Chapter 218: Sky-Splitting Bear Monarch
After absorbing the 200,000-year Golden Scorpion King soul ring, Yang Potian and his group continued searching through the Star Dou Forest for another two weeks without finding any suitable soul rings. Typically, fire-attribute soul beasts could be found near volcanic regions with molten lava ideal for their survival, while water-attribute soul beasts would likely be in the ocean. Although Yang Potian considered seeking the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, he realized he wasn't yet strong enough to confront it.
The group initially hoped to find traces of the Dark Devilgod Tiger but came up empty, suspecting it was hiding somewhere deep within the forest. After some consideration, Yang Potian decided they should head to the Lake of Life, where powerful soul beasts might gather. He still had four open soul ring slots and hoped to possibly find the Azure Bull Python.
Upon arriving at the Lake of Life, they noticed signs of a fierce battle, including scattered petals from Chrysanthemum Douluo's flower spirit—a clear indication he had recently been there. Yang Potian speculated that perhaps Bibi Dong had sent Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo to capture Xiao Wu, leading to the fight. However, there was no sign of the sacrifice phenomenon, which would have released a distinctive red glow visible even from the Star Dou Forest's outer perimeter.
The Lake of Life, with its immense spiritual energy, was indeed a perfect environment for both soul beasts and soul masters to cultivate, as it formed the lifeblood of the Star Dou Forest. Yet, after several days, they saw no sign of Xiao Wu, the Titan Giant Ape, or the Azure Bull Python.
Yang Tianyue grew increasingly uneasy, saying, "Brother, something feels strange here. I keep sensing some kind of danger, and we haven't encountered any high-level soul beasts in days. Doesn't that seem odd?"
Yang Potian paused, considering her words. "Let's leave. There's definitely something amiss around here."
However, after they had only walked half a kilometer, a hulking figure appeared in front of them. The newcomer was an imposing middle-aged man standing over two and a half meters tall, with massive, bulging muscles and an intimidating aura that was anything but ordinary.
With a menacing glare, he growled, "So, you're the ones responsible for slaughtering ten-thousand-year soul beasts around here?"
The threat radiating from this man made Yang Potian wary. His current strength should be unmatched, save for the three Limit Douluos, yet this figure clearly posed a danger.
Yang Potian's expression turned serious. "Who are you, and why are you tracking us?"
"You don't need to know who I am. All you need to do is die."
Without another word, the brawny man lunged forward, throwing a punch so powerful it seemed capable of pulverizing everything in its path. Yang Potian quickly summoned his spirit and soul rings, gripping his Breaksoul Spear as he thrust it forward with full force to counter the attack. When the spear's blade collided with the man's fist, Yang Potian was forced back five meters, while the man only retreated by one, a sign that he held the advantage in raw strength.
Seeing this, the other five quickly summoned their own spirits and soul rings, preparing to attack. However, the massive man sneered, "A bunch of ants think they can hurt me? Today, none of you will escape." With a fierce swipe, he deflected all five of their attacks, even blocking Yang Tianyue's Sea God Trident with his sheer physical resilience.
The man's hands transformed into claws, which he swung toward Yang Potian, tearing through the air as if to rip apart space itself. Though Yang Potian tried to parry with his spear, the Breaksoul Spear was marred by three deep claw marks, and he himself was flung several meters back.
In response, Yang Potian gritted his teeth, activating his spirit avatar to unleash the full power of his Breaksoul Spear against the man's claws. Both retreated three meters in the ensuing clash.
Yang Potian's expression hardened. "You're Bear Monarch, aren't you?"
The man laughed wildly. "Didn't expect someone would actually recognize me, Bear Monarch. Unfortunately for you, that just means I can't let you live."
"Be careful, everyone. Don't try to take him head-on," Yang Potian warned the others. He activated his eighth soul skill, Golden Behemoth Slash, and the Breaksoul Spear emitted a massive, slicing light, tearing through the air toward Bear Monarch as if to rend the heavens.
Bear Monarch, unfazed, raised his powerful claws coated with a dark gold hue—his Dark Gold Terror Claws—and slashed back at the attack. The collision sent a shockwave through the air, a fierce clash between two extreme gold attributes. Yet even this 100,000-year skill failed to give Yang Potian the upper hand against this fearsome opponent.
The other five activated their spirit avatars to assist Yang Potian. But with a single swipe of his claws, Bear Monarch inflicted massive wounds on Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphor Serpent and Niu Mang's Steelplate Giant Rhinoceros. Yang Pingan's Thunder Dragon Spear was knocked from his grasp, and even Yang Tianyue was forced back ten meters, trident in hand.
Yang Potian's eyes blazed with fury. "Bear Monarch, you're courting death."
He activated multiple soul rings at once, including his first soul skill, Titan Force, and third soul skill, Golden Power. With these enhancements, his spear gained tremendous weight and destructive force, increasing his power several times over. Yang Potian's spear thrust forward like a dragon, its strike resonating with dragon roars as it seemed to tear through space itself.
But Bear Monarch met the attack with his claws. The two clashed in a rapid succession of blows, spear against claw. Though both sustained minor injuries, neither could claim a decisive advantage, each clash escalating their ferocity.
Meanwhile, the other five continued their attacks, but their efforts seemed futile. Dugu Yan and Niu Mang couldn't penetrate Bear Monarch's defenses, their attacks barely a scratch. Yang Pingan and Yang Tianyue, though able to wound him, were vastly outmatched in power and soul level; Bear Monarch had likely reached the rank of a Limit Douluo, while Yang Tianyue, though powerful, was still a Soul Douluo. Despite possessing high-grade soul bones, the gap between them remained daunting.
Yang Tianyue unleashed an intricate spear technique, summoning a giant blue spectral image resembling the Sea God himself—a move from the legendary Golden Thirteen Halberds taught by the Sea God.
As Yang Pingan transformed into lightning, he activated his ninth soul skill, Thunderous Dominion. His Thunder Dragon Spear morphed into a massive lightning dragon, hurtling toward the enemy. At the same time, Yang Potian's eighth soul ring glowed as he unleashed his Behemoth Earth Break, propelling the Breaksoul Spear forward with a force enhanced by two power-boosting soul skills, achieving near-maximum destructive capability.
Across from them, Bear Monarch let out a ferocious roar, his body growing into a massive, fifteen-meter-tall Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear. His frame was covered in dense, dark-gold fur, his incredibly long arms hanging past his knees on his hulking form—a showcase of extreme power and metal attributes.
Facing the trio's combined assault, Bear Monarch's claws morphed into terrifying, world-rending weapons—the Heaven-Rending Claws. The explosive clash forced both sides back, and though neither party held a clear advantage, both bore fresh wounds.
Ye Lingling quickly used her Nine Hearts Begonia to heal the five injured companions. However, the healing was slower than usual, as if some unseen force was hindering the wounds from fully closing. Despite her now being a titled Douluo whose powers could usually heal most injuries with minimal effort, these wounds stubbornly resisted healing.
Gritting his teeth, Yang Potian's ninth soul ring activated for the first time as he used his ultimate soul skill: Sky-Splitter. The atmosphere around them shuddered as immense soul power converged into an enormous Breaksoul Spear, tens of meters long. Its massive spearhead seemed to tear open the heavens themselves, creating fiery sparks as it cleaved through the air. The sheer weight of this attack locked Bear Monarch in place, as if under unbearable pressure, leaving him unable to escape even with his Heaven-Rending Claws.
Yet, Bear Monarch remained fiercely defiant, roaring as he prepared to withstand the immense weapon descending upon him. Then, a sudden shift in the heavens caught everyone off guard. Thunder crackled in the sky, and a faint dragon's roar reverberated, striking their very souls. Out of nowhere, an enormous dragon claw emerged from the void, reaching toward the descending Breaksoul Spear, shattering it upon impact. Though the claw sustained a large gash, it emerged victorious in the clash.
Yang Potian's face fell as he sensed the situation's danger. Without hesitation, he summoned the others to him, activating his first red soul ring and conjuring a black portal in the air. He dove into the black hole with his companions, vanishing instantly from the scene.
Moments later, Yang Potian and the others reappeared several kilometers away. Still tense, he flared his wings and flew them out of the Star Dou Forest at top speed, as though fleeing from a terrifying threat. From afar, a booming voice echoed: "Humans, you shall not set foot in my Star Dou Forest again."
Yang Potian responded with only a cold sneer as he sped away. Only after covering a distance of three hundred kilometers did the group finally stop to rest. Finding a safe spot, Ye Lingling began tending to everyone's wounds, and it took an entire day for everyone to fully recover.
As the treatment concluded, Ye Lingling voiced her confusion. "Potian, why were your wounds so hard to heal this time?"
Yang Potian shook his head. "That was due to an attribute called Extreme Metal. Like my Breaksoul Spear, it's a refined metal attribute, and injuries from it are incredibly difficult to heal."
Yang Tianyue looked puzzled. "Brother, what exactly is Extreme Metal?"
Smiling indulgently at her, Yang Potian explained in detail. "When a metal-attribute spirit reaches its peak, it becomes Extreme Metal. This attribute not only suppresses other elements but can even overpower other metal attributes. Any element taken to its pinnacle becomes an extreme attribute, and those who reach this level are almost unbeatable within the same rank."
Still curious, Yang Tianyue asked, "But how does one achieve such an extreme attribute?"
Yang Potian thought for a moment before replying. "Extreme attributes are extremely challenging to cultivate. First, the spirit itself must be of exceptionally high quality. Additionally, achieving this level requires repeatedly absorbing soul rings of the same element and breaking through each level. My current spirit has nearly reached Extreme Metal and Extreme Strength."
Yang Tianyue's face showed a hint of regret. "Brother, if you knew this, why didn't you tell me sooner? Then I could have trained for Extreme Metal, too."
Chuckling, Yang Potian said, "Extreme attributes are indeed powerful, but they come with significant drawbacks. A soul master with an extreme attribute will find that their cultivation speed slows dramatically between ranks thirty and seventy, sometimes to the point of testing their resolve."
(Chapter End)