The Titan Giant Ape radiated a flash of light and transformed into a robust middle-aged man.
His short hair stood like steel needles, giving him a fierce and imposing presence. His face was rugged and sharp, carved as though by a blade, while his deep brown eyes glimmered with faint golden light. Though draped in a simple grey robe, it couldn't conceal the bulging strength of his muscular frame.
Moo!
A low, powerful bellow echoed through the air as an enormous figure emerged from the depths of the Star Dou Forest.
It was a creature with the body of a serpent and the head of a bull. Its massive eyes, resembling lanterns, glowed brightly, and its sheer size caused the surrounding atmosphere to ripple with immense energy.
"Sky Azure Bull Python!"
Bibi Dong's expression finally shifted, her voice trembling slightly as the four words escaped her lips.
The Sky Azure Bull Python's body emitted a burst of light as it, too, transformed into a human form—a middle-aged man with flowing azure hair cascading over his broad shoulders. His serene, blue eyes seemed ordinary at first glance, but an overwhelming, uncontrollable aura faintly leaked from his being.
As the Sky Azure Bull Python took its place, another figure floated out of the forest.
This newcomer was entirely white—his feet hovering off the ground like a ghost. Strange, intricate markings covered his body, and his pale, soulless eyes made him seem chillingly eerie.
The crimson aura surrounding him indicated his over ten-thousand-year cultivation.
"What is that?" Bibi Dong asked, unable to suppress her curiosity.
"That's a Demon Spirit," Xiao Wu answered calmly.
Roar!
Following closely behind, a deafening dragon roar echoed through the sky as a massive black dragon emerged from the forest.
"Hell Demon Dragon?" Bibi Dong exclaimed in disbelief.
"No, it's the Hell Demon Dragon Queen," corrected a calm voice that seemed to come from all directions.
The dragon's form shimmered with light before transforming into a tall and curvaceous woman.
Her body was covered in gleaming purple-black scales that accentuated her slender figure. Her skin—snow-white on her exposed shoulders and neckline—contrasted sharply with the scales. Her long, purple-black hair fluttered as though in an unseen breeze.
Her face was impossibly enchanting, her deep violet eyes mesmerizing and her lips a bold, bright purple. On her forehead, a dark, onyx-like scale radiated purple ripples of energy that naturally drifted above her head.
"Ziji, you're quite fast, aren't you?"
Another deep voice echoed through the area.
The ground shook once more as five more spirit beasts, each with over 100,000 years of cultivation, soared from the forest.
Leading the way was a Golden-Eyed Black Dragon, its massive, dark form exuding overwhelming dominance. Behind it followed an Emerald Swan, a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, three Scarlet Demon Mastiffs, and finally, an ancient-looking tree—complete with human-like eyes and a mouth.
"Uncle Di Tian, Aunt Ziji, Aunt Bi Ji, Uncle Xiong Jun, Uncle Myriad Demon King, Uncle Chi Wang—hello!"
Xiao Wu greeted each of the spirit beasts as they transformed into human form one by one, taking their places beside Mu Chen.
---
The tremors in the ground did not stop. Instead, they grew stronger over time.
"Spirit beasts! No, it's a beast tide!"
The crowd erupted in shocked cries. From the forest, an endless stream of spirit beasts surged forth, like waves crashing toward the village. In the sky above, countless flying beasts darkened the skies, creating a scene of absolute chaos.
"Bibi Dong, I'm afraid you've lost," Mu Chen said with a smile as he turned to look at her.
"These spirit beasts… are part of your Tang Sect?" Bibi Dong asked, her brows furrowed tightly.
"Indeed," Mu Chen replied simply with a nod.
"How can spirit beasts obey your orders?" Bibi Dong asked again, clearly baffled.
"That's not something you need to know. All you need to understand is that, regarding our three-year agreement… you've lost," Mu Chen said, his tone calm and confident.
Not long ago, Mu Chen had traveled to the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Forest and met the Silver Dragon King. After negotiations, he had made a promise to her, and in return, the Silver Dragon King commanded the beasts of the Star Dou Forest to obey Mu Chen's orders for ten years.
Bibi Dong swept her gaze across Di Tian, Bi Ji, Xiong Jun, and the other formidable spirit beasts before turning to look at the endless tide of beasts behind Mu Chen. Finally, she sighed in resignation.
She had lost.
Mu Chen's strength, including the spirit beasts he commanded, had far exceeded the Spirit Hall's forces. If Mu Chen gave the order, he could obliterate Spirit Hall entirely.
Bibi Dong let out a weary sigh. At that moment, she seemed to age decades. Staring at Mu Chen, she realized that with him around, her dream of unifying the continent would remain forever out of reach.
"Speak. What is your request?" Bibi Dong asked solemnly.
As the victor of their wager, Mu Chen could demand anything from Bibi Dong, with the sole exception of forcing her to marry him.
"I want the spirit ring and spirit bone of the Soft Bone Rabbit you absorbed," Mu Chen declared calmly.
"What?!"
Bibi Dong's expression darkened immediately, and she glared sharply at Mu Chen.
"Husband!"
Hu Liena stepped forward nervously, her expression conflicted as she looked between Mu Chen and Bibi Dong. For her, this was the last thing she wanted to see—her husband and her beloved teacher at odds.
"Brother!"
Nearby, Qian Renxue—still disguised as Xue Qinghe—showed a rare flicker of emotion in her gaze. Mu Chen was her sworn brother, but Bibi Dong was her biological mother. Although their relationship was strained, blood ties could not be denied.
"Mu Chen, you're going too far!" Chrysanthemum Douluo's effeminate voice rang out sharply.
With his declaration, the Spirit Hall forces tensed up, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
"Mu Chen! The cultivation of a spirit master is of utmost importance. If you demand a spirit ring and spirit bone, Her Holiness's strength will suffer greatly. You might as well declare war on us directly," Ghost Douluo said coldly, his voice rasping.
"Mu Chen, I advise you to change your request. Her Holiness cannot accept this. If you think that your forces are strong enough to do as you please, you're gravely mistaken. We of Spirit Hall would rather perish than yield," Chrysanthemum Douluo added vehemently.
Mu Chen ignored their outbursts, his gaze remaining fixed on Bibi Dong.
"Bibi Dong, what do you say?" Mu Chen asked, his tone calm yet unwavering.
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