Second Stage

"...Young human, I thank you for allowing me to see such a spectacle. Fighting someone one entire realm higher can already be considered a big accomplishment and within this plane, such a human would most likely be considered a heavenly genius, however, you have managed to fight and exchange moves with someone 2 entire realms above you...all of that just with a pure human bloodline. One can only imagine what would happen if you were to inherit one of the true god's blood." Residual soul voiced out its opinion with an odd tone in its voice, as if it was regretting something.

"Er..." Meng scratched the back of his head with an uncomfortable expression as he still wasn't accustomed to hearing such compliments. He didn't feel like saying "Thanks!" since it would make him sound proud but he wasn't that much proud of the powers that came from Vista. He was proud of his Yin and Yang cultivation system but those physiques...he was just using them as means to defend himself.

Yufeng appeared next to Meng and kept staring at his uncomfortable expression with an absent-minded look. She was too shocked by the power he has just shown but she was even more shocked when she heard the Residual soul of a Divine being started praising him and instead of him accepting it with a proud smile, he acted all uncomfortable.

"You too, a young woman...Although you can't compare to your man, you are very strong mentally. I can tell that you have neglected cultivation and training in general for several years...Your cultivation base is still a bit unstable which means you must have made a lot of consecutive breakthroughs within just a span of 1 year. I recommend you to find a way to stabilize your cultivation base or you might find it harder to advance in the future if you will keep that impatient behavior."

"Eh?! T-Thank you for your advice." Yufeng was startled when Residual soul actually started talking to her despite her not doing much during this stage, she thanked with a quick bow. This time, she completely ignored the fact that it called Meng her man but it was due to her being too nervous.

" In these ten thousand years that I've stayed on this continent...You have shown the greatest potential to pass the entire trial. For that, let me give you a warning, young human..." Residual soul said but stopped while staring at Meng for a while.

"Su Meng..." Meng sensed that it wanted to know his full name so he introduced himself.

"I can sense that power you have shown during the last fight against Stone Dragon General was something part of you...your body to be more specific. I recommend you to use it the least you can lest you want someone of the higher realms to take notice of you. Believe me...there are much worse fates than death." Residual soul said with a solemn look in its azure eyes, both Meng and Yufeng could hear how serious this warning was.

"Higher realms?" Yufeng questioned but Residual soul didn't respond so she turned at Meng to seek answers.

"Thank you for your warning. As for the "higher realms"...I will explain it later, let's proceed to the 2nd stage of this trial." Meng said and lightly bowed with a serious expression on his face before he turned at Yufeng and replied with a faint smile.

'Never in my life would have I imagined finding myself in a position where I might be targeted for reproductive purposes. On this plane, I might be fine but if anyone arrives here from that "Realm of the Gods", I might find myself in big trouble. I have no idea how good their perceptive abilities are and how much they will be able to see through me but getting caught by some mad woman and being used to make her offsprings sounds like a fate worse than death.' Meng thought and inwardly shown that he was much more serious about this "warning" than he was showing on the outside. Even though Meng himself doubted if his physiques can be at least partially inherited, it wasn't like the other people would believe him.

The stone gate leading to the 2nd stage suddenly opened so both Meng and Yufeng entered it.

What appeared in front of their eyes was one of the most regular surroundings. Endless plain covered by grass, numerous trees here and there with small hills in the distance. One could hear the sound of running water and the cries of birds. It almost seemed like they returned to the surroundings of the previous cave they spent some time together.

As they were both enjoying the peaceful atmosphere in the air...

"Welcome to the Dragon God's second trial ground. This trial ground has no exit. You can only leave this place after you have successfully completed the trial. There are an innumerable amount of profound beasts here in this endless plain. The weakest profound beasts here aren't lower than the emperor profound realm while the few strongest are at the middle stages of the tyrant profound realm. In addition, all the profound beasts near you would be led to you under my soul's guidance. This is the profound beasts paradise while human hell." Residual soul announced and a solemn expression appeared on Meng's face while Yufeng felt like spitting blood, hearing that there are profound beasts much stronger than Dragon Stone General.

"Your objective in clearing this second stage of the trial is very easy. It is to kill 99.999 profound beasts, within one year!" The residual soul finally announced their objective which made Meng furrow his brows and Yufeng felt like collapsing, cursing her blind confidence in her strength.

"Y-Yufeng? Are you alright?" Meng suddenly felt Yufeng leaning against him.

"...Just hold me, that's my final wish before we get eaten by so many profound beasts." Although she said those words, Meng missed any regret or horror in her tone so he was wondering whether she was just joking or maybe just trying to ease the tense mood.

"?! Very well!" Meng widened his eyes before he shouted hurriedly and wrapped his arm around her waist and jumped far away from their original place.

"Eh?!" Yufeng widened her eyes since she never expected that Meng would do as she said but she quickly understood when she sensed something rapidly nearing their position from under the ground.

*BOOM!* A ground suddenly ruptured and profound beasts appeared from beneath their previous location just to be instantly pierced and burned by the amber-colored beam.

"That was Emperor profound beast...and one that specializes in sneak attacks...Will we be able to even take a rest here?" Yufeng muttered in disbelief.

"I won't be able to kill so many profound beasts within a short time, unless..." Meng said with a troubled expression while holding his chin.

"Unless? Can't you use the technique you used previously to kill more than 500 stone warriors in one move?"

"I need some time to be able to use a certain technique...6th move of my profound art. That was my 5th move but it takes too much energy and will work only on the low and perhaps middle stages of the emperor profound realm. Not to mention, previously it was only 500 stone warriors, now we have to deal with 2 hundred times more opponents." Meng said before he froze for a split second and turned at Yufeng with a particular smile that made her nervous a bit.

"W-What is it?"

"We will raise your strength here, we need you to be able to take care of all profound beasts within emperor profound realm. That way, I won't have any trouble leaving you alone and I will be able to fight those tyrant profound beasts."

"B-But how?" She couldn't help but ask as there was no chance for them to even cultivate as all near beasts are being attracted to them due to residual soul's guidance. Not to mention, all her cultivation resources were almost depleted, she was indeed nearing the 4th stage of Emperor Profound Realm but it wasn't enough.

"Leave the distraction of beasts to me as for how to increase our strength...We will become dual cultivation partners!" Meng said with a wide smile but he quickly regretted even saying "dual cultivation" in this world.

"..." Yufeng completely froze, if not for those bright blushing cheeks, Meng would have thought that she was turned to stone.

"Wait, wait! I don't mean common dual cultivation!" Meng started panicky waving his hands in front of him as to deny his previous misleading words.

Even Residual Soul watching them felt like laughing but it was more intrigued by Meng's words "no common dual cultivation"