Xiong Jun Dies, Heavenly Struggle ChangesThe night was deep.
In the pitch-black forest, an orange campfire was lit.
The three of them sat around the campfire, but the atmosphere was strangely quiet, with only the crackling of the fire.
Dai Yao was very casual; Bi Ji still looked elegant and graceful, but only those who knew her well could see the occasional hint of unnaturalness in her behavior; and Zi Ji, who returned later, didn't even look at Dai Yao and Bi Ji, but stared blankly at the rising flames.
Dai Yao and his companion were well aware of Zi Ji's unusual behavior.
Neither of them intended to comfort Murasaki.
In Dai Yao's eyes, she was not suitable for Di Tian's mission. She was in a state of confusion at the moment, and was only pushed to his side by the responsibility of the soul beast clan.
Dai Yao had no intention of taking advantage of someone's misfortune.
Brigitte's thoughts were even simpler: Murasaki was her junior, and she wanted to protect her.
Before long, the rabbit legs of the soft-boned rabbit that Zi Ji had caught were roasted and emitted a fragrant aroma. Dai Yao casually sprinkled some spices, gave one to Bi Ji, and took one for himself, but did not give one to Zi Ji.
Murasaki didn't get any, but she wasn't angry.
After all, as a ferocious beast that has existed for hundreds of thousands of years, it wouldn't matter if it didn't eat for hundreds of years. It was only because she wanted to stay with Dai Yao that she and Bi Ji followed Dai Yao's eating habits and ate every day.
His cool gaze swept over Dai Yao, then settled on Bi Ji, staring intently at her with deep purple eyes filled with confusion.
Brigitte's choice is incomprehensible.
Noticing Zi Ji's gaze, Bi Ji didn't pay much attention to it and focused on eating the rabbit leg that Dai Yao handed her. However, Zi Ji's persistent gaze forced her to look up and meet Zi Ji's eyes.
That gentle gaze, as always, now held a distance that Murasaki had never seen before.
"Sister Brigitte..."
Zi Ji unconsciously opened her mouth, her voice barely audible, wanting Sister Bi Ji to answer her question. But when she spoke, she realized she had already started talking and quickly stopped.
There seemed to be an unfathomable chasm between Brigitte and her.
Just as Brigitte was about to say something, Dai Yao put down the rabbit leg and spoke:
"I'm going to pee."
"Thanks."
Brigitte paused for a moment, then looked on with gratitude, believing that Dai Yao was giving her and Zi Ji some space.
The moment Dai Yao turned around, his previously casual expression immediately turned serious. From the moment he arrived at the Lake of Life, Dai Yao had activated his 'omniscient' state, and he was fully aware of all the actions of the Soul Beast race.
Just now, a very familiar aura, concealing its form, swept towards the direction of the Heavenly Dou Empire.
"Could it be that Di Tian discovered something amiss and thus sent Xiong Jun to the Heaven Dou Empire to investigate? Or is it just routine contact between the Soul Beast Clan and Tang San?"
With this thought in mind, Dai Yao's heart immediately turned cold:
"If Xiong Jun goes to the Heaven Dou Empire, he will surely find that the Spirit Empire is gathering a large army to attack Zhennan Pass. At that time, my plan will definitely fail! No matter what Xiong Jun's purpose is in going to the Heaven Dou Empire, I must not let him leave alive!"
As a refreshing night breeze blew by, Dai Yao's figure suddenly disappeared.
Chaos Green Lotus's third soul skill—Teleportation!
In the blink of an eye, they were thousands of miles away.
In the forest, the charging bear suddenly stopped, staring straight ahead with a fierce glint in its eyes. Its animal instincts told it that an incredibly powerful being awaited it ahead!
"How dare you block your grandpa Bear's way! You don't want to live anymore! Get out here right now, grandpa Bear!"
Mr. Xiong said angrily.
The sharp aura sliced through the surrounding leaves, causing them to fall.
Amidst the falling leaves, a figure all too familiar to Xiong Jun appeared. Xiong Jun was first startled, then a cruel smile spread across his face. He opened his blood-red maw and said in a chilling voice:
"Di Tian guessed right after all. Your purpose in coming to the Star Dou Great Forest is indeed not simple!"
"So you figured it out after all?"
A faint voice came from ahead, and then the figure stepped slowly forward, treading on the fallen leaves.
This person is naturally Dai Yao.
To Xiong Jun's surprise, Dai Yao wasn't carrying the Trident of Poseidon he'd brought with him, but rather a long spear, its entire body as smooth as jade, its tip pointing towards the ground like a lotus flower. The moment Xiong Jun saw that spear, his heart pounded wildly!
What exactly is this gun?
This feels even more terrifying than Poseidon's weapons!
However, even the best weapon depends on its user. How could a mere 20-something-year-old be a match for someone who has dominated the world of soul beasts for hundreds of thousands of years?
"Boy, I must say, are you incredibly skilled and daring, or are you just courting death? How dare you stand in my way alone?! I'll kill you today and rid Di Tian of a problem; he'll have to thank me!"
Xiong Jun grinned, revealing a gaping maw, and a terrifying aura instantly swept across the surrounding area!
As the fallen leaves swirled, Dai Yao didn't waste any words. He strode forward and vanished from his spot in the next instant without a sound. A cold glint suddenly appeared before Xiong Jun's eyes.
Xiong Jun felt his hair stand on end! A sense of impending death surged into his heart. Faced with Dai Yao's meticulously crafted spear, he couldn't find any weakness to counter it and could only barely extend his dark gold claws to defend himself.
But the next moment, a single word from Dai Yao sent chills down his spine!
"untie!"
A cold light flashed in Dai Yao's eyes, and with a shout of "Unravel!", the true power of the God-Slaying Spear erupted instantly.
Even Di Tian could only parry the Dark Gold Terror Claws, but against the God-Slaying Spear, it was like cutting tofu with a knife, instantly disintegrating.
Xiong Jun was shocked. Was this really the Dark Gold Terror Claw that he was so proud of?
Before he could even comprehend what was happening, a cold glint shot fiercely toward him.
A ruthless glint flashed in Xiong Jun's beastly eyes. "Since you want to kill me, then let's die together!" Instead of retreating, Xiong Jun advanced, and his other hand, still intact, extended its dark gold claw, slamming it down towards Dai Yao!
A powerful, sharp aura continuously gathered, which was none other than the Sky-Tearing Claw that had injured Di Tian back then!
Even Di Tian couldn't withstand the damage from that claw, so he didn't believe this human could be unharmed!
Just as Xiong Jun was gathering his strength, Dai Yao's speed suddenly increased dramatically. The cold light that was originally some distance away suddenly approached him and pierced through his body to Xiong Jun's puzzled gaze.
Immediately afterwards, Xiong Jun's burly and tall body began to disintegrate rapidly, and in just a few breaths, it completely disappeared.
Only a blood-red soul ring tinged with crimson gold, and the Dark Gold Terror Claw soul bone lying on the ground, can prove that he once existed.
Dai Yao slowly breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at Xiong Jun's spirit rings, and then examined the God-Slaying Spear in his hand.
"As expected of the Chaos Green Lotus, the so-called Ten Ferocious Beasts are no match for you. I didn't reveal any of my trump cards. I just used a burst step to kill Xiong Jun, who had given Di Tian a lot of headaches, and he didn't even have time to use his most proud soul skill."
"However, killing Xiong Jun will inevitably have significant repercussions."
"However, as long as we buy time and delay Di Tian's reaction, that will be enough."
Dai Yao didn't have time to absorb Xiong Jun's spirit rings and spirit bones. If too much time passed and Bi Ji and Zi Ji noticed something was wrong, it would be troublesome.
This is also why Dai Yao risked using the Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul.
The power of the Trident of Poseidon is indeed formidable, but it's unrealistic to expect to quickly defeat Xiong Jun. If Xiong Jun manages to hold him off, or if the commotion becomes too great and alerts Di Tian, then all of his plans will be ruined.
However, Dai Yao underestimated the power of the Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul. Using only the God-Slaying Spear Martial Soul, even the mighty Xiong Jun, the sixth most ferocious beast, couldn't withstand more than a few breaths under the God-Slaying Spear.
With a wave of his hand, the Chaos Azure Lotus appeared in his palm. One after another, soul rings slowly emerged, all eight soul rings rising to a blood-red hue. However, this soul ring configuration, which shocked the entire continent, was destined to be witnessed by no one in person.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Time Freeze!"
Xiong Jun's buzzing soul ring stopped, slowly shrank, and fell into the embrace of the Chaos Green Lotus before disappearing.
"With the effect of time-space stasis, Xiong Jun's spirit ring will not dissipate after an hour. After the matter in the Star Dou Great Forest is resolved, I will be able to absorb it."
"Back then, my third spirit ring was also absorbed from a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. Now, it's a 400,000-year-old bear king. I want to see how much of an improvement this spirit ring can bring me. Moreover, there's this external spirit bone, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw. It's a real surprise. I thought it was one of the six major spirit bones, but I didn't expect it to be an external spirit bone!"
"And it's the most precious right palm bone of my Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!"
Picking up the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's external soul bone, even with Dai Yao's composure, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional, but he quickly calmed down.
"From now on, it's best to use the God-Slaying Spear sparingly. Its terrifying power surpasses even that of the Asura God. I must not use it again before I become a god! Otherwise, no matter how well I disguise myself, I will eventually be discovered."
Dai Yao made up his mind.
If his secret were discovered, attracting the covetousness of the divine realm, it would be fatal for Dai Yao.
In the realm of gods, there are righteous deities and also evil ones.
He wasn't afraid of the covetous gazes of the gods, but he had to consider the interests of those around him. When those beings couldn't do anything to him, they would inevitably turn against those close to him.
Therefore, to avoid such a situation, it would be best for Dai Yao not to use the Chaos Azure Lotus Martial Soul. Moreover, even without using the Chaos Azure Lotus Martial Soul, his two Martial Souls, the Sacred White Tiger and the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, are enough to make him stand out throughout the entire Douluo Continent.
Not to mention his female confidantes.
With a quick glance around at the aftermath of the battle, he noticed that apart from the many trees being severed from thin air when Xiong Jun gathered his Sky-Tearing Claws, there wasn't much else unusual. Even if someone had discovered this place, they wouldn't have noticed anything amiss.
Nodding, Dai Yao's figure disappeared from the spot.
Only twenty breaths had passed since Dai Yao left the campfire.
······
Countless people tossed and turned all night.
Before Zhennan Pass, campfires blazed, and countless soldiers stood ready for battle.
Several dozen days ago, the atmosphere within the Martial Soul Empire's army suddenly became much more tense. It was said that several important figures from the empire had arrived and that a general offensive against Zhennan Pass would be launched soon. However, few people knew who these so-called important figures were.
Inside the commander's tent.
The commander-in-chief, Hu Liena, did not sit in the main seat, but instead stood respectfully to the side. The dozen or so people present were all powerful figures at the Title Douluo level, but none of them objected; they all stood respectfully.
The figure in purple on the throne was none other than the current Pope, Bibidon!
"Nana, ten days have passed, how are your preparations going?"
Bibi Dong leaned on her papal scepter, looking intently at Hu Liena.
Hu Liena's heart tightened.
Since the teacher suddenly arrived at Zhennan Pass ten days ago and demanded that preparations be made immediately for the attack on the city, the army of the Martial Soul Empire has been operating at high speed.
She didn't understand why her teacher was so eager to attack Zhennan Pass, even personally leading all the experts from the Papal Palace to the camp. If the stalemate continued, the strength of the Heavenly Dou Empire would steadily decline, and it would only be a matter of time before they breached Zhennan Pass.
However, if we choose to launch a direct attack, given the treacherous terrain of Zhennan Pass, there is a risk of unexpected events.
But since her teacher had made up her mind, she couldn't stop her. She could only start mobilizing the army in a very short time. In just ten days, she prepared the food and equipment needed for the Martial Soul Empire's attack. She hadn't slept for ten days.
"Reporting to the master, the army is ready and awaits your command to attack the city immediately!"
Hu Liena clasped her hands in a fist salute, knelt on one knee, and answered respectfully.
Seeing the bloodshot eyes of her disciple, Bibi Dong felt a pang of heartache. She nodded, then turned to the assembled Title Douluos and said coldly:
"Everyone, get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, we will reward the entire army and then attack the city. I will personally lead the attack, and you will all follow me to meet the enemy."
"Although our army has captured nearly half of the Heaven Dou Empire's territory, we are still slightly inferior in terms of conventional strength. In addition, given the geographical advantage of Zhennan Pass, it is obviously unlikely that we can take Zhennan Pass with conventional strength. Therefore, the outcome of our victory or defeat depends on the duel between our Soul Masters."
"Over the years, although I have been ruthless to you, I have always rewarded those who deserved it and punished those who deserved it, and I have never treated you unfairly. But tomorrow is not the time for you to shirk your responsibilities!"
"We must take Zhennanguan within three days, at all costs!"
"Otherwise, all of you may be buried with the soldiers who sacrificed their lives at Zhennan Pass!"
Bibi Dong's merciless words sent shockwaves through everyone's hearts. More than a dozen Title Douluos looked up in unison, staring at Bibi Dong in horror.
On one hand, they were shocked by Bibi Dong's ruthlessness; even a Title Douluo was nothing in this vicious woman's heart. On the other hand, they were very curious as to why Bibi Dong was so eager to attack Zhennan Pass. What secrets lay behind this?
Even Hu Liena, who was extremely familiar with Bibi Dong, dared not say anything at this moment.
Because she knew Bibi Dong well, she understood the determination in Bibi Dong's words! There was no room for doubt about it!
"promise!"
After a brief silence, everyone responded in unison.
Chrysanthemum, Ghost, Spirit Kite, Demon Bear, Porcupine, Ghost Leopard, Holy Dragon, Salas, Ferdinand, and three newly promoted Title Douluos, a total of twelve Title Douluos, all knelt respectfully on one knee.
"Alright, you can all leave now. Have a good rest tonight."
Bibi Dong waved her hand lightly and gave a brief instruction.
The twelve titled Douluo slowly rose and withdrew from the command tent.
Hu Liena leaned closer to Bibi Dong and asked cautiously:
"Teacher, why are you in such a hurry to break through Zhennan Pass? A risky assault will definitely cause heavy casualties."
Bibi Dong did not rush to answer. Instead, she lifted the curtain, slowly walked outside the command tent, gazed at the eternal moon in the sky, and softly said:
"I was just fulfilling someone's promise..." (End of Chapter)