Chapter 179: The Journey to the Great Star Dou Forest
The Great Star Dou Forest.
Dense canopies blotted out the sun. Only occasionally did a few stubborn rays of sunlight struggle through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow upon the ground. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the faint fragrance of unknown plants. From somewhere far in the distance, a few low, muffled beast roars echoed briefly before swiftly returning to silence.
Furina and Neuvillette walked almost shoulder to shoulder.
Strangely enough, the soul beasts lurking in the surrounding forest—the moment they caught even a whiff of the aura emanating from Neuvillette—fled in utter panic and disarray, desperately retreating as if wishing they could keep miles away. Some even prostrated themselves directly on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, having lost even the courage to flee.
Neuvillette's person not only carried the terrifying presence of a Limit Douluo but also contained the bloodline pressure of the Ancient Dragon's Authority. He was the true "Water Dragon King." Although this aura was utterly foreign to the soul beasts of the Great Star Dou Forest, on the level of bloodline, it was an absolute, unquestionable suppression.
For soul beasts, bloodline was everything. A powerful bloodline meant powerful strength; it meant absolute dominion. It was the gap between a king and a commoner, or even more exaggerated than that. In the face of such pressure, ordinary soul beasts couldn't even muster the thought of malice or the desire to resist.
Neuvillette, however, seemed utterly oblivious to the commotion he was causing. He tilted his head slightly and looked at Furina beside him, his tone carrying a trace of helplessness and puzzlement:
"Lady Furina, what have you brought me here for? There are still many official matters waiting for me to handle back at the Water God Church."
Furina blinked impishly, her smile like that of a little fox who had just stolen a fish: "Oh dear, I need you as my bodyguard to protect me!"
Neuvillette sighed helplessly, his expression exactly like that of an old father who could do nothing with his mischievous daughter: "Then don't come to such a dangerous place, Lady Furina."
Furina pouted her lips, her expression taking on a rare touch of seriousness: "It can't be helped. For the sake of my grand plan, I must find a way to win over allies. Although that Silver Dragon King's brain may not be the sharpest, at least her strength is still usable."
She grumbled inwardly: The Silver Dragon King is said to have inherited the Dragon God's wisdom, but the way Furina sees it—the Dragon God's frenzied state of madness, not recognizing friend from foe, coupled with the fact that before dying, he still remembered to curse the soul beasts, declaring that as long as he did not return, soul beasts would never be able to become gods...
From this, it seems his wisdom was probably also limited. As his half-body, just how much wisdom the Silver Dragon King actually inherited is really hard to say.
But no matter what, she was still a First-Class Deity, and her spiritual power had even reached the God King realm. Although heavily injured and not yet recovered, needing to recuperate for ten thousand years, at full exertion she was probably still around the level of a First-Class Deity.
With her strength added to the cause, she would become an important asset in the fight against Tang San.
Although the God of Destruction was powerful, and his subordinates were strong, one shouldn't put all their eggs in a single basket. What if Tang San came up with some new tricks, or roped in some powerful new allies, or even released the Golden Dragon King—that would be troublesome.
One more combatant meant one more layer of security. After all, once a person is truly driven to desperation with no way out, they are capable of anything—especially a hypocrite like Tang San.
Under Neuvillette's protection, the two advanced without the slightest hindrance and soon approached the core region of the Great Star Dou Forest.
However, just as they were about to reach the Lake of Life—
Several powerful auras erupted abruptly, surging from all directions, carrying undisguised warning and hostility.
But before Neuvillette, those auras were as fleeting as a flash in the pan, quickly dissipating into nothingness.
Neuvillette paused his steps slightly, surveying the surroundings warily, his tone carrying a touch of gravity: "Lady Furina, be cautious. It seems the hosts here do not welcome us."
No sooner had his words faded than several figures slowly emerged from the depths of the dense forest.
At the lead was a man clad in black, his black hair cascading like a waterfall, his pupils a striking gold. The aura around him was restrained and inward, yet gave off a sense of unfathomable, oppressive depth. Flanking him stood a green-haired woman and a purple-haired woman—the former gentle and serene like water, the latter bewitching and fiery like flame.
Further behind, three more figures appeared: an ancient tree of bizarre and peculiar form, a massive bear of extraordinarily robust build, and a majestic, awe-inspiring three-headed mastiff.
Without exception, all of them exuded the cultivation aura of hundred-thousand-year levels and above.
Furina's pupils contracted slightly.
She had anticipated that Di Tian might appear, but she hadn't expected that all the Savage Beasts of the Great Star Dou Forest would come out in full force.
The black-clad man was naturally Di Tian himself—the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, ranked first among the Ten Great Savage Beasts, with nine hundred thousand years of cultivation.
The green-haired woman beside him was the Emerald Swan, Bi Ji; the purple-haired woman was the Hell Demon Dragon King, Zi Ji.
The remaining three were naturally the Ten Thousand Demon King, Bear Lord, and Crimson King.
Six pairs of eyes simultaneously focused on Neuvillette, carrying scrutiny, vigilance, and a trace of poorly concealed wariness. As for Furina—this young girl of mere Soul King level—aside from an occasional glance from Di Tian, she was almost completely ignored.
Di Tian stared intently at Neuvillette and spoke in a deep voice: "Who are you?"
He could clearly perceive the powerful bloodline pressure emanating from the other party. Had he not once followed the Dragon God, with his bloodline sufficiently supreme and his strength sufficiently formidable, under this pressure, he would have long since fallen to his knees.
Zi Ji's condition was noticeably poor—her face pale, fine beads of cold sweat seeping from her forehead. Di Tian had originally not wanted her to come, but Zi Ji insisted. She could not shrink back at a critical moment; she could not lose face for the Ten Great Savage Beasts.
Di Tian could not dissuade her and could only agree, while secretly mobilizing his own power to shield her from Neuvillette's bloodline suppression.
"I am merely here as an escort," Neuvillette replied calmly, his gaze subtly gesturing in Furina's direction as he spoke.
Di Tian and the others instantly understood—the young girl of Soul King level whom they had overlooked was the true lead here.
Furina did not rashly step forward.
She was on guard against that Silver Dragon King launching a sudden sneak attack. Her person now carried the aura of gods, especially that of the Goddess of Life—a scent the Silver Dragon King was likely all too familiar with.
After all, that was one of the five great God Kings who had once besieged the Dragon God. To say she wouldn't recognize it would be utter nonsense.
Though she did also carry a strand of the God of Destruction's divine consciousness for protection—should a crisis arise, he would appear to help deal with it. But this trump card could not be used prematurely, especially not at a time like this; it would easily give Tang San ammunition to use against her.
Furina cleared her throat lightly twice, composed herself, and spoke neither obsequiously nor arrogantly: "As for me, I've come to see your Sovereign on important matters to discuss."
Her tone was flat, yet it was like a pebble cast into a tranquil lake.
Di Tian and the others felt as though tempestuous waves had been stirred in their hearts.
Soul masters could not possibly know that their Ten Great Savage Beasts had a true Sovereign—the shared master of all soul beasts, the supreme and paramount existence in the hearts of all soul beasts. Even the remaining Limit Douluos across the Douluo Continent were unaware of this secret.
How, then, did this young girl before them know?
Countless thoughts flashed through Di Tian's mind in an instant: Could a god have told her? But if the Divine Realm knew of the Sovereign's existence, why had no deities been sent down to encircle and suppress her?
He couldn't fathom whether Furina's words were true or false and could only choose to feign ignorance.
"What Sovereign?" Di Tian furrowed his brow slightly, his tone carrying a hint of impatience. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The aura around him suddenly surged, golden light flickering in his eyes: "I, Di Tian—ranked first among the Ten Great Savage Beasts as you humans call them, a nine-hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King—am the one and only master of this Great Star Dou Forest!"
The words were spoken with overbearing dominance, brooking no doubt.
Bear Lord, standing at the side, was quite displeased with Di Tian's posture of "sole supremacy," but he wasn't foolish enough to undermine him at a time like this. He merely snorted coldly and said nothing.
Furina, however, just waved a hand dismissively, her face wearing an expression that was not quite a smile: "Give it up, Di Tian. Don't bother pretending. Do you really want me to finish speaking in front of everyone? Your boss is recuperating at the bottom of the Lake of Life in the core region—she is the Dragon God's..."
"Stop!"
Di Tian's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly shouted to cut her off.
He absolutely could not let Furina speak the Sovereign's true name on the spot. What if she had merely learned this secret through some chance means, and the Divine Realm was still unaware? If she spoke it aloud, wouldn't that expose the Sovereign's location?
Besides, if a god had told Furina, then it was likely some deity harboring selfish motives who wished to cooperate with the Sovereign. After all, even gods had their own schemes and calculations, not to mention that the vast majority of gods were originally humans who had ascended.
In any case, he could not let her continue.
Di Tian drew a deep breath, struggling to calm the surging emotions within him, and said in a low voice: "What exactly do you want, seeking our... Sovereign?"
He had ultimately admitted it.
The corner of Furina's lips curved upward slightly: "Mutual cooperation and shared victory, nothing more. As for the details, I wish to discuss them personally with your Sovereign."
"Just you?"
A rough, brusque voice suddenly rang out.
Bear Lord had transformed into human form and strode forward in large steps, pointing at Furina, his eyes filled with contempt and fury: "Just a little girl like you, and that Dragon King beside you? Although his aura is very powerful, at least a top-tier Limit Douluo, comparable to that fellow Di Tian. But on our side—all the Savage Beasts of the Great Star Dou Forest are assembled! With a single command from us, the other hundred-thousand-year soul beasts will also swarm in!"
He bared his teeth in a savage grin, revealing stark white fangs: "How many can he fend off alone? And can he protect you under those circumstances?"
Hearing this, Neuvillette's brow furrowed slightly. He did not grow angry. His tone remained calm as ever, yet carried an unwavering, undeniable resolve: "If it is possible, I have no wish to come to blows with any of you. But if it must be settled through force, I will not show any mercy either."
As his words fell, the restrained and hidden aura around him suddenly erupted. Though not sharp or fierce, it was as vast and boundless as the deep sea, inspiring awe and dread in those who beheld it.
Di Tian reached out a hand to stop Bear Lord and said in a low voice: "Do not act rashly. Engaging here is unwise."
Bear Lord might not be able to perceive it, but Di Tian had once followed the Dragon God and had also set foot in the divine realm. He could clearly detect those two faint yet unmistakable traces of divine aura upon Furina.
The consequences of starting a fight here were unpredictable. If it truly drew the attention of the Divine Realm, that would be disastrous.
Di Tian turned to Furina, his gaze sharp as a torch: "How do I know you are sincere in cooperation, and not harboring ulterior motives?"
Furina, however, was neither hurried nor flustered, the same calm and unruffled smile still hanging on her face: "I only know that this is your only choice."
She enunciated each word, her tone absolutely certain: "Otherwise, soul beasts will sooner or later be driven to extinction. Your great, long-cherished wish will never come true—soul beasts will never be able to become gods."
She paused, her gaze sweeping one by one over the six Savage Beasts before her, finally resting on Di Tian's face: "Think it over carefully."
A deep silence fell over the dense forest.
Only the rustle of wind through the leaves and the low, muffled whimpers of unknown soul beasts in the distance could be heard.
Di Tian remained silent for a long, long time, complex emotions flickering through his eyes. Finally, he slowly spoke: "...You, come with me."
He turned and walked toward the Lake of Life.
Furina and Neuvillette exchanged a glance and stepped forward to follow.
Behind them, Bear Lord's face was dark and gloomy, but in the end, he did not say another word.