo Yuhao's expression change.
He quickly asked, "Brother Tianmeng, what's wrong?"
"Those three humans are evil soul masters like you mentioned, Yuhao. And they're actually enslaving so many soul beast souls."
"As expected, all humans deserve death."
The next second, Ice Empress's voice sounded out. The coldness in her tone seemed capable of freezing the entire sea of consciousness.
"Uh—Bingbing, actually Yuhao and his..." Seeing Ice Empress condemning all humans, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm stammered trying to explain. But Ice Empress merely glanced at it, then...
"Get lost!"
"Right away."
Seeing this, the corner of Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched.
Then, not daring to hesitate, Huo Yuhao immediately relayed what Tianmeng Ice Silkworm had detected to Chen Junting.
Hearing this, Chen Junting's brows furrowed slightly. "Three identical evil soul masters, all at the Soul Douluo level."
This formation felt somewhat familiar.
Just then, Chen Junting looked upward.
Before their eyes could adjust, Elder Song's figure appeared before them. Her expression had turned extremely serious. "Evil soul masters deserve to be eliminated by all. This old lady will take you all there to ensure those three calamities don't escape."
"Well then, are you afraid?"
"Elder Song, please rest assured."
Chen Junting naturally understood why Elder Song was taking them along. It was simply to prevent them from encountering danger while she was away—better to keep them safe by her side.
"Mm, it's good that you're not afraid."
Wings spread, Elder Song carried the four soaring into the sky!
Merely one flap of wings, and Chen Junting only felt his vision blur. When his sight cleared again, he saw below in the forest that surrounding trees had been completely destroyed by attacks.
Below, a terrifying giant bear stood on the ground.
This terrifying giant bear was precisely the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear.
From its appearance, it had already activated its berserk state.
Opposite it stood three identical elders. Each controlled a beast spirit—Furious Dragon, Netherworld Ghost Tiger, Phantom Panther King. All were powerful soul beasts, yet their semi-transparent blood-red bodies and the aura they emitted revealed indescribable suffering.
The Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's injuries were clearly severe too. Judging by the scene, this battle had lasted quite some time—it was already at its limits.
These must be them!
Looking at the three, Chen Junting immediately recalled memories of these evil soul masters. After all, their names and methods as evil soul masters were truly unforgettable.
What were they called again... Zhongli something.
I wonder if they're relatives of the Holy Spirit Cult's Sect Leader.
But what Chen Junting wanted to know was why these three had arrived in the Star Dou Forest so early. Could it be...
Instantly, fragmented blueprints surfaced in his mind.
"Could it be related to those things from last time?"
While he was deep in thought, Elder Song had already set the four down. With another flap of her wings, she charged toward the Zhongli triplets!
"Who's there!?" ×3
The Zhongli triplets were instantly terrified. Their seventh soul rings lit up simultaneously. In their martial soul true body state, their bodies twisted grotesquely. Their entire bodies were covered in gray scales, their eyes turning blood-red. Their forms shifted, and when the three curled together, they transformed into three giant gray serpents.
Underworld Snake Martial Soul True Body!
But this wasn't all. Countless blood-red beast spirits poured wildly from their respective staves, including the three major beast spirits confronting the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, forming a protective barrier around themselves.
However, before a Level 97 Super Douluo, all their efforts were in vain!
Elder Song merely grabbed once. Under the azure light, the terrifying blood-red beast spirits immediately dissipated. Her hands resembled eagle claws—they clamped directly onto the seven-inch spot of the Underworld Snake true bodies. With a fierce squeeze, one evil soul master perished instantly!
The remaining two evil soul masters lost all ability to resist. Their martial soul true bodies were effortlessly shattered by Elder Song's grip. She caught one in each hand, holding them up.
If not for needing these two beasts alive, their fate would be identical to the dead evil soul master.
This... "battle," could be called a one-sided slaughter by Elder Song.
In the blink of an eye, it was completely over.
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