At the Shrek Academy dormitory, Wang Dong was sitting up on his bed, lost in a daze.
His eyes shimmered with golden light. For some reason, he felt an odd sensation, as if something of his had been taken away. Yet, in the next moment, that something seemed to return to his body. This cycle repeated dozens of times, and what was initially a faint feeling gradually became profound.
As a result, he sat there on his bed, bewildered, for nearly half an hour.
A gentle halo and clouds of mist enveloped a fantastical space. Yet, within this space, there was an unusually vivid sense of substance. In the distance, a majestic palace seemed to stand, faintly visible. Under the caress of the soft halo, it felt both illusory and real.
A slender figure stood before the palace amidst the clouds, frowning as he gazed into the endless distance, lost in thought.
He had long, water-blue hair that cascaded like a waterfall down to his feet. His luxurious blue robe shimmered with ripples, as if reflecting the deep blue of the ocean. If one looked closely, their gaze would unconsciously be drawn into that profound blue, and even their soul might be pulled into its endless depths.
His handsome face, appearing to be in his twenties, bore a pair of deep, penetrating eyes.
However, the ethereal aura that seemed to transcend the mundane was tainted by a trace of frustration and coldness in the depths of his eyes.
At the same time, in another palace within this fantastical space, two figures sat facing each other.
The two wore robes of brilliant gold and radiant silver, adorned with strange patterns that seemed to embody the principles of heaven and earth. The golden and silver halos constantly merged and separated, enveloping their bodies and making them indistinct.
The silver-robed man opened and closed his eyes, as if peering through endless voids, and chuckled softly, "Who would've thought that Tang San, the Sea God, who's always been so meticulous in his calculations, would miscalculate one day? Then again, the Golden Dragon Spear, formed from the rib of the Golden Dragon King, was never truly his to begin with. This time, it's merely a return to its rightful owner."
Seeing the golden-robed man remain silent, the silver-robed man shook his head helplessly.
"Countless eons have passed, and you're still so dull."
"For his selfish desires, he split his daughter's soul. He's unworthy of his position," the golden-robed man finally responded.
Curious, the silver-robed man asked, "If that's the case, why did you refuse to see the God of Destruction when he came to you last time?"
As expected, his question went unanswered, and he knew it would. He shifted the topic.
"Last time, you mentioned something to me. How certain are you of it? After all, more than five first-class deities from the Divine Realm have set their sights on him during his time in the Douluo Continent. If it weren't for that, with Tang San's temperament, he probably would've acted against him long ago."
"Certain," the golden-robed man replied concisely.
"And after this, the number of first-class deities in the Divine Realm won't decrease."
The golden-robed man's final words caused a ripple in the silver-robed man's long-still heart. He sighed softly, "It seems you've seen far into the future."
…
In front of Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion, Xu Zihuang sat cross-legged, completely still, with faint golden soul power glowing intermittently around him. At the center of his forehead, golden and silver lights merged, and a peculiar scale emerged.
The scale was a blend of gold and silver, its strange shape resembling a combination of a diamond-shaped scale and a hexagonal one, forming an irregular yet sharply defined octagon. The outer edges of gold and silver formed intricate patterns, exuding a special, indescribable mystique, while radiating a dazzling nine-colored glow.
This extraordinary sight alarmed Elder Mu and Elder Xuan, who were still in the Sea God Pavilion after a meeting. As they stepped out of the pavilion, leaving the range of the Golden Tree, both instantly felt a fear stemming from their bloodlines and martial souls.
However, given their cultivation, they weren't overly affected.
Following Elder Mu's instructions, Zhang Lexuan, who had been guarding Xu Zihuang, stood up and respectfully saluted the two elders.
"Elder Mu, Elder Xuan."
"Lexuan, you may leave," Elder Mu said with a gentle smile and a nod. Zhang Lexuan naturally followed his orders and departed.
After examining the fluctuations of soul power on Xu Zihuang, Elder Mu's gaze settled on the peculiar scale on his forehead, radiating a nine-colored halo—the source of their fear.
"Elder Mu, this aura?" Elder Xuan asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Since awakening his mutated Taotie Divine Bull martial soul as a child and cultivating to his current level of a rank 98 Super Douluo, he had never experienced such a sensation.
The Taotie was one of the nine sons of the Dragon God.
Though his martial soul was called the Taotie Divine Bull, it undeniably possessed the purest dragon bloodline, one of the most elite martial souls in the current soul master world.
Even Elder Mu's Bright Sacred Dragon martial soul was, at best, on par with it.
Yet, under that nine-colored halo, he felt suppressed.
"The aura of pure Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon bloodlines, fused, seems to have undergone some sort of sublimation. These changes are likely related to his previous attribute connection with the Emperor Auspicious Beast. If I'm not mistaken, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, the Emperor Auspicious Beast, inherently possesses the Golden Dragon bloodline. As for Tianhuang, the silver scale-shaped external soul bone he already had likely came from a soul beast with pure Silver Dragon bloodline," Elder Mu explained, his eyes filled with gratification as he sighed.
"This child is truly blessed by the heavens."
"Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon?" Elder Xuan raised an eyebrow. With his knowledge, he was naturally aware of the legends surrounding these dragons.
Among the dragon clan, those inheriting the Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon bloodlines were the rarest and considered the purest and most powerful.
The Golden Dragon governed strength, while the Silver Dragon controlled elemental laws.
Elder Mu's Bright Sacred Dragon was merely a branch of the Silver Dragon, specializing in the power of light.
While Yu Tianhuang might not possess the full power of the Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon, even partial abilities would benefit him for life.
The most immediate advantage was that all soul masters with dragon-type martial souls would face some degree of suppression in his presence.
Then there were the fragmented records in ancient texts about the Dragon God.
At this thought, Elder Xuan blurted out, "Could it be that the fusion of the Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon bloodlines has given him the aura of the Dragon God?"
Elder Mu's gaze deepened, but he didn't answer Elder Xuan's question.
At that moment, a faint purple-golden light spread outward from Xu Zihuang's body, causing the plants around the Sea God Pavilion to sway as if touched.
Both Elder Mu and Elder Xuan keenly sensed this.
"The tangible yet intangible level of spiritual power," Elder Xuan murmured subconsciously.
Reaching the tangible yet intangible level of spiritual power at Yu Tianhuang's age was undeniably shocking, but his extraordinary talent had already reshaped Elder Xuan's understanding countless times during his year at Shrek Academy. Combined with the earlier shock of the Golden and Silver Dragon bloodlines, he felt oddly numb to it now.
Elder Xuan was correct. After completing the attribute connection with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, Xu Zihuang's spiritual power had officially reached the tangible yet intangible level. This meant he could now envelop his soul power with spiritual power during cultivation, allowing his cultivation speed to no longer be hindered by his extreme attributes.
Yet, the foundation of his extreme attribute soul power remained, with both its quality and density far surpassing soul masters of the same level.
Additionally, the Golden Dragon bloodline inherited from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was gradually transforming his body. The toughness of his meridians, the density of his bones and muscles, his overall physical qualities, and his strength were all rapidly improving.
Aside from not possessing a Golden Dragon martial soul, he would gain all the advantages of one. However, this transformation process would take time, as this Golden Dragon bloodline wasn't innate to him.
Xu Zihuang was fully aware of the changes in his body and spiritual power, carefully sensing them.
In his spiritual sea, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm remained awake but refrained from communicating with him due to the presence of Elder Mu and Elder Xuan, two of the world's top powerhouses, to avoid exposing itself.
Instead, it unsealed its spiritual origin, allowing Xu Zihuang to subtly absorb these powers.
If one word could describe the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, it would be "freeloading." It had essentially won without effort.
While unsealing its spiritual origin, it also released some of its most fundamental power, further solidifying Xu Zihuang's foundation—a power it had cultivated over a million years.
This was the very power the Beast God Di Tian had coveted most. However, since the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm was too valuable, and this original power couldn't be taken without its consent, Di Tian had settled for absorbing the soul power it had cultivated over the years with the help of other ferocious beasts.
Though the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm only released a trace of its original power, it was because Xu Zihuang could only handle that amount at his current stage.
By allowing Xu Zihuang to fuse with this original power, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm had no way back. If Xu Zihuang ascended to godhood, it would achieve eternal life alongside him. If he failed, it would perish with him.
It was truly an all-or-nothing gamble.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm might seem carefree and clueless, but its heart was exceptionally clear—a case of great wisdom appearing as foolishness. After more than a year with Xu Zihuang, it had seen his truest self.
Xu Zihuang was slow to trust, but if someone could earn his trust through genuine sincerity, he would reciprocate. In some ways, Elder Mu's approach was correct.
However, their differing stances and pursuits inevitably led to conflicts. The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, however, was truly bound to Xu Zihuang, sharing in his glory or downfall.
What ultimately drove its decision was the boundless hope it saw in Xu Zihuang.
My host has the potential to become a god!
When Xu Zihuang awoke from his cultivation, it was already the morning of the next day.
The sun was rising slowly from the east, slightly dispersing the thick fog around the Sea God Pavilion. Xu Zihuang's gaze sharpened, and he could clearly see countless golden light particles drifting in the air.
The entire world seemed to burst into vibrant colors.
His body felt indescribably clear and comfortable, filled with a sense of power and insights gained from deep meditation. With a realization, he stepped forward and slowly threw a punch.
As he moved, a faint golden light glowed around him. His punch started slow but accelerated, eventually creating a sonic boom in the air, his fist trailing a golden afterimage.
The punch landed, and the golden light in front of him condensed into a massive golden vortex.
This phenomenon resulted from the fusion of his spiritual power and soul power.
Elder Mu, who had appeared behind Xu Zihuang at some point, showed a helpless expression for the first time.
Though Yu Tianhuang's fusion of spiritual power and soul power in this punch wasn't perfect, it already had an excellent foundation.
Perhaps his self-created Emperor's Dominion had found its most suitable successor.
But Yu Tianhuang's talent was almost too extraordinary. Even Elder Mu, in his youth, might have felt a sense of defeat facing him.
Snapping out of his realization, Xu Zihuang sensed something and quickly turned to salute Elder Mu respectfully.
"Elder Mu."
"No need for formalities with me from now on," Elder Mu said with a faint smile, raising his right hand to support Xu Zihuang's body with gentle soul power.
"Tell me about the insights you gained from this deep meditation."
Xu Zihuang didn't hold back, recounting all the changes he experienced after completing the attribute connection with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
As promised, Elder Mu didn't pry into anything Xu Zihuang chose not to mention.
Elder Mu closed his eyes and nodded slightly. When he opened them again, his gaze carried a mix of solemnity and sincerity.
"Since you've completed the attribute connection with the Emperor Auspicious Beast, it means fate has chosen you. Child, I won't restrict your future or freedom, but I hope you'll contribute to the stability and harmony of the continent."
"Elder Mu, I will," Xu Zihuang nodded firmly, his eyes showing no trace of pretense.
This was his truest conviction—only by unifying the Douluo Continent could it achieve true stability and harmony.
Elder Mu's face lit up with a heartfelt smile, his eyes filled with gratification.
"Good, good child. The soul tool department has already prepared a plan for you and He Caitou. Rest today and consolidate your insights. Starting tomorrow, you'll study at the soul tool department for three days, then train with me for three days. On the last day, Wang Yan will provide theoretical guidance in the morning, and you can arrange the afternoon and evening as you wish. This cycle repeats every seven days. Now, off you go."
"Yes, Elder Mu."
As Xu Zihuang prepared to leave, Yan Shaozhe, clad in a white robe, descended from the sky, his expression slightly altered as he delivered shocking news.
"Teacher, Princess Weina of the Heavenly Soul Empire was gravely injured in the Star Dou Forest and has just been brought to Shrek Academy. I've already sent the academy's healing soul masters to her. What should we do?"
"Bring her to the Sea God Pavilion," Elder Mu replied without hesitation.
Shrek Academy was located within the Heavenly Soul Empire. For reasons of sentiment, duty, and even self-interest, they had to do everything to save Princess Weina.
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