Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

At first, the Myriad King didn't pay much attention to Chen Ming. After all, as long as the intruder wasn't the deadly Netherworld Scorpion, the Myriad King had no reason to personally deal with a group of soul masters. Even though these people were hunting soul beasts, they weren't targeting his kin or the ancient plant-based soul beasts. With his cold and indifferent nature, the Myriad King couldn't even be bothered to intervene, even if he knew about the situation.

After all, saving one soul beast won't stop the next one from dying. In the Star Dou Great Forest, soul beasts die every day—some are killed by other beasts, some by soul masters. The Myriad King, being a Demon-Eyed Tree Spirit, was a ruthless and cold-blooded plant monarch, not like Bi Ji, the kindhearted Emerald Swan. To him, meddling in such matters was a waste of energy.

However, everything changed when Chen Ming began to reveal his astonishing power and leaked a faint trace of a transcendent aura. The Myriad King, who had been disinterested until now, suddenly snapped to attention.

The Myriad King was, by nature, simply a Demon-Eyed Tree Spirit, a rare and advanced soul beast species that rarely survived the tribulation to reach one hundred thousand years of cultivation. But he was special—during his growth, there happened to be an immortal herb growing right in front of him.

The Myriad King carefully nurtured this immortal herb. Under his care, not only did the herb avoid being eaten by other soul beasts, but it also developed intelligence and came to regard him as family.

However, much like a farmer raising pigs isn't motivated by kindness, the Myriad King, though he'd developed some affection for the herb, ultimately devoured it entirely. By doing so, he enhanced his essence, becoming the powerful being he is today.

Because of the benefits he had gained from the immortal herb, the Myriad King often spent his energy searching for other rare treasures within the Star Dou Great Forest. As the ruler of plant-based soul beasts, he had consumed more than one immortal herb over his long life.

Although most of the herbs he found were devoured as soon as they surfaced, his years of treasure-hunting had given him a keen sense for extraordinary opportunities. Even through the shared vision of other plant-based soul beasts or ordinary plants, he could sense the tantalizing aura emanating from Chen Ming.

"This soul master must have consumed more than one immortal herb and perfectly fused their essences within his body. On top of that, he's absorbed the soul rings of several powerful soul beasts."

"This... this human soul master's essence is equivalent to five or six immortal herbs! If I devour him, my essence will undoubtedly grow further, and the sixth heavenly tribulation I face in the future will pose no threat at all!"

Although, as a tree, the Myriad King couldn't drool, his entire body trembled in excitement as he perceived Chen Ming's essence, barely able to contain himself.

After confirming that Di Tian and Bear Lord were still resting nearby, the Myriad King transformed into a tall, slender human male. After briefly reporting to the Silver Dragon King, he left the depths of the Lake of Life.

At that moment, outside the Lake of Life, the Scarlet King was playing with the adorable Rui Beast, who was under his care. The two figures—one large and one small—were frolicking on the ground, kicking around a massive golden skull as if it were a ball.

The skull had come from the prey the Rui Beast had hunted a few days earlier: a ten-thousand-year tiger soul beast with dual attributes of light and fire.

When the Myriad King appeared, the Scarlet King, who had been enjoying himself, froze and quickly resumed his usual stern demeanor. Of his three canine heads, two adopted a cold expression, while the third, slower to react, continued wagging its tongue playfully at the Rui Beast.

Faced with the aloof Myriad King, the Rui Beast showed no fear and leaped toward him like an oversized puppy. As the little ancestor of the Star Dou Great Forest, second only to the Silver Dragon King, the Rui Beast's status demanded respect. Even though the Myriad King was in a hurry, he could only smile, catch the Rui Beast in his human arms, and ruffle her furry head before being allowed to leave.

Watching the Myriad King's hurried departure, the Scarlet King's three heads were filled with confusion. This normally calm and composed figure seemed unusually agitated today. However, burdened with the task of babysitting the Rui Beast, the Scarlet King could only shake his heads and suppress his curiosity, returning to his playful duties.

Before the Rui Beast was born, the Scarlet King hadn't been responsible for babysitting. Initially, Di Tian had arranged for a group of nearly ten Emerald Swans, each with cultivation nearing one hundred thousand years, to serve as nannies for the Rui Beast.

However, during this time, a foolish Sky Azure Jade Dragon trespassed into the Star Dou Great Forest and slaughtered the Emerald Swans that had been gathered to care for the Rui Beast. This act of audacity nearly infuriated both Di Tian and Bi Ji, the leader of the Emerald Swans, to death.

To prevent this rebel from returning and targeting the newborn Rui Beast, the task of babysitting ultimately fell to the Scarlet King. Over the millennia, the Scarlet King, a male three-headed dog, had grown accustomed to his role as a nanny.

For him, his only responsibility now was ensuring the Rui Beast's safety. Anything else—whether it was a battle between the Star Dou Great Forest and the Spirit Hall—was none of his concern.

"Besides, why would the Star Dou Great Forest and the Spirit Hall go to war for no reason? This isn't like the old days. As long as the Spirit Hall doesn't hunt fierce soul beasts and the Star Dou Great Forest doesn't launch a beast tide, there's no reason for either side to make a move," the Scarlet King muttered to himself, completely unaware of the schemes the Myriad King was plotting.

...

Leaving the forbidden zone, the Myriad King narrowed his eyes, sensing Chen Ming's trail and recalling his objectives. A sly smile spread across his face as an idea formed in his mind.

At the same time, a fifty-thousand-year-old Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear was pacing outside its nest, troubled by its failure to deliver enough offerings. Unbeknownst to it, a spiritual force had invaded its mind, subtly suggesting that it leave its territory.

As a fifty-thousand-year super soul beast, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear was a tyrant within the Star Dou Great Forest. Even if it wandered into another beast's territory, as long as it didn't display overt aggression, most other soul beasts would pretend not to notice.

This boldness meant that the bear, despite unknowingly straying far from its territory and heading toward the mixed zone, felt no sense of danger.

Under the influence of the spiritual suggestion, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear wandered farther and farther until it reached the border between the mixed zone and the core zone, where it encountered Chen Ming and his companions.

The Myriad King, cunning as always, avoided directly controlling the bear to avoid leaving traces. Instead, he merely planted subtle suggestions. When the bear encountered the human soul masters, its natural ferocity was instinctively triggered, erasing any evidence of the Myriad King's involvement.