The next day, when Gu Tian finally stood on the shore of the Lake of Life, he realized just how poor his imagination had been.
The body of water before him could no longer be described as a mere "lake." It stretched as vast as an inland sea, and no matter how far he looked, he couldn't see the opposite shore. From the memories of his previous life, Gu Tian estimated that the lake was probably more than ten times the size of Qinghai Lake.
The surface was as smooth as a giant emerald mirror, reflecting the towering ancient trees around it and the deep blue sky. Life energy, so dense it was almost liquid, steamed up from the water, forming wisps of white mist that curled around the tip of Gu Tian's nose. Every breath made him feel the cells in his body cheering.
Gu Tian strolled along the grassy bank. The grass had grown nearly half a foot tall from absorbing too much life essence, and it was so soft that he wanted to lie down and take a nap.
"Xiao Tian, stop." Ao Linxi's voice carried a solemnity unlike anything he'd heard before. "Release your Martial Soul completely. Don't hold anything back. Since we're here, we have to give the master of this land a greeting they can't refuse."
Gu Tian nodded and closed his eyes, bringing his hands together before his chest.
Boom—!
In an instant, nine-colored divine light burst from the crown of Gu Tian's head and shot into the clouds. Behind him appeared the phantom of the Chaos Dragon God Martial Soul.
The once-calm Lake of Life erupted. Nine elemental forces of different attributes intertwined and clashed above the water. Scarlet fire, azure water, solid earth, verdant wood... Their radiance spilled over the shore, dyeing the entire green lake in a dreamlike array of colors.
Then, faint ripples stirred at the center of the lake.
They spread at incredible speed, turning into surging waves in the blink of an eye. To Gu Tian's astonishment, the water began to spin wildly. A colossal whirlpool, a hundred meters across, formed at the center, and a waterspout linking heaven and earth rose from the lake and plunged into the clouds, shredding them into dazzling fragments.
At the heart of the waterspout, a slender figure slowly appeared.
Time seemed to stand still.
She was a girl so beautiful she took one's breath away. Silver hair poured down her back, reaching all the way to her pale ankles. Each strand shimmered faintly as it danced lightly in the wind.
Her features were so exquisite that she seemed not of this world. Her flawless, pale skin was like the finest white jade. Her purple eyes held a cool, lonely gaze that seemed to have seen through all the ages, yet now they were filled with intense disbelief.
Barefoot, she stood in midair, dressed in a simple silver gown. Its skirt spread like flower petals, accentuating her graceful figure. Her beauty was no mortal vulgarity, but a supreme divinity towering above all beings.
She was the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.
Gu Yuena's purple eyes swept across the lakeshore before settling on Gu Tian.
Confusion flickered through her gaze, followed by deep suspicion. She could sense that this human child, who was only six years old, radiated an aura even purer than her own—the aura of the Dragon God, which she had sought for countless years and all but given up hope of finding.
"Who... are you?"
Gu Yuena's voice was cool and melodious, like ice striking a jade plate. It rang across the vast lake.
Just then, Gu Tian suddenly felt his body grow light. His consciousness remained, but control of his body had been taken over by a far greater will.
Nine-colored light instantly flooded Gu Tian's eyes.
When he spoke again, his voice seemed doubled. One was the boy's young, clear voice; the other was Ao Linxi's gentle, authoritative divine voice. The two blended perfectly, carrying an indescribable force.
"Gu Yuena, come inside. We'll talk."
Gu Tian raised his right hand slightly. Nine-colored divine light flickered in his palm, tracing a doorway in the air that led to the Sea of Consciousness.
Gu Yuena froze in place. That tone, that gaze... Without the slightest hesitation, she transformed into a silver streak of light and slipped through the doorway into Gu Tian's body.
The Sea of Consciousness, beside the beach in front of the white villa.
As soon as Gu Yuena landed, she was completely bewildered. Everything here was utterly unfamiliar to her: the modern buildings, the azure beach, and a spiritual realm several times more expansive than it had been at the peak of her power.
"Over here."
A gentle voice called out.
Gu Yuena whipped around and saw Ao Linxi sitting beneath a parasol. Wearing her signature plain white robe, she smiled and waved.
"M-My Lord?"
Gu Yuena's eyes reddened in an instant. The cool composure on her face crumbled completely. Stumbling over to Ao Linxi, she dropped to her knees and clutched the hem of Ao Linxi's robe.
"Is it really you? My Lord! You... you're still alive? How is that possible? I saw that sword from the Divine Realm with my own eyes... I thought..."
Gu Yuena began to weep like a little girl who had been wronged, heedless of her dignity.
Ao Linxi sighed and gently stroked Gu Yuena's silver hair, wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
"All right, don't cry. They did cut me apart back then, but I left behind my most original remnant soul and hid it inside the Golden Dragon King." Ao Linxi's voice was full of emotion. "I only managed to escape when that bunch of hypocrites in the Divine Realm celebrated the Life Goddess's birthday and their control loosened."
Ao Linxi told Gu Yuena everything, step by step: how she had preserved her soul, how she had descended into Gu Tian, and why she had chosen him as her successor.
"The Soul Beast revival plan..." Gu Yuena wiped the tears from her eyes, her gaze growing firm once more.
But when she turned and saw Gu Tian, who was only six years old and looked frail, in the Sea of Consciousness, half the joy in her eyes vanished. She shook her head helplessly.
"My Lord, this human child... is too weak. Even with your bloodline, in this age when the Divine Realm is watching, he probably won't make it out of this forest alive."
Ao Linxi listened, then playfully winked and pointed to the golden screen that had appeared in the sky.
"Don't worry. I've already opened the Dragon God Trial for him. He's already passed through the awakening and reached innate twentieth rank. With my guidance and the trial's rewards, he'll grow stronger faster than you can imagine."
Gu Yuena studied the golden trial panel. Though she found the First Trial's task somewhat absurd, she trusted Ao Linxi's judgment.
"Since he's the one you chose, from today on, the Star Dou Great Forest will be his strongest support."
Gu Yuena bowed deeply to Ao Linxi, then faded away and left the Sea of Consciousness.
After returning to her body, Gu Yuena hovered above the Lake of Life, her purple eyes once more filled with their former authority. Looking down at Gu Tian, she made a light slicing motion through the air with her right hand.
"Part!"
A single short word, and the boundless Lake of Life let out a thunderous roar. The water seemed to obey a command, surging wildly apart to either side.
The sight was utterly breathtaking. Tens of thousands of tons of water were forced apart by an invisible power, revealing a white jade staircase leading straight down to the lakebed.
At the deepest part of the lake, a magnificent palace built entirely of crystal came into view. It carried the aura of primordial antiquity, and every pillar was carved with the totems of the Dragon Clan.
"Come in, inheritor of the Dragon God."
Gu Yuena bowed slightly to Gu Tian, then led him step by step into the Dragon Palace of the Lake Bottom, which had lain silent for tens of thousands of years.