The dark gold giant bear's fur seemed tougher than the hardest steel. The crescent-shaped slash barely left a mark on its body, provoking its ferocious might.
With a thunderous roar, the dark-gold giant bear stomped down with a single foot, crushing Luo Yuan, who had been absorbing a spirit ring, into a pulp.
"Luo Yuan!"
Han Ruoruo cried out in shock as her Golden Rope swiftly wrapped around the dark gold giant bear, binding it tightly from head to toe.
The surrounding inner courtyard disciples immediately launched their attacks.
One after another, their strikes hit the bear, further fueling its wild nature.
The dark gold giant bear strained against its bonds, and the incredibly tough Golden Rope snapped apart inch by inch.
Han Ruoruo, as if struck by a heavy blow, spat out a mouthful of blood.
The bear's claws tore through the air, slashing across nearly twenty meters, enveloping two figures within its reach.
The razor-sharp claws descended, and the two figures exploded into a blood mist.
"Chu He, Zhang Lie!"
Two more inner courtyard disciples met a tragic end, filling the others with rage, their eyes bloodshot.
"Damn it! How did a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear of this age appear in the mixed zone?"
Zhang Lexuan cursed furiously, her expression dark.
They had been on guard, but somehow, this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had stealthily approached without them noticing.
When did the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear develop such powerful stealth abilities?
The bear had launched a surprise attack, tearing through their defensive perimeter and immediately ripping apart Lin Hong on the flank. By the time they reacted, the bear had already breached their ranks.
In just a few exchanges, five of their group had fallen to the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
This bear was far stronger than expected—its age must have been at least ten thousand years. Even an average Titled Douluo might not stand a chance against it.
Though they were all geniuses, taking on a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear over ten thousand years old was far beyond their current capabilities.
After killing Chu He and Zhang Lie, the bear charged straight at Han Ruoruo, moving with extreme speed and unstoppable ferocity.
Han Ruoruo immediately unleashed her Martial Soul Avatar. The Golden Rope slithered like a dragon, attempting to restrain the bear.
At this critical moment, Zhang Lexuan became completely agitated. Han Ruoruo was, after all, her closest sister in Shrek Academy.
Without hesitation, Zhang Lexuan activated her seventh spirit skill, the Silver Moon Avatar.
Her entire body radiated with the light of the silver moon as if she had merged with it.
Endless silver moonlight shone down upon the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
The two unleashed their Martial Soul Avatars simultaneously, going all out.
But a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear over ten thousand years old was terrifying beyond words.
It withstood the combined attacks of the two Martial Soul Avatars and still aimed to kill Han Ruoruo. Its terrifying defense blocked almost all of their attacks. The incredibly sharp claws in its hands could almost slice through space itself.
Even Han Ruoruo's Golden Rope Avatar couldn't break through the bear's claws to restrain it.
The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear ignored all obstacles, locking its claws onto Han Ruoruo, ready to kill her.
"No!"
Zhang Lexuan's face turned pale, and she screamed in panic.
At that moment, a dark, furious voice roared from the sky.
"Beast, how dare you!"
A disheveled man arrived, unleashing a powerful energy wave that sent the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear flying.
The massive bear was thrown dozens of meters away.
"Elder Xuan!"
Seeing the newcomer, Zhang Lexuan called out, finally relaxing.
Elder Xuan had arrived. They were safe now.
Elder Xuan scanned the surroundings and saw the scattered remains of several bodies. His face darkened. He hadn't anticipated that in his brief moment of negligence, five of the academy's best inner courtyard students would fall.
A surge of overwhelming anger filled his eyes.
"Vile creature, I'll kill you!"
Elder Xuan's aura surged as he raised his hand and aimed a powerful strike at the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
Elder Xuan was a Level 98 Super Douluo. Even though this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had nearly twenty thousand years of cultivation, it was no match for him.
No matter how powerful it was, the bear couldn't withstand Elder Xuan's palm strike. It was severely injured, crashing to the ground and creating a massive crater around it.
The bear was now gravely wounded, its once highly defensive body covered in blood, streaming even from its nostrils.
The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear let out a heart-wrenching wail that echoed through the skies.
"Vile beast, today you killed several of our academy's finest students. You will repay their lives with your spirit ring," Elder Xuan shouted, raising his palm again.
If this strike landed, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear would be pushed to the brink of death.
"How bold!"
Just as Elder Xuan's palm was about to fall, an incredibly terrifying aura erupted from the depths of the Star Dou Forest.
A violent, savage pressure, accompanied by a furious roar, swept across the skies.
Suddenly, a massive claw came crashing down in Elder Xuan's direction.
Elder Xuan's face changed drastically. He immediately withdrew his attack, his body flashing with an earthen yellow light as a massive beast appeared behind him.
Nine spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, and red—appeared beneath him.
He leaped into the air, his body surging with spirit power as he met the descending claw head-on.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion echoed in the sky, and waves of energy rippled outward, sending the inner courtyard students tumbling in all directions.
Even the towering trees were snapped by the force.
Moments later, a figure was seen crashing from the sky, kicking up a cloud of dust upon impact.
In the sky above, the giant claw slowly faded away, and a yellow light rapidly approached from the distance.
In just moments, it arrived high above.
It was a towering dark-gold bear, standing fifty to sixty meters tall, exuding an aura of overwhelming ferocity, like a primordial beast.
It hovered in mid-air, blocking out the sun.
Below, Zhang Lexuan and the others felt their hearts quake in the face of its terrifying presence.
This was an unparalleled, ferocious beast.
The sheer pressure radiating from it was enough to make one's liver and guts tremble.
The dark-gold giant bear looked down at the injured Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear lying in the pit below, and its enormous orange-yellow eyes flashed with violent rage.
This Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had been acting on its orders, searching everywhere.
There were dozens of these Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears scattered throughout the Star Dou Forest. They were all waiting for a certain individual.
Now, it seemed like they had finally found their target.
A hint of excitement flashed in the dark-gold giant bear's eyes, alongside a deep, murderous intent.
"Bang!"
With a light sound, stones shattered, and dust scattered.
Xuan Zi emerged from the large crater below, looking up at the dark gold giant bear in mid-air, his expression extremely grave.
"Bear Lord!"
Xuan Zi spoke calmly, though his eyes flashed with momentary shock.
One of the Ten Fierce Beasts, the infamous Bear Lord, had suddenly appeared. This turn of events was completely beyond his expectations.
After all, this was just the mixed zone. How could a fierce beast like the Bear Lord appear here? Was this reasonable?
But to the Bear Lord, wherever he appeared in the Star Dou Forest was perfectly reasonable.
Seeing that Xuan Zi was unharmed, Zhang Lexuan and the others breathed a sigh of relief. The few surviving students gathered together.
They had started with twelve, but now only seven remained. Five had perished under the claws of the ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. For the inner courtyard, this level of loss was a devastating tragedy.
Xuan Zi glanced at Zhang Lexuan and the others before stepping forward a few paces, positioning himself protectively in front of them.
He raised his head and addressed the Bear Lord, his voice steady but questioning:
"Bear Lord, what are your intentions?"
"You suddenly appear in the mixed zone and attack us. Are you planning to disregard the agreement made long ago?"
"Hmph, don't talk nonsense with me. What agreement? I've never heard of any such thing."
The Bear Lord scratched his ear, his voice booming like thunder in the ears of the inner courtyard students, causing their hearts to tremble in fear.
"Bear Lord, the agreement was made by the Beast God himself with Shrek Academy. Are you planning to go back on it?"
Xuan Zi invoked Di Tian, the Beast God, hoping his name would suppress the Bear Lord.
But the Bear Lord sneered disdainfully.
"If Di Tian made the agreement, then go find Di Tian. I don't follow his rules."
Even the Young master said I, the Bear Lord, am the backbone of the Star Dou Forest, a key figure in the future of the soul beast race. Why should I fear Di Tian? That little Di Tian—laughable! I, Bear Lord, will be the future Beast God of the Star Dou Forest.
I am the number one beast beneath the Master and the Young Master. And this old fool dares to use Di Tian to pressure me? He must be out of his mind.
"You—"
Xuan Zi was momentarily at a loss for words, his face darkening.
He hadn't expected the Bear Lord to disregard even Di Tian.
"Bear Lord, aren't you afraid that the Beast God will come after you for this?"
"I'll say whatever I want and do whatever I want. What, old man, you think you can tell me what to do?"
The Bear Lord glared at Xuan Zi, his aura threatening to explode at any moment.
That overwhelming ferocity made Zhang Lexuan and the others below feel immense pressure, their backs soaked in cold sweat.
Before Xuan Zi could respond, the Bear Lord attacked again: "Daring to hunt my Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear clan in my Star Dou Forest? It seems you've grown tired of living."
This time, the Bear Lord was truly enraged. Everything the Young Master had said was true—this old fool had set his sights on their clan.
And now, the Bear Lord would teach him a lesson.
"Bear Lord, you're being unreasonable. It was this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear that first attacked the students of Shrek Academy."
"Shrek Academy even lost five excellent students because of it. This Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear deserves to die!"
Xuan Zi spoke righteously. As a senior elder of Shrek Academy, Xuan Zi naturally upheld the academy's values. This Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear had already chosen the path of death!
The Bear Lord sneered.
"If you hadn't come to the Star Dou Forest to hunt soul beasts, would my clansmen have attacked you?"
"They entered the Star Dou Forest with the intent to kill soul beasts. Their deaths are deserved!"
These words left Xuan Zi momentarily speechless, but he quickly recovered.
"Hunting soul beasts is a right granted to soul masters by the heavens. The lives of those soul beasts cannot possibly compare to the students of Shrek Academy!"
Xuan Zi declared confidently.
"Fine, fine, fine. Then killing you is also a right granted to me by the heavens."
As he spoke, the Bear Lord emitted a surge of dark-gold light, sweeping across the sky.
Xuan Zi was startled, an earthen yellow light erupting around him to counter the pressure.
"Bear Lord, are you serious?"
"Do you think I'm joking?"
The Bear Lord snorted coldly.
"Bear Lord, as the king of the Star Dou Forest, are you going to disregard the rules and attack?"
Xuan Zi shouted angrily.
"You, an old fool, dare to bully the young, and you expect me to play by the rules?"
"Besides, my rules are the rules!"
The Bear Lord's roar was filled with overwhelming dominance.
In the past, he had heard this phrase from Su Yu, and now it truly suited his identity as the Bear Lord.
The Bear Lord said fight, and fight he would. His immense pressure surged toward Xuan Zi.
Xuan Zi's expression grew serious as his eyes filled with determination. He let out a long cry, and a brilliant yellow light burst from his body, his formidable strength surging.
"Lexuan, take them and leave quickly!"
Xuan Zi understood that the battle between him and the Bear Lord would be intense. The mere energy waves from their clash could be deadly to Zhang Lexuan and the others.
Without hesitation, Zhang Lexuan led the remaining survivors in retreat. They couldn't interfere in the battle between Xuan Zi and the Bear Lord. Staying would only put them in danger.
As they retreated, Xuan Zi's yellow light intensified.
With a leap, Xuan Zi was enveloped in the brilliant light, and a deep rumble echoed through the air.
As the yellow light reached its peak, Xuan Zi transformed.
He had the body of a goat, eyes under his armpits, tiger-like teeth, human-like claws, and two massive bull horns. A monstrous creature appeared out of thin air.
The creature was over thirty meters long, with a powerful build. Intense yellow light radiated from its body, and nine spirit rings glowed, circling the five-meter-long horns.
The Godly Taotie Bull!
This was Xuan Zi's Martial Soul—a powerful one that bore the bloodline of the Taotie beast.
At this moment, Xuan Zi had unleashed his Martial Soul Avatar, showing just how seriously he regarded the Bear Lord.
However, the Bear Lord remained disdainful. Xuan Zi's strength might be enough to bully others but against him?
The Bear Lord's reputation wasn't for show.
With a furious roar, the Bear Lord's sharp claws slashed toward Xuan Zi.
Even the Godly Taotie Bull dared not underestimate those claws. It charged forward with all its might, yellow light surging like a tidal wave toward the Bear Lord.
With a deafening explosion, the two massive figures collided.