"Hey kid, why are you running like that?"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou in such a hurry, even pushing the Fire Phoenix Summoned Beast beneath him to full speed, Dugu Bo couldn't help but ask, confused.
"Senior, that strange black tiger soul beast chasing Lingyuan Douluo is called the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. It's one of the most terrifying beasts in the soul beast world and has a completely unreasonable ability.
Once a soul master is hit, their body temporarily reverts to its state before their martial soul was awakened.
Although the tiger also becomes a cub, a six-year-old child without a martial soul—who could beat a baby tiger with an insanely strong bloodline?"
Chu Chengzhou explained without even turning back.
"Hiss... it's that fierce?"
Dugu Bo gasped, quickly glancing back.
"Uh... kid, maybe that Dark Demon Evil God Tiger isn't as scary as you say?"
Looking behind and seeing the tiger already making a strategic retreat, Dugu Bo said with a strange expression.
"What do you mean?"
"It ran away."
"It ran away?"
Chu Chengzhou blinked in surprise, then turned to look back.
Sure enough, the black tiger that had been chasing Lingyuan Douluo had completely disappeared.
"Looks like we don't have to run anymore?"
Clicking his tongue, Chu Chengzhou spoke.
But Dugu Bo's face turned serious. "Nope, still need to run!"
"Fair enough!"
Chu was about to ask why when he noticed the fiery red bird behind them flying straight at them—and fast. He swallowed his question immediately.
If Lingyuan Douluo was frustrated a minute ago, she was now in a fantastic mood.
Look who's riding that red bird up ahead—it's that poisonous old man, Dugu Bo!
She'd assumed her luck was too bad to run into him in the vast Star Dou Forest, like winning a soul bone from the first beast you kill.
But to her surprise, after just being humiliated by that weird tiger, fate delivered Dugu Bo right to her.
He's weaker than her and slower too—His Holiness the Pope's orders are as good as done!
The Fire Phoenix's speed was fast, but compared to a flying-type Title Douluo in full martial soul avatar form, it was still slower. The distance closed quickly.
"Hmph, that woman thinks she's got me cornered?"
Seeing Lingyuan Douluo catching up, Dugu Bo snorted coldly.
"Kid, you go ahead and retreat!"
He turned to Chu Chengzhou and gave the order, then leapt into the air to meet the threat.
A fight between Title Douluos is extremely destructive, and Dugu Bo's snake venom is indiscriminate—Chu wouldn't survive as collateral. Better to let the kid run.
As for himself? Without the kid dragging him down, he might have a better chance of escaping.
"Take care, Senior!"
Without hesitation, Chu replied and had his bird keep flying at full speed.
Not that he was ungrateful—he simply couldn't help in a Title Douluo fight. He'd only be a burden to Dugu Bo.
Meanwhile, seeing Dugu Bo stop running, Lingyuan Douluo was pleased. She looked down at the three people held in her talons and, after giving them brief instructions, dropped them to the ground before soaring upward to engage.
Lying flat on the red bird's back to reduce wind resistance and watching the situation unfold, Chu noticed this move and was momentarily stunned.
Upon closer inspection, he saw three figures—two males and one female—drop into the forest below.
Lingyuan Douluo's martial soul avatar was huge, and he hadn't noticed the three in her claws before. Now that the view was clear, his sharp eyes spotted them easily.
"Silver-haired Soul King, red-haired Soul Ancestor, orange-haired girl…"
Though he couldn't make out their faces, the hair colors and soul power fluctuations, coupled with the fact they were led by Lingyuan Douluo from the Spirit Hall, left no doubt.
They had to be Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena.
Glancing at the looming battle between Dugu Bo and Lingyuan Douluo, Chu thought for a moment, then had the Fire Phoenix dive toward the forest.
After landing and putting away the Phoenix, he suppressed his aura, activated his movement technique, and headed toward the area where the three had fallen.
From the original novel, Chu knew Dugu Bo wasn't great in one-on-one combat—arguably the weakest Title Douluo. Against Lingyuan, he didn't stand much chance.
With Lingyuan's superior speed and no surprise help likely to appear, Dugu Bo was probably doomed.
But there was still a way to break the deadlock.
Capture Hu Liena. With a hostage, Lingyuan wouldn't dare act rashly.
Normally, threatening a Title Douluo with a hostage was useless—they'd kill you both. But Hu Liena was different. She was Bibi Dong's personal disciple, practically a daughter to her. If something happened to her, Lingyuan would have no way to explain it.
In the forest, Hu Liena and the others were sitting on a large tree branch.
"Brother, do you think Elder Lingyuan can take down Dugu Bo?" Hu Liena asked, sensing the intense battle in the distance.
Xie Yue clicked his tongue and analyzed, "She probably can! Otherwise, why did Dugu Bo run the moment he saw her?"
"Exactly! Don't worry, Na-na. I heard Dugu Bo is the weakest Title Douluo around—only bullies soul masters below level 90. He can't beat any other Title Douluos."
Yan immediately chimed in.
"Is that so…"
Hu Liena frowned slightly, gaining more confidence in Lingyuan.
"Elder Lingyuan should be able to win, but that soul master who was with Dugu Bo got away. I wonder if that'll cause any problems."
Xie Yue furrowed his brow, remembering the boy who flew away earlier.
Even though the Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou Empire were enemies, they couldn't be too blatant.
If Dugu Bo died and that kid made it back to the Empire, there'd be consequences.
"Xie Yue, I don't think you need to worry.
If it weren't for this hunt, even we wouldn't know about Elder Lingyuan's presence here. How could an outsider?
As long as His Holiness doesn't publicize it, the Heaven Dou Empire won't know who to blame, even if they find out Dugu Bo died here."
Yan said dismissively.
Hu Liena nodded in agreement.
True, there would be fallout if Dugu Bo died, but without evidence, it would likely blow over.
Just like twenty years ago—when the only Title Douluo and current sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disappeared in this forest. Who dared blame the Spirit Hall?
Of course, Hu Liena didn't know if that had really been their doing—she only remembered a history teacher mentioning it once.
The three chatted casually, unaware someone was already sneaking up.
With his advanced stealth technique, Chu was already hiding just a few dozen meters away.
His hands flashed with soul power as the Flame Sun Bow and Titanium Armor-Piercing Arrow appeared.
Just as he was about to draw, Chu hesitated.
No—these were too powerful. Xie Yue and that simping dog Yan couldn't handle an armor-piercing arrow. Unless he wanted to start a war with the Spirit Hall, he couldn't use his real weapons.
After a moment of thought, he stashed the bow and arrows and set his sights on Hu Liena.
The next second, invisible spiritual energy surged forward, spanning the distance and entering Hu Liena's consciousness.
Though Hu Liena was a mental-type soul master, her spiritual strength was only equivalent to a five-ringed Soul King due to her soul level—and she had no buffing skills active.
She was no match for Chu.
Suddenly, she felt the world spin. Her vision turned pitch-black—completely devoid of light.
Yep, Chu didn't do anything too wild—he just trapped her in a mental illusion, the Little Black Room.
This wasn't a metaphorical space—it was a literal construct of Chu's illusion arts. No light. Absolute silence. A total sensory void.
Shocked by the sudden change, Hu Liena instinctively tried to summon her martial soul.
But then came an even greater panic—she couldn't access her powers at all.
At the same time, Chu burst from the bushes using his movement technique.
Crossing the short distance was nothing to him.
Though the Spirit Hall trio were elite, and this was the dangerous Star Dou Forest, they were still caught off guard. As Chu neared, Xie Yue and Yan finally reacted, leaping from the tree and summoning their martial souls mid-air.
But it was too late for Hu Liena—she couldn't react at all.
With a light step, Chu landed on the branch, grabbed the unresponsive Hu Liena, and took off again at lightning speed.
"Damn it!"
"Bastard, put Na-na down!"
Watching Chu's smooth operation and seeing their teammate (or crush) abducted effortlessly, Xie Yue and Yan snapped and chased after him in fury.
But even though they had higher soul power levels, they couldn't match Chu's speed—even with him carrying a girl.
With the hostage in hand, Chu flipped his right hand, summoned the True Spirit Banner martial soul, activated his third soul ring, and summoned the Fire Phoenix again.
Once it took off, Chu leapt aboard with Hu Liena and soared into the sky.
Up above, a giant green serpent battled a massive red firebird. Poison mist and flames filled the air as powerful soul techniques collided.
Suddenly, a red streak shot through the sky, hitting the red firebird with a small burst of light.
Lingyuan Douluo, in the middle of dominating Dugu Bo, turned to see where the shot had come from.
"Your Excellency, shall we call a truce?"
From the Fire Phoenix's back, Chu, bow now lowered, lifted Hu Liena in one hand.
Seeing her disciple in his grasp, Lingyuan Douluo's pupils contracted sharply.
"You brat, let her go!"
She shouted, striking Dugu Bo back with one final blow.
"Letting her go is fine—but only after Senior Dugu Bo and I are safely away!"
Chu Chengzhou said with a smile.
"You insolent brat!"
Spirit Dove Douluo flew into a rage, releasing her powerful aura. With a flap of her wings, she shot toward Chu Chengzhou at lightning speed.
"Stop! Your Grace, don't come any closer, or I can't guarantee her safety."
Seeing Spirit Dove Douluo approaching, Chu Chengzhou immediately had Little Red retreat at full speed. At the same time, a titanium armor-piercing arrow materialized in his hand, its razor-sharp tip pressing against Hu Liena's snowy-white neck.
Seeing this, Spirit Dove Douluo immediately halted.
"You dare threaten a Douluo?!"
In her true martial soul form, Spirit Dove Douluo's avian eyes were filled with murderous intent as she glared at Chu Chengzhou.
"You've misunderstood, Your Grace. I wouldn't dare threaten you. Holding the Pope's disciple hostage is merely for self-preservation."
As he spoke, Chu Chengzhou had Little Red circle around and fly toward Dugu Bo.
Hearing this, Spirit Dove Douluo's heart sank—this situation had become incredibly tricky.
This youth clearly knew he was holding the Pope's disciple hostage. That gave him real leverage.
"Hahaha—!"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou threaten Spirit Dove Douluo with a hostage, Dugu Bo laughed heartily. He released his martial soul form and stepped onto Little Red's back in a flash.
"Chu brat, that's Pope Bibi Dong's disciple you've got there?"
Glancing at the bound Hu Liena, Dugu Bo, looking a bit worse for wear, asked with a chuckle.
"Mm-hmm."
Chu Chengzhou nodded, his gaze never leaving Spirit Dove Douluo in the distance.
"Your Grace, we have no real enmity, and we haven't caused any irreparable harm. Why not each take a step back? Once Senior Dugu and I are safely away, we'll return the Pope's disciple to the Spirit Hall."
Chu Chengzhou called out to Spirit Dove Douluo.
"Impossible! Hand over Hu Liena!"
Spirit Dove Douluo dared not agree to Chu Chengzhou's terms. What if he changed his mind and harmed Hu Liena later? No way!
Without a hostage, how could they escape from her and the Spirit Hall?
"Please rest assured, Your Grace. We have no desire to incur the Pope's wrath. Once we're safe, we will definitely return Hu Liena. That's something you don't need to worry about."
With that, Chu Chengzhou had Little Red fly off into the distance.
At once, Spirit Dove Douluo panicked and gave chase.
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou gripped the arrow and stabbed it directly into Hu Liena's thigh.
"Pffft—!"
The sharp arrowhead pierced her flesh, and fresh blood immediately flowed from the wound.
"!!!"
Seeing Chu Chengzhou show zero hesitation or mercy, Dugu Bo's eyes widened.
He had underestimated this young man—he actually dared to stab such a beautiful girl without a second thought. Decisive and ruthless!
"You—!"
Seeing the merciless move, Spirit Dove Douluo halted again.
"If you still want the Pope's disciple alive, then don't follow us!"
Chu Chengzhou pulled the arrow free and pressed it to Hu Liena's neck once more.
This threat was far more convincing than before.
Just moments ago, he'd stabbed her in the thigh without warning. Spirit Dove Douluo had no doubt—if pushed, he wouldn't hesitate to stab her in the neck next time.
"Damn it!"
Watching Chu Chengzhou and Dugu Bo fly off, Spirit Dove Douluo was furious.
But with Hu Liena as a hostage, there was nothing she could do.
Forcefully trying to rescue Hu Liena without regard for her safety? Even though Dugu Bo was no match for her, he could definitely kill Hu Liena before going down.
If Hu Liena died because of her reckless actions, the Pope would surely flay her alive.
In a pitch-black, silent void, Hu Liena curled up helplessly, hugging her wounded leg. She squatted in a space filled only with fear and darkness.
'Teacher... I'm so scared…'
Tears streamed down her face—she could feel them, even if she couldn't see anything or hear her own sobs. Only endless silence and shadow surrounded her.
At that moment, she longed for the warm embrace of her teacher, Bibi Dong, more than anything.
She didn't know how long had passed. Suddenly, the darkness twisted, and when Hu Liena's awareness returned, her vision was no longer shrouded in total blackness. The sound of rushing wind filled her ears.
Opening her eyes, she saw sunlight shining on the earth and white clouds drifting across a blue sky.
"Sunlight… blue sky… white clouds… how beautiful…"
Gazing at the blinding sun and the drifting clouds, Hu Liena murmured.
Only when something is lost do people realize its worth—at this moment, she felt that saying couldn't be more true.
"Chu brat, what did you do to her? Don't tell me you turned her stupid or something?"
Hearing Hu Liena murmuring like that, Dugu Bo asked Chu Chengzhou in surprise.
"I didn't do much. Just hit her with an illusion technique."
Chu Chengzhou shrugged, looking innocent.
"!!!"
Hearing an unfamiliar voice, Hu Liena immediately sat up.
She realized she was now on the back of a fiery red bird soaring through the sky—what looked like a phoenix. Beside her were two figures: one old, one young.
"Hiss—!"
A sharp pain surged through her thigh, and Hu Liena gasped.
Looking down, she saw a wound about the size of a pinky nail on her once flawless right leg.
The gash was fairly deep, the blood not yet dried—it hurt so much her eyes welled up again.
But now wasn't the time to worry about that. She turned to look at the two men.
She didn't recognize the youth—handsome, with two yellow and one purple spirit rings glowing around him. Either a newly advanced three-ring Spirit Elder or nearly at the level of a four-ring Spirit Ancestor, probably here to hunt spirit beasts.
But the old man…
Hu Liena's eyes widened. "Dugu…"
She had been about to blurt out "Dugu Bo," but realizing he was a Titled Douluo, she stopped herself. Calling him by name to his face would be far too disrespectful.
"Since you recognize Senior Dugu, that makes things easier.
You're now a prisoner. Your job is to stay put and behave. Once we're out of the Star Dou Forest, we'll return you to the Spirit Hall."
Seeing that Hu Liena had retained her sanity and hadn't been driven insane by his "Little Black Room" illusion, Chu Chengzhou spoke without wasting words.
"Who are you? That illusion earlier—was that your doing?"
Hu Liena, now seething with rage, questioned him bluntly.
"Miss Captive, please watch your tone. Unless you want another taste of my little black room technique."
Chu Chengzhou wasn't angry—he simply replied calmly.
Hu Liena trembled at the words, the memory of that terrifying, silent void flooding back.
Fear quickly overpowered her rage. She shrank back slightly and lowered her head, too afraid to speak again—anything to avoid being cast into that nightmarish space once more.
That "Little Black Room" technique was terrifying—definitely the most sinister illusion she'd ever experienced. She never wanted to go through that again.
As another wave of pain hit her leg, Hu Liena quickly pulled a small jade box from her storage soul tool and applied some healing salve to the wound.
After all, spirit masters didn't live easy lives. Fighting, injuries—it was all part of the job. Without a healing-type spirit master nearby, wound medicine was essential for survival in the field.
T/N: For up to 20 chapters ahead and twenty chapters ahead on my other translation, become a p@tron at p@treon.com/LordHipposApostle