A furious dragon's roar echoed from the skies, resonating into the distance. The heavens boiled with agitation as waves of purple energy ignited and surged through the air, scorching the golden divine light of the Sea God and tearing open holes in it.
Mu En's expression shifted slightly.
And that was just the beginning.
As Di Tian released his power without restraint, massive purple bubbles began to descend from the sky. Each bubble was over ten meters in diameter, radiating intense violet mist. These bubbles covered the entire span of Shrek City.
Black Dragon Annihilation—Di Tian's most powerful wide-area attack. In his over 800,000 years of life, he had only used this soul skill a handful of times. Every time he cast Black Dragon Annihilation, it came at the cost of his own lifespan. Despite his immense age, Di Tian valued his life more than any other savage beast.
But now, to rescue the Auspicious Beast and confront the divine power infused in the Sea God's Light, he had no choice but to play his final card.
The moment Di Tian sensed divine power, unease surged in his heart once again.
"Despicable gods actually left behind tricks on the Douluo Continent?! The Auspicious Beast… Could a god be behind her misfortune?"
Di Tian felt a chill run down his spine.
An overwhelming sense of danger loomed.
Were the gods behind Shrek truly only targeting the Auspicious Beast? Or were they preparing to strike against the entire soul beast race? Had they already discovered what had happened to the Master? Would this draw the attention of the gods in the Divine Realm?
They had no way to confront the gods now. And if they were discovered, their fate—along with that of their Master—would be annihilation.
Di Tian had no answers to these questions, but he knew one thing:
He must rescue the Auspicious Beast.
And retreat immediately.
Black Dragon Annihilation lived up to its name as Di Tian's ultimate technique. Even though it was a wide-area attack and couldn't focus all its power in a single point, it still managed to stand against the Sea God's Light.
Now, the pressure was on Mu En.
He hadn't expected Di Tian to possess such a move. Nor had he imagined that even with the power of the Golden Tree, he couldn't fully suppress Di Tian.
A blow struck at the cost of Di Tian's lifespan—how could it be weak? It unleashed power far beyond his usual limits.
The clash between the golden radiance and the countless violet bubbles didn't create explosive shockwaves, but instead mutual dissolution.
Light devoured darkness—or darkness devoured light.
Mu En didn't dare hold back. He fully channeled the Golden Tree's power, even draining his own life force and lifespan, merging his Holy Light Dragon power into the effort. The light attribute temporarily reached its pinnacle.
Only then could it match the dark.
It was a confrontation of ultimate light versus ultimate darkness!
Neither Mu En nor Di Tian dared show weakness, for they both understood one thing:
Whoever lost this clash would be utterly doomed.
If Mu En lost, Shrek City would fall—and he'd be powerless to reverse it.
If Di Tian lost, the Auspicious Beast would be lost, and the soul beast race would be in grave danger.
During this standoff, both humans and soul beasts fell into an eerie silence, stunned speechless by the sheer scale and spectacle before them.
"So this is the power of the true elites? They can unleash such devastating techniques!"
—Sky Ice Silkworm, watching from within the spiritual sea, couldn't help but gasp in awe.
No written record could fully describe the awe-inspiring intensity of this scene.
"Damn, they're seriously strong! Even my turtle shell can't take that!"
—Golden Tortoise moaned, emotions churning.
Heavenly Dragon Horse's eyes gleamed with strange light. Mu En's Light Dragon power was infused in the Sea God's Light, and it stirred a powerful yearning in the Heavenly Dragon Horse.
The Imaginative White Tiger looked unimpressed, as if thinking, I could do that too.
The Imagined Xuanwu and Heavenly Dragon Horse, however, remained calm, seeming indifferent to the events around them.
(Imagination forms have their own consciousness. Golden Tortoise and Heavenly Dragon Horse merely integrate with them to assist in cultivation.)
Electrolux stroked his beard and commented:
"Their strength is close to what I could display at full power—even in my current fragmentary soul state.
But if I were to use that much force, my soul would be gone afterward. Even with the help of the Ghost Banner Martial Soul, I'd need a long time to recover.
Yuhao, what do you think?"
"Not bad," Huo Yuhao said calmly.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao was hidden among the soul beast army, using Tianmeng's illusion to disguise himself as a small soul beast.
Mu En and Di Tian's power and momentum were immense, but both had paid a price.
For Huo Yuhao, though—if he burned his fate, with his current strength—he wouldn't be any weaker than them.
No, in fact, he'd be even stronger.
Because what Huo Yuhao could sacrifice wasn't just lifespan. He had other things he could offer, gaining even more power in return.
That was the confidence brought by the Zen Master Realm.
Now that he had attained that level, standing on this earth, he viewed most people—aside from a few hidden powerhouses—as nothing more than braggarts wearing fake halos.
Mu En and Di Tian were no exception.
Huo Yuhao was just waiting for the right moment to act.
Electrolux shook his head at Huo Yuhao's attitude but said nothing more.
Because Huo Yuhao truly had the qualifications to feel that way.
And that was frustratingly undeniable.
Fortunately, Huo Yuhao had not lost his vigilance toward that one individual.
Above Sea God Island—
Sea God's Light clashed with Black Dragon Annihilation.
Ultimate light and ultimate darkness—opposing forces—collided and gradually neutralized each other, eventually fading into stillness.
Mu En's heart was heavy.
For him, not winning was equivalent to losing.
But his eyes turned sharp. He had made up his mind:
He still had some life left to burn. He would light Shrek's final fire.
Yet to his shock, after breaching the Sea God's Light, Di Tian didn't flee or counterattack.
Instead, he dove straight downward, targeting the Sea God Pavilion.
"No!" Mu En shouted in fury.
Suspecting Di Tian intended to harm the Golden Tree, he rushed down in hot pursuit.
"Di Tian, how dare you!"
But Di Tian didn't reply. Instead, he revealed yet another trump card:
A colossal, pitch-black dragon claw manifested before him, swiping down toward the Sea God Pavilion.
Dragon God's Claw!
The already-drained Golden Tree, weakened by its earlier efforts, couldn't defend.
Its trunk, like an ordinary tree, was ripped open, and from within—
Di Tian pulled out a person.
A comatose Jin Qiu'er!
Mu En's eyes bulged with fury.
But Di Tian didn't hesitate. Without a glance back, he ripped open space, fled from Shrek City, and darted toward Star Dou Great Forest.
At the same time, he gave a final command:
"Retreat!"
The soul beasts, savage beasts, and beast kings froze.
"Huh?"
Retreat? Just like that?
Just then, another terrifying pressure burst from within Shrek City and spread across the beast tide, sending a wave of deathly fear through the soul beasts—including even the savage ones.
It was Mu En in pursuit!
Thankfully, Mu En's target was only Di Tian and Jin Qiu'er.
He had no time to deal with the beast tide. With a single flash, he soared over them and chased into the Star Dou Forest, heading straight for the core.
Mu En and Di Tian's actions left the onlookers confused.
Di Tian had escaped, but Mu En looked more desperate.
Regardless, the beast tide was over.
However, not all savage beasts obeyed Di Tian.
"Retreat? Retreat from what?! Follow me and charge into Shrek City!"
—The Bear King roared.
They had the upper hand—why retreat?
Besides, once blood was drawn, soul beasts weren't so easily called off.
Golden Tree: My kidneys got stolen!
Bear Lord's decision sparked discontent among some soul beasts, though others supported it.
"Bear Lord, that was Di Tian's order!" the Red King protested.
"Hmph! All I know is that we are about to break through Shrek City! Today marks the end of Shrek! It's the day our soul beast race rises in glory and vengeance!" Bear Lord rumbled, full of dominance. Then he looked to Zi Ji. "Zi Ji, what's your choice?"
Always loyal to Di Tian, Zi Ji surprisingly supported Bear Lord this time.
"To charge into Shrek City and share Di Tian's burden," Zi Ji replied.
She wanted to prove more valuable than Bi Ji, to show Di Tian that she—Zi Ji—was the one truly capable of helping him accomplish his great mission. She was the ideal partner Di Tian needed.
Bear Lord laughed heartily.
In contrast, Bi Ji had different thoughts. When Di Tian ordered a retreat, she felt relieved and loyally began organizing the withdrawal of the beast tide.
Although the assault lasted only a few hours, the soul beasts had already suffered considerable losses—over ten percent of their forces. And this included significant casualties among ten-thousand-year and fifty-thousand-year soul beasts, with even some hundred-thousand-year beast kings injured.
Yes, notably the Six-Winged Demon Tiger. If not for Bi Ji's timely intervention, it would have been killed on the spot by Zhang Lexuan, Ma Xiaotao, and Ling Luochen.
Ling Luochen's punch had connected, fracturing the demon tiger's spine. Even though Bi Ji rescued it, it was temporarily out of the fight.
Seeing Bi Ji intervene, Zhang Lexuan and her companions withdrew immediately, giving Bi Ji no chance to trap them.
Though humans had suffered more casualties, their growth rate allowed for recovery within a century—possibly even surpassing previous peaks.
Soul beasts, however, were different.
The loss of ten percent of the beast tide would take tens of thousands of years to recover—especially when it came to those with unique bloodlines or top-tier potential.
Not all soul beasts had Bi Ji's training speed. For many, their cultivation years directly matched their age.
Yet as Bi Ji tried to coordinate the retreat, she discovered some soul beasts no longer heeded her commands. Instead, they stared menacingly at the humans, their bloodlust rekindled.
Clearly, Bear Lord's roar had stirred their primal rage.
"Follow me and kill them all!" Bear Lord roared and charged alongside Zi Ji toward Elder Lin and his group.
Elder Lin and the others could only silently curse their misfortune. They were truly at their limits.
The beast tide, emboldened by Bear Lord and Zi Ji's action, charged again. The remaining Shrek defenders were left with nothing but despair—and the resolve to die fighting.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The defenders turned themselves into suicide infantry, activating soul-guided fixed artillery bombs strapped to their bodies, taking down hordes of soul beasts with them.
They had no other options. Their soul power was drained, and even the soul power replenishing bottles they carried had been completely used up.
In truth, not many defenders had soul bottles to begin with. Only those with special or key roles were allocated more.
After all, soul bottles were expensive.
The defenders made their choice: if they couldn't retreat into the city, they'd take their enemies with them! If Dragon God Douluo's disciples could do it, why couldn't they?
Some couples among the defenders clasped hands, hugging the bombs and charging into the beast tide to die together with the enemy.
"If we cannot grow old together in this life, we'll hold hands on the road to hell!"
More defenders fell into a frenzy.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"For the glory of Shrek! Follow our hero, Huo Yuhao!"
"Mother, Father, your son did not bring you shame! In the next life, I'll still be your son and honor you!"
Not only the defenders—inner court disciples were also running out of soul power, and even Shrek's strongest had to contract their defensive perimeter.
As the defenders sacrificed themselves, tears streamed from the eyes of the inner court disciples. The powerhouses stood in solemn silence.
But they didn't rush out—because they could still fight. Their turn to sacrifice hadn't come yet.
If they died now, the south city wall would be left unguarded!
Elder Lin and the others were both furious and desperate, but under the onslaught of Bear Lord and Zi Ji, they were helpless.
Yan Shaozhe, still under the control of the Myriad Demon King, remained unconscious—ironically sparing him from witnessing the tragedy.
Xuanzai wasn't so lucky. He could only watch helplessly as the situation spiraled. His eyes turned blood-red, tears of blood streaming down his cheeks.
The phantom of the Taotie Divine Ox grew increasingly violent, finally locking eyes with Xuanzai and opening its mouth.
Fortunately for the humans, the soul beasts weren't united, giving the defenders a brief chance to breathe.
Seeing Bear Lord defy Di Tian's command and ruin her efforts to direct the beast tide, Bi Ji flew toward him and shouted, "Bear Lord, stop! The beast tide has halted! This is Di Tian's order!"
Bear Lord knocked back Elder Lin and the others with a single claw, glaring sideways at Bi Ji. "What Di Tian's order? All I know is, we're about to conquer Shrek City!"
It wasn't surprising Bear Lord refused to obey—he never truly submitted to Di Tian. Likely, his Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear bloodline clashed inherently with the dragon race.
To Bear Lord, Di Tian's pact with humans and retreat to the Great Star Dou Forest was pure cowardice. And that so-called Lord of theirs hoarded resources yet never appeared to aid the soul beast race.
If not for sensing that lord's terrifying aura and knowing he couldn't win, Bear Lord would have rebelled already.
His discontent with that lord also made him more defiant toward Di Tian. He had even challenged Di Tian once before.
Though he injured Di Tian, he was also nearly beaten to death.
But instead of retreating, he came to believe Di Tian wasn't invincible. If he grew strong enough, he could one day replace him.
Bear Lord sensed that inside Shrek City was a powerful treasure that could help him surpass Di Tian—a golden ancient tree injured by Di Tian himself, now radiating powerful energy.
Only the stronger soul beasts with sharp spiritual senses and special attributes could detect it.
That was why Bear Lord refused to retreat now. He was not afraid of humans—Di Tian was!
Zi Ji cast a glance at Bi Ji, then attacked Elder Lin's group again.
The Red King silently observed, refraining from action—but made his stance clear.
Bi Ji shouted angrily, "Enough! We've lost too many already! We can't continue! Humans won't surrender. Even if we break through Shrek, the soul beast race will suffer catastrophic losses. And humans aren't limited to Shrek—they have the four great empires and the Body Sect that once hunted beast kings in the Star Dou Forest. If that happens, we'll be surrounded and hunted by humanity!"
"So what?" Bear Lord said fearlessly, eyes fixed on Shrek City. "If we become strong enough, these humans will be nothing—easily crushed!"
Just then, the voice of the Myriad Demon King rang in the ears of a few soul beasts:
"There's a chance to grow stronger inside Shrek. I've sensed it! And there are no strong guards nearby!"
Possessing the ultimate wood attribute, the Myriad Demon King had also detected the golden ancient tree and revealed its location.
Bear Lord scowled—he'd planned to seize the opportunity for himself, or at least claim the lion's share. But now that it was exposed, he was even more determined to claim the treasure.
Zi Ji's eyes sharpened immediately upon hearing this. Her thirst for power was intense.
Bi Ji's expression shifted. She had also sensed the golden ancient tree's life aura and knew it was a rare treasure—but she had chosen silence, unwilling to continue fighting. Now that the secret was revealed, she realized she could no longer stop the others.
It also meant the Myriad Demon King was siding with Bear Lord.
Sure enough, even the Red King now looked intrigued.
Huo Yuhao: You want another life? Fine—come on in!
Xiong Jun and Zi Ji led the beast tide in a continued assault on Shrek City.
Even the Red King had joined the fray.
While the Myriad Demon King didn't act directly, his stance was already clear.
Bi Ji, in the end, let out a long sigh. Though she didn't stop Xiong Jun and the beast tide, she also didn't support their attack on Shrek City. Instead, she transformed into her true form and flew above the tide, releasing her healing powers to minimize the casualties among the soul beasts.
Zi Ji scoffed at this.
"Instead of wasting power on saving weak soul beasts, you should lead the beast army and break Shrek City in one go!"
"If she really did that, she wouldn't be Bi Ji," Red King interjected coldly, all three of his dog heads wearing indifferent expressions.
He still held a level of respect for Bi Ji and was clearly dissatisfied with Zi Ji's attitude.
Zi Ji glared at the Red King in annoyance and turned her fury on Lin Lao and the others, making her attacks even more vicious.
The situation for Lin Lao and his comrades grew increasingly dire.
Even with Elder Zhuang's healing, wounds continued to pile up on their bodies.
Shi Xing, whose energy was already massively depleted, was the first to falter.
Shi Xing was known as the "Time Magician" because he could manipulate the flow of time around objects—speeding up allies' movements, slowing down enemies, and accelerating the recovery of friendly forces' injuries.
The alterations in time flow caused unexpected shifts in battle dynamics, severely affecting the enemy's ability to respond.
For instance, he could hasten Lin Lao's group while slowing the movements of Xiong Jun and other ferocious beasts, and enhance Zhuang Lao's healing capabilities.
That was how Lin Lao's group had managed to entangle Xiong Jun for so long.
Yes, "entangle"—not fight head-on.
They could still clash directly with Zi Ji, Red King, and other beast lords—but not with Xiong Jun.
None of them dared let Xiong Jun's attacks land directly. They all knew how terrifying the Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear race was! At most, they could withstand one of his regular attacks—only to cough up blood from the impact.
Though only at level 94, Shi Xing played an incredibly important role, showcasing how essential control-type soul masters were in group battles. Not only could they manipulate allies, but they could also restrict enemies and create critical openings.
Indeed, control-types deserved to be called the heart of the team.
Unfortunately, Shi Xing was only level 94. After using his abilities repeatedly and trying to restrain someone as powerful as Xiong Jun, his soul power and mental strength were thoroughly drained—and he could hold on no longer.
As Shi Xing's control weakened, Xiong Jun saw his chance.
"Die, human!"
Xiong Jun let out a vicious grin, and without hesitation, launched an attack at Elder Song, who had been the main thorn in his side, activating his soul skill.
"Darkgolden Terrorclaw!"
This time, Elder Song couldn't evade in time.
"Watch out!" Shi Xing shouted in panic.
Everyone's expressions changed drastically.
A massive golden claw erupted from Xiong Jun's left paw, completely engulfing Elder Song and sealing off every avenue of escape.
Elder Song's face turned ashen. The aura of death surged in her heart, and the razor-sharp energy on the claw made her feel like she was being torn apart.
At that desperate moment—
"Xiao Zhuang, assist me!"
The former City Lord roared, unleashing his ninth soul skill to shield Elder Song.
Zhuang Lao responded without hesitation, casting his own ninth soul skill to envelop both the City Lord and Elder Song.
Regaining focus, Elder Song clenched her teeth and squeezed out her last bit of power to activate her own ninth soul skill, fighting for her life.
The Darkgolden Terrorclaw descended, completely enveloping all three: the City Lord, Elder Song, and Elder Zhuang—smashing them backward and eventually sweeping Zhuang Lao into its path as well.
Three Title Douluo—Super Douluo, no less—had all released their strongest ninth soul skills to block Xiong Jun's attack, but still couldn't hold out for even a moment.
Everyone could only watch as the massive claw smashed the trio into the distant Ice Fortress wall erected by Huo Yuhao.
BOOM!
With a deafening crash, the fortress wall collapsed under the impact of the Darkgolden Terrorclaw. Five sharp ravines were carved into the ground, and Elder Song, Zhuang Lao, and the City Lord lay broken within them—unable to rise, their spirit power gone, and their lives hanging by a thread.
The breach in the wall caused Xiong Jun to smile triumphantly, boosting the morale of the soul beasts. The beast tide surged forward even more ferociously.
In contrast, the human side lost all morale.
The only Title Douluo left were Shi Xing, too weak to fight, Lin Lao, massively drained, and Xue Kuang, who stood frozen in shock.
To be honest, Xue Kuang wanted to run.
He wasn't part of Shrek Academy—why should he die for it?
But the threat wasn't just Xiong Jun.
Zi Ji and Red King had both set their sights on him and Lin Lao.
They attacked in unison, each releasing their soul skills.
Zi Ji: "Death Withering!"
Red King: "Infernal Triangle Fire!"
But just then, a thunderous bull's roar exploded behind them, interrupting their attacks.
More accurately, a powerful force had disrupted their attacks, making them sluggish—similar to Shi Xing's time-slowing effects, but this was an earth-element-based deceleration.
Both Zi Ji and Red King turned sharply.
Another expert had entered the battlefield!
The Myriad Demon King, startled, looked up at Xuanzi, who was still hanging from a tree branch.
Xuanzi's body suddenly burst with blood, his flesh torn open as he became drenched in it—but at the same time, his aura exploded exponentially.
"He broke through Di Tian's soul power seal?!" the Myriad Demon King exclaimed. But by the time he moved to stop him, it was already too late.
In the first instant of freedom, Xuanzi activated his Martial Soul Possession, his soul rings flashing.
"Seventh Soul Skill: Taotie True Form!"
A massive Taotie Divine Bull appeared, snapping the branch and catching Yan Shaozhe in mid-air—charging straight at Zi Ji and Red King.
The sudden emergence of the Taotie Divine Bull nearly trampled the Myriad Demon King, forcing him to dodge and miss the chance to intervene. His expression grew serious—he could feel it. The Taotie True Form exuded a pressure that chilled even him.
Breaking Di Tian's seal had brought Xuanzi unbearable pain—but it was nothing compared to the agony in his heart.
Two streams of blood tears flowed from the Taotie's eyes—howling in anguish.
Fueled by grief, Xuanzi erupted with power beyond his limits, ignoring the toll on his life force to awaken the Taotie bloodline within him!
Yes, it was the Taotie bloodline that let him break Di Tian's seal.
But forcefully awakening this bloodline carried immense side effects—but Xuanzi no longer cared.
He was willing to sacrifice everything for greater strength—to save Shrek!
With the Taotie bloodline awakened, Xuanzi's Martial Soul True Form grew from thirty meters tall to a massive fifty meters!
And beside it, the fifteen-meter-tall Xiong Jun now looked like a child.
A powerful earth-element energy engulfed most of the battlefield, slowing down everyone—man and beast alike. It was the embryonic form of a domain.
But not a standard slow field—it was the devouring force inherent to earth-type Taotie energy, drawing everything inward and making movement sluggish.
Xuanzi fed his own lifespan to the Taotie Divine Bull in exchange for overwhelming power. With one mighty swipe, he flung both Zi Ji and Red King away, breaking their assault.
Though Xuanzi's real body had lost an arm, his Martial Soul True Form remained whole.
After all, it was his soul that mattered—not his physical injuries.
"MOOOOO—"
The Taotie Divine Bull's roar echoed over the battlefield.
Xiong Jun and the Myriad Demon King circled it warily, like predators sensing a superior beast.
Xuanzi: "I want to become a Gourmet Hunter too!"
Let Xuanzi nurture the Taotie Divine Bull well—until it's time for Brother Hao to clean up.
"Don't provoke someone who's fighting with their life on the line—because they really will fight you to the death!"
Take Xuanzi right now, for example.
Even with both Xiong Jun and the Myriad Beast King joining forces, they didn't dare take him lightly, not when he was burning his own lifespan to go all out.
Especially now—Xuanzi had forcefully activated the Taotie bloodline within him, heedless of the cost. The pressure bearing down on Xiong Jun and the Myriad Beast King was immense, and the dangerous aura radiating from him was overwhelming.
Though the Taotie Divine Bull was a creature of earth attribute, its bloodline carried the power of devouring. At this moment, the embryonic domain formed by the Taotie Divine Bull's true form threatened to consume everything within its bounds—utterly.
A mass of earthy-yellow energy was thrown by the Divine Bull's true body toward Elder Lin. Lin quickly caught it—and realized it was the unconscious Yan Shaozhe.
There were no words exchanged between them, but Lin immediately understood Xuanzi's intent.
"We're pulling back!" Lin quickly retreated with Shi Xing and Xue Kuang, flying toward the southern city wall to check on the situation with Elder Song and the others.
Xue Kuang finally breathed a sigh of relief but was already thinking about how to evacuate the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's people. Shrek City was clearly on the verge of collapse.
He believed Xuanzi couldn't hold on much longer. Even if he managed to push back the beasts, the cost would be enormous. And if Xuanzi fell, Shrek City would be next.
The Sect's industries could be sacrificed—but its people had to survive. Ning Tian and Wu Feng, still in the academy, needed to be evacuated with the others.
So, Xue Kuang quietly activated his soul tool, contacting the sect members inside the city.
The beasts made no move to stop Lin and the others—because Xuanzi's terrifying presence had locked them all in place. They knew that if they dared move, the next moment would bring a violent onslaught from Xuanzi.
If you're not afraid to die, then go ahead and try.
The threat emanating from Xuanzi was so potent, the beasts dared not gamble.
And once Lin's group had left with Yan Shaozhe, the tension in the air only grew heavier.
Because now, Xuanzi had nothing left to hold him back.
The Taotie Divine Bull's true body began to tremble. Xuanzi was on the verge of losing control—no longer able to suppress the violent urges from his bloodline.
With no more reservations, the rational part of Xuanzi's mind gave way. The Taotie Divine Bull's true form completely surrendered to the primal hunger of its bloodline.
"Moo——!!"
A deafening bull's roar echoed across the battlefield.
From the body of the Taotie Divine Bull, an intense suction force spread outwards, pulling in everything—air, soil, and matter—toward itself.
Xiong Jun had to anchor his legs deep into the ground to remain steady.
The Myriad Beast King drove roots into the earth to resist being dragged.
Zi Ji and the Red King weren't so lucky—they were instantly drawn toward the Divine Bull by the overwhelming devouring force.
"Roar!" Zi Ji cried in fury, flapping her wings frantically in a desperate attempt to resist the suction. But she was like a bird caught in a hurricane—utterly powerless.
The Red King was panicked, his claws digging deep trenches into the ground—but still, he was being pulled toward doom.
Nearby Beast Kings and high-level soul beasts were caught in the same situation, dragged helplessly like sinking into quicksand.
Thankfully, the Myriad Beast King acted in time, extending two massive vines to wrap around Zi Ji, the Red King, and some Beast Kings and high-year soul beasts, barely saving them.
But the rest weren't so fortunate.
The Myriad Beast King was already stretched thin.
The vines he had extended were pulled taut, trembling with strain, seemingly ready to snap at any moment.
If he tried to save more, the pressure would become too great. He'd be pulled in as well—bringing down everyone he tried to save with him.
He had the strength to survive. The others? Maybe not. Even Zi Ji and the Red King would be in serious danger.
"What a terrifying devouring force!" the Myriad Beast King gritted his teeth.
If not for his extreme wood attribute, resisting this force would be nearly impossible. Any ordinary vine would have snapped instantly.
Bi Ji wanted to help but knew full well—if she got close, she too would be sucked in. All she could do was hover nearby, anxiously urging the surrounding soul beasts to flee as quickly as possible.
Only high-year soul beasts could operate near a battlefield this dangerous. These were soul beasts relatively close to the savage beasts—advanced beings.
Now, these high-level soul beasts were being dragged toward the Taotie Divine Bull's mouth.
That's right—the source of the devouring force was its mouth!
The blood-red maw of the Taotie Divine Bull gaped open, accepting all—soil, rock, beast flesh, even air—everything was sucked into its belly. Its stomach seemed like a bottomless abyss.
Everything that entered the bull's mouth was instantly crushed by immense pressure. Soul beasts were reduced to meat paste before being swallowed.
As it devoured, the Divine Bull's aura steadily grew stronger.
It was absorbing the essence of everything it consumed—growing stronger with every bite!
Watching this, the savage beasts were furious.
The Taotie Divine Bull was treating soul beasts as food!
How was this any different from the evil soul beasts?
If they allowed this to continue, they knew—they would be next.
"Die, now!" Xiong Jun roared in fury.
He tore his legs free from the earth and hurled himself toward the Divine Bull, using the suction force to propel his charge.
His claws shone with radiant light.
"Heaven-Rending Claws!"
In a fit of rage, Xiong Jun unleashed his most devastating move—a technique strong enough to injure even Di Tian.
This wasn't a natural gift, but a power he had forged through years of grueling cultivation. Like a self-created soul skill, it was a soul beast's ultimate secret art!
A terrifying sight unfolded: from Xiong Jun's golden claws, ten golden blades, each a thousand meters long, slashed across the sky.
The heavens were torn open by ten massive rifts as the dark-golden claws slammed down toward the Divine Bull's massive body.
At fifty meters tall, the Divine Bull usually towered over the battlefield—but compared to those thousand-meter-long claws, it looked like an ant.
Boom!
The ten golden blades crashed down together, striking the Divine Bull's body and slamming it into the ground. A deep, thousand-meter gorge was left behind—like a massive canyon ripped from the earth.
Water gushed from the gorge as underground rivers were blasted to the surface.
The devouring force vanished. Soul beasts fell to the ground, trembling in relief at their narrow escape from death.
Xiong Jun also landed, gasping for breath.
He hadn't used Heaven-Rending Claws earlier because of the massive energy cost. Even he needed time to recover afterward.
But if it could injure Di Tian, it had to be enough to destroy the Taotie Divine Bull.
Or so he thought.
To his shock, the Divine Bull's aura exploded again from beneath the earth.
Moments later, under stunned gazes, the bloodied Divine Bull burst out of the ground—not dead. Still moving.
It had lost all rationality.
No longer focused on the savage beasts, it turned its gaze toward the beast horde—and dove in, devouring with frenzy to restore its strength.
Instantly, the soul beasts within the horde faced annihilation.
"No—!!" Bi Ji cried out in grief and horror.
Xuanzi: Damn it, I'm gonna EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT!
Southern City Wall.
Before Lin Lao and the others returned, some inner court disciples had already found Song Lao and his two companions. The good news was that they were still alive; the bad news—they were barely clinging to life.
Upon learning the situation, Zhang Lexuan made a decisive decision: she ordered several disciples to urgently escort the three to Sea God Island. Only the power of the Golden Ancient Tree could now save them.
Shortly after, Lin Lao and the others returned and breathed a slight sigh of relief after being updated.
Yan Shaozhe and Shi Xing were also sent to Sea God Island.
Lin Lao chose to remain behind, staying to face the beast tide with everyone.
As for Xue Kuang, he found an excuse to temporarily retreat into the city. Although he said he would return after recovering his soul power, Lin Lao understood his true intentions and didn't press further.
After all, Xue Kuang was from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. His staying to help was a favor, but it wasn't his duty to die with Shrek.
Still, Lin Lao took note of this matter.
When the true body of the Taotie Divine Ox raged through the beast tide, Lin Lao led the troops to shrink their defensive perimeter and adjust tactics, doing his best to recover soul power quickly.
The overwhelming strength of the Taotie Divine Ox lifted Shrek's crushed morale, prompting cheers and even tears from the defenders.
But Lin Lao and the others didn't celebrate. They knew that Xuan Zi must have paid a tremendous price to unleash such power—and it wouldn't last. Even if the Divine Ox killed many soul beasts, there were more waiting to strike.
Especially with Bi Ji still alive. She could continue directing the tide and reduce their casualties.
Other fierce beasts didn't just stand by either.
Bear King, enraged, charged at the Divine Ox alongside the Ten Thousand Demon King, trying to stop it.
Zi Ji and Chi Wang seized openings to strike from behind, avoiding direct confrontation and instead sneaking attacks.
Surrounded by four powerful beasts, the Taotie Divine Ox's recovering injuries worsened again.
Bi Ji also fully concentrated on commanding the beast tide—guiding it away from the Divine Ox, healing wounded beasts, and boosting the fierce beasts, enabling them to ignore pain and inflict heavier damage.
With Bi Ji's direction, the beast tide regained order, reducing casualties significantly.
The Divine Ox soon ran out of nearby soul beasts to devour to recover or boost its power.
Because of Bi Ji's presence, the once-chaotic beast tide stabilized again.
Lin Lao could only sigh.
"If not for the Emerald Swan, the beast tide would've suffered massive losses or even collapsed—we'd at least have had a sliver of hope."
Just as his words ended, a sudden shift occurred in the beast tide—right beneath Bi Ji!
A massive ice-blue centipede suddenly reared from the tide, launching skyward and biting deeply into Bi Ji's abdomen, drawing a harrowing scream from her.
"What?!"
"Not good!"
"Bi Ji!"
The fierce beasts were horrified. None expected someone to attack Bi Ji!
The coordination among them broke down, allowing the Taotie Divine Ox to use brute strength to crash through the Ten Thousand Demon King and charge back into the tide.
The fierce beasts were momentarily thrown into disarray.
Bear King and Zi Ji chose to pursue the Divine Ox, while the Ten Thousand Demon King and Chi Wang turned to rescue Bi Ji.
The Beast Kings guarding Bi Ji flew into a rage—someone had harmed her right under their noses!
In contrast, the human side was first shocked, then overjoyed.
Ma Xiaotao cheered, "It's Yuhao's Frost Centipede!"
Zhang Lexuan, however, frowned deeply. "But now Yuhao's become the prime target of the soul beasts."
Ma Xiaotao, Zhang Lexuan, and Wei Na's expressions shifted. Their joy vanished.
Indeed, it was the Variant Frost Centipede Spirit that ambushed Bi Ji!
Huo Yuhao, who had been hiding in the beast tide using illusions, struck when Bi Ji lowered her guard to heal other beasts—launching a surprise attack from below on her soft abdomen.
And the attack landed!
If Bi Ji had been in her humanoid form, the Variant Frost Centipede could have swallowed her whole.
Now, with its jaws clamped on her belly, the centipede coiled tightly around her body and neck. One by one, its sharp legs pierced into her, injecting venom.
Wounded, Bi Ji screamed and plummeted.
Huo Yuhao stood atop her, his left arm spirit bone emitting power, forming a golden Light Chain that wrapped around her neck. With a fierce tug, he pulled her head up.
"Fly up! Fly up!" Yuhao barked coldly.
The Pseudo-Buddha Light began to seep into Bi Ji's mind—not enough to control her, but enough to cause confusion. In her haze, she followed his command, flapping her wings and rising skyward before hitting the ground.
Her wings were intact, but flying tugged on her wounds, intensifying her agony. She cried out in pain again and again.
The surrounding Beast Kings were frantic, but didn't dare move—Huo Yuhao was on Bi Ji's back, and the Variant Frost Centipede had its fangs on her vital points. They didn't dare make a move for fear of hurting her further. They could only encircle them tightly.
With Bi Ji injured, the beast tide turned chaotic again as beasts stampeded toward her location.
"This is not the time for Shrek City to fall," Yuhao thought.
That was why he struck.
Bi Ji was the heart of the beast tide. Without her, chaos would reign again, and even the fiercest beasts and Beast Kings would be distracted.
And his gamble paid off.
Though Bi Ji was ranked fourth among the Ten Great Beasts and had lived for ages—second only to Di Tian—she lacked combat power. So Yuhao could easily suppress her in a surprise attack.
In head-on battle, he wouldn't stand a chance. But ambush? Disabling a support-type beast? That was well within his grasp.
Even now, no one suspected his identity.
Blood poured from Bi Ji's mouth. Her eyes were full of sorrow, but she couldn't break free. Despite her potent life force and healing abilities, she couldn't stop the invasion of extreme poison and ice in her body.
The Variant Frost Centipede's Frost Domain also activated, weakening her while enhancing Yuhao's own abilities.
"Human, release Lady Bi Ji!"
The surrounding Beast Kings were beside themselves with rage.
Chi Wang shouted furiously, "Despicable human, you seek death!"
But Yuhao only sneered with contempt.
"Beasts like you dare speak of morality to me?"
Then the centipede tightened, driving its legs deeper and eliciting another anguished scream from Bi Ji.
"You're the ones invading Shrek Academy. You chose death! Even if I die today, I'll make you pay dearly!"
"Frost Centipede, self-destruct!"
The centipede flared with soul power, clearly preparing for spirit self-detonation—a soul master's final, desperate move.
In the original story, Qian Duoduo used this tactic with his Wulong Shield to block Bear King's Sky-Rending Claw—barely surviving afterward.
Chi Wang's pupils contracted.
He felt a genuine threat of death from this spirit beast. He couldn't understand how a mere Soul Emperor like Huo Yuhao could wield such terrifying power.
The Ten Thousand Demon King quickly spoke.
"Human, wait! Let's talk!"
Face solemn, he offered:
"Release Bi Ji, and we will withdraw the beast tide. We will no longer attack Shrek City!"
Huo Yuhao:
"Now just sit back and watch me work!"