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Dai Chengfeng had now completely calmed down. He turned around to face the anxious group.
"There's no need to be overly tense. If I'm not mistaken, the one coming is my 'old friend.'"
"Old friend?"
Grand Priest was momentarily stunned, then as if realizing something, her pupils suddenly contracted. "Chengfeng, are you referring to... what Commander Zhu Fan mentioned... that time on the forest outskirts when we encountered..."
"Yes, it's the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger."
Dai Chengfeng nodded, affirming the Grand Priest's conjecture.
Upon hearing this, apart from Dai Chengfeng and the Grand Priest who had anticipated it, everyone else gasped in shock.
The ferocity and strength of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger might be unknown to ordinary people, but a few records existed among various powerful factions.
Its rarity and terrifying power were enough to make any soul master tremble at the mere mention of it.
"The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger?!"
Ning Rongrong exclaimed in shock. Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena also paled visibly; clearly, all three had heard of how fearsome this soul beast was.
"Chengfeng, we must not linger here! The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger is extremely bizarre and powerful, especially skilled in cross-tier battles. We must evacuate immediately!"
The Grand Priest spoke urgently, her voice filled with concern.
Although she was highly skilled, she had no confidence in defeating the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, let alone ensuring the safety of Dai Chengfeng and others.
However, Dai Chengfeng shook his head. His gaze swept over the group, finally settling on the direction from which the aura emanated…
His eyes held no fear, but instead burned with intense fighting spirit.
"I appreciate your concern, Grand Priest."
"But there's no need to retreat."
Dai Chengfeng's voice was clear and steady, slightly calming the group's anxious mood. "One of my objectives for entering the Great Star Dou Forest was precisely it."
"What?!"
The Grand Priest's eyes widened in shock. "Chengfeng, do you mean… you intend to hunt the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger for your sixth soul ring?"
"This is too risky!"
"Its strength far exceeds that of ordinary ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts, and its abilities are bizarre and unpredictable, impossible to guard against!"
"Precisely because of its formidable strength and unique abilities, its soul ring and essence are more worthy of me, wouldn't you agree?"
Dai Chengfeng smiled faintly, his smile brimming with confidence and dominance.
"Grand Priest, since Uncle Zhu mentioned it to you, did he mention the 'gift' it left for me?"
With a thought, Dai Chengfeng made a soft "hum" sound. A pair of jet-black wings with dark golden mysterious patterns on their edges silently unfurled behind him.
The wings weren't massive, but their form was elegant yet sharp, surrounded by faint black currents. They emitted a dark and evil force that was of the same origin as the distant evil aura, yet purer and deeper—it was the external soul bone: Dark Demon God Wings!
The moment the Dark Demon God Wings appeared, the surrounding space seemed to slightly distort. The oppressive aura from this top-tier evil soul bone caused everyone present to feel a chill.
"This... this is..."
The Grand Priest looked at the familiar wings, her eyes flashing with complex emotions.
"It's time for it to taste its own medicine."
Dai Chengfeng lightly flapped the Dark Demon God Wings, creating a slight breeze. A glint of mischief flashed in his eyes.
"As they say, lifting a stone only to drop it on one's own feet. Today, I'll teach it that lesson."
Saying this, Dai Chengfeng looked at the Grand Priest, his tone becoming serious: "Grand Priest, when I engage in battle with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, regardless of any bizarre occurrences..."
"Especially if both it and I suddenly vanish from sight, please ensure that Zhu Zhuqing and the others remain calm and do not approach the area where we disappeared."
"I have my methods to deal with it."
The Grand Priest looked into Dai Chengfeng's confident and resolute eyes. She knew well the indomitable will of this Fourth Prince. Once he made a decision, it was not something easily changed by others.
Moreover, Dai Chengfeng harbored many secrets and hidden cards up his sleeve. Perhaps he truly had some ingenious method to counter the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.
After pondering for a moment, the Grand Priest nodded heavily: "I understand."
"Chengfeng... be careful no matter what! If things don't go as planned, prioritize your safety above all!"
Dai Chengfeng nodded, then stepped forward, walking alone towards the open ground across the stream, quietly awaiting the arrival of this "old friend."
Ning Rongrong and the others watched his tall and solitary back, their hearts full of worry.
But at this moment, all they could do was trust him and prepare to provide support at any time.
The evil aura in the air grew stronger, the coldness and deathly stillness causing the surrounding temperature to drop significantly.
As dusk deepened, finally, a pair of crimson eyes lit up amidst the shadows at the edge of the woodland.
There was no emotion in those eyes, only the purest form of evil, greed, and destructive intent.
Following that, a pitch-black, elegantly and powerfully built giant tiger slowly stepped out.
Its size wasn't particularly enormous—much smaller than the previous Golden-Horned Giant Ape—but every inch of its muscles exuded explosive power.
Its black fur resembled the deepest night sky, adorned with eerie gray patterns.
Most peculiar was the scorpion-like tail trailing behind it, the tip shimmering with an icy blue glow.
It was none other than the legendary—Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!
And just as it appeared, its gaze instantly locked onto Dai Chengfeng.
It ignored the sternly prepared Grand Priest entirely. In those crimson animalistic eyes, fierce light flickered, revealing a surprisingly human-like hint of astonishment.
This quickly transformed into mockery and greed, as if saying:
"Boy, didn't expect you'd actually dare to show up before me? Are you tired of living, or did you come specifically to offer yourself as a snack?"
Facing this notoriously malevolent tiger, Dai Chengfeng remained calm. He even took two steps forward, standing in remote confrontation with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, the faint smile never leaving his lips:
"You fiend, if you can wander around the Great Star Dou Forest, why shouldn't I dare to come?"
"This time, I've come specifically for you."
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was no fool; it clearly understood Dai Chengfeng's words.
A flicker of provoked anger crossed its eyes, but more prominent was the excitement of seeing prey walk willingly into a trap.
Roar!
It growled low, the sound not loud but carrying a chilling coldness that struck directly at the soul.
Yet Dai Chengfeng, facing the enraged Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, showed no trace of worry. Instead, an air of complete control rose in his eyes.
After all, having dared to actively seek out the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, he naturally had absolute confidence in victory.
Though this ferocious beast was powerful and strange, its greatest advantage had become the carefully prepared trap Dai Chengfeng set for it.
While Dai Chengfeng was contemplating, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger growled again.
Its limbs bent slightly, powerful dark energy gathering around it.
That suffocating evil pressure surged towards Dai Chengfeng like a tide.
It seemed uninterested in prolonged engagement, intending to crush this audacious human with sheer overwhelming power.
However, just as it was about to leap, Dai Chengfeng moved.
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