Splash—!
The still waters of the lake suddenly exploded into towering waves.
The Azure Bull Python surged up from the depths, tearing through the surface.
At once, Li Zhexian and the four Titled Douluo—Chen Xin, Yu Yuanzhen, Dugu Bo, and Feng Bailong—vanished from their treetop perches and appeared around the lake's edge.
"What happened?"
The Azure Bull Python's deep voice thundered, vapor hissing around its massive body.
"A powerful Spirit Master force has entered the Star Dou Forest."
"So the Spirit Hall has truly come…"
"ROAR—!"
The Titan Giant Ape beat its chest and bellowed to the heavens, its killing intent surging like a storm.
"Let me crush those vile humans to dust!"
Xiao Wu rushed out onto the lotus leaves floating on the lake, clutching the sleeping Zhu Zhuqing tightly.
"Four Seniors… Zhexian…"
The Azure Bull Python's blue eyes swept across the four Titled Douluo, finally settling on Li Zhexian's calm, handsome face.
Then it bowed its colossal head slowly.
"The Star Dou Forest is indebted to you all. This favor shall never be forgotten."
"No need for words."
Chen Xin, Yu Yuanzhen, Dugu Bo, and Feng Bailong released surging waves of Spirit Power.
"Since Zhexian has asked, we will fight with all we have."
Zheng——!
A clear, sharp sword cry suddenly rang out. Li Zhexian extended his hand, and the Qinglian Sword, clear as blood jade, materialized inch by inch in his palm.
"Six seniors."
"Please remember what I said before."
The four Titled Douluo exchanged glances, then nodded with the Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python.
"Of course we haven't forgotten."
"We'll give everything we have—to help you leave your mark upon the Pope, Bibi Dong."
They thought nothing more of it.
They only knew that five years ago, within the Pope's Palace, Li Zhexian had nearly lost his life to Bibi Dong's hand.
A youth's pride, rekindled.
Now, five years later, he sought to return that debt in kind.
Seeing the faint smiles on their faces, Li Zhexian said nothing to explain.
But a flicker of ice passed through his eyes.
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
The Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python took the lead, their hundred-meter bodies toppling ancient trees like reeds as they charged toward the forest's edge.
The four Titled Douluo followed like streaking stars.
"Xiao Wu, watch over Zhuqing!"
As Li Zhexian's voice fell, his figure blurred into a streak of crimson swordlight, vanishing toward the horizon.
"Li Zhexian! Be careful!"
Xiao Wu's anxious cry rang out, her pink eyes shimmering with tears.
No matter whether he acted for Zhu Zhuqing's safety or not,
the fact remained—he had gone to great lengths to summon four Titled Douluo to protect her and the two forest overlords.
That kindness… was immeasurable.
"Compared to those who preach morality and righteousness…"
"Li Zhexian, who would risk everything for Spirit Beasts…"
"He is no less than a god."
Meanwhile, the lone Spirit Master frantically stuffed spiritual herbs into his mouth, chasing them with gulps of strong wine.
The herbs and wine —all gifts from Lord Sword Wine (Li Zhexian).
Turtle-Breath Grass, Lightfeather Leaf, Stoneheart Root… whatever he could find, he consumed it all.
Moments later, he felt stronger than ever before—his body brimming with raw spirit energy.
"Lord Sword Wine said to record everything—so long as I stay alive?"
"Ha! How could I dare slack off!"
Pulling his flower-embroidered cloak tighter, the Spirit Master sprinted after Li Zhexian's group.
...
"Stop." A cold command drifted from within the pale-purple curtains of the grand carriage.
The eight unicorned dragon horses neighed sharply and reared back, bringing the entire procession to a halt.
"Your Holiness the Pope, what is wrong..."
Before Chrysanthemum Douluo could finish, confusion flashed across his refined features.
"Hmm?!" Ghost Douluo hissed, his voice shrill and sharp:
"Enemies approaching!"
"All units—prepare for battle!"
BOOM—!
The boundless forest exploded upward, leaves and soil scattering like waves.
Two colossal, gold-furred hands tore open the canopy as if ripping the heavens apart, gale winds howling around them.
And then—
Two figures of unimaginable size, towering more than a hundred meters tall, emerged from the forest depths, their eyes blazing with fury.
The Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python, rulers of the Star Dou Forest, had arrived.
"ROAR!!" ×2
The twin roars—ancient, violent, and boundless—shook the endless expanse of the Star Dou Great Forest, making ten thousand beasts kneel in submission.
A tide of bloodthirsty killing intent mixed with mist and water vapor surged outward like a crashing mountain and sea.
Even the Spirit Saints and Spirit Douluo trembled in terror, staggering back again and again.
"Hmph!"
Yue Guan (Chrysanthemum Douluo) and Gui Mei (Ghost Douluo) leapt forward together, their vast Spirit Power spreading out, resisting the overwhelming might of the two great Spirit Beasts.
"Such courage."
Chrysanthemum Douluo smirked, brushing his fingers along his lips.
"You knew we were coming…"
"Yet instead of hiding, you came out to face us head-on."
"I can't tell whether you're fearless—or simply eager to die."
"Heh…"
"Old Chrysanthemum, you sure talk big."
A green-and-red mist spread out—Dugu Bo strode forth through his poisonous haze.
"Old poison?! What are you doing here?!"
Both Yue Guan and Gui Mei exclaimed in shock.
Zheng——!
At that moment, two sharp sword lights tore through the sky.
White-robed Chen Xin and gray-clad Feng Bailong arrived, standing upon their swords, robes fluttering like clouds.
BOOM—!
Thunder exploded across the heavens as Yu Yuanzhen, his beard and hair bristling, strode out from within a storm of lightning.
Now, four Titled Douluo and two terrifying Spirit Beasts stood side by side—an overwhelming force of nature.
In an instant, the forest churned and the mists scattered.
Even Yue Guan and Gui Mei found themselves forced backward by the sheer oppressive power.
"Chen Xin… Feng Bailong… Yu Yuanzhen… and you, Old Poison…"
Ghost Douluo's voice trembled with anger and disbelief.
"When did you all start working with the Spirit Beasts of Star Dou?!"
Whoosh—
Before them, in front of Chrysanthemum and Ghost—
A woman in a magnificent dark-purple gown appeared in midair.
Pope Bibi Dong.
She stood suspended in the void, one hand gripping the Pope's scepter, her dark purple eyes sweeping coldly across the four Titled Douluo.
Her voice was calm, soft—yet each word carried the weight of a blade.
"Where is Li Zhexian?"
Her words lingered faintly in the air.
Then—
A blood-red streak of sword qi appeared a hundred meters before her.
The sword qi silently shattered—
And out of it stepped a young man in white.
Li Zhexian.
His lips curved into a faint, icy smile as he gazed upon Bibi Dong—whose aura now was even more terrifying than it had been five years ago.
"Your Holiness the Pope," he said softly, "I trust you've been well since we last met…"
BOOM—!
Bibi Dong's killing intent toward Li Zhexian exploded like a storm-torn sky.
There was no greeting, no words—only the urge to kill.
A pillar of dark-purple light erupted skyward from her body.
The jeweled crown atop her head shattered into dust.
Her long purple hair billowed wildly.
Purple spider markings crawled across her flawless cheeks.
Her gown, with its trailing skirts that once brushed the ground, now flared like wings.
"Li Zhexian!"
"Die for this Pope!"
Bibi Dong seemed to tear through space itself, appearing instantly in front of Li Zhexian.
Li Zhexian's expression was unfazed, his dark eyes remaining cold and sharp.
Clang—!
Clang—!
Clang—!
The four Titled Douluo, together with the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python, who had long been on guard, all moved in the same instant.
The four Douluo leapt before Li Zhexian, forming a shield.
The Titan Giant Ape's massive fist slammed forward.
The Azure Bull Python's tail whipped through the air.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—!!!
A thunderous explosion rolled through the entire Star Dou Forest.
For hundreds of miles, birds dropped from the sky, and beasts fell to the ground, wailing in fear.
Seven torrents of destructive power collided head-on, bursting apart like a furious ocean.
Wherever the shockwave passed—
Ancient trees crumbled to dust.
Mountains shattered into powder.
The very ground was scraped bare for three full meters.
BOOM—!
BOOM—!
Bibi Dong fought seven opponents at once.
Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo hurried forward to assist—
Only to see behind Bibi Dong—
Two colossal spider forms, one purple and one green, manifest from the void, their presence covering the heavens.
And from behind those twin Spider Emperors rose the most terrifying sight of all—
Her Spirit Rings.
Their colors—her configuration—
made every heart on the battlefield freeze in dread.