"Why do you ask?"
"To round up some expendables for emergencies, to do things I can't do myself."
Xiao Changfeng paused, then shook his head. "We kill those scumbags on sight. Even if we capture them, they don't live long. If you want to use people like that for dirty work, you'll have to catch them fresh. I'll go back and see if the Star Luo Empire has any bounties out for Evil Soul Masters."
"That's good."
Xu Tianxi breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to break through to his Third Soul Ring anyway. He'd check the Star Luo Empire for suitable targets to hunt, just for practice.
Punishing those generally heinous Evil Soul Masters was his unquestionable duty.
Perhaps some Evil Soul Masters, like Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng or Crow Douluo Wu Yun, were just unlucky souls forced into it without doing anything wrong. But that wasn't his fault. If they wanted to blame someone, they should blame Shrek and the Soul Master nobles of the Three Great Empires.
He only cleaned up trash; nothing else mattered. He couldn't let others' mistakes consume his spirit.
Three days later, under a bright moonlit sky.
On the deck, Xu Tianxi and Xiao Changfeng, who had been meditating, simultaneously stood up, their eyes glowing brightly as they gazed into the distance.
They were now in the sea area where, according to the map, the Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale had previously appeared.
"It's time."
Xiao Changfeng took out the pre-prepared blood essences of Evil Demon Orca and Demon Soul Great White Shark and released them into the sea.
Near the coast, the Demon Soul Great White Shark, Evil Demon Orca, and Deep Sea Demon Whale were known as the three dominant marine races. The individual strength of the first two was inferior to the Deep Sea Demon Whale, but they were pack hunters, posing a threat to the solitary Deep Sea Demon Whale.
Due to frequent conflicts, the three were natural enemies. Any Soul Beast that smelled the presence of the other two would unleash its bloodthirsty nature, fiercely tearing apart and devouring intruders.
Xiao Changfeng releasing both at once naturally had a very good effect; soon, a whale took the bait.
"Roar—"
Suddenly, a low whale cry echoed from the depths of the ocean. The rolling sound waves stirred the sea, and a blue light flashed into the sky in the distance, followed by the ferocious aura of a massive beast.
The Soul Guided Device boat was swept by a wave, and Xu Tianxi stumbled a few steps on the deck before steadying himself, his eyes instantly becoming extremely serious.
Looking out, he saw a colossal figure leaping out of the water. Its streamlined, perfect body was entirely blue, and its two huge, red lantern-like eyes gleamed with ferocity, exuding an astonishingly murderous aura.
After seeing the full appearance of the Soul Beast, Xiao Changfeng narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice,
"A blue body, at least a six-thousand-year-old ordinary Deep Sea Demon Whale. It's hard to say if this luck is good or bad."
"I don't think it's good," Xu Tianxi shook his head.
His target was the noble silver Soul Beast. Ordinary demon whales held no appeal for him; he was already tired of eating Whale Glue every now and then.
"You're right, but since it's coming for us, we should stop it first."
With that, Xiao Changfeng moved, his figure appearing like a phantom before the Deep Sea Demon Whale, which was over thirty meters long. The surging sea surface immediately calmed.
An invisible ice wall seemed to appear between heaven and earth, isolating the Deep Sea Demon Whale from the world.
"Beast, get lost now, and I'll spare your life," Xiao Changfeng said coldly, his long brows like white frost.
"Roar!"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale had come for the blood, its eyes filled with savage ferocity. Not only did it barely understand human speech, but even if it did, it wouldn't back down.
With a low roar, the Deep Sea Demon Whale defiantly stirred up waves, its massive body flipping forward, sweeping its powerful whale tail towards the frail human.
"Hmph."
Xiao Changfeng's disdainful snort was the Deep Sea Demon Whale's reply. The latter didn't even summon his Martial Soul; he merely pointed a finger in the air, sending the Deep Sea Demon Whale flying back.
A blue beam of light surged from Xiao Changfeng's fingertip, striking the Deep Sea Demon Whale. The sea surface beneath it became incredibly bizarre, beginning to freeze inch by inch, spreading outwards at an extremely rapid and terrifying speed.
"Bang!"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale fell from a great height, unable to return to its familiar sea. Instead, it crashed onto a pile of ice, its enormous body instantly gushing blood.
As ice energy permeated, the Deep Sea Demon Whale quickly became part of the ice, frozen into an ice sculpture, unable to move anymore.
Xiao Changfeng, having defeated the enemy with a single strike, gracefully descended from the sky, signaling the end of the battle.
"Swish—"
Xu Tianxi, who had donned a set of Level 5 Soul Guided Device equipment but didn't get a chance to act, arrived at the edge of the battlefield, landing beside Xiao Changfeng, a hint of surprise still in his eyes.
It seemed that the Douluo Continent's power wasn't too bad; top-tier powerhouses still had some prestige.
Xiao Changfeng nodded to Xu Tianxi, then looked back at the Deep Sea Demon Whale.
"Perfect. I'll use your blood to attract your kind. I hope your demon whale race has a habit of sticking together."
As his words fell, a blue light flashed in Xiao Changfeng's eyes. The Deep Sea Demon Whale's splattered blood was enveloped in Soul Power and scattered across the sea in all directions.
It proved to be a very effective method.
"Roar!"
Half an hour later, another whale cry echoed through the air, even more piercing than the previous Deep Sea Demon Whale's. The waves at the end of their sight suddenly rose several times higher, concealing the figure of a colossal creature.
"Gurgle, gurgle—"
As the two watched intently, large patches of bubbles suddenly rose from the depths of the trench, followed by several massive silver light pillars that shot out, reaching them in an instant.
"Now that's more like it."
Xiao Changfeng stepped forward, his Soul Power surging. The restrained aura around him suddenly burst forth, expanding wildly and enveloping the area, shielding Xu Tianxi securely behind him.
CLANG!
A clear, resonant phoenix cry reverberated across the sea, overpowering everything else. Azure phoenix ice wings, clean as if washed, unfurled in the sky. The majesty of the king of birds blanketed the surroundings, and the rolling sound waves caused the silver light beam charging towards him to dissipate on its own, posing no threat.
The next moment, one yellow, three purple, three black, and two red! Nine Terrifying Soul Rings slowly ascended, making Xu Tianxi click his tongue in awe.
Grandmaster really gave his all when training Senior Martial Uncle. No wonder he's so proud.
As Xiao Changfeng displayed his power, the giant demonic whale riding the waves seemed to sense the danger. Yet, it didn't turn to flee. Instead, it emerged from the waves, roaring and condensing Soul Power and the power of the ocean, brewing a formidable attack.
Its instincts told it that it absolutely had to eliminate these two hateful humans.
"A silver body? Finally, this is the one!"
Xu Tianxi clearly saw that this new Deep Sea Demon Whale was entirely silver-white. Moonlight cascaded over its streamlined body, reflecting beautiful light, and its forehead glowed, captivating to behold.
This was clearly a mutated Deep Sea Demon Whale—a Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale! And it was Xu Tianxi's primary target for this trip!
"Ooh~ ooh—"
Under the moonlight, the Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale's aura seemed to be rapidly strengthening. Its deep, long whale cry was like an incantation, summoning the power of Moonlight Radiance.
The next moment, a moon-white light, so dense it was almost tangible, erupted from its enormous body. It was vast and terrifying, brimming with boundless ferocity. The previously calm sea once again churned violently, displaying nature's power, its momentum steadily rising, shaking the heavens and earth.
Xiao Changfeng's eyes flashed. He knew exactly what was happening. This was a Domain-type Soul Skill, the most precious of all Soul Skills, a talent only Super Soul Beasts possessed! It could multiply combat power several times over!
The Silver Demon Whale's long cry grew louder and clearer. Silver light radiated from its forehead, like a new, bright moon. Its Soul Power and Spiritual Power surged rapidly, doubling in strength!
A cluster of silver water orbs, over a zhang in diameter and crackling with lightning, rose from beneath the sea, circling the Silver Demon Whale. With a furious roar from the Silver Demon Whale's massive mouth, they hurtled towards Xiao Changfeng, as if a dazzling meteor shower was raining down from the sky.
But this meteor shower contained an extreme terror. Xu Tianxi felt his scalp tingle just looking at it. He was certain that each compressed silver water orb from the Silver Demon Whale was no less powerful than a Level 5 Soul Guidance Shell!
A large number of Level 5 Soul Guidance Shells exploding simultaneously would surely kill a Soul Sage expert, and even a Soul Douluo would be wary. Their power far surpassed the Corpse Explosion of the Death God Envoy.
"ROAR!"
At the same time, the Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale's immense body soared into the air, radiating silver-purple streams of light. It summoned the tides, and a massive whirlpool appeared out of nowhere, spraying endless lightning and arcs, engulfing hundreds of meters of waves, seemingly capable of devouring everything.
Seeing this, a hint of admiration flickered in Xiao Changfeng's cool eyes. He nodded slightly and said,
"Possessing attributes close to Ultimate Water and Ultimate Thunder, your talent is astonishing. With at least eight thousand years of cultivation, and the amplification from the vast ocean and Moonlight Radiance, a land-based Soul Douluo would find it very difficult to deal with you here. They might even fall into your hands."
"It's your bad luck to have met me today. I'll give you a dignified end."
With that, Xiao Changfeng's First Soul Ring shimmered. His Ice Phoenix's giant wings vibrated, and an overwhelming cold wind swept out. The phoenix's frosty feathers displayed the divine power to freeze everything!
In that instant, time seemed to stand still. The dazzling silver water orbs, like a meteor shower, were completely frozen before they could unleash their power, falling back into the sea. The attributes close to Ultimate Thunder and Ultimate Water were meaningless at this moment.
A flash of cold light swept past, and the hundred-meter waves and the terrifying, world-devouring whirlpool were forcibly halted. Then, an inconceivable transformation into ice occurred, and a miraculous display of ice flowers appeared on the sea surface.
The Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale's massive body, roughly fifty meters long, was also frozen into an ice sculpture, becoming part of the spectacle.
No matter how strong its racial talent, it couldn't withstand Xiao Changfeng's absolute overwhelming cultivation. A Level 96 Super Douluo has an overwhelming advantage against a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast, and Xiao Changfeng was by no means an ordinary Level 96 Super Douluo.
Super Douluo shame like Xuan Zi were very rare.
"Tianxi, this creature has profound cultivation. You should seriously consider whether you want to try to absorb it. If it becomes unmanageable, don't force it."
Xiao Changfeng's brows furrowed with worry. This Soul Beast was nothing to him, but it would undoubtedly put immense pressure on Xu Tianxi. The danger of absorbing it would exceed many Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings.
"It's fine. As long as it's not a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast, there won't be much of a problem. My will isn't that fragile."
Xu Tianxi hovered in the air, aimed, and fired a Level 5 Soul Guidance Shell with an explosive effect at the Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale's head.
BOOM—
The shell exploded, and the Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale fell. From its shattered whale brain rose a deep, magnificent purple Soul Ring, with a striking black glow within.
Having done all this, Xu Tianxi drifted down lightly, sat cross-legged, and used his will to guide the Top Quality Soul Ring onto himself. His shoulders instantly trembled.
A terrifying, mountain-shattering, tsunami-like energy found an outlet, surging into Xu Tianxi's body along with the Soul Ring, launching the wildest charge. It was like boiling hot water, scorching every one of Xu Tianxi's meridians.
A cold spiritual storm, filled with rage, madness, and resentment, followed the Illusory Moon Mystic Eyes, assaulting his Sea of Spirit. Endless resentment launched a soul shockwave, vowing to kill this hateful human!
Xu Tianxi's body soon began to tremble uncontrollably. A layer of sweat beaded on his forehead, and his bones and teeth ground together, but he kept his jaw clenched tightly, not letting go in the slightest. The moonlight behind his head flared brightly, clearly indicating he had entered the most intense tug-of-war.
Xiao Changfeng clenched his fists, his eyes fixed intently on Xu Tianxi, revealing deep concern. The latter's body showed signs of swelling, clearly nearing its physical limit.
The energy of an eight-thousand-year Deep Sea Silver Demon Whale was extremely terrifying. It was a life-and-death test for many Quasi Soul Kings. He himself had experienced this when absorbing his hundred-thousand-year eighth ring, but he was an adult then, with all his physical functions at their peak.
Xu Tianxi was too young. If he hadn't known that the Body Martial Soul offered great assistance in absorbing Soul Rings, he would never have let Xu Tianxi take such a dangerous risk.
"Tianxi, hang in there..."
Time passed little by little. In a flash, day arrived. The jade rabbit set in the west, and the golden crow rose in the east.
On the ice, Xu Tianxi, who had sat cross-legged all night, slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of clear air.
"I succeeded..."