"Lin Feng! Lin Feng, where did you go again?"
Dugu Yan cried out in panic, looking around in distress.
But—she was still holding Lin Feng's hand.
As she stumbled forward in her worry, she lost her balance and tripped.
Lin Feng quickly stepped forward and caught her in his arms.
"So careless," he said gently, smiling. "Haven't I been here beside you the whole time?"
"Lin Feng… did you use some secret technique?"
"Why is it that both Yan'er and I keep forgetting you're even there if you don't speak?"
Dugu Bo no longer doubted the strange feeling from earlier and now asked Lin Feng directly.
"Haha, caught me, old man."
"It's actually a soul skill I developed myself. It hides me from others' senses. Still in the testing phase."
Lin Feng grinned mischievously, completely making it up with a straight face.
To think even Dugu Bo couldn't sense him under the effect of [Wallflower]—its strength was truly terrifying.
"Ah, so that's it."
Dugu Bo nodded. By this point, nothing surprised him about his future grandson-in-law.
After all, from Dugu Yan's martial soul evolution, to the Dragon Seeking Compass, to the detoxification of his body—Lin Feng had done nothing short of the miraculous.
Even the ten-thousand-year Fire Crystal just now hadn't fazed him.
If his investment was right and Lin Feng truly became family, then with this youth's talent and potential, his twilight years could be spent in total comfort and peace.
"You sneaky brat."
"Making up a soul skill like that and not even telling me."
"I was running around like crazy just now!"
Dugu Yan pouted and gave Lin Feng a few light punches to the chest, her tone both bashful and annoyed.
"Alright, alright, Yan'er, I was wrong, okay?"
Lin Feng gently caught her flailing wrist and spoke tenderly.
"Grandpa," he said after calming Yan'er down, "I want to head down and take a closer look at the Flame Beast King."
"What nonsense are you talking, Lin Feng?"
"That thing's buried hundreds of meters underground. You think your body can handle that kind of depth?"
Dugu Bo snapped, clearly rejecting the idea.
What he didn't know was that Lin Feng now possessed the purple-tier trait [Fire Immunity], allowing him to survive in magma like a Flame Beast.
"Don't worry, Grandpa. After absorbing the Flame Beast's soul ring, I can definitely handle diving at least a hundred meters."
Lin Feng's tone was resolute, his eyes firm.
"…Fine."
"If anything goes wrong, come up immediately."
"I'll inject a strand of my soul power into your body—if you're in danger, activate it right away. I'll sense it and come get you."
Though still doubtful, Dugu Bo ultimately compromised out of concern.
After all, Lin Feng had a knack for turning the impossible into reality.
Splash!
Lin Feng ignited his Ultimate Flame, wrapped himself in its glow, and plunged into the magma, leaving Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan anxiously waiting on shore.
"Dragon Seeking Compass, trace the clustered peaks…"
Once more, Lin Feng pulled out the compass and muttered the incantation as he descended.
At around fifty meters deep, a droplet of golden liquid splashed onto his hand—his Dragon Seeking Compass was beginning to melt.
Realizing it wouldn't last much longer in this high-concentration lava, Lin Feng memorized the direction and immediately put it away.
Though a gift from the system, the compass was made of ordinary materials. In magma of this purity, melting was inevitable.
Stowing it, he continued his descent.
At nearly a thousand meters deep—
Lin Feng finally spotted signs of the Flame Beast King.
"That's it? So this is the Flame Beast King…"
"It's asleep? Looks like it's still stabilizing its power."
He carefully analyzed the scene before him.
This creature was easily four or five times the size of the previous Flame Beast he'd slain, lying dormant atop the lava.
After devouring its kin and absorbing their power, dozens of blood-red Fire Crystals were embedded along its back.
So that was why Flame Beast Kings were so rare.
The Flame Beast race was already scarce, and the emergence of a single king meant dozens—possibly hundreds—of millennia-old Flame Beasts had perished to fuel it.
Lin Feng circled the beast's surroundings, examining the terrain closely.
It wasn't fully evolved yet.
Only when the dozens of Fire Crystals fused into one would it truly become the Flame Beast King.
All he could do now was wait.
---
Spirit Hall – Banquet Hall
The grand hall bustled with voices and laughter as Hu Liena's birthday banquet unfolded. Streams of guests came and went—it was clear how highly Spirit Hall regarded its Holy Maiden.
"Na Na, here's my gift to you."
"An extract from a ten-thousand-year soul beast—great for beauty and skin nourishment."
"I hope you like it."
Yan's voice was soft and filled with adoration. His gaze lingered on her cascading hair, porcelain skin, and flawless figure—so perfect she seemed almost unreal.
He felt like he could lose himself in her presence forever.
Just as he waited for her reply—
Creaaak
The banquet doors swung open.
Chrysanthemum Douluo sauntered in, eyes sparkling with mischief as he made his way straight toward Yan.
"Well, well, isn't this our dear Yan?"
"Still haven't won Na Na's heart?"
Yue Guan teased shamelessly.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, what is it? I was just giving Na Na her gift."
Yan clearly disliked the interruption, his expression sour.
"Her Holiness the Pope has ordered me to take you on a mission immediately."
Yue Guan didn't bother explaining further—he grabbed Yan by the collar and prepared to drag him away.
"What happened?"
"Why the rush?"
Hu Liena, genuinely intrigued now, stepped forward.
The so-called beauty elixir hadn't piqued her interest—but this sudden arrival from Chrysanthemum Douluo certainly did.
"There's been activity in the lava zone of Sunset Forest."
"Our scouts reported the emergence of a fire-element treasure—likely a Fire Crystal."
"Her Holiness tasked me with retrieving it."
Only upon hearing her speak did Yue Guan pause to answer.
"A treasure…?"
Yan was stunned, practically dangling from Yue Guan's hand.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, I want to come too."
Hu Liena's eyes gleamed.
Fighting over a rare treasure—that was a rare real-world combat opportunity.
"…Fine."
Yue Guan hesitated at first but then nodded.
After all, the few of them were all key talents groomed by Spirit Hall, and he and Ghost Douluo would be personally overseeing them.
This would be good field experience.
"Elder, I'm coming too!"
"Please take care of us."
Moments later, Xie Yue ran up behind them, bowing respectfully.Outside the hall—
"Yue Guan, why are there so many brats tagging along?"
Gui Mei frowned and asked as he caught up with Yue Guan, who was walking at the rear.
"The Holy Maiden gave her word."
"They insisted on coming. What could I do to stop them?"
Hearing this, Gui Mei said nothing more and simply followed along.
—
At the center of the lava zone—
A rogue soul master named Mo Fan had arrived first, having sensed the disturbance.
From afar, he spotted Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan.
As for Lin Feng, who had just emerged from beneath the lava and was standing beside them—Mo Fan completely overlooked him.
"You felt the anomaly too? Are you soul masters drawn here by the disturbance?"
Mo Fan eyed Dugu Bo warily as he spoke.
Dugu Bo glanced at the man clad in a black Daoist robe that obscured most of his features and couldn't be bothered to respond. He turned his head away in disinterest.
"Can't you use your eyes? Figure it out yourself."
Dugu Yan clearly didn't like the newcomers. After all, anyone arriving here now could only have one purpose—to fight them for the Fire Crystals.
Who's to say that he will not kill for the sake of such opportunity?
"What kind of attitude is that, little girl?"
Mo Fan was instantly irritated. Five soul rings lit up beneath his feet.
"Soul King? Hah. Acting all high and mighty."
Dugu Yan glanced at him with disdain.
At that moment, several more groups began arriving in succession.
The atmosphere quickly grew tense, with everyone staring at each other from a distance, no one daring to act first.
Seeing the situation, Mo Fan simply turned around and walked away, setting aside the idea of teaching Dugu Yan a lesson for now.
The first bird to take flight is the first to get shot.
No way he was going to make himself a target.
Heh heh heh—
I'll wait until they start fighting. Then I'll make my move. Slip in, grab what I can, and vanish… Mo Fan, you're a genius.
With that, he ducked behind a boulder to wait in ambush.
—
Lin Feng swept his gaze over the crowd.
"Except for one soul master with innate soul power at Rank 7, the rest aren't that impressive."
"Just a bunch of Soul Kings and Soul Ancestors."
"Probably just came here hoping for a stroke of luck after hearing about the disturbance."
He activated Trait Insight, carefully analyzing the individuals present.
The groups kept their distance from one another, the tension thick in the air.
Moments later—
"Lin Ye, Patriarch of the Lin Clan, greets Senior Dugu."
Lin Ye arrived and quickly stepped forward, cupping his hands respectfully toward Dugu Bo.
"Hahaha! Isn't this Feng'er's father?"
"We're family—no need for formalities."
"You raised a fine son."
Dugu Bo beamed as he spoke.
"Thank you, Senior Dugu! I appreciate your guidance and care for my son."
Lin Ye was inwardly astonished as he stood up.
When had Lin Feng earned Dugu Bo's approval? Just a few encounters ago, the old man had been glaring and grumbling at him.
Still, this was clearly a good thing. With Dugu Bo's support, their odds of obtaining the Fire Crystal had just gone up significantly.
Lin Ye smiled, turning to Dugu Yan.
"Yan'er, it's been a while."
"My Feng'er talks about you often, always saying that he really likes you."
"Really, Uncle Lin?"
"Did he really say that at home?"
Dugu Yan's eyes lit up with joy.
"It's true."
"Feng'er even asked me to find a good time to speak with your grandfather about a betrothal."
Lin Ye chuckled kindly and nodded.
"Hahaha!"
"This rascal, already thinking so far ahead!"
Dugu Bo burst out laughing, glancing toward Lin Feng with amusement.
"Senior, if I may boast a little—Feng'er's always been clever and well-behaved."
"He was running at one, climbing trees at three, and by five, he'd already memorized half our family's library."
"And at home, he never even looked at other girls."
"But the moment he met Yan'er at six, he was smitten."
"Every time he came home, he'd say she was the only girl he'd ever marry."
"Hahaha! Imagine that, a kid so young already talking like that!"
Lin Ye laughed heartily as he shared stories from Lin Feng's childhood with Dugu Bo.
Lin Feng rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Unbelievable…"
Where is he pulling this stuff from? I'm cringing just hearing it.
When did I ever become such a perfect son? You were never even home most of the time.
And that stuff about marrying Yan'er—slander! Pure slander!
"Cough, cough!"
"Uh… Father?"
Lin Feng quickly cleared his throat and blinked a few times, making his presence known.
If he stayed quiet any longer, Lin Ye might just start telling stories about bedwetting.
"Feng'er? You're here?"
"Haha. ha. hahaha!"
Lin Ye laughed awkwardly, still eyeing Lin Feng to make sure it was really him.
"When did you get here?"
"Come on, Father."
"Stop staring—it's me. I've been here the whole time."
Lin Feng gave him a look full of exasperation.
"Right, haha… so, uh… have you eaten?"
Lin Ye scratched his head and fumbled for a change of subject.
"Lin Feng, I didn't know you loved me so much!"
Ignoring the awkwardness between the two, Dugu Yan suddenly leapt into Lin Feng's arms and planted several kisses on his face.
"Alright, alright, enough already."
"You kids…"
"Let's get serious."
Lin Ye suddenly straightened, his expression turning grim.
"Senior Dugu, to think a Flame Beast King that hasn't appeared in decades would emerge now…"
"I spotted imperial forces on my way here."
"This Fire Crystal is going to be fiercely contested."
"The Balak Kingdom's general is a fire-type Soul Douluo, and then there's Huo Long from Blazing Academy."
"The Star Luo Empire probably won't send anyone—but if Spirit Hall steps in, we're in real trouble."
Lin Ye sighed repeatedly, his face filled with concern.
"You're right," Dugu Bo nodded.
He fell silent, lost in thought.
Everything Lin Ye said was true—this battle for the Fire Crystal was not going to be easy.
Suddenly—
hearty laughter echoed from the distance.
"Hahaha!"
"I wondered who beat me here—turns out it's Senior Dugu and Brother Lin!"
"Ha!"
The booming laugh belonged to Huo Long.
The pressure of his eight-ring Soul Douluo cultivation burst out like a tidal wave.
It was a warning.
A warning to all the other factions present—
Get involved, and you'll die.
Everyone else was instantly overwhelmed by the aura, chills running down their spines.
"S-Soul Douluo?!"
"Brothers, let's get out of here…"
"Let whoever wants it have it."
The leader of a mercenary team was the first to back down, retreating quickly with his men.
"Hm?"
"I wasn't talking about you?"
"Don't try to be clever in front of me."
Huo Long's gaze casually swept over the crowd and finally landed on Mo Fan, who's still hiding behind a rock.
A wave of spiritual pressure surged directly at him.Mo Fan had barely recovered from the mental shock before his survival instincts kicked in.
"Looks like I won't be able to fish for scraps after all. Damn…"
"The last wave wasn't too strong, but who knows if I'll survive the next?"
"Forget it—staying alive matters more."
Just as he was about to sneak away on tiptoes, he spun around—and slammed into a broad, solid chest.
"You blind, brat? Daring to bump into your grandpa?"
"You itching for a beating?"
A powerful voice boomed, full of aggression.
Mo Fan raised his head, only to break into a cold sweat.
Several red-haired men stood before him, all wearing identical uniforms emblazoned with the symbol of the Fire Leopard Sect.
At the front was none other than the sect master, Huo Yanbao, who glared down at him with open disdain.
"S-Sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going! My mistake! I'll be going now."
Mo Fan bowed hastily and apologized, inwardly cursing his luck.
So the Fire Leopard Sect had shown up too?
Huh?
Both sides had Titled Douluo now. Would they fight each other?
If they did… wouldn't that give him another chance to fish for scraps?
---
While the atmosphere is growing tense, Lin Feng saw that six people among them had purple-tier traits.
Four were highly talented, but two stood out:
[Sect-Destroying Douluo (Purple)]: After the destruction of your sect, you will begin a path to power, ultimately becoming a Titled Douluo.
It reminded Lin Feng of one of his previous traits, [Century Douluo].
[Pure Yin Physique (Purple)]: You possess a body of a pure Yin female soul masters. Those who engage in dual cultivation with you will greatly accelerate their cultivation speed.
Lin Feng nodded to himself—great trait, if only Dugu Yan could refresh one like that.
Meanwhile, Fire Dragon glanced toward the disturbance, stunned.
Had the Fire Leopard Sect brought out their entire core force?
Lin Ye, standing confidently beside Dugu Bo, remained composed despite the pressure. With Dugu Bo backing him, he wasn't fazed at all.
Suddenly, two figures descended from the sky.
"Hehehe…"
"So many people here, eh, Old Ghost?"
Yue Guan wore a dazzling red robe, his bewitching face twisted into a mocking grin as he gazed down at the crowd.
Gui Mei said nothing, dressed in his usual black garb, replying only with a faint glance before turning his eyes downward.
Behind them, Hu Liena and the others curiously scanned the scene below.
"It's the Spirit Hall."
"They sent two Titled Douluo this time?"
Lin Ye stared upward, visibly shaken.
Others likewise fell silent as the oppressive aura washed over them.
Only Lin Feng remained unfazed, calmly looking up.
"One… two…"
"Damn, that's a lot of purple traits."
"All five of them have [Outstanding Talent]. The lowest innate soul power is 8 and a half?"
One trait on Hu Liena especially caught his eye:
[True Love of the Pope (Purple)]: You are Bibi Dong's reverse scale. Anyone who harms you will be punished by her.
As expected—Hu Liena really was the Pope's beloved.
Other purple traits included [Heaven's Favorite] for Hu Liena and Yue Guan's [Unrivaled Chrysanthemum].
"Shame... nothing worth copying right now."
Lin Feng shook his head regretfully.
---
High in the sky—
Yue Guan suddenly narrowed his eyes, as if noticing something.
"Well, well… if it isn't the old poison."
"Finally caught you."
"Seventh Soul Skill—Martial Soul Avatar!"
"Chrysanthemums fall, petals scatter, hearts shatter!"
Before anyone on the ground could react, Yue Guan launched his attack toward Dugu Bo.
The shattered petals of the Chrysanthemum spun like crescent blades, forming a massive golden cyclone.
"Heh."
"Yue Guan, I couldn't beat you before."
"But today… take a good look."
"Seventh Soul Skill—Martial Soul Avatar!"
Dugu Bo transformed into a massive thirty-meter-long green-scaled serpent, unleashing a cloud of poisonous mist to block the first assault.
Suddenly, the earth began to rumble again.
"Crap! The Flame Beast King is awakening!"
"Retreat from the center!"
Several Soul Kings and Soul Emperors quickly withdrew a few kilometers.
Between the awakening beast and Titled Douluo clashing, any stray shockwave could be lethal.
But Lin Feng stood firm.
He activated his Ultimate Fire and True Dragon Scales, shielding himself from the poison mist and soul power shockwaves.
"Dragon Seeking Compass, track the Fire Crystal…"
"Opportunities only favor the prepared!"
"Father, Yan'er—follow me!"
Lin Feng immediately activated his compass, confirming the beast's location.
Lin Ye and Dugu Yan locked eyes with him, nodded, and followed without hesitation.
The compass shook violently, the pointer drifting away from the center.
"It's moving…"
"Not good—the Flame Beast King is trying to escape underground!"
Lin Feng's eyes sharpened as he realized the danger.
The three of them poured soul power into their legs and charged.
"Make way! Move!"
Lin Feng shoved through a crowd, pushing aside Huo Yanbao.
"Where the hell do you think you're going, punk?!"
The sect master stepped forward, ready to stop him.
Boom! Boom!
Two more figures shot past—Lin Ye and Dugu Yan.
"Wait, he didn't say you could—"
"Father! Yan'er! Wrong direction!"
Lin Feng abruptly halted and turned, taking a different route.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Alright, I've had it!"
"Are you people done yet?!"
Huo Yanbao was boiling with rage after being shoved for the third time.
But in the next instant, their figures had already vanished into the distance.
"…Forget it. Just some nobodies."
He took a deep breath and redirected his attention skyward.
---
"How can this be? You're Rank 94?!"
Yue Guan's eyes widened as he sensed Dugu Bo's power level.
"Hahahaha!"
"Old Chrysanthemum! Didn't see this coming, did you?"
"Our unresolved grudge from years ago…"
"I've finally broken through my body's limits. From this day forward, the tide has turned."
"Let's see if your stupid flower wins—or my poison."
Dugu Bo reverted to human form, laughing heartily.
"Martial Soul Avatar—Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor!"
He transformed once again and soared into the sky, unleashing another wave of venom at Yue Guan.
Yue Guan hesitated for a moment and quickly retreated.
"You… healed your body?"
He turned midair, stunned.
He had long known that Dugu Bo's soul power had been stuck at Rank 91 since breaking into Titled Douluo. Something had clearly been holding him back.
But if that problem was gone…
Then his rise to Rank 94 made perfect sense."Hahaha!"
"Ever since I took that immortal herb, the issue within my body has long since been resolved!"
"Old Chrysanthemum, where do you think you're running?!"
Dugu Bo laughed heartily, unable to conceal the pride on his face.
"No wonder your strength increased so quickly."
"So it was an immortal herb… You damn old poison, how did someone like you get so lucky? What a waste."
"Immortal herb, you say?"
"Hmph! You talk too much. Prepare to die!"
Yue Guan's expression twisted in shock, but Dugu Bo had no intention of answering further.
Clouds of poison mist surged toward Yue Guan, and Dugu Bo occasionally spat venom to forcefully overwhelm him in midair.
Yue Guan quickly channeled his soul power, dodging the torrents of poison with difficulty.
Their exchange carried clearly across the battlefield below.
"So Senior Dugu had a hidden injury?"
"No wonder people used to say Poison Douluo was the weakest Titled Douluo… It wasn't that he was weak, it's that he was sick."
"Shh! Senior Dugu isn't someone you and I should gossip about."
"Oh come on, what's wrong with talking about a fight?"
"Now that Senior Dugu has recovered, it looks like he's actually gaining the upper hand!"
The spectators were stunned.
Who would have imagined?
The man once mocked as the "floor tile" of the Titled Douluo world was now revealing his true strength—and a hidden past.
"Now that Senior Dugu is flying high, who's the weakest Titled Douluo now?"
Someone raised the question aloud.
And just like that, curiosity exploded among the crowd.
"If we're talking hypotheticals, let's break it down."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has Sword and Bone Douluo—undeniably powerful."
"Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has a top-tier martial soul, possibly stronger than even Bone Douluo."
"In Spirit Hall, only Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo show up regularly."
"Ghost Douluo seems stronger, right?"
"So does that make Chrysanthemum Douluo the weakest now?"
One speaker interrupted the debate with sparkling eyes and animated gestures.
Nearby, Liu Erlong, who had somehow appeared without notice—nodded repeatedly at their analysis.
Then her gaze lifted back to the sky. Her eyes shone with yearning.
In the lava zone's core—
Elsewhere, Hu Liena had also been listening in on the murmurs around her, and she was slightly dazed.
"Elder Gui… Is Elder Ju really the weakest Titled Douluo now?"
She turned in confusion and looked to Gui Mei behind her.
After all, in her memory, wherever Yue Guan and Gui Mei went together, they were always undefeated.
Now, someone was telling her that Yue Guan was the weakest…
"Hmph!"
"Old Chrysanthemum is really useless today."
"After this, I don't know how his reputation will survive."
Gui Mei's tone was filled with dissatisfaction, though he still made an effort to offer some explanation out of courtesy.
He couldn't let Yue Guan carry the shame of being the weakest Douluo.
"Holy Maiden, any soul master capable of becoming a Titled Douluo shouldn't be underestimated."
"Poison Douluo may have been called the weakest before, but his strength still surpasses many Rank 92 Douluo in Spirit Hall."
"As for Yue Guan—though he can't handle the newly reborn Dugu Bo, he could still suppress most Rank 92 or 93 Douluo with ease."
Gui Mei spoke coolly, his expression tinged with disdain.
Hu Liena finally understood and sighed in relief.
So it was like that—at least Yue Guan wasn't just some random weakling.
Otherwise, she would have doubted her own safety tagging along.
---
In the sky—
Yue Guan had been chased to the brink of collapse.
Frustrated by the relentless pursuit, he stopped dodging and chose to make a desperate stand.
"Old poison! Taste my Chrysanthemum again!"
"Chrysanthemums fall, petals scatter, hearts shatter!!"
A golden wheel of energy blasted toward Dugu Bo.
But Dugu Bo remained composed. From the mouth of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, a thick jet of poison surged out to intercept it.
The spinning golden wheel began to slow under the pressure of the poisonous assault.
"Ahh—!"
Yue Guan gritted his teeth in agony, struggling to maintain it.
Boom!
A thunderous crash followed.
Overwhelmed by the toxic blast, Yue Guan plummeted from the sky.
Gui Mei raced up to catch him midair.
Below, Liu Erlong's eyes widened in disbelief.
A single flower petal fluttered past her head, smashing into the ground and leaving a deep crater.
"So… this is the power of a Titled Douluo?"
"Truly terrifying…"
"If only I had formed a Martial Soul Fusion Technique with Xiaogang back then, maybe I would've reached this level too…"
Liu Erlong looked down, her heart heavy with sadness.
Memories of lost companions filled her thoughts.
Nearby, others were scrambling to dodge the rain of golden petals falling from above.
Those who failed to react in time—Soul Kings and Soul Ancestors alike—were immediately caught in the blast.
Blood splattered. Screams echoed.
The ground turned crimson with the fallen.
A few petals even flew toward Huo Yanbao and Fire Dragon.
They hadn't retreated. Instead, they stood firm, resisting the shockwaves with raw soul power.
Their faces were pale, but they refused to take a single step back.
As Soul Douluo and sect masters, pride anchored their feet.
From afar, Qin Ming finally arrived, just in time to see the carnage unfold.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Thank the heavens…"
"Good thing I arrived late… and stayed back."
Qin Ming exhaled deeply, shaken.
He had come hoping to seize a stroke of fortune amid the chaos.
But now, he realized how naive that idea had been.
Without overwhelming strength, such opportunities were nothing but death traps.
Ordinary soul masters like him should just stay back.
Just then—
A hand tapped him on the shoulder from behind.
He turned around.
It was Yan Que'er, leading the rest of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy group.
All of them were equally stunned by the scene.
"Teacher Qin, are you hurt?"
"What's the situation over there?"
Yan Que'er, having calmed down from the earlier shock, asked quickly.
"I'm fine, Teacher Yan. Thanks for your concern."
"By now, all the major factions have arrived at the Lava Zone ahead of us."
"I overheard that the Flame Beast King has already awakened—but no one knows where it went."
"The battle between the two Titled Douluo is way beyond anything we can interfere with."
The two Soul Douluo from Heaven Dou Academy looked up helplessly at the battlefield above, where Spirit Hall and Dugu Bo still stood opposed.
"Good. As long as you're not injured."
"For now, we'll observe and wait."
Teacher Bai Baoshan gave the order.
---
Up in the sky—
"Hahaha!"
"Old Chrysanthemum, never thought I'd live to see the day you got poisoned by me!"
"Where's that smug attitude from earlier?!"
Dugu Bo roared with laughter as he watched Yue Guan fall, now poisoned and defeated.This laughter seemed to wash away all the humiliation he had suffered before.
As he chuckled, Dugu Bo rubbed his nose.
That was close.
If not for borrowing a bit of Dugu Yan's Calamity Poison Physique blood and fusing it into his own poison, he might not have won this fight.
Tsk tsk tsk.
Just what kind of constitution is that Calamity Poison Physique? Why is its toxicity even stronger than a Titled Douluo like me?
Dugu Bo couldn't figure it out, but he knew one thing—the age of Dugu Bo had arrived.
His grin widened.
"Hmph!"
Yue Guan glared fiercely at Dugu Bo, forcing himself to endure the poison coursing through him.
"Yue Guan, are you alright?" Gui Mei asked calmly, watching his injured companion.
He had thought about intervening, but he knew Yue Guan's personality—competitive and prideful. This loss might just help him make a breakthrough.
Especially since his opponent was Dugu Bo, his longtime rival. Admitting defeat to him was harder than ascending to the heavens.
"Hmph! Do I look like I'm not alright?" Yue Guan snapped stubbornly.
Meanwhile, behind a nearby rock, Mo Fan was frozen with fear, all thoughts of looting utterly gone.
"With that kind of fight? Anyone who charges in is a damned fool."
Terror gripping his heart, he muttered to himself.
Thinking back to how he had once wanted to teach Dugu Bo a lesson… He cringed. So that guy was a Titled Douluo? He really had no eyes.
Clearly, years of hiding among the lower ranks had dulled his ability to judge people.
For now, survival was top priority—time to bail.
Mo Fan ran north as fast as he could, putting several kilometers between himself and the battle.
Only to crash headfirst into someone again.
"Huh? Ain't this that little bitc—wait, no, young lady."
"Young lady! When did you all get here?"
"Ah, my bad, I didn't hurt you just now, did I?"
Mo Fan bowed and scraped, his voice fawning. After all, knowing the power of those around her, he didn't dare act arrogant.
"I think you forgot something." Lin Feng shot him a dark look, soul power flaring in his palm.
Smack—
One slap sent Mo Fan sprawling to the ground.
"We're enemies here."
"Do you think I forgot that moment earlier where you tried to attack her?"
"Also—you were about to say 'bitch' right?"
Lin Ye and Dugu Yan who was watching nearby is astonished.
Just when did he become such a hot-tempered guy anyway?
Ding ding ding...
The Dragon Seeking Compass suddenly began vibrating again, its pointer fixed underground.
Lin Feng looked around—no one nearby had noticed. He punched the ground.
Boom!
A deep hole over ten meters wide appeared.
Just as he suspected.
The ground in the lava zone was actually a special type of soil floating atop molten magma.
"Father, Yan'er—let's go," Lin Feng said resolutely.
"Flaming Sun Three-Headed Serpent—Martial Soul Avatar!"
"Emperor Flame Nine-Headed Dragon—Manifest!"
"Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor—Manifest!"
All three summoned their martial souls and jumped into the pit.
As they descended into the lava, Dugu Yan's body began to falter after only a few meters—despite being shielded by soul power, she showed clear signs of pain from the intense heat.
Lin Ye, a Soul Douluo with fire affinity, remained steady.
"Martial Soul Fusion—Jade Fire Nine-Headed Dragon!"
Lin Feng immediately pulled her close and initiated fusion.
A massive, green-scaled Nine-Headed Dragon materialized, dozens of meters long, its power now at the level of a Soul Emperor.
The fused Nine-Headed Dragon and Lin Ye's Flaming Sun Serpent wound around each other and plunged deeper, following the Dragon Seeking Compass.
Inside the Nine-Headed Dragon, Dugu Yan slowly relaxed, her breath returning.
The vibration of the compass intensified in Lin Feng's hand… until it abruptly stopped with a ding.
He looked up.
There it was.
The massive Flame Beast King lay just ahead.
'System, Trait Insight!'
[Soul Beast: Flame Beast King]
[Age: 70,000 years]
[Traits: Ironhide (White), Shock Pulse (Purple), Fire Crystal (Purple)]
Fire Crystal?
[Fire Crystal (Purple): You can condense a special crystal within your body. It can absorb other Fire Crystals or soul cores to evolve.]
Lin Feng's heart trembled.
No wonder this Flame Beast had risen above its kin to become King.
It truly had Heaven's favor.
This Fire Crystal was practically equivalent to a soul core.
Such a trait would be incredibly useful for future cultivation.
"System, copy [Fire Crystal]."
Lin Feng copied it without hesitation.
But when he checked his own panel, he realized all his current traits were still useful—none worth replacing.
He'd wait until he returned to pick the least useful one.
After all, he could only copy one trait at a time—and couldn't copy a new one without discarding the current.
Turning back, Lin Feng's gaze sharpened as he looked at the Flame Beast King.
To evolve further, it would need to shatter its crystals under sunlight to absorb their energy.
Though only 70,000 years now, if it completed this process, it could easily break into the 99,999-year tier.
A true 100,000-year soul beast was within reach.
Sensing the humans, the Flame Beast King roared in fury and flapped its wings, flying toward the surface.
As it retreated, it kept firing massive fireballs over its shoulder.
"Yan'er, Lin Feng—can your soul power handle this?" Lin Ye stepped forward protectively, ready to shield them.
"Father, I've absorbed immortal herbs and soul rings. Fire attacks no longer scare me."
Lin Feng smiled calmly.
Lin Ye weaved through the blasts with agility.
Meanwhile, the Nine-Headed Dragon that held Lin Feng and Dugu Yan charged through the fireballs head-on.
Seeing this, the Flame Beast King growled in frustration—it had failed to shake them off, and they were closing in.
With a roar, it spun around to face them and lunged forward.
Lin Feng noted that the shattered crystals on its back were now gone.
The red Fire Crystal on its forehead had grown significantly larger.
Clearly, it had absorbed the crystals of its slain kin to strengthen itself.
As Lin Feng steered the dragon into position for a direct clash—
The Flame Beast King began forming another fireball in its mouth.
This time, however, it was drawing power from the surrounding flames to fuel the attack.