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Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, specifically inside the dangerous Land of Vicious Beasts, the environment felt heavy and ancient. The trees here grew so tall and thick that their branches blocked out the sun, leaving the forest floor in a constant state of dim light.
The air was thick with life energy, so dense that it felt like it could turn into liquid. Most ordinary Spirit Beasts were too afraid to even step into this area because the pressure was so intense.
Tang Chen followed Xiao Ruier through a strange part of the forest where a light green mist hung between the trees. Eventually, they stopped in front of a massive mountain wall. It was covered in slippery green moss and old, twisting vines.
At the bottom of the wall, there was a dark cave entrance that looked like the open mouth of a giant monster. A cold wind blew out from the darkness, which felt very strange compared to the warm air of the forest outside.
As they got closer to the entrance, Xiao Ruier leaned in and spoke in a low voice. She wanted to tell Tang Chen the story of the creature living inside the cave. She called it a silkworm baby, and her golden eyes seemed to look back into the past as she spoke.
"The big guy trapped in there actually has a very interesting history," Xiao Ruier said. "It happened a few hundred years ago. A Spirit Beast with a cultivation level almost reaching a million years suddenly showed up in the forest.
It surprised everyone because it didn't belong here. It was actually an Ice Silkworm from the Extreme North Land. It tried to sneak in quietly, but Uncle Xiong Jun has very sharp senses. He found it immediately and pinned it down before it could hide."
Xiao Ruier smiled a little as she remembered the scene. "Uncle Xiong Jun was so happy back then. He thought he had found a massive treasure and wanted to eat the Ice Silkworm all by himself to get stronger. He didn't want anyone else to know, but he couldn't keep it a secret for long.
Eventually, Uncle Ditian found out what was happening. Ditian told him that he had to share the silkworm so everyone could benefit from it. But you know how stubborn Uncle Xiong Jun is. He refused to give it up because he was the one who caught it. He thought it belonged only to him."
She paused for a moment and sighed, clearly remembering how much trouble the argument caused. "Since neither of them would back down, they started fighting. You can probably guess how that ended. Even though Uncle Xiong Jun is very powerful, he was no match for Uncle Ditian. He lost pretty badly.
After the fight, Uncle Ditian took a closer look at the Ice Silkworm. He realized that even though its cultivation level was incredibly high, it wasn't actually strong. Its power didn't come from hard work or training. It just got lucky and found some amazing treasures in the Extreme North. It ate them and its level shot up, but it didn't have the skills to match its energy."
Xiao Ruier pointed toward the dark cave as they walked. "That is why Uncle Ditian decided to keep it here. He locked it in this special cave so the other powerful beasts could slowly absorb its energy. It's like a battery for everyone else. If they just killed it and ate it, most of that energy would go to waste. This way, they can keep getting stronger for a long time."
By the time she finished her story, they were standing right at the mouth of the cave. The cold air was much stronger now, making the ground feel like ice. Tang Chen could feel a massive amount of energy coming from deep inside, like a huge ocean trapped behind a dam. As soon as he followed Xiao Ruier inside, something strange happened.
A powerful wave of mental energy suddenly slammed into his mind. It was urgent and desperate, locking onto him instantly. It felt like someone had been waiting for him for a long time and finally found a way to reach out.
"Human! It's you! You're finally here! I've been waiting for so long. Please, you have to save me!" A voice cried out inside Tang Chen's head. It sounded like it was about to burst into tears. The voice was full of sadness and hope. "I promise I'll pay you back. I really will! I swear on my life! Please don't leave me here!"
The voice grew even more excited when Tang Chen didn't answer right away. It felt like a person drowning and trying to grab onto a piece of wood. "I can't believe someone actually came. I wish I could cry right now because I'm so happy, but I can't. Oh, this is so emotional!"
Tang Chen continued walking deeper into the cave with Xiao Ruier. He found the voice in his head a bit funny because it sounded so dramatic and pitiful. As they moved further in, the temperature dropped even more. The ground was now covered in a thick layer of white frost that crunched under his boots. After they turned a corner, the cave opened up into a large chamber.
In the center of the room, a massive white figure appeared. It was a giant, round head that looked like a silkworm, but it was over a meter wide. The creature started to wiggle and crawl out from the shadows. Its entire body was more than seven meters long and very thick. As it moved into the light, the cold in the room became almost unbearable. Tang Chen's breath turned into thick mist, and he began to shiver from the freezing air.
The giant silkworm looked like it was made of beautiful white jade. Its skin was clear and shiny, and Tang Chen could see glowing energy moving under its skin. On its head, it had two tiny golden eyes that looked like little beans. Right now, those eyes were staring at Tang Chen with a mix of sadness and excitement.
The most interesting part of the creature's body was the golden rings. Starting from behind its head, there were bright golden circles wrapped around its body at perfect intervals. There were exactly nine of them in total.
Even though the creature looked big and a bit silly, it also looked very miserable. Dark energy chains were wrapped tightly around its body. These chains were made from the power of a dark dragon and were digging deep into the silkworm's skin. It couldn't move at all.
This was the famous Tianmeng Ice Silkworm. It had nearly a million years of cultivation, but because it had no fighting power, it was being used as a tool by the stronger beasts. It was basically a living energy tank for the Star Dou Great Forest. When it saw Tang Chen standing there, its tiny eyes lit up with hope.
"Human! My good brother! Please, save me! I'm begging you!" The voice screamed in his mind again. "I can't take this anymore. It's so dark and lonely here. Every single day, they come and drain my power. It's a nightmare! I would rather turn into a spirit ring for you than stay in this place for one more second! I just want to be free!"
Tang Chen frowned as the loud wailing continued to echo in his brain. It was starting to give him a headache. He calmed his thoughts and sent a message back using his own mental strength. "How am I supposed to save you? You are locked up by chains made by Ditian himself. I'm not strong enough to break something he created. Do you really think a person like me can just snap those energy chains?"
The mental shouting suddenly stopped. The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm seemed to freeze. Its big head wobbled a bit as it processed what Tang Chen had said. It had been trapped for so long that it hadn't even thought about the logistics of escaping.
"Oh... I guess you're right," the voice replied, sounding much weaker now. All the excitement vanished, replaced by deep sadness. "Ditian put those chains on me himself. They are filled with his own dragon energy. You're just a human, and you aren't even a Titled Douluo yet. There's no way you could break them."
The giant silkworm's body seemed to sag against the floor. It started making a whimpering sound in Tang Chen's mind. "This is it. I'm doomed! Oh, why is life so unfair? Am I really going to stay in this cold, dark hole until I'm completely empty? My life is so bitter and sad!"
It cried for a few minutes, but it kept its eyes fixed on Tang Chen. It was like he was the only person who could possibly help, even if the situation seemed impossible. Suddenly, the silkworm's energy shifted again. It seemed to find a new spark of determination. It wasn't ready to give up just yet.
"No! I won't accept this! Freedom is standing right in front of me. I have to try something, even if it's dangerous! For the glory of the Extreme North Land, I, the great Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, will find a way!"