Silver Dragon's Reverse Scale, Touch It and It Will Rage!

The voice came without warning, but it exploded in Huo Yuhao's mind. He jolted in shock, instinctively looking around, yet found nothing. Meanwhile, in the space rift beside him, Lin Yuan's gaze sharpened instantly.

"Here it comes," he murmured to himself, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth. The owner of this voice was none other than the million-year soul beast he had been searching for—Sky Dream Ice Silkworm!

Just then, the ground beneath Huo Yuhao's feet suddenly trembled. Cracks began to appear on the surface two meters away, widening rapidly until they formed a fissure. A faint golden-white light radiated from the gap.

Huo Yuhao instinctively gripped the White Tiger Dagger, staring nervously at the ever-expanding crack. If not for his body being weak and sore, he would have bolted long ago.

An icy chill emanated from the ground fissure, and the surrounding temperature dropped noticeably. The crack grew larger and larger, soon expanding to over five meters in diameter. The golden-white light finally revealed its true form.

It was a round, plump head, over a meter in diameter, fleshy and soft. It wriggled as it slowly crawled out, its body over seven meters long, translucent and crystalline, like white jade. Light rippled beneath its skin, and its eyes gleamed with gold. Most peculiar of all, starting half a meter from its head, golden rings encircled its body at intervals, ten in total from head to tail.

"Little one, don't be afraid," Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice continued to echo in Huo Yuhao's mind. Its massive head slowly lowered, stopping a meter away from him. "Big Bro won't hurt you; instead, I'll give you a tremendous opportunity. Let me introduce myself first—I am the embodiment of heroism and chivalry, the king of soul beasts with both wisdom and beauty, a peerless powerhouse who has cultivated for a million years, setting the longest lifespan record on Douluo Continent—Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. You can call me Big Bro Tian Meng!"

Huo Yuhao's gaze froze, and he asked incredulously, "A million-year soul beast? What do you want to do?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice turned solemn: "I want to become your soul ring—the first intelligent soul ring ever seen on Douluo Continent."

"Huh? You want to become my soul ring?" Huo Yuhao stared at it dumbfounded, his mind going blank for a moment.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm glanced warily toward the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest, then turned back: "I'm going to start. Don't worry, I'll be gentle and won't let you suffer."

Before Huo Yuhao could object, a wave of extreme cold engulfed him instantly. He only saw a blur of white light rushing toward him, and the next second, his consciousness sank into darkness.

The ten golden rings on Sky Dream Ice Silkworm quickly enveloped Huo Yuhao's frail body, while it itself transformed into wisps of white light, continuously pouring into him.

"Too weak, far too weak—I'm so pitiful! How many seals do I have to place on myself to let this fragile body of yours withstand it? This intelligent soul ring really isn't easy to be."

Before the words faded, an invisible mental wave spread outward as it surged into Huo Yuhao's body. The terrifying spiritual power covered every corner within a hundred miles in an instant.

Bei Bei and Tang Ya, who were rushing at full speed trying to catch up to Huo Yuhao, were struck by this mental wave and fell into a brief stupor. The mental impact wasn't particularly destructive, but it could rob any living being of their ability to think for a short time. At that moment, most of the southern Star Dou Great Forest fell into an eerie silence.

Inside the space rift, the mental shock that swept a hundred miles surged in like a tide, but when it touched Lin Yuan within three feet of his body, it was silently blocked by an invisible layer of nine-colored light. The crimson vertical pupil on his forehead slightly opened, and as the Dragon God Eye activated, it broke down Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's seemingly vast yet unfocused spiritual power into basic energy particles.

Lin Yuan watched the scene, a playful smile curling at his lips: "A million years of spiritual power—rich enough, but too scattered and impure. Otherwise, even I would be tempted."

Just then, the sky, which had been clear moments before, suddenly darkened. A thunderclap exploded high above, and in an instant, the sun's light was swallowed by darkness. A suffocating, immense pressure descended from the heavens.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, in the midst of merging into Huo Yuhao's body, shuddered violently as the thunder rang out. It raised its golden eyes to the sky, first flashing with terror, then adding a hint of confusion. Clearly, this oppressive force from the heavens didn't originate from it and even exceeded its understanding.

Seeing this, Lin Yuan, still inside the space rift, immediately activated the Dragon God Domain. Then, a gray stream, as if drawn by an irresistible force, descended from the sky, landed on his brow, and quietly seeped in.

A very blurry figure suddenly materialized behind Lin Yuan, and an aged voice, carrying an indescribable authority, rang out: "Holding the sun and moon, plucking the stars—there is no one like me in this world. I never thought this old man could still retain a remnant of his soul." With those words, the blurry phantom figure vanished with a "whoosh," diving into Lin Yuan's brow and disappearing.

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, and his consciousness slowly sank into the Sea of Consciousness. As soon as he arrived, he saw that the gray stream, upon entering his Sea of Consciousness, had instantly transformed into a fist-sized gray pearl and then settled into stillness.

Awakening from meditation, Lin Yuan's Dragon God Eye on his brow slowly closed, turning into a faint red line that faded into his silver hair. He let out a light breath, feeling his Sea of Consciousness more stable than before, with Electrolux's remnant soul quietly sleeping within it. Without lingering, he turned and walked toward the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Star Dou Great Forest, Core Area.

Gu Yue Na stood by the shore of the Lake of Life, the surface smooth as a mirror, reflecting her cold, ethereal beauty. She looked up at the sky shrouded in darkness, a flicker of doubt in her purple eyes.

But just then, Lin Yuan suddenly appeared behind Gu Yue Na, reaching out to gently wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her into a soft embrace.

"Xiao Yuan, you're so big now, still so disrespectful," Gu Yue Na said, startled at first by Lin Yuan's hug from behind, then letting out a light laugh. She turned her face, her purple eyes carrying a hint of teasing, "If you keep hugging like this, big sister might get upset."

Lin Yuan not only didn't let go but went further, pinching Gu Yue Na's waist, his voice laced with triumphant laughter: "Who can blame me when Sister Nana feels the best to hold? Besides, this is what I call knowing how to cherish—such a good embrace, why waste it?"

Gu Yue Na sighed helplessly, reaching out to gently pat Lin Yuan's hands around her waist, but her tone softened involuntarily: "Alright, alright, little ancestor, I give up."

"Then... how will Sister Nana compensate me?" Lin Yuan said with a faint smile.

"Compensate?" Gu Yue Na smiled sweetly, extending her fair finger to lightly tap Lin Yuan's forehead. "Compensate you with one wish. Go on, what do you want?"

Hearing this, Lin Yuan immediately pressed his advantage, leaning close to her ear, and in a voice only the two of them could hear, said softly, "Then I want to sleep holding Sister Nana tonight."

Gu Yue Na was amused by Lin Yuan's blunt words, but the tips of her ears flushed slightly red. She reached out to ruffle his silver hair, feigning helplessness as she sighed: "You child, you're getting better and better at acting spoiled. Fine, big sister agrees."

At that, Lin Yuan beamed with joy, stood on tiptoe, and planted a "smack" of a kiss on Gu Yue Na's cheek. Like a cat that had stolen a treat, he stepped back half a step, ears red, pretending to look nonchalantly at the lake.

Gu Yue Na was amused by Lin Yuan's antics, her beautiful eyes fixed on the handsome young man before her—this was the little one she had raised with her own hands, now grown into a Dragon God who could stand on his own. She reached out to gently smooth the hairband on his forehead, her voice soft: "Xiao Yuan, no matter how strong you become, in big sister's eyes, you'll always be that child who needs a hug to fall asleep."

Lin Yuan snorted, pretending to be unconvinced as he turned his head away, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help lifting. Suddenly remembering something, he raised his hand and grabbed at the air, silently opening a space rift that revealed a wooden table inside, on which sat several skewers of golden-roasted Green Fish, still steaming.

"Grilled fish!" Gu Yue Na's eyes lit up instantly, her cold demeanor melting a little at this sudden touch of everyday warmth. "Xiao Yuan, when did you learn to grill these?"

"Stole the technique," Lin Yuan said with a mysterious wink, handing the grilled Green Fish to her. "Try it, see if it's better than the fish in the Lake of Life."

Gu Yue Na took a bite, the tender fish melting in her mouth, carrying just the right hint of spices and charcoal. She nodded in satisfaction: "Mm, delicious. Better than the lake's fish."

"Of course," Lin Yuan said proudly, lifting his chin. "After all, I grilled these myself."

The two sat side by side by the lake, sharing this simple delicacy. As night deepened, the lake's surface shimmered with scattered ripples, and occasional beast roars came from afar, but they all grew low and subdued as they neared the Lake of Life.

"Sister Nana," Lin Yuan suddenly spoke, his voice dropping a few notes, "I want to go out."

Gu Yue Na nodded, as if she had expected this. She didn't stop him, only reached out to gently stroke Lin Yuan's silver hair, her purple eyes full of tenderness and reluctance.

"Go ahead," she said softly. "The outside world is wonderful, but also dangerous. Remember, no matter where you go, the Star Dou Great Forest will always be your home, and Sister Nana will always be behind Xiao Yuan."

Lin Yuan tightly gripped Gu Yue Na's hand, his gaze firm: "I'll come back. And I'll become stronger—strong enough to protect Sister Nana and protect our home."

"Sister Nana believes in Xiao Yuan," Gu Yue Na said with a slight smile, then her tone turned more serious as she shifted the topic. "But there are a few things I need to tell you."

Lin Yuan immediately became attentive: "Sister Nana, go ahead."

"First," Gu Yue Na raised one finger, "don't reveal your identity easily. The Dragon God Bloodline is both your blessing and your curse. Until you're truly strong, the fewer who know, the better."

"Second," she raised a second finger, "the outside world has treacherous hearts. Always keep your wits about you. Don't trust others easily, especially those who are overly warm to you."

"Third," Gu Yue Na raised a third finger, a hint of teasing in her tone, "no philandering. Sister Nana knows Xiao Yuan is very popular, but don't forget who your future wife is."

Lin Yuan's face flushed red at her words, and he scratched his head. "I'll be careful, Sister Nana, don't worry."

Gu Yue Na watched him like this, then reached into her bosom and took out a palm-sized pendant. She personally fastened it around his neck, murmuring softly, "This Reverse Scale Pendant is Sister Nana's protective charm for Xiao Yuan. It's also the hardest scale from my body. A dragon has a reverse scale; touch it and incur its wrath. This isn't just a protective item—it's Sister Nana's vow. If anyone dares to harm even a hair on Xiao Yuan's head, even if I have to chase them to the ends of the earth, I will tear them limb from limb."

Lin Yuan reached up and grasped the silver dragon scale hanging around his neck, nodding gently. He could even feel the warmth of the scale, like the lingering heat from Gu Yue Na's palm, carrying a reassuring strength.

Gu Yue Na looked at Lin Yuan, her eyes full of tenderness, and said softly, "Alright, everything that needed to be said has been said. Tonight, let's first fulfill Xiao Yuan's wish—sleep holding Sister Nana." With that, she took his hand and led him back to the wooden cabin.

As the night deepened, the warm yellow lamplight in the cabin cast the shadows of their intertwined figures. Lin Yuan lay in Gu Yue Na's arms, breathing in her crisp, cool fragrance, sleeping especially soundly. Gu Yue Na gently patted his back, her gaze brimming with tenderness.

The next morning, the first rays of sunlight streamed through the gaps in the cabin, falling upon the two sleeping in each other's arms.

Lin Yuan woke in Gu Yue Na's warm embrace, his eyes still bleary. He looked at her stunning sleeping face so close to his, and couldn't help but plant a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Gu Yue Na slowly opened her eyes, gazing at Lin Yuan tenderly. She tapped his forehead with her fingertip, a hint of teasing in her voice. "Little rascal, learned to steal kisses, have you?"

Lin Yuan immediately puffed out his chest and retorted with full confidence, "I wasn't stealing a kiss! This is called a perfectly open and honest kiss!" Saying that, he cupped Gu Yue Na's face and gave her a loud, smacking kiss right on the lips.

Gu Yue Na was amused by Lin Yuan's sudden move. She tapped his forehead again, letting out a feigned helpless sigh. "Alright, alright, I'll count it as open and honest. But little rascal, do you think you can just kiss and run?"

Lin Yuan blinked, then immediately burrowed into Gu Yue Na's arms, his voice soft and clingy. "Not running. Hold me a little longer."

Gu Yue Na laughed and hugged Lin Yuan tightly, gently patting his back. "We can hold a little longer, but then it's time to get up and set off."

Lin Yuan nodded lightly, nuzzling dependently against Gu Yue Na's chest, and replied in a muffled voice, "Mm, whatever Sister Nana says."

After holding on for about another quarter of an hour, Lin Yuan reluctantly pulled himself out of the warm embrace. Gu Yue Na had already prepared his clothes for him—a low-key Ink Black Outfit, with faint silver dragon patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. It wasn't flashy, yet it subtly matched his identity.

Lin Yuan quickly changed into it. When he turned around, he ran into Gu Yue Na walking over with a new silver hairband. It had been hastily made by Bi Ji overnight, wider than the previous one, with tiny cyan bead flowers along the edge that shimmered with a soft luster in the morning light.

"Lower your head," Gu Yue Na said softly.

Hearing this, Lin Yuan obediently bent down, feeling the gentle touch of Gu Yue Na's fingers threading through his hair. The silver-white hairband wound around and around, finally tied into a neat knot at the back of his head. The dangling bead flowers rested lightly against the nape of his neck, carrying a slight coolness.

"This way, it won't interfere with your cultivation, and it can also protect the back of your neck." Gu Yue Na raised a hand to smooth the wrinkles on Lin Yuan's shoulder, her gaze full of meticulous care.

When the two stepped out of the cabin, the Imperial Auspicious Beast, Di Tian, Bi Ji, and a group of Fierce Beasts were already waiting by the Lake of Life. Clearly, they too knew that their Lord Dragon God, Lin Yuan, was about to embark on a long journey.

Lin Yuan looked at the familiar faces before him, his heart filled with reluctance and gratitude. He quickly stepped forward and bowed earnestly to everyone. "Uncle Di Tian, Sister Bi Ji, and everyone else, Xiao Yuan is going to venture out into the outside world. Thank you all for taking care of me all this time."

Di Tian stepped forward and solemnly patted Lin Yuan on the shoulder. "Go on, Xiao Yuan. Remember, no matter where you go, the Star Dou Great Forest will always be your home. When you need us, just give the order, and we will immediately go through fire and water for you!"

Bi Ji gently tidied 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 to look at the Imperial Auspicious Beast, patted her head, and said softly, "Sister, I will come back."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion blinked her signature vertical pupils, her voice soft and crisp. "I will wait for Xiao Yuan, and I will also work hard to cultivate, striving to transform as soon as possible, so I can follow Xiao Yuan into the human world."

Hearing this, a slight smile tugged at the corner of Lin Yuan's mouth. He hesitated no longer, raising a hand to gently tap the empty space before him. In an instant, a silver-white Space Gate took shape, with gentle flowing light surging within. He took one last look at everyone, then stepped into it. Before long, his figure was swallowed by the Space Gate, and the door slowly closed, leaving only a faint trace of Nine-Colored Flowing Light in the air.