The Black Dragon Claw Appears, and the Mystery of His Origins

Meanwhile.

After days of travel, Qin Yu and Ling Yuan had reached the depths of Star Dou Forest's outer region and were drawing ever closer to the more dangerous Mixed Zone.

The Soul Beasts in the outer region were no longer old enough to meet Qin Yu's needs for his Fourth Soul Ring.

His Fourth Soul Ring had to come from a Soul Beast at least fifty thousand years old.

"Your Highness, what kind of Fourth Soul Skill are you looking for?" Ling Yuan asked as she walked beside Qin Yu, keeping watch.

"A ranged attack."

Qin Yu answered.

His first three Soul Skills leaned toward enhancement and close-quarters combat. He had little need for another skill of that sort.

So he intended to get a ranged Soul Skill.

Then he could fight up close or at a distance, covering his weakness.

"If you want a ranged Soul Skill, plenty of ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts should suit you, Your Highness. A Windwing Demon Tiger, a Meteor Flame Beast, a Bone Lion..."

Ling Yuan listed one Soul Beast after another. All were high-tier beasts, stronger than an ordinary Soul Sage even at fifty thousand years of cultivation.

"No need to insist on those."

"If we can't find anything suitable, we could look for a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear or a Titan Giant Ape. Stacking another attribute-enhancing Soul Skill wouldn't be bad either."

Qin Yu said it with a perfectly serious face.

"Huh?"

Ling Yuan froze, her expression stiffening.

"I'm kidding."

Qin Yu smiled. "If we really run into a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear or Titan Giant Ape over fifty thousand years old, we'll need to run."

A ten-thousand-year-old super Soul Beast was already a match for an ordinary Titled Douluo.

As for one over fifty thousand years old, taking it down without a Peak Douluo was out of the question.

Ling Yuan had grown much stronger, but against a Soul Beast of that caliber, she might defeat it. Killing it was another matter.

"Your Highness, that wasn't a joke. You nearly scared me to death." Ling Yuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"You're almost a Peak Douluo. How could you be so easily—"

Qin Yu smiled faintly, but before he could finish, the sky suddenly darkened. A terrifying aura of darkness descended.

In an instant, neither of them could move.

Before either could react, a black dragon claw reached out of the void, seized Qin Yu, and vanished.

The crushing pressure faded, and Ling Yuan Douluo panicked.

"Your Highness!!!"

Almost on instinct, Ling Yuan summoned her Extreme Fire Spirit Kite. A pair of fiery red wings spread behind her, and she raced after him.

She knew how terrifying that dark aura was, and the pressure she had just felt still filled her with dread.

But she was even more afraid that something would happen to Qin Yu!

Both his importance to Spirit Hall and the kindness he had shown her drove her to overcome that fear and give chase.

Even if she never came back, she had to follow!

Ling Yuan unleashed her full power, streaking across the sky like a small crimson sun.

She followed the lingering trace of Qin Yu's aura deeper into the forest, never slowing even after entering the perilous Mixed Zone.

Fear no longer mattered. Only one thought remained in her mind: Bring Qin Yu back.

Ling Yuan flew faster and faster. She had nearly crossed the Mixed Zone and entered the core region.

Her actions alerted the two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts that dwelled there.

They were about to attack when an immensely authoritative voice sounded in their ears. "Let her in. Keep guarding the entrance."

The two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts trembled and prostrated themselves on the ground, quaking with fear.

They dared not disobey that voice.

Whoosh—

High above, Ling Yuan was frantic. Even when she sensed the two powerful Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, she refused to turn back.

What she was doing was no different from throwing her life away.

"That human is loyal," Di Tian murmured in surprise. Then, with a thought, he released a powerful surge of Spiritual Power.

Ling Yuan's heart jolted as an overwhelming wave of dizziness struck her.

She tried to resist, but it was futile.

Your Highness, I'm sorry...

Regret and anguish filled Ling Yuan in the final moment before she lost consciousness.

She plummeted like a meteor, but just before she struck the ground, a beam of pale green light caught her and held her steady.

"Di Tian?"

A woman's voice, gentle as water, spoke with a hint of inquiry.

"Spare her for now. There's no need to wake her," Di Tian replied through a voice transmission. Then he looked down at Qin Yu, whom he was holding.

Qin Yu was, understandably, bewildered.

Who am I? Where am I? Why did Di Tian grab me?

I only came to Star Dou Forest for my Fourth Soul Ring. How did I wake a sleeping Ferocious Beast—and the Beast God Di Tian, no less?

"Why did you grab me?" Qin Yu asked, looking at Di Tian.

"Hmm?"

Di Tian raised an eyebrow. "You aren't afraid of me?"

"If you wanted to kill me, you'd have done it already. Why bother grabbing me?" Qin Yu rolled his eyes at Di Tian and gave up trying to play it safe. "Besides, being afraid wouldn't help."

"You still remember me?"

Di Tian sounded intrigued.

Remember? Qin Yu caught the key word, growing even more puzzled. Still, he nodded and made something up. "A little. The Beast God Di Tian."

"Mm."

Di Tian nodded slightly and said no more.

"You still haven't answered me. Why did you grab me?" Qin Yu asked again.

"I didn't grab you. I brought you back," Di Tian corrected him.

"Since when did I belong to Star Dou Forest?" Qin Yu asked, baffled.

"You're not human."

"..."

Qin Yu's mouth twitched. His first thought was that Di Tian was insulting him, but the more he considered it, the less that seemed right.

Is there something wrong with what I know about my origins? Qin Yu frowned and fell into thought.

His first conscious memory after crossing into this world was of Sunshine Orphanage in Spirit City. Only later had he learned that members of Spirit Hall had found him in the outer region of Star Dou Forest.

Given how aware he was, he should have noticed something while he was still in Star Dou Forest.

But he could not remember. That stretch of memory was gone.

"Am I a Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon that took human form?" Qin Yu asked abruptly.

Di Tian did not answer. He merely slowed down, coming to a stop in the Land of Great Peril within the core region—the Lake of Life.

"You're home."

With that, Di Tian let go of Qin Yu.

Qin Yu landed steadily. He looked around, then at the Lake of Life before him. The place felt both strange and familiar.

"Where's Ling Yuan? The Titled Douluo who was protecting me," Qin Yu asked.

Di Tian landed in front of him and said calmly, "For her loyalty to you, I've spared her for now. Someone will keep an eye on her."

"Phew."

Qin Yu let out a breath of relief.

Ling Yuan was fiercely loyal to him. Besides, he had just given her an Immortal Herb that helped her Martial Soul Evolution and raised her cultivation.

If she died now, that would be a terrible waste.

"Since I belong to Star Dou Forest, can you tell me what's going on?" Qin Yu asked bluntly.

He truly was not afraid of Di Tian.

For one thing, fear would do him no good.

For another, he genuinely sensed no hostility from Di Tian... though perhaps he was simply too weak to detect it.