Lake of Life, Reunion Across Ten Thousand Years

The next day, when Gu Tian truly stood on the banks of the Lake of Life, he realized how impoverished his previous imagination had been.

The expanse of water before him could no longer be described simply as a "lake." It was as vast as an inland sea; gazing into the distance, he could not even discern the outline of the far shore. According to the memories of Gu Tian's past life, the surface area of this lake was likely more than ten times that of Qinghai Lake.

The surface was as smooth as a giant emerald mirror, reflecting the towering ancient trees and the azure sky above. A life force so dense it was nearly liquefied steamed off the water, transforming into wisps of white mist that curled around the tip of Gu Tian's nose. Every breath made him feel as though the cells in his body were cheering and leaping for joy.

Gu Tian strolled along the grassy bank. Because the grass had absorbed so much essence of life, it grew half a foot tall and was so soft it made one want to lie down and sleep.

"Little Tian, stop here." Ao Linxi's voice carried an unprecedented solemnity. "Release your martial soul completely; do not hold anything back. Since we have come, we must give the master of this land a greeting gift that cannot be refused."

Gu Tian nodded. He closed his eyes and pressed his palms together before his chest.

BOOM—!

In an instant, nine-colored divine light erupted from the crown of Gu Tian's head, shooting straight into the clouds as the phantom of the Chaos Dragon God martial soul appeared behind him.

The previously calm Lake of Life erupted in that moment. Elemental powers of nine different attributes intertwined and collided above the lake. Crimson fire, azure water, heavy earth, verdant wood... these radiances spilled onto the shore, reflecting the entire green lake into a dreamlike nine-colored hue.

Following this, a subtle ripple stirred in the center of the lake.

These ripples spread with incredible speed, turning into surging waves in the blink of an eye. Under Gu Tian's awestruck gaze, the lake water began to spin frantically. A massive vortex, a hundred meters in diameter, formed at the center, and a waterspout connecting heaven and earth rose up, piercing the clouds and shredding the sunset glow into brilliant fragments.

In the center of that waterspout, a slender figure slowly emerged.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

She was a girl of breathtaking beauty. Her long silver hair cascaded down, reaching her fair ankles. Every strand shimmered with a faint, ethereal glow, dancing lightly in the wind.

Her features were so exquisite they did not seem like a product of this world, her skin as flawless and white as the finest mutton-fat jade. Her violet eyes held a coldness and loneliness that seemed to see through the ages, yet at this moment, they were filled with intense disbelief.

She stood barefoot in the void, wearing a simple silver dress. The hem of the skirt spread out like petals, accentuating her graceful figure. This beauty was not the vulgarity of the mortal world, but a supreme divinity that transcended all living beings.

This was the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.

Gu Yuena's violet eyes swept across the lakeshore, finally locking onto Gu Tian.

A trace of confusion flickered in her gaze, followed by deep suspicion. She could feel that the aura emanating from this six-year-old human child was even purer than her own. It was the aura of the Dragon God, the one she had searched for through countless ages, the one for whom she had nearly despaired.

"Who... are you?"

Gu Yuena's voice was cold and melodious, like ice striking a jade plate, echoing across the vast lake.

Just then, Gu Tian suddenly felt his body grow light. His consciousness did not vanish, but control of his body was taken over by a far more magnificent will.

Gu Tian's eyes were instantly dyed with nine-colored radiance.

When he spoke again, his voice was layered. One was the boy's own youthful, crisp tone, and the other was Ao Linxi's gentle yet majestic divine voice. The two merged perfectly, carrying an indescribable deterrent force.

"Gu Yuena, come inside and speak."

Gu Tian's right hand lifted slightly, nine-colored divine light flickering in his palm as he traced a portal in the void leading to his spiritual sea.

Gu Yuena stood frozen in place. This tone, this gaze... she did not hesitate, transforming into a silver stream of light and diving into Gu Tian's body through the portal.

Spiritual Sea, beside the beach of the white villa.

As soon as Gu Yuena landed, she was bewildered. Everything here was too foreign to her. The modern architecture, the azure beach, and this spiritual territory, which was several times more vast than it had been in her prime.

"Over here."

A gentle voice drifted over.

Gu Yuena whipped her head around and saw Ao Linxi sitting under a parasol. At this moment, Ao Linxi was wearing her signature white robe, smiling and beckoning to her.

"Ma... Master?"

Gu Yuena's eyes turned red in an instant. Her previously cold expression completely collapsed; she stumbled toward Ao Linxi, fell to her knees, and gripped the hem of Ao Linxi's robe tightly.

"Is it really you? Master! You... you are still alive? How is this possible? I saw that sword from the God Realm with my own eyes... I thought..."

Gu Yuena cried without regard for her image, like a little girl who had been wronged.

Ao Linxi sighed, gently reaching out to stroke Gu Yuena's long silver hair and wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"There, stop crying. I was indeed cut down, but I left behind a core remnant soul, hiding it within the Golden Dragon King," Ao Linxi's voice was filled with emotion. "It wasn't until those hypocrites in the God Realm celebrated the Goddess of Life's birthday, causing the order to loosen, that I found an opportunity to escape."

Ao Linxi told Gu Yuena everything—how she preserved her soul, how she descended upon Gu Tian, and why she chose him as her successor.

"The Soul Beast Revival Plan..." Gu Yuena wiped away her tears, her gaze turning firm once more.

But when she turned to look at the six-year-old Gu Tian in the spiritual sea, who looked frail and weak, the joy in her eyes vanished by half, and she shook her head helplessly.

"Master, this human cub... is too weak. Even with your bloodline, in this era monitored by the God Realm, he will likely perish before he can even leave this forest."

Ao Linxi heard this and winked playfully, pointing to the golden light screen appearing in the sky.

"Don't worry, I have already activated the Dragon God Trial for him. He has just finished his awakening and reached innate level twenty. With my guidance and the rewards from the trials, his speed of growth will exceed your imagination."

Gu Yuena looked at the golden trial panel; although she found the content of the first trial somewhat absurd, she trusted Ao Linxi's judgment.

"Since he is the one you have chosen, then from today on, the Star Dou Great Forest shall be his strongest backing."

Gu Yuena bowed deeply to Ao Linxi, then her figure faded as she left the spiritual sea.

Returning to her physical body, Gu Yuena hovered above the Lake of Life, her violet eyes regaining their former majesty. She looked down at Gu Tian and traced her right hand lightly through the void.

"Retreat!"

With that single word, the vast, boundless Lake of Life let out a heaven-shaking roar. The water seemed to receive a command, frantically receding to both sides.

The scene was incredibly shocking. Tens of thousands of tons of lake water were forcibly cleaved apart by an invisible force, revealing a white jade staircase leading straight to the bottom of the lake.

At the deepest part of the lake, a magnificent palace constructed entirely of crystal revealed itself. The palace exuded an archaic aura, with the totem of the dragon race carved into every pillar.

"Come in, successor 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 been silent for tens of thousands of years.