In the Core Zone of the Star Dou Great Forest, trees tower into the sky, entwined with ancient vines. The air is thick with a heart-palpitating, primordial, and wild aura. The deeper one ventures, the dimmer the light becomes, with countless dangers lurking in the silence.
A group of over a dozen members from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, shielded by the powerful auras of the two Super Douluo, Yu Boxuan and Yu Qingtian, suppressed their soul power and moved through the forest as silently as ghosts.
A faint heat emanated from the Thunder God Seal on Yu Yuanchen's forehead. His spiritual power was highly concentrated, sensing everything around him. He knew full well what terrifying existences were hidden in the depths of this forest; even with a clear objective, he had to be extremely cautious to avoid disturbing those dormant taboos.
Tang Chen followed closely behind, his expression cold and stern, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's. He remained constantly vigilant, the Clear Sky Hammer gripped tightly in his hand as if ready to unleash a world-shaking strike at any moment. He held deep-seated memories and hatred for this forest.
Following the records in the sect's ancient books and the experiences recounted by Tang Chen, the team crept toward a specific direction. Several days later, a unique region appeared before them.
The trees here were taller and greener, and the life energy contained in the air was significantly denser, even carrying a faint, refreshing fragrance. After passing through a dense ancient forest, the view suddenly opened up.
A lake, not particularly large but crystal clear to the bottom, lay quietly like an emerald embedded in the depths of the forest. The surface of the lake was shrouded in a faint, milky-white mist, emitting a refreshing life aura. Along the shore, lush grass and exotic flowers grew in abundance, appearing completely out of place in the primitive and treacherous environment, like a paradise on earth.
"This is... the Lake of Life... no, it should be a tributary?" Yu Yuanchen's gaze narrowed. Sensing the life energy contained within the lake water, he understood. This was no ordinary lake; it must be connected to the legendary Lake of Life at the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest.
His gaze instantly locked onto the center of the lake.
A massive cyan figure was half-submerged in the water. It had the head of a bull and the body of a python, its entire frame covered in palm-sized cyan scales that shimmered with a metallic luster. A single horn stood proudly atop its head, entwined with wisps of cyan lightning. Its massive bull eyes were closed, as if in deep sleep, but even from a distance, one could feel the terrifying pressure and vast momentum, like that of a primordial beast! The energy fluctuations it emitted had clearly reached the level of a Level 97 powerhouse!
A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast—the Sky Azure Bull Python! Da Ming!
However, Yu Yuanchen's gaze did not linger on Da Ming for long; he immediately turned toward the shore.
Right beside the Sky Azure Bull Python's massive head, on the grassy bank, two snow-white Soft Bone Rabbits with pink eyes, looking almost identical, were snuggled together! There was only a slight difference in size; one was slightly larger, its aura steady and deep, clearly having reached the hundred-thousand-year level. The other was slightly smaller, agile and lively, its aura also reaching the peak of the ninety-nine-thousand-year level, seemingly only a step away from the hundred-thousand-year threshold!
"As expected..." A flash of realization crossed Yu Yuanchen's eyes, and he thought to himself, "Xiao Wu and her mother... the timeline matches up." He had long since deduced the existence of this mother-daughter pair from the coexistence of the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python, so seeing them now was no surprise.
As for the beauty of their human forms? In his eyes, they were no different from wild rabbits on the side of the road—merely materials for soul rings and soul bones. Furthermore, to put it bluntly, given the way rabbits reproduce, when they were at low cultivation levels... just thinking about it was off-putting. Moreover, due to their weak race, even with hundred-thousand-year cultivation, their combat power was quite limited.
"Two Soft Bone Rabbits... one hundred-thousand-year, one ninety-nine-thousand-year." Yu Boxuan's spiritual power swept over them, immediately sensing the details, and he transmitted his voice, "Their auras are pure, but their aggression is low. They excel in stealth and speed, posing little threat. However, we must guard against them interfering in the main battle."
"Proceed according to the plan." Yu Yuanchen calmly transmitted, "Eight Elders, set up the Thunder Domain Dragon Locking Array to trap the Sky Azure Bull Python and isolate any interference! Grandfather, you take the lead in the frontal assault! Brother Tang and I will flank and distract it! Grandfather Qingtian, Grandfather Boyu, leave those two rabbits to you. You must keep a close eye on them to prevent them from disrupting the formation with their strange soul skills!"
"Understood!" Everyone responded in unison, their eyes instantly turning sharp.
"Move!"
Yu Boxuan was the first to erupt! The terrifying aura of a Level 97 Super Douluo was released without reservation! His figure instantly expanded, transforming into a massive Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon True Body, dozens of meters long, covered in blue-purple dragon scales and wreathed in lightning! A heaven-shaking dragon roar tore through the silence of the forest, and with peerless pressure, he lunged directly at the Sky Azure Bull Python in the lake!
"ROAR!!!"
Da Ming, the Sky Azure Bull Python, was instantly jolted awake. Its massive bull eyes snapped open, and seeing the terrifying thunder dragon lunging at it, it let out a roar of shock and fury! The lake water exploded, its massive body reared up, and cyan lightning flashed violently on its single horn. A massive bolt of destruction lightning, mixed with a powerful energy breath, slammed fiercely toward Yu Boxuan!
Almost simultaneously, the eight Soul Douluo elders moved like lightning, dispersing in eight directions, their soul power erupting without reservation! "Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul True Body!" Eight slightly smaller but equally imposing Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragons appeared, their roars echoing!
"Form the array! Thunder Domain Dragon Locking!"
The eight men stepped in mysterious patterns, their soul power intertwining to draw upon the lightning element of heaven and earth! A massive blue-purple lightning barrier instantly took shape, shrouding the entire lake area! Inside the barrier, countless lightning snakes slithered, forming a powerful thunder field that not only severely restricted the Sky Azure Bull Python's movement speed but also continuously bombarded its protective cyan light, emitting sizzling sounds of energy collision! The power of the array even faintly isolated the influx of external energy, weakening its recovery power!
Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen also moved at the same time!
"Thunder Sacred Dragon True Body!" Yu Yuanchen transformed into a purple-gold thunder dragon. Although his size was not as massive as Yu Boxuan's, his aura was more condensed and sacred. With a flap of his dragon wings, he lunged at the Sky Azure Bull Python from the flank, destruction lightning condensing on his dragon claws, aiming straight for the python's seven-inch vital point! At the same time, he unleashed his dragon might, infused with a trace of the Thunder God Bloodline, pressing down on the Sky Azure Bull Python without reservation!
The Sky Azure Bull Python's body suddenly faltered, its movements showing a subtle, imperceptible sluggishness and stiffness, and a flash of panic crossed its eyes! Its bloodline was also top-tier in the Primordial Era, but facing Yu Yuanchen's dragon might—which was fused with the Thunder God Bloodline and of a higher essence—it was still suppressed! While not enough to decide the outcome, it was enough to influence the battle at a critical moment!
"Clear Sky True Body! One of the Eighth Soul Skills, Titan Possession!" Tang Chen roared, his body expanding, muscles bulging, and the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand becoming as massive as a mountain. Black light swirled around it, and that crimson hundred-thousand-year soul ring shone brilliantly! He stepped through the void like a god of war descending, striking fiercely from the other side. The giant hammer, carrying an artistic conception of crushing everything, smashed heavily toward the Sky Azure Bull Python's waist! "DIE!"
The three powerhouses launched a frenzied attack on the Sky Azure Bull Python from three directions simultaneously!
"Domain, open!" Yu Boxuan, Yu Yuanchen, and Tang Chen whispered almost at the same time!
"Thunder Dragon Domain!" Yu Boxuan's domain was vast and majestic, like a thunder prison descending to suppress everything!
"Heavenly Tribulation Sacred Dragon Domain!" Yu Yuanchen's domain carried a trace of the will of the heavenly tribulation's destruction, eroding and purifying!
"Clear Sky Domain!" Tang Chen's domain was filled with an invisible force field, and its gravity power was greatly increased due to the addition of the gravity control soul skill from the Titan Giant Ape's right arm bone!
The superposition of the three domains, combined with the imprisonment of the Thunder Domain Dragon Locking Array, instantly forced the Sky Azure Bull Python's "Sluggish Domain"—which would normally make even a Super Douluo struggle to move—to shrink back to within three feet of its body, its effectiveness greatly reduced!
"ROAR!!!" The Sky Azure Bull Python fell into an unprecedented crisis and went completely berserk! It roared at the sky with its bull head, cyan light exploding all over its body. Resisting the suppression of the three domains and the array, its python body thrashed and whipped wildly. The lightning and energy breath from its horn were fired as if they cost nothing, clashing violently with Yu Boxuan's thunder dragon true body, while it simultaneously had to fend off the tricky and ruthless flanking attacks from Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Terrifying explosions rang out incessantly! The lake water evaporated, the earth cracked, and the surrounding ancient trees were leveled like straw! Energy shockwaves spread outward like a tsunami, only to be barely blocked by the Thunder Domain Dragon Locking Array.
The battle entered a white-hot state from the very beginning! Although the Sky Azure Bull Python was powerful, facing a Level 97 Super Douluo, a quasi-Soul Douluo with the Thunder God Bloodline (whose true combat power was only slightly weaker than a Super Douluo), a Soul Douluo with a hundred-thousand-year soul ring (whose combat power was only a step behind the protagonist), and the suppression of eight Soul Douluo in an array, it was instantly pushed into a position of absolute disadvantage! Its scales cracked continuously, cyan blood splattered, and it let out painful hisses.
On the other side, the battle was equally intense.
The moment Yu Boxuan made his move, the two Soft Bone Rabbits were also startled.
"Mom!" The ninety-thousand-year-old little rabbit screamed in fright, her pink eyes filled with terror.
"Xiao Wu, don't be afraid!" The hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit mother instantly shielded her daughter behind her, a look of resolution flashing in her eyes. She knew the invaders were powerful and certainly not something she and her daughter could contend with.
Yu Qingtian and Yu Boyu had already arrived!
"Where do you think you're going!" Yu Qingtian snorted coldly. His Level 95 Super Douluo aura locked onto the two, and he directly unleashed his Martial Soul True Body, transforming into a thunder dragon and lunging forward. His dragon claws tore through the air, grabbing at the mother rabbit!
A pink light flashed in the mother rabbit's eyes. "Instantaneous Movement!" Her figure vanished instantly, reappearing dozens of meters away, narrowly dodging the strike.
"Invincible Golden Body!" She simultaneously activated another life-saving divine skill, a faint golden halo rising around her body, shielding Xiao Wu behind her as well.
"Hmph! Petty tricks!" Yu Qingtian didn't care at all. With a flick of his dragon tail, violent lightning swept through like a storm, forcing the mother rabbit to teleport repeatedly to dodge, not daring to resist head-on for long. Her attacks were like tickles to Yu Qingtian, and she could only barely manage to hold her own by relying on her two divine skills.
Yu Boyu flanked from the other side, his Level 91 Titled Douluo strength erupting fully. His dragon claws moved, and bolts of lightning sealed off the mother rabbit's retreat path, giving her no chance to interfere in the main battle.
The two rabbits were tightly entangled by the two Titled Douluo, forced to rely on teleportation to dodge constantly. They were in constant danger and unable to look elsewhere. Just as Yu Yuanchen had expected, they were fine at saving their own lives, but when it came to frontal combat, the gap between them and a Super Douluo was simply too great.
On the main battlefield, the Sky Azure Bull Python launched a frantic counterattack. Seizing a gap, its python tail whipped out like a steel whip, carrying terrifying power and cyan light as it swept directly toward Tang Chen!
A fierce glint flashed in Tang Chen's eyes. Instead of dodging, he stood his ground as blood-colored light surged violently upon his Clear Sky Hammer. "Eighth Soul Skill, Part Two: Titan Sky Break!" he roared, meeting the strike head-on with his hammer!
Boom! The massive hammer collided with the python tail. Tang Chen was shaken, his qi and blood roiling as he stumbled backward, but the scales on the Sky Azure Bull Python's tail were shattered by the impact, causing it immense pain.
Just as its old strength was exhausted and its new strength had not yet arisen, lightning erupted from Yu Yuanchen's eyes. "Thunder God Annihilation Tribulation Spear!" The Thunder Dragon Spear condensed, transforming into a streak of intensely refined purple-gold lightning that instantly pierced the weak point in the Sky Azure Bull Python's protective cyan light, plunging deep into its body!
"Puchi!" The dragon spear passed through its body, spraying a mist of cyan blood!
"ROAR!!!" The Sky Azure Bull Python let out a shrill, miserable howl. Lightning rampaged within its wound, frantically destroying its life force!
Yu Boxuan seized the opportunity. His Thunder Dragon true form roared, and his massive dragon claws, wreathed in destructive lightning, slammed fiercely onto the head of the Sky Azure Bull Python!
"BANG!!!"
With a muffled, thunderous sound, the Sky Azure Bull Python's massive bull head was smashed deep into the lake water. Cracks appeared on its single horn, and cyan blood overflowed from its eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Its aura withered by more than half in an instant!
"It's over." Yu Yuanchen's voice was cold. His dragon mouth opened, and endless lightning energy began to converge. He channeled the Five Thunders Orthodox Law and activated all his amplification soul skills, preparing to deliver the final blow.
"Mom! Da Ming, he..." In the distance, Xiao Wu, who was being held firmly in check by Yu Qingtian and Yu Boyu, saw this scene and let out a heart-wrenching cry. She tried desperately to rush over, but was held back tightly by her mother.
A flash of despair and madness crossed the mother rabbit's eyes. She looked at the critically wounded Sky Azure Bull Python, then at her weeping daughter in her arms. Gritting her teeth, a look of resolute pink light flashed in her eyes!
She was actually burning her own Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast origin! A massive surge of energy erupted instantly, temporarily forcing back the blockade of Yu Qingtian and Yu Boyu!
"Xiao Wu! Run!" Using her final strength, she shoved her daughter violently toward the depths of the forest. At the same time, she transformed into a streak of light, charging without hesitation toward Yu Boxuan, who was preparing to finish off the Sky Azure Bull Python! She intended to self-detonate! She would trade her life to secure a glimmer of hope for her daughter and the Sky Azure Bull Python!
"Seeking death!" Yu Qingtian snorted coldly. He swung his right arm dragon claw, unleashing his full power. A terrifying bolt of lightning struck first despite being launched later (Yu Qingtian's right arm soul bone skill allowed for preemption, tripling the speed of his next attack), instantly piercing the mother rabbit's burning body! Clearly, she no longer had any uses of Invincible Golden Body left.
"NO--!!" Xiao Wu let out a desperate, mournful cry as she watched her mother explode into a brilliant pink halo in the sky, dissipating into nothingness, leaving only a bright red soul ring and a crystalline soul bone slowly falling to the ground.
Her heart was shattered.
"Roar..." Seeing this, the Sky Azure Bull Python let out a low, sorrowful wail. Cyan tears flowed from its massive bull eyes. It struggled to rise, but it was already beyond saving.
Yu Yuanchen did not hesitate. The Ultimate Thunderstorm he had been condensing for so long crashed down, completely engulfing the head of the Sky Azure Bull Python!
Rumble--!!!
After the terrifying explosion, the surface of the lake was dyed cyan. The massive body of the Sky Azure Bull Python slowly sank into the lake, its aura completely extinguished. A blood-red soul ring, even deeper and larger than the one left by the mother rabbit, slowly emerged.
One of the overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest, the hundred-thousand-year Sky Azure Bull Python, had been slain!
The battlefield fell into a momentary silence.
Yu Yuanchen descended slowly, looking at the floating blood-colored soul ring with calm, ripple-less eyes. His gaze swept toward the depths of the forest, where the nine-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit had long since vanished without a trace.
"Quite resolute... but alas, the law of the jungle has been the way of the world since ancient times." He muttered indifferently, feeling not a shred of pity. Soul beasts and soul masters were destined to be hunter and prey, especially when the target was a friend of his enemy.
Tang Chen walked forward, looking at the corpse of the Sky Azure Bull Python. The joy of revenge and a complex emotion intertwined in his eyes, eventually settling into a deeper sense of firmness. His great grudge had been settled, and his state of mind seemed to have become more transparent.
"Chen'er, hurry and absorb the soul ring." Yu Boxuan returned to his human form. His energy consumption had been significant, and he had sustained minor injuries from bearing the brunt of the attacks, but he was not in any serious danger. He spoke in a deep voice, signaling the others to remain vigilant. Although this was a tributary of the Lake of Life, the commotion from the battle had been too great, and there was no guarantee it wouldn't attract other terrifying existences.
Yu Yuanchen nodded and sat cross-legged, his spiritual power guiding the hundred-thousand-year Sky Azure Bull Python soul ring, which radiated vast energy and a faint aura of sorrow.
His eighth soul ring was about to be his.
And in the depths of the forest, a little rabbit who had lost everything was fleeing frantically, carrying with her endless sorrow and hatred...
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan