Gu Yunxiao Had Nothing to Lose-and Took a Thorough Beating

This was also the second path Gu Yuena had prepared.

If Gu Yunxiao disappointed her, she would work hard herself, reviving the Soul Beast Clan while joining with Gu Yunxiao to produce stronger descendants for the Dragon Clan.

Even if she ultimately failed, she could still leave hope behind for her people.

"Now that you put it that way..."

Gu Yunxiao rubbed his smooth chin, seemingly lost in thought.

"If you're scared, then work hard." Gu Yuena's lips curved slightly into a captivating smile.

If using herself as a bargaining chip could make Gu Yunxiao work twice as hard and take the Soul Beast Clan's future to heart, she was willing.

Of course, she was not someone who gave herself away lightly.

The main reason was that, even setting his future aside, Gu Yunxiao was already quite impressive. Not only was he pleasing to her eyes, but he also possessed the Heavenly Tribulation Demon Dragon bloodline.

In her heart, she had actually already accepted Gu Yunxiao as her future partner.

If Gu Yunxiao proved himself, she would support him with everything she had.

If Gu Yunxiao failed to step up, she would do it herself.

Gu Yuena's plan was sound. Unfortunately, Gu Yunxiao was utterly shameless.

"Seems like I've got nothing to lose."

Gu Yunxiao's lips lifted, his face full of smiles.

"You... what did you say?" Gu Yuena's eyes widened as she stared at Gu Yunxiao in disbelief.

She had never imagined that Gu Yunxiao would say something so shameless.

"I said, I've got nothing to lose."

Gu Yunxiao repeated himself, looking completely relaxed. "Either way, I'll already have had a taste..."

"Gu! Yun! Xiao!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't hit me! Don't... ow!"

Thud, thud, thud...

A series of dull thumps rang out, continuing for roughly half an incense stick's burning time before slowly falling silent.

"Ow!"

Gu Yunxiao sucked in a sharp breath as he sat on the steps, clutching his bruised face. "My handsome face!"

His body was completely unharmed. Only his face was bruised and swollen, leaving him looking pitiful and bedraggled.

To make matters worse, Gu Yuena had known exactly how hard to strike, deliberately leaving energy on his face that would be difficult to dispel.

For the time being, he would have to live with that face.

"Do you know what you did wrong now?"

Gu Yuena moved with delicate steps and slowly sat down beside Gu Yunxiao.

Looking at his face, which had been beaten until it swelled like a pig's head, her gaze wandered. She badly wanted to laugh, but held it in.

"Gu Yuena, you've gone too far!"

Gu Yunxiao turned and glared at her furiously. "Just you wait! If I don't give you a thorough thrashing someday, I'll take your surname!"

"Hm?"

Gu Yuena froze for a moment, unsure whether Gu Yunxiao's words were a threat or a surrender.

Take her surname?

Didn't they already have the same surname?

Besides, she had even given him the name Yunxiao.

"Then you'd better work hard. Once your strength surpasses mine, you can do whatever you like with me." Gu Yuena rested her chin on her hand and looked at Gu Yunxiao calmly.

"Hmph!"

Gu Yunxiao snorted, then touched his face again, thoroughly frustrated. "If you're going to beat me, fine, but why hit my face? Haven't you heard that you shouldn't hit someone in the face?"

"Are you even human?"

Gu Yuena shot back.

"Heh... hehe."

Gu Yunxiao chuckled, his lips twitching.

Although it was true, he felt that Gu Yuena was insulting him-and quite viciously, too.

"You've already beaten me. Take your power back and heal me while you're at it." Gu Yunxiao leaned toward Gu Yuena, gesturing for her to treat him.

"..."

Gu Yuena fell silent for a long moment before uttering, "You're hideous."

"???"

Gu Yunxiao looked utterly bewildered, then laughed in exasperation. "Fine, fine, fine. Gu Yuena, this is your handiwork, and you're calling it ugly? Have you no shame?"

"I learned from you."

Gu Yuena turned her head away, a faint smile appearing on the lips hidden beneath her veil.

"Fine, fine, fine. I was a bad influence."

"Heal me first. If my face gets stuck like this, I'll drop dead right in front of you."

Gu Yunxiao rolled his eyes and brought his face a little closer.

"It would be better if it stayed that way. Then you wouldn't spend all day misbehaving and running that slick tongue of yours instead of doing anything seri-"

Gu Yuena turned back, only to freeze halfway through her sentence.

She and Gu Yunxiao were almost nose to nose, and she could clearly see her own face reflected in his purple eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Gu Yunxiao looked puzzled.

"...You're hideous."

Gu Yuena said it again, lifting her slender hand and lightly sweeping it over Gu Yunxiao's face. A surge of power withdrew with the motion.

Soon, Gu Yunxiao's face returned to normal, as handsome as ever.

"How about now? Still ugly?" Gu Yunxiao asked with a smile.

"Not bad."

Gu Yuena badly wanted to lie against her conscience, but Gu Yunxiao's face really was handsome, making her blurt out those words despite herself.

Even so, her gaze still kept drifting toward his face.

Gu Yunxiao paid no mind to her coy stubbornness. Instead, he changed the subject and suddenly asked, "How's your condition?"

"What?"

Gu Yuena did not catch his meaning at first.

"Your injuries."

Gu Yunxiao spoke softly, studying Gu Yuena closely. "Although you look no different from an ordinary person right now, I can sense that your aura is in turmoil and that you're injured."

Even someone with his strength could sense a trace of it, which showed just how severe Gu Yuena's injuries were.

"These injuries cling like festering sores sunk into the bone. A full recovery would take at least a thousand years, perhaps ten thousand, and I would have to remain asleep throughout."

Gu Yuena shook her head, her tone helpless.

"Why don't... you let me try?" Gu Yunxiao made a startling suggestion.

"You?"

Gu Yuena shook her head. "These injuries were all inflicted with the divine power of the Divine Realm's Five Great God Kings. The worst of them came from Asura divine power."

"Right now, you're merely a little level-thirty-five Soul Elder, not even a divine officer. How could you possibly deal with God King-level divine power?"

"You probably don't even understand... what I'm talking about, do you?"

"I understand, but not much."

Gu Yunxiao answered, then explained, "After the power of heavenly tribulation devoured the Dragon God's power, I gained some fragments of memories about the Divine Realm."

"I know not only that the Dragon Clan suffered devastating losses in that great war, but also how the gods' strength is ranked."

"Mm."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly.

"I want to try because I do have some confidence."

"The power of heavenly tribulation within me is similar to the power of destruction, but it stands on an even higher level and can destroy all forms of power."

"Perhaps I can use the power of heavenly tribulation to purge the God Kings' divine power from your body and shorten the time you need to recover."

Gu Yunxiao was not simply boasting. He genuinely thought it might be possible.

After all, the power of heavenly tribulation stood on the same level as the power of creation. It was the antithesis of the God of Creation; calling it the power of a "God of World Destruction" would not be an exaggeration.

The power of heavenly tribulation destroyed everything.

Using it to destroy other divine powers was by no means impossible.

After hearing Gu Yunxiao's explanation, Gu Yuena did not immediately refute him. Instead, she considered it carefully and realized that there truly was hope.

However, it was still extremely dangerous.

"No. Your strength is too weak."

Gu Yuena shook her head in refusal. "If I fail to keep those divine powers under control, even the slightest trace leaking out would crush both your body and your soul."

"Your method has a good chance of success, but the danger is even greater."

"We can try once you become a god. It won't be too late then."