The Three-Year Deadline Had Arrived

Spirit Pagoda Headquarters. In the blink of an eye, two and a half years had passed.

Within Han Tianyi's illusion, the sky was as blue as sapphire, and the wind blew in from all directions, carrying the scent of grass and earth.

A silver-haired girl stood in the middle of the grassland. At nine years old, she was taller and more slender than children her age, like a flower bud about to bloom.

Her long hair fluttered gently in the wind, revealing her softly lined profile. The roundness of childhood had faded from her brows and eyes, leaving behind a delicate beauty.

It was Na'er, now nine years old.

With a flick of her wrist, a long spear solidified in her palm, its tip aimed at the fiery-red figure opposite her.

Her opponent was an illusion, a figure from twenty thousand years ago—Huo Wu, a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.

Na'er moved swiftly, like a bolt of white lightning. The spear spun in her hands, stirring rings of air as it shot straight for Huo Wu's throat.

Huo Wu dodged sideways, flames surging from her palm and scorching a blackened mark across the grass.

Na'er's spear tip silently shifted direction and stabbed again from an unimaginable angle, flashing like a cold star.

Elsewhere, Ziyang leaned against a tree, looking lazy yet carrying an inexplicable air of composure.

He was also nine years old. He had grown much taller, his features more defined, with sunlight in his brows and a trace of unfathomable depth hidden beneath it.

His gaze was fixed elsewhere. Before him stood an opponent of his own.

"Little Black! Little Evil! It's time for you to fight."

Austin Griffin raised his head, both heads lifting at once. They had naturally grown when Ziyang reached two rings.

The moment his second head had grown out, so had his rebellious streak, only for Ziyang to forcefully beat it back down.

One round of Euler had taught him who was the soul master and who was the martial soul.

His left head was now the destruction head, with purplish-black eyes. The head on the right possessed the darkness attribute, its eyes a pure black.

The past two and a half years of lessons had not been wasted. He was no longer that little beast who only knew how to sleep.

He was now a Level Three mecha designer and a Level Two mecha manufacturer. Ziyang planned to have Austin Griffin learn forging once his third head grew out—one head watching while the other two held hammers in their mouths.

More heads meant more paths. His talent absolutely could not go to waste.

His opponent was another illusion, likewise someone from twenty thousand years ago. Green wind coiled around him—Feng Xiaotian, a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger emerged from behind Ziyang. Its body was sturdy, and strange light flowed across its fur.

It exchanged a glance with Austin Griffin, then they moved left and right, closing in on Feng Xiaotian.

Feng Xiaotian raised a hand, and green wind blades sliced through the air with piercing shrieks.

But Austin Griffin was faster. His purple head fired a beam of destruction that obliterated the wind blades. His black head exhaled thick darkness that swallowed the light, plunging that area into absolute blackness.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger pounced at the opportunity, its tiger claws carrying the Evil God Hook as they tore through Feng Xiaotian's defenses.

Ziyang watched it all without the slightest desire to move. A Dark Demon Evil God Tiger nearing ten thousand years of cultivation and Austin Griffin were more than enough to handle it.

Besides, Na'er would not lose to Huo Wu either.

Just then, Huo Wu's and Feng Xiaotian's illusions simultaneously retreated. Flames and violent winds intertwined, forming a fiery tornado that swept toward Na'er.

The two illusions had suddenly joined forces, making their attack even stronger.

The flaming tornado first forced Na'er back, then charged straight at Ziyang.

Ziyang did not move. Instead, he watched the silver figure racing toward him.

A silver spear burst through the flaming tornado and stabbed precisely toward Feng Xiaotian's back. Feng Xiaotian was forced to change direction, his speed faltering just as Austin Griffin's Destruction Breath was waiting for him.

Boom—

The grassland churned as dirt flew everywhere.

Ziyang brushed the dust from his shoulder and looked at the two illusions standing side by side in the distance.

Huo Wu's and Feng Xiaotian's illusions were already somewhat weakened.

"Na'er, you actually didn't take them down?" Ziyang said with a smile.

Na'er retreated to his side, her spear held diagonally toward the ground, her chest rising and falling slightly. Tilting her head toward him, she said, "Ziyang, you slacker. Can't you stop loafing around?"

Ziyang smiled faintly. "How am I a slacker? I was protecting your rear. Preventing anyone from sneaking up on you."

"Liar."

"I'm only telling the truth."

Suddenly, Huo Wu's flames and Feng Xiaotian's violent winds surged forth together, charging straight at them.

Na'er gripped her spear tightly and was about to meet them head-on when Ziyang pressed a hand against her shoulder.

"Leave it to me."

His figure vanished from where he stood. Huo Wu's and Feng Xiaotian's pupils contracted at the same time as a sense of power from the primordial wilderness bore down on them.

Ziyang appeared above them, his fist clenched tightly as he smashed it down with ferocious force.

Boom—

This blast was even louder than the last.

The grassland collapsed, and dirt erupted in all directions, forming a deep crater several yards across.

Huo Wu's flames were scattered by the shockwave, while Feng Xiaotian's gale was crushed beneath it. The two illusions flickered a few times at the bottom of the crater before finally fading away completely.

Ziyang landed in the middle of the crater on one knee, his fist still pressed into the dirt.

Na'er stood outside the crater, looking at the deep pit before glancing at the boy.

"Slacker," she said, puffing out her cheeks.

Austin Griffin walked over from afar, both heads staring at the crater with lingering fear in their eyes as he shrank his neck back.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger followed behind him, its Evil God Hook swaying gently, excitement written across its face.

Suddenly, the sky gradually faded, and Han Tianyi's voice drifted in from afar, carrying a hint of satisfaction.

"Today's training is over. You both performed quite well."

The two left the illusion. Na'er looked at Ziyang. Over the past two and a half years, she had watched the boy gradually grow, becoming taller and more fond of smiling.

Still huffing, she said, "Next time, you're not allowed to slack off again."

"Isn't Austin Griffin and the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger enough? There's no need for me to fight," Ziyang said deliberately.

"You're just lazy," Na'er said.

"Fine, fine. I'll try not to slack off."

Ziyang continued walking forward. "Let's go eat first."

The two gradually walked away. Elsewhere, in the Great Star Dou Forest—

Life Lake was like an emerald embedded deep within the dense forest. Its surface was so still it was almost eerie; even the wind could not stir a ripple.

Di Tian stood by the lakeside, his black robe hanging down as he blended into the surrounding shadows. He bowed toward the center of the lake, his voice low, as though rising from beneath the earth.

"My Lord, have your injuries recovered?"

The lake surface remained undisturbed, but an aura suddenly rose.

A black-haired, black-eyed girl of around nine years old walked out from the center of the lake. The water parted beneath her feet and closed behind her without leaving the slightest trace.

"The three-year deadline has arrived," she said calmly. "My injuries have stabilized."

The girl looked at Di Tian. "Di Tian, have you found my other half?"

"I found her. She is at Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, and she is now called Na'er." The girl fell silent for a moment, her face revealing no emotion.

"There is one more matter, my Lord..." Di Tian hesitated for a while before saying to Gu Yue, "While searching for Na'er, I sensed the aura of the Golden Dragon King in Aolai City."

"The Golden Dragon King?" Gu Yue raised her eyes toward Di Tian. "Are you certain?"

"I am."

"Good. Then we will make a trip to Aolai City first."

"What about Na'er?"

"The Golden Dragon King is more important. If we obtain it, the Dragon God can return."

With that, the two headed toward the edge of the forest, leaving this forbidden land of humanity.