Watching Jiang Qingtong's feigned surprise, Di Tian said nothing further. He raised his hand, parting the waters of the Lake of Life to open a downward passage.
"Go," he instructed. "When you stand before our Master, remember to be respectful and obedient."
"The Silver Dragon King isn't frightening. Don't worry." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion tried to comfort her from the side.
Jiang Qingtong nodded and descended into the depths of the Lake of Life. After a brief free fall, a gentle force caught her.
Seven-colored radiance swirled before her eyes. A vast body hid within the shadows, but a pair of luminous, awe-inspiring eyes gazed directly at her. A voice rang softly by her ear:
"Greetings, human chosen by Fate."
Though Jiang Qingtong kept her outward composure, waves surged violently within her heart at the Silver Dragon King's words. How did she know about her connection to Fate? Did that mean she had seen what happened earlier in that other space?
"I am half of the Dragon God—a being equal to a first-level deity. To perceive the aura of Fate upon you is hardly difficult."
The Silver Dragon King had not seen what transpired in that hidden space, but she could clearly sense the breath of Destiny lingering upon Jiang Qingtong. After all, Fate's concealment blocked the gaze of powers beyond Douluo Continent, not those within it.
Suppressing her racing thoughts, Jiang Qingtong looked straight at the Silver Dragon King.
"Why did you want to see me?"
"Before I share my intentions, I must first ask you something." The Silver Dragon King shook her massive head slightly, her eyes never leaving Jiang Qingtong.
"Ask," Jiang Qingtong replied.
The Silver Dragon King held her gaze in silence for some time, then asked slowly:
"I wish to know—what is your view of soul beasts? And how do you regard the relationship between humans and soul beasts?"
Jiang Qingtong fell into thought. The Silver Dragon King did not press her, waiting patiently, granting her ample time to consider.
After a while, Jiang Qingtong met those majestic eyes and answered:
"All sentient beings are equal."
She had not equated all humans and soul beasts, but rather set "sentience" as the prerequisite. Only those with feelings and awareness could be spoken of in terms of equality.
Those without emotion were but beasts. Among humans there were beasts; among soul beasts there were beasts as well. Those who had never cultivated self-awareness or wisdom were merely wild animals, not independent individuals.
The Silver Dragon King seemed to ponder this. After a long moment, she slowly shifted her colossal head and said:
"I acknowledge your view. From this moment forth, you are a friend of the soul beast race—under my protection."
As her voice fell, a silver dragon scale drifted slowly before Jiang Qingtong. Bathed in prismatic light, its silver surface shimmered with rainbow halos.
But…
Protection?
Jiang Qingtong was shaken by the kindness radiating from the Silver Dragon King. As the absolute ruler of the soul beasts on today's Douluo Continent, she would so readily accept a human? And so easily bestow the precious qualification of her protection?
Though their research into new cultivation methods—allowing soul masters to obtain spirit rings without hunting soul beasts—was certainly of great benefit to soul beasts, Jiang Qingtong did not believe such a thing alone could prompt the Silver Dragon King to make a decision this swiftly.
Thus, she did not reach out for the dragon scale. She could not yet discern the Silver Dragon King's true stance.
Seeing her hesitation, the Silver Dragon King spoke softly:
"Do you feel I am too hasty? That it is strange to trust you so quickly, with such warmth, when we have only just met?"
Jiang Qingtong nodded.
"Indeed."
The Silver Dragon King let out a long sigh and said,
"To tell you the truth—I do not have much time left."
"You're dying?" Jiang Qingtong blurted out instinctively, her face full of shock.
At her words, the Silver Dragon King paused, then asked after a moment's silence:
"Do you always speak in this manner? And… you haven't been beaten for it?"
Jiang Qingtong gave an awkward laugh, waving her hand.
"My apologies. It's just—anyone hearing you say you've little time left would think that! But since you're not dying, then why say you have little time?"
"Because I can feel the changes in the world."
The Silver Dragon King's voice grew low and heavy as she explained:
"Hundreds of thousands of years ago, I fled the God Realm and came to Douluo Continent. Though the gods could not descend to hunt me, they placed restrictions upon this world's laws. Their hope was that, little by little, those laws would erode my divine will—until I became like the other soul beasts. At first, I could resist the corrosion. But beginning ten thousand years ago, I have felt my godly soul slowly being tainted. Perhaps in another ten thousand years, I will no longer be myself."
Hearing this, sudden clarity struck Jiang Qingtong.
No wonder that in the era of the Legend of the Dragon King, the Silver Dragon King had spoken of leading the soul beasts to greatness once more—yet ended up, inexplicably, reduced to a young girl despite her first-level godhood, living among humans… and falling in love with Tang Wulin, a man countless years her junior.
So that was why!
By then, she had likely ceased to truly be the Silver Dragon King.
Just as, in the "true" timeline where she and Jiang Shengyu had never transmigrated, the power of Fate itself had been displaced through Tang San's manipulations—replaced by the couple Tang Hao and Ah Yin.
"To resist this insidious erosion is no longer something I can accomplish alone," the Silver Dragon King continued, her eyes solemn as they locked onto Jiang Qingtong.
"In today's Douluo Continent, perhaps only you and yours can help me!"
The aura of Fate clung to Jiang Qingtong. It was proof that the will of Douluo Continent itself refused to be erased, that it resisted becoming nothing more than a toy in the gods' hands.
Fate, too, was rebelling against the gods.
And so, though Jiang Qingtong was human, the Silver Dragon King extended her goodwill—because this was her last chance.
She had to gamble.
Better to humble herself and cooperate with a human now, than to be eroded until she became something twisted and unrecognizable ten thousand years hence.
A glimmer of hope and expectation shone faintly in the Silver Dragon King's eyes as she awaited Jiang Qingtong's answer.
At this moment, the words of a single young human girl seemed to hold the power to shape the destiny of the entire soul beast race.
Even with her lofty state of mind, the Silver Dragon King could not help but feel tension.
After a long silence, Jiang Qingtong grasped the rainbow-lit silver scale, clenching it tightly in her fist. She looked the Silver Dragon King straight in the eye and declared:
"Then let's overthrow the gods of the high heavens together! A pleasure to cooperate, Silver Dragon King."
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