Chapter 2 – The Surprising Figure / Explanation Before the Encounter
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Deep within the heart of a vast forest lay a mysterious place revered by all spirit beasts — a sacred land where only the most powerful of their kind resided. Among them were spirit beasts that had lived for more than a hundred thousand years. These ancient beings were the rulers of all other spirit beasts, and even the weakest among them would require a Super Douluo to face in battle.
Gu Yuena, known as the Silver Dragon King, was one of the two divine halves of the once-mighty Dragon God. The Dragon God had been split apart by the Asura God during the cataclysmic war millions of years ago — a war between the descendants of the Dragon God and the Gods of the Divine Realm. Gu Yuena, aware of the truth behind that battle, harbored deep resentment toward the Gods. Meanwhile, the Golden Dragon King, her other half, remained imprisoned by the ruling Gods who had sealed him away.
One day, while resting deep within her domain in the Star Dou Great Forest, Gu Yuena suddenly felt a familiar fluctuation of energy — something that stirred the depths of her soul. Di Tian, the Beast God and her most loyal subordinate, sensed it as well and immediately reported to his Mistress.
Di Tian entered the cave where Gu Yuena was meditating.
"Master, did you feel it too? Shall I go and investigate?" he asked respectfully.
Gu Yuena, who was too weak to even move her body or speak aloud, responded through her spiritual power.
"Di Tian, let my clone investigate this. That presence feels… familiar — similar to the Golden Dragon King, yet not quite the same. Let Na'er handle this."
As Gu Yuena released a wave of spiritual energy, a faint silver light shimmered before her. Slowly, the light took shape — a young silver-haired girl, fully dressed, her eyes opening to reveal a pair of beautiful, glowing irises.
That girl was Na'er, and she would soon be the one to meet Zhao Fan a few hours later. Since Na'er was a fragment of Gu Yuena herself, Gu Yuena could perceive everything Na'er saw and felt.
Di Tian bowed deeply upon seeing the little girl. Despite her small appearance, she radiated the same divine authority as Gu Yuena. Na'er smiled softly at him — she was the gentle side of Gu Yuena.
"Di Tian, I want you to guard this place and protect everyone else. Please, look after them, alright?" she said gently.
Di Tian was taken aback but nodded solemnly.
Noticing the hesitation in his heart, Na'er spoke again, calm and reassuring.
"If there's something you wish to say, speak freely."
Di Tian hesitated, then said, "My Lady… I fear that if powerful humans or even the Gods detect your aura, they might come after you. You are still recovering, and this current body of yours… it looks as fragile as a human child's."
Na'er chuckled softly, then reached out her small hand and gently patted the massive head of the black dragon before her.
Di Tian froze — no one had ever touched him like that before. Awkward and unsure, he simply lowered his head, while Na'er smiled like an innocent child — which, in this form, she truly was.
"Don't worry," she said calmly. "That fluctuation I felt… it's helping me recover. I will approach it and observe. Whoever it is, I sense that their presence can suppress my aura — perhaps even hide it. So there's no need to worry."
After saying that, Na'er stopped stroking his head and began walking out of the cave to inform the others — Bi Ji, the Emerald Swan, Xiong Jun, the Demon Bear King, and Zi Ji, a young Purple Dragon descended from the same bloodline as Di Tian — making her, in a way, his little cousin.
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Scene shift — present time.
Zhao Fan and Na'er were walking side by side, talking casually to ease the awkwardness between them. After a while, their conversation faded as they saw a wide, open field not far ahead.
Zhao Fan's eyes lit up.
"Finally! The outer edge of the forest! Come on, Na'er, let's find the nearest village!"
Seeing his excitement, Na'er smiled and nodded. But as they began walking faster, she suddenly felt Zhao Fan's hand gently holding hers.
They continued down the path together, emerging from the Star Dou Great Forest. Before long, they spotted a dirt road — a path for horse-drawn carriages — and decided to follow it. Zhao Fan looked around like a child discovering a new world, his eyes filled with wonder.
The sky was bright and blue, clouds drifting lazily above — a sight that filled his heart with warmth.
'So this is what a fantasy world looks like,' Zhao Fan thought to himself, gazing at the endless sky. 'It's even more beautiful than I imagined from the anime I used to watch.'
Na'er, however, didn't like the expression on his face for some reason. She subconsciously tightened her grip on his hand, making Zhao Fan wince.
"Ouch— Na'er, what's wrong? You're squeezing too hard! My hand's about to break!" he said with a confused smile.
Na'er looked away, her expression unreadable.
'I… don't know why, but seeing him like that irritates me,' she thought silently.
Zhao Fan, meanwhile, was clueless. He'd never been close to any girl before — in his previous life, every girl who approached him had ulterior motives, so he had learned to keep his distance. But Na'er was different — she felt divine, untouchable, and yet strangely close.
After a few silent steps, Na'er spoke softly,
"Sorry… I was just thinking about something annoying."
Zhao Fan simply nodded, clearing his throat and choosing not to pry further. They continued their journey toward the village ahead.
Hours passed as they walked without rest. Finally, the two young travelers saw a small village in the distance.
"Na'er, look! A village! Let's go — it's finally time to awaken our martial spirits!" Zhao Fan said eagerly.
Na'er nodded, and the two ran toward the village together.
As they neared the entrance, Zhao Fan suddenly noticed someone familiar. A young boy carrying a bundle of firewood on his back — thin, pale, and clearly undernourished.
There was something mature, almost weary, about his eyes. Feeling Zhao Fan's gaze, the boy turned — their eyes met.
In that brief moment, Zhao Fan felt a shock deep within his heart.
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To Be Continued…