In a spot slightly deeper into the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest, Ling Xiao leaned against a large tree. He watched with great interest as a Savage Sabertooth Tiger stood not far before him.
This soul beast had been suppressed by the Aura Binding Realm of Chrysanthemum Douluo for quite some time now; it had yet to break free and was struggling bitterly to hold its ground.
Ling Xiao nodded in satisfaction.
This Savage Sabertooth Tiger looked incredibly cool.
It truly lived up to its status as a tiger-type soul beast. When Bishop Ralph had chatted with him about soul beasts previously, he mentioned that tiger types were generally very powerful—an upper-class race among soul beasts.
Furthermore, once their cultivation reached a certain level, they would begin to live in solitude, meaning their numbers were not particularly large.
Looking at its appearance, if Dai Mubai's White Tiger martial soul had a corresponding soul beast race, their strengths would likely be comparable. The White Tiger was already considered one of the most powerful martial souls known.
"Hey, Ling Xiao, you're standing so close to this soul beast—aren't you afraid it'll suddenly break the barrier and attack you?"
A member of the Judgment Team standing guard nearby spoke up. This soul master, who possessed a tiger-type martial soul himself, smiled at Ling Xiao, acting as if he were trying to scare a child.
Ling Xiao shot him a glance and replied with a straight face, "Surely a dignified Titled Douluo wouldn't fail to trap a mere hundred-year soul beast for long? Besides, don't I have you all here?"
"Well, of course. With us here, what kind of waves can a mere hundred-year Sabertooth Tiger kick up?"
Seeing him speak with such high spirits, Ling Xiao couldn't help but ask, "Vice-Captain Wang, how does your martial soul's corresponding soul beast compare to this Savage Sabertooth Tiger?"
"This?"
Wang Ying thought for a moment.
"The two should be about the same. My martial soul, the Cloud-Winged Tiger, might be slightly weaker in terms of pure attack power, but it naturally grants me the ability to fly. That is far more precious."
Ling Xiao was about to ask more when suddenly, an astonishing surge of soul power erupted in the distance. Immediately following, a massive explosion echoed through the sky, and a giant hexagonal pattern manifested in the air.
Lor Diarra, the captain who was keeping watch nearby, saw this and his expression shifted instantly.
"That direction... it's Lord Chrysanthemum's signal. He's summoning us. Let's go!"
He prepared to head toward that direction immediately.
"But what about this soul beast? Didn't Elder Chrysanthemum say it was to be Ling Xiao's soul ring?" Wang Ying asked, pointing at the Savage Sabertooth Tiger.
"It doesn't matter. Elder Chrysanthemum must have something important to do if he's signaling you," Ling Xiao added immediately.
One could not be greedy for a decent soul beast and break the rules at a time like this.
Giving Ling Xiao an appreciative look, Lor Diarra shook his head and said, "We act according to the Lord's orders. Who knows, perhaps the Lord has made a new discovery?"
After pondering for a moment, Lor Diarra—true to his status as a seasoned captain of the Judgment Team—made a decision.
"Wang Ying, you guys bring Ling Xiao and follow. I'll go ahead first, just in case."
"Understood. Go, Captain."
A crisp, high-pitched eagle cry rang out as intense golden soul power erupted from Lor Diarra.
A pair of massive golden wings sprouted from his back, accompanied by a golden flame. He took flight instantly, moving like a bolt of lightning until he was nothing more than a golden blur. Looking at each other, Wang Ying said, "Let's move too."
"Right."
A man built like an iron tower immediately reached out, grabbed Ling Xiao, and tucked him under his arm.
Along with the others, they erupted with soul power. Streaks of soul power flames burst forth as the group soared into the sky, flying toward the previous direction at extreme speed.
Ling Xiao wasn't surprised by this.
Through his days spent with them, he had learned that in the Douluo Continent, even soul masters without a flying martial soul or flying soul skills could fly. Once one reached the rank of a Soul King (Rank 51–60), they could truly fly through the air by bursting forth their soul power.
If their control over soul power was strong enough, they could even pause briefly in mid-air to engage in true aerial combat. It was no longer like the lower ranks where, due to insufficient soul power, even an all-out burst would only allow for a high jump rather than sustained flight.
It could be said that for the path of a soul master, the Soul King realm was a qualitative change. Stepping into this realm meant truly possessing the capital to roam the Douluo Continent.
Not only did they possess powerful ten-thousand-year soul skills, but their mental strength also reached a level where they could mobilize small amounts of natural energy from the world to enhance their attacks.
The reason it was called "short-term" flight was that flying through soul power bursts was still a heavy drain for a Soul King.
Although a Soul King could absorb and refine natural energy into soul power even when not in deep meditation, the speed of recovery at the Soul King rank could not keep up with the consumption of flight; it was merely a supplement.
To possess long-term flight capabilities, one needed to reach the rank of a Soul Emperor (Rank 61–70). At the Soul Emperor level, the soul power within the body became denser, capable of supporting prolonged flight, and their mental strength would advance further.
Not only could they mobilize large amounts of natural energy to boost attacks, but their absorption speed would also drastically increase, allowing them to balance the cost of ordinary flight.
High-level Soul Emperors could even reach a state of resonance between their internal soul power and external natural energy, allowing them to hover in the void for short periods without external force. By this stage, one could be said to have gained a preliminary, indirect grasp of spatial power.
To truly explore that power, one needed to reach the rank of a Soul Saint (Rank 71–80).
As the captain of the Judgment Team, Lor Diarra was the strongest and had the highest cultivation. His martial soul, the Golden Eagle, was naturally a flying type, so he manifested his wings and erupted with soul power to rush ahead at maximum speed.
Wang Ying and the others carrying Ling Xiao had to protect him from the air pressure of high-speed flight with their soul power. They also had to slow down slightly to maintain the same pace as the other four Soul Kings in the team, so they were bound to arrive a step late.
Carried through the air at high speed, Ling Xiao watched the scenery below blur past.
He couldn't hide his excitement. Flight—this was a temptation no one could refuse. Moreover, this kind of flight, standing face-to-face with the gales of the high altitude, was nothing like riding an airplane. He wondered when he would be able to fly using his own strength.
While Ling Xiao was experiencing the sensation of flight, on the other side...
As the distance closed, Lor Diarra increasingly felt the powerful energy fluctuations ahead.
When he finally arrived, he saw a massive dark-gold bear erupting with terrifying soul power. Using its pair of sharp claws and its dark-gold fur, it easily blocked Chrysanthemum Douluo's "Frosty Gather."
"This soul beast can actually contend with a Titled Douluo? How could such a powerful beast appear on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest?"
With a flash of soul power, Lor Diarra traced a golden arc through the sky and landed beside Chrysanthemum Douluo, cupping his fists.
"My Lord."
"Mm. Is Ling Xiao still behind?"
"Yes, my Lord. We saw the signal and rushed over immediately. Do you have a new target?"
Lor Diarra asked, noticing a much smaller bear soul beast standing next to the giant one on the ground.
"Hehe, that's right. A Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is something you can encounter but never seek! What's even rarer is that the cultivation of this small Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is just right for a first soul ring."
Chrysanthemum Douluo spoke with a light laugh, though a hint of seriousness flickered in his eyes.
"Lor Diarra, this adult Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear is very strong. With my strength alone, it's difficult to defeat it, though I can contend with it for a short time. In a moment, I will separate the small one from it. While I have it pinned down, find an opportunity to capture that cub immediately."
"Understood, my Lord."
Suddenly, Chrysanthemum Douluo noticed the adult Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear intended to take its cub and flee toward the depths of the Star Dou Forest.
"Want to leave? Where do you think you're going?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo let out a sharp cry, crossing his hands before his chest. Intense soul power erupted as a black soul ring emitting powerful energy was released from his body.
"Sixth Soul Skill: Golden Pistil Cloud!"
A massive Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum suddenly manifested in the air.
This exquisitely beautiful Immortal Grade martial soul instantly bloomed, and from the center of its stamens, several streaks of golden light erupted. They traced arcs through the sky, rushing toward the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear retreating toward the forest depths.
They were incredibly fast, catching up in just a few breaths.
"Roar!"
Seeing that it was about to be hit by the golden light, the adult Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear suddenly spun around, let out a thunderous roar, and swung its thick arms.
BOOM!
The streaks of golden light arrived one after another, all attacking a single point.
However, against the giant claws swung by the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, they failed to achieve much, only stalling it for a split second. At the point where the two attacks collided, a thunderous muffled explosion rang out.
The space cracked, and the void shattered like a mirror, creating a massive black hole that looked like an abyss. Though the "Golden Pistil Cloud" only stalled it for a moment, that was enough. Chrysanthemum Douluo caught up in an instant.
Seeing it try to escape again, the corner of Chrysanthemum Douluo's mouth curled up. He paused briefly in mid-air, his hands held slightly aloft as he activated his martial soul's origin.
"Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul Avatar!"
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum martial soul erupted with brilliant light, its size becoming unimaginably massive as it was held aloft by Chrysanthemum Douluo. Intense purple-gold soul power radiated from it, far stronger than before.
The sky above this part of the Star Dou Forest was dyed a purple-gold hue.
At this moment, Yue Guan, one of the Titled Douluo of Spirit Hall, finally revealed his true power.
"Stay right there!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo extended his right hand, pushing the Martial Soul Avatar of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum as he dove downward.
Golden soul power surged uncontrollably throughout his body.
Combined with the giant chrysanthemum, he briefly left a massive pillar of golden light in the sky, as if connecting heaven and earth. Intense soul power fluctuations and pressure descended from above.
Even this Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, whose cultivation had reached ninety thousand years, felt a significant threat. It shielded its child behind its back, and amidst a furious roar, it swung its pair of Dark Gold Terror Claws.
Its thick arm muscles bulged, and massive soul power was released as it met Chrysanthemum Douluo's Martial Soul Avatar head-on.
BOOM!
The massive Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum and the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear collided. Two gargantuan forces of soul power clashed. At this moment, it was a pure contest of soul power. Golden light seemed to fill the entire world.
A sound like muffled thunder echoed through the air, and a terrifying aura spread out, creating a powerful shockwave. Ripples visible to the naked eye distorted the air, and the void at the core of the collision was torn to shreds.
"So strong... really too strong!"
In the distance, not far from the Unrivaled Dragon Serpent trio, the rest of the Judgment Team had arrived with Ling Xiao. However, facing the terrifying battle ahead, neither Ling Xiao nor the two Soul Saints, Wang Ying and Hu Feng, had any intention of interfering.
"In a battle like this, forget about interfering—if we even got a little closer, the mere aftershocks could completely shred any soul master below the rank of Soul Douluo," Hu Feng said, his face filled with shock.
"With this level of combat power, could this soul beast be a hundred-thousand-year soul beast?" Wang Ying was equally astonished, his gaze solemn.
He hadn't expected to witness a battle at the Titled Douluo level on the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. If their squad had encountered this beast alone, they would have likely become its snacks.