Above the training ground, the Fire Kirin strode through the air, exuding a majestic and imposing aura, oppressive and overwhelming.
Lin Mu stood atop the Fire Kirin's head, silhouetted against the blazing flames. The crimson armor covering his body appeared even more formidable and domineering, his aura reaching the heavens.
Facing Dugu Bo's threat, Lin Mu's gaze was sharp as he looked down from on high and said, "Ridiculous. You're the one who caught her. What makes you think that gives you the right to tell me to stop?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Dugu Bo was instantly stunned.
No matter how hard he racked his brain, he never anticipated Lin Mu would have this reaction, showing absolutely no sign of being threatened at all.
Could it be that, to him, this transformed soul beast wasn't important?
For a moment, Dugu Bo's mind was in turmoil. If he had known this earlier, he should have subdued Tang San first.
Just as Dugu Bo was contemplating his next move, the Fire Kirin had already taken action.
"ROAR!!"
The Fire Kirin let out a sky-shaking roar, its four hooves treading upon flames as it charged towards Dugu Bo like a falling meteor, crushing forward with an unstoppable momentum.
A single one of its forelegs was like a colossal pillar of fire, pressing down upon the Jade Phospor Serpent Emperor's true form with terrifying force capable of crushing everything!
The Fire Kirin's true body exceeded fifty meters in length, majestic and awe-inspiring, like a primordial ferocious beast.
In comparison, the Jade Phospor Serpent Emperor's true form, a mere thirty-plus meters long, was nothing more than an overgrown worm.
"BOOM!!"
The Fire Kirin stomped heavily onto the body of the Jade Phospor Serpent Emperor, erupting with an earth-shattering crash.
Beneath the terrifying power, Dugu Bo felt unprecedented pressure, barely able to maintain the Jade Phospor Serpent Emperor's true form. Its ethereal body twisted violently, as if it would disintegrate at any moment.
Even using his trump card and releasing the Jade Phospor Serpent Emperor's poison proved useless.
Against the supremely Yang and rigid Kirin Fire, the moment the ghostly green poisonous mist approached the Fire Kirin's body, it completely dissolved.
Now, suppressed by the Fire Kirin's domain, Dugu Bo could only exert power at the Spirit Douluo level, barely sustaining his Martial Soul True Form. His blood and Qi churned within, and his soul power drained away wildly.
Amplified by the Martial Soul True Form, Lin Mu could unleash the full effect of the Fire Kirin domain.
On the other side, Yu Tianheng and the others were blasted by the energy shockwave to the edge of the training ground, barely managing to pick themselves up off the ground.
When they saw the distant battle, their faces were filled with sheer terror.
The mere aura sweeping towards them was enough to throw the soul power within their bodies into utter chaos.
Especially for Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and the others—anyone with a Beast Martial Soul felt the suppression of the Fire Kirin's domain. The weaker the martial soul, the more obvious the suppression.
The group was slow to recover from their shock, their eyes filled with unprecedented awe and reverence.
They had initially thought Teacher Lin Mu was merely an outstanding Soul Emperor, perhaps at most a Soul Sage, given he was just over twenty years old.
But now, regardless of his cultivation level, his strength had absolutely reached the Titled Douluo level.
Ye Lingling stood a little further away, her clear, beautiful eyes fixed on the figure on the Fire Kirin's back. Besides worry for him, her expression held more admiration and pride.
She never imagined that in six years without seeing him, Lin Mu-gege had already reached an inconceivable height.
"Grandfather!"
Seeing Dugu Bo at a disadvantage, Dugu Yan was frantic with worry, recklessly charging forward regardless of the consequences.
"Yanyan, no!"
Yu Tianheng, startled and alarmed, hastily grabbed her tightly, restraining her. "This is a battle between Titled Douluos! It's beyond something we can interfere with!"
Stopped by Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan's face was filled with anguish. In just a few short minutes, the situation had deteriorated to this.
The battle continued.
Facing the Fire Kirin's unstoppable might, Dugu Bo could only struggle to endure.
Now, he had completely abandoned any thought of possessing the transformed soul beast. Even for Yan Yan's sake, he had to preserve his life.
Although a hundred-thousand-year soul bone was precious, to Dugu Bo, it couldn't compare to his granddaughter.
With this weakness, Dugu Bo couldn't care less about his dignity as a Titled Douluo. He began to plead, "Sir, this old man was wrong to act first. I am willing to offer compensation and apologize. Please, Sir, cease your attack!"
"If we can reach a settlement, I guarantee I will release her immediately and won't harm a single hair on her head!"
However, Lin Mu still showed no intention of stopping. He said coldly, "If you dare touch her, I'll kill you first, then send your granddaughter down to accompany you."
"You!"
Dugu Bo was so enraged he nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood. A urge to perish together with this fiend surged within him.
But thinking of Yan Yan with no one to care for her after his death, he was forced to forcibly suppress his fury.
"A quarrel should not involve one's children. Sir, do you not even possess this shred of compassion?!"
"Compassion?"
Lin Mu let out a mocking laugh, still unmoved, and said with unruffled calm, "I'm too lazy to reason with you. You're not worthy of listening!"
Before the words faded, the Fire Kirin raised its foreleg once more, carrying even more violent Kirin Fire, and stomped down again like a mountain!
"BOOM!!!"
Suffering such a heavy blow again, the emerald light on the surface of the Jade Phospor Serpent Emperor's true form flickered violently. It became somewhat ethereal, teetering on the brink of collapse.
The martial soul and the soul master were originally one entity.
Struck by this attack, Dugu Bo felt as if his internal organs were about to shatter. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his heart was filled with utter humiliation and frustration.
This fiend was completely immune to both soft and hard tactics!
Finally, Dugu Bo abandoned all vestiges of wishful thinking.
Gritting his teeth, before Lin Mu could launch his next attack, he hurriedly hurled Xiao Wu, whom he held in his hand, far away.
At the same time, Tang San immediately activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, moving at his absolute maximum speed, and hastily caught the falling Xiao Wu in his arms.
"Xiao Wu! Are you alright?"
Tang San's face was full of anxiety as he quickly checked Xiao Wu's injuries. Finding only some bruising on her neck and nothing seriously wrong, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Wu nestled in Tang San's embrace, yet her expression was somewhat dazed.
She looked up blankly at the Fire Kirin radiating terrifying might ahead, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
For some unknown reason, from this unknown divine beast, she sensed an extremely familiar aura, as if they had lived together for many years.
Having just escaped danger from a Titled Douluo, she inexplicably couldn't feel happy. An indescribably complex emotion welled up within her.
Over on the other side, Dugu Bo, ignoring the humiliation in his heart, said urgently, "Sir, I have released the person, completely unharmed. This old man has shown his sincerity. Shouldn't you stop now?!"
However, Lin Mu remained completely oblivious to his so-called sincerity, once again driving the Fire Kirin to attack.
The Fire Kirin didn't hesitate for a moment. Its foreleg, burning with Kirin Fire, lifted again and, targeting the Jade Phospor Serpent Emperor's true form that was nearly shattered, mercilessly stomped down once more!
"Lin Mu! You... Pfft~"
Dugu Bo was so enraged he felt he might have a cerebral hemorrhage. Seized by a fit of exasperation, he spat out another mouthful of blood. In all his years traversing the continent, this was the first time he had felt such utter humiliation.
Having already yielded and released the person, this fiend clearly had no intention of letting him go!