...
Above the Starry Sky Forest.
"Roar—!"
Before the defiant dragon's roar had faded, the rising and falling roars of beasts exploded like a powder keg being ignited, instantly detonating the entire area.
Damn it!
Bibi Dong's originally calm expression turned ashen instantly after hearing the series of roars from the ten-thousand-year-old soul beast.
She had calculated everything, knowing that her opponent couldn't escape and that the three Title Douluos would overwhelm her, but she had overlooked the fact that her disciple was a madman!
"That little bastard...how dare he?!"
Bibi Dong was so angry that she gritted her teeth.
Hu Liena had indeed reported to her before that Xuan Hao's newly acquired second soul skill, "Golden Dragon Roar," could not only stun enemies but also possess dragon might, which could greatly intimidate beast martial souls and soul beasts, and even triggered that small beast tide.
But she never expected that Xuan Hao would dare to use this move in an area teeming with ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts!
And this move actually has such a strong taunting effect?
It can even enrage a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast?!
Bibi Dong gritted her teeth in anger, a strange sense of irritation rising within her.
She originally agreed to go to Xuanhao's place, firstly because she felt sorry for him seeing his pitiful state, and secondly because she wanted him to personally experience the cruelty between soul masters and soul beasts, to teach him a lesson through the other party's actions, and to make him understand how dangerous such naive sympathy can be.
With Yue Guan and Gui Mei's dual static domains as a safety net, even if the other party takes hostages, they won't be able to cause any trouble.
This was originally a well-intentioned and transparent strategy that would kill two birds with one stone.
But now...
"Human! You want my spirit ring?
Then come and take it!!"
Arou's mournful howl and the aura of a 100,000-year-old soul beast that she deliberately released made her stand out like a giant target amidst the chaotic beast tide.
Bibi Dong knew very well that this was a ploy to lure the tiger away from the mountain, a strategy of sacrificing a pawn to save the king.
But what could she do?
In this chaotic forest teeming with maddened ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts, if she didn't chase after this "big fish" with its obvious aura, was she supposed to search like a headless fly for that "little shrimp" that might have already disappeared somewhere?
What's more, Xuan Hao is still in that woman's hands!
"You brat, when we get back, I'll skin you alive!"
Bibi Dong snorted coldly, and the nine spirit rings on her body lit up instantly.
Her external spirit bone, the Six Wings of Purple Light, suddenly unfolded, transforming into a purple lightning bolt that tore through the air and hurtled towards the direction from which Arou's voice came.
"Moon Gate! Ghostly Appearance!"
"Forget about the small one! Save the person first! Take down the big one!"
...
On the other side.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who were originally flanking the enemy's rear, were also stunned by this sudden turn of events.
"Old ghost! Over there!" Yue Guan pointed in the direction A Rou had fled.
There, not only was there an extremely strong aura of a 100,000-year-old soul beast, but also a familiar figure being held in someone's hand.
"This kid really knows how to get into trouble."
The ghostly figure, hidden beneath the black robe, also changed his expression.
"This is troublesome... We probably can't worry about the other one now, let's save the person first!"
The two exchanged a glance, reluctantly abandoned their original blockade plan, changed direction, and turned into two afterimages as they chased after Arou.
...
The chase didn't last long.
Although Arou was a 100,000-year-old soul beast in human form and her strength had recovered to the level 70 Soul Saint, she was still struggling to survive against three Title Douluos who were unleashing their full power.
Even with her familiarity with the terrain and the interference from the surrounding 10,000-year-old soul beasts, she was ultimately just making a last-ditch effort.
Half an hour later.
At the end of a valley ravaged by several ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts, there is a sheer cliff.
Arou stopped in her tracks.
"You're really willing to go to any lengths for that little one."
Bibi Dong flapped her six purple wings and hovered in mid-air.
"Unfortunately, this is all you can do."
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Two whooshing sounds rang out, and Yue Guan and Gui Mei appeared on the rocks on the left and right sides of the valley, forming a pincer movement that completely blocked all of A Rou's escape routes.
"Let him go." Bibi Dong looked coldly at Arou.
"Considering the difficulty of your cultivation, I can let you die without pain."
Arou didn't say anything, she just gripped Xuanhao's shoulders tightly.
Every second of delay is buying Xiao Wu a chance to survive.
However, Bibi Dong's patience had run out.
If this continues and attracts the two Forest Kings from the core area, things will get complicated.
The combat power of those two 100,000-year-old soul beasts is far beyond that of ordinary Title Douluos.
According to past information from the Spirit Hall, the Titan Giant Ape is strong enough to suppress a level 96 Title Douluo, and the Azure Bull Python is even stronger!
If she wants to hunt down those two guys, she'll have to wait until she reaches level 99 and gathers more titled Douluo elders before she can be sure of success.
Now is not the time to confront those two head-on.
Delay may lead to unforeseen changes!
A cold glint flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes, and her lips moved slightly.
In an instant, an extremely subtle transmission of soul power entered the ears of Yue Guan and Gui Mei:
"Stop waiting! Make your move!
Activate the Martial Soul Fusion Technique to immobilize her!
I'll kill her and take her bones!"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who had been poised to attack, sharpened their eyes.
All eighteen of their soul rings shone simultaneously, and two completely different soul energies, one gold and one black, intertwined wildly in the air, rapidly forming a strange fluctuation that seemed to freeze time and space.
However, in that very instant...
"You want my life? Dream on!!"
A sharp and resolute pink light suddenly burst forth from Arou's body!
The brilliance of that light instantly overshadowed the radiance of the nascent fusion technique between Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
A destructive, violent energy, like a volcano about to erupt, caused the surrounding space to distort violently.
"Oh no! She's going to self-destruct!!"
Bibi Dong's expression changed drastically.
The self-destruction of a 100,000-year-old soul beast is powerful enough to level everything around it! Xuan Hao was so close to her, he was doomed!
Moreover, after the self-destruction, the soul ring and soul bone would dissipate, and she would gain nothing!
"Ninth Soul Skill: Immortality!!"
Without any hesitation, Bibi Dong's ninth spirit ring, the 100,000-year spirit ring from the Death Spider King, suddenly lit up.
Her body instantly became energy, and at the same time, she transformed into a purplish-black afterimage, rushing towards Arou without regard for anything else, trying to kill her before Arou could self-destruct!
However, when Bibi Dong rushed to within three meters of Arou, it was as if she had run into an invisible wall of sighs.
"Bang!"
It was a blood-red magnetic field, indestructible and repelling all external forces.
"This is..."
Bibi Dong stared at the eerie pink magnetic field, her eyes filled with astonishment and shock.
"Not a self-destruction?!
This is... a sacrifice?!"
The center of the magnetic field.
Time seemed to slow down at that moment.
Looking at Xuan Hao, who was so close to her, A Rou's eyes, which had been filled with determination, were now filled with endless tenderness and gratitude.
"Little one..."
Arou's voice was soft, yet it reached Xuanhao's ears clearly, "Thank you for saving Xiaowu."
Xuan Hao lowered his head, his body unable to move or respond due to the immense pressure of the energy.
His heart trembled, his eyes burned, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He just didn't want to owe anyone a favor.
But now...
Don't be sad.
Arou reached out and gently stroked Xuanhao's cheek; her body was already burning.
"I don't hate humans, but I hate those who are greedy."
"Since they want my spirit ring and spirit bone, I'll refuse to give them to them."
"As a token of gratitude, and also to prevent this cultivation from being wasted..."
Arou slowly closed her eyes, and the burning flame of life within her body instantly ignited her 100,000-year-old cultivation essence.
"This gift is for you."
"boom--!!"
The moment the words fell.
At this moment, all of Arou's life force, soul, and cultivation were burned away without reservation.
A towering, blood-red pillar of light shot into the sky, completely enveloping Xuan Hao.
That was not a flame of destruction, but a furnace of rebirth.
Sacrifice!
At the cost of their lives, disregarding the physical endurance of the sacrificed and the limitations of their soul power level, they forcibly and perfectly integrate their soul rings, soul bones, and all their cultivation into the other's body!
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