"Did something happen just now? Why did you rush me back?"
Back in the forest, Ziji and Su Chen locked eyes.
Looking at the enormous dragon head before him, Su Chen found it rather strange.
"I've decided to break through to a hundred thousand years. Today."
Ziji looked solemn, clearly not joking.
"Why so suddenly?"
Su Chen was even more surprised. He remembered Ziji saying before that after breaking through to a hundred thousand years, she would have to guard against the Heavenly Tribulation that could descend at any time.
So she needed a long time to prepare.
Why had she suddenly declared that she was going to break through today?
"What did you think I've been doing these past few years? I prepared everything that needed preparing long ago. I simply never made up my mind to break through to a hundred thousand years."
Of course, Ziji had not been idle these past few years. She had already made every preparation she could.
All that remained was for her to decide the day of her breakthrough.
"What do you need me to do?"
Su Chen naturally understood how important overcoming a Heavenly Tribulation was to Soul Beasts.
He did not dwell on the matter and immediately asked.
"Come with me."
Seeing that Su Chen made no excuses after learning of this, Ziji smiled in relief.
"Alright."
He deftly climbed onto her back, and Ziji carried Su Chen to a thorn-covered ravine.
"Is this... Dragon Blood Crystal?"
Peering down, Su Chen saw that the valley was covered in pale violet crystals.
Having been sealed within one for years, he naturally knew what they were.
Dragon Blood Crystal.
"That's right. These are all Dragon Blood Crystals."
As she slowly descended, Ziji's expression grew increasingly grave.
This was the core region of