Plop!
A sharp sword pierced through its head.
No matter how strong the Dark Devilgod Tiger's body was, at this moment, all signs of life were slowly fading away.
Its eyes widened as it stared at Qian Renjue with hatred, letting out a final, unwilling growl before slowly collapsing to the ground.
The factors it hadn't accounted for—such as the Martial Soul Fusion Technique, the Scorching Heavenly Pearl, and the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud—had sealed its fate.
Its greed led to its downfall.
Regardless, the hard-fought battle was finally over.
"Phew..."
Qian Renjue released Bibi Dong's hand and supported himself on his knees, panting heavily.
"Jue, Mom, are you both alright?"
Qian Renxue still held her long sword tightly, subconsciously standing guard in front of her mother and brother.
After experiencing a near-death retaliation, she was even more cautious and vigilant towards her enemies.
"Xiao Xue, we're fine."
Bibi Dong gently shook her head, her delicate face alternating between red and white, and her once-smooth hair now singed.
Her eyes gleamed with the joy of victory; this ordeal had been extraordinary, allowing her to relive memories of her children from the past.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, Bibi Dong let out a soft, startled cry.
As Qian Renjue cupped her face, she couldn't help but ask, "Jue, what are you doing?"
"Haha, Mom, you're so small and adorable," Qian Renjue chuckled mischievously.
He had never seen a six-year-old version of Bibi Dong before.
Overwhelmed by curiosity, he playfully pinched her cute cheeks and gave her a couple of affectionate kisses on her chubby face.
It was such a novel experience for him.
"Ah, Jue!" Bibi Dong struggled, feeling embarrassed and annoyed.
Qian Renjue turned to Qian Renxue, "Sister, come quick, you won't get to see Mom like this again."
"Haha, Mom, I wants to play too," Qian Renxue chimed in.
"No, Xiao Xue!" Bibi Dong protested as she finally pushed Qian Renjue away.
But before she could recover, Qian Renxue took over, squeezing Bibi Dong's tender face as well.
After all, this was her first time seeing her mother at six years old, and she knew she wouldn't get another chance.
"Ah!"
"You two... Once we leave here, I won't forgive you!" Bibi Dong was utterly mortified.
Being treated like a child by her own children, she wanted to resist but found herself powerless to do so.
Just then, the surrounding space began to warp and twist. In an instant, everything shattered, and endless darkness rushed in.
Qian Renjue quickly stowed his weapon, but everyone's hearts were pounding.
Suddenly, there was a burst of light, and the next thing they knew, they were standing firmly back in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Their lost strength returned to their bodies, and their powers were fully restored.
Ling Yuan, Ah Yin, and Ghost Douluo, who had been guarding nearby, shouted with excitement, "Thank goodness! Her Majesty has returned!"
Not far from Qian Renjue, a peculiar orb was floating above the massive corpse of the Dark Devilgod Tiger. The orb was pitch-black but emitted both green and blue glimmers.
Buzz!
Before Bibi Dong and the others could react, a suction force suddenly emanated from the black hole that had released them earlier. The orb seemed about to fly into the black hole.
However, Qian Renjue had anticipated this.
A blue glow immediately flashed from his hand, enveloping the orb, and he quickly stored it in his system space.
A low growl filled the air.
The Dark Devilgod Tiger's lifeless eyes became completely dull.
Even its final act of revenge had failed.
It lay there with bitterness and resentment, doomed to never rise again, its eyes open in eternal defiance.
The black hole closed with a loud crash, and the torn space returned to normal.
"Master!"
Ah Yin rushed into Qian Renjue's arms, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, we failed to protect you. Please punish us!" Ling Yuan and the three elders knelt on one knee, asking for forgiveness.
"Stand up, all of you." Bibi Dong wiped her face. She wasn't upset with Ling Yuan and the others.
Instead, she gave a reproachful look to Qian Renxue and Qian Renjue.
Qian Renxue grinned sheepishly and hugged Bibi Dong's arm, playfully begging for forgiveness.
Ling Yuan, still confused, stood up along with Chrysanthemum Douluo, both puzzled by Bibi Dong's flushed face.
Just then, Ah Yin spoke up.
"Master, you're still injured. Let me heal you." She snuggled up to Qian Renjue, trying to soothe his pain with her soft touch.
However, Qian Renjue found the prolonged contact uncomfortable. "Enough, Ah Yin."
Bibi Dong's irritation flared as she approached, her gaze sharp. "That's enough! Focus on healing Jue, or I'll cut off those things!"
"Y-yes, of course, I'll heal him right away!" Ah Yin stammered, frightened.
She stopped her affectionate gestures and focused on using her healing soul technique.
"Mom, don't worry. I'll be fine soon," Qian Renjue said with relief, sitting down and holding the petite figure in his arms.
He still needed to restore his soul power before replacing his first soul ring.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, stay on guard!" Qian Renxue instructed.
"Yes!" they replied.
Half an hour passed, and Qian Renjue continued to meditate with Ah Yin behind him, closely adhering to his neck, replenishing some of his strength and healing his wounds.
Phew.
Qian Renjue exhaled deeply. He had grown accustomed to the soft presence behind him.
"Ah Yin, return," he ordered.
"Yes, Master," Ah Yin replied obediently.
She licked away any trace of blood, leaving no mess, and then, with a final affectionate nuzzle, transformed into a bloodline and reappeared as a mark on Qian Renjue's chest.
"Jue, how do you feel?" Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, who had been roasting meat, immediately stood up, their concern evident.
"Don't worry, Sister. I'm fine now," Qian Renjue said with a smile as he stretched his body.
"Jue, are you hungry? Mom's already grilled some skewers for you," Bibi Dong said gently, seemingly having forgotten the earlier embarrassment. She crouched beside him, her expression soft.
Qian Renjue shook his head and glanced at the dark soul ring floating above the Dark Devilgod Tiger's corpse.
"I plan to absorb that soul ring first."
"Absorb the soul ring?" Ling Yuan and the others were confused. After all, Qian Renjue was only at level sixty-nine.
Bibi Dong shared their confusion. "Jue, aren't you still lv 69?"
"Mom, I only need it for my first soul ring," Qian Renjue explained with a smile as he summoned his martial soul. The six-winged fallen angel hovered behind him, displaying three purple and three black soul rings.
Qian Renxue's eyes flashed with realization, and she smiled knowingly.
Under the astonished gazes of Bibi Dong and the others, Qian Renjue accessed his system and activated an item he had obtained a few years ago—Soul Ring Replacement Card (First Six Rings).
The first purple soul ring beneath his six-winged fallen angel vanished into thin air.
This incredible effect was thanks to the reward he had earned years ago from Ye Lingling, a rare item that allowed him to replace his initial soul rings.
"What... what is happening?" Ling Yuan was utterly shocked. It was like witnessing a miracle.
Chrysanthemum Douluo's jaw dropped, his usual grace was abandoned.
Ghost Douluo stared at Qian Renjue with deep reverence.
Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue exchanged glances, silently considering the god inheritance that Qian Renjue might possess.
"Jue, be careful. Mom will be right here watching over you," Bibi Dong said proudly, offering her full support.
"Sis is here too," Qian Renxue added with a smile, standing beside Bibi Dong.
"Mm." Qian Renjue nodded, brimming with confidence.
The soul ring, nearly 50,000 years old, posed no threat for him.
He extended his soul power, guiding the black soul ring toward him, and began the absorption process.
The Dark Devilgod Tiger's attributes—wind, lightning, evil, space, and even time—were all crucial to its power.
If he was fortunate, the abilities this soul ring would bestow might rival those of a 100,000-year ring, helping him break through to level seventy.
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