Chapter 96: Di Tian's Fury

While Xiao Lin and Tang San were each engrossed in researching self-condensed soul rings and soul devices respectively...

Far away, deep in the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, within the restricted zone of the Lake of Life, a massive black dragon let out a thunderous roar.

This roar was so powerful that it startled every ferocious beast within the forbidden zone. Even outside the zone, the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape felt the crushing pressure.

"Di Tian, what's wrong with that guy?"

Within the Lake of Life, the Sky Azure Bull Python felt the oppressive force from Di Tian's bloodline. His strength was suppressed even more than that of the Titan Giant Ape.

The Sky Azure Bull Python emerged from the lake and, seeing the equally uncomfortable expression on the Titan Giant Ape, couldn't help but grow angry.

It was like a neighbor suddenly starting renovations on a peaceful weekend.

What the hell?

Shouldn't he be quietly absorbing the Iceworm's power? Why make such a dramatic display?

In the forbidden zone—the land of ultimate danger—

Although Di Tian's roar awakened all the other ferocious beasts, none of them, except the Sky Azure Bull Python, were angry.

They all figured Di Tian must have had a reason for such an outburst.

Only Xiong Jun, that big brute, felt truly furious—he even wanted to use his Sky-Tearing Claws to teach Di Tian a lesson.

Before long, all the ferocious beasts gathered quickly at Di Tian's territory.

"Di Tian, you better give me a damn explanation!"

Xiong Jun hadn't even arrived yet when his loud voice rang out.

If one judged by voice volume alone, you might have thought Xiong Jun was the real boss of the beasts.

But this time, Di Tian wasn't in the mood to deal with someone whose brain was made entirely of muscle.

Di Tian, now in human form, wore a pitch-black expression. His face was so dark and cold that all the assembled beasts felt genuine fear.

Even Xiong Jun wasn't an exception.

Though his head was filled with muscle, Xiong Jun still had enough sense to know: in a fight like this, he'd be dead meat.

Soon enough, all the ferocious beasts had gathered at Di Tian's domain.

At the forefront stood Di Tian himself, dressed in black dragon robes, with golden dragon eyes and a naturally imposing face. His muscular body concealed explosive, volcano-like power.

Beside him stood a graceful woman in a flowing jade-green dress. She had a gentle presence—this was Bi Ji, the Emerald Swan and Di Tian's wife.

At the moment, Bi Ji's beautiful face was filled with deep, unresolved worry.

Beneath the two of them stood a green-haired man with venomous snake-like eyes and a hulking, muscle-bound middle-aged man.

These were the Demonic-Eyed Tree King, Wan Yao Wang, and the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, Xiong Jun.

Further down stood a beast over five meters long, with a robust frame and the form of a three-headed lion. This was the Three-Headed Scarlet Demon Mastiff, the Chi King.

As the personal bodyguard assigned by Di Tian to protect the Luck Beast—the Three-Eyed Golden Lion—Chi King was the only one present who hadn't taken on a human form.

Remaining in beast form allowed Chi King to maintain maximum combat effectiveness to protect the golden lion at any time.

"Di Tian, what happened?" asked Wan Yao Wang, who had never seen such an expression on Di Tian's face before.

"Where's Lei Huang?" Di Tian didn't answer right away, instead asking about another beast.

(Note from author: Noticing the "Top Ten Ferocious Beasts" only included nine, I added another—shouldn't ten beasts mean there are eleven? Just like how the 'Four Heavenly Kings' are actually five.)

"Lei Huang? He already returned to the Thunder Gorge. He looks down on us for absorbing the Heavenly Dream Iceworm's power," Wan Yao Wang sneered sarcastically.

"Every beast here absorbed the Iceworm's power to survive the tribulation. And you, Lei Huang—so noble? So above us?"

"Lei Huang has pure-blooded Azure Dragon lineage. His strength isn't lower than yours, and he's unafraid of the 400,000-year lightning tribulation. I heard he went to the Thunder Gorge to seek out a divine relic."

Di Tian shook his head slightly. Thinking of Lei Huang's origin—a thunder dragon born from the blood shed during the battle between the Dragon God and the Thunder God—he didn't say more.

With his natural gifts, Lei Huang might even survive a 500,000-year lightning tribulation.

After all, he was born to wield lightning.

"Enough about him. I'm here to announce a very serious matter. Chi King, you explain," Di Tian said, turning his golden dragon eyes toward the Chi King. Even Chi King trembled under his gaze.

The massive lion lowered his three great heads, shame and guilt in his eyes.

"It's my fault. I failed to protect the Luck Beast…"

"What!?" Xiong Jun roared in fury before Chi King could even finish. "Chi King, you deserve death!"

He looked ready to kill Chi King on the spot.

"Xiong Jun!"

With a cold snort, Di Tian released a wave of dragon might, instantly suppressing Xiong Jun's rage.

"A few days ago, for some unknown reason, the Luck Beast suddenly weakened. Now, even her fur looks dull and lifeless…"

Chi King lowered his heads further. As the guardian of the beast representing the soul beasts' destiny, he bore unshakable responsibility for what had happened.

The moment he finished speaking, Xiong Jun and Wan Yao Wang glared at Chi King, their eyes burning with fury.

Had Di Tian not been present, there might have been a corpse on the ground by now.

"Enough. This matter isn't Chi King's fault. The Luck Beast is already slowly recovering. I've learned the truth from her," Di Tian said calmly, though the fury in his voice was impossible to miss.

"She said the drop in soul beast destiny isn't our fault. It's because several 'Destiny's Chosen' have emerged among the humans."

"Destiny's Chosen?!"

Bi Ji, Xiong Jun, Wan Yao Wang, and Chi King all gasped in shock.

One Destiny's Chosen was bad enough. Now there were several?

Were soul beasts truly doomed to extinction?

"According to the Luck Beast, in the future, humanity's strength will grow incomparably powerful. And not just a few individuals—most humans."

As Di Tian spoke, worry filled his face. Even with all his strength, what could he do in the face of such a tide?

He couldn't help but recall the divine auras that had appeared across the Douluo Continent decades ago.

Was that when humans first received divine inheritances?

But even then, the Luck Beast had never appeared so weak.

"What are your orders, Di Tian? Should we launch a beast tide and make humanity pay?" Wan Yao Wang asked.

He figured the only solution now was to wage war—wipe out these Destiny's Chosen before their power solidified. That would restore the soul beasts' destiny.

"Great idea, Wan Yao Wang!" Xiong Jun's eyes lit up. "I don't believe those human strongmen can match us!"

Even a titled Douluo without a soul core would struggle against the Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape, the mere guardians of the Lake of Life.

"No. That move is too risky," Di Tian said. "What if attacking only causes these Destiny's Chosen to despise us even more?"

"Despise?" Xiong Jun roared. "Do humans even like us to begin with?"

"No, that's not what I meant," Di Tian shook his head. "The reason the Luck Beast is recovering is because of the influence of one particular Destiny's Chosen among the humans."

"The fate of soul beasts no longer lies in our hands—it lies in theirs."

This feeling of powerlessness... Di Tian hated it.

(End of Chapter)