Dugu Bo was also stunned for a moment, then said with sudden realization:
"This old man once heard that beast groups of similar strength and of the same race would erupt into war for various reasons, just like how the Demon Soul Great White Sharks and the Evil Demon Killer Whales in the ocean have always maintained a hostile relationship over food and territory."
"The Marsh Giant Crocodiles and the Back-Spined Earth Crocodiles before us are the same. The rainy season in the Star Dou Great Forest is almost over, and the water levels in the marshes and some rivers here are rapidly dropping. These two races are preparing to fight for dominance over this watershed. I never thought that in my later years, I would still get to witness such a bizarre spectacle. This trip wasn't in vain..."
Shen Hanyu twitched at the corner of his mouth, then asked inexplicably:
"What about the Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast? It couldn't have migrated long ago, right? Wouldn't that mean we came here for nothing?"
Dugu Bo glared at Shen Hanyu and said:
"The territorial awareness of soul beasts is far stronger than that of humans, especially for a terrifying soul beast like the Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast. How could it possibly cede its territory to a group of inferior crocodile soul beasts? It might even be lurking at the bottom of some body of water right now, preparing for a sneak attack."
Shen Hanyu was speechless and could only observe the two beast groups before him.
The Marsh Giant Crocodile was a type of high-level soul beast. Its strength and size were generally inferior to the Back-Spined Earth Crocodile, but it had the advantage in numbers, nearly three times that of the Back-Spined Earth Crocodiles. Among them, the Marsh Giant Crocodile King's cultivation was around eighty thousand years, and its body was well over ten meters, already considered a colossal creature.
On the opposite side, although the Back-Spined Earth Crocodile group had fewer numbers, they compensated with enormous size. For the same cultivation years, the Back-Spined Earth Crocodile was even twice as large as the Marsh Giant Crocodile. Their backs and limbs were covered with blade-like protrusions, exuding a sense of oppressive pressure.
The Back-Spined Crocodile King's cultivation was also approaching eighty thousand years, though slightly inferior to the Marsh Giant Crocodile King, but in terms of aura, it completely overwhelmed the opponent.
Shen Hanyu narrowed his eyes slightly, observing this rare scene.
As the two crocodile kings let out roars, the two groups rapidly charged into each other. In an instant, the sounds of slaughter and wails echoed all around. The clear river water was quickly stained red with blood, and the scene became incomparably bloody.
Many corpses were carried downstream by the river, then dragged ashore or devoured on the spot by various hungry soul beasts. A feast of killing and satiation had begun...
...........
One hour later.
The Marsh Giant Crocodile group had been slaughtered into disarray, with only one in ten members surviving. Even the Marsh Giant Crocodile King was covered in numerous deep, bone-visible, gruesome wounds. It panted heavily with its remaining clansmen, surrounded in the middle of the water.
In contrast, although the Back-Spined Earth Crocodile clan had suffered casualties, they were largely unharmed at their core, though their massive bodies were also marked with numerous wounds.
Shen Hanyu watched the Back-Spined Earth Crocodile group, which was clearly preparing to eradicate the remnants, and couldn't help but secretly praise them. This was the smart decision.
As the saying goes, if you cut the grass but don't remove the roots, it will grow again when the spring wind blows.
After offending someone, it's best to eradicate their entire family, including the old, weak, sick, and disabled, to avoid any conceptual dilemmas like "thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river."
Just as the Back-Spined Crocodile King opened its massive bloody maw to finish off the Marsh Giant Crocodile King before it, a huge and bizarre soul beast suddenly burst out of the water, actually standing directly on the water's surface.
The bizarre soul beast was not large in size, its entire body covered in purple-gold scales. Its pair of eyes was deeply set with a sharp purple-gold color. Below its head grew a purple mane. Around its scales were protrusions like ice spikes, emanating a bone-chilling cold. It had three tails, all covered with purple-gold long fur, and the tips of the tails were purple-gold crystals that sparkled dazzlingly under the sunlight.
Dugu Bo pointed a finger at the majestic soul beast on the river and said:
"This is that Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast. In just a few decades, this beast has completely broken through the fifty-thousand-year mark and even reached fifty-three thousand years of cultivation. It must have devoured quite a few native soul beasts here. Kid, are you confident?"
Shen Hanyu looked at the elegantly shaped Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast, clenched his fist, and said:
"Seventy percent confidence."
Dugu Bo glanced at him and said:
"No absolute certainty? Do you want to switch targets? If you die, this old man won't collect your corpse."
"This old man needs to warn you: without absolute certainty, your actions are no different from suicide."
Shen Hanyu twitched at the corner of his mouth, inexplicably feeling that the other party resembled a certain old acquaintance he had seen before.
"Gamble on it. I think if Senior Dugu dares to gamble, with the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's innate poison, even if you can't kill that Chrysanthemum Douluo, you'll at least make him suffer for a while."
Dugu Bo was stunned, then quickly regained his composure, his eyes somewhat cryptic as he said:
"That dead chrysanthemum doesn't have bloodline inheritance. Whether it has that function is unknown. If not for this old man having a granddaughter to take care of, that dead chrysanthemum would have died who knows how many times already..."
Shen Hanyu nodded, saying no more. He looked at the Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast below, which had already crushed quite a few ten-thousand-year Back-Spined Earth Crocodiles and begun devouring them heartily, and said:
"Senior Dugu, please!"
Dugu Bo snorted coldly, then his figure rapidly vanished.
The Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast, which was devouring heartily, sensed a terrifying aura suddenly appearing nearby. Without hesitation, it dropped the incomplete corpse in its mouth and swiftly turned to one side.
The next moment, a massive green snake tail heavily struck the water's surface, raising huge waves.
In the sky, Dugu Bo stood on the head of a Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor over thirty meters long. The nine soul rings under his feet rotated continuously, emanating the absolute might of a Titled Douluo.
The Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast roared in anger. The next moment, it leaped into the sky, its terrifying claws assaulting Dugu Bo with horrifying momentum.
Dugu Bo's face was grim. The eighth soul ring under his feet lit up. The next moment, the space in front of the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor seemed to instantly solidify, and the Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast was also immobilized, only its eyeballs rotating constantly as if searching for a way to escape.
"Sixth soul skill! Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor Break!"
The next moment, with Dugu Bo's low shout, the sixth soul ring rapidly lit up. A green stream of light directly pierced through the Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast's body. Dugu Bo casually tossed it, landing it right near Shen Hanyu.
"Kid, it's yours now."
Dugu Bo's voice came leisurely. Shen Hanyu thanked him, then quickly leaped down from the tree, ending the life of this super soul beast with a single spear thrust.
A black soul ring slowly rose, carrying the majesty of the Purple-Gold Mysterious Ice Beast in life, giving off a shadow of being invincible even in death.
Shen Hanyu took a deep breath, sat down directly, and began absorbing it. The Cold Haven Spear was thrust into the ground beside him, emanating a faint blue glow. The flickering light was like the initial glow of fireflies—tiny yet dazzling...