Tang Wulin was no stranger to time travel or to time powers in general. But not even he could prevent his eyes from widening in shock when Sleipnir suggested that they went back one billion years in time.
"One billion years?" Zeref carefully questioned in shock.
"Yes, I'm sure of this." Said Sleipnir as she gazes longingly at Yggdrasil.
"How?" Asked Tang Wulin, causing Sleipnir to sigh.
"That tree over there is something that shouldn't exist in the present world because one billion years ago a calamity happened that change the whole world. This calamity caused the ultimate destruction of Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life." Said Sleipnir with profound regret on her face.
"Wait, how do you know all of this?" Asked Zeref.
"I know all this because I was born from the death of Yggdrasil." Said Sleipnir with sadness on her face, surprising Tang Wulin and Zeref.
"Wait, but you said Yggdrasil died a billion years ago and you only live for three hundred million years." Said Tang Wulin.
"I never said I was immediately born after the death of Yggdrasil. I don't know why but it took an extra seven hundred million years for me to be born." Said Sleipnir with a sigh.
Tang Wulin and Zeref were still reeling from the information Sleipnir just gave them. It seems Sleipnir only knew she was born from Yggdrasil death but not why it took so long. This also puts into question how are they going to escape from this time and avoid the supposed calamity.
"Is there any way to return to our time?" Asked Tang Wulin.
"Yggdrasil can do it." Said Sleipnir.
"It can? How?" Asked Zeref as his eyes widen.
"Yes, it can. Yggdrasil as I said, is known as the Tree of Life and also the Road of Time." Said Sleipnir.
"Road of Time?" Questioned Tang Wulin.
"It means Yggdrasil as the ability to transport a person through time. No one knows how it gained this power but what is known that it could transport a person forward and back in time." Said Sleipnir, causing Zeref to look at her in confusion.
"Wait, say it can take a person forward in time right? Does that extend to even after it got destroyed?" Zeref questioned.
"Its power isn't limited to its death. Even if Yggdrasil gets destroyed, the power to still travel beyond its death was always possible. Even the power to travel back before its birth." Said Sleipnir.
Zeref and Tang Wulin fell silent. Zeref remembered the Eclipse Gate that he created had the ability to time travel. Its fundamental limitation was it couldn't travel beyond the point where the gate got destroyed.
"Say, how exactly does Yggdrasil Road of time work in terms of us going back to our present time?" Questioned Tang Wulin.
"As the name suggests it's a road. Hence all we have to do enter into one of the roads and keep going on the path, till we reach our present time. Don't worry, I will help us with finding the right time." Said Sleipnir, causing Zeref and Tang Wulin to nod.
"Alright, I guess the only thing left now is to head to Yggdrasil." Said Zeref.
"No." Said Tang Wulin.
"No?" Sleipnir and Zeref were both surprised.
"We can't climb the way I am now. I can't use my soul power or bloodline and I severely doubt that the tree is empty." Said Tang Wulin as something like that should have something safeguarding it.
Sleipnir and Zeref fell silent as they realize how grave their situation was. While it's true Tang Wulin had the physical strength of a Hyper Douluo. Strength wasn't everything in a fight, and it seems the spirit beast powers weren't restricted.
From what they have seen, the spirit beast is able to use their powers, but the question is how? Sleipnir didn't have an answer as she has no memories or information on how life was when Yggdrasil use to exist.
"Alright, so what do we do?" Asked Zeref.
"Sleipnir, do humans exist this far back in time?" Questioned Tang Wulin.
"I think they do?"
"Wait, don't tell me you're about to." Said Zeref.
"Yes, I'm going to have to find some humans." Said Tang Wulin with a grimace.
He needed to know if this restriction only affected him or if it was for every human in this day and age. The problem is humans typically are the most dangerous beings.
"Let's move." Said Tang Wulin as he receives nods from both of his companions.
Tang Wulin began traversing the vast forest. He at least knew now why it was so enormous and why there was so much of it.
After a while, he could pick up the smell of an organism other than spirit beasts. He didn't know if other beast existed here other than them but in the end, he marches on toward the smell.
At that moment.
CRASH!
'Just great, these guys just won't let up.' Thought Tang Wulin as he looks towards the massive humanoid beast that had one eye. It wouldn't be so bad if it was one but there was multiple of them chasing after him.
'Fine, let just conclude this and move on.' Thought Tang Wulin, as he turns his body toward their incoming charge.
The Cyclops running towards him eyes began to shine fiercely and then a focused beam of energy began to plow through the trees as it went toward Tang Wulin.
Bang!
Tang Wulin smashes the beam of energy away and hurled his spear towards the Cyclops in front of him. Cyclops raised its arms to block but severely underestimated the amount of strength put into the throw. The spear pierces through his arm and went straight through his one eye.
Tang Wulin was already dashing toward the Cyclops before the spear went through and quickly pulled it out to deflect against an arm coming his way.
Bang!
Tang Wulin body went sliding through the ground but he was able to divert most of the force as he moved back intentionally. He then dashes toward the Cyclops who roared in rage from its friend dying and charge toward Tang Wulin.
The Cyclops threw a fist but Tang Wulin waited till the last second before twisting his body out of the way and thrusting his spear toward the Cyclops face.
The Cyclops eyes widen, as its attack was evaded and a golden spear pierces through its face. Tang Wulin leans on the Cyclops body as it began falling and got a good look at the other Cyclops around him.
'Four Left.' Thought Tang Wulin.
But then.
Roar!
Tang Wulin watches carefully as five of the spirit beast he saw in the area he woke up at, landing near the Cyclops and was glaring at him. He decided to name them Chimera, from how they seem to have different beast parts.
'Wait, are they working together?' Tang Wulin eyes narrowed at this. As he was about to dash toward them, he senses multiple shadows dashing through the extensive forest.
"@#$$%#." A voice rang out as he subtly shifted his head.
He saw four humans running toward him. They jump nimbly over him and began to charge at the Spirit Beasts in front of him.
Tang Wulin eyes widen when he saw a weird aura began to surrounds the human as they began battling the spirit beast. They didn't summon anything or use any unique skill as they were fighting the spirit beast.
'I wonder.' Thought Tang Wulin as he saw one of the humans crushing the neck of the Cyclops with his bare hand. Around that human, he saw a red ethereal fur around that human arm as he held the Cyclops head.
Then he saw another one of them literally pile driving one of those Chimera beasts into the ground. It only took them around a few minutes to finish them all off.
After all the spirit beast died, one of the humans started to walk toward him and began talking to him.
"!@#$$." Said the man in front of him.
Tang Wulin didn't know what the hell he was saying and then realize something.
'Of course, they wouldn't speak the same language! It's been over a billion years.' Thought Tang Wulin as knew direct communication was almost impossible.
"Don't Worry." Sleipnir voice rang out, as he felt an unknown amount of information being channel into his mind. Sleipnir luckily still had the knowledge about the language in the Ancient days.
"Young man? Are you ok?"Questioned the man in front of Tang Wulin.
'"Yes, I'm." Said Tang Wulin as he found he could finally understand.
"That is good! Although it's rare to see another human." Said the man.
"Who are you?" Asked Tang Wulin as he knew he was in a delicate situation.
"Oh right! Haha, my name is Xia Yan." Said Xia Yan, who was a particular buff man as Tang Wulin saw how thick and wide his muscles were. Not only that but Xia Yan had had tribal markings around his body and fur clothing.
"Why didn't you activate your metamorphosis?" Asked Xia Yan.
"I don't know what you mean." Said Tang Wulin.
"You don't? Interesting." Said Xia Yan as he narrowed his eyes and began to hum.
"Hey Captain, why did you make us come here to rescue this kid!" A man next to Xia Yan complains.
"Yes captain, we don't know anything about this kid."
Tang Wulin watches as the guys around Xia Yan complain but he just disregarded them and continued to stare at him.
"Say, can you come back with us to our base?" Asked Xia Yan, causing the people behind him to look at him in shock.
"Captain!"
"Just what do you think you're doing!"
Tang Wulin, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes at Xia Yan. He started going through his options at the moment.
'If I go with them, then there is a chance I can get more information but I may also be trap in their base at the same time.' Thought Tang Wulin.
He had no confidence to escape their base with so many variables present. From the reaction of the people behind Xia Yan, what he was doing was very uncommon.
'Should I risk it? I need information if I want to leave this time but.'
"Follow him." Said Sleipnir as her voice rang out.
"Don't worry if he has any ill intent towards you, as I could sense none. In fact, for some reason, he has only hope." Said Sleipnir.
"Ok." Said Tang Wulin as he decided to rely on Sleipnir judgment.
Xia Yan smiles and nodded his head, while the people behind him groan but accepted it.
"Alright, We will lead you back to our base. We will slow down if you're lagging behind." Said Xia Yan as he began moving.
Tang Wulin conveniently ignored the glares coming from the other people and began to follow behind Xia Yan. This continued for over thirty minutes with Tang Wulin being able to keep pace with them.
'Interesting. He is able to keep pace with us and yet it seems he hasn't undergone the sacred ritual.' Thought Xia Yan as he glances back from time to time.
After a while, they reach their destination, with Xia Yan slowly walking towards a patch of grass and open it up. Tang Wulin saw there was an entrance underneath and the other people behind him jump down with Xia Yan motion for him too.
After the jump down, he saw Xia Yan going down but not before concealing it back up. Xia Yan said only a bit farther as he went back up to the front and moved.
They walk for about ten minutes before Tang Wulin saw an entrance and once they walk through he saw multiple houses build around the area. There were around forty to fifty humans moving around as they all step through the gate.
Xia Yan told Tang Wulin to follow him, as they began walking to the Chief house. He saw the people around him giving him glances with shock and surprise.
Xia Yan pointed to the chief house which looked like a hut and they both went in. One of the orbs around the hut lit up with green and purple radiance as he passed by.
Once they went inside, Tang Wulin saw an old man sitting down in a lotus position. The old man had long grey hair with tribal markings on his body and face too. He had a staff rested next to him with a strange crystal ball on top of it.
The old man opened his gray eyes as he took one good look at Tang Wulin and then smiled at him.
"Oh Xia Yan, who is that you have brought here?" Questioned the Old Man.
"Spirit Elder, we found this kid outside surrounding by some beasts."
"And he seems to not have undergone the ritual." Said Xia Yan with a serious look.
"I see." Said the Spirit Elder as he began to chuckle.