The Lake of Life, Qian Anci and Gu Yuena's Pact

The dizzying sensation of spatial distortion gradually dissipated.

Qian Anci opened his eyes, and what came into view was a dreamlike, ethereal lake.

The Lake of Life.

The core of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Kneel."

Di Tian's voice came from behind him.

Qian Anci did not move.

He simply watched the lake surface quietly, watching the figure slowly rising from the depths of the water.

Silver hair cascaded down like a waterfall, drifting gently within the lake water.

The Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.

The co-ruler of soul beasts, the half-body of the Dragon God.

A being who truly stood at the pinnacle of this continent.

Waves rose in Qian Anci's heart, yet his expression remained calm.

He was a transmigrator; naturally, he knew her identity and origins, as well as her attitude toward humanity.

But he was even more aware that the Death Dragon martial soul within him was his only protective talisman at this moment.

"Human child."

Gu Yuena spoke, her voice as cold and clear as moonlight, yet carrying a hint of imperceptible doubt.

"Why is there the aura of the dragon race upon you?"

She walked closer, her silver eyes gazing at Qian Anci, as if she intended to see through him from his soul to his physical body.

Qian Anci felt the Shadow of Pollux within him trembling violently, and that Dragonfall Ring surfaced behind him uncontrollably, with gray-white death energy swirling around like a thin mist.

Gu Yuena's pupils constricted slightly.

"The resentment of the Dragon God..."

She whispered softly, a complex look flashing through her silver eyes.

"This is a power condensed from the negative emotions scattered into the world when the Dragon God fell. Having passed through countless ages, it should have long since dissipated; why has it reappeared in you?"

She raised her hand, her slender fingertips gently touching the center of Qian Anci's brow.

In an instant, an irresistible force surged into his sea of consciousness.

Qian Anci did not resist.

He knew that in front of this person, any resistance would be futile.

Moreover, he had already discussed a countermeasure with Castorice in his heart.

"Anci, let her see." Castorice's voice resonated in the depths of his soul, soft and composed. "Let her see. I will conceal it with death energy; she will not be able to detect it."

Gray-white mist churned within the sea of consciousness.

Gu Yuena's consciousness probed into that wasteland, seeing the massive death dragon that blotted out the sky.

Her breathing hitched slightly.

"This is... a dragon corpse?"

Her voice carried a hint of disbelief, and doubt flashed in her silver eyes: "But this aura is different from any dragon race I have ever known."

She stared at the dead dragon, as if trying to find a clue within its body.

She was all too familiar with the dragon bloodline.

All dragon-type soul beasts on this continent, whether true dragons or sub-dragons, could trace their bloodline origins back to the Dragon God.

Yet the aura emitted by this death dragon before her, while still belonging to the dragon race, had a subtle difference from the lineage of the Dragon God.

Gu Yuena withdrew her finger.

In the ancient legends of the dragon race, there were once fragments of text mentioning that in the vast universe beyond the Star Dou, other dragon races existed.

They might have different forms, or their power attributes might be vastly different, but what flowed within them was, after all, the bloodline of a dragon.

Just as humans were divided into black, white, and yellow, yet all belonged to the human race.

The dragon race was the same.

And the dragon aura on this child before her was clearly not of this world.

"You are a reincarnation of a dragon race from beyond the astral realm."

Gu Yuena stated with certainty.

A complex emotion flashed through her silver eyes.

Qian Anci's heart stirred.

He had not expected Gu Yuena to reach such a conclusion.

"I have no memories of my early childhood," he said, following her lead. "I only know that when I was still an infant, Grandfather Qian Daoliu found me in the ruins and brought me back to Martial Soul Hall. This martial soul only appeared on the day of my awakening. As for why it belongs to the dragon race..."

He paused, lowering his eyes. "I do not know myself."

Gu Yuena fell silent.

She gazed at Qian Anci.

This child bore the bloodline of a dragon from beyond the astral realm, yet he had been reincarnated as a human, losing all memories of his past life.

He did not know his own origins, did not know what kind of existence he had once been, and did not even know what the blood flowing through his veins signified.

But that dragon aura could not lie.

"What is your name?" Her voice softened, quite unconsciously.

"Qian Anci."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly.

She raised her hand and gently brushed the top of Qian Anci's head.

The movement was unfamiliar and clumsy, as if it had been a very, very long time since she had performed such a tender gesture.

"Anci." She whispered the name, a hint of softness flashing in her silver eyes. "Although you come from beyond the astral realm, the dragon bloodline within you is, in the end, of the same origin as ours.

The dragon race will not abandon any of its kin.

Even if you have been reincarnated, even if you come from another starry sky."

Qian Anci's heart stirred.

He looked up, his pitch-black eyes meeting those silver ones.

"But I do not know which side I should belong to."

His voice was filled with confusion, like a child who could not find his way home.

"Grandfather Qian Daoliu treats me like his own grandson, and my sister Qian Renxue treats me like her own brother. I do not know what I should do."

Gu Yuena looked at Qian Anci, silent.

This child still retained human emotions.

This was both a good thing and a bad thing.

It was good because he had not yet been completely eroded by human greed and desire.

It was bad because these bonds might one day become an obstacle to his return to the soul beast clan.

But for now, she did not wish to force him.

"You do not have to make a choice right now."

Gu Yuena's voice softened further.

"You only need to know that, at any time, the Star Dou Great Forest is your home." She paused. "Anci, do you know the current plight of the soul beast clan?"

Qian Anci nodded.

"Humans hunt soul beasts to obtain soul rings. The number of soul beasts is decreasing day by day, and the powerful ones are withering away."

"Correct." Gu Yuena's gaze looked toward the distance, as if piercing through layers of forest to see those of her kin who were being hunted by humans. "Humans view soul beasts as resources for cultivation and hunt them wantonly.

And we can only hide in this forest, struggling to survive."

"But this situation will not last much longer."

She turned her head, her silver eyes fixed on Qian Anci. "Anci, I need you."

Qian Anci's heart tightened.

He knew the real test had arrived.

"You are currently in the human world, within Martial Soul Hall." Gu Yuena's voice was low. "That is one of the most powerful forces among humans.

I need you to be my eyes, to be the eyes and ears of the soul beast clan in the human world.

When Martial Soul Hall plans actions detrimental to soul beasts, inform me in advance.

When there is any movement in the human world, let me know."

Her gaze was gentle, yet carried an undeniable majesty. "In exchange, I will give you a gift that only the dragon race can receive."

Qian Anci was silent for a long time.

He weighed the pros and cons frantically in his mind.

To agree meant he would become a double agent, caught between humans and soul beasts; one slight misstep would lead to total ruin.

But to refuse...

He glanced at Di Tian beside him, then felt the gaze of Gu Yuena—seemingly gentle, yet impossible to refuse.

"I agree," he said, looking up, a flash of determination in his pitch-black eyes. "But I have two conditions."

Di Tian frowned and was about to speak, but was stopped by a wave of Gu Yuena's hand.

"Speak."

"First, I will not harm Grandfather Qian Daoliu or Sister Qian Renxue. They are my family."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly: "Granted."

"Second." Qian Anci took a deep breath, his gaze meeting those silver eyes directly, "I need power. Power sufficient to protect myself, and sufficient to protect my family. The gift you mentioned—I hope it is a spirit ring."

Gu Yuena looked at him and suddenly smiled softly.

The smile was very gentle, as if she were looking at an innocent child.

"You are quite clever."

She turned around and looked toward the surface of the lake: "Di Tian, go bring that ten-thousand-year Dark Scale Flood Dragon here."

Di Tian was slightly stunned: "My Lord, that flood dragon was something we went to great lengths to..."

"Go."

Gu Yuena's voice allowed for no questioning.

Di Tian gritted his teeth, bowed, and retreated.

A moment later, he returned, dragging a flood dragon covered entirely in dark-black scales.

The flood dragon was about eight meters long, with a single horn on its head and four claws faintly visible beneath its belly—a clear sign that it was on the verge of evolving into a true dragon.

At this moment, it was being held firmly under Di Tian's pressure, its dark-red dragon eyes filled with terror.

"This Dark Scale Flood Dragon possesses pure sub-dragon bloodline, only a step away from becoming a true dragon." Gu Yuena looked at Qian Anci, "Ten thousand years of cultivation—as your second spirit ring, is it enough?"

Qian Anci's heart shook violently.

Ten thousand years!

A ten-thousand-year second spirit ring—in the outside world, this would be nothing short of a fantasy!

"It is enough." He took a deep breath and sat down cross-legged.

The Scythe of Death condensed in his palm, and grayish-white death energy flowed slowly.

Gu Yuena raised her hand, and a silver light enveloped the Dark Scale Flood Dragon.

The ferocious sub-dragon didn't even have time to struggle before it dissolved within the silver light into the purest soul energy, condensing into a black spirit ring.

"Absorb it." Gu Yuena said softly, "With me here, it cannot harm you."

Qian Anci closed his eyes, channeling his spirit power to slowly draw the spirit ring toward the Scythe of Death.

And in the depths of his consciousness, where no one could see, Castorice's voice rang out softly.

"Absorb it with peace of mind, Anci. I will use the origin of the Underworld to protect your heart meridian and let this spirit ring resonate with the Ring of Pollux. This time, you will become even stronger."

The grayish-white mist intertwined with the spirit ring, slowly merging into one under the reflection of the Lake of Life.