Unify the Great Star Dou Forest
At the same time, the spatial power behind her fluctuated violently, and an irregular spatial rift was forcibly torn open in an instant, from which a dark aura of the void permeated.
Without the slightest hesitation, Gu Yuena flashed and was about to escape into the spatial rift!
However, how sharp was Kai's combat intuition!
Just as Gu Yuena moved and before she had completely disappeared into the spatial rift, the light of teleportation beneath his feet lit up, completely ignoring the feinting energy beam. Like Gui Mei, he instantly appeared behind Gu Yuena!
"Laugh--!"
The Azure Dragon Demonic Blade, carrying a chilling killing intent, slashed down mercilessly!
This strike landed squarely on Gu Yuena's back! The incomparably sharp blade instantly pierced through the dragon scales, tore through the flesh, and even struck the hard dragon bones, leaving a deep, bone-revealing wound that ran from her shoulder blade to her waist!
The blue-green destructive energy, like a leech, instantly invaded the wound, frantically preventing it from healing.
"Ugh--!"
Gu Yuena let out a painful groan, spitting out blood tinged with silver light. Using the force of the slash, she plunged headfirst into the spatial rift at an even greater speed.
The spatial rift twisted, closed, and disappeared rapidly after she entered, leaving only a few drops of shimmering silver dragon blood and lingering spatial ripples in the air.
The Silver Dragon King has escaped!
With their lord's sudden departure, the Ferocious Beast, including Xiong Jun, Myriad Demon King, and Scarlet King, were immediately plunged into immense confusion and panic.
Their lord has already escaped severely wounded, what are they still doing here?
Chapter 274 Unifying the Star Dou Great Forest
The birth of the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena stemmed from the split that occurred when the Dragon God fell. She carries half of the Dragon God's power and absolute control over the elements.
It is precisely because of this supreme bloodline that the core Ferocious Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest, such as the Xiong Jun and the Myriad Demon King, respect her strength and regard her identity as the "Dragon God Avatar" as the only hope for the resurgence of the Soul Beast Clan.
In their hearts, Gu Yuena's status is like that of Bo Saixi to the Sea Soul Master —she is the embodiment of a god on earth, the manifestation of faith, and the hope for the future of the tribe.
Therefore, Gu Yuena's defeat and escape at this moment is a devastating blow to Xiong Jun and other Ferocious Beast who have placed all their hopes on her.
The beliefs they had fought for and endured for for countless years collapsed completely the moment Gu Yuena turned and fled into the spatial rift without hesitation, along with the hideous wound on her back.
With their hopes dashed, their fighting spirit vanished. They gave up resisting, fleeing in disarray like a pile of loose sand, their bodies covered in wounds and their hearts filled with even deeper sorrow.
Unlike the disappointment of Xiong Jun and the Ferocious Beast, Bi Ji's reaction was unusually calm.
In her clear, emerald-like eyes, there was little surprise, only a sense of acceptance that everything had settled and a deep-seated sorrow.
Long before Di Tian suddenly betrayed her and disappeared without a trace in the Star Dou Great Forest, Bi Ji had already planted the seeds of doubt in her heart.
Di Tian's loyalty to her master is beyond question, so how could she betray him without warning? There must have been some kind of dramatic change, and she and the other Ferocious Beast were kept in the dark, or rather... excluded.
Although she wasn't particularly strong, she was very perceptive. Now, from an outsider's perspective, looking back on recent events, many previously overlooked details became clear:
The Lord has left the Core Circle without a word many times, sometimes returning wounded, but never offering any explanation.
Human Soul Master, even Titled Douluo, have repeatedly ventured deep into the forest and even hunted Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast near the Lake of Life. Although the Master clearly had the ability to stop them, she mostly chose to sit idly by, as if the life and death of those Soul Beast had nothing to do with her.
Di Tian's "betrayal" may not be a betrayal at all, but rather a choice made after he saw things clearly.
Today, facing a formidable enemy, she can so readily abandon all her subordinates who are bleeding and fighting for her, and escape alone.
Her mistress, or rather Gu Yuena, never truly regarded them as subordinates or clansmen she could entrust her life to. To her, they were merely tools that she could call upon and discard at any time in the process of restoring her strength and achieving her goals.
Having figured this out, Bi Ji felt a sense of peace and even relief.
Isn't it... only natural for a tool to be abandoned by its owner?
She watched the Ferocious Beast beasts scatter and then glanced at the three humans not far away, before letting out a soft sigh.
The future of the Soul Beast Clan should never have been entrusted to some "savior".
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"Bi Ji, what are you doing?! Run!" Seeing Bi Ji standing there in a daze, Xiong Jun growled anxiously and stretched out its intact giant claw to try to pull her away with it. Although it was irritable, it still had a sense of companionship with Bi Ji, who was also Ferocious Beast and had been responsible for healing her.
However, it was precisely the target that Armor had locked onto. Other Ferocious Beast might be able to escape by virtue of their familiarity with the terrain and the chaotic situation, but Xiong Jun, the strongest and most severely injured, had absolutely no chance.
"Bang!"
Kai's figure appeared beside Xiong Jun as if by teleportation, his leg, covered in Demon Armor, delivered a powerful kick to Xiong Jun's wounded waist and abdomen. Xiong Jun let out a painful roar, his massive body staggering backward uncontrollably, pulling Bi Ji down with him as well.
The next moment, the cold Azure Dragon Demonic Blade was already positioned before their vital points. Under absolute force, resistance was futile. Xiong Jun's eyes were filled with resentment and rage, but he could only let out low gasps, while Bi Ji calmly accepted her fate of being captured.
Now that the battle has been won and a decisive advantage has been gained, the distribution of the spoils naturally becomes the agenda. With Gu Yuena's escape, the largest resistance force in the core area of Star Dou Great Forest has collapsed.
Cai Wenji showed no courtesy whatsoever, leading Kai and Yao directly and openly into the core of the Lake of Life.
Having already secured the core, Cai Wenji decided to go all the way and, using the Lake of Life as the center, began to clean up and subdue the surrounding groups of Ferocious Beast beasts that had been banding together for 100,000 years.
Faced with overwhelming power, these Ferocious Beast groups that usually dominated their regions were almost effortlessly defeated one by one and forced to submit.
The entire Star Dou Great Forest, starting from its core area, is like a lake where pebbles have been thrown in; its ruling order is beginning to undergo a profound and dramatic transformation, affecting everything from the inside out.
To better manage this vast and powerful territory, Yao began to play her unique role. She often transformed into the form of Seven-Colored Divine Deer, activating her Soul Skill, and strolled leisurely through the forest.
Her eighth Soul Skill, "Enlightening Radiance Soothes the Cloud Dream," has an effect that can be described as miraculous—helping living beings awaken their intelligence and gain understanding of all things.
A soft, spiritual seven-colored radiance fell with her footsteps, nourishing the forest like sweet rain. The weak Soul Beast that had previously acted solely on instinct gradually cleared their cloudy eyes under the light, beginning to think, be curious, and even express simple emotions, their intelligence comparable to that of a human child!
This miraculous scene completely confirmed the initial feelings of Xiong Jun and the other Ferocious Beast —Yao was simply a "humanoid auspicious Auspicious Beast" born for the revival of the Soul Beast Clan!
Her entire set of Soul Skill, whether it be purification, the group cultivation amplification and luck guidance in her divine deer form, or this heaven-defying ability to awaken intelligence, are all divine skills that greatly benefit the Soul Beast Clan.
What's even more astonishing is that her Soul Ring wasn't obtained by hunting Soul Beast, but rather it was naturally formed from the faith and affinity that Soul Beast felt towards her!
More and more Soul Beast in the forest had a glint of intelligence in their eyes. Feeling their natural closeness and worship towards Yao, Xiong Jun, Bi Ji, and the other captured Ferocious Beast felt a mix of emotions.
If this trend continues, and given time, the Soul Beast Clan will generally develop intelligence and unite as one, then... the revival of the Soul Beast Clan will be just around the corner.
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Seeing the sparks of wisdom begin to flicker in the eyes of countless previously ignorant Soul Beast under the nourishment of Yao's magical [Enlightening Radiance Soothes the Cloud Dream] Soul Skill, and even their cultivation speed significantly improved, Bi Ji's emerald eyes revealed genuine gentleness and satisfaction.
As the chief healer of the Star Dou Great Forest, she was kind -Goddess of Kindness and had a deep compassion and protective heart for all Soul Beast, regardless of their strength. The scene before her was the vision she had longed for for countless years but was powerless to realize.
However, Xiong Jun felt uneasy all over, as he didn't know where to put his huge Dark Gold Dreadclaw.
Unlike Bi Ji's benevolence, although Xiong Jun also longed for the rise of the Soul Beast Clan and to end its oppression by humans, his mindset was deeply rooted in the law of the jungle and bloodline supremacy.
In its eyes, the world of Soul Beast is inherently divided into different classes.
The apex predators (such as themselves, Di Tian, and the Myriad Demon King) are at the top of the pyramid, possessing the power of life and death.
Powerful or uniquely valuable Soul Beast (such as Bi Ji, who, though not skilled in combat, possesses irreplaceable healing abilities) deserve respect and are worth recruiting.
The vast majority of ordinary and weak Soul Beast are nothing more than food, subordinates, or simply cannon fodder that can be ignored.
Its formidable strength and violent nature are built upon countless instances of the survival of the fittest. If it weren't for Bi Ji's selfless healing and gentle nature gradually influencing it over the years, Bi Ji's almost defenseless Emerald Swan race would never have received equal treatment in the eyes of the Xiong Jun.
In fact, those Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that lack sufficient strength (such as those who have just broken through to the 100,000-year mark and whose realm is unstable) and whose bloodlines are impure, but who attempt to enter the core area of Lake of Life in search of opportunities, often end up not being driven away, but rather becoming prey for Ferocious Beast like Xiong Jun.
This is precisely why Xiong Jun and other Ferocious Beast did not show much dissatisfaction when Gu Yuena turned a blind eye to human Soul Master hunting down Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in the outer regions.
In their eyes, being killed by Soul Master is your own fault for being too weak! You deserve it! If you can't even deal with humans, you have no right to share in the blessings of the Lake of Life, and you are not worthy to be among us.
The law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak, is a fundamental truth. This cruel law applies not only to the relationship between Soul Beast and humans, but is also deeply ingrained within the Soul Beast race itself.
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During her reign over the Star Dou Great Forest, the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena did indeed issue many orders that, from a human or higher perspective, would seem extremely absurd, or even utterly incompetent.
She sometimes disappears for long periods of time, indifferent to the life and death of Soul Beast; at other times, she makes decisions that seem short-sighted and based solely on her own whims.
However, even so, her position remained as firm as Mount Tai in the hearts of core Ferocious Beast such as Xiong Jun and Myriad Demon King, and she was revered as the undisputed ruler of the Soul Beast.
These Ferocious Beast have some intelligence, but not much. They follow the law of the jungle, obeying whoever is stronger, regardless of who the other is.
If they defeat Gu Yuena and capture other Soul Beast, Xiong Jun might already be calling for their master.
The Divine Realm, the temple of the Life Goddess.
There are no opulent decorations here, but rather an atmosphere of natural harmony. Vines Entanglement the white jade pillars, exotic flowers and rare herbs bloom eternally under the nourishment of divine power, clear spring water flows gently through the hall, and the air is filled with a refreshing and vibrant life force.
In the center of the temple, the Life Goddess gazed upon the scene below. Her figure was graceful and ethereal, radiating the purest natural and life-giving energy, as if she were the source of all life. However, at this moment, her exquisite face bore a trace of obvious helplessness. Watching the inheritor Cai Wenji transform that vast life energy into "healing" that distorted the enemy's body, watching her violently unleash her fists on the battlefield, she couldn't help but sigh softly.
"Well..."
A sigh echoed in the silent temple, carrying a hint of indescribable regret.
"This child... clearly possesses such a pure and powerful affinity for life and healing talent, a gift meant to soothe pain and save lives... why choose to use it for conquest, in such a... brutal way?"
Her voice was gentle and full of pity, brimming with concern that her successor was "going astray." In her eyes, Cai Wenji was simply wasting a precious resource, using the most sacred power for the most "barbaric" purposes.
Wouldn't it be better to be a respected and protective god, a benefactor to all living beings?
"Snort."
A cold, distinctly different snort came from the side.
The speaker was the man standing beside her. He was shrouded in a large black cloak, obscuring his features, but exuding a chilling aura of destruction and annihilation.
He held in his hand a massive, purplish-black scepter, two zhang long, the tip of which seemed to contain a black hole capable of annihilating everything. He was none other than the God of Destruction, who coexisted with the Life Goddess in opposition to it.
"This is how power should be used." The God of Destruction's voice was deep, carrying a hint of barely perceptible appreciation. "Power itself is neither good nor evil; it's all about how it's used. Blindly showing mercy and saving others is nothing but a sign of weakness."
Indeed, as the gods of the Divine Realm knew, the Life Goddess and the God of Destruction, a couple with completely opposite personalities and divine roles, only reached a miraculous consensus on loving each other, and their views on all things in the world were almost always at opposite extremes.
The Life Goddess seeks creation, nourishment, and harmony.
The God of Destruction believes in power, order (order rebuilt through destruction), and efficiency.
Currently, the debate over the heir Cai Wenji's style of conduct has once again become a trigger for the clash of ideas between the couple.
"The essence of power is protection, not destruction! She could have been the hope for many more lives!" The Life Goddess argued vehemently, her tone filled with unwavering commitment to the value of life.
"Hope stems from strength! Hope that cannot protect itself is but a fleeting bubble! Only power that instills fear in the enemy, rendering them powerless to resist, is the true foundation!" The God of Destruction refused to yield an inch.
The two god-kings each held their own version of events, neither able to convince the other. The atmosphere within the temple shifted from vibrant to somewhat stagnant, as the breath of life and the will to destroy clashed invisibly.
Ultimately, as with countless previous arguments, the dialogue ended unhappily due to irreconcilable differences.
The God of Destruction snorted coldly, his black robes billowing as his figure transformed into a wisp of purplish-black mist and vanished from the temple.
The Life Goddess stood alone in the temple, gazing at the same green figure in the mortal realm below, and sighed Youyou once more, his beautiful eyes filled with complex emotions.