I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! Douluo: Seven Kill Shock the World
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The battle erupted in an instant.
Gu La moved like lightning, charging straight at the leading Ice Bear.
His right fist condensed with golden-red extreme fire, its passage through the air causing visible distortions.
"Boom—"
This punch landed squarely on the Ice Bear's chest. The ice armor on the white bear's surface shattered instantly, scattering crystalline ice shards that refracted a rainbow of colors under the sunlight.
"Rock Bind!"
As Gu La stomped his right foot, the ground rippled with earthy-yellow waves. Several thick stone pillars erupted from the ground, coiling around the Ice Bear's limbs like living snakes.
These rock columns were as flexible as serpents yet as hard as boulders, and even the immensely powerful Ice Bear couldn't break free for the moment.
On the other side, Ye Xinglan's Star God Sword carved out a dazzling trajectory.
Her swordplay was precise to the point of being chilling. The tip of her sword struck like a meteor into the second Ice Bear's eye socket, then swiftly tapped its joints in an instant. The Ice Bear howled in pain and collapsed to its knees, its massive body immobilized due to its restricted joints.
Xie Xie darted through the group of Ice Bears like a ghost.
His twin dragon daggers shimmered with an eerie glow, and his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps left behind afterimages. The daggers struck precisely into the third Ice Bear's spinal nerve node. This strike didn't kill but immediately paralyzed the Ice Bear.
The last Ice Bear roared thunderously, exhaling a conical breath of icy frost.
Gu La calmly raised his right hand, and a barrier of extreme fire materialized out of thin air. As ice met fire, dense white mist billowed into the air. Within the mist, all the patterns on Gu La's gauntlets lit up, converging entirely onto his right fist.
"Break!"
With a fierce shout, Gu La's fist surged forward with overwhelming force. The layers of ice armor on the Ice Bear's chest crumbled one by one. Fiery white flames burned accurately on its white fur, consuming the Ice Bear King's soul power without damaging vital areas.
"Xiaoyan." Gu La controlled the rocks to restrain all four Ice Bears. "Try communicating."
Xu Xiaoyan stepped forward quickly, gripping her ice staff. She crouched down, and the crystal atop her ice staff touched the Ice Bear King's forehead, emitting a soft blue glow.
Sincerity gleamed in the young girl's doe-like eyes. "Big White Bear, will you be my spirit soul? I can take you to see the outside world, okay?"
Surprisingly, the Ice Bear King hesitated for only two seconds before bowing its head to touch the ice staff.
A deep blue contract array unfolded between them, and the Ice Bear King's body gradually dissolved into light points, merging into Xu Xiaoyan's body. The girl sat cross-legged, enveloped by icy mist, clearly entering deep meditation.
Tang Wulin's pupils contracted. He knew how wary spirit souls were of humans. For a four-thousand-year-old spirit soul to willingly contract was exceedingly rare even in the world of soul masters. Even Ye Xinglan, who was usually cold and aloof, showed a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
"The staff will look after Xiaoyan," Gu La said, glancing at Xu Xiaoyan, who was undergoing fusion. He turned toward the light door leading to the next level. "Time is limited. Let's keep moving."
The group nodded in tacit agreement. During the day, Xu Xiaoyan's combat effectiveness was indeed limited—she was just an ordinary elemental soul master with average control abilities.
Her sole advantage was her exceptional tactical habits and micro-operation skills. However, the gap in soul skill years made it difficult for her to handle thousand-year soul beasts.
Her true strength could only fully manifest at night. For now, the most important thing was to push forward to higher levels as quickly as possible.
The pack of Demon Lizard Dragons on the seventh floor should have been formidable opponents. These soul beasts, possessing dragon lineage, were notoriously ferocious. However, when Tang Wulin released a trace of Golden Dragon aura, three Demon Lizard Dragons immediately prostrated themselves, trembling. The battle ended before it even began.
As the levels increased, the appearing soul beasts became progressively stronger.
When Gu La refrained from intervening, the four-thousand-year-old soul beasts on the ninth floor even forced Yuanen Yehui to exert her full strength. Fortunately, Tang Wulin's dragon aura had absolute dominance over sub-dragon species, allowing the team to continue advancing.
Upon stepping into the tenth floor, blinding golden lightning filled their vision.
"Rumble—"
On the tenth floor of the Spirit Pagoda, thunder roared, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of ozone. Before them, a small golden beast hovered in mid-air, surrounded by fine purple arcs of electricity. Though no larger than a palm, it exuded an intimidating presence.
"A Thunder Beast, an ancient variant said to control the power of heavenly tribulation," Tang Wulin murmured, recalling ancient texts. "Legend has it that Thunder Beasts are envied by heaven itself; reaching ten thousand years of cultivation invites tribulation-like lightning punishment. No one has ever seen a Thunder Beast older than fifty thousand years."
Yuanen Yehui gazed at this diminutive soul beast, a flicker of admiration in her eyes. "I never expected Spirit Pagoda to simulate such a rare spirit soul. It seems this is the guardian of the tenth floor."
She felt anticipation building for her upcoming spirit soul.
Tang Wulin's expression grew serious as he quickly devised a strategy. "Triangular battle formation. Ye Xinglan and Xie Xie will handle containment while I lead the attack." He turned to his companions. "We don't know the Thunder Beast's soul skills, so avoid rushing in recklessly."
Gu La glanced up, observing the Thunder Beast. Though small in size, it radiated a shocking energy fluctuation within its tiny frame. Unfortunately, his martial soul wasn't lightning-attribute; otherwise, the Thunder Beast would have been one of the most suitable spirit souls.
Thinking about it, Spirit Pagoda really was the perfect organization for him—it allowed him to frequently encounter various rare soul beasts.
The battle ignited instantly. The Thunder Beast struck first, its small body suddenly expanding as dozens of golden lightning bolts lashed out like serpents toward the group. Tang Wulin's eyes flared with golden light, and his third soul ring abruptly lit up.
"Blue Silver Golden Light Array!"
Countless golden-glowing Blue Silver Grass erupted from the ground, weaving into a vast net in the air.
These Blue Silver Grass, enhanced by the Golden Dragon King's bloodline, were not only exceptionally resilient but also possessed a unique element-stripping ability. When the golden lightning struck the grass net, it dissipated like a bull sinking into the sea.
"What an opportunity!" Tang Wulin seized the Thunder Beast's moment of bewilderment, and the Blue Silver Grass coiled around it like living snakes. Stripped of its elemental power, the Thunder Beast struggled futilely, ultimately letting out a reluctant whimper.
The tenth floor was cleared smoothly.
Gu La hadn't even needed to lift a finger—it was as if the Thunder Beast existed solely to give Tang Wulin experience points.
"We're so lucky," Xie Xie remarked, wiping sweat from his forehead. "The Thunder Beast happened to be countered by Wulin's third soul skill. Otherwise, with its mastery over lightning, we'd likely have suffered greatly."
Gu La watched the gradually dissipating illusion of the Thunder Beast, silently reflecting: 'This is the terrifying aspect of a destined child of fortune. Without anyone deliberately protecting or guiding him, Tang Wulin maximizes his growth and training. If it were someone else, they'd probably have been stopped at the tenth floor.'
By comparison, he, the "later-stage child of fortune," hadn't enjoyed many benefits from luck.
After restoring as much soul power as possible, the team advanced to the eleventh floor.
The space suddenly expanded. A towering ancient tree stood in the center of the arena, with a golden-furred giant ape seated atop its branches. Over ten meters tall, its muscles bulged, and every breath stirred gusts of wind, rustling the leaves.
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