Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, inside the Dean's office.
Meng Hongchen's voice, tinged with inquiry and suspicion, was like a sudden clap of thunder, sending waves of shock through the once-silent room.
Jing Hongchen's round old face froze completely. His small, sharp eyes widened as his pupils shrank to needlepoints.
Beside him, Xiao Hongchen was so startled that he shot straight out of his chair, his trademark white hair thrown into slight disarray by the shock.
"Y-you… what did you say? It looks like Liu Yuan?"
Xiao Hongchen snapped his head around, staring fixedly at the emerald dragon shadow that blotted out the distant sky.
He hadn't thought in that direction before, but with Meng Hongchen's reminder, the divine dragon's long golden whiskers, its metallic black abdominal armor, and those cold, noble golden eyes began to overlap, little by little, with the image of Liu Yuan after his Martial Soul Possession in his memory.
"Not to mention…" Xiao Hongchen swallowed hard, his voice trembling in a way even he found absurd.
"Now that Meng mentions it, I also feel… it really is somewhat similar. Even that kind of Bloodline suppression that makes you want to kneel—it's exactly the same…"
The more he spoke, the more alarmed Xiao Hongchen became. If that really was Liu Yuan, it would be far too exaggerated.
However, after his initial shock, Jing Hongchen slowly shook his head.
He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the absurd speculation rising in his heart, his gaze turning calm and rational once more.
"No, it's impossible," Jing Hongchen said decisively, his tone steady.
"Meng, Xiao, you're overthinking it. It's normal for someone's appearance after Martial Soul Possession to resemble certain Spirit Beasts. There are countless such examples across the Douluo Continent. More importantly, that dragon's strength is far too great."
He pointed toward the distant region where space itself was collapsing, where the residual shockwaves of terrifying attacks were still tearing at heaven and earth.
"That area is the border sub-altar. For fluctuations of this scale to reach us here, its strength must be at least Level Ninety-Eight—very possibly even the Level Ninety-Nine Limit Douluo realm."
"No matter how outstanding Liu Yuan is, he can't possibly be that outstanding. Otherwise, I'd truly have to wonder if this world has gone mad."
Hearing Jing Hongchen's calm analysis, the frantic pounding in Meng Hongchen's and Xiao Hongchen's chests gradually eased.
Indeed, Jing Hongchen was right.
In a world that emphasized the accumulation of soul power and the stacking of resources, a seventeen-year-old Limit Douluo was a tale so ridiculous that even myths would hesitate to write it.
"I suppose it really is just a coincidence," Meng Hongchen murmured, lowering her eyes with a trace of disappointment. Still, her gaze lingered on that dragon shadow for a long while.
"It's probably some ancient Spirit Beast. Its Bloodline just happens to share the same origin as Brother Liu Yuan's Spirit."
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
In the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest—within the Lake of Life.
Beneath the calm surface, the Void Realm that had lain silent for tens of thousands of years rippled faintly.
Deep within the crystal-clear waters, a silver figure slowly opened her eyes—purple irises as deep and boundless as the starry sky.
The Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.
As the co-lord of the Spirit Beasts, her sensitivity to dragon auras far surpassed that of any living being. Even though her main body had yet to fully recover, the primordial fluctuation belonging to "Mega Rayquaza," coming from tens of thousands of miles away, still pierced her perception with uncanny precision.
Gu Yuena rose to her full height, long silver hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her peerless face was filled with unprecedented solemnity.
"This fluctuation… compared to a year ago, it has grown even stronger," Gu Yuena said softly. Her voice was cold and clear, yet tinged with deep wariness.
Behind her, the Vicious Beasts—Di Tian, Xiong Jun, and the others—were already kneeling, their bodies trembling.
"My Lord, that is…" Cold sweat beaded on Di Tian's forehead. As the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, the Bloodline within his body was howling uncontrollably under that pressure.
"Although that aura carries the impurity of a human Spirit," Gu Yuena said, gazing toward the north as light and shadow shifted within her purple eyes, "the source of that Bloodline… is utterly inconceivable."
"How many secrets does that human named Liu Yuan have? Who exactly is he?"
Such a terrifying rate of growth had completely exceeded Gu Yuena's understanding.
"My Lord, should we go and take a look?" Di Tian asked in a low voice.
Gu Yuena shook her head.
"That direction lies within the core territory of the Sun Moon Empire. If an existence of my level appears there, it will inevitably trigger a decisive war across the entire continent. We are not ready yet."
Just as she hesitated, a petite, agile golden figure suddenly leapt forward.
It was the Auspicious Beast—the Three-Eyed Golden Lion—whose injuries had long since healed and whose cultivation had even advanced further.
"My Lord, let me go!" The Auspicious Beast looked up at Gu Yuena, her eyes filled with an almost stubborn resolve.
"I want to go and understand that man."
"He is my benefactor, and I must uncover the mist of fate surrounding him—something even I cannot see through. I… I can transform into human form."
Gu Yuena paused, looking at her with hesitation.
"You wish to infiltrate the human world?"
"My Lord, the Auspicious Beast possesses the blessing of the Eye of Destiny," she said urgently.
"It can perfectly conceal my Spirit Beast aura. As long as I don't reveal myself, even a Limit Douluo won't be able to see through my true form. Please let me go—this is the best chance to understand that human."
Gu Yuena fell silent in deep thought.
After a long moment, she spoke slowly.
"It is acceptable to let you go…"
"But My Lord!" Di Tian hurriedly interjected.
"The Auspicious Beast is the Fate Keystone of our Star Dou Great Forest! If anything happens to her, we would be unable to atone even with ten thousand deaths!"
The Auspicious Beast curled her lip and shot Di Tian a look.
"I'll be careful."
"At worst… Di Tian, you can give me an Outrage to protect myself. With the Black Dragon's Outrage for defense and my perception of fate, who on this Douluo Continent could truly harm me?"
Gu Yuena looked at the Auspicious Beast's face, brimming with spiritual vitality, and finally nodded.
She, too, desperately wished to uncover the truth hidden behind Liu Yuan. If someone like him could be brought to their side, the future of the Spirit Beast race would be boundless.
"Very well. Auspicious Beast, you will represent the Star Dou Great Forest on this journey. Be cautious in all things. Di Tian, give her an Outrage."
Though extremely unwilling, Di Tian could only obey.
Gritting his teeth, he tore a scale shimmering with ultimate dark divine light from his heart and solemnly handed it to the Auspicious Beast.
"Take it. If you encounter danger, I will immediately cross the Void Realm to reach you."
"I know!" The Auspicious Beast replied cheerfully, taking the Outrage as brilliant golden light erupted from her body.
Within that sacred radiance, the elegant Three-Eyed Golden Lion gradually shrank, transforming at last into a human form.
It was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen.
Her long golden hair shone like the sun, her heterochromatic eyes lively and bright. Most striking of all was a faint red vertical mark hidden among the strands of hair on her forehead, lending her an air of nobility and mystery.
"Liu Yuan… we meet again."
Changing into a neat set of human martial attire, the girl's lips curved into a cunning, expectant smile. With a light tap of her foot, she turned into a streak of golden light and shot out of the forest.