Gu Yuena's "In-Depth" Exchange

"Strange. Isn't this the Goddess of Life's Source of Life? After all these years, had she finally realized that the soul beast race had never been the God Realm's enemy and begun trying to win us over?"

The Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena's enormous true form transformed into a ball of light, and then a figure stepped out from within it.

Her long silver hair cascaded behind her all the way to her ankles. Not only was it smooth and silky, but it also possessed the texture of silver crystal.

Gu Yuena possessed a beauty beyond all description. No words could adequately portray her peerless face.

Her fair skin was somewhat pale, while her purple eyes held a puzzled expression.

Although Gu Yuena had inherited the Dragon God's wise divine core and was more human in temperament than the Golden Dragon God, possessing exceptional intelligence, that did not mean she could deduce the God Realm's intentions from the Source of Life held in Di Tian's palm.

Especially after learning that the Source of Life descended by the Goddess of Life had been given to the Holy Maiden Lin Wan'er, her thoughts became a tangled mess, and she did not know where to begin her analysis.

At this moment, Di Tian, the Beast God who had fought three or four racial wars between humans and soul beasts, put his specialty to use and explained to the Co-Lord, "I believe the Goddess of Life bestowing the Source of Life upon the Holy Maiden was merely an investment, an early gesture of goodwill. There may be unknown secrets behind it, but her true form is the Tree of Life. She cannot tolerate being tainted by darkness."

Di Tian's words struck right at Gu Yuena's heart. He was right. The Goddess of Life was not the God of Destruction, not the gods of Good and Evil, and certainly not the Sea God.

From the fragments of memories inherited from the Dragon God, Gu Yuena had discovered that during that divine war, the Goddess of Life had originally not wanted to strike at him. Yet there had been too many gods casting their votes, so she had ultimately attacked the Dragon God.

Thinking of this, Gu Yuena did not hesitate. She decisively absorbed the power of the Source of Life from the Goddess of Life, easing the pain in her body and the wounds caused by her authority being incomplete after splitting from the Golden Dragon King.

As the warm current swept through her body, an incredibly familiar, warm aura from her memories gently passed through her. Like the nurturing growth of all things in spring, it silently reminded Gu Yuena that the choice that would alter the fate of the soul beast race and the God Realm did not rest solely with the Auspicious Beast and the Holy Maiden Lin Wan'er, but also with the next Child of Destiny, who had yet to be born.

"So that's how it is..."

Bathed in that aura's warmth, Gu Yuena's pale face regained much of its color. The warm current soothed her heart, which had been filled with confusion and insecurity, and a smile appeared on her face that left the Beast God Di Tian momentarily dazed.

Her mind emptied, and her aura rose steadily. Before long, it surpassed even the Beast God Di Tian, who had recovered most of his strength, granting her the power to resist the God Realm's prying gaze.

She had a feeling that if not for Lin Wan'er's birth and the power of the Source of Life descended by the Goddess of Life, she would never have broken free of certain predestined shackles, awakened from her slumber hundreds or thousands of years early, and begun laying plans across the continent in advance to contribute to the future battle against the God Realm.

A Dragon God who always relied on his people was no good Dragon God! Besides, Gu Yuena, who had inherited a female body and the Dragon God's wisdom, possessed a broader perspective. She would naturally act more calmly and meticulously than others.

Opening her purple eyes, Gu Yuena looked at the somewhat dazed Beast God Di Tian and gave a soft snort, instantly jolting Di Tian out of the trance brought on by the Dragon God's majestic bearing.

Di Tian's handsome face was filled with embarrassment. He instinctively withdrew his gaze, not daring to look again at the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena, who floated in midair clad only in a long robe.

Fortunately, Gu Yuena was in a good mood and did not hold Di Tian's lapse in manners against him. The moment she spoke, she was her usual proud self. "I want to see the Holy Maiden Lin Wan'er. Go bring her here!"

"This subordinate will do so at once."

Not to mention that Gu Yuena, who had recovered most of her strength, wanted to see Lin Wan'er—even if she wanted to eat a few Titled Douluo for amusement, the career-minded Di Tian would do everything possible to find suitable Titled Douluo to offer to the soul beast Co-Lord.

Seated beneath the Emperor Willow, Lin Wan'er patiently explained to the Ferocious Beasts how the soul beast race should develop from now on and how to maintain peaceful coexistence between the Four Sects' soul masters and soul beasts. Before she could finish, Di Tian wrapped her into a ball with Soul Power.

The scenery before her vanished in an instant. In the span of a breath, she had arrived once more at the place where the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena resided.

It was still as dark and lightless as ever. A massive pit remained where the Silver Dragon King's true form had originally lain, while the hot spring Bi Ji had painstakingly prepared was pouring its water into the pit along the walls.

Blinking her emerald-green eyes, Lin Wan'er steadied herself and looked at the Beast God Di Tian in confusion. "Grandpa Di Tian, could you please tell me in advance the next time you want to take me somewhere? My little body can't withstand being tossed around like this."

Di Tian: ...

The Beast God Di Tian's pale golden eyes shifted. Maintaining the posture he had been in after setting Lin Wan'er down, he said nothing.

For a moment, the scene fell into an awkward silence.

Just as Lin Wan'er was about to continue her not-too-harsh mockery and launch another taunting attack against the taunt-worthy Beast God Di Tian, a burst of crisp laughter came from above.

It was the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena's laughter. Her previous meeting with Lin Wan'er had been too rushed, and the wounds on her body had not yet been eased, so she had failed to notice just how interesting the Holy Maiden she had chosen was.

Wiping the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, Gu Yuena, appearing in the form of a little girl, resembled Na'er from the era of The Legend of the Dragon King, who possessed the primary personality "Gu Yue" and the secondary personality "Na'er."

The present Lin Wan'er, who looked around ten years old, and Gu Yuena above her, who appeared to be in her teens, looked like a pair of sisters who got along remarkably well.

"As expected of the Holy Maiden I chose. The way you speak truly differs from those other Ferocious Beasts."

Gu Yuena came to Lin Wan'er's side and examined the green-haired Holy Maiden, whose appearance could be considered that of a peerless beauty.

Honestly, if she had not known that Di Tian and Bi Ji were both top soul beasts of the continent and thus could hardly raise offspring, Gu Yuena might truly have believed Lin Wan'er to be their child.

After all, Lin Wan'er's aura, her gentle yet barbed manner of speaking, and the life force overflowing from every inch of her body all made her seem like a blend of the two of them.

"Not at all, not at all. Dragon King, you flatter me. I'm merely an ordinary little genius. There is still an essential difference between me and a Ferocious Beast who thinks he's so clever."

Hearing Lin Wan'er's falsely modest words, Di Tian's mouth twitched. Although he understood what "little genius" and "thinks he's so clever" meant, why did they sound so strange coming from the Holy Maiden's mouth?

Unlike Di Tian, Gu Yuena rather liked this sort of person. If she were not burdened as the soul beast Co-Lord with the mission and responsibility of reviving the soul beast race, she would rather cast aside the heavy shackles of honor and quietly live as herself for once.

Unfortunately... she had no such opportunity, nor could she do that.

At that thought, the light in Gu Yuena's eyes dimmed considerably. Yet her words remained those of a domineering Dragon King, protective of every soul beast subject who believed in her.

The next update will probably be in an hour! I'll be fixing typos recently. The promotion starts next Tuesday! It concerns whether this can make it onto the trial run, so don't stockpile chapters then—please keep reading if you can--

The promotion is on the 26th!