The corners of Gu Yuena's lips unconsciously curled into a bitter smile.
Energy doubled...
If you were still here, this would have been an absolute treasure.
But now, to me, it is nothing more than a tasteless burden.
It will only make me... miss you even more.
Buzz—!
At that moment, the Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking's reward had fully descended.
Vast, boundless divine power completely fused into every part of Gu Yuena's body.
In an instant, silver light shot skyward from within her, stirring the winds and clouds of the nine heavens!
Her waist-length silver hair fluttered without wind like the Milky Way in the nine heavens, every strand gleaming with divine radiance.
The silver gown on her body clung tightly to her flawless figure beneath the surge of divine power, perfectly outlining her breathtaking curves.
Especially beneath the hem of her dress, her pair of long, straight jade legs were fairer than snow and smooth as jade. Bathed in silver light, they seemed like the world's most perfect work of art—any more would be too full, any less too thin—brimming with both sacred and deadly temptation.
A terrifying pressure that towered above heaven and earth slowly radiated from her body.
Under that pressure, all the frenzied Soul Beasts instantly fell silent, prostrating themselves upon the ground in their most devout posture to welcome the return of their Co-lord.
Gu Yuena slowly opened her eyes.
Yet there was not the slightest joy in them.
There was only endless longing and eternal loneliness.
The Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking above the nine heavens continued to shine.
The phenomenon of Gu Yuena returning to the peak of her divine power shocked the entire continent.
Meanwhile, on the distant western coast, all of this seemed rather far away.
Vast Sea City.
The grand city at the westernmost edge of Douluo Continent.
The salty sea breeze blew all year round, rolling up waves like thousands of piles of snow as they tirelessly battered the ancient, sturdy city walls.
Towering waves surged into the sky as a Demon Soul Great White Shark, massive enough to blot out the heavens, broke through the surf and steadily came to rest along a secluded shore.
A slender figure leaped down from the shark's back. Black-haired and black-eyed, he possessed an extraordinary bearing.
It was Lu Ming.
Behind him, the Demon Soul Great White Shark's body glowed with blue light. As the radiance faded, it transformed into a peerless woman clad in a fitted blue outfit, looking valiant and heroic.
Bai Xiuxiu quickly followed and respectfully stood behind Lu Ming.
Lu Ming paid no attention to the surroundings. He merely raised his head and gazed into the distance at the enormous golden Sky Screen.
Upon the Sky Screen, Gu Yuena's peerlessly beautiful face, capable of toppling all who saw it, was clearly displayed.
The unfallen tear at the corner of her eye, as well as the lingering loneliness and longing in her gaze, pierced the heart even across countless miles.
Lu Ming's brow lifted slightly.
There was no emotion or sorrow on his face. Instead, he seemed unexpectedly surprised, with a hint of helpless amusement.
"Nana, that girl..."
He murmured softly, his voice carrying a sense of familiarity.
"She actually thought I was dead?"
"And because of that... she shed Tears of the Silver Dragon King?"
Bai Xiuxiu, standing behind him, shuddered violently upon hearing those words.
The way she looked at Lu Ming was filled with shock.
Tears of the Silver Dragon King!
Those were the source tears of the Co-lord of Soul Beasts!
How deep must her love and longing have been for that lofty Master to shed such tears for her master?
Bai Xiuxiu took a deep breath and sighed sincerely.
"Master... she really likes you."
Lu Ming's lips twitched at her words, neither confirming nor denying it.
Of course he knew how Gu Yuena felt about him.
He simply had not expected that after merely sleeping for some years, she would have directly concluded that he had "died of old age."
Bai Xiuxiu looked at the Silver Dragon King, who had already recovered her peak divine power on the Sky Screen, then looked at Lu Ming beside her and cautiously asked,
"Master, are we... going to the Star Dou Great Forest first?"
In her view, after being separated for so long, her master and Master would surely meet at the first opportunity.
Yet Lu Ming fell silent.
His slender fingers lightly stroked his chin as a thoughtful look flashed through his deep eyes.
He missed Nana too.
But...
Lu Ming's gaze unconsciously drifted toward the final line of small text concerning the reward on the Sky Screen.
"Energy doubled."
The moment he thought of those four words, Lu Ming felt his lower back aching slightly.
He understood Gu Yuena far too well.
That girl possessed an almost obsessive desire to possess him.
Now that she believed he had "returned from the dead," had received the Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking's reward, recovered her peak strength, and even had her energy doubled...
If he delivered himself to her door now, he likely would not be leaving Lake Heart Island in Lake of Life for three to five months.
Besides, he had not yet figured out how to explain the secret of his immortality to her.
Lu Ming shivered.
With Gu Yuena's temperament, she definitely would not let him off so easily.
By then, it likely would not be something that could be settled in three to five months.
Lu Ming's thoughts raced, and a second choice surfaced in his mind.
Go to Jialing Pass.
Xue'er should be presiding over the overall situation there right now.
However, before he left, he had already arranged several contingencies within the Spirit Hall Empire.
Even without him, there was absolutely no chance of defeat against those little brats from Shrek.
Therefore, matters at Jialing Pass were not urgent either.
That left only the third choice.
Go to Heaven Dou City.
Retrieve the Blue Silver Emperor that Tang Hao had sacrificed, Tang San had forcibly revived, and then imprisoned within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Judging by the distance, Vast Sea City was closest to Heaven Dou City.
Moreover, Heaven Dou City was not far from Jialing Pass. After dealing with Ah Yin's affairs, going to Jialing Pass would be on the way.
Mm, that settled it.
Lu Ming instantly made his decision.
He turned around, looked at Bai Xiuxiu, and gave his order in an indifferent tone.
"We're going to Heaven Dou City."
Bai Xiuxiu was slightly stunned, but she did not ask further. She merely nodded obediently.
"Yes, Master."
Buzz—!
Just as they were preparing to depart, the Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking above the nine heavens suddenly changed once more.
The image of Gu Yuena that had been displayed rippled like water and slowly faded away.
Replacing it was a deep, boundless azure sea.
At the center of the sea, an exquisite trident entirely azure-blue and embedded with countless gemstones quietly floated.
It exuded an overbearing aura of Reign Over the World, as though the entire ocean were its subjects.
Immediately afterward, new Golden Characters slowly emerged upon the Sky Screen.
[Douluo Exotic Treasures Ranking, Fifth Place: Sea God Trident!] [This was transformed from the physical Martial Soul of First Generation Sea God Poseidon!] [It now weighed one hundred and eight thousand jin and came with the Divine Skill Thirteen Halberds of Gold!] [Poseidon once wielded this trident and spent one thousand and one years unifying all races of the ocean. Upon becoming a god, he tempered and transformed it into a true Divine Weapon. Later, his descendant Tang San drew this trident through the Sea God Nine Trials. During his final battle against Angel God Qian Renxue, the Sea God's Heart shattered, and by a fortunate coincidence, he fused with it, causing it to advance into a Half-step Super Divine Artifact!]
Before you continue