"So what?"
Hearing Chen Yi's question, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King curled his lips, a look of contempt flashing in his single eye. "My desire to leap over the Dragon Gate and transform into a true dragon is known to every creature in the sea. Is there any old sea dweller who doesn't know what I'm trying to do?"
Chen Yi quietly observed him. After the other party finished speaking, he slowly said, "Senior, why are you so obsessed with 'dragon transformation'? Or rather, why do you believe that 'dragon transformation' is the only way—or even the best choice—to reach the God Realm?"
Before the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King could reply, Chen Yi continued as if speaking to himself. "Senior, if I'm not mistaken, the reason you chose the path of transforming into a dragon is likely an attempt to imitate the sacred path of that ancient Dragon God."
Upon hearing this, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's single eye flickered slightly. He stopped chewing, glanced at Chen Yi with a hint of surprise, and said, "You're… quite knowledgeable. Yes, that's exactly what I intend."
He set down the food in his hand, leaned forward slightly, and a nostalgic expression appeared in his single eye. "When I was young and ignorant, I heard ancient legends from a very old sea tribe.
"At that time, there existed the supreme Dragon God. Among the beast race, his power surpassed all gods. He led his own kind to ascend to the Heavenly Realm, and his divine might shook the entire universe."
The Demonic Whale King's tone was filled with nostalgia for that era and reverence for the Dragon God. "From that moment on, in my eyes, the dragon race represented the most perfect and powerful form that soul beasts could achieve in their evolutionary process. Their physical structure, energy utilization, and bloodline talent all reached the pinnacle of soul beasts!"
"Therefore, after spending thousands of years traveling through the dangerous deep sea, I finally discovered several true-dragon remains that were thought to have perished in various eras.
"Through years of observation, I chose the path of 'a fish transforming into a true dragon' as my evolution route. I believe that successfully transforming into a dragon holds the possibility of truly reaching the divine realm!"
After listening, Chen Yi nodded lightly to show his understanding.
From a soul beast's perspective, there was no flaw in the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's logic.
The past glory and power of the dragon race were undeniable facts. Using the strongest species as the prototype for evolution and pursuing a higher form of life was both a biological instinct and the ambition of the strong.
"However…" Chen Yi shook his head lightly and changed the subject as he looked at the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King. "Senior, the path of dragon transformation you have chosen may not be as smooth as you imagine. There may be insurmountable obstacles ahead."
The Demonic Whale King frowned, a trace of displeasure appearing in his single eye. However, he did not immediately explode in anger; his tone simply grew a little harder. "Brat, what exactly are you trying to say?"
Chen Yi did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Senior, you have lived in the deep sea for a long time. Have you ever been to the Star Dou Great Forest on the continent?"
"Star Dou Great Forest?"
The Demonic Whale King frowned even deeper and let out a muffled grunt. "No. I have always lived by the sea and have no interest whatsoever in the dry, barren land."
Even so, he seemed somewhat irritated. He glared at Chen Yi with his single eye, and his oppressive aura faintly intensified. "Human brat, what exactly are you trying to say? My time is precious. If you continue with this roundabout, mysterious talk…"
If he hadn't been wary of the "Truth" and the power it might hold, his short-tempered nature would have already flipped the table long ago.
Chen Yi seemed unaware of his impatience and simply sighed quietly. "So, Senior, you have never set foot in the gathering place of the continent's soul beasts…"
Hearing this, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King felt an even stronger sense of unease and frowned. This time, however, he did not urge or threaten; he simply stared intently at Chen Yi and waited for him to continue.
"Then, Senior, you may not know this, but at the center of the Star Dou Great Forest lives an existence revered as the 'Beast God.'
"His true form is the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King—a pure-blooded descendant of an extremely ancient and noble true-dragon lineage."
"Beast God? Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King?" A flash of surprise appeared in the Demonic Whale King's single eye, followed by a snort. "What arrogance! Is that self-proclaimed Beast God, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King… really that powerful?"
Chen Yi smiled faintly and said, "As far as I know, that Beast God has been cultivating for approximately 800,000 years. In terms of cultivation level, he is naturally inferior to you, Senior."
As he spoke, Chen Yi gazed steadily at the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, filled with admiration. This Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had reached the limit of a million-year cultivation in just over 300,000 years. He truly possessed monstrous talent.
If this were the era of the Dragon God, his achievements would undoubtedly be no less than those of the Nine Dragon Kings!
The Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Di Tian, had inherited the pure bloodline of the Dragon God and possessed an extremely solid foundation. However, even so, Di Tian's current cultivation level was still inferior to that of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, and his combat power was slightly weaker.
"800,000 years…" Hearing this number, the Demonic Whale King couldn't help but smile. "Cultivating steadily on land for 800,000 years is truly impressive. This little black dragon can be considered one of the pinnacle existences in the terrestrial world."
"Senior," Chen Yi asked quietly while watching the smug-looking Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, "don't you find it strange? This Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King possesses such a powerful bloodline and has cultivated for 800,000 years—why has he still not become a god?"
"What?!"
Chen Yi's words struck like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.
The smile on the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's face instantly froze, and an ominous premonition surged in his heart.
Yes!
The Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King was a pure-blooded true dragon with a powerful and noble bloodline, so his combat strength must be extraordinary. Logically speaking, having lived for 800,000 years, he should have already reached the divine realm!
True dragons possessed the ability to devour and grow rapidly. By finding energy-rich locations or devouring powerful beings, they should be able to advance quickly. So why had he still not become a god?!
"Brat, what exactly are you trying to say? Speak clearly!"
The Demonic Whale King suddenly stood up. A terrifying oppressive pressure radiated from his massive body. His single eye was bloodshot as he stared fixedly at Chen Yi, his aura fluctuating violently.
Sensing that the moment was right, Chen Yi stopped holding back and spoke directly. "Because soul beasts cannot become gods—and must not become gods!"
"W-What?!" The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King staggered slightly, and the ominous premonition in his heart grew stronger. "Say that again! What do you mean?!"
Looking at his incredulous expression, Chen Yi slowly raised his hand and pointed toward the clear sky. "It means exactly what it says—following the rules from above."
"The God Realm, or rather the beings who control the power of the God Realm, have established an ironclad rule. Soul beasts must not rely on their own cultivation to break through level 100 and become gods."
Guided by Chen Yi's finger, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King slowly raised his head and looked up at the sky. Despite the cloudless expanse, he felt a strange chill. It was as if countless indifferent eyes were gazing down from above, monitoring every creature that dared challenge the rules.
"Impossible… how could such a thing be possible…"
The Demonic Whale King muttered in a dry, hoarse voice filled with resistance and disbelief.
He suddenly lowered his head and stared at Chen Yi again. His single eye was filled with bloodshot veins. "Impossible, absolutely impossible! According to ancient records, the Dragon God led his followers to ascend to the realm of the gods!"
"Soul beasts… how could soul beasts be unable to become gods? If they can't become gods, then how did the Dragon God and his army enter the realm of the gods?!"
Faced with the Demonic Whale King's questioning, Chen Yi remained calm and simply shook his head once more. "What Senior says is correct. The Dragon God did indeed lead the dragon race and some soul beasts to ascend to the God Realm, establishing a glorious era for soul beasts there.
"However, it was precisely this event that later triggered a conflict of interests between the divine beasts led by the Dragon God and the primordial gods who originally ruled the God Realm.
"This conflict eventually escalated into the 'Dragon God War,' engulfing the entire God Realm. Its brutality was beyond imagination, and its scars and effects still remain in certain regions of the God Realm today.
"And the result of the war was…" Chen Yi stared intently into the terrified single eye of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King. "The fall of the Dragon God nearly drove the dragon race to extinction. The bloodlines of the divine beasts suffered devastating blows. The survivors were either suppressed or fled into hiding. To ensure such an event never happened again, the victorious side jointly established this unbreakable iron rule."
"From then on, no matter how noble the bloodline, how outstanding the talent, or how powerful the cultivation, all soul beasts could no longer become gods through their own power alone. Every possibility for soul beasts to ascend to godhood via cultivation was severed!"
Chen Yi's words were like layers of heavy chains. The thought lingered in the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's mind, suffocating him.
Before Chen Yi finished speaking, seeing the Demonic Whale King's shattered faith, he presented another fact. "Senior, you may not know this yet, but the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King of the Star Dou Great Forest, known as the 'Beast God,' is not an ordinary descendant of a true dragon.
"He was once the captain of the Dragon God's guard—a dragon who held a sacred position and power in the realm of the gods!"
"What?!"
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King suddenly raised his head, his single eye widening as he stared fixedly at Chen Yi. "That… that Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King… was once… a divine dragon?!"
"Is he really a god?!"
"Exactly," Chen Yi nodded firmly. "Moreover, according to reliable records, Di Tian's parents were once two of the nine Dragon Kings who ruled the God Realm and assisted the Dragon God. Their bloodline was noble and pure, ranking among the highest in the dragon race!"
Seeing the Demonic Whale King's eyes beginning to glaze over, Chen Yi slowly delivered the final blow. "However, even with such a noble bloodline, astonishing talent, and a solid foundation and experience as a god… in terms of raw power, he still cannot compare to you, Senior."
Chen Yi's final words echoed deep within the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's heart.
A pure-blooded true dragon who had once been a god. An unparalleled noble bloodline and the experience of godhood… With so many advantages, after cultivating for 800,000 years, he still could not regain his divine status. In fact, his power was even inferior to that of a "pseudo-dragon" who had risen step by step.
What did that mean?
It meant that the iron rule of "soul beasts cannot become gods" was likely true—and so harsh that it drove beasts to despair. Even the former Dragon God could not defy it and failed to regain his former divine position!
Could my choice to transform into a Dragon Demonic Whale truly succeed?
The dream he had pursued for 300,000 years—the dream of "transforming into a dragon and becoming a god," which embodied all his hopes and ambitions—was it destined to be a dead end from the very beginning?
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King collapsed to the ground. His massive body instantly lost all strength, and the light in his single eye rapidly dimmed.
…