"Y-you..." Xiao Wu's lips moved, struggling to form a coherent sentence, but she couldn't quite manage it. Among all the creatures present, she was the most affected by the revelation.
Lu Yuan touched Xiao Wu's long hair, playfully teasing, "What's wrong? Am I not the same person? Why the surprise?"
Xiao Wu rolled her eyes in exasperation. This was not the same thing at all!
Her surprise stemmed from the shift in Lu Yuan's identity, not from the idea that he was somehow different. After all, even if he wasn't the Ice Fire Dragon King, the gap between him and herself was still considerable.
"Alright, alright, don't be mad," Lu Yuan consoled, standing up. He turned to the Mandala Snake Emperor, who was bowing before him.
Remembering correctly, Tang San's first spirit ring was obtained from a Datura Snake. As they say, the enemy of an enemy could be a friend. Although the Mandala Snake Emperor wasn't an enemy of Tang San, Lu Yuan believed it might become one in the future, just because Tang San was his enemy.
Observing the Mandala Snake Emperor, Lu Yuan said, "As a reward for your boldness in questioning me, I've given you a chance. However, whether you can seize this opportunity is up to you, not me."
In response to this, the Mandala Snake Emperor lowered its massive snake head even further and respectfully replied, "Please provide clarification, Dragon King."
Upon hearing the title, Lu Yuan's eyelids twitched. He quickly regained his composure, looked around, and continued, "You can choose a soul beast of any race that's over 100,000 years old as your opponent here."
Calculating silently, Lu Yuan determined, "The bright moon is high now, and we'll battle until it sets. If you win, I'll acknowledge you as a dragon-born; if you lose, this matter will be nullified."
Triangular eyes gleamed with a sharpness as they surveyed the gathered creatures. After a moment of hesitation, the Mandala Snake Emperor nodded and replied, "I will follow the Dragon King's command."
Sighing helplessly, Lu Yuan pressed his twitching eyelids. When had the formidable name of "Secondary School Two" fallen upon his shoulders? Yet he couldn't really refute it.
Observing the human kid who was gesturing energetically—no, the newly proclaimed Ice and Fire Dragon King—Di Tian's face darkened. It was clear the kid wanted his attention.
But even if the kid hadn't signaled anything, Di Tian had still been contemplating. One hundred thousand years marked a significant threshold for most soul beasts. While the Star Dou Great Forest had a vast population, engaging in constant life-and-death battles wasn't sustainable. This was especially true for the few hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts.
Those present here represented the elite combat power of the forest. Even losing a single one among them would pain Di Tian greatly. That was why he had spared the blind bear's life previously.
With the Mandala Snake Emperor having chosen its opponent, Di Tian waved his dragon claw and ordered, "Go out and battle."
Two shadows emerged from the inner circle, and Di Tian, maintaining his human form, followed. He had to ensure that neither side was killed and to prevent the little snake from rigging the match.
Di Tian sighed inwardly, realizing that this was another little troublemaker similar to the three-eyed golden lion. This individual didn't even seem to care about the dragon descendants matter and wasn't present to supervise it. In all his years of existence, this was the first time Di Tian had come across such a situation.
Lu Yuan had no inkling that Di Tian had left in exasperation. Of course, even if he knew, there was little he could do about it. He leaned against Xiao Wu for a brief rest, and his pale face regained a bit of color.
Glancing around, Lu Yuan asked, "Aunt Bi, I'd like to see the Skydream Iceworm. Is that possible?"
Bi Ji raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar name. She hesitated for a moment before realizing that it was the ice silkworm pretending to be dead in the shadows.
While she wasn't sure why she couldn't remember the name, the creature was more relevantly known as a powerful food source that could increase the cultivation of soul beasts—an alternative treasure.
Bi Ji replied, "I haven't heard of that name, but there is indeed an ice silkworm here. It's been cultivated for a million years and has no combat power. If you're interested, I can take you to see it."
Hearing this, Lu Yuan's eyes twitched. He couldn't believe it! How could they treat the Skydream Iceworm like this? Even if they were treating it as food, shouldn't they at least know its name?
While silently defending the ice silkworm in his heart, Lu Yuan excitedly nodded and followed Brigitte to the location.
"Brother Skydream in a tragic state! I have to document this!" Lu Yuan thought to himself. Even though he didn't have a camera, he could use spatial projection to capture the scene, which he would cherish for millennia to come.
Of course, he imagined that by then, the God Realm would look different. Even the human world would have a transformed landscape.
Naturally, Xiao Wu followed Lu Yuan as he set off. Though no beasts dared to harm her, she preferred to stay by Lu Yuan's side.
Seeing this, the three-eyed golden lion flickered for a moment and followed suit. However, she was simply hungry, not driven by any ulterior motives.
Unaware of the impending innocent calamity, the Skydream Iceworm slept peacefully. Sufficient rest could accelerate the healing of injuries. And with the ice silkworm's lack of combat power, it considered its primary role as a delightful meal.
In the distance, the Scarlet King began to sing with great enthusiasm. While the melody flowed, Skydream Iceworm thought about its past. It reflected on its painful history, its failures, and the despair it had experienced. Yet, amidst it all, there was a warm presence—Bingbing.
Suddenly, Skydream Iceworm yelped in pain as the Scarlet King playfully struck it. Angrily, it started to complain but quickly changed its tune. "I'm sorry, I was just expressing myself and my feelings."
With a dismissive gaze from the Scarlet King, the Skydream Iceworm continued its internal monologue, acknowledging its weakness and vulnerability in the face of the larger beast. After a while, it lowered its head, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu, who had followed Lu Yuan, was making her own calculations. She took a moment to observe the Mandala Snake Emperor and the opponent it had chosen. While she had followed Lu Yuan for his safety, her curiosity led her to quietly watch the battle unfold.