Chapter 77: The Sky Azure Bull Python Attacks

"Young Master Xiao, it appears the day is drawing to a close. Why don't you come rest for the night in my camp?" Xue Qinghe extended a sincere invitation to Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu nodded. Someone was offering him a tent for free—why refuse? Qian Renxue would surely understand that as soon as he entered the Star Dou Forest, a Title Douluo would be shadowing him; there was no need to fear her making a move against him.

Following Xue Qinghe, Xiao Yu and Ye Lingling arrived at his camp, where they also met Princess Xue Ke. However, their acquaintance was shallow; Princess Xue Ke, spoiled by her upbringing, had little understanding of the subtle art of forging alliances between powers. After a brief exchange, their conversation quickly ended.

As night fell, Xiao Yu took up Xue Qinghe’s offer without hesitation, slipping into the tent prepared for him. With the imperial guards of the Heaven Dou Empire stationed nearby, he had no need to keep watch.

Inside the tent, Xiao Yu and Ye Lingling sat facing each other, channeling their soul power into a state of meditation. At their level, meditation could easily substitute for sleep.

Boom! Boom!

In the dead of night, the muffled sound of thunder rumbled across the flat ground, rousing both Ye Lingling and Xiao Yu from their meditation. Ye Lingling looked at him, worry etched across her face. "Brother Xiao Yu, what’s happening?"

Xiao Yu shook his head gravely. "I don't know, but it can't be good. Lingling, let's get outside!"

She nodded, and the two swiftly exited the tent.

"This is..." Ye Lingling’s eyes widened in astonishment. Before them, thousands of soul beasts had formed a vast army, encircling the camp with murderous intent, resembling an organized human military force.

A beast tide.

Xiao Yu’s first thought was this. But something was amiss—beast tides weren’t supposed to occur until the second era. The first beast tide had been triggered when the Body Sect infiltrated the Star Dou Forest, hunting seven hundred-thousand-year soul beasts and enraging Di Tian and the other fierce beasts, resulting in a catastrophe that lasted nearly a year. Yet this was only the first era!

Just then, Xue Qinghe was roused, hastily arriving with a group of guards. At the sight before him, he could not help but gasp. "What’s going on? The soul beasts are assembling and attacking like humans... There are dozens of ten-thousand-year soul beasts!"

"I'm afraid it's not just ten-thousand-year soul beasts," Xiao Yu replied, his voice heavy, his gaze fixed on the distance.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

From the darkness, the wind and clouds shifted. A colossal creature over a hundred meters long, with a bull's head and a serpent’s body, emerged from the shadows.

"A hundred-thousand-year soul beast—the Azure Bull Python!" As the heir of the Spirit Hall, Xue Qinghe immediately recognized it.

The moment the Azure Bull Python appeared, its terrifying killing intent locked onto Xiao Yu. In that instant, Xiao Yu realized the beast tide was aimed at him—it had come to avenge the Titan Giant Ape.

But how did it know the Titan Giant Ape had died by his hand? He had deliberately waited for the ape to leave before making his move, precisely to avoid the Azure Bull Python’s attention.

What Xiao Yu didn’t anticipate was that their fierce battle had not only attracted Soul Douluo Meng Shu, but also drew many ten-thousand-year soul beasts. Among them, by chance, was a spiritual-type—Spirit Brain Demon. Though not powerful in combat, it possessed a unique ability: it could record everything it saw and experienced, like a living camera.

Through the Spirit Brain Demon, the Azure Bull Python learned the truth behind the Titan Giant Ape’s death and memorized Xiao Yu and his companions’ appearances. It mobilized its entire network within the Star Dou Forest, monitoring all humans entering. If anyone matching Xiao Yu’s party was found, it was immediately alerted.

Xiao Yu could only count his blessings that the Azure Bull Python was not Di Tian, nor the Silver Dragon King, and thus lacked overwhelming influence among soul beasts. Many powerful beasts paid little heed to the brothers; otherwise, the force gathered tonight would have been far greater.

"Kill! Leave none alive!" The Azure Bull Python spoke in human tongue, its voice booming across the camp. In its mind, there was no distinction of factions—anyone associated with Xiao Yu, the murderer of the Titan Giant Ape, deserved death.

At its command, the assembled soul beasts surged forth, their deafening roars shaking the earth as they charged, an unstoppable torrent of fury.

"What are you all waiting for? Do you want to die?" Xiao Yu roared, his martial soul flaring. One yellow, two purple, three black—six soul rings gleamed as the Sword of the Underworld appeared in his hand. He shielded Ye Lingling behind him, facing the oncoming beasts.

Spurred by Xiao Yu’s shout, Xue Qinghe’s royal guards snapped into action, summoning their martial souls and unleashing soul skills against the charging beasts.

"You’ve broken through to Soul Emperor!" Xue Qinghe cried out, stunned by the six soul rings on Xiao Yu. Rather than the beast tide, it was Xiao Yu’s advancement that unsettled her most—he was three years her junior, yet now stood on equal footing.

"Is this really your priority right now?" Xiao Yu cleaved a charging thousand-year soul beast in two, shouting at Xue Qinghe, "Find the weakest point in their ranks and lead us out! With just a handful of us, we’ll be worn down by these monsters!"

Xue Qinghe snapped back to reality, quickly surveying their surroundings, and pointed, "That direction!"

"Good. Lingling, let’s go!" Without hesitation, Xiao Yu seized Ye Lingling’s hand and charged toward the path Xue Qinghe indicated, with Xue Qinghe and Xue Ke following close behind.

"Roar!" At that moment, the Azure Bull Python moved, unleashing a thunderous bellow.

Its domain—the Sluggish Field—activated.

Xiao Yu felt himself engulfed in a sea of azure, his movements growing impossibly slow.

"Boy, pay for Er Ming’s death!" The Azure Bull Python lumbered forward, its massive claws reaching for Xiao Yu, intent on crushing him.

"Don’t you dare harm our young master!" In the nick of time, two beams of golden light shattered the domain. Milo and Aeolia appeared, martial souls unleashed in their true forms. Milo’s fingertips glowed red; thunder crackled around Aeolia as they hurtled toward the Azure Bull Python.

Even as they engaged the beast, they shouted back to Xiao Yu, "Young master, run!"

Xiao Yu nodded. With Milo and Aeolia’s strength, the Azure Bull Python couldn’t hope to detain them; staying would only burden them. Once he fled far enough, they could escape with ease.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yu unleashed his martial soul to its fullest, black wings beating furiously as he carved a bloody path through the weak point in the beast ranks, dragging Ye Lingling with him.

Xue Qinghe and Xue Ke, escorted by several guards, followed closely. Because of Xue Ke and the royal guards, Xue Qinghe could not reveal her true power and could only watch as Xiao Yu cut a path ahead, powerless to do more than trail behind.