Chapter 245: The Beast Tide and the Golden Remnant Soul
With Di Tian's command, millions of soul beasts surged out of the Star Dou Great Forest, charging toward Shrek City in an overwhelming tide of fury and instinct.
At the forefront of the invasion were Di Tian, Xiong Jun, and the three great fierce beasts including the Scarlet King. The 100,000-year-old soul beasts formed the assault spearhead, while the 10,000-year-old beasts herded the 1,000-year and 100-year-old beasts forward—forcing the weaker ones to throw themselves at Shrek's defenses as expendable fodder.
To the 10,000-year carnivorous soul beasts, the ideal outcome was that the weaker beasts would breach the city. Failing that, even if they died at the hands of Shrek's defenders, they would serve as nourishment. Whether they feasted on the fallen soul masters or their own fallen kin, those savage predators would still profit.
"Shrek's soul masters, prepare for battle!"
Though Shrek City was not meant to exist any longer, its mysterious resurrection brought renewed command. The city's soul masters quickly mobilized, bracing for the beast horde's impact.
Why not use soul guides to defend?
In the original storyline, Huo Yuhao infiltrated the Sun Moon Empire and looted Mingde Hall, giving Shrek a massive technological leap. But in this altered timeline, Huo Yuhao is no longer the same "Huo Gua." The soul tool system of Shrek remains stagnant, stuck in the past.
Shrek possessed only some imitation soul tools imported from the Sun Moon Empire—low-quality, inconsistent, and virtually irreparable. While Shrek did have some original high-grade soul tools, their leadership had long disdained such technology, refusing to equip their military with them en masse. Thus, Shrek's defenders relied almost solely on soul skills, not machinery.
The one advantage Shrek had was that Bi Ji, one of the Ten Great Fierce Beasts, had remained neutral. Yet without soul tools, Shrek's soul masters were forced into a brutal melee. The battlefield quickly turned into a blood-soaked grinder.
In the Douluo universe, soul beasts in Douluo I were not weak, but always outgunned by elite soul masters. By Douluo III, soul beasts were on the brink of extinction, their dignity shattered. In Douluo IV, they became no more than caged resources. Only during Douluo II were soul beasts at their peak.
At this time, Di Tian towered over all soul masters. The Evil Emperor rivaled him. If this were the early Douluo II era before Snow Emperor's transformation, the soul beast side would command three quasi-god-level powers, two Extreme Douluos, two level 98 beasts, multiple level 97 beasts, and hundreds of Titled Douluo-level beasts. The soul beasts would have utterly crushed humanity's top forces.
Only Di Tian's patience for the Silver Dragon King's sake had preserved peace. But that patience snapped the moment Zi Ji's aura vanished. Now, his fury ignited the greatest beast tide yet.
"No, we can't hold out any longer. There are too many soul beasts! Contact all allied garrisons for support!"
"I already did. The armies of all three Douluo Kingdoms are rushing to Shrek. Every general who failed to respond has been executed—but reinforcements still need time."
Du Bu Si barely had time to process the brutal efficiency of this order. Di Tian and Xiong Jun had already descended upon the battlefield like doomsday incarnate.
Even with the second awakening of his martial soul, Du Bu Si was no match for Di Tian. As with the Snow Emperor, he couldn't drag Di Tian into mutual destruction either.
But then—Shrek's golden tree blazed with radiant light, and a familiar figure emerged from the elemental glow.
"Mr. Mu… you—" Xuanzi and the others stared in disbelief.
"When I set out to capture Jing Hongchen, I wasn't sure I'd survive. So I left a trace of my soul in the golden tree. If I lived, the remnant soul would return to my body. If I died… this would remain behind to protect Shrek for ten years. Seems I didn't make it back," the phantom of Moon sighed softly.
He stepped forward and looked to Xuanzi. "I had hoped this fragment would last a decade, but it seems it must be used now. Go, Xuanzi. Let this be my final contribution."
The soul fragment merged with Xuanzi, transforming him into a devouring glutton. In one mighty swallow, he consumed Di Tian whole.
With Di Tian out of the battle, Du Bu Si and the other Shrek Titled Douluo rallied, driving back the soul beast leaders and slowly turning the tide.
Without Di Tian or the Ten Thousand Demon King, Xiong Jun and the Scarlet King were no match for Shrek and the Body Sect combined—even without Xuan Zi's support.
Though eight Titled Douluo fell in the process, both the Bear King and the Scarlet King were captured alive. Bi Ji was taken by the Body Sect, who stormed the Star Dou Great Forest after the battle.
With three of his fiercest allies captured and his own life narrowly spared, Di Tian had no choice but to sit at the negotiation table and call off the beast tide.
Peace returned—for now. But the cost had been steep. Song Lao of Shrek and Jin Peng of the Body Sect perished. Once boasting dozens of Titled Douluo, the combined forces of Shrek and the Body Sect now counted fewer than twenty.