Douluo: Infinite Lottery System

Xiao Tianyang crouched behind a massive tree, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His face was pale, and his breathing uneven.

He glanced down at his injured shoulder, where an ice shard had embedded itself deep.

Without hesitation, he gritted his teeth and yanked it out.

Blood spattered onto the ground in a crimson spray.

If it were just one wound, he could have managed. But his body bore no fewer than seven gashes—his shoulder, back, and abdomen each marred by the fierce battle.

The most critical wound lay a mere three inches from his heart.

Frankly, if not for his exceptional physique and the flames burning within him, collapsing on the spot would have been inevitable.

"First soul skill—Myriad Transformations Fire"

The lone purple soul ring hovering around Xiao Tianyang flared brightly. The three floating flames it manifested glowed green, entering his body one by one under his careful control, knitting his wounds shut with burning vitality.

"I don't have much time left," he muttered between ragged breaths. "If I can't end this in ten minutes, there won't be another chance anytime soon."

Just as his words faded, a massive ice shard—thick as a water tank—hurtled toward him with a deafening roar.

The sheer wind pressure flattened the surrounding flora, pulverizing the trunk of the enormous tree shielding him before streaking directly toward his head.

"Pinpoint precision without eyes? What kind of hellish monster is this?"

Xiao Tianyang had long lost track of how many times he'd been targeted.

The relentless attacks hadn't let up for even a moment. He drew the ebony and ivory pistols from his back, spinning them fluidly before firing off several rounds. At the same time, he lowered his body close to the ground, dodging the incoming hail of ice shards.

But avoiding it wasn't enough. He needed to counter. His fiery gaze locked onto the berserk Ice Soul Demonic Lotus in the distance.

The soul beast unleashed indiscriminate, devastating area attacks, forcing him to constantly shift to avoid being overwhelmed.

The successive gunshots found their marks, piercing the outer lotus petals one after another.

Now, only four petals shielded the stamen, where the lotus pods—the core of the Ice Soul Demonic Lotus—were concealed. Xiao Tianyang knew the truth: the lotus pods were its heart.

The beast before him had been formidable from the very start, boasting an incredible ninety-nine lotus leaves that formed an ironclad defense. Yet even that fortress had shown cracks under his most powerful move—Shocking Barrage. 

The strike had torn apart thirty defensive lotus leaves in a single sweep, even destabilizing the soul beasts under the Ice Soul Demonic Lotus's control.

But the cost had been steep. Xiao Tianyang's soul power was severely depleted, and his wounds were only partially healed thanks to the restorative flames.

Still, the battle wasn't over.

"First soul skill—Myriad Transformations Fire"

This time, four flames emerged, not green but a deep, ominous purple. Under his precise control, they transformed into spiraling blades, spinning rapidly as they slashed through the air toward the Ice Soul Demonic Lotus's roots.

No matter how powerful, no soul beast was flawless. The Ice Soul Demonic Lotus had one critical weakness—it couldn't move, and its roots were its Achilles' heel.

Xiao Tianyang had uncovered this when his bullets and ice shard exchanges had inadvertently exposed the truth.

Even the beast's discarded lotus leaves had been used to protect its roots, emphasizing their importance.

The Ice Soul Demonic Lotus, intelligent as a human, hesitated even in its berserk state. It instinctively moved to defend its roots, withdrawing its remaining lotus leaves.

Xiao Tianyang didn't waste the opportunity.

The ebony and ivory pistols in his hands blazed with firepower, their shots relentless and precise. Each discharge drained his soul power further, but he pressed on. When the final shot struck, the defensive lotus leaves exploded in a brilliant burst of light.

"Now's my chance!"

Xiao Tianyang didn't hesitate. He leaped backward to dodge the incoming hail of ice shards, flipping nimbly and landing against the trunk of a nearby tree. Pressing his back against the bark, he coiled his body like a spring before launching himself high into the air.

At some point, the ebony and ivory pistols had vanished, replaced by a flaming spear that burned with an ancient, primordial energy.

The Ancient God's Eyes opened. Time froze. For an instant, the world stood still.

When Xiao Tianyang opened his eyes again, they gleamed with exhaustion but also an unyielding determination.

"No one is perfect—not even a beast like you!"

He raised the blazing spear above his shoulder, aiming a perfect throwing stance. The spear's flame left only a faint trail in the air as it streaked toward its target, impossibly fast, impossibly precise.

The flame spear shot through the narrow gap between two lotus leaves, piercing straight into the lotus pod and striking the lotus seeds.

The immense body of the Ice Soul Demonic Lotus began to tremble violently. Its remaining lotus leaves withered before Xiao Tianyang's eyes, while its roots shriveled and decayed, losing their life force entirely.

Ding!

Congratulations to the host for completing the side mission: [Balance]!

Reward: The Gift of the Lord of the Soul Hunting Forest!

Meanwhile, Bubu—who had been running away with his tongue lolling and drool flying—froze in his tracks. Just as he had prepared to blend into the environment and escape, its ears twitched. Curiosity replaced its panic. Turning back, Bubu stopped in his tracks.

The surrounding soul beasts, which had moments ago glared at Xiao Tianyang with blood-red eyes, now seemed to regain clarity. Confusion flickered in their expressions, followed by tension, anger, and a mix of other emotions. Yet, their next actions were eerily uniform—they scattered in all directions with a resounding whoosh, vanishing into the forest.

…

Lying on the ground, Xiao Tianyang glanced at the black soul ring floating out of the lifeless Ice Soul Demonic Lotus. He gave it little thought for the moment. 

With a trembling hand, he retrieved the Zhangtian bottle from his storage and tilted it to pour the green liquid into his mouth.

In this perilous environment, restoring his soul power as quickly as possible was the only thing that mattered. After all, this was the Soul Hunting Forest. While Xiao Tianyang had established friendly relationships with many of the soul beasts here, it didn't mean he was completely safe. There were still countless threats lurking.

His plan was simple—wait for Bubu to return and guard him before attempting to absorb the soul ring. Until then, doing so would be far too risky.

The moment the liquid coursed down his throat, an intense burst of pure soul power erupted within him. Xiao Tianyang closed his eyes, focusing entirely on the sensation. It felt like a parched riverbed suddenly flooded with clear, sweet water.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Xiao Tianyang's eyes snapped open.

"First soul skill—Myriad Transformations Fire"

His soul ring shone once more, conjuring six flames that floated around him before turning a brilliant green. Under his control, the flames sank into his body, healing his injuries, restoring his physical strength, and replenishing his soul power.

The threefold effect worked wonders. Xiao Tianyang's wounds began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. The gashes scabbed over, their scabs falling away moments later to reveal new, pristine skin. In the blink of an eye, all traces of injury vanished as if they had never existed.

Just as he completed his recovery, a shadow emerged from the tall grass nearby. A familiar bark broke the silence.

"Woof!"

Xiao Tianyang chuckled. "Yes, Bubu, I'll give you the credit this time. When we get back, I'll cook you a big, juicy bone as a reward."

"Woof!"

"Alright, alright, keep an eye out and make sure no other soul beasts approach me while I'm absorbing the soul ring."

Bubu barked one last time before darting away, blending seamlessly into the surroundings to carry out his task.

Finally, Xiao Tianyang turned his full attention to the black soul ring floating in front of him.

"It shouldn't be as dangerous as last time," he muttered to himself, recalling the earlier ordeal.

"That one was way out of my league as my body strength wasn't much. But this… this time should be manageable."

...

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