The dazzling red glow couldn't be concealed by either the night or the brightly lit camp.
At this moment, everything in the surroundings seemed to be tinted with the color of that red Spirit Ring.
Soldiers and Soul Masters alike stared wide-eyed at the ring floating above the Sky Blue Bull Python, their hearts pounding uncontrollably.
The 100,000-Year Soul Beast was known to all on the continent as the pinnacle, its Spirit Ring the stuff of dreams for countless Soul Masters.
To put it without exaggeration, any Soul Master who could obtain a 100,000-Year Soul Ring would stand among the continent's elite.
Many had personally witnessed Li Xun's Spirit Rings and been shocked by the three 100,000-Year Soul Rings beneath his feet, but that shock paled in comparison to seeing a 100,000-Year Soul Beast die before their eyes and release a fresh Spirit Ring.
Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, Feng Xiaotian, Oscar, Meng Yiran, and others watched with envy in their eyes, yet had to forcibly suppress the longing in their hearts.
Throughout the camp, many couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.
Li Xun paid no mind to the external commotion.
With Sword Douluo and the other two, along with Yang Wudi and a group of experts from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, plus the hundreds of thousands of Heavenly Dou troops, absorbing the Spirit Ring in this camp was even safer than in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Sitting cross-legged, the True Several Thousand Hands Martial Soul appeared in his right hand. Guided by Soul Power, the red Spirit Ring slowly drifted toward him.
This wasn't Li Xun's first time absorbing a 100,000-Year Soul Ring; he was already well-versed in the process.
Considering the Sky Blue Bull Python's age, Li Xun actually felt somewhat shortchanged. But since it had delivered itself to his doorstep, it would be impolite not to accept—he could only thank nature for its bounty.
A surge of energy poured from the Spirit Ring into his body.
The wild, rampaging energy, upon entering Li Xun's meridians, felt as though it had fallen into a bottomless ancient well, transforming into a gentle stream that flowed through his limbs and bones.
Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Red, Red, Red—eight Spirit Rings emerged one by one, circling and slowly rotating around Li Xun. The red Spirit Ring on his Martial Soul seemed to respond to a summons, gradually expanding toward the outermost edge of the eight rings.
When the ninth Spirit Ring slotted into the outermost position, a pressure more terrifying than before abruptly erupted from Li Xun as the center.
Trembling, fear.
Ordinary people and some low-level Soul Masters had already collapsed to the ground when the aura first appeared; only by prostrating themselves could they slightly alleviate the tsunami-like pressure.
If Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, and the others had managed to resist with difficulty during Li Xun's previous breakthrough, this time, their bodies felt as though crushed by a massive mountain, plummeting into an ice cellar.
Their souls and bodies trembled, knees slowly bending. Except for the three Title Douluos and a few other powerful experts, everyone present was affected.
But just as everyone was about to buckle under the pressure and kneel, it vanished abruptly.
The camp's occupants instantly felt relieved, as if their souls had been freed.
At that moment, everyone looked as though they had just been fished out of a river—drenched and gasping for fresh air.
Li Xun opened his eyes, sensing the surging Soul Power within him, and slowly rose to his feet. Framed by the nine Spirit Rings, he appeared exceptionally majestic: "Level ninety-one."
With a sweep of his spiritual power, Li Xun located the Sky Blue Bull Python's Soul Bone and stored it in his Soul Guiding Device. With so many people present, this wasn't the right moment for distribution.
"Haha! Now our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has four Titled Douluos!" Poison Douluo had always been straightforward with his thoughts.
Li Xun was his grandson-in-law, and his breakthrough to Titled Douluo brought him greater joy than when he himself had reached level ninety-five.
"Indeed, who would have thought that frail child from back then could grow to such heights in just over a decade?" Sword Douluo smiled warmly, as if he could still see the pale, thin figure of Li Xun when he first entered the sect.
But when he blinked, that image overlapped with the tall, handsome young man before him.
Bone Douluo laughed heartily, eyes sparkling with delight as he waved at the officers: "Bring wine, bring meat, bring money! Today marks a great celebration for our sect and for Heaven Dou—reward all three armies!"
"Long live the Heaven Dou Empire! Long live the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School! Long live Li Xun!"
Commands and messages cascaded through the ranks, while excited shouts echoed throughout the canyon.
In this moment, every member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Heaven Dou army shared in the glory.
Pride flashed in the eyes of Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Dugu Yan.
Even Feng Xiaotian and Oscar couldn't help but feel their blood boiling in such an infectious atmosphere.
Shui Bing'er and Huo Wu exchanged glances amid the festivities, both noticing subtle changes in each other's expressions.
Bonfires were lit, dances celebrated the night—it was a perfect evening.
Spirit City was located quite close to the Star Dou Great Forest, likely because its founders intended it to guard against soul beast riots, suppressing the powerful creatures within to prevent them from emerging and threatening the continent.
A mere few dozen miles was but a brief journey for flying Titled Experts.
Figures swiftly streaked across the sky above Star Dou Great Forest. Though rumors had circulated over the past two years about soul beasts here rejecting humans, Bibidong and her companions paid them no mind.
With nine Titled Experts arriving, even the two great empires would tremble—and this represented only half of Spirit Hall's strength.
Mid-air, Chrysanthemum Douluo trailed half a step behind Bibidong. Gazing at her back with reverence, he said, "Your Excellency, that Sky Blue Bull Python should be in the central lake."
Very few knew the full extent of Bibidong's power.
Those who understood even partially would choose submission like him—even those in the Hall of Offerings.
As he contemplated absorbing the eighth Spirit Ring for his second spirit, Chrysanthemum Douluo felt a thread of fear.
"What a windfall for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School," Bibidong snorted lightly.
She had long known about Elders Ci Xue and Snake Lance assisting the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School in hunting the Titan Giant Ape, and hadn't intervened much initially.
After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School joining Spirit Hall would benefit her continental unification plans.
But as time passed, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had grown increasingly tied to Qian Renxue, seemingly disregarding her authority as Pope.
If Ning Fengzhi remained uncooperative this time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would have outlived its usefulness.
The wind howled in her ears, yet the Star Dou Great Forest remained eerily silent, as if all soul beasts had fallen into deep slumber.
Bibidong's willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed.
This situation was highly unusual.
Even if they feared the aura radiating from their group, the nocturnal soul beasts should still show signs of alarm.
Had some unforeseen change occurred within Star Dou Great Forest?
The relationship between Soul Beasts and humans in the food chain has long been established. Apart from some scholars and those with inherent deficiencies, few pay attention to the movements of Soul Beasts.
Throughout history, human interest has always been focused on their own kind.
In recent years, the focus of Spirit Hall has also been on the continental situation and the various factions.
Bibidong hadn't visited this place for over a decade, and some of the information she had came from records.
Gradually, she approached the central lake of the Star Dou Great Forest. From a distance, moonbeams refracted off the lake's surface, scattering in all directions and creating a beautiful scene in the forest.
If only those few massive Soul Beasts weren't there.
Hovering in mid-air, Bibidong suddenly felt that the night scenery wasn't so beautiful after all.
"Human, halt," a clear voice rang out.