Li Qinglian's Potential, Journey to Spirit Hall

Crackle—!

A bonfire had been built beside Life Lake.

Sparks burst from the fire, reflecting one another with the fireflies drifting through the dark forest.

The Goddess of Life crouched beside the fire, awkwardly yet earnestly turning the skewers of meat.

Though she had no experience, her god-level control allowed her to regulate every degree of heat with precision.

Fat rendered out, sizzling across the meat's surface and evenly coating every strand of texture. The fragrance spread everywhere; even the surrounding grass and trees seemed to sway slightly in greedy anticipation.

She was a goddess and had no need to eat.

But Li Qinglian was still a Human Clan child. He could not endure hunger.

"Delicious."

Li Qinglian held a spicy rabbit leg in both hands and tore into it in huge bites, not even bothering to wipe away the juices running down the corners of his mouth.

His eyes had even reddened as he ate.

This familiar flavor...

Spicy, scorching hot, the satisfying burst of fat upon his tongue.

He was practically moved to tears.

Ten thousand years. A full ten thousand years.

Who could understand the suffering of a tree?! Rooted in the soil, day after day watching sunlight and rain, watching birds and beasts come and go, yet unable to taste even a mouthful of water.

Now, he had finally become human again.

Wine, meat, a bonfire, the evening breeze. This life was far too comfortable.

Taking human form had truly been the right choice.

He would rather live freely as a human for the rest of his life than be a tree rooted in the earth, restricted even in his freedom to move.

"Lady Goddess, your cooking is really good."

Li Qinglian took another gulp of wine and praised her through a mouthful of food.

This skill was definitely better than that of even the finest chefs in the human world!

And the ingredients were top-notch too.

"Don't call me that. You should call me Wan'er. My human name is Wen Wan—you were the one who just gave it to me!" The Goddess of Life put on a stern face, pretending to be displeased.

"All right, Sister Wan'er. Your cooking is amazing. I don't even know how I'll live once you leave." Li Qinglian wiped his mouth and readily went along with it.

Actually, the Goddess of Life was quite nice.

He had been lonely for tens of thousands of years. This was the first time someone had treated him so well—and she was such a beautiful God King.

"I can't stay here for long. Otherwise, Little Zi will definitely kill you."

The Goddess of Life blinked, hugged her knees, and stared blankly into space.

What occupied her mind now was not romance, but how to protect Li Qinglian.

With his talent, he would certainly reach the limit of a Soul Master's cultivation within thirty years. Yet during those thirty years, if any deity discovered his existence, it could spell utter disaster.

"That's true."

Li Qinglian shrank his neck.

He felt like crying without tears.

He was only a little nobody right now, so why did he keep getting tangled up with these big shots?

"What are your plans now? Wherever you want to go, I can take you there."

The Goddess of Life rested her fragrant cheeks in her hands, her beautiful eyes filled with gentle warmth.

"Spirit Hall. I want to cultivate deeply in Spirit Hall."

Li Qinglian's gaze flickered.

Spirit Hall was the strongest human power on this continent, overwhelmingly so.

He had no masochistic hobby that made him insist on going to some rundown academy like Shrek Academy to pursue growth through adversity.

Wasn't that just a problem with one's brain?

Li Qinglian did not need to grow in adversity.

He was a Death Divine Tree born of heaven and earth. As long as living beings continued to perish in this world, he could continue to grow stronger!

"Spirit Hall? That is indeed a good destination."

"Besides, Spirit Hall is the Angel God's territory, isn't it? And the Angel God is one of Goodness's subordinate deities."

"The Goddess of Kindness is a good friend of mine. When the time comes, I can ask her to look after you."

The Goddess of Life said in delight.

"The Goddess of Kindness?"

Li Qinglian froze for a moment.

"Yes. She is the only other female God King in the God Realm besides me, and she is very powerful. Besides, given her character, even if she learns of your existence, she will keep it secret."

"When that time comes, you'll have another older sister."

The Goddess of Life smiled until her eyes curved into crescents.

But very quickly, that radiant smile collapsed.

She suddenly thought of something.

Humans were allowed multiple wives and concubines. And human men were all very fickle.

Those human men with the means seemed especially fond of having relationships with multiple women.

She glanced at Li Qinglian's face. Though still youthful, it was already clear that he would grow into an exceptionally handsome man. Suddenly, she felt a little uncomfortable.

...Forget it. It was far too early to think about such things.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning.

The outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena, escorted Li Qinglian to the edge of the forest before stopping.

Morning light filtered through gaps in the canopy, spilling over her silver-white hair and casting a faint glow upon it.

"Little Brother Qinglian, as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast who has taken human form, you may not need to obtain additional soul rings, but you still need to return to the Star Dou Great Forest often."

Gu Yuena crouched down and held Li Qinglian's cheeks in both hands, a trace of reluctance flashing through her exquisite eyes.

Li Qinglian was one of the few people she could call a friend. The Goddess of Life did not count; she knew the Goddess of Life had always been wary of her.

However, if Gu Yuena knew that Li Qinglian had lowered his guard around her purely because he considered her a "big-breasted, brainless, sweet idiot," she would probably be so furious that she fainted on the spot.

"Sister Na'er, don't worry. I'll definitely come back often."

"Although I can produce soul rings on my own, I still need to put on an act."

Li Qinglian chuckled softly.

"Life, once you return to the God Realm, don't reveal any flaws. If the God of Destruction learns of his existence, it will be troublesome."

"Not only the God of Destruction. The God of Evil and the Asura God in the God Realm probably do not want a new God King to emerge either." Gu Yuena shifted the conversation and looked toward the Goddess of Life.

"I understand that. I'll be careful." The Goddess of Life looked serious. "You should be careful too. If other deities discover that you are still active in the lower realm, I will not protect you."

Gu Yuena smiled unconcernedly.

The Dragon Clan of old had placed far too much pressure on the God Kings. Now that the Dragon Clan had declined, they would not want it to rise again.

Unless... a being no weaker than the former Dragon God appeared in the God Realm someday. Otherwise, the God Realm would always remain on guard against the Dragon Clan.

"Li Qinglian now possesses a human body. Though a human body is somewhat frail, it is the finest vessel. Humans can absorb the power of other powerful lifeforms and make it their own."

"Among the countless beings in the universe, aside from the Dragon Clan, only the Human Clan can reach the pinnacle. And after developing to this point, the Dragon Clan has already declined."

A trace of slyness flashed across Gu Yuena's stunning face.

If Li Qinglian had remained a pure Death Divine Tree, becoming a God King would have been his limit. But he had taken human form. Though it seemed as if he had become weaker, he had actually gained far more possibilities.

There were countless powerful creatures in the universe, yet only two races had created brilliant civilizations: the Dragon Clan and the Human Clan.

The Dragon Clan were born powerful, with formidable bloodlines. They only needed to awaken the strength within their blood to dominate an area. Humans were born weak, yet they were the most perfect vessels. They could absorb the power of other creatures for their own use, their potential limitless.

"If the God Realm is to produce a God King in the future who can rule an entire realm like the Dragon God... or even a God Emperor."

"That being will certainly come from the Human Clan."

Gu Yuena looked directly into Li Qinglian's eyes.

Li Qinglian's true body was a Death Divine Tree, and he had also taken human form.

His innate bloodline had already reached its peak, while humans were the race most capable of becoming stronger through later cultivation.

With the Goddess of Life and Gu Yuena protecting his growth, his future potential was limitless. Even if he could not reach the Dragon God's level, there was an enormous chance that he would surpass the several God Kings of the God Realm.