Deep within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, in that mysterious space split by extreme cold and intense heat, time seemed to stand still.
Chen Yi hovered in mid-air, eyes tightly closed, veins bulging on his forehead like coiled dragons. Beads of sweat that had just seeped from his pores were instantly either evaporated or frozen into tiny ice crystals by the alternating currents of ice and fire around him.
At this moment, the pair of Ice-Fire bone wings on his back were slowly unfolding at a speed visible to the naked eye. The bones were crystal clear, as if sculpted from millennia-old ice, yet fiery red-gold patterns like molten lava flowed within them. Every inch of the bone trembled slightly, releasing a heart-palpitating fluctuation, as if life was about to awaken from within.
The fusion process was extremely perilous.
The two primal forces of extreme cold and searing heat, like two unruly ancient dragons, clashed and rampaged through his meridians. Wherever the frost passed, his blood nearly froze; when the flames surged, his flesh felt as though it were melting. The two forces refused to yield to each other; every collision made Chen Yi's body shake violently.
If not for Chen Yi's iron will, and the previous tempering of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well—already far beyond the limits of ordinary Soul Elders—he would have been annihilated by this terrifying energy clash.
At this moment, Chen Yi's entire consciousness was submerged in the chaotic ocean of energy within his body. With astonishing willpower, he guided the two rampaging forces, trying to establish the deepest possible connection with the Frost-Ending Heavenly Wings bone behind him. Every successful harmonization of ice and fire, driven by the energy in his body, made the patterns on the bone wings clearer and more intricate.
Beside Chen Yi, two solid, majestic dragon soul phantoms coiled around the dragon bones, one on the left and one on the right. The Ice Dragon King's soul looked to be sculpted from millennia-old ice, radiating a chill that could seemingly freeze space itself. The Fire Dragon King's phantom resembled molten lava drawn from the earth's core, the air around it warped and blurred by terrifying heat.
Although the gazes of the two ancient Dragon Kings would occasionally sweep over Chen Yi, who was at a critical stage, their attention was mostly fixed on the seemingly calm, still void behind him. In their eyes was the profound insight of beings who had seen countless eras, tinged with an almost playful expectation.
A deathly silence enveloped the underground space. Only the hissing of surging ice and fire, and the subtle popping of Chen Yi's bones under the impact of energy, echoed especially clearly in this sealed, silent world.
After a long, long time, the void remained utterly still.
The Ice Dragon King chuckled first, his voice like the friction of ancient glaciers—bone-deep cold, carrying a hint of indescribable nostalgia.
"A thousand years pass in the blink of an eye, old friend. Now that you're here, why bother hiding your head and tail?"
The Fire Dragon King beside him let out a low, rumbling groan. The scorching heat he exuded distorted the surrounding air. His voice was loud and unrestrained, carrying the unique arrogance of an ancient dragon king.
"You still haven't changed your habit of hiding your head and showing your tail, old bug. Come out."
The words of the two Dragon Kings seemed imbued with some strange power of law. The moment their voices fell, the void they were staring at rippled like the surface of a lake struck by a tossed pebble.
In the next instant, a not particularly tall figure, completely shrouded in a simple gray robe, appeared without warning. He stood there quietly, his aura perfectly blending into the surrounding space. If one did not deliberately focus on him, one would almost overlook his existence.
Surrounded by the raging auras of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, he resembled a small boat in a raging storm—drifting with the currents, yet completely unshaken.
However, the remnant souls of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings could clearly sense that beneath those gray robes was a power as vast as the starry sky, as profound and unfathomable as space itself. That power was solid and restrained, belonging to one of the seven elemental gods of the Divine Realm, the supreme god wielding authority over space—the Space God.
The hood of the gray robe tilted up slightly. In the shadow beneath the hood, a pair of eyes that seemed able to pierce through eternity fell upon the massive phantoms of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings' dragon souls. On that otherwise unremarkable face, his gaze held the calm of countless years, and beneath that calm surged complex, indescribable emotion—recollections of past glory, sighs for fallen friends, and perhaps even a faint regret that came from having once stood on opposing sides.
Seeing their old friend descend in his true form, a hint of bewilderment and deep, inexpressible emotion flickered in the eyes of the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King. Memories of the past surged forth like a tidal wave, as if pulling them back to that distant, glorious era.
In those days, the Dragon Gods ruled over divine beasts and were feared throughout the universe. As kings of the dragon race, these two were also exceptionally accomplished in the elemental arts. It was then that they became acquainted with the eight elemental gods who stood at the pinnacle of elemental power in the Divine Realm.
They had once raised their cups together, discussing the world and laughing at the ever-changing times. They had also fought side by side, entrusting their backs to one another without reservation, using absolute strength to quell several dimensional disturbances that sought to overturn order.
That camaraderie, forged with trust and power, was a precious memory etched deep into their souls.
They had thought time would go on like that forever—but the world is unpredictable.
The Divine Realm collapsed, the Dragon God perished, and the bloodline of divine beasts was almost completely wiped out. The two dragons also fell in that cataclysmic divine war, leaving only a wisp of residual soul lingering within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, barely subsisting by depending on the primal sources of ice and fire here.
Now that they met again, one side was but the final remnants of the dragon race, their lingering souls trapped in this perilous land. The other side had become a supreme god, wielding the power of space itself.
The world had changed beyond recognition. Nothing could be more poignant.
How could this not fill them with endless sorrow?
The Ice Dragon King was the first to break away from his distant memories. The sentimentality in his dragon eyes was quickly replaced by a hint of his usual mockery. He broke the heavy silence, his voice cold and laced with sarcasm:
"Tsk tsk, this is truly rare. Since when did you elemental gods, known for keeping a low profile, start disregarding the ironclad rules set by those old fogies in the God Realm Committee to descend to the lower realm in your true forms?"
"Aren't you afraid that those impartial law-enforcement gods will notice and accuse you of interfering with the operation of the lower realm?"
The Space God was silent for a moment. His wide gray robe seemed to merge into the space behind him, then rippled faintly. He showed no emotion despite the Ice Dragon King's provocation; his voice was calm and direct, as if merely stating a fact:
"Rules are rigid, but gods are flexible. There are ways to adapt to the rules."
"Besides, my purpose in coming here is not to interfere with the operation of the lower realm, but to protect it."
Upon hearing the word "protect," the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves, Just as we expected.
They hadn't made excessive demands of Chen Yi earlier precisely because they had foreseen this. As the future hope of the elemental god lineage, how could the seven elemental gods not pay close attention?
The Space God turned his head slightly, his gaze beneath the hood sweeping over Chen Yi, who was undergoing the final fusion with the Frost-Ending Heavenly Wings. A barely perceptible concern flashed in his eyes, then he continued:
"About a year ago, the undying obsession left behind by my elder brother before his demise broke through the dimensional barrier and briefly descended upon the God Realm to announce to all the gods that the Thunder God was about to return."
Thunder God was the strongest of the elemental gods, the undisputed leader and absolute core of the elemental god faction. His fall had been an immeasurable loss. Now, not only had his divine position reappeared in the world, but it had risen to the legendary level of a God-King. This was of immense significance to the increasingly weakened elemental pantheon.
It was no wonder that these elemental gods, usually aloof from worldly affairs, were so tense now—tense enough to break tacit rules.
The Space God continued, his voice growing more solemn:
"Before his obsession dissipated, my elder brother entrusted us siblings, with utmost seriousness, to take good care of his successor—ensure that he can grow smoothly until he has the power and temperament to inherit the divine position."
"Therefore," the Space God's voice remained calm, but carried an undeniable determination, "over the past year, the seven of us have taken turns using our divine senses to monitor the entire Douluo Continent, ensuring that no power exceeds the limits… and that no malicious individuals disturb his growth."
Seven elemental gods jointly monitoring an entire lower realm, solely to protect a human soul master who had not yet matured—this was unprecedented, and it spoke volumes about how highly they regarded the seat of the Thunder God.
The Fire Dragon King slightly nodded his massive head, his scorching aura easing somewhat. He scrutinized the Space God with those ancient dragon eyes and asked the key question:
"If that's the case, it should be enough for you seven elemental gods to secretly monitor and protect him with your divine senses. Why do you still need to descend here in your true form?"
This was what truly puzzled the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings. With the power of the seven elemental gods, they could deal with most unexpected events simply by crossing the dimensional barrier. Moreover, Chen Yi possessed a life-saving technique left behind by the Thunder God; even the two ancient Dragon Kings might not be able to truly harm him.
The Space God slightly raised his head. The shadow beneath his hood seemed to thin, revealing a sharply defined jawline. His voice was still calm, yet carried a faint, almost imperceptible gentleness.
"I came here simply to feel the presence of old friends… and to visit them."
This answer left the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings speechless.
In the past, they would never have believed such a simple explanation. But thinking about their current state, they had to admit it: they were now nothing more than wisps of souls on the verge of dissipation, their very foundations almost exhausted. Even if they wished to do something, what could they possibly accomplish?
Upon hearing this, the Ice Dragon King's illusory dragon soul swayed slightly. His icy whiskers trembled as he let out a low murmur, somewhere between a sigh and a chuckle:
"It's rare that you still have this heart. Seems the long years in the God Realm haven't completely worn away that bit of humanity in your bones."
The Fire Dragon King exhaled two scorching streams of dragon breath, cracking and charring the air itself. His tone remained rough and forceful, but it had lost much of its earlier sharpness.
"Hmph. At least you old codger still have some conscience left and know how to cherish old ties."
As time flows on, past grudges and past friendships alike are softened by its erosion. At this moment, in this mysterious space where ice and fire intertwined, the gazes of three ancient beings who had once stood at the pinnacle of the world met once more.
The emotions contained therein were perhaps beyond even their own comprehension.
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