Dragon Valley Forest

[Note: Thank you for the reminder. I have also found the timeline of Douluo to be quite confusing when researching it. For instance, it is explicitly stated that Tang Wulin arrived on the Douluo Planet ten thousand years after the timeline of Huo Yuhao, following the God Realm being swept away. The Abyss Plane's invasion of the Douluo Plane, however, occurred six thousand three hundred years ago. Yet, a character in Dragon King Legend, the Old Devil, claims that the energies of Life and Destruction suddenly descended from the sky two thousand years ago. This raises a question: since one day in the heavens is one year on earth, what was Santang doing during the two thousand days in the God Realm after the energies of Destruction and Life vanished? Furthermore, given that he used a hook to attract the Abyss to Douluo, it is impossible for Destruction not to have noticed such a massive event.

I am adding a patch here: the peaceful coexistence between humans and soul beasts advocated by Huo Yuhao currently only exists on the Douluo Continent, with the upper echelons of both sides maintaining a superficial friendliness. Humans hunt high-age soul beasts from other continents, and after a thousand years, the soul beast resources on the other two continents began to dry up. The "blades" forged by killing soul beasts on those other two continents—that is, more mature Soul Guidance Devices—are now being turned back to slaughter all the soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest.]

Dragon Valley Forest

Thousands of soul beasts, saved by the potions of Blade Ruse King, were led by a 100,000-year soul beast arranged by the Giant Mountain Golden Ape into the parts of the Dragon Valley Forest mixed zone that had not yet been destroyed by humans.

Dragon Valley Forest was, after all, a forest; the sheer number of trees was not something the Star Luo People, who had only just arrived on this continent, could destroy in such a short time.

But this also brought confusion to Blade Ruse King. Why would humans specifically send an army deep into the mixed zone of the forest to capture soul beasts on such a massive scale? This was exactly the same situation he had discovered earlier at a human research station in the south—they were capturing them alive rather than killing them. Moreover, even if they were killing soul beasts to obtain spirit rings or Soul Spirits, the supply should have exceeded the demand.

Furthermore, the secrets and in-depth analysis of Soul Spirits, as well as the Spirit Ascension Platform of the Spirit Pagoda, would not appear until much later. Even if there were experiments, there was no reason to need so many.

Blade Ruse King turned his head to look at a swampy, devastated area. The piled-up corpses of soul beasts and humans had already been sorted and buried, and the spirit bones had been sifted out of the soul beasts' bodies and destroyed, leaving no opportunity for humans to scavenge them.

However, the trees that had been uprooted and piled together after the water receded, along with the massive ponds that had not yet drained into the ground, still served as a testament to the destructive power of Blade Ruse King's tidal attacks.

It seems I should also explore some skills that aren't AOE but still provide long-range attacks.

Blade Ruse King's state was not known for powerful defense; melee combat with sharp claws and water-attribute attacks were his areas of expertise. However, the existence of soul power allowed Blade Ruse King to try and study them properly.

Blade Ruse King took a handheld tablet from his soul guidance storage device and signaled to the Giant Mountain Golden Ape.

"I come from a land called the Zheer Continent. If you happen to sense a Heavenly Sun Dragon named Ximing on your travels, she is the one who fled to my territory two hundred years ago. Aside from the Dragon Language, the language I am using to communicate with you now was learned from the dragon kin who fled to my side."

Blade Ruse King stated that he came from another continent and explained that the location of the Zheer Continent was in the direction where the soul beasts of Dragon Valley Forest had been fleeing south in large numbers.

"Last year, I crossed the sea from the Zheer Continent to explore your continent. When I landed at the southernmost tip, I encountered a base of Star Luo People. After killing the humans there, I rescued thousands of soul beasts, collected the remaining items left by the humans, and then paused my journey to return."

Blade Ruse King looked at the Giant Mountain Golden Ape and communicated with him in the native language: "This soul guidance tablet contains the human documents I intercepted. Most of the soul beasts that fled to my side only know the written and spoken language of the humans on this continent; they do not know the language or script of the Star Luo People. You have been fighting the Star Luo People for about a hundred years now—have you been able to understand their language and script?"

"King, in many cases, we still have to translate them one by one using books from the local humans, but Yin Ji in the core area of the forest can translate them easily."

"That is enough. Take me to your meeting place. Since you recognize me as King, after we take human form, let us sit down and have a good talk about the Zheer Continent on my side, this continent of yours, and the problem of the humans."

Blade Ruse King nodded, feeling satisfied that the Giant Mountain Golden Ape could translate the Star Luo language. After all, if they didn't know the Star Luo language either, he would have had to become a spy, infiltrate the kingdom of the native humans, and rummage through it to see if there were any books translating the Star Luo language into the native tongue.

In the core area of Dragon Valley Forest, the transformed Sun-Passing Ginkgo, Yin Ji, and Ximing, whom she had once raised, sat on the tree roots that were exposed above the ground. They felt the fluctuations at the boundary between the mixed zone and the core area, which ended with one final, massive boom.

"Is the battle over?"

Ximing felt the distance, not entirely sure.

"It is indeed over."

As a 300,000-year plant-type soul beast, the Sun-Passing Ginkgo could sense soul power fluctuations more accurately.

"They successfully killed a level 97 Super Douluo who was covering for other humans."

Yin Ji sighed.

She was all too familiar with this human. Many soul beasts had been captured by him, and he had repelled the Giant Mountain Golden Ape and the others countless times when they tried to stop humans from coming into the forest to capture soul beasts on a massive scale. Now that a 600,000-year soul beast had appeared, he had finally died under the claws and teeth of the soul beasts.

"It must be that guy Dai Zuoheng. Ever since your clan leader, along with two other dragon clan leaders, died inexplicably in a heavenly tribulation, this human and his Soul Hunting Squad very conveniently seized upon the fact that our forest lacked top-tier soul beasts. Every year, they come to capture over ten thousand soul beasts to be transported overseas by ship. Now that he is dead, I don't know if it is a blessing or a curse, or if it will attract even more powerful humans to seek revenge."

"It's fine, Sister Yin Ji. At worst, I'll move you to the Nanshan Rainforest on the continent where Ruse lives. The heaven and earth energy there is even richer than in Dragon Valley Forest. Let's just say, the core area here is at most on the level of the boundary between the mixed zone and the outer zone of the Nanshan Rainforest."

Ximing told her foster mother not to worry; at worst, they would just move somewhere else. The Zheer Continent was such a bountiful land, and the Elves there didn't need to slaughter soul beasts to cultivate; it was truly the perfect pure land for soul beasts.

"Such rich heaven and earth energy?"

The reason Yin Ji was able to survive and become a 300,000-year plant spirit was thanks to the care of successive Heavenly Sun Dragon clan leaders. After being nourished for ten thousand years, she had become the "nanny tree" for the Heavenly Sun Dragons. Naturally, having lived in the core area of Dragon Valley Forest since she was young, she had the most intuitive sense of the differences in the concentration of heaven and earth energy in the outside world. However, she found it hard to believe that the Nanshan Rainforest mentioned by Ximing was better than the core area of Dragon Valley Forest.

"Don't believe me? Foster mother, then what if I give you this?"

As she spoke, Ximing took a potted plant from the storage soul guidance device on her hand. Yin Ji only had to sense it slightly; the rich vitality within it was enough to prove that the environment of the Nanshan Rainforest was indeed more bountiful than that of Dragon Valley Forest.

"All the herbs in the core area of the Nanshan Rainforest would wither within three days if moved, soil and all. I could only find herbs from the mixed zone that are considered rare even in that circle to give to you, foster mother. Please forgive me."

"There is no need for that. Such a nourishing item is already an extremely heavy gift for me. It is no wonder that you, Ximing, have been able to break through from a 50,000-year age to a 100,000-year age in just two hundred years."

Yin Ji accepted Ximing's gift. The plant in this pot contained an astonishing amount of energy. If it had soul power, it would definitely be a thousand-year plant soul beast. Unfortunately, it lacked soul power and could only be considered a nourishing supplement, but in Dragon Valley Forest, it was a product seen only once in ten thousand years for her.

After meeting with Ximing, Yin Ji naturally accepted the gift Ximing gave her, which contained minerals and herbs from the Zheer Continent (not to be confused with plant-type soul beasts). The energy contained within made Yin Ji feel that the gift was a bit too heavy; this was what Ximing had revealed.

"In that case, I should also consider preparing a bountiful and safe land for my offspring."

It was already extremely rare for a plant-type spirit to grow up while facing the hunting of beast soul beasts and humans, let alone the matching of Cixin and Cixin. Yin Ji had once lowered her status to have a thousand-year male Sun-Passing Ginkgo she had accidentally found pollinate her through ordinary insects.

It was a pity that after that time, that thousand-year male Sun-Passing Ginkgo was killed by humans to obtain its spirit ring, and she had never found another male Sun-Passing Ginkgo since.

This made her value the few seeds that had been pollinated extremely highly, and she dared not bury them in the ground casually. Even when the Giant Mountain Golden Ape and the Turquoise Dragon often came to eat the unpollinated fruits she bore, she turned a blind eye to it.

"Hmm?"

Yin Ji put down the potted plant in her hand and bowed to the strange male walking into the core area of Dragon Valley Forest, escorted by the Giant Mountain Golden Ape and a group of other transformed 100,000-year soul beasts.

"My husband, Yin Ji, thanks Blade Ruse King for coming to rescue Dragon Valley Forest."

He first confirmed Ximing, who was greeting him, before looking at Yin Ji and her true form, nodding, and speaking.

"This is indeed a good place for a conversation."

Afterward, Blade Ruse King walked straight toward the large rock under Yin Ji's true form, and the soul beasts were also accustomed to this, sitting on the tree roots exposed above the ground on both sides of the rock. They left the left side for Ximing, allowing Yin Ji to sit beside her. The Giant Mountain Golden Ape, as the strongest soul beast in Dragon Valley Forest, sat on the right side of Blade Ruse King.

"Then, let me briefly introduce myself again."

"I, Blade Ruse King, come from the Zheer Continent on the other side of the Polar Continent. More than two hundred years ago, soul beasts began to flood into my side, and some small conflicts occurred with the beings I protect. However, none of that matters now. I need you to tell me what exactly has happened here over the past two hundred years and before."

Rus Wang scanned the hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts seated before him.

"Your actions just now suggest there were once more powerful Soul Beasts among you. Where are they now?"

The Giant Mountain Golden Ape, the Turquoise Dragon, and Yin Ji exchanged glances. Finally, the Turquoise Dragon spoke up: "My King, we did indeed have three powerful dragons with cultivation levels between five hundred thousand and six hundred thousand years who led the beasts of this entire forest. However, over four hundred years ago, they all perished simultaneously during a heavenly tribulation."

"Santang's handiwork?"

Rus Wang couldn't help but immediately fix his thoughts on that guy.

"Is that so? Since they are dead, there is no point in pursuing it. It is nothing more than the balance of power between Soul Beasts and humans being broken, and you being suppressed by humans, lacking the ability to protect the beasts in the forest. Still, I cannot blame you; after all, you were suddenly thrust into the role of top-tier existences, and managing to defend the forest to this extent is already doing your best. With me here from now on, humans can forget about coming to the Dragon Valley Forest to capture Soul Beasts at will."

Hearing this, the group of hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts felt a wave of shame.

"Now, let's talk about the Star Luo People. This is a human notebook I confiscated when I came here last year. Help me translate it now and tell me what is written here—focus on the important information."

Rus Wang immediately handed the soul-guided tablet to Ximing.

"If Yin Ji doesn't know how to use it, assist her, Ximing."

"Understood."

Ximing took it, opened the tablet, and switched the interface to the gallery for Yin Ji to see.

As Yin Ji slowly flipped through the pages, her expression shifted from initial focus to something heavy and unsightly.

She looked up at the transformed Soul Beasts who were all focused on her and said.

"The Star Luo station chief wrote here..."

[May Lingbing Douluo bless us! The Empire has successfully gained a foothold on the northwest coast of this new continent and built the first port town with a population of one hundred thousand. Now, our supply lines will be much more convenient.]

[The situation over on the Douluo Continent is getting worse. More and more soldiers are being sent by the Empire, even to this remote corner of mine. Sigh, it seems the upper echelons of the Empire are truly planning to relocate the entire Empire to this continent.]

[Excellent! The Imperial army has defeated all the indigenous kingdoms in the north of this continent, and I can clearly feel the increase and diversification of supplies here.]

[People from the Spirit Pagoda? They want to hunt the Soul Beasts fleeing south? Fine, considering they pay well, I'll just catch them.]

[There are quite a lot of Soul Beasts here. Could it be that there is another continent behind the Ice and Snow Continent across the strait? I must send people to establish an outpost.]

[The personnel stationed at the outpost are all brain-dead. It was a spiritual attack, but we still don't know which Sea Soul Beast did it. Furthermore, several search teams have been going in circles on the Ice and Snow Continent, so it seems we have to cancel the mission.]

[The Empire has migrated millions of people here, and the Spirit Pagoda has been built as well. His Majesty the new Emperor even sent a letter to me, an old man in the Land of Oblivion. I believe it won't be long before I can retire and go to the fiefdom mentioned in the new Emperor's letter—(crossed out) oh, I should say the fiefdom on this Star Luo Continent—to live out my old age.]

[A hundred-thousand-year-level Soul Beast from that snowy continent! And it's a new type of dragon Soul Beast? It seems there really is another continent there. However, the top priority is to hunt this Soul Beast. A hundred-thousand-year Soul Spirit is rare, and Prince Jinhu's eldest son is currently at level 89. I will offer the supreme medicinal pill I have treasured to help him break through to level 90 immediately. It will be perfect, and it will also help me curry favor with him.]

After hearing Yin Ji's translation, Rus Wang couldn't help but laugh in anger.

He had just killed a member of the Star Luo Empire's royal family, and now he learned that he had killed another royal descendant even earlier last year. He was likely a "fierce beast" on the Star Luo royal family's wanted list.

However, Rus Wang was not afraid. If humans hunt Soul Beasts, they must be prepared to be killed by them; the same logic applies to Soul Beasts.

"My King, is there something I should or should not say?"

The Thunder Tyrant Dragon nudged the Turquoise Dragon, and seeing the approval in the other's eyes, he gathered his courage and spoke.

"Speak."

"As a fellow dragon of the six-hundred-thousand-year level, you should enter the Dragon Valley World to meet the soul of our ancestor, the Light Dragon King. The previous Dragon Kings of the Dragon Valley Forest were required to enter through the spatial rift in the forest's core area every year to report the situation of the outside world and receive his guidance. Now, those of us who haven't reached five hundred thousand years have never been qualified to enter. We implore you to go and meet the ancestor in the Dragon Valley World and explain to him why no one has entered for these past four hundred years."

Hm? This piqued Rus Wang's interest. Isn't the Dragon Valley World full of dead things? How can a dragon communicate with a dragon soul? Or is there some hidden secret? Or perhaps the dragon souls only slowly died out during this ten-thousand-year gap?

"Since it is to meet the ancestor, what is there to be afraid of? It is just that the anger of these past four hundred years will likely be vented on me first."

Rus Wang smiled at this.

"Lead the way."