Upon hearing Chrysanthemum Douluo's words, Ling Xiao felt a surge of joy. His luck was holding up; after searching for several days, he had finally found a suitable Soul Beast.
He was quite satisfied with this find.
In his view, the bloodline quality of this Savage Sabertooth Tiger was comparable to the Mandala Snake that Tang San had chosen for his first soul ring—perhaps even rarer.
Among tiger-type Soul Beasts, it was similar to the Vajra Tiger, though one leaned more toward pure aggression while the other prioritized physical defense.
Chrysanthemum Douluo walked to Ling Xiao's side, standing with his hands behind his back.
"Go on, Ling Xiao," he said calmly.
"Kill it and absorb its soul ring. You will become a true Soul Master. Let me see what kind of soul skill your Profound Sky Axe martial soul will obtain."
At this moment, Chrysanthemum Douluo appeared exceptionally serious.
The usual effeminate air he carried had vanished, replaced by the imposing dignity of a powerful Titled Douluo.
"I have completely suppressed this Savage Sabertooth Tiger. My 'Aura Binding Realm' is a control-type soul skill; it has no defensive properties and won't obstruct your attack."
"Understood!"
Ling Xiao agreed immediately.
He stepped forward, his usual playful demeanor replaced by determination and a faint, emerging coldness. He circulated the soul power within his body, and a glow began to radiate from him. Simultaneously, a violent blackish-red light erupted from his right hand.
In the next instant, a massive bronze axe appeared in his grip—his tool martial soul, the Profound Sky Axe. Raising the Profound Sky Axe with both hands, Ling Xiao looked at the helpless tiger before him.
Just as he was about to swing the blade down toward its neck...
Suddenly—
"ROAR!"
A beastly roar that shook the very heavens erupted from the southwest. The sheer power of this roar far surpassed that of the Savage Sabertooth Tiger. Startled, Ling Xiao reflexively lowered his axe, his expression filled with doubt and alarm.
For the first time, even Chrysanthemum Douluo showed a look of surprise.
He stared solemnly in the direction of the sound. The sheer pressure and the soul power fluctuations he sensed forced him to take it seriously. Such an aura and power output could only be generated by a Soul Beast with a cultivation of over eighty thousand years.
In other words, it possessed a genuine chance of threatening him.
"My Lord?"
The seven members of the Judgment Team immediately rushed to Chrysanthemum Douluo's side, looking to him for instructions. They were equally shaken by the owner of that roar and were unsure how to proceed.
With a wave of his hand, Chrysanthemum Douluo regained his composure.
"No need to worry. The owner of that voice is quite far from us and isn't heading our way."
"However, a massive battle must have broken out in that direction. I must go see for myself."
As he spoke, Chrysanthemum Douluo took several steps forward.
With each stride, a powerful aura surged from his body. The pressure grew more intense as nine soul rings rose from beneath his feet one after another, rotating around his body: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black.
A golden soul power radiance erupted from him.
Ling Xiao watched the scene with racing pulses.
A nine-ring Titled Douluo represented the pinnacle of power on the Douluo Continent. Every single one was a supreme powerhouse. When would he, Ling Xiao, ever reach such a height?
Chrysanthemum Douluo's knees bent slightly before he leapt into the air.
Like a golden comet trailing soul power, he soared into the sky. Only his voice remained, echoing through the air: "Ling Xiao, do not kill that Soul Beast yet. Wait for this seat to return to protecting you while you absorb the ring."
"Thank you," Ling Xiao whispered internally.
Chrysanthemum Douluo's protection was indeed meticulous.
In a forest deep within the outer regions of the Great Star Dou Forest, not far from the Mixed Zone, the once-thriving woods had been completely devastated. Countless towering trees had been snapped in half and scattered across the ground.
Nearby Soul Beasts had fled long ago, and flying creatures had been the first to scatter in terror.
"What a formidable Soul Beast. It truly lives up to its status as a sovereign race among beasts."
A calm, aged voice spoke. The speaker was an old man with hair and beard as white as snow, yet his posture remained straight and tall.
He held a dragon-headed staff in his right hand and wore luxurious robes embroidered with a long dragon. He carried an air of refined elegance, suggesting he must have been quite handsome in his youth.
Beside him stood a white-haired elderly woman who appeared to be his wife.
She held a long-handled serpent staff. If any Soul Master who had spent years roaming the continent were present, they would surely recognize this pair as the famous couple of the soul-master world: The Unrivaled Dragon Serpent.
The Martial Soul Fusion Skill possessed by these two could even briefly contend with a Titled Douluo. However, at this moment, their breathing was ragged; they clearly appeared to be injured.
"Grandpa, Grandma, are you okay?"
Behind them, a young girl in a dark green dress asked anxiously, her face filled with worry.
The Dragon Duke, Meng Shu, turned back to comfort her.
"Don't be afraid, Yiran. We are fine. We will leave this place soon. Just don't run off."
"ROAR!"
A massive roar interrupted him.
Less than a hundred meters away, a colossal dark gold bear stared at them with predatory intent. The bear's physique was gargantuan; even on all fours, its shoulder height was nearly seven meters, and its body length approached—or perhaps exceeded—twenty meters.
Its golden eyes were filled with coldness and cruelty. Its forelimbs were incredibly thick, its frame far surpassing any other bear species. Most terrifying of all were the dark gold claws extending from its paws.
Looking at the horrifying Soul Beast before them, Meng Shu's expression became grave. The situation was not nearly as safe as he had told his granddaughter. One wrong move, and the three of them would likely be buried here.
"Old man, let's give it everything we've got!" The Serpent Woman, Chao Tianxiang, brandished her serpent staff and shouted sharply.
The two exchanged a look, instantly understanding each other's intent. They swung their dragon and serpent staffs simultaneously as their black sixth soul rings flared with light. They spoke in unison:
"Sixth Soul Skill!"
"Dragon Transformation!" "Serpent Transformation!"
With a dragon's roar and a serpent's hiss, the two staffs emitted a brilliant radiance.
A green, four-clawed dragon and a purple giant serpent flew out, looking like the very souls of the dragon and serpent within the staffs.
"Dragon Staff!" "Serpent Blade!"
The Dragon Duke and Serpent Woman crossed their martial souls horizontally and vertically before their chests.
Their massive black soul rings began to spin rapidly around them. Simultaneously, the giant dragon and giant serpent let out long cries, lining up side-by-side and circling the couple.
In an instant, an incredibly vast black ring manifested. The center of the ring erupted with light, and both the Dragon Duke and Serpent Woman vanished within it. In the blink of an eye, a thunderous dragon roar echoed out.
A pale-gold giant dragon, somewhat similar to the previous green one, soared from the center of the ring toward the high heavens.
The dragon's scales were vividly defined.
Aside from its green spine, neck, and tail, its entire body shimmered with golden light. Its four claws were thick and sharp, and its length was staggering—exceeding forty meters.
Its crushing pressure was actually not inferior to that of the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear.
On the ground, Meng Yiran gripped her spear-like tool martial soul. Her worried gaze softened considerably upon seeing the dragon appear. She had grown up hearing the legends of her grandparents.
The Unrivaled Dragon Serpent.
Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the Serpent Dragon Joint Assault, could rival a Titled Douluo.
No matter how strong this giant bear was, there was no way it could stop the power of a Titled Douluo!