Douluo Dalu: From Shinobi to Spirit Master

Gudu——

Tianmeng swallowed hard, feeling a chill run up his spine.

"Boss Xiong Xiongjun (Bear King) and Boss Chi Wang (Red King or Scarlet King), you... you... you..." Tianmeng stuttered, his voice trembling. "I... I didn't mean it... please... forgive me... You two, the mighty Xiong Xiongjun and Chi Wang, I—"

He forced a nervous smile, looking up at the two gigantic soul beasts before him.

I'm going to die... I'm really going to die...!!

Tianmeng's heart raced, and panic surged within him. His mind screamed in terror.

What could be worse than running away only to be caught?

This is the second time.

"Do you want to run again?" growled Xiong Xiongjun, the giant bear, his nostrils flaring with the force of a powerful exhale. His fangs glistened as he gazed at the trembling Ice Silkworm. His tone dripped with malice. "If you try, I'll enjoy watching you try and fail."

The Scarlet King, with his three heads and six glowing eyes, stared hungrily at the round silkworm. His saliva dripped from his mouths, sizzling as it hit the ground.

"We can't eat him," said one of the Scarlet King's heads. "Lady Bi Ji said he's valuable. We are only allowed to suck his energy."

Xiong Xiongjun's large head tilted, clearly disappointed, but his fangs glistened as he spoke again, "Well, maybe a few bites wouldn't hurt."

Tianmeng froze, his body shaking uncontrollably.

What's the difference between being eaten by you two and dying?!

I'm really going to die!

Despair clouded his thoughts as the two ferocious beasts closed in. His eyes shut tightly, ready to accept his fate.

But just as he expected pain to surge through his body, something unexpected happened.

Two overwhelming auras exploded into the air, causing the surrounding soul beasts to scream in agony. The energy from the auras was so intense that Tianmeng's senses reeled.

What's going on?

He opened his eyes in confusion, only to see Xiong Xiongjun and Red King freeze in place, their gazes shifting toward something in the distance. Their expressions darkened with fury.

"I didn't expect them to come this soon," Xiong Xiongjun growled, his voice low and menacing. "Damn human soul master! I'll tear him apart!"

The Red King joined in, his three heads howling in anger.

With a sudden burst of speed, the two mighty soul beasts charged, smashing through trees and disappearing into the distance.

Tianmeng blinked in disbelief.

Did they... leave?

There are really good people out there!

Without wasting a moment, Tianmeng's round body began to wriggle at an incredible speed, rushing toward safety. He didn't stop until the lush spiritual land faded from his sight.

I don't know how far I can ran, he thought, but at last, he dove underground, using his mental power to spread a hundred meters in search of any pursuers.

It was only then that he realized he had truly escaped.

I... escaped!

Tianmeng lay still in the earth, breathing deeply. The dirt around him felt oddly comforting, and he closed his eyes in relief.

This... this is what freedom feels like.

Tianmeng couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude toward the mysterious soul master who had saved him.

"Good person, you will forever be my brother. Even if you never hear me, I will never forget this debt," he thought, bowing toward the direction of Xiong Xiongjun and Red King. "If I could join with you and become your soul ring, I would... but that's impossible."

He sighed, feeling both sorrow and gratitude.

No soul master could survive the wrath of those two ferocious beasts, not even a Titled Douluo.

"Brother, may you rest in peace," Tianmeng whispered as he remembered the fate of the soul master who had saved him.

_____________

On the outskirts of the Great Forest, Ju Douluo stood holding a dying white snake-shaped soul beast in his hand, speaking to the young man beside him.

The boy, Su Chen, rested his chin on his hand, his expression contemplative.

"Well, this one's from the wrong year and has some imperfections," Su Chen muttered after a moment of observation. "It's water attribute, but something's off."

Ju Douluo nodded, throwing the struggling soul beast to the ground. It tried to crawl away but was too weak to escape.

"No need to rush," Ju Douluo said, trying to comfort the young man. "We'll see if anything interesting comes up with the old ghost later. Searching for soul beasts takes time. We might be at it for days."

Su Chen nodded, but before he could respond, he suddenly noticed a change in Ju Douluo's expression.

Su Chen observed Ju Douluo's expression twist into one of fear, a rare sight for a Titled Douluo. His mouth moved, but no words came out.

The next instant, a wave of warning surged in Su Chen's heart, his body filling with an icy chill. Reflexively, he activated the Substitution and Invisibility Techniques with the speed of a seasoned practitioner!

Boom!

A brilliant burst of light erupted, instantly sweeping away everything around him, turning the space into nothingness.

The shockwave exploded, sending trees flying and soil spiraling. Su Chen crouched behind a boulder, his ears ringing from the thunderous noise.

"Careful!" Ju Douluo's urgent shout reached his ears.

Darkness enveloped the Star Dou Forest.

Su Chen coughed lightly, quickly activating his first soul ring. White flames enveloped his body, healing the cuts and bruises at an alarming pace.

With his Byakugan active, he peeked out from behind the stone and his eyes widened in disbelief.

It wasn't simply dark.

No, it was a giant bear, its massive form blocking the sunlight in its entirety!

The Bear King swiped its claws through the air, each swing stirring up fierce winds and causing destruction. Below it, a golden chrysanthemum struggled to resist.

"Is that... Bear King?" Su Chen's breath caught in his throat.

How did it break free?

Su Chen's eyes darted, and he immediately spotted a three-headed mastiff, flames spewing from its mouths, chasing a ghostly figure not far off.

"Scarlet King." Su Chen's face darkened.

Bear King. Scarlet King!!

Two of the Ten Fierce Beasts!

The Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, with 480,000 years of cultivation, and the Three-Headed Scarlet Devil Mastiff, with 310,000 years of cultivation.

"Shouldn't these two be dealing with the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm and protecting the Emperor's auspicious beast right now?" Su Chen thought, his mind whirring.

He quickly realized that the two Douluo, Ju and Ghost, were in trouble. The moment they clashed with these beasts, they started losing ground.

This was normal. After all, these two were only barely able to hold their own against the Azure Bull Python over the past decade. Now, they were facing creatures far more ferocious.

The immediate question was: Why were they attacking?

Could it be because of...?

Su Chen's face darkened as he pulled out a piece of Linwu Silkworm flesh.

Is this it?

If that was the cause, it made sense. The last time they had locked onto their scent, it was likely due to this.

"Hmm, seems like this is the only choice."

Su Chen inhaled deeply and immediately opened the Eight Gates.

Green energy surged around him, and his momentum skyrocketed, capturing the attention of the battlefield.

"Is this what you're after?"

He threw the meat towards the Bear King with all his might.

This action caught several pairs of eyes.

"Damn it, it's you!"

The Bear King roared, the sound so deafening it almost made Su Chen lose consciousness.

Fortunately, Su Chen was prepared.

The herbs in his mouth were crushed instinctively, clearing the dizziness. He tossed another piece of Linwu Silkworm meat and sprinted into the depths of the forest without hesitation.

"Eat you!"

The two monstrous auras locked onto Su Chen. His body instinctively trembled, his soul power almost stagnating for a moment. However, his chakra surged back, allowing him to continue his swift escape.

Fortunately, his goal had been achieved.

"Bipolar Forbidden Domain!"

Golden and silver halos spun around the space, trapping both the Bear King and Red King in a field of light. Their colossal forms froze in mid-air.

The two Titled Douluo did not waste the precious moment Su Chen had bought them. Without hesitation, they unleashed their Martial Soul fusion skills: the Static Domain, a technique so powerful even a 100,000-year soul beast would be unable to break free!

Su Chen wiped the sweat from his brow. The three seconds just now had almost drained his chakra, forcing him to use his Dragon's Helmet, Eight Gates of Ninjutsu, and Instant Body Technique to their limits.

If he had been any slower, he would have been torn to shreds.

But even now, the crisis wasn't over.

Looking at the Bear King and Scarlet King, their eyes still blazing with golden and silver light, Su Chen realized that the field might not hold for long.

By then, not only him, but Ju Douluo and Ghost Douluo would also be in danger, their soul power nearly exhausted.

Unless...

A grin appeared on Su Chen's face. His left and right hands glowed with azure light.

The next moment, in the horrified eyes of Ju Douluo, Su Chen slammed a Rasengan into the lower body of both the Bear King and Scarlet King!