Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends.

The purple second soul ring radiates the unique color of a thousand-year-old soul beast, representing another leap in their strength.

The whole process went so smoothly it was almost uneventful.

Under Tang Hao's Title Douluo perception, he quickly located those thousand-year-old soul beasts, each with distinct characteristics and analyzed in detail by Yu Xiaogang's theory.

The enormous Haotian Hammer didn't even display much skill; it simply crashed down with pure, extreme power, and everything settled down.

Yu Xiaogang stood not far away, watching the two who had successfully absorbed the soul rings, but his face showed no joy, instead a complex sense of loss.

His meticulously prepared theories, the setbacks he anticipated, and his responses all appeared so pale and superfluous in the face of absolute power.

He didn't even have a chance to take out those two pills.

He, the teacher, seemed to have become a dispensable bystander once again.

Tang Hao stood a little further out, arms crossed, leaning against a tree. His gaze, hidden under his straw hat, swept over Tang San and Cinderella, who were meditating, confirming that their breathing was steady and that they were not in any discomfort.

His mission is basically complete.

The children successfully obtained the second ring of the millennium, laying a solid foundation.

He looked up at the sky and then sensed his surroundings.

"It's time to go back." Tang Hao said, his voice not loud, but with an undeniable decisiveness.

Yu Xiaogang nodded quickly: "Yes, Mr. Wu. We shouldn't stay here any longer, let's get going."

Tang San and Cinderella opened their eyes and stood up.

The improvement in their strength boosted their morale, but they still maintained a deep respect for this perilous forest.

After the group finished packing, Tang Hao silently led the way, heading towards the edge of the forest.

Tang Hao's steps were steady, seemingly casual, but in reality he always maintained a high degree of vigilance.

The perception of a Title Douluo is like an invisible spider web, spreading outwards from him as the center.

The forest was not peaceful; occasionally, the roars of soul beasts or subtle sounds of hunters and hunters could be heard from afar.

But none of these things threaten them.

After walking for about half an hour, everything seemed normal.

Suddenly, Tang Hao paused.

He sensed a presence.

An extremely powerful and profound aura of a soul beast, carrying an ancient and primordial feel, was not far ahead of them in the direction they were heading.

That aura was like a dormant volcano, restrained yet containing a heart-stopping power.

According to Tang Hao's estimation, it must be a top-tier soul beast that is at least 80,000 years old.

How could a soul beast of this caliber appear on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest?

Tang Hao frowned slightly.

If he were at his peak, he would naturally not take an 80,000-year-old soul beast seriously, and he would not fear a 100,000-year-old soul beast under the Haotian Hammer.

However, his old injuries have not yet healed, his strength has been greatly reduced, and the power he can use is limited. If he were to actually fight, having Tang San and the others with him would inevitably restrict his actions and might even aggravate his injuries.

trouble.

Several thoughts flashed through Tang Hao's mind in an instant.

Force your way in?

Unwise.

Taking a detour? That aura was faint and unsettling. That route would take more time and increase uncertainty.

The best approach is to make the other party back down.

In Tang Hao's understanding, most soul beasts have no intelligence and only follow their instincts.

They instinctively feel fear and retreat in the face of a stronger aura.

He could instantly release the pressure of a Title Douluo when the soul beast got close enough to scare it away.

Thinking of this, Tang Hao secretly gathered a wisp of soul power, like a drawn bowstring, ready to be released.

He would immediately issue a warning as soon as that aura entered his vigilance range.

He continued leading the three forward, but his attention was mostly focused on the powerful aura emanating from it.

However, as they moved, Tang Hao discovered a strange phenomenon.

That aura remained fixed in one place, showing no sign of moving.

It didn't look like they were hunting, nor did it look like they were patrolling their territory.

It just sat there quietly, without moving.

This is illogical.

The outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest is relatively barren, far too scarce to support a soul beast over 80,000 years old staying for an extended period.

Soul beasts of this caliber typically reside in the core areas of the forest, possessing their own territories.

What is it doing here?

What are we waiting for? Or... what are we protecting?

Tang Hao's doubts grew stronger.

He stopped and gestured for the three people behind him to stop as well.

"What's wrong, Mr. Wu?" Yu Xiaogang asked nervously.

With his perception, he couldn't detect the anomaly that far away, but he clearly saw Tang Hao's doubts.

Tang San and Cinderella also looked around warily.

Tang Hao did not answer, but focused his attention on sensing the powerful, unmoving aura.

It remains there, as firm as a rock.

This unusual behavior made Tang Hao feel uneasy.

The unknown is always dangerous.

He glanced at Tang San and Cinderella beside him, then at Yu Xiaogang, who looked nervous.

We cannot take them on adventures.

We must find out exactly what that is.

Tang Hao made a decision quickly.

He suppressed all outward aura, even his breathing became barely perceptible, as if he had blended into his surroundings.

"You all wait here, don't move around or make a sound," Tang Hao instructed the three in a low voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.

"I'll go check the situation up ahead."

Yu Xiaogang's heart tightened. He wanted to ask something, but when he saw Tang Hao's cold eyes hidden under his straw hat, he swallowed his words and just nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, we will definitely not make any trouble."

Tang San and Cinderella exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes. Although they didn't know exactly what had happened, the fact that Tang Hao was so cautious meant that there must be great danger ahead.

Chapter 183 Doubts

Tang Hao said no more. With a swift movement, he disappeared silently into the dense forest to his side, vanishing in a few leaps.

He concealed all his aura, minimizing his presence, and like the most skilled hunter, stealthily moved towards the source of that powerful aura.

The distance is gradually closing.

The surrounding trees grew taller and denser, and the light dimmed.

The aura grew clearer, heavy and oppressive, carrying a suffocating sense of pressure.

Tang Hao's heart gradually tightened.

He could sense that this soul beast was probably stronger than he had initially estimated.

He became even more cautious, using the thick tree trunks and dense bushes to conceal himself as he approached little by little.

Finally, he passed through a dense thicket of vines, and his view suddenly opened up.

Ahead was a relatively open clearing in the woods.

At the edge of the clearing, near the shade of a huge shrub, lay a massive figure, as large as a mountain, lying silently.

The figure was covered in dark brown fur, its muscles bulging, exuding an explosive sense of power. Even when it was just lying there quietly, it gave off an aura of unshakeable authority.

Tang Hao's pupils suddenly contracted.

He recognized the figure.

Titan Ape.

One of the kings of the Star Dou Great Forest, a 100,000-year-old soul beast!

How could it be?

A tremendous wave of emotion surged within Tang Hao.

According to records from the Spirit Hall and various sects, the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python have lived in the core area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest for most of the year and almost never set foot on the outer perimeter.

How did it end up here?

A thought flashed through Tang Hao's mind like lightning.

The previous beast tide!

The beast tide that swept through the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest and wiped out a large number of human soul masters was said to have been launched by the king of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Could it be that the Titan Ape appeared here to start another beast tide?

This conjecture made Tang Hao's heart sink instantly.

If that's the case, then their current situation is extremely dangerous.

Once the beast tide breaks out, he can easily escape on his own, but it's hard to say what will happen if he takes Tang San and the others with him.

He held his breath, staring intently at the Titan Ape in the distance, his mind racing as he considered a solution.

……

Just as Tang Hao was deeply shocked by the discovery of the Titan Ape, and was secretly thinking about how it was about to explode, he suddenly realized that the Titan Ape was about to explode.

On the outskirts of the Starry Sky Forest, in that remote, bustling town.

Xiao Wu stood at the entrance of a dirty, narrow alley, her brows furrowed, looking at the bustling crowd on the street outside.

The noisy hawking, the rude laughter, the clanging of metal weapons, and the strange smell of various foods, sweat, and soul beast materials mixed together, buzzed around her ears like countless flies, stimulating her senses.

She doesn't like it here.

I really dislike it.

With each breath, she felt as if something was blocking her lungs.

The gazes cast upon her by humans—whether curious, greedy, or subtly judgmental—made her extremely uncomfortable, as if she were a commodity waiting to be sold.

She subconsciously touched her smooth neck, which felt empty, but the cold sensation of her mother Arou's neck being slashed open by a sharp blade during her sacrifice seemed to have never left her.

Hatred and loathing grew wildly in her heart like poisonous weeds.

She longed to turn around immediately and escape back to that quiet and safe forest, back to Da Ming, Er Ming, and Lord Rui Shou.

But... she can't.

After transforming into human form, she must regularly come into contact with the human world and absorb its atmosphere; otherwise, her cultivation speed will be greatly reduced.

This is the rule, the fate she cannot escape.

Xiao Wu took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

She silently calculated the time.

That should be about right.

I've only stayed for a short while, but the human presence I've sensed should be enough to sustain me for a period of time while I cultivate.

She didn't want to stay a minute longer.