Zhao Wuji roared furiously, his entire body erupting in brilliant golden light.
The Great Vajra Bear martial soul seemed to come alive, merging completely with him.
Zhao Wuji's physique suddenly swelled by a full size, his muscles bulging prominently, every hair standing on end, and both bear-like palms gleaming with a metallic sheen.
The true power of a Soul Saint was, at this moment, fully unleashed!
"A mere illusion dares to trap me, Zhao Wuji?"
Zhao Wuji thrust both palms forward. Two enormous golden palm prints screamed through the air, advancing like a pair of massive gates.
Wherever the palm prints passed, the dense multicolored mist melted away like accumulated snow meeting boiling soup.
The martial soul of the Powerful Vajra Bear was renowned for its overwhelming ferocity and supreme yang force; such pure, unyielding power naturally possessed a suppressive effect against mental and illusion-based attacks.
"Li Yusong! Lu Qibin! Stop standing there dumbfounded!"
While shattering the mist, Zhao Wuji bellowed, "Shao Xin, toss us some jelly beans!"
Li Yusong nodded. His Dragon Pattern Staff abruptly extended, transforming into a shadowy black dragon that traced countless afterimages through the air.
The staff shadows interwove into an impenetrable net, systematically shredding the mist surging in from the flanks.
Each strike carried a piercing sonic boom, dispersing the illusory power embedded within the fog.
"Trying to bewitch me?"
Li Yusong sneered coldly. "This old man has roamed the Heaven Dou Empire for decades—what kind of spectacle have I not witnessed?"
His Dragon Pattern Staff spun faster and faster until the black afterimages nearly fused into a solid curtain, forming an airtight barrier around him.
Any illusion emerging from the mist was instantly torn apart upon contact with the staff shadows.
Lu Qibin's response was far quieter.
The Star Luo Chessboard beneath his feet expanded abruptly, instantly enveloping an area dozens of zhang in radius.
The clearly distinguished black and white pieces raced across the board. With every move, an invisible force rose from the chessboard, firmly locking the surrounding mist in place.
The fog appeared trapped upon the board itself, no longer able to flow freely.
Lu Qibin continuously formed hand seals, directing the pieces toward the densest concentrations of mist. Each piece placed suppressed and shattered a substantial portion of fog.
"Seal."
Lu Qibin uttered the single word calmly.
The black and white pieces simultaneously erupted with dazzling light, confining the remaining mist to a narrow zone, preventing any further outward spread.
At the same time, the food-system Soul Emperor Shao Xin began to exert himself.
His martial soul consisted of individual jelly beans—crystal-clear and radiating a faint golden glow.
With rapid flicks of both hands, he sent jelly beans flying like raindrops, landing precisely in the palms of Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, and Lu Qibin.
"Catch!"
Shao Xin called out. "Red ones boost strength, yellow ones increase speed, green ones accelerate soul power recovery!"
Zhao Wuji snatched three jelly beans and swallowed them without looking.
The moment they entered his stomach, a warm current surged from his abdomen and spread throughout his body. His strength visibly increased, and even the golden bear silhouette behind him grew noticeably more solid.
"Excellent!"
With a loud shout, he unleashed another palm strike.
This palm print was larger and more radiant than before, sweeping away all remaining mist in front of him in one clean motion!
Li Yusong also consumed Shao Xin's jelly beans.
His speed surged dramatically. The Dragon Pattern Staff's afterimages became nearly impossible to track visually—only the continuous, earsplitting sonic booms remained.
Any mist that approached was shredded completely before it could draw near.
Lu Qibin likewise felt the enhancement from the jelly beans. His Star Luo Chessboard became more substantial, and the pieces moved noticeably faster.
Areas that previously required three moves to suppress could now be subdued in a single step.
The four men's coordination was flawless.
Zhao Wuji led the frontal assault, directly clashing with the multicolored illusion mist of the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast.
Each palm strike shattered vast quantities of fog.
Li Yusong provided flank support; his Dragon Pattern Staff offered both high speed and wide coverage, intercepting all mist attempting to infiltrate from the sides.
The ceaseless staff shadows formed an impenetrable wall around the group.
Lu Qibin handled control. His Star Luo Chessboard martial soul locked down the remaining mist, preventing the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast's attack from expanding.
Shao Xin remained at the rear, continuously supplying jelly bean support.
His jelly beans not only enhanced strength, speed, and soul power recovery but also offered a degree of resistance against the corrosive illusion mist.
Having cooperated for many years, the four required no words—only a glance was sufficient to understand one another's intentions.
Before long, they had forcibly carved a path through the nearly solid illusion mist!
Not far away, the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast suffered severe backlash. Its five lotus flowers trembled violently, the five-colored radiance flickering madly as even more mist sprayed from between the petals.
Yet the moment the mist appeared, it was locked by Lu Qibin's chessboard, shredded by Li Yusong's staff shadows, and finally obliterated by Zhao Wuji's palm strikes.
"Haha! Out of tricks already?"
Zhao Wuji laughed wildly. "With only this much ability, you dare call yourself a ten-thousand-year soul beast?"
He strode forward, each step causing the ground to quake.
The golden bear silhouette grew increasingly solid and massive, as though it would completely engulf him.
"Martial Soul True Body!"
Zhao Wuji roared. The golden bear shadow abruptly contracted and fused perfectly with him.
His form expanded once more—transforming into a five-meter-tall golden giant bear!
With one swipe of its paw, thunderous palm wind scattered every trace of remaining mist!
The true body of the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast was finally exposed before the four men.
Shao Xin quickly reminded him, "Vice Dean Zhao, please do not strike too heavily and accidentally kill this ten-thousand-year soul beast outright!"
Li Yusong also shouted, "Exactly! Boss Zhao, our Shrek Academy is counting on selling this Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast to the nobility to earn some funds!"
Zhao Wuji immediately restrained some of his power. "You are right! Everyone, together—surround it and cut off its escape route. We cannot let it get away!"
As the illusion mist dissipated, Qin Ming finally gained a clear view of the battle inside.
Smiling, Qin Ming cheered loudly, "Vice Dean Zhao, you all are truly formidable!"
"Teachers, you must keep pushing! You must secure this plant-type ten-thousand-year soul beast!"
Right after Qin Ming's words fell,
led by Zhao Wuji, the four teachers began encircling the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast from four different directions!
Hidden in the shadows, Tang Yi knew he had to act.
Otherwise, this ten-thousand-year plant soul beast would fall into the hands of Shrek Academy.
Tang Yi immediately shouldered the single-soldier smart-guided rocket launcher. The scope's AI began locking onto the primary target—Zhao Wuji.
"Zhao Wuji—this fellow has thick skin and tough flesh. Let's start with one rocket!"
A cold smile curled at the corner of Tang Yi's mouth.
He pulled the trigger.
"Boom!"
Although Zhao Wuji had already sensed the danger,
the smart rocket was equipped with advanced automatic tracking and guidance technology!
No matter how Zhao Wuji dodged, sprinted, or leaped, he could not shake the missile.
His face paled as he forcibly withstood the direct hit!
"BOOM!"
The massive shockwave sent dust and debris flying in all directions.
Li Yusong and the others panicked. "Who is ambushing us from behind?"
The power of that single strike had thoroughly frightened the Shrek group.
Lu Qibin assessed gravely, "That attack just now carried power equivalent to a full-force strike from a level 79 Soul Saint!"
"Vice Dean Zhao is likely in grave danger!"
Hearing this, Qin Ming immediately burst into loud sobs.
"Vice Dean Zhao!"
"If you die, what are we supposed to do?!"
Soon the dust settled.
Covered in wounds from the rocket blast, Zhao Wuji staggered to his feet. "Brat, stop wailing! This old man isn't dead yet!"
"Shao Xin, hurry—give me some healing jelly beans! This time I'm seriously injured!"
Zhao Wuji shouted, face covered in soot.
Shao Xin nodded hurriedly and rapidly condensed over a dozen cyan-green healing jelly beans with his soul power, tossing them to Zhao Wuji.
After consuming the jelly beans, Zhao Wuji's condition improved noticeably.
Within Shrek Academy, the food-system soul master Shao Xin was often overlooked.
Although he lacked the innate full soul power of the student Oscar,
in the original story, Shao Xin was already a Soul Saint upon his first appearance!
Of course, the current timeline had not yet fully aligned with the original work—Shao Xin was presently only a Soul Emperor.
Nevertheless, a food-system Soul Emperor remained an extraordinary figure!
With Shao Xin's healing jelly beans providing support, Zhao Wuji recovered rapidly.
From his concealed position, Tang Yi observed everything coldly.
"Zhao Wuji—worthy of the title Immovable Bright King! Both defense and attack power are astonishing."
"One rocket didn't kill him. With the assistance of Shao Xin, that food-system Soul Emperor, his injuries have already recovered by more than half!"
After enduring the rocket strike, Zhao Wuji immediately began circulating soul power to search for the attacker.
Li Yusong, Lu Qibin, and the others coordinated in the effort.
Even Qin Ming, a mere level-40 Soul Ancestor, joined the perimeter alert.
"Someone else is targeting the ten-thousand-year Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast!"
Zhao Wuji's eyes widened as he growled,
"Whoever has designs on this ten-thousand-year soul beast, come out and face me openly! Stop skulking in the shadows!"
Li Yusong also roared furiously.
The moment the Shrek group finished speaking—
"Bang!"
A gunshot rang out!
Zhao Wuji instinctively tilted his head. A bullet grazed past his ear and blasted a bowl-sized hole in the tree trunk behind him.
"Is there no end to this?!"
Zhao Wuji exploded with rage.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three more shots fired in quick succession, aimed at Li Yusong, Lu Qibin, and Shao Xin.
The three dodged hurriedly, instantly disrupting their formation.
Tang Yi leaped out from cover, one hand gripping a Desert Eagle, the other shouldering the rocket launcher. Standing atop a protruding boulder, he looked down at them from above.
"Members of Shrek—this ten-thousand-year soul beast now belongs to me."
Tang Yi's voice was calm yet carried an indisputable tone.
Zhao Wuji froze for a moment, then laughed in furious disbelief. "Where did this little brat come from? Not even old enough to grow a beard, yet you dare act wild in front of me?!"
"Whether I am qualified or not is not for you to decide."
Tang Yi gave a faint smile and raised the rocket launcher. "The previous shot was merely a greeting. Now comes continuous bombardment!"
He pulled the trigger.
"Boom!"
Another rocket screamed forth!
This time the target was Li Yusong!
Li Yusong's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly swung his Dragon Pattern Staff in an attempt to intercept.
But the rocket moved with the agility of an eel, curving around the staff shadows and heading straight for his face!
"Not good!"
Li Yusong was so frightened he nearly lost control.
Zhao Wuji's scalp tingled. He knew that if this rocket struck Li Yusong—a Soul Emperor—death was certain.
He could only step forward, positioning himself in front of Li Yusong to block the rocket with his own body!
"Teacher Zhao! Teacher Li!" Qin Ming cried out in alarm.
Tang Yi did not pause. While rapidly repositioning, he continued firing. The Desert Eagle's bullets suppressed the control-system Soul Emperor Lu Qibin, preventing him from raising his head.
Shao Xin could only frantically throw healing jelly beans to the others, unable to spare attention for anything else.
"Retreat!"
Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth and made the decision. "Go!"
"This time Shrek admits defeat!"
He grabbed the heavily injured Li Yusong and retreated in disarray.
Qin Ming and the others followed closely behind.
Tang Yi did not pursue. First, the rocket launcher required recharge time. The Star Dou Forest remained filled with dangerous soul beasts, and he needed to reserve ammunition for self-defense.
Second, the members of Shrek were relatively significant figures in the Douluo Continent.
Tang San had not yet joined Shrek Academy, and Tang Yi was not a bloodthirsty person. He had no desire to slaughter the Shrek teachers preemptively upon first meeting.
......
Tang Yi then turned his gaze toward the now critically weakened Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast.
The ten-thousand-year soul beast was completely wilted.
Its five lotus flowers drooped limply, the five-colored radiance entirely dimmed, leaving only faint fluorescence flowing weakly between the petals.
Cracks covered its root stem, as though it might snap at any moment.
Tang Yi approached, preparing to deliver the final blow and obtain the soul ring.
But at that moment, a faint spiritual fluctuation suddenly reached him.
The fluctuation was gentle and soft, yet it clearly conveyed a specific emotion.
It was the soul beast expressing "gratitude"!
Then came a mental inquiry.
"Will you… accept… my… power?"
Tang Yi was stunned.
This was… an invitation to sacrifice?
A ten-thousand-year soul beast voluntarily offering sacrifice was an exceedingly rare event across the entire Douluo Continent.
Only when a soul beast developed profound recognition or deep gratitude toward a soul master would it make such a choice.
Clearly, by driving away Zhao Wuji and the others from Shrek, Tang Yi had earned the soul beast's acknowledgment.
The Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast feebly swayed its nearly withered petals. The five-colored light flickered one final time, as though conveying its final message.
It was grateful that Tang Yi had repelled those humans who sought to capture it alive and sell it as merchandise.
In the last moments of its ten-thousand-year life, it preferred to entrust its power to the youth who had saved it rather than fall into the hands of greedy individuals.
Tang Yi took a deep breath and nodded.
"Very well."
As the words fell, the root stem of the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast suddenly erupted with blinding five-colored radiance!
The light enveloped Tang Yi completely. A vast tide of life energy surged into his body without reservation.
The essence of the ten-thousand-year soul beast poured forth in its entirety, merging with him.
Tang Yi sat cross-legged and began guiding the energy according to the "Yan Huang Soul Scripture"!
His soul power rose rapidly:
Level 21!
Level 22!
...…
Level 26!
His soul power climbed steadily until reaching level 26 (third ring)!
A pitch-black ten-thousand-year soul ring slowly rose the instant the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast completely withered, then floated above Tang Yi's head and integrated into his body.
At the precise moment the soul ring was fully absorbed, a palm-sized bone radiating a five-colored halo detached from the withered lotus root and lay quietly on the ground.
"A soul bone!"
"And because the soul beast offered itself voluntarily!"
"The probability of acquiring a soul bone has greatly increased!"
Joy appeared on Tang Yi's face.
Moreover, this was an exceptionally rare head soul bone, carrying soul skills related to "mental power."
It was the final gift left by the ten-thousand-year Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast after its sacrifice.
Tang Yi did not absorb it immediately. Instead, he first stored the soul bone inside the [Coiling Silk Finger Cot].
"Thank you."
Following the principle of avoiding waste, Tang Yi placed the precious corpse of the ten-thousand-year soul beast—the Five-Colored Illusory Lotus Beast—into the "Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges."
"In the Douluo Continent, sacrifice does not signify complete death!"
"Furthermore, your precious lotus body will be preserved as a specimen for research in Great Xia. Perhaps… there may be a chance of revival."
Tang Yi murmured softly to himself.
This time, through an unexpected chain of events, he had maximized his gains!