Douluo: Qian Xunji's Joyful Life

Chapter 19: Not the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft-Boned Rabbit!

Guangling Douluo's eighth soul ring glowed underfoot. Planting one foot on the Lightfeather Divine Bow, he drew the bowstring to its fullest. A giant, ice-blue arrow—almost as tall as he was—formed, ringed at the tip by a magical array-like circle of blue light.

"Eighth Soul Skill: Stilled Mirror!"

He released the bowstring, and the arrow whooshed forth at high speed. Wherever the icy arrow passed, a crust of ice formed over the forest canopy below. Any living essence inside that frozen zone became impossible to sense, thoroughly sealed.

"Big Brother, dodge!"

Leaping into the air, the Titan Giant Ape sensed the overwhelming soul power in this attack, and quickly roared a warning.

But the Sky Azure Bull Python couldn't evade. One-third of its body was still in the midst of rapid movement, leaving no spare muscle control for maneuvering. A jet of greenish breath spouted from its mouth, splashing into the Lake of Life, freezing a portion of water into a small hill-like ice sculpture—a meager line of defense.

Boom!

Four types of radiance—earthy yellow, green, fiery red, and icy blue—converged and exploded in a massive clash of soul power.

Lion Douluo's "Soul-Crushing Sky-Shattering Roar," initially aimed at Xiao Wu, was diverted to collide with the Titan Giant Ape's fist and the Sky Azure Bull Python's tail. Ultimately, it was still a ninth soul skill, stronger than the two beasts' combined normal blows. Xiao Wu was knocked away by the terrifying soul power, plummeting into the lake's waters with a mouthful of blood. The Titan Giant Ape flew back five meters, slamming into the ground so hard it shook. A violent churning of its qi and blood welled up inside.

Next came the icy-blue shock wave from Guangling Douluo's arrow. The "Stilled Mirror" shattered, and so did the bull's head–shaped ice block the Sky Azure Bull Python had formed, splintering like shards of glass.

Qian Xunji's sixth soul ring dimmed. Lion Douluo and Guangling Douluo ceased attacking. All three focused their attention on the Sky Azure Bull Python.

By choosing to save Xiao Wu and violently counterattack, the Titan Giant Ape had sustained internal injuries. Xiao Wu was hit by the soul power turbulence and was more severely wounded. But the most critically injured was undoubtedly the Sky Azure Bull Python, which had taken Guangling Douluo's eighth soul skill head-on.

A gaping wound, wide as a three-meter span of its serpentine body, yawned three inches below the bull's neck. Tiny shards of ice clung to the wound's edges. Blood gushed continuously into the Lake of Life. From that gash, it was clear that only about two-thirds of its heart remained.

The fifth ring beneath Qian Xunji's feet lit up; a Holy Sword formed in his hand.

"As expected of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast—your vitality is truly tenacious. Even after losing a third of your heart, you're still conscious! But I won't give you any chance to heal. Your ring shall be my ninth!"

With the massive life force of a hundred-thousand-year beast, if the Sky Azure Bull Python immersed itself fully in the Lake of Life, it could recover; even with only two-thirds of its heart, it could survive on that potent vitality.

"Human, you'll never get my soul ring or soul bone!"

The Sky Azure Bull Python's roar, to Qian Xunji's ears, sounded like a dying gasp. Titan Giant Ape and the Soft-Boned Rabbit intended to lunge forward again, but Lion Douluo and Guangling Douluo held them at bay with deadly stares.

Qian Xunji let out a faint chuckle. "Oh really? Suppose you committed suicide—perhaps I couldn't stop you in time. Well then, I'd just have to choose this Soft-Boned Rabbit or Titan Giant Ape for my ninth ring. From what you called each other, I'm guessing you're all sworn siblings, correct?

"Bull-headed python, Titan Giant Ape, Soft-Boned Rabbit… Strange for three such unrelated creatures to pledge kinship—maybe the beast realm is livelier than our human world."

"Don't you dare lay a finger on my younger brother and Sister Xiao Wu!"

The Sky Azure Bull Python's roar deepened with emotion. Its agitation caused fresh blood to spew from its mouth.

"Then sacrifice yourself to me. A hundred-thousand-year beast is too rare. Killing even one means one less in the world—I was hoping to leave the rest for the Wuhun Hall's future talents," Qian Xunji said lightly. Absorbing the Sky Azure Bull Python's ring would likely push him straight to rank 92. Coupled with the beast's abundant soul power, he might even reach rank 93.

Xiao Wu and the Titan Giant Ape seethed with fury at Qian Xunji's comments, as though he regarded them as livestock to be hunted—an entirely dismissive attitude. And in truth, so they were: to soul masters, soul beasts were prey. The Wuhun Hall established hunting forests and forbade random slaughter only to prevent resource depletion.

"I'll sacrifice myself so long as you spare Da Ming!"

A pleasant voice echoed at that moment. From beneath the shattered cabin, a breathtakingly beautiful woman emerged. Lion Douluo gawked, momentarily spellbound.

"Mama!" Xiao Wu screamed.

"Aunt Rou!" cried the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python together.

"A hundred-thousand-year Soft-Boned Rabbit in human form!" Lion Douluo and Guangling Douluo exclaimed in shock.

Qian Xunji said, "No!"

Lion Douluo/Guangling Douluo/A Rou: "?!"

"The hundred-thousand-year Soft-Boned Rabbit is worthless—not as good as the Sky Azure Bull Python," Qian Xunji remarked, giving A Rou a quick glance before turning away. Her ravishing looks failed to stir him. One must first ensure great power before seeking carnal pleasures, so mere beauty meant nothing to him.

Just like martial souls themselves have varying quality, a soul ring from a top-tier beast like the Sky Azure Bull Python would surpass that of a Soft-Boned Rabbit—both being hundred-thousand-year. While Qian Xunji ideally wanted a ring from a holy, radiant, or fiery hundred-thousand-year beast, none were readily available. Nor could they beat the occupant of the lake's depths.

"None of those three match my Angel Martial Soul. If I'm forced to choose, I'll pick the strongest," he thought.

"I've no time to dawdle, Sky Azure Bull Python. Hurry and offer up your sacrifice, or else I don't mind leaving and returning with more men. Then we'd half kill both that Sister Xiao Wu and your Aunt Rou, dragging them back to the Wuhun Hall in captivity. Rabbits only eat grass, so they're not expensive to keep. And with your injuries, you won't get far anyway," said Qian Xunji calmly.

The Sky Azure Bull Python's voice was heavy with resignation. "Only if you promise, once the sacrifice is made, you will not harm my younger brother, Sister Xiao Wu, and Aunt Rou! Otherwise, I won't mind taking us all down together so you gain nothing!"

"If you don't trust me, have your brother take those two rabbits and leave now. I'll give you ten minutes."

"Your Holiness!" Lion Douluo and Guangling Douluo both gasped in protest. A hundred-thousand-year soul beast was at stake. How could they simply let them escape? Even without the ring and bone, capturing them still had great value. In particular, A Rou—killing her would be as easy as a snap.

"Elders, think of the long term. Soul rings can't be reproduced, but soul bones can be inherited!" Qian Xunji replied, clearly meaning that while few forces could destroy a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, if that beast's ring or bone ended up with some other soul master, the Wuhun Hall could simply kill the new possessor and reclaim it later.

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