"Boom boom—"
Two heavy thuds echoed through the air as Big Bear and Big Black descended like gods of war, landing not far from the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.
As soon as they landed, a dark golden light flashed around Big Bear, activating his innate soul skill: Dark Gold Terror Claw and Frenzy. His imposing aura was no weaker than that of a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast.
Compared to Big Bear, Big Black made an even bigger entrance. A yellowish-brown glow radiated from his body as he activated two of his three innate soul skills: Titan's Strength and Earth Control.
At the same time, an invisible force spread outwards, centered on Big Black. Everything within a hundred-meter radius seemed to twist unnaturally.
"Domain? Soul core?"
Chen Xin, watching from afar, couldn't help but exclaim.
As a Titled Douluo, Chen Xin had sharp eyesight. Spotting the twisting force surrounding Big Black, he immediately recognized it as domain power.
For soul beasts, with very few exceptions, only hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts could invariably master domain power. Could it be that Chu Chengzhou's summoned Titan Giant Ape had already reached the hundred-thousand-year tier?
Chen Xin wasn't wrong. Big Black was indeed now a hundred-thousand-year summon.
Two months ago, Chu Chengzhou had upgraded his sixth soul ring to a hundred-thousand-year one.
With Big Black's age reaching a hundred thousand years, similar to wild hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts, he automatically mastered domain power: Gravity Control Domain.
Moreover, Chu Chengzhou, struck by inspiration, taught Big Black, whose intelligence had significantly increased after reaching a hundred thousand years, the method for condensing a soul core.
Big Black didn't disappoint Chu Chengzhou's teachings. Though his brain might have been more muscle than intellect, after half a month, he successfully condensed his first soul core. Upon being resummoned, the previously condensed soul core remained intact.
It must be said, that stroke of inspiration brought considerable benefits.
A soul core could automatically absorb ambient spiritual energy to restore its soul power consumption. While purifying the soul power within Big Black's body and enhancing his strength, it indirectly improved Chu Chengzhou's endurance as a summoner.
After all, since Big Black could now automatically recover his soul power, battles naturally reduced Chu Chengzhou's consumption.
And this was just one soul core. If someday all summons could condense a yin-yang complementary triple soul core and become 'perpetual motion machines,' perhaps in the future, summoning them to battle would only require the soul power cost of summoning them, without needing to supply their combat consumption.
Unfortunately, Big Bear wasn't as cooperative. Even though Big Black, with muscles growing into his brain, managed to condense a soul core, Big Bear simply couldn't learn. Chu Chengzhou could only pin this hope on Big Bear reaching the hundred-thousand-year mark.
Looking at the two colossal beasts that had landed nearby, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger couldn't help but narrow its pupils, its cold blood-red eyes fixed intently on Big Bear and Big Black.
Due to its extraordinary bloodline level, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger possessed high intelligence. Even though it was less than fifty thousand years old, it was still no less intelligent than ordinary hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts or humans. It recognized these two giants as the famous Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear and Titan Giant Ape of the soul beast world.
Though the bloodline levels of these two types of soul beasts were inferior to its own, if their ages were the same, it could certainly hold its ground against both combined. However, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger knew that the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear and Titan Giant Ape before it were much older.
Especially the Titan Giant Ape—it possessed domain power, likely having reached the hundred-thousand-year mark.
Thinking thus, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger couldn't help but feel the urge to retreat.
Dealing with just the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear and Titan Giant Ape was difficult enough; it had no way to resist head-on, let alone the dangerous white-haired soul master in the distance.
But no sooner had the thought of retreating formed than Big Bear and Big Black charged directly toward it.
Accompanying Big Black's charge, the gravity control domain enveloping him collided with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's evil god domain.
There was no sound of impact, but the evil god domain covering several hundred meters around the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger rapidly shrank. The surrounding dim forest immediately returned to its original brightness.
Domain power can only be broken by another domain!
The evil god domain controlled by the less-than-fifty-thousand-year-old Dark Demon Evil God Tiger naturally couldn't compare to the gravity control domain of a hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape.
Although Big Black's gravity control domain didn't have the ability to forcibly break other domains, due to its higher intensity, it could suppress relatively weaker ones.
In the blink of an eye, the evil god domain enveloping the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was suppressed to less than ten meters in diameter, barely covering itself.
It wasn't that Big Black didn't want to put in more effort, but the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's foundation wasn't bad either. The gravity control domain could suppress but couldn't completely break it.
Of course, this was also because the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was desperately maintaining its evil god domain. If it were fully suppressed, the Titan Giant Ape's gravity domain would envelop it, severely restricting its movement. Surrounded by strong enemies, today wouldn't end well.
"Roar—"
Letting out a loud roar, Big Bear raised his right arm, over six or seven meters long, and with terrifying momentum, swung his dark golden claw down upon the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.
Seeing this, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's pupils contracted. The surrounding air suddenly fluctuated violently. Amidst the fierce winds, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger narrowly avoided Big Bear's claw.
The next moment, red light flashed in the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's eyes. Its jet-black wings flapped powerfully, and suddenly countless black lights erupted, transforming into dozens of foot-long black blades that shot out.
However, these dozens of foot-long black blades weren't aimed at Big Bear but at Chu Chengzhou hovering in mid-air.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had clearly seen earlier that the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear and Titan Giant Ape were summoned by this six-ring soul master, Chu Chengzhou.
Though it couldn't understand how a mere six-ring soul master could summon such powerful Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear and Titan Giant Ape, that didn't matter. What mattered was, if it could kill this six-ring soul master, would the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear and Titan Giant Ape disappear?
Dozens of black blades shot toward Chu Chengzhou, who didn't dare to be careless. As soul power surged around him, a soul power flower materialized above his head. With petals fluttering down, a faint protective divine light enveloped him.
Simultaneously, his movement technique, Golden Light Dash, was activated. Before the blades could reach him, his body transformed into a streak of light, sidestepping over twenty meters in mid-air and dodging the attack.
The next second, drawing his bow, golden light shimmered in his hand as soul power infused the arrows. "Swoosh swoosh swoosh—", three Golden Armor Piercing Arrows shot out as three streaks of golden light toward the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.
"Ding ding ding—"
The specialized armor-piercing arrows hit the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger but were still blocked by the gray shield enveloping its body—a defense akin to Xiaowu's Absolute Defense Technique: Invincible Golden Body, albeit with a lower limit.
However, the combination of Sun Shooting Divine Arrow, Flowing Gold Armor Piercing Arrow, and the elemental enhancement of the Nine Heavens Divine Bow made the three arrows formidable. The gray shield covering the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger trembled violently, seemingly nearing its defensive limit.
At this moment, a dark golden claw shadow shot out, landing on the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's body.
As the terrifyingly sharp claw descended, the gray shield, which had been trembling after enduring Chu Chengzhou's three arrows, seemed to freeze in time.
Instantly, fine cracks covered the gray shield enveloping the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. With a "Bang—", it shattered into countless gray streams, disappearing into the air.
Just as the gray shield was shattered by Big Bear's innate soul skill: Dark Gold Terror Claw, a fist glowing with intense earthy-yellow light slammed heavily onto the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's massive head.
"Boom—"
Big Black's powerful punch sent the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger flying dozens of meters, breaking several towering trees before crashing to the ground.
"Clang—"
A not-so-loud sound rang out as a black-gray fang stained with some grayish blood fell onto a protruding rock, producing a collision sound.
Indeed, even its tooth got knocked out!
Only a soul beast's tough body could endure such a blow. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger only lost a big tooth from Big Black's punch, but if it were someone like She Long, a Titled Douluo without any defensive means, getting hit squarely in the head by a hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape would surely result in a fatal blow.
"Roar—"
Shaking its dizzy head, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger rose and roared angrily.
Never had anyone... no, never had any beast dared to hit it like this. If this can be endured, what can't be? This big gorilla must die!
Enraged, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger emitted a gray glow. Its four limbs exerted force simultaneously, dashing forward like teleportation to Big Black's front.
At the same time, the black evil god hook at the end of its tail instantly straightened, becoming a pitch-black long spike that stabbed directly into the gravity control domain released by Big Black.
Upon contact between the black spike and the domain, Big Black's formless gravity control domain shattered violently. The suppressed evil god domain of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger instantly expanded back to cover a hundred-meter radius.
Immediately afterward, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's blood-red eyes turned azure blue, and its black light intensified. The tail, now transformed into an evil god spike, lashed out, and a black dot abruptly appeared.
In the blink of an eye, intense black light erupted, and the black dot instantly expanded into a three-meter-wide giant black hole.
'Not good!'
Seeing the sudden appearance of the black hole, Chu Chengzhou, knowing what this ability was, sharply contracted his pupils and immediately fired three Golden Armor Piercing Arrows.
Unfortunately, arrows took time to fly—they were too late.
Although the armor-piercing arrows hit the black hole, under the powerful suction force, Big Black and the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger were swallowed by the black hole before the arrows could fully destroy the devouring void.
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou couldn't help but darken his expression. Many things, even if you know about them, don't mean you can stop them in time. Fortunately, it wasn't himself that got sucked in.
Of course, facing the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's extremely unreasonable innate soul skill, Big Black was going to experience his first death today.
Hm, no, his first death at the hands of an opponent.
When condensing the soul core, Big Black had cooled down several times due to out of control solidified soul power. Otherwise, a summon as dumb as him wouldn't easily condense a soul core.
It must be said that, in terms of condensing a soul core, fearless summons have an advantage over normal soul beasts.
On the other side, in an unknown space.
Everything around had fallen into darkness, and Big Black felt his body floating weightlessly.
What puzzled him even more was that his once powerful strength seemed to be weakening, and something strange seemed to be happening to his body.
After an indeterminate amount of time, suddenly, the light brightened, and the sensation of standing on solid ground returned. Blinking his eyes, Big Black found himself in a peculiar space.
This place resembled a huge arena, circular in shape, yet boundless.
There were no objects in the sky—only endless darkness, exceptionally oppressive. The only source of light came from the arena itself.
At this moment, Big Black saw the culprit who had brought him to this unknown space.
Thirty meters away, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger stood, its gaping bloody mouth missing a large tooth. Its blood-red eyes seemed to mockingly look at him?
That's right, mockingly. At this moment, Big Black could sense the mockery in the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's eyes.
"Squeak—"
Facing that mocking gaze, Big Black grew angry. Habitually raising his arms and pounding his chest, he roared and charged forward to smash this guy into a pancake.
Squeak???
Where did my, the renowned Big Black's loud and powerful voice go?
Puzzled, Big Black looked at his somewhat 'slender' arms. Instantly, his crystal-clear yellow eyes widened as he compared his physique with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.
If the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger hadn't been enlarged, then Grandpa Big Black had become a little monkey less than a meter tall?
"Roar—!"
A deafening roar sounded as the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger joyfully lifted its head and roared loudly.
Previously surrounded by strong enemies, what to do?
Kill the Soul Emperor human soul master who summoned the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear and Titan Giant Ape, or the white-haired soul master who hadn't acted yet from afar?
No, the cunning Dark Demon Evil God Tiger chose to use its innate soul skill: Life-and-Death Arena, ambushing and killing the Titan Giant Ape!
This was a hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape. If it could devour and digest it, its cultivation and age would likely increase by several tens of thousands of years!
Ninety-thousand-year-old soul beasts versus hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts—though the difference in age seemed small, for the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, the essence of a ninety-thousand-year-old soul beast wasn't stronger than itself. Even devouring ten of them wouldn't compare to devouring one hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast.
Moreover, defeating this Titan Giant Ape outside wouldn't give it the chance to devour and digest. But inside the Life-and-Death Arena, it was different. Other enemies couldn't enter here. After determining the victor in the arena, by continuously consuming soul power to maintain the arena's existence, it could devour and digest the Titan Giant Ape before leaving.
By then, with its strength skyrocketing, dealing with external enemies wouldn't be a problem!
As for winning in the Life-and-Death Arena, it was joking! It was nearly a fifty-thousand-year-old Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, while the opponent was a Titan Giant Ape in its infant state. Forget fighting—just farting could probably blow that little monkey to death!
Even to instantly pull this hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape into the Life-and-Death Arena, it deliberately used the evil god hook to break the Titan Giant Ape's domain power, preventing it from using domain power to resist the black hole's suction force during the tug-of-war.
At this moment, a strange voice suddenly echoed from all directions: "Welcome to the Life-and-Death Arena. Only when one side dies can this life-and-death battle end, allowing escape from this space. Countdown: five, four, three, two, one, begin."
Big Black: "..."
Glancing at the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, over six meters long and resembling a demon god thirty meters away, then looking at his thin arms and legs, the infant-state Big Black closed his eyes, unable to bear witnessing the dire situation he was about to face.
Dark Demon Evil God Tiger: Hehehe—!
"Roar—!"
As the countdown ended, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger let out an excited roar, darting forward with incredible speed. Extending its claw, it immediately flattened the infant-state Big Black into a pancake.
In an instant, the outcome was decided. The corpse of the infant-state Big Black reverted to its original gigantic size.
Unlike in the original storyline where Tang San killed the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger and instantly escaped the Life-and-Death Arena, this time the winner was the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. The Life-and-Death Arena was its innate soul skill, and as the controller, it could maintain the arena's existence by continuously consuming soul power to keep it active.
However, just as the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger prepared to feast, devouring Big Black's body to increase its cultivation, it noticed the enormous Titan Giant Ape's body crumbling inch by inch, turning into countless soul power light points that dissipated into the arena's air.
"???!!!"
Instantly, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's eyes widened.
Where did that huge hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape go?
"Roar roar roar—!"
Angry roars of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger echoed through the silent arena.
If Chu Chengzhou could know what the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was thinking at this moment, he would definitely say, "You're overthinking it!"
Big Black's summoned body looked like flesh and blood, but it was actually formed from soul power through soul techniques. Essentially, it was soul power—where would there be a corpse for you to devour?
Thinking of gaining strength by devouring the remains of Big Black's hundred-thousand-year-old body to turn the tide? You must be dreaming!
Outside.
When the infant-state Big Black was instantly flattened by the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger inside the Life-and-Death Arena, Chu Chengzhou immediately sensed it.
Though he had already anticipated this outcome, Chu Chengzhou couldn't help but darken his expression.
"Boy, what's the situation?"
Noticing Chu Chengzhou's change in expression, Chen Xin, who had flown beside him, asked.
"Big Black is dead~"
Chu Chengzhou shrugged helplessly.
Hearing this, Chen Xin's pupils contracted sharply.
In Chen Xin's view, although Chu Chengzhou's sixth soul ring was still eighty thousand years old, his summoned Titan Giant Ape possessed domain power, and its strength could likely rival a hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape.
A hundred-thousand-year-old Titan Giant Ape's strength wasn't much weaker than a Level 97 Titled Douluo like himself. Even if he could win, it wouldn't be possible to determine the outcome so quickly.
Given the immense strength of the Titan Giant Ape summon, being devoured by the black hole conjured by the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger in just a few seconds confirmed that the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's unreasonable ability was indeed extremely unreasonable.
Thankfully, it was Chu Chengzhou's fearless summon that went in. If it had been him caught in the trap earlier, he, Sword Dao Chen Xin, might have perished in the Great Star Forest today.
Immediately, Chen Xin manifested his Seven Kill Sword, his nine soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—radiating brightly. Staring at the spot where the black hole had disappeared, he became highly vigilant.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was no ordinary foe. He couldn't afford to be careless and fall victim.
Of course, protecting his own life was one aspect; the other was to avoid losing his dignity.
A prestigious Level 97 Titled Douluo falling to a soul beast less than fifty thousand years old would be even more shameful than Qian Xunji being nailed to the pillar of shame in their circle!
Similarly, Chu Chengzhou drew his bow and aimed at the spot where the black hole had disappeared.
From what he knew, although the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger possessed spatial attributes, it didn't have spatial teleportation. The Life-and-Death Arena might be somewhat unreasonable, but wherever it entered, it would inevitably exit from the same place.
As soon as the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger emerged, he would immediately bombard it.
If the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger had a gray shield similar to an absolute defense technique that could resist mental attacks, he would unleash a burst to shatter that shield, then use Void Illusion Realm to control it.
If the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger wasn't prepared, he would directly activate Void Illusion Realm, controlling its consciousness and immediately completing the offering.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was extraordinary. Presumably, it should be able to offer itself like a typical hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast to the current soul master eligible for adding soul rings, right?
Heard that voluntary offerings by soul beasts could increase the drop rate of soul bones. Chu Chengzhou, who had never obtained a soul bone by hunting soul beasts, wanted to try it.
Time ticked by second by second. Half a minute later, a sudden spatial fluctuation arose, the surrounding light dimmed, and a pitch-black figure enveloped in a domain and a gray shield appeared in the forest.
It was the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, whose plan succeeded but didn't yield the desired results.
It wasn't that the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger didn't want to stay in the Life-and-Death Arena for ten days, half a month, or even a couple of months to engage in a prolonged test of patience, waiting for Chu Chengzhou and others to leave. It simply couldn't.
After determining the victor, maintaining the Life-and-Death Arena required continuous consumption of soul power, and this consumption wasn't negligible. Once its soul power was depleted, it would be forced out of the Life-and-Death Arena. At that point, with its soul power exhausted, it would become a sitting duck.
Rather than that, it was better to quickly adjust its state and come out. At least for now, it still had the strength to fight.
"Swoosh swoosh swoosh—"
The instant the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger reappeared, Chu Chengzhou, who had been prepared, released three streaks of golden light that immediately shot forth.
"Roar—"
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger roared angrily, relying on its innate soul skill: Evil God Guardian to protect itself, showing no intention of dodging. Gray light surged around its body, mixing wind and thunder powers with its primary evil attribute to form numerous gray spheres, which then shot towards Chu Chengzhou in mid-air.
Chu Chengzhou's arrows, it had endured before, knowing their power was formidable but insufficient to break its Evil God Guardian. On the other hand, its Dark Demon Thunder, that wasn't something a mere Soul Emperor soul master could withstand.
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