Digimon: I really didn't want to be the Digimon Emperor!

The group sprang into action again. Cheng Yuan patted Baronmon, reminding it to stay close to Guan Yan and provide protection, while he and Gatomon walked in the middle of the group, carefully sensing the movements around them.

After walking for about ten minutes, everything was fine, but the air seemed even more stuffy.

A clear bend finally appeared in the passageway ahead, and from behind the bend, a faint, steady light, different from the light source in their hands, seemed to shine through.

"Is there light?" Zhao Gang immediately signaled the team to stop, and listened carefully for a moment, but there was no sound coming from around the corner.

He gestured for the others to remain on guard, while he himself slowly peeked out and quickly scanned the area.

He pulled back, his expression somewhat strange, and whispered, "Behind the corner is a relatively spacious hall, with some broken instruments and workbenches scattered around, covered in a thick layer of dust."

But… Senior Guan Yan, when you first came here with your advisor, was this place… this messy? And, in the center of the hall, there seem to be a few… flashlights lying on the floor? And…”

He paused, licked his slightly chapped lips, and lowered his voice even further: "I saw people... no... corpses..."

"A corpse?!" The group was startled upon hearing this, their nerves tightening again the moment they relaxed slightly.

"How many people are there? Are they from our Dongda Kingdom?" Guan Yan asked anxiously, her archaeologist's instincts making her feel uneasy.

"I can't see clearly, it's a bit far away, and the lighting isn't good," Zhao Gang said uncertainly.

"Go take a look, be careful," Cheng Yuan said in a deep voice.

Everyone gripped their Digivice or Arc Machines tightly, and the Digimon held their breath, cautiously making their way around the corner.

Before me was a circular hall, roughly half the size of a basketball court.

As Zhao Gang said, there were some overturned stone workbenches and broken instruments of unknown purpose scattered around, covered with a thick layer of dust.

In the center of the hall, several cold light sticks, their energy depleted and their light extremely faint, were stuck in the ground, providing a cold blue light source.

Beside these cold light sticks, a figure dressed in dark combat clothing lay face down on the ground, motionless, clearly already lifeless.

Not far from the corpse, in a corner of the wall, there was a small, dim, and shattered digital core.

“It’s a beast tamer…” Liu Li’s voice was a little tight.

The crowd looked around nervously, and only after confirming that there were no other living beings in the hall did they slowly gather around.

Cheng Yuan, who was walking in front, squatted down to examine the body.

The large claws and bloodstains on his corpse indicated the cause of death.

It was done by a Digimon with claws.

Based on the items found at the scene, it can be determined that more than one person was present.

It's obvious that other teams have come in.

"The first person to arrive was attacked; it's unclear whether it was due to internal strife or an attack."

The bolder Cheng Yuan even started "touching the corpse," finding something on it that surprised everyone.

His gaze fell on the black backpack on the corpse's back, and the shattered Digimon machine.

He noticed that the Dinosaur had a rather peculiar design, with a cherry blossom pattern decorating its outer shell.

He picked up the shattered Dinosaur and opened the black backpack to rummage through it.

Besides the usual expedition supplies, compressed food, and water, there was also a silver metal cigarette case inside.

The cigarette pack has a picture of Mount Fuji printed on it.

"Shikoku Island..." Cheng Yuan's face darkened.

The others also saw the cigarette box, and their faces immediately turned extremely ugly.

Chapter 177 Ancient Soul

"People from Shikoku Island? What are they doing here?" Lin Yu exclaimed.

"Could they have sneaked in?" Li Yunjin clenched his fist. "Trying to steal the ancient relics and resources of our Eastern Great Kingdom?"

A gloomy atmosphere instantly enveloped everyone's hearts.

"Watch out!" Just as everyone was in shock, Gatomon suddenly let out a fierce shout!

In the center of the hall, next to the few cold light sticks, two blurry, semi-transparent wisps of smoke rapidly condensed and took shape like clouds!

Almost in the blink of an eye, two bizarrely shaped Digimon appeared out of thin air!

They were roughly wolf-shaped, vaguely resembling Garurumon, but their bodies were completely translucent, a ghostly blue, without any solid form. They had only a pair of empty eye sockets burning with pale flames, staring intently at the intruders.

Their claws gleamed coldly, radiating a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

"What is that?!" Everyone was shocked and retreated. The Digimon immediately blocked their way and let out threatening growls.

Zhao Gang quickly raised the T-Rex machine to scan, but the screen only displayed a series of question marks.

【? ? ? 】

"The encyclopedia cannot identify it!" Zhao Gang exclaimed.

A glint flashed in Cheng Yuan's eyes, and he silently commanded, "System, scan!"

[Wealth Points -100]

【Gurumon: Ancient Soul】

[Free Seed - Ghost Type]

[Maturity Stage]

[Status: A special ghostly form formed by the residual data and obsession of an ancient Garurumon Digimon under the influence of the ruins' unique energy field. It bears the responsibility of guarding the ruins and harbors extreme hostility towards all living beings. It is extremely vulnerable to physical attacks but has high resistance to energy attacks.]

[Solution: Its data structure can be dismantled through powerful purification or deliverance techniques, allowing it to rest in peace. Ordinary methods of destruction can only temporarily disperse it; its core obsession remains and it will slowly regenerate within the energy field of the ruins.]

The moment the system scan was completed, the two ancient souls of the Gurulu Beasts let out a silent roar, but everyone could almost feel the piercing shriek aimed at their minds.

They transformed into two ghostly blue figures and pounced forward!

It was extremely fast and ignored the stone platform in front of it, passing right through it!

"Attack!" Zhao Gang roared.

The Wind Lionmon's [Wind Blade Roar], the Grizzly Bearmon's [Giant Bear Paw Strike], the Runmon's [Heartbeat Pulse], the Mighty Angoramon's [Ear Cutter], the Gatomon's [Holy Light Bullet], the Baronmon's [White Spell]... all sorts of skills instantly intertwined into a barrage of fire, bombarding the two Ancient Souls.

A burst of light erupted, and energy surged!

However, the results were far from ideal!

Physical attacks, such as the grizzly bear's paw strikes, pass almost directly through their bodies, causing negligible damage.

Although the energy attack hit and seemed to cause some damage, making their bodies ripple and blur, it could not completely defeat them. Instead, it seemed to enrage them even more.

They nimbly weave through the gaps in the attacks, their ethereal claws sweeping across the battlefield, bringing not the sound of wind, but a chilling coldness that directly erodes the spirit!

The Wind Lion Beast and the Running Beast were accidentally swept by the dark blue claw wind, and immediately let out a painful whimper. Their movements were noticeably slower, as if a part of their life force had been sucked away.

"Physical attacks are ineffective! Energy attacks are only so-so!" Zhao Gang shouted anxiously, "What the hell is this thing?!"

"They seem unkillable!" Lin Yu was horrified to discover that an ancient soul had been cleaved in half by the energy blade of the running beast. Its body briefly separated and then quickly merged back together, only its color was slightly dimmer.

Cheng Yuan said in a deep voice, "They are ancient souls! They are guardians of the ruins. Physical attacks are almost ineffective, and ordinary energy attacks can only temporarily disperse them. If they are not completely purified, they will keep regenerating!"

"Does anyone have purification skills?" Cheng Yuan asked.

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.

Their Digimon are all offensive or fast-attack type, how could they have a support-oriented, uncommon skill like Purify?

Cheng Yuan covered his face.

Although Gatomon is a Holy/Light type, its skill tree is biased towards attack and defense enhancement, and it has not learned any special purification skills.

The Goat Beast's [Mysterious Bell] does have a similar purifying and calming effect, but it consumed a lot of energy when fighting the Frog King, and Hope Armor is currently on cooldown.

The battle reached a stalemate. The two ancient spirits launched tireless attacks. Although the Digimon of the group managed to hold on with their numbers and teamwork, each time they were touched by the ghost's attack, they suffered both mental and physical exhaustion.

Just then, Cheng Yuan suddenly felt a strange tremor coming from the Dark Warrior's Soul in his backpack.

He retrieved the Dark Warrior's Soul, which was inlaid with seven blood-red eyes and three beast skulls, and sensed the Dark Warrior's Soul's yearning for the Ancient Soul.

Just then, a combined attack from everyone made the two ancient souls even more illusory, almost causing them to scatter. However, just as they were about to reassemble and reshape themselves...

Cheng Yuan said, "Let me give it a try."

He took out the Dark Warrior's Soul and approached the scattered ancient souls, aiming the Dark Warrior's Soul at their dissipating, white, wispy soul forms.

Om-!

The soul of the Dark Warrior suddenly shone with a crimson light in its seven blood-red eyes, and dark flames flickered in the hollow eye sockets of the three beast bone skulls!

A powerful suction force erupted from the Dark Warrior's Soul, greedily devouring the ancient soul energy that was trying to reconstruct itself, like a black hole!

As wisps of white smoke were inhaled, in just 10 seconds, the remaining energy of the two ancient souls was completely devoured, with no sign of them ever reuniting.

Silence returned to the hall, leaving only the gasps of surprise and uncertainty from the crowd.

The crimson light on the Dark Warrior's Soul slowly receded, but Cheng Yuan could clearly feel that the dark power contained within it had increased slightly, becoming more solid, and the seven blood-red eyes seemed to have become more lively.

However, the changes did not end there.

One of the blood-red pupils suddenly trembled violently before detaching from the Dark Warrior's Soul!

The drop of blood-red pupil hovered in mid-air, rapidly expanding and deforming, extending into a head, wings, and claws... In the end, it actually transformed into a living Digimon!

It was the size of an eagle, covered in dark red feathers, with only one eye occupying most of its face. The eye burned with a scarlet light that was the same as the soul of the Dark Warrior, and its body exuded a cold and violent dark aura—it was the Soundbird Beast!

【Soundbird Beast - Armored Spirit】

[Virus Species - Bird-like - Dark Theme]

[Growth Period]

[Status: A spirit materialized from the blood-red eyes of the Dark Beast Armor (Soul of the Dark Warrior) after absorbing ancient soul energy. It coexists with the Soul of the Dark Warrior, can grow, and possesses a certain degree of independent consciousness, but is absolutely obedient to the host's commands.]

[Solution: Continuously absorbing high-quality dark energy or ancient souls can promote the growth and even evolution of the Armored Spirit.]

The newborn vocalization bird flapped its wings, intending to land on Cheng Yuan's shoulder, but after seeing Gatomon's unfriendly gaze, it chose to land on Cheng Yuan's outstretched arm.

It tilted its huge single eye, looked at Cheng Yuan, and then affectionately rubbed its head against his finger, making a low, hoarse "ga" sound.

Everyone stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Cheng Yuan and the ominous, dark, bird-like beast that had suddenly appeared on his arm.

"A...a second Digimon?!" Lin Yu's voice trembled. "Cheng Yuan, how...how could you summon two Digimon?!"

"How... how did they do that?" Li Yunjin was dumbfounded.

Tamers who own multiple Digimon are not uncommon, but they are extremely rare. It requires exceptional talent, good fortune, and a vast amount of resources to maintain such a tamer. Moreover, they can only build bonds through emotional connection and cannot increase Digimon links through Digivice.

Moreover, it seems that Cheng Yuan summoned this one on the spot using that strange prop?!

Zhao Gang, Liu Li, and even Guan Yan all looked at Cheng Yuan as if he were a monster.

They initially thought Cheng Yuan was just strong and talented, but they never expected that he had far more and deeper secrets than he had shown!

As Cheng Yuan sensed the faint yet clear emotions of dependence and obedience emanating from the Armor Spirit Bird Beast, as well as the energy fluctuations originating from the same source as the Dark Beast Armor, his heart was filled with turbulent emotions.

He recalled his return from the Death Space, when he was attacked by a horde of Soundbirds in the Sacred Ruins. In his Dark Beast form, guided by the consciousness of "Ink" parasitizing the Dark Flower, he devoured seven Soundbirds and sealed their essence in the seven blood-red eyes of the Dark Warrior's Soul.

Now, after absorbing a large amount of ancient soul energy, it can actually materialize and summon it!

The Dark Beast's two demonic blades, through "Blood Evolution," can increase their data and power by absorbing blood.

Now, its dark armor has absorbed ancient souls, giving birth to a symbiotic Armor Spirit type Digimon.

Moreover, he vaguely sensed that as long as he absorbed enough ancient souls, the other six blood-red eyes could also summon sound-bird beast armor spirits! Even... could these sound-bird beast armor spirits undergo further fusion or evolution in the future? And then further enhance the armor's own power?

Besides the seven blood-red eyes and the three skeletal skulls, are there any further possibilities?

and……

Cheng Yuan recalled Devimon from the eighth season of the anime, who used dark power to strengthen Soundbirdmon. Using Soundbirdmon, he was able to control Digimon such as Seadramon, VenomRagnarokmon, and Nucleosaurumon, making him a bird-shaped dark gear that brought countless dangers to the main characters.

Moreover, in the highlight moment at the end, countless Sonic Beasts gathered and evolved into the ultimate form, Death Beast!

This was originally a high-angel type Digimon like Demonmon, but for some unknown reason it fell into the Dark Area and became a Demon Lord type Digimon.

Control? And evolution?

Could there be some connection here, involving the potential of the Dark Beasts? This is worth studying in detail later.

Amidst the onlookers' bewilderment, Cheng Yuan gently stroked the feathers of the bird-beast and calmly said, "It's just a special little trick, but it consumes a lot of energy and can't be used often."

He casually put the Dark Warrior's Soul back into his backpack, as if it were just an ordinary item.