Unfortunately, life is always full of surprises.
Before Liu Erlong could seek justice for her mother, her mother passed away from illness.
The mental blow of losing a loved one, combined with the influence of her inherently fiery Martial Soul on her temperament, made her like a powder keg—easily ignited, even turning killing into a hobby.
After many twists and turns, while traveling across the continent, she coincidentally met the Four-Eyed Cat Owl Frank, and later, Master Yu Xiaogang, who had just been expelled from Spirit Hall City.
The three of them swore brotherhood and traveled the continent together.
By chance, they acquired the extremely rare Trinity Spirit Fusion Skill in the Spirit Master World, earning the reputation of the Golden Iron Triangle across the vast Spirit Master World.
The eldest brother, Frank, was the Flying Horn; the second brother, Yu Xiaogang, was the Wisdom Horn. Liu Erlong, the youngest among them, was the third sister, known as the Slaughter Horn.
Their journey through the Soul World was naturally not without challenges.
Already grieving the loss of her mother, Liu Erlong suffered another heavy blow.
During their travels, she fell in love with Yu Xiaogang.
On their wedding night, organized and witnessed by eldest brother Frank, Liu Erlong's father, Yu Luomian, appeared in time...
He revealed the cruel truth, informing them that they were actually cousins!
Yu Xiaogang valued his reputation.
To avoid tarnishing the title of Master, he fled the scene on that rainy night.
Without even saying another word!
The dual blows and extreme pain of losing both a loved one and her beloved made Liu Erlong's already intense killing intent grow even more frenzied and uncontrollable, escalating until she became addicted to slaughter, unable to free herself!
Only the blood spilled in killing, only the fading of life, could bring her some semblance of relief.
According to the original work, Ye Tian did have some recollection.
In rumors, Liu Erlong once slaughtered an entire Soul Beast forest. After that, she met Frank, gradually resolved her inner turmoil, and founded the Blue Tyrant Academy in Heaven Dou City.
By the time Frank led the entire Shrek Academy to seek refuge with her, Liu Erlong's Blue Tyrant Academy had already been established for ten years.
"It seems... that's about right."
Ye Tian confirmed his speculation.
Perhaps the forest mentioned in the original work wasn't this one, but who could say whether Liu Erlong had only slaughtered one forest?
"???"
Lingyuan Douluo still held Ye Tian, listening to the murmurs by her ear, her expression strange.
Does the Holy Son actually know this woman?
Could it be that Dong'er's worries were justified? Is the Holy Son really planning to "step out"?
—
Ye Tian silently watched below, observing Liu Erlong, covered in bloodstains, filled with killing intent, her eyes crimson red.
Even though Ye Tian's cultivation was inferior to hers, he could tell that Liu Erlong's Soul Power was nearly depleted.
Yet, Liu Erlong, appearing utterly deranged, remained completely unaware, still swinging her fists and controlling her Martial Soul to spew flames, determined to fight the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear to the death!
Her will was firm, but her body could not keep up. It was clear to the naked eye that Liu Erlong was showing signs of decline. Defeat and being devoured by the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear were only a matter of time.
"Sigh~ No rush, we can wait a little longer."
Ye Tian murmured to himself, suppressing the urge to use the Soul Skill he had planned ahead of schedule.
There was still plenty of time.
He had all the time and opportunities to lay out his plans.
Seeing the thoughtful look in Ye Tian's eyes, Lingyuan Douluo finally couldn't hold back and asked again, "Your Highness, do you actually know this woman?"
"Well, I suppose so. I've heard of her."
Ye Tian finally snapped out of his thoughts. As he spoke, he untangled Lingyuan Douluo's hand from around his waist, took a step to the side, and put some distance between them.
Lingyuan Douluo pursed her lips. As an unmarried maiden, she wasn't afraid of anything, yet Ye Tian was being overly reserved.
She patted her dress as if brushing something off.
"Your Highness, with your noble status, where did you hear about the reputation of this female Soul Emperor?"
"The Golden Iron Triangle... Sister Lingyuan, haven't you heard of them? In the Spirit Master World, those who possess a Trinity Spirit Fusion Skill, even if they aren't particularly strong, are still somewhat famous, right?"
Ye Tian replied calmly.
"The Golden Iron Triangle? That name does sound familiar."
Lingyuan Douluo raised an eyebrow, the suspicion in her eyes gradually turning to realization. Her gaze toward Liu Erlong below clearly held a hint of peculiarity.
"It's actually her? It seems... it really is."
Lingyuan Douluo nodded.
Back when Bibi Dong was confined to Spirit Hall City, Lingyuan Douluo had been her only pair of eyes on the outside.
It was she who had painstakingly relayed news of that waste's whereabouts and recent situation to Bibi Dong!
She also had some knowledge of the melodramatic events that had occurred.
"Hmm? Sister Lingyuan, do you also know something about this woman?"
Ye Tian asked curiously.
Judging by Lingyuan Douluo's expression, it wasn't just that she had heard of the Golden Iron Triangle.
"You could say so."
Like Ye Tian, Lingyuan Douluo gave an ambiguous answer.
She firmly remembered Bibi Dong's warning to her.
She was very careful to avoid topics related to Bibi Dong's past experiences.
"You'll have to go back and ask Dong'er about this."
Although she couldn't say more, Lingyuan Douluo still pointed Ye Tian in the right direction.
Ye Tian was slightly taken aback.
In an instant, he understood why Lingyuan Douluo knew about the Golden Iron Triangle.
Ye Tian couldn't help but feel amused inwardly.
In a way, that fellow Yu Xiaogang perfectly fit the standard protagonist template.
His Luo Sanpao Martial Soul appeared to be a useless Martial Soul on the surface, but it was actually the Golden Holy Dragon Martial Soul.
Born into nobility but with low innate talent, the melancholic aura he developed under his family's oppression had earned him quite a few admirers.
It matched the beginning of most wish-fulfillment stories.
But it was only limited to the beginning.
"Alright, Your Highness, there are some things I shouldn't say more about. Should we save this woman or not? I can't decide either."
Lingyuan Douluo sighed as if giving up.
If she had encountered this situation alone and recognized Liu Erlong's identity, she would most likely have let her fend for herself.
After all, how could she possibly save Bibi Dong's love rival?
If Bibi Dong found out, wouldn't she skin her alive?
Fortunately, she wasn't alone now.
Ye Tian could take responsibility for her.
Whether to save her or not, the blame wouldn't fall on her.
"It's fine, she can hold on a bit longer. Let's keep watching."
Ye Tian collected his thoughts and smiled faintly.
He had already made up his mind about whether to save Liu Erlong or not.
He just wasn't in a hurry.
His gaze shifted downward again, looking at Liu Erlong, lost in her killing frenzy, before moving to the thirty-thousand-year Earth-Shaking Savage Bear.
It was an enormous creature, a Soul Beast with high attack and defense, above-average strength, but lacking in speed. Its limbs were thick and sturdy, its paws massive, with blade-like claws extending from them. Its entire body was covered in yellowish-brown fur.
This type of Soul Beast was clearly most adept at close-quarters combat.
For Liu Erlong to engage the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear in a direct clash was far from a wise choice.
Normally walking on all fours to forage, the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear would stand upright on two legs when in combat posture, reaching a height of five to six meters. Its waist was extremely thick, giving it an imposing presence like a small hill.
Under normal circumstances, if Liu Erlong hadn't been lost in her killing frenzy, with her current strength as a level 65 Soul Emperor, she could have fought this thirty-thousand-year Earth-Shaking Savage Bear to a standstill. With the right tactics, she might even have been able to wear it down to death. But that was clearly unrealistic—given that woman's intelligence and temperament, she would never think to use hit-and-run tactics in battle.
Now, after indiscriminately hunting Soul Beasts in the area earlier, Liu Erlong had already expended a great deal of Soul Power. After confronting the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear, she had suffered numerous injuries—flesh torn by its claws, bones fractured by its swipes—leaving her battered and bruised.
As her Soul Power gradually depleted and her body grew weaker, it seemed she was on the verge of collapse.
But setting aside Ye Tian's presence, would Liu Erlong really meet her end here like this?
Impossible.
Ye Tian immediately ordered, "Sister Ling Yuan, could you check the surroundings to see if there are any other Soul Masters nearby?"
"Hmm?"
Ling Yuan Douluo raised an eyebrow, glancing at Liu Erlong, who was pinned under the bear's foot and half-buried in the ground, feeling no particular pity for her.
She nodded slightly and began scanning the area.
A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.
"Hmm? Your Highness, there's a flying Soul Emperor about a kilometer away, heading this way."
"Flying Soul Emperor? Heh~"
Ye Tian let out a light chuckle, thinking to himself, Just as I expected.
If he wasn't mistaken, the newcomer should be the eldest of the Golden Iron Triangle, the Flying Horn, Four-Eyed Cat Owl—Frank.
A shrewd merchant and a miser, a real penny-pincher.
He wondered, for the sake of his beloved third sister, would Frank be willing to be generous for once?
"Alright, Sister Ling Yuan."
"Save that woman. She may not be of use now, but she will be in the future."
Ye Tian wore an inscrutable expression.
"Yes!"
Ling Yuan Douluo hesitated no longer and gave a solemn nod.
"Roar—!"
The Earth-Shaking Savage Bear let out a deafening roar of excitement and raised its massive paw once more. It brought it down hard toward Liu Erlong, whose legs were already buried in the ground.
With a heavy thud,
Liu Erlong, her body covered in fiery red dragon scales, raised her arms to block the bear's paw.
The terrifying force made her cough up blood violently.
"Pfft!"
Her internal organs trembled, her arms fractured, and her body sank deeper, bending backward.
Blood gushed endlessly from her mouth,
staining the originally fiery red scales a deep crimson.
Those crimson eyes finally regained a trace of clarity as the life-or-death crisis descended.
"Ah!"
Liu Erlong gritted her teeth fiercely, yet she could not withstand the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear's strength.
She could only fall backward uncontrollably. If she dared lower her arms, she would be trampled into pulp by the bear.
"Ugh!"
Liu Erlong's eyes filled with unwillingness, yet her arms were gradually pressed against the top of her head.
At the critical moment.
The distant black figure, far beyond a thousand meters away, suddenly accelerated, closing hundreds of meters in the span of a breath.
Just then, in Liu Erlong's dim, sorrowful, and unwilling gaze, a crimson flame condensed into a kite descended from the sky, illuminating her beautiful eyes that were about to lose their light.
Screech!
With a piercing cry.
The fiery-red kite spread its sharp claws, directly seizing the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear's shoulders.
"Roar!"
Amidst the bear's furious roar, the kite soared upward, lifting the bear off the ground.
Its scorched shoulders filled it with shock and rage, yet it could only watch helplessly as Liu Erlong grew farther away. Only when the kite dispersed did the Earth-Shaking Savage Bear plummet from the sky, crashing into the distance.
Boom!
A dull thud seemed to shake the ground.
Liu Erlong stared blankly in a daze.
With her dislocated and fractured arms, she lifted her gaze to the clear sky above, yet could see no trace of the kite...
She was utterly bewildered.
Whoosh!
The flying Soul Emperor three hundred meters away slammed to an abrupt halt, hovering mid-air.
A look of astonishment flashed in his eyes.
"Just in time."
Ye Tian's voice drifted down from above, reaching Liu Erlong's ears.
Liu Erlong finally snapped back to reality, her gaze shifting toward the source of the cool, youthful voice.
She froze for a moment.
Before her eyes stood an elegant young man wearing a white mask.
He seemed shrouded in a layer of mist.
Beside him was a jade-like hand burning with crimson flames.
The owner of that hand—judging only by the half-tied ponytail hairstyle and the masked face—was indistinguishable in gender.
Only upon noticing the curvaceous figure outlined by the black dress could one confirm it was a woman.
Clearly, the fiery kite from earlier had been released by her.
Liu Erlong's lower body was buried in the soil as she looked up, her expression gradually growing weary, her eyelids heavy...
Her blood-stained mouth opened, wanting to say something, but her dry, aching throat could produce no sound. She could only watch as her blurred vision slowly faded into darkness.
"You can't pass out now."
Suddenly, Liu Erlong heard that gentle, soothing voice again, carrying an air of calm detachment.
With a flick of his finger, Ye Tian sent a Bright Soul Nourishing Pill into Liu Erlong's mouth.
Even coated in blood, it mattered not.
The Bright Soul Nourishing Pill dissolved as intended, transforming into a wisp of clear energy that rose straight into her brain.
"!!!"
Liu Erlong's dim eyes suddenly widened, clarity returning.
Her vision sharpened once more.
The man and woman had now landed before her, looking down from above.
A pleasant Pill Fragrance.
It pushed aside the scent of blood in her nostrils, flooding into her heart.
The elegant, natural young man slowly crouched down, gently placing a Pill he held in his hand into her mouth.
"This is a Qi and Blood Pill."
As the young man's words fell, the Pill entered her stomach. Liu Erlong felt her weakened body gradually regain its strength.
Her left hand was held by the youth.
Crack!
A crisp sound echoed, accompanied by a muffled, delicate groan.
"Ah!"
Liu Erlong could sense that her dislocated and fractured left arm had been restored to its proper position.
Immediately after, another muffled groan followed.
Her right arm was also reset.
Next came the ribs on her body, which had been crushed by a massive object.
Ye Tian's hands glided over her delicate form.
After experiencing the soft curves, Liu Erlong's ribs naturally returned to their rightful places.
"Your legs shouldn't be fractured, right?"
The youth murmured softly to himself. Before Liu Erlong could even react to Ye Tian touching her body...
A Pill was once again delivered into her by the youth.