The voice came without warning, yet exploded in Huo Yu Hao's mind. He jolted in surprise and instinctively looked around, but found nothing. Inside the Space Rift beside him, Lin Yuan's gaze instantly sharpened.
"It's here." He murmured softly, a cold smile curling at his lips. The owner of that voice was the million-year soul beast he had been searching for all along—the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm!
Just then, the ground beneath Huo Yu Hao's feet suddenly trembled. Cracks began appearing in the earth two meters away, widening continuously until they became a fissure in the blink of an eye. A faint golden-white glow spread from within it.
Huo Yu Hao instinctively gripped the White Tiger Dagger, staring tensely at the expanding crack. If his body had not been so weak and sore, he would have fled long ago.
A frigid chill seeped from the crack in the ground, and the surrounding temperature noticeably dropped. The fissure expanded farther and farther, reaching more than five meters in diameter in mere moments. At last, the golden-white light revealed its true form.
It was a plump, round head, fleshy and more than a meter across. It wriggled as it slowly crawled out, its body over seven meters long, crystal-clear and white as jade. Halos flowed beneath its skin, and a pair of glittering golden eyes sat atop its head. Most peculiar of all, beginning half a meter below its head, a golden ring encircled its body at regular intervals. From head to tail, there were ten in total.
"Little fellow, don't be afraid." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice continued to echo in Huo Yu Hao's mind. Its enormous head slowly lowered and stopped a meter away from him. "I won't hurt you. On the contrary, I'll grant you an incredible opportunity. Let me introduce myself first. I am the embodiment of heroism and chivalry, the soul beast king who possesses both wisdom and beauty, an unrivaled powerhouse who cultivated for a million years and set the longevity record of Douluo Continent—the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. You can call me Brother Sky Dream!"
Huo Yu Hao's expression froze as he asked in disbelief, "A million-year soul beast? Then what are you going to do?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice immediately became solemn. "I want to become your Soul Ring—the first Intelligent Spirit Ring unprecedented in the history of Douluo Continent."
"Huh? You want to become my Soul Ring?" Huo Yu Hao stared at it in utter disbelief, temporarily losing the ability to think.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm warily glanced toward the core region of Star Dou Great Forest, then turned back. "I'm starting now. Don't worry, I'll be gentle. I won't make you suffer."
Before Huo Yu Hao could object, an intensely frigid aura instantly swallowed him. He saw only a blurry mass of white light pounce toward him before his consciousness sank into darkness the next second.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's ten golden rings rapidly enveloped Huo Yu Hao's frail body, while its own form transformed into strands of white radiance that continuously poured into his body.
"Too weak, utterly too weak. I'm really so pitiful! How many seals do I have to place upon myself for your weak body to endure me? Being an Intelligent Spirit Ring really isn't easy."
Before its words had faded, an invisible spiritual ripple spread outward as it entered Huo Yu Hao's body. Its terrifying spiritual power nearly instantly covered every corner within a hundred-mile radius.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya, who were hurrying after Huo Yu Hao in an attempt to catch up, fell briefly into a daze the instant that spiritual ripple swept over them. This spiritual impact did not possess much destructive power, but it could rob all living creatures of the ability to think for a short time. At that moment, most of the southern reaches of Star Dou Great Forest became frighteningly quiet.
Within the Space Rift, that spiritual impact sweeping across a hundred miles surged in like a tide. Yet when it reached within three meters of Lin Yuan, an invisible layer of nine-colored radiance quietly blocked it. The crimson vertical eye on his forehead opened slightly. As the Dragon God's Eye operated, it dismantled the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's seemingly vast yet insubstantial spiritual power into its most basic energy particles.
Lin Yuan watched the scene, the corner of his lips lifting into an amused curve. "Million-year spiritual power is certainly rich, but unfortunately, it's mixed and impure. Otherwise, even I would be tempted."
Just then, the cloudless sky from a moment ago suddenly darkened. A thunderclap exploded high above, and in an instant, darkness completely devoured the sun's light. An immense, suffocating pressure descended from the heavens.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, which was struggling to merge into Huo Yu Hao's body, shuddered violently the moment the thunder sounded. It raised its golden eyes toward the sky. Shock flashed through them first, followed by a trace of confusion. Clearly, this oppressive force from the heavens had not come for it, and it had even exceeded its understanding.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan immediately unfolded the Dragon God Domain within the Space Rift. Then, as though drawn by an irresistible force, a Gray Stream descended from the sky, landed upon his brow, and quietly slipped inside.
An extremely blurry figure suddenly appeared behind Lin Yuan. An aged voice carrying indescribable majesty rang out. "With the sun and moon in hand, I pluck the stars; there is no one in this world like me. I never thought this old man would still have a fragment of his soul remaining." As the words fell, the vague phantom shot into Lin Yuan's brow with a swoosh and vanished.
Lin Yuan took a deep breath, and his consciousness slowly sank into his Sea of Consciousness. The moment he arrived, he saw the Gray Stream transform into a fist-sized Gray Pearl after entering his Sea of Consciousness, then fall silent.
Awakening from meditation, Lin Yuan's Dragon God's Eye slowly closed, turning into a faint reddish mark hidden amid his silver hair. He gently exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling his Sea of Consciousness becoming increasingly stable. Electrolux's remnant soul was quietly sleeping within it. Without lingering, he turned and headed toward the Lake of Life in Star Dou Great Forest.
Star Dou Great Forest, core region.
Gu Yue Na stood by the Lake of Life. The water was smooth as a mirror, reflecting her cool and peerlessly beautiful figure. She looked up at the sky obscured by darkness, a trace of confusion flashing through her violet eyes.
Yet at that moment, Lin Yuan suddenly appeared behind Gu Yue Na. He reached out, gently wrapped an arm around her waist, and softly drew her into his embrace.
"Xiao Yuan, you're already so grown up, yet you're still so unruly." Gu Yue Na froze briefly when Lin Yuan hugged her from behind, then laughed softly. Turning her face to the side, she looked at him with teasing violet eyes. "If you keep holding me like this, Sister Nana is going to get upset."
Not only did Lin Yuan refuse to let go, he even boldly squeezed Gu Yue Na's waist. His voice carried the delight of getting his way. "Who told Sister Nana to be the most comfortable to hold? Besides, this means I know how to cherish what I have. With such a wonderful embrace, why wouldn't I use it?"
Gu Yue Na sighed helplessly and gently patted the hand wrapped around her waist, though her voice unconsciously softened. "Fine, fine, little ancestor. You win."
"Then... how will Sister Nana compensate me?" Lin Yuan asked with a faint smile.
"Compensate you?" Gu Yue Na smiled, extended a fair finger, and lightly tapped Lin Yuan's forehead. "I'll grant you one wish. Go on, what do you want?"
Hearing that, Lin Yuan immediately leaned closer to her ear. In a soft voice only the two of them could hear, he said, "Then I want to sleep holding Sister Nana tonight."
Gu Yue Na was amused by his blunt words, though the tips of her ears reddened slightly. She rubbed Lin Yuan's silver hair and sighed in feigned helplessness. "You really are getting better and better at acting cute. Fine, Sister will agree."
At once, Lin Yuan beamed. Rising onto his toes, he took the chance to plant a loud kiss on Gu Yue Na's cheek. Like a kitten that had successfully stolen something delicious, he stepped back half a pace with red ears and pretended to casually look toward the lake.
Gu Yue Na laughed at his reaction. Her beautiful eyes rested on the handsome youth before her. This was the little one she had raised with her own hands, and he had now grown into a Dragon God capable of standing on his own. She gently adjusted the hairband before his forehead and said softly, "Xiao Yuan, no matter how strong you become in the future, in Sister's eyes, you'll always be that child who needs a hug to fall asleep."
Lin Yuan snorted and turned his head as though unconvinced, but the corners of his lips could not help rising. Suddenly remembering something, he reached into the air and grabbed. A Space Rift quietly opened, revealing a wooden table inside. Several skewers of golden-brown grilled green fish sat atop it, still steaming.
"Grilled fish!" Gu Yue Na's eyes instantly lit up, and her cool aura softened beneath this sudden touch of everyday warmth. "Xiao Yuan, when did you learn to grill these?"
"I picked it up from someone." Lin Yuan blinked mysteriously and handed her a grilled green fish. "Try it and see whether it's tastier than the fish in the Lake of Life."
Gu Yue Na lowered her head and took a bite. The tender fish melted in her mouth, carrying just the right blend of seasoning and charcoal fragrance. She nodded in satisfaction. "Mm, it's delicious. Better than the fish in the lake."
"Of course," Lin Yuan said proudly, lifting his chin. "After all, I grilled it myself."
The two sat side by side by the lake, sharing this simple delicacy. The night deepened, fine ripples of light shimmering across the water. Occasional beast roars sounded in the distance, but they automatically lowered when nearing the Lake of Life.
"Sister Nana," Lin Yuan suddenly said, his voice becoming somewhat lower. "I want to leave."
Gu Yue Na nodded, as though she had expected this all along. She did not stop him, merely reaching out to gently stroke his silver hair. Her violet eyes were full of tenderness and reluctance.
"Go." She spoke softly. "The world outside is wonderful, but it is also dangerous. Remember, no matter where you go, Star Dou Great Forest will always be your home, and Sister Nana will always stand behind Xiao Yuan."
Lin Yuan tightly clasped Gu Yue Na's hand, his gaze resolute. "I will return. And I'll become stronger—strong enough to protect Sister Nana and protect our home."
"Sister Nana believes in Xiao Yuan." Gu Yue Na smiled faintly, but then her tone turned more solemn. "However, there are a few things I need to remind you of."
Lin Yuan immediately became serious. "Tell me, Sister Nana."
"First." Gu Yue Na raised one finger. "Don't easily reveal your identity. The Dragon God Bloodline is both your blessing and your curse. Before you are truly powerful, the fewer people who know, the better."
"Second." She raised another finger. "People in the outside world are treacherous, so always keep your guard up. Don't trust others too easily, especially those who are overly enthusiastic toward you."
"Third." Gu Yue Na raised a third finger, a teasing note entering her voice. "No flirting around. Sister Nana knows Xiao Yuan is popular, but don't forget who your future wife is."
Lin Yuan's little face reddened from her teasing, and he scratched his head. "I'll be careful. Don't worry, Sister Nana."
Seeing his expression, Gu Yue Na took a palm-sized pendant from her robes and personally placed it around his neck. She said softly, "This Reverse Scale Pendant is the protective charm Sister Nana is giving Xiao Yuan. It is also the hardest scale on my body. A dragon has a reverse scale—touch it, and it will surely rage. This is not merely a protective item; it is also Sister Nana's vow. If anyone dares hurt Xiao Yuan in the slightest, even if I must chase them to the ends of the earth, I will tear them to pieces."
Lin Yuan reached up and held the silver Dragon Scales hanging around his neck, gently nodding. He could even feel the warmth upon the scale, like the lingering warmth of Gu Yue Na's palm, carrying a power that put him at ease.
Gu Yue Na looked at Lin Yuan, her eyes full of tenderness. "All right, everything that needed to be said has been said. Tonight, I'll first fulfill Xiao Yuan's wish and let him sleep holding Sister Nana for one night." With that, she took Lin Yuan's hand and led him back to the wooden house.
As the night deepened, warm yellow lamplight in the wooden house illuminated the pair leaning against one another. Lin Yuan lay in Gu Yue Na's embrace, breathing in her cool, clean fragrance and sleeping especially soundly. Gu Yue Na gently patted his back, her gaze filled with tenderness.
The following morning, the first ray of sunlight streamed through the gaps in the wooden house and fell upon the two sleeping in each other's arms.
Lin Yuan woke in Gu Yue Na's warm embrace, still drowsy. Looking at her peerlessly beautiful sleeping face so close to him, he could not resist placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Gu Yue Na slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lin Yuan tenderly. Her fingertip lightly tapped his forehead as she teased, "Little rascal, you've learned to steal kisses now?"
Lin Yuan immediately puffed out his chest and retorted with complete confidence, "I wasn't stealing a kiss! This is an open and proper kiss!" As he spoke, he held Gu Yue Na's face and planted a loud, firm kiss on her lips.
Gu Yue Na laughed at Lin Yuan's sudden action. She lightly tapped his forehead and sighed in feigned helplessness. "All right, all right, we'll call it open and proper. But little rascal, do you think you can run after kissing me?"
Lin Yuan blinked, then immediately burrowed into Gu Yue Na's arms. His voice was soft. "I'm not running. Let me hug you a little longer."
Gu Yue Na smiled and held Lin Yuan tightly, gently patting his back. "You can hug me for a while, but later, it will be time to get up and set off."
Lin Yuan nodded lightly and nuzzled against Gu Yue Na's embrace with dependence. "Mm, I'll listen to Sister Nana."
Only after hugging for roughly a quarter of an hour did Lin Yuan reluctantly rise from that warm embrace. Gu Yue Na had already prepared his clothes: a low-key Ink Black Outfit, with extremely faint silver dragon patterns embroidered along the collar and cuffs. It was neither flashy nor inconsistent with his identity.
Lin Yuan swiftly changed clothes. As he turned around, he saw Gu Yue Na approaching with a new Silver Hairband in hand. Biji had rushed to make it overnight. It was wider than the previous one, with tiny green bead flowers lining its edges and giving off a soft sheen beneath the morning light.
"Lower your head," Gu Yue Na said softly.
Lin Yuan obediently bent down, feeling the gentle touch of Gu Yue Na's fingers passing through his hair. The silver-white hairband wound around in circles before being tied in a neat knot at the back of his head. The hanging bead flowers lightly rested against the nape of his neck, carrying a faint coolness.
"This won't affect your cultivation, and it can protect the back of your neck as well." Gu Yue Na brushed over a wrinkle on Lin Yuan's shoulder, her eyes full of meticulous concern.
When the two walked out of the wooden house, the Imperial Auspicious Beast, Di Tian, Biji, and the other Fierce Beasts were already waiting by the Lake of Life. Clearly, they also knew that their Lord Dragon God, Lin Yuan, was about to set out on a long journey.
Looking at the familiar faces before him, Lin Yuan's heart was full of reluctance and gratitude. He quickly stepped forward and solemnly bowed to everyone. "Uncle Di Tian, Sister Bi Ji, and everyone else, Xiao Yuan is going out into the world to seek adventure. Thank you for taking care of me all this time."
Di Tian stepped forward and solemnly patted Lin Yuan's shoulder. "Go, Xiao Yuan. Remember, no matter where you go, Star Dou Great Forest will always be your home. Whenever you need us, give the order, and we will brave fire and water without hesitation!"
Biji gently adjusted Lin Yuan's hairband and handed him a bundle. "Inside are spare hairbands Sister Bi Ji made for Xiao Yuan. Don't lose them again."
Lin Yuan took a deep breath and nodded seriously. He turned toward the Imperial Auspicious Beast, stroked her head, and said softly, "Sister, I will return."
Three-Eyed Golden Lion blinked her distinctive vertical eyes, her voice soft and crisp. "I'll wait for Xiao Yuan. I'll also work hard at cultivation and strive to take human form soon, so I can go to the human world with Xiao Yuan."
The corner of Lin Yuan's lips rose slightly. Without further hesitation, he raised a hand and lightly tapped the empty space before him. A silver-white Space Gate instantly took shape, gentle flowing light surging within it. After taking one final look at everyone, he stepped inside. Before long, his figure was swallowed by the Space Gate, and its doors slowly closed, leaving only a faint trace of Nine-Colored Flowing Light in the air.
Before you continue