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Great Star Dou Forest
A group of nine people moved swiftly through the Great Star Dou Forest, their destination being the Lake of Life at its heart.
They made no effort to conceal their presence but instead charged forward with overwhelming force. After all, they were dealing with only two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts—nothing their strength couldn't handle directly.
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Lake of Life
At the lake stood a creature that resembled both an ape and a gorilla. Its entire body was pitch black, save for its lantern-like eyes, which glowed with a yellow crystalline light. Not only was its body massive, but every inch of it was covered in muscles more terrifying than granite, bulging like small hills.
"Hmm? Human powerhouses are approaching!"
The Titan Giant Ape had been squatting by the Lake of Life, thinking about his little sister Xiao Wu, who hadn't visited them in a while. Suddenly, he sensed multiple powerful auras closing in.
These auras were different—he knew humans had come to hunt him.
*Plop!*
Emerging from the water was a monstrous creature with the head of a bull and the body of a python. Its bull's head alone was over ten meters in diameter, its lantern-like eyes glowing brightly. Its massive serpentine body, several times thicker than a water barrel, was a dark bluish-black.
The colossal bull-headed serpent rose from the water, its enormous eyes fixed on a spot in the distance. Its appearance instantly weighed heavily on the atmosphere around the Lake of Life.
"Brother, it seems our visitors aren't here with good intentions. We must be cautious."
After a long silence, the Azure Bull Python spoke in a low tone.
For soul masters, high-level soul beasts were invaluable resources. For soul beasts, killing powerful soul masters and devouring their flesh brought significant benefits.
Though the Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape were currently only hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, they had the potential to grow stronger. They just needed more time—thousands of years—to accumulate enough energy to survive their first heavenly tribulation and evolve into ferocious beasts.
With the Azure Bull Python's strength and bloodline level, surviving three heavenly tribulations would be no problem, granting it a lifespan of nearly four hundred thousand years.
The Titan Giant Ape, similarly, could easily survive two heavenly tribulations and live for three hundred thousand years.
Moreover, the two of them knew the true core area of the Great Star Forest. Right now, they were merely gatekeepers—a position bestowed upon them by the Beast God himself.
Their bloodlines and strength were formidable enough to earn the trust of the Beast God, who assigned them the mission of guarding the outer perimeter of the Life Lake. This was why neither the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger nor the Thousand-Pound Ant Emperor brothers were allowed near this place.
How could they tolerate interference from other beasts? Besides, the Beast God had gone into seclusion thousands of years ago, along with several other powerful ferocious beasts.
The Beast God had promised that upon emerging from seclusion, he would assist these two beasts in surviving a critical lightning tribulation. Their futures were boundless.
And yet, here were human powerhouses attempting to invade the Lake of Life. How could they allow it?
The Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape immediately left the Life Lake and headed toward the humans. They planned to eliminate this group outside the lake, confident in their own strength! (Note this "confidence"—it'll be important later.)
The two soul beasts advanced toward the boundary between the core zone and the mixed zone. They intended to kill the human spirit masters there, ensuring that the battle wouldn't destroy their home and simultaneously establishing dominance in the mixed zone.
Meanwhile, within the mixed zone, Qing Luan Douluo, Dugu Bo, You Tianshang, Li Luochen, and Dugu Yan sensed two powerful presences approaching their location.
"Hmm? It seems they're taking the initiative. Everyone, prepare yourselves."
Dugu Bo was the first to speak.
"Got it ×8."
Li Luochen and Dugu Yan stood on the ground, their hands clasped together. Beside them stood Qian Jun Douluo and Jiang Mo Douluo.
The remaining Title Douluos floated in the air, standing on empty space. While Soul Sages could also hover in the sky, only Title Douluos could do so with such imposing arrogance, their hands clasped behind their backs. Truly fearsome.
Moments later, a massive gorilla over ten meters tall and a bull-headed serpent nearly a hundred meters long appeared.
"Humans! Considering your hard-earned cultivation, leave now!" The Azure Bull Python spoke directly, believing its words were fitting for its status as a beast king. If the humans retreated, it would be ideal—they wouldn't even need to fight.
"How dare mere soul beasts spout such nonsense!" Jiang Mo Douluo roared in anger. Since when did soul beasts dare to speak so boldly?
The nine humans simultaneously released their martial souls, and their soul rings appeared. Dugu Bo and You Tianshang's configurations were two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red ring.
The appearance of the red soul rings shocked the two beast kings!
Qing Luan, Guang Ling, Qian Jun, Jiang Mo, and Long Zhentian each had two yellow, two purple, and five black rings. However, their ninth rings were a deep black tinged with red—clearly soul rings exceeding ninety thousand years.
Li Luochen and Dugu Yan didn't release their soul rings. There was no need—it wasn't their turn to show off yet.
The full might of the seven Super Douluos erupted, completely suppressing the two beast kings. At this moment, the Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python's eyes filled with terror. Seven Title Douluos! And two others whose strength seemed to surpass theirs!
Their first reaction was to flee. If they focused solely on escaping, catching them would be extremely difficult.
"Thinking of running? Eighth Soul Skill: Time Solidification!"
Dugu Bo's spiritual power had been enveloping the two beast kings the entire time. Sensing their intent to flee, he immediately used his eighth soul skill to restrain them. Though it only lasted a second, it was enough!
"Eighth Soul Skill: Azure Sky Cloud Sea Resonance Severance!"
"Eighth Soul Skill: Stagnation!"
"Eighth Soul Skill: Thousand-Pound Throw!"
"Eighth Soul Skill: Subduing Dragon Coiling Circle!"
"Eighth Soul Skill: Spear of Dark Annihilation!"
"Eighth Soul Skill: Wind Like Blades, Cutting Through Heaven's Traces!"
*Boom!*
The sixth Super Douluos unleashed their eighth soul skills simultaneously, targeting the two beast kings. Just as the beasts broke free from the Time Solidification, they were met with the overwhelming attacks of the Super Douluos.
After the massive explosion subsided…
The Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape had taken the full brunt of the Super Douluo-level eighth soul skills. Super Douluos were called such because their understanding of martial souls had reached a new level. Their eighth soul skills were far stronger than the ninth soul skills of ordinary Title Douluos.
Their mastery of martial souls, spirit power application, and the quality of their spirit power far surpassed that of ordinary Title Douluos.
The Azure Bull Python's azure-blue scales were now shattered, and its massive bull horns were broken. It looked unusually disheveled.
The Titan Giant Ape's injuries were even worse. There wasn't a single part of its body unscathed—it bore marks of darkness corruption, crushing blows, frostbite, and deep cuts. Its once granite-like muscles were now riddled with holes.
"Roar! Brother, you run ahead—I'll hold them off!" the Azure Bull Python bellowed.
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