From Di Tian's words…
It seemed the two of them had met not long ago—and this youth had escaped intact!
Escaping unscathed from the hands of a three-hundred-thousand-year soul beast!
If such a feat were made public, the entire continent would be shaken. After all, this youth was only seventeen or eighteen years old!
"Auspicious Beast?"
Neuvillette's expression did not change, though inwardly he understood.
That the Auspicious Beast would one day sneak out of Star Dou Forest was something he had already expected. But no matter how he calculated, it shouldn't have been now…
In the original canon, the Auspicious Beast left for Shrek Academy three or four years later.
A butterfly effect, then.
After a moment's thought, Neuvillette turned his gaze again toward Di Tian, who was stomping in rage below.
Because of this youth, he had taken quite the beating—there was no escaping the pain of that thrashing.
And seeing this youth now, so detached, so aloof, as if it had nothing to do with him, only made him angrier.
"Oh."
Neuvillette gave the slightest nod, indicating he understood.
Below, Mu Xue lowered her head. She could already guess that in the next moment, Di Tian would vent his fury and rip them all into pieces.
It's over, it's over…
How can someone be this dense?
Hearing Neuvillette's curt reply, Mu Xue covered her pretty face with a jade-like hand.
Faced with such an existence, he didn't even apologize—just an "oh"?
Di Tian:
Hearing only that single "oh," his scalp prickled, his anger erupting like fire.
He had been beaten black and blue because of this brat.
"One 'oh'—that's all?!"
Di Tian roared.
It's over, it's over…
Mu Xue hugged Weina tightly, trembling with emotion.
Di Tian was truly enraged now!
"Otherwise?"
Neuvillette's calm eyes locked on Di Tian, his expression growing more dangerous.
"Human, you will pay the price!"
Di Tian raged on in powerless fury.
Yet at this moment—
Mu Xue felt something wasn't right.
This was one of the Ten Great Fierce Beasts, a terrifying being with over three hundred thousand years of cultivation—so why hadn't he attacked yet?
Up until now, it had only been words, no action.
It felt more like… fear.
She quickly shook her head. How ridiculous—could there truly be a human in this world that even such a being would fear?
"I'll make you pay the price!"
Di Tian howled toward the sky.
Endless black flames surged from his body, sweeping over a hundred li in every direction.
Within the sea of flames, his colossal figure loomed indistinctly, his terrifying aura finally unleashed in full.
"So it's finally coming…"
Mu Xue let out a soft sigh, despair flooding her beautiful eyes once more.
Just now, she thought there was still a chance he would let them go. But now it seemed death was inevitable.
"Heh…"
In the sky above—
Neuvillette looked down at the furious Di Tian, his face still calm and indifferent.
"If the Auspicious Beast escaped, that only proves you're useless. If you want to vent your anger on me, you'd better first consider whether you're capable…"
As his words fell—
A terrifying aura burst forth.
"Rooaarrr!"
A high, ancient cry resounded, mysterious and filled with boundless majesty.
It echoed from the nine heavens above.
In that instant—
Mu Xue snapped her head up in disbelief, staring at the pale-blue figure in the sky, its head raised high. That voice—it had come from him!
Her scalp went numb.
Because she suddenly recalled—during the beast tide not long ago, it had been this very roar that pressed countless soul beasts to the ground, unmoving.
That was how they survived.
And now…
"A dragon's roar."
Mo Yunfei's mind went blank, his lips mumbling as he stared dumbly at the dragon in the sky.
No wonder countless soul beasts would submit.
Only a dragon could make all others bow with a single roar.
"A true dragon!"
Di Tian's pupils widened, though he quickly shook his head.
His eyes were full of shock.
His Lord had said—this youth was not a true dragon. Yet just now, even he had felt the urge to kneel!
This was… suppression at the level of bloodlines.
"If you want to die, I don't mind making the move."
Neuvillette said flatly.
His staff tapped lightly.
Pale-blue ripples spread outward, covering a hundred li. Everywhere they passed, the black flames receded until, around Di Tian, only a few hundred meters remained untouched.
Di Tian: "…"
He had expected there would be a gap in strength, but not such an overwhelming one!
If they truly fought, without even using his trump cards, Neuvillette could easily toy with him…
His mouth twitched.
Yet he forced a cold snort.
"Heh, foolish human. I am magnanimous—I won't lower myself to quibble over this."
Mu Xue: "…"
Mo Yunfei: "…"
Big brother, that's not what you were saying a moment ago!
Their entire worldview was shattered, their minds in a state of chaos.
Too many questions swirled within, but none they dared voice.
If they upset this mighty figure and he abandoned them here, that would be the true disaster.
Neuvillette's gaze swept over the fidgeting, restless Di Tian, and he said evenly:
"If I encounter the Auspicious Beast, I will ensure its safety. You needn't worry."
"Really?"
Di Tian's eyes widened, brimming with delight.
"Really."
With Neuvillette's final words, the great dragon beneath him turned and soared into the clouds.
Watching the dragon vanish into the mist, Di Tian exhaled a long breath, raising a claw to wipe away nonexistent sweat.
Under such bloodline suppression, he was already at a disadvantage. If they truly fought, it would only be his humiliation.
And besides, his Lord had already commanded him not to harm this youth.
Di Tian felt wronged.
Who attacked whom here, exactly?
Soul beasts have no rights…
At the outer reaches of Star Dou Forest.
The clouds above suddenly split apart, and a massive blue dragon, nearly a hundred meters long, descended slowly to the ground.
The group disembarked.
Neuvillette cast a faint glance at the others.
"This is the forest's edge. From here, we part ways. I still have matters to attend to."
"Yes."
Mo Yunfei nodded quickly, all former calm and composure gone.
Today's events had made them realize—this youth's true power. This was the real monster!
A hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human skin…
"C-could I ask… your true identity?"
As Mu Xue and Mo Yunfei stood frozen with fear, a timid voice piped up beside them.
Neuvillette turned his head, expression unchanging, to see Weina staring at him with wide, expectant eyes.
"Weina!" Mu Xue scolded sharply, then quickly turned toward Neuvillette, her beautiful eyes full of unease.
"My apologies, Teacher Neuvillette—my sister didn't mean it…"
"We—we'll leave right away!"
(End of Chapter)