Gu Yuena's Choice

Di Tian could not imagine the terrifying consequences if Gu Yuena were exposed in the human world and attracted the enforcers of the God Realm.

The Soul Beast race's last hope might be extinguished because of it.

Gu Yuena stood quietly atop a tree branch, her silver hair drifting softly in the breeze.

Her violet eyes were calm and undisturbed, as though the enormous risk Di Tian described was nothing more than a trivial matter.

"It doesn't matter."

She gently shook her head, her voice cool and clear.

"As long as I do not voluntarily reveal my power or stir my origin, no one can see through my identity based solely on those humans' senses unless a god personally descends to inspect me."

Her words carried the absolute pride and confidence of the Silver Dragon King.

She was, after all, one half of the Dragon God. Even if she was now a tiger fallen to the plains, a dragon swimming in shallow waters, she was not someone mere mortals—or even ordinary divine officials and hunters—could glimpse through to the truth.

Unless a first-class god, or... a God King, stood before her, no one could see through her disguise.

She had originally been slumbering deep within the Lake of Life, slowly healing the fatal wounds left by that great battle with the purest life force in the world.

But not long ago, a strange and powerful ripple of karma, like a boulder thrown into a placid lake, had forcibly awakened her from her long slumber.

This ripple was chaotic and disorderly, yet it contained the power to distort the laws of life and death.

Following the sensation, she soon discovered Lingyuan Douluo, an "anomaly" utterly out of place with her surroundings—an individual who should have vanished completely, yet existed in a state neither living nor dead.

After ordering Di Tian to capture her alive, Lingyuan Douluo, faced with the supreme bloodline pressure of the Silver Dragon King and her gaze as deep as a sea of stars, did not dare conceal anything. She told them everything she knew.

The unknown power, her resurrection, and the cruel truth that Nirvana Corpses needed to devour the vitality of the living to sustain their existence and even grow stronger...

Gu Yuena immediately realized the gravity of the matter.

Soul Beasts were also living beings. Moreover, because of their long lifespans and powerful physiques, the vitality they possessed was far more abundant than that of ordinary humans.

She could almost foresee where their greedy gazes would turn once the number of resurrected Nirvana Corpses in the human world reached a certain level, when they were unwilling or did not dare to devour their own kind on a massive scale—it would inevitably be the vast forests, filled with countless Soul Beasts brimming with life.

"Humans hunting Soul Beasts to obtain Soul Rings is already a mountain weighing upon our race."

Gu Yuena's gaze pierced through layers of space, as if she saw a bloody scene in the future.

"Now, there is another group of 'undead' feeding on vitality... If we continue to let this go unchecked, then when I awaken from my next slumber, whether the Soul Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest—or of this entire continent—will still exist may be unknown."

As the Lord of Soul Beasts, she had inherited the Dragon God's will and responsibility to command all Soul Beasts.

She could not stand by and watch her people suffer another layer of cruel exploitation at the hands of the "dead," on top of their existing hardships, until they descended into the abyss of extinction.

Therefore, she had to leave.

She would take human form and enter the human world, infiltrating it under a human identity to uncover the origins and truth of these "Nirvana Corpses."

At the same time, she needed to gain a deeper understanding of the humans of this era—their power, their society, and their weaknesses—in preparation for the Soul Beast race's possible future.

"Di Tian, my decision is made."

Gu Yuena withdrew her distant gaze and looked toward her loyal guardian beside her, her tone calm yet beyond dispute.

"Investigate any incident that may be related to Nirvana Corpses. I leave the Star Dou Great Forest to you."

She paused, and a cold gleam flashed through her eyes:

"If matters truly reach an irreparable point, and humans threaten the continued existence of my race... then even if it alarms the God Realm, I must act and sweep away every threat."

For the continuation of the Soul Beast race, she did not hesitate to stir up upheaval once more. Even if a bottomless abyss lay ahead, she would press on without regret.

This was Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King—the destiny and duty she bore as the Lord of Soul Beasts.

After traveling for some time, the Soul Guidance Carriage finally arrived at the destination of this journey—Shrek City.

Even from afar, the outline of this city was profoundly awe-inspiring.

It did not belong to any of the three great empires. It was a truly independent giant city.

With the prestige and strength of Shrek Academy, the continent's number-one academy, it stood at the heart of the continent and had become its de facto economic and cultural center, as well as a holy land for Soul Masters.

Its population exceeded ten million, and commerce flourished beyond compare. Merchant caravans streamed through without end, while goods from the Heaven Soul Empire, Dou Ling Empire, Star Luo, and even the Sun Moon Empire converged here for trade. Its prosperity surpassed even the capitals of the three great empires.

Shrek Academy stood in the eastern part of Shrek City. Rather than saying the academy was within the city, it was more accurate to say that the city had been built around the academy.

The academy district faced the vast, boundless Star Dou Great Forest to the east, teeming with Soul Beasts. It stood on the front line against beast tides, protecting the peace of the city behind it.

Shrek City had four major gates, but the East City Gate was unique. It connected directly to the interior of Shrek Academy and was reserved solely for the academy's teachers and students, symbolizing the academy's independence and special status.

Yin Chen's carriage did not head for the other gates used by civilians and merchants. Instead, it went directly outside the East City Gate.

At that moment, the area outside the East City Gate was already bustling with voices and overflowing with activity.

Looking around, there were probably no fewer than five thousand people. Most were boys and girls of eleven or twelve, accompanied by family members or servants, their faces showing nervousness, excitement, or anticipation.

They were all young Soul Masters from across the continent, arriving with dreams and talent to take Shrek Academy's entrance examination.

Besides the candidates and their parents, numerous merchants had gathered after hearing the news. They set up all kinds of stalls selling food, water, simple Soul Tools, and even potions claimed to temporarily improve one's condition. The already crowded gate became even noisier, and during this period, the area was more prosperous than many parts of the city itself.

Shrek Academy's strict admission standards were well known.

Applicants needed a letter of recommendation from the lord of a main city in one of the three great empires, had to be no older than twelve, and needed a Soul Power Level above fifteen.

Every person standing here was an elite genius from their respective regions.

Yin Chen led Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo down from the carriage and immediately felt countless gazes directed at them.

Ignoring the surrounding clamor, he calmly looked toward the city gate—where a row of temporary tables and chairs had been set up. More than a dozen students, who appeared slightly older at around fourteen or fifteen, were handling reception and preliminary screening.

They all wore yellow uniforms, with badges bearing green monster emblems on their chests.

These were the standard uniforms of second- and third-year students of Shrek Academy's Outer Court.