"No way!" Su Wen scratched his head awkwardly.
He shot Gale a look: Why didn't you say so earlier?!
"Master didn't allow it," Gale shrunk its neck. "I tried to inform you but was stopped."
Su Wen: "..."
His lips twitched. Did she really listen outside all night?
That's pretty twisted…
"I actually came at ten past midnight. You two were already… asleep." Gu Yuena seemed to sense something wrong with her words, coughed lightly, and tried to explain herself.
But behind her, Gale shook its head heavily at Su Wen.
Clearly, things weren't as "coincidental" as Gu Yuena claimed.
Su Wen: "..."
"Get lost!"
Gu Yuena, embarrassed and angry, yelled at Gale.
"Okay!" Gale quickly flew up to the top of a towering ancient tree, its figure quickly vanishing.
Gale's current strength was comparable to a level 97 Super Douluo—almost enough to rank among the top ten ferocious beasts. But in front of Gu Yuena, the Sovereign of soul beasts, it seemed utterly humble.
The Silver Dragon King, the ruler of all soul beasts, radiated a pressure straight from the bloodline—especially since her power had reached the divine level.
"Cough, cough, cough…"
With Gale gone, the atmosphere grew strange.
Who would secretly listen outside all night?
Su Wen hadn't bothered to suppress their voices—after all, Gale was nearby and his own spiritual power could cover several kilometers. Anyone approaching would be detected instantly.
But he could only sense humans, not "gods," so last night, all the intimate noises between him and Jiang Nannan… were probably heard, every detail, by the Silver Dragon King.
Even weirder was—
She'd just listened all night in this awkward situation.
Did she have some sort of peculiar hobby?
"Come with me to the core area!" Gu Yuena glared at Su Wen, her beautiful eyes flashing with anger.
With that, she lifted her long legs and swept off into the Star Dou Forest.
Su Wen silently followed.
...
Lake of Life.
Green trees cast shade, the lake shone with a jade-like glow.
"Master!"
Several figures bowed respectfully.
Su Wen stood beside Gu Yuena, smiling at the group.
"Master, for such an important meeting—letting a human listen in, isn't that inappropriate?" Bear Lord frowned at Su Wen, clearly displeased.
"Is it your place to speak?" Gu Yuena replied flatly, her gaze sweeping over Bear Lord. Instantly, he felt a pressure as heavy as a mountain on his shoulders, forcing him to his knees.
"I don't dare! I know my mistake!" Bear Lord's face changed and he hurriedly apologized.
The others fell silent.
But their curiosity about Su Wen only grew. What had he done to win Master's favor in recent years?
The last time they saw Su Wen, he'd come for the Emerald Swan. But now… who knows?
He'd reached the Soul Sage level among humans.
But that was it.
In front of the continent's top ferocious beasts, it didn't amount to much.
"As you all know," Gu Yuena swept her gaze around, speaking calmly, "I traveled with the Auspicious Beast through the human world. It was enlightening—my outlook has broadened. We used to be too narrow-minded: either holding absolute hostility toward humans and starting war, or being too soft, hoping they'd change and coexist with us."
Bear Lord and Bi Ji's expressions changed.
"But now, as I see it… humans won't change." Gu Yuena continued.
"They act for their own benefit. As long as soul rings and bones from soul beasts are useful, or if they can't find alternatives, the extinction of soul beasts is only a matter of time."
"Extinction."
The word hung heavy in the air.
"Then let's fight them!" Bear Lord growled, face savage.
"Simple-minded brute. If you're so eager, go fight them yourself." Gu Yuena shot him a look of disdain.
Bear Lord froze and fell silent, head drooping.
"Then, Master, what solution do you have?" Di Tian, silent until now, judged the situation and asked cautiously.
"What solution? Hmph! As the Dragon God's avatar and the soul beasts' ruler, of course I have a solution." Gu Yuena said proudly.
But as the other beasts looked at her with hope, she poked Su Wen: "Go ahead."
All the beasts: "..."
Su Wen: "..."
"Tsk…" Su Wen shrugged helplessly, met the increasingly unfriendly looks, and spoke flatly: "Two options."
"One, find a way to coexist peacefully."
"Two, when I become a god, I'll move all soul beasts to another planet."
"..."
All the beasts were speechless.
Become a god?
Isn't that a bit much?
But just as they wanted to call Su Wen's bluff, Gu Yuena seriously considered both plans, but rejected the second.
"This is the soul beasts' home, our origin—I won't leave and take everyone away."
"I choose the first."
"Then start de-spirit boning, de-spirit ringing, and push for soul contracts," Su Wen said seriously.
"That would mean changing the fundamental laws of this world—modifying it so you don't need soul rings to advance, and erasing soul bones from soul beasts…"
"Of course, that still requires me to become a god first…"
All the beasts: "..."
Master, he's playing you!
What if he never becomes a god?
Yet Gu Yuena nodded firmly, trusting him: "Alright, I'll wait."
All the beasts: "Sigh!" (Facepalming)
"Lord Su Wen, what about the child of the Emerald Swan clan? It's still contracted to you, isn't it?" Bi Ji asked gently, but there was a hint of skepticism in her tone.
She was clearly starting to have doubts about Su Wen.
Is he a scammer?
"Indeed." Su Wen nodded.
"Then could you call it out, so I can see how it's changed over the years?" Bi Ji narrowed her eyes.
"And mine too!" Bear Lord grumbled.
"No problem!" Su Wen smiled.
"Xuan Ji, Azure Luan."
A hundred-meter-tall ferocious beast slowly revealed itself, its huge pupils calmly overlooking Bear Lord and the others. These creatures had shown little respect for its master, so even as their ancestor, it gave them no face.
Azure Luan also appeared, looking like a legendary phoenix—exquisite, beautiful, wings rippling as if emerging from a painting.
Bear Lord and Bi Ji's eyes widened.
They stared in shock.
"Behemoth bloodline!" "Phoenix bloodline!"
After just a few years, they'd evolved this far!
Even scarier, their strength was now almost equal to their elders…