"As the Silver Dragon King, you actually don't have time-space power?" Su Wen said with a bright smile.
"Why poke the sore spot? The powers I'm missing are all on the Golden Dragon King," Gu Yuena shot him a glare, then took the lead along a grassy path through a canyon. Her voice drifted back in bits: "If you help me deal with the Golden Dragon King, I can advance to Dragon God. Do you understand the gold content of a Dragon God?"
"…"
A murmuring river wound through the canyon, almost spanning half the Demonic Forest.
They followed the river deeper into the valley.
Compared to the Star Dou Great Forest's primal aura, this place felt eerie—like the dark forests in Western fairy tales that imprison princesses.
The two sat on a patch of yellowed grass, chatting in the sunset glow.
"This Sun Moon Empire soul tool map isn't bad—holographic projection. Only flaw: no positioning…" Su Wen toyed with a palm-sized projector-like device, sighing in admiration.
"Human growth is indeed fast," Gu Yuena's willow brows drew together.
"What, worrying about the soul beast clan's future again?" Su Wen smiled, lying back on the grass to feel the evening breeze.
Quite a vibe.
Of course, the surrounding soul beasts trembling in terror couldn't appreciate it.
A so-called mini tyrannosaur—Devourer Beast—plus a ten-thousand-year Fire Evil Tyrant, and countless low-tier beasts cowered in the corners.
The two beasts had been fighting fiercely when a Heaven-shaking Giant Beast barged in and suppressed them. At first sight of Su Wen and Gu Yuena, they'd felt amused and annoyed, planning to swallow these two ignorant intruders.
The result…
The Devourer Beast sneaked a glance at the colossal thing standing near Su Wen. Its body, covered in blue scales, had half of one side scraped clean—like that terrifying monster had grabbed it and scrubbed it against a mountain like a pot, grinding the flesh off.
Among earth-drakes, the Devourer lineage's bloodline ranked top-tier. They evolve by devouring, and as their strength rises, their defense skyrockets; even soul beasts several ranks higher can't pierce it.
The Fire Evil Tyrant lay like a wilted octopus, flattened—literally. That giant almost stomped it to paste, and only held back after the mysterious human youth spoke…
Its proud corrosion, fire, and mental attributes left no trace on that mountain-like body.
Utter domination.
The two ten-thousand-year beasts exchanged looks, seeing rage in each other's eyes. They were about to move, but the behemoth cast them a cold glance. They instantly wilted, turned away, and kept silent.
"Fire Evil Tyrant, and… Devourer Beast."
Su Wen clicked his tongue.
Both had decent talent.
Especially the Devourer—its ability is pretty busted. But his Poké Balls couldn't be bought or forged like in games; they were Ultimately limited. Otherwise he'd be very curious about that devouring-evolution.
"Hey, is your Evil Emperor home?"
Su Wen looked at the Fire Evil Tyrant with interest—basically a copy of the Evil Eye Tyrant, a big red octopus.
Fire Evil Tyrant: "…"
"Where does the Evil Emperor usually reside? The core area?" Su Wen pressed on when it didn't answer.
"…"
The Fire Evil Tyrant grew annoyed.
Dare insult the ancestor?
Truly…
Next moment, to everyone's surprise, the Devourer Beast was the first to charge at the youth, moving so fast it left only afterimages.
"Oh?"
Su Wen raised a brow.
The Devourer's eyes were blood-red, thigh muscles taut as it squeezed out every drop of speed. Its gaping maw dripped foul saliva along the way, like a zombie T-rex from his past life.
That's the price of devouring.
Even terrified, the Devourer still drove it to feed and fill the void, similar to Xuan Zi—only more deranged.
But as it crossed within five meters of Su Wen, the air seemed to congeal; even time slowed.
Before countless watching soul beasts—
Little Gold stomped down. The Devourer shrieked; its tail was nailed to the ground. Its forebody strained but couldn't break free, forced to watch helplessly as the delectable flesh just within reach could not be devoured.
"Roar~!!"
Little Gold bellowed.
Su Wen didn't even turn his head, just sighed.
Boom!!!
A heaven-rending smash followed.
Dust flew.
A shock ring spread from Little Gold's fist. One punch crashed down, a storm of force sweeping the valley. Soul beasts quaked and prostrated in terror.
Only Su Wen at the eye of the storm remained unmoved, sleeves fluttering, never sparing a glance.
The Devourer was pulverized.
Bones crushed to grit, leaving only a bloodstain on the yellowed grass.
"Roar~"
Little Gold huffed, cast a cold look at the stupefied Fire Evil Tyrant, then lumbered to the creek to wash the blood away. At over forty meters tall, each step made the earth groan.
"Let's go. We should hit the road early," Su Wen clapped his hands and stood.
"Otherwise the Evil Emperor will be asleep, and it'd be rude to disturb him."
"…"
Watching the trio's receding backs—
The Fire Evil Tyrant finally realized these two humans' strength was far beyond the weaklings it used to feed on…
What were they seeking the ancestor for?
After hesitating, it slunk off the other way.
Its spirit sense spread.
Like an ant's antennae, it searched for kin—stronger members of the Evil Eye lineage.
…
"Holy Spirit Cult."
From the ridge, Su Wen stroked his chin at a cavern in the gorge with a yawning entrance.
Outside the cave, ornate brickwork made it look like a palace gate, but it led straight down who knows how deep. This was the Demonic Forest's periphery—the Evil Emperor's leased land to the Holy Spirit Cult, which made it their base. In the original, Huo Yuhao… took them out in one sweep.
"What, feeling something?"
Gu Yuena knew Su Wen's vendetta with the cult. She smirked, arms folded, silver pupils looking coolly down at the ant-like black-robed figures hauling cargo.
"Too early…" Su Wen shook his head.
Right now at their main base,
Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao were likely present.
Even if he went in for the kill, he could retreat—Silver Dragon King as his safety net—but it'd be a hassle.
Elder Mu, via Zhongli Wu, had an unspoken accord with the cult: Elder Mu wouldn't face a life-threat in the Sun Moon Empire. So there was no need to strike first.
In three years…
Old and new debts together.
"Come on. Our target is the Evil Eye Tyrant Dominator."
Su Wen's figure flickered and vanished.
Gu Yuena nodded, cast a killing look at the cave below, then followed.
…
Demonic Forest.
Core region.
The entire sky was dyed bright crimson, as if flames rolled in the clouds. Countless sky-blotting tentacles waved. At the center, a massive eye fixed a greedy gaze on Su Wen.
"Divine power…"
"Some time ago, I sensed a trace of divine aura in Sunset Forest. I went to investigate but was too late to find clues. Never thought you'd deliver yourself today."
The Evil Emperor's joy overflowed. Its spiritual power surged like a vast sea.
In its sight, nothing in the Demonic Forest could hide.
Least of all the ant-like Su Wen.
Of course, it also noticed the girl beside him. Its huge pupil shrank: "You are…"
Gu Yuena was impassive, not answering.
She looked at Su Wen.
"Didn't expect, despite my caution that day, the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well's aura still leaked. But I didn't think you could sense that faint ripple from ten thousand miles away."
"That's divine power!" the Evil Emperor raved.
"I once went to the Star Dou Forest to fight Di Tian for that white silkworm, but failed. Now my end is near. Without certainty, I will perish on this continent. I am unwilling!"
"Boy, die!"
The Evil Emperor's gaze flared.
"Light of Time-Space!"
A dazzling deep-blue beam shot from its giant pupils. Time seemed to halt. The sky turned deep blue. A sheen of that blue fell on Su Wen, spreading over him like ice.
It coveted the dragon core on Su Wen.
If it could devour it, godhood might be possible.
"No!"
Gu Yuena's pupils quaked.
In human form, reverting to her true body needed time—just a tenth of a second—but still too slow.
The Evil Emperor struck too abruptly.
"Aoo!"
A silver dragon's roar.
It echoed through the forest.
Soul beasts trembled.
Even the Evil Eye Tyrant froze in shock. It had only probed that she was a true dragon, but hadn't expected a true Silver Dragon—an existence comparable to gods without relying on a divine seat!
How could such a being be on this continent? Hidden so deep even it hadn't sensed it?!!
But it was too late.
Gu Yuena was utterly enraged.
She revealed her true dragon body without caring whether the God Realm would notice. The Silver Dragon King's full might erupted. Though she still carried injuries, it was enough to match half-god level.
Silver claws seized the giant eye and several tentacles. Amid the Evil Emperor's wail, she smashed it into the ground.
Elements burst forth.
Through her claws, she froze, scorched, and thunder-blasted the eye; light and darkness mingled. Only the forest's sovereign's desolate howls remained.
"Cough, cough…"
Su Wen's voice sounded.
The thousand-zhang, sky-blotting Silver Dragon trembled and looked back at Su Wen hovering midair.
That was the Evil Emperor's full-force strike.
Even Di Tian needed hundreds of years to recover from it, yet Su Wen…
"Thanks to the Azure Luan."
Su Wen forced a smile, patting the holy Azure Luan at his side whose eyes brimmed with worry, soothing its wings.
"Didn't expect such an overtuned kit—able to tank damage at this level. This Life Shield's lock HP' skill is cracked."
HP locked at 20%, and after 15 seconds of invulnerability, restored to 60%.
Those 15 seconds were overdrive + invuln.
When the 15 seconds ended, he felt his body suddenly weaken, but with a gulp of life force and the Azure Luan's healing, he looked almost fine.
"How do we handle it?"
The Silver Dragon King, pride restored, still pinned the Evil Emperor down. Su Wen's lock-HP skill had a long cooldown; if he got hit again by a sudden strike, that'd be bad…
"Evil Emperor, I have what you want?"
Su Wen raised a brow.
"Yes! A Dragon King's core is on you!" the Evil Emperor mumbled.
"You want godhood?"
"Nonsense!"
"Then get in the Poké Ball."
Su Wen's smile faded. This guy was too dangerous—calling the Silver Dragon King had been absolutely right.
"What Poké Ball?"
The Evil Emperor was baffled. A red ball flew at it; a column of light rose. It instinctively resisted such restraint.
But when the light faded—
The youth in the sky looked at it blandly.
"Beat it. Beat it until it agrees."