Because Tianlin had redirected the sword energy, Di Tian and the other beasts were injured but not dead, temporarily unable to fight, much like Sky Azure Bull Python.
"Di Tian, who would have thought we'd be wiped out by humans?" Zi Ji said bitterly.
"It doesn't matter. If we die, so be it. But like this, we have no face to see Lord Dragon God." Di Tian was not afraid of death. Dying at the hands of a divine-level opponent wasn't shameful, but he worried for the soul beasts' future.
If the beasts were wiped out, what would happen when humans hunted soul beasts as they had before? The soul beasts would soon be extinct.
"Di Tian, I can spare your lives," Tianlin suddenly said, "but you must return what's mine."
"What's yours? You've been saying we took something of yours. What are you talking about?" Zi Ji demanded. She had no memory of meeting this youth before, much less stealing from him.
"It's those Spirit Pearls and that sword. Zi Ji, didn't you notice? This boy's two martial souls are two of the legendary Spirit Pearls and Divine Sword from back then. The rest of the pearls fell into our hands." Di Tian had realized this all along. To him, once treasures entered the Lake of Life, they became theirs, regardless of the original owner.
He just hadn't expected the original owner to come back—this powerful.
"That's right. I've already reclaimed the Earth and Fire Pearls from Bear Lord and Scarlet King. Three pearls and the Demon Suppressing Sword remain in your hands. Return them, and I swear not to harm you today." Tianlin promised.
"If you want to take them, you'll have to have the strength!" At that moment, a crisp, angry female voice echoed from the sky.
"Master!" Di Tian and the soul beasts rejoiced—had their master emerged?
Bibi Dong and the others were shocked. These beasts were already strong—who knew they had a master? Just how many secrets did Star Dou Forest hide?
"Hmph, Silver Dragon King, you've come out too? But why the arrogance? How much power do you still have left?" Tianlin looked toward the voice, smiling. Facing the soul beast master, he showed no fear.
The Silver Dragon King hesitated. "You know me? Judging by your auras, you are inheritors of the Asura and Angel Gods. Did they tell you about me?"
"Damn enforcers! It was the Asura God who killed Lord Dragon God with his sword, and now they send you to wipe out the soul beasts!"
The Silver Dragon King was furious. She had wanted revenge, but now the gods had sent someone to kill them.
Tianlin shook his head. "You misunderstand. The Asura God never wanted to harm you again. I came here of my own will, not on his orders. I just want my Spirit Pearls and Divine Sword back. Return them, and I'll never disturb you again."
"Hmph, impossible. Those pearls are our treasures now. If they were yours, I'll just kill you and make them ownerless again!" The Silver Dragon King's domineering nature showed; in the soul beast world, the strong take from the weak.
Tianlin frowned. He had been patient, but if they didn't listen, he would not hold back. "Then show me how much power you have left!"
"Die! Thunderlight Annihilation!" A terrifying bolt of lightning shot from the Lake of Life toward Tianlin.
Tianlin sensed a power unlike soul power—spiritual power—stronger even than his Heavenly Sword.
"So, you're using the Thunder Spirit Pearl's power for a blow matching a first-level god. But using my pearl against me—how naive!" Light flared from both of Tianlin's hands as Angel and Asura powers merged to form a giant, hundreds-meter-long light blade.
"Skydome Void Blade!"
Unlike the group-attack Heavenly Sword, this was a single-target strike, far more powerful.
The light blade swung, turning day to night; this sword could cut through light itself.
"Slash!"
The blade and lightning collided. As the two forces clashed, the whole forest trembled.
The Silver Dragon King hesitated. She hadn't expected Tianlin to unleash such power. If this attack exploded in Star Dou Forest, everything would be destroyed, and all soul beasts would die at her hands.
"What a terrifying sword art! I never imagined his swordsmanship was this profound!" Di Tian, a sword expert himself, had never heard of Shu Mountain sword techniques. Regardless, both the Heavenly Sword and Skydome Void Blade far surpassed his Black Dragon Sword. If it weren't for Tianlin's limited strength, even without fusion skills, Di Tian wouldn't be a match.
Now, neither side could hold back. Tianlin feared breaking his promise to Qian Renxue—if these powers exploded, everyone in the forest except him, Qian Renxue, and the Silver Dragon King would die.
"This is madness! So many lives will be lost!" At that moment, a gentle, slightly exasperated voice sounded in Tianlin's soul.
Tianlin was shocked—apart from Skydream Iceworm and Xiao Bai, someone else had been hiding in his spiritual sea all these years, undetected.
"Universe Thought Realm!"
Several rings suddenly appeared in the sky, enveloping the collision point and forming a strange space.
Both powers hit their limit and exploded, but the rings contained the blast within a small area, causing less damage than a chainsaw.
"What's going on?" Tianlin and the Silver Dragon King were stunned. They had gone all out, but these mysterious rings suppressed both attacks.
The Silver Dragon King didn't know where the rings came from, but Tianlin did—they came from his spiritual sea, and only he had heard the woman's voice.
What kind of being lived in his spiritual sea?
"Xiao Tian, I'll answer your questions later. For now, use this chance to reclaim the Spirit Pearls," the woman said telepathically.
Tianlin nodded inwardly. Since she had helped him and never harmed him all these years, she was likely not an enemy—if she was, he'd be dead already, unable to resist someone of her level.