Chapter 97: Hunting the Three-Eyed Golden Lion?

The dense forest of towering trees spread their branches like an immense spider web, casting a shroud over the entire expanse. Beneath this natural canopy, even the sunlight struggled to break through, leaving the forest shrouded in a dim, mystical light.

Pillars of sunlight managed to pierce through narrow gaps between the branches, illuminating the six figures traversing the forest below. The fragmented light danced on their silhouettes as they ventured deeper into the Star Dou Forest.

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The Unexpected Encounter

Xiao Yan suddenly halted mid-step, his brows furrowing.

"What's wrong?" asked Meng Hongchen, her tone cautious. She knew Xiao Yan wouldn't stop without reason, though her spiritual detection revealed no imminent danger. Moments later, she spotted it—a towering figure concealed amidst the trees.

"Dark... Gold Dreadclaw Bear?" she murmured, her voice trembling.

"There's killing intent." Ji Juechen immediately unsheathed his iron sword, his expression darkening as he moved to shield the group.

A deafening roar echoed through the forest, shaking the air. Two massive trees were pushed aside as a hulking figure emerged—a gigantic bear with dark gold fur that shimmered under the sparse light. Standing over three meters tall, its emotionless golden eyes exuded icy indifference.

The bear's muscular arms, disproportionally large compared to its already immense body, ended in terrifying claws of dark gold. These claws, each over a meter long, emitted a faint whistling sound as they cut through the air with even the slightest movement.

Its unblinking gaze was fixed on the honey in the group's hands. The bear's tongue flicked across its lips as saliva dripped to the ground, its hunger evident.

Suddenly, an oppressive aura radiated from the bear. The sharp, metallic pressure caused the group's faces to pale slightly.

"A ten-thousand-year Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear…" Ji Juechen muttered, his face ashen. "This beast is one of the most fearsome creatures in the soul beast world. It's said that once their cultivation surpasses ten thousand years, even Soul Douluo would struggle to contend with them. This… could be a serious problem."

Meng Hongchen and Nana remained silent, their lips pressed tightly together.

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The Battle Plan

Xiao Yan turned to the others, his expression solemn. "If it attacks, Ji Juechen, you'll hold the front. Brother Ma and I will cover your flanks."

Ji Juechen nodded, his grip tightening around his sword. His eyes gleamed with fervor, the thrill of battle awakening the sword fanatic within him.

"Nana, Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen," Xiao Yan continued, "you'll stay at the rear. Use your soul tools to target its vital points whenever you see an opening. Don't hold back."

No sooner had he spoken than the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear roared once more. It stomped the ground, shaking the forest with a tremor. Using the force, it launched itself into the air like a golden projectile, its enormous body moving with alarming speed.

In a flash, the bear appeared before Ji Juechen, its claws raised high. A sharp metallic glint condensed around them, forming a golden blade over half a meter long.

Ji Juechen's eyes narrowed at the beast's unexpected agility. But he was no novice—his iron sword slashed upward in response.

"Clang!"

The clash of sword and claw sent shockwaves through the forest, the impact forcing Ji Juechen to stagger backward. He crashed through several trees before finally stopping, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Ha! Excellent! Not bad at all!" Ji Juechen wiped the blood away, a crazed grin spreading across his face. Ignoring his injuries, he gripped his sword tightly and charged back toward the bear, his six soul rings flaring with power.

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The Frenzied Assault

Ji Juechen wasn't the only one drawn into the fray. The rest of the group quickly joined the battle, their coordinated attacks forming a tight net that trapped the massive bear at its center.

Soul techniques and explosive blasts from soul tools bombarded the bear relentlessly. Yet even as it roared and lashed out, its dark gold fur deflected most of the damage, leaving it unscathed for the most part.

Xiao Yan refrained from using his simulation skill. His spiritual detection had pinpointed another presence nearby—a ten-thousand-year spiritual-type soul beast. Concerned that the simulation might scare it off, he opted to hold back the simulated aura of a hundred-thousand-year beast.

The longer the battle raged, the more chaotic the forest became. Stones shattered, trees toppled, and cracks spread across the ground like a spider's web.

Meanwhile, the spiritual-type soul beast drew closer, seemingly curious about the commotion.

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Xiao Yan's Target

"Ji Juechen, I've found a spiritual-type soul beast perfect for my third soul ring. Hold the bear off for now. I'll deal with it and return to assist." Xiao Yan's sharp gaze turned toward the golden glow in the distance.

"Go. Leave this to me," Ji Juechen replied without hesitation. His sixth soul ring lit up as he prepared to unleash his signature move.

"Sword Intent: Dragon Slash!"

His iron sword absorbed an immense amount of black soul power, its edges glowing ominously. As the energy condensed, the sword grew several times larger, its form becoming semi-transparent.

The forest air seemed to freeze, followed by a sudden burst of energy that coalesced into a massive blade of compressed soul power. With a loud roar, Ji Juechen swung the blade at the bear, the sheer force of the strike sending shockwaves rippling outward.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Xiao Yan activated his flying soul tool and launched himself into the air. Guided by his spiritual detection, he homed in on the approaching glow.

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The Emperor Beast Revealed

It didn't take long for Xiao Yan to find his target. Standing amidst the foliage was a majestic soul beast unlike any he'd seen before.

The creature was covered in golden fur, its body resembling a lion but with draconic claws that radiated golden flames. Measuring over three meters long and nearly two meters tall, it exuded an aura of regality.

Most striking was its third eye—a vertical pupil glowing an eerie red, in stark contrast to the golden light of its other two eyes.

Xiao Yan's lips curved into a subtle smile. "A Three-Eyed Golden Lion… this will do nicely."

However, just as he prepared to strike, a panicked voice echoed in his mind.

"Xiao Yan, stop! You can't kill it!" Tian Meng Iceworm exclaimed. "If you do, the entire Star Dou Forest will erupt into chaos!"

"What do you mean?" Xiao Yan frowned, his attack paused.

"That's no ordinary soul beast," Tian Meng explained hurriedly. "It's the Emperor Auspicious Beast, a Three-Eyed Golden Lion. Its presence enhances the growth of all soul beasts within the forest. Killing it would provoke every powerful beast here to hunt us down."

Xiao Yan's frown deepened, but before he could respond, Yao Lao's voice interjected.

"Capture it and extract a strand of its origin flame," Yao Lao instructed.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan carefully restrained his breath and aura, his eyes locking onto the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. Beneath its claws, he could see the unmistakable golden flames—exactly as Tian Meng Iceworm had described: the Extreme Flame, a legendary power that Yao Lao had referred to as beast fire.

"What's the matter? Tempted?" Yao Lao's amused laughter echoed in Xiao Yan's mind.

"Heh, how could I not be? I need beast fire to advance my Flame Mantra, don't I?" Xiao Yan replied, his tone laced with anticipation. "Since that's the case, Master, let's do this. As long as we don't harm its life and only take a fragment of its origin flame, I doubt the beasts of the Star Dou Forest would hunt us down, right?"

As he spoke, a sharp glint flickered in Xiao Yan's eyes. A surge of soul force erupted from him, and his entire presence skyrocketed as a terrifying spiritual pressure swept outward like a tidal wave.

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yan launched himself forward, his wings vibrating powerfully behin

d him. His figure turned into a black streak, shooting toward the Three-Eyed Golden Lion with the speed and grace of

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