Chapter 122: Qian Renxue Makes Her Entrance

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As soon as these words were spoken, every soul master in the Pope's Palace plaza wore a look of utter shock. A hundred-thousand-year soul beast that could take human form—what did that mean? It meant a walking treasure trove of a hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone. After absorption, it could greatly enhance a soul master's innate talent and overall strength.

Under normal circumstances, a Soul Douluo absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring would break through to Rank 91 and become a Titled Douluo. But if one were to kill a hundred-thousand-year soul beast and absorb both its soul ring and soul bone, they could directly reach Rank 92 or even Rank 93, saving them years—or even more than a decade—of painstaking cultivation.

"Why is the Spirit Hall's luck so absurdly good?!"

Ning Fengzhi's eyes flashed with envy and resentment. He absolutely refused to believe that Spirit Hall would be so reckless as to joke about something like this just to make a spectacle—they wouldn't slap their own faces like that.

Qian Renhan rested his head on one hand and said flatly, "Bring it up."

Soon, Snake Lance and Porcupinefish flew over, carrying an iron cage between them. A red cloth covered the top of the cage, adding an air of mystery. The sight gave Ning Fengzhi an odd sense of déjà vu, as if he were back at the Heaven Dou Auction House bidding on female slaves.

In the stands, Tang San's heart pounded furiously under the full force of healing from the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse and the Blue Silver Emperor's Right Leg Bone. A sense of dread crept over him. A soul beast in human form—could it be Xiao Wu? No, it couldn't be. Please, let it not be her!

The entire venue fell silent. Everyone was eager to see the legendary hundred-thousand-year soul beast that had taken human form. What did it look like, to appear no different from humans?

Snake Lance Douluo gave Shrek Academy a sinister smile, pulled at the red cloth, and at Qian Renhan's signal, whipped it off. At the same time, near the main gates of Spirit City, a squad of impeccably disciplined, well-trained Spirit Hall Temple Knights was approaching. In the cage, exposed to all eyes, was a pale and weary young girl with iron chains around her wrists and ankles, rabbit ears atop her head, and a look of exhaustion clouding her features.

"Xiao Wu!" Tang San cried out instantly.

"Xiao Wu!" 

The rest of Shrek Academy, the students from the Godwind Academy, and even Ning Fengzhi all froze for a moment before shouting in unison.

"Brother! Godmother!" Xiao Wu's dry lips trembled as she called out weakly to the people of Shrek Academy.

Yu Xiaogang quickly shouted, "Your Holiness, this must be a misunderstanding! How could Xiao Wu possibly be a transformed soul beast? She's been with us for years!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo gave a mocking smile and said, "Is she or isn't she? A Titled Douluo can easily identify a soul beast in human form. Isn't Chen Xin right here? Just ask him."

"Sword Douluo, Your Holiness, you've seen Xiao Wu before at the Soul Master Tournament—she can't be a soul beast in disguise."

Yu Xiaogang's voice faltered halfway through his sentence. Sword Douluo stood dumbfounded, staring at Xiao Wu. The refined elder actually blinked several times and even wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

For a Titled Douluo to behave like that, he must have witnessed something he couldn't possibly accept.

"Uncle Jian?" Ning Fengzhi called out softly.

Ning Rongrong rushed over, her voice shaking, "Grandpa Sword, is Xiao Wu really a soul beast in human form?"

"She is—a transformed soul beast," Sword Douluo said in disbelief. Why hadn't he noticed before? Was his Sword Heart fractured? Had his strength diminished? Was even his Titled Douluo-level spiritual power compromised?

"Chen Xin, you must be wondering why you couldn't detect this rabbit's identity during the Soul Master Tournament. That's because someone used rare treasures to mask her soul beast aura."

Snake Lance Douluo held up a flower and tossed it onto Xiao Wu, saying, "This is the Severing Intestine Flower. It concealed the soul beast aura of this rabbit. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that she'd have the audacity to participate in the tournament and expose herself to the entire continent. Fortunately, His Holiness and I had seen this rabbit before. We mobilized forces and captured her from Shrek Academy."

Snake Lance Douluo added with a sneer, "I have to admit, I admire the sheer stupidity of some people at Shrek Academy. Knowing this rabbit's true identity, you let her parade around in public instead of hiding her away and focusing on cultivation. This death wish of yours is something even I can't help but respect."

"Let her go! What right do you have to capture her?!"

Tang San rushed forward, roaring in fury. Seeing Xiao Wu caged and clearly tortured ignited a murderous rage in his eyes.

"Why capture her? Because she's a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Because she will produce a soul ring and soul bone. Because she's a rare treasure. Since she's a resource, she should be harvested and put to good use," Qian Renhan replied calmly. He wasn't driven by the philosophy of "those not of my race must be exterminated." In this world, there were not only soul beasts but ordinary beasts as well. Was he supposed to slaughter everything just because of differing species?

Qian Renhan waved his hand. "Take her away. Lock her up with the other rabbit."

"Xiao Wu! I dare any of you to treat my daughter like this!"

Liu Erlong's seventh soul ring lit up beneath her feet as she roared and charged forward to protect Xiao Wu, only to be effortlessly flicked away by a single finger and a burst of soul power from Snake Lance Douluo.

"Erlong!" Flender transformed into an owl, his seven soul rings—two yellow, two purple, three black—shining as he caught Liu Erlong.

"Xiao Wu!"

Tang San cried out hoarsely, his voice breaking as Snake Lance Douluo's immense pressure forced him to the ground. Struggling, he reached out toward Xiao Wu.

"Brother!" Xiao Wu's eyes brimmed with tears as she extended a trembling hand through the iron cage, reaching for Tang San.

This heart-wrenching scene of love was enough to move even the coldest hearts. Even surrounded by powerful Titled Douluos, their love remained unbroken. And yet, this was not just human love—it was a love between human and beast.

The members of Shrek Academy were all deeply moved by this poignant display, tears streaming down their faces.

"Xiaogang, we've suffered enough tragedy in our generation. We can't let this happen to the next one," Liu Erlong said, wiping her tears.

Hearing her words, Flender stepped forward as well and declared, "So what if it's Spirit Hall? So what if they have Titled Douluos? Xiao Wu is a student of Shrek Academy! If they want to take her, they'll have to get past me, Flender, first!"

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"I, Flender, have stored all the money I've earned in a locker at the office. Tell Li Yusong and the others to continue developing Shrek Academy," Flender added to the other members.

But before anyone could respond, Dai Mubai stepped forward. "Seven Devils as One!"

The other six, along with several substitutes, stepped forward as well, speaking in unison: "Life and death together!"

The two substitutes from the Clear Sky Sect stared at them in disbelief. Were these people insane? To oppose Spirit Hall and five Titled Douluos for the sake of a soul beast doomed to die sooner or later? They were courting death—and dragging others with them!

"Sun and Moon Radiance, Golden Transformation!" Flender shouted as he poured his soul power into the golden triangle formation.

On the other side, Liu Erlong made the same choice, channeling her entire soul power into the triangle.

Yu Xiaogang felt exhausted. Initially, with Clear Sky Douluo backing them, he had felt confident. But ever since Clear Sky Douluo was defeated in the gorge by Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo, and with three more Titled Douluos now on the scene, even if Clear Sky Douluo returned, he'd likely be doomed. Yu Xiaogang wanted to reason with the others, but before he could speak, the rest of Shrek had already stepped forward to take the lead. There was no time to stop them now. Given the situation, even if he didn't want to fight, he had no choice—if he returned to Heaven Dou City after standing idle, he'd be ridiculed to death.

For Yu Xiaogang, death was one thing—but his reputation could not be tarnished.

Pushing his hand forward, Yu Xiaogang shouted, "Luo Sanpao!"

A strange creature, neither pig nor dog, entered the golden triangle. Six yellow, four purple, and six black soul rings surrounded Luo Sanpao. The grotesque creature instantly transformed into a majestic, golden-scaled dragon, radiant with golden light and covered in hardened dragon scales.

"This aura of light… not bad. And it can be refined further," Qian Renhan remarked, a look of intrigue flashing across his face. At first, he hadn't thought much of Yu Xiaogang's Golden Sacred Dragon's light attribute, but now, after absorbing the soul power of two Soul Sages, its brilliance was indeed impressive.

"Still, it's only just approaching the strength of a Titled Douluo," he added casually.

Just as Snake Lance Douluo prepared to destroy the Golden Sacred Dragon, the gates of the even loftier Douluo Hall, behind the Pope's Palace, swung open. From within, an overwhelming, divine radiance of holy light surged forth.

(End of Chapter)