Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's Utter Misery

Qian Daoliu led the four youngsters onward, searching along the boundary between the outer and mixed zones of the Star Dou Forest for a suitable Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for Luo Jiuyou.

"Little junior brother, hurry up!" Bibi Dong called over her shoulder before running several more steps ahead.

Qian Renxue followed at an unhurried pace, casually pushing aside a branch blocking her way. "You're running so fast. If we run into a soul beast, are you fighting it, or am I?"

Bibi Dong was just about to retort when Ye Guyi raised a hand to stop her, her gaze sweeping over the bushes ahead and to the side. "There's movement over there."

But at that moment, Qian Daoliu suddenly stopped.

His gaze passed over the layers of treetops toward the depths of the Star Dou Forest. His brows slowly furrowed, and his expression grew grave.

The three youngsters noticed something was off about him and stopped as well.

Bibi Dong craned her neck toward the direction he was watching, then looked back at him. "Grandpa Qian, what's wrong?"

Qian Renxue also glanced over, seeing only dark clouds faintly rolling across the distant sky, like a sign of an approaching storm. "Over there... is something happening?"

Qian Daoliu withdrew his gaze. "A powerful soul beast in the direction of the core region is undergoing a Heavenly Tribulation."

"A Heavenly Tribulation?" Bibi Dong's eyes widened.

Qian Daoliu nodded. "When a soul beast cultivates to one hundred thousand years, it draws upon the lightning tribulation of heaven and earth."

"If it endures, it can advance further. If it fails, it dies."

"The aura over there is nowhere near us. It won't affect this place, so there's no need to worry."

The three youngsters looked in that direction a few more times. Though they could make nothing of it, they knew that anything capable of making Qian Daoliu stop and observe could not be ordinary.

Bibi Dong stuck out her tongue. "A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast undergoing tribulation... just how spectacular must that be?"

Qian Renxue shot her a glance. "In any case, it's not something you or I can watch right now."

"Getting struck by lightning isn't fun."

Qian Daoliu offered no further explanation and did not linger for long. After withdrawing his gaze, he continued leading the four youngsters onward.

Yet at that very moment, in the core region of the Star Dou Forest, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's miserable screams had already echoed throughout the entire forest.

Its round, plump body was blasted into rolling fits by one blood-red bolt after another. Black smoke rose from its tender flesh as the entire grub rolled helplessly across the ground, wailing nonstop, "Big brothers, big sisters! Save me! Weren't you all so enthusiastic whenever you sucked me dry? Why are you all running away now?!"

The ferocious beasts had long since fled without a trace.

Standing far away, Xiong Jun was still cursing under his breath.

"You stupid fatty brought this on yourself! Don't drag me down with you! That lightning tribulation is horrifying!"

Bi Ji sighed. The Heavenly Tribulation was simply too terrifying. If outside forces interfered, its power would only continue to rise.

Di Tian watched the tribulation from afar, his brows drawn together.

"Was this Heavenly Tribulation drawn by Sky Dream Ice Silkworm?"

"Or are people from the God Realm watching this place?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was indeed a Million-Year Soul Beast.

But it was far too weak.

The Heavenly Tribulation would never have bothered with him.

So why had it appeared so abruptly now?

"Unlucky, unlucky! Brother Sky Dream is too unlucky!"

Seeing that the other ferocious beasts were utterly ignoring him, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm hurriedly began digging as his ancestors had done for generations, burrowing underground in an attempt to weaken the savage power of the heavenly lightning.

Brother Sky Dream had crossed seas to reach the Star Dou Forest, only to be captured by these rude local ferocious beasts and used as a power bank until they were completely satisfied.

He had thought he was too weak for the Heavenly Tribulation to care about him. Who would have thought it would suddenly fix its sights on him now?

Those ferocious beasts had no loyalty at all. They had simply run away.

No, no, no! Brother Sky Dream's fortune defies heaven itself! He found the finest Ten-Thousand-Year Mystic Ice Cave in the Extreme North, became the first Million-Year Soul Beast on the Douluo Continent—how could he die here?

I refuse!

I'm not willing to accept this!

Rumble!

The heavenly lightning continued crashing down. Even through the thick earth, it still blasted Sky Dream Ice Silkworm into a pitiful state. He howled in agony, "It hurts, it hurts! Why can it still do this?!"

The lightning in the sky had no interest in Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's cries.

Bolt after bolt struck down in a frenzy.

It was determined to blast this fat grub into charcoal.

"Ahhh... save me."

His wails came from underground.

After merely the second wave of lightning tribulation, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was blackened from head to toe. He lay on the verge of death inside a massive pit, his eight short legs twitching feebly, too weak even to cry.

He thought he was about to die here. Just as his consciousness began to fade—

A faint spatial ripple enveloped his bloated body, dragging him from the pit into an invisible rift.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm vanished from where he had been, leaving behind only a large pit still emitting black smoke.

The lightning tribulation still gathering in the air discovered that it had lost its target. It hesitated for a moment, but did not disperse.

At the same time, in the God Realm, within the Asura God Temple.

Asura God sat upon his divine throne, watching the place where Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had vanished. A satisfied smile curled across his lips.

"Not bad, not bad."

"After tempering it with lightning tribulation and refining it further, it can barely be considered qualified."

"After all, this grub is too useless. It can't even defeat a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, yet it still reached a million years by eating Ten-Thousand-Year Mystic Ice Marrow."

He shook his head helplessly. "But it's still too useless. It only endured two rounds of lightning tribulation. What a worthless grub."

Just as he was considering how to deliver this opportunity to Luo Jiuyou, a low, icy voice came from outside the hall.

"Asura, what have you done?"

A figure stepped into the hall, his face cold and stern, destruction aura radiating from his entire body.

It was none other than the God of Destruction.

His gaze landed on Asura God, filled with scrutiny and displeasure.

"A lightning tribulation suddenly appeared on the Douluo Continent. I sensed it—it was your doing. As a law enforcement god, you interfered with the lower realm. You owe me an explanation."

Asura God's expression did not change, and his tone remained calm. "It is true that I summoned the lightning tribulation."

"That Million-Year Soul Beast had never undergone a Heavenly Tribulation. I merely enforced the laws and made it undergo the tribulation it deserved, so that the laws of heaven and earth would become more stable."

The God of Destruction narrowed his eyes at Asura God, as though judging the truth of his words.

"A Million-Year Soul Beast? The one that reached that level by eating Ten-Thousand-Year Mystic Ice Marrow?"

"Precisely."

The God of Destruction fell silent for a moment, then gave him another look.

"You had better not have any other intentions."

Asura God spread his hands. "What other intentions could I possibly have? I am merely fulfilling my duty as a law enforcement god."

The God of Destruction did not press further. He turned and left, his figure disappearing beyond the hall doors.

Asura God remained seated upon his divine throne. His gaze returned to the Douluo Continent below, following the direction in which Luo Jiuyou was traveling as the corner of his mouth lifted once more.

"I have it."

"Let's do it this way. It will be perfect for bestowing a Divine Trial."

"Mm, the fat grub has already been dealt with... now it's up to you, brat."

"So hurry up and come up here."

"This old man should retire too."