The deepest part of the Star Dou Forest was shrouded in a thick fog.
If an outsider were to enter, not only would they lose all sense of direction, but even their spiritual power would be completely suppressed.
Because of this, even the few hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts that ruled this forest had never truly ventured into the area.
Their innate survival instincts made them instinctively avoid the fog. Unlike humans, they did not possess a strong curiosity or desire to explore the unknown.
However, if someone managed to break through the fog barrier and enter, they would discover a completely different world within.
At the center of this small world was a small lake, its surface as clear as crystal, resembling a deep blue gem. The lake radiated a strong life force, pulsating within the water.
At this moment, a towering figure stood by the shore.
He was dressed in a black robe and appeared to be in his forties. His features were handsome and strong, with a lock of golden hair falling over one side of his face.
The man seemed to have just woken up, his expression somewhat lazy, but his brows were slightly furrowed, showing signs of confusion and bewilderment.
"Di Tian, have you felt it too?"
Suddenly, a majestic and cold female voice echoed in his mind.
Though slightly deep, the voice was extremely pleasant to the ear, with a magnetic quality.
"Master?!"
The man called Di Tian abruptly raised his head, his previous confusion and drowsiness vanishing, replaced by surprise and joy.
However, amidst his joy, there was also a trace of worry.
"You're awake?" he asked in a deep voice after calming himself slightly.
"Yes, I can sense the presence of our kin, and not just one. They are calling out to me."
When she mentioned "our kin," there was a barely perceptible tremor in the woman's voice.
Di Tian nodded upon hearing this, "It seems I wasn't mistaken before. I felt it too."
"Then prepare yourself. We must find the location of that space as soon as possible. I have waited long enough."
"Are your injuries alright?"
"It doesn't matter. If we can find the Dragon Cemetery this time, it will be worth it, even if it means ending my seclusion early."
"But what about the God Realm..."
Di Tian hesitated, his eyes filled with concern.
Upon hearing this, the majestic voice fell silent.
Clearly, the existence of the God Realm was a greater concern to her than the injuries Ditian mentioned.
After a while, she spoke again, "The beings of the God Realm are indeed troublesome. Use that worm; if we move quickly enough, it should still be possible."
"You mean the Skydream Iceworm?" Di Tian was taken aback.
"Yes, that creature has an extremely deep reserve of spiritual power. It can form a strong spiritual barrier in a short time. It's a bit of a pity, but the benefits far outweigh the cost."
Her voice remained calm, but her words were chillingly cruel.
Di Tian's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, showing a hint of hesitation.
Although she hadn't explicitly stated it, her meaning was clear—sacrifice the Skydream Iceworm to prevent the God Realm from noticing their movements.
This method made him feel uneasy.
As the former leader of the Black Dragon Clan, a divine being, and now the most powerful soul beast second only to the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, Di Tian was an 800,000-year-old Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King.
Despite his long life and his usual stern and cold demeanor, Ditian was not truly heartless.
The "Skydream Iceworm" they mentioned was a spiritual-type soul beast. Due to a unique circumstance, it had reached a cultivation level close to a million years.
However, it had almost no combat ability, which led to it being captured by the powerful soul beasts hidden within the Star Dou Forest. They intended to absorb its cultivation to accelerate their own growth.
In truth, the Iceworm was merely a source of food for the soul beasts living in this area, meant to help them improve their cultivation.
But over time, Di Tian had subconsciously started to regard the Skydream Iceworm as part of their group.
"Master..." He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he didn't know how to persuade her.
"If you have concerns, speak freely."
"Is there no other way to avoid the God Realm's detection?"
The woman didn't immediately answer his question. Instead, she asked, "Di Tian, have you considered that the leakage of the Dragon Cemetery's aura might not be a natural occurrence?"
"You mean to say someone has intruded into our burial grounds?!"
Di Tian's golden eyes flashed, his usual calm and composed demeanor shattered. His powerful aura surged, and his face showed intense anger and murderous intent.
The Dragon Cemetery symbolized far more than just precious bloodlines and energy.
It represented the spirit and will of the Dragon Clan, passed down through countless generations!
"It's very possible."
The majestic voice remained calm, without the same emotional reaction as Di Tian.
She continued, "In fact, I didn't just sense the presence of the Dragon Clan. I also felt the power of fate."
"The power of fate?!" Di Tian's expression changed again, filled with confusion. "But the Auspicious Beast is still in the Star Dou Forest."
"No, it's not the simple fate power of Douluo Star. I merely sensed something, but the feeling was vague and uncertain."
She sighed lightly, "I have lost too much of my strength, and I can no longer grasp the energy fluctuations of that level. Ask the Auspicious Beast; it might sense it more clearly."
"Understood."
"Go and make the preparations."
"As you wish, Master."
"If possible, I will try to spare its life."
With those words, the presence in Di Tian's mind vanished, as if it had never been there.
His expression seemed to relax a bit.
He knew she was referring to the Skydream Iceworm, the timid creature.
But soon, Di Tian's expression became serious again.
Since the decline of the Dragon Clan and his fall from divinity, he had survived on this continent for hundreds of thousands of years.
This was not the life he had wanted.
But responsibility and belief had kept him going.
This time, whether they succeeded or failed, things were finally starting to change.
Perhaps, he might even find release from his burdens.
Whether in life or death...
Turning to gaze at the lake, a golden light flashed in the man's eyes, accompanied by a strong surge of spiritual energy.
As if in response to his action.
The next moment, several immensely powerful auras, far exceeding those of ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts, began to emerge from beneath the lake.
A beautiful woman in a green dress was the first to appear, quietly standing behind Di Tian.
"What is it? Why did you suddenly awaken us?"
"The Master has sensed the aura of the Dragon Cemetery, and so have I."
"The Dragon Cemetery?!"
The woman's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly regained her composure.
The fact that Di Tian had taken the initiative to awaken them, and that even the Silver Dragon King was alerted, suggested that whatever he intended to do next would not be as simple as just informing them of this matter.
"The Lord has tasked me with locating that space and has made preparations to take action. However, to be safe, we need to use the immense spiritual power of the Skydream Iceworm as support to create a mental barrier that can shield us from external perception and spying."
"I understand," the green-clad woman nodded instinctively, but then something occurred to her. She turned to look at Di Tian. "Wait, Di Tian, you don't mean to tell me that you're going to... do something to the Skydream?"
"..."
Noticing the worried expression of the woman beside him and considering her compassionate and kind-hearted nature, Di Tian hesitated and decided not to reveal the entirety of their previous conversation.
He downplayed the matter, saying lightly, "Don't worry, the Lord has assured us that it will be protected."
The woman didn't suspect anything and let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear."
"..."
While the two of them were talking, several more figures gradually appeared around them.
These figures, both male and female, varied in size and appearance. Although they seemed human, in reality, they were all soul beasts.
Moreover, each of them had a cultivation level exceeding two hundred thousand years and had successfully undergone at least one Heavenly Tribulation.
These powerful soul beasts at this level were known as fierce beasts.
The human forms they currently displayed were merely superficial.
They were not like Xiao Wu or Ah Yin, who chose to transform into human form after reaching the hundred-thousand-year level to restart their cultivation.
Their forms were merely external transformations.
In terms of cultivation methods, living habits, and even the structure of their bodies, they were vastly different from true humans. In essence, they remained soul beasts.
In fact, they had long lost the option of retraining.
Once a soul beast's cultivation reaches two hundred thousand years, unless they encounter an extraordinarily rare opportunity, they permanently lose the chance to become a true human and follow the path of a soul master.
Their only hope for transcendence lies in continuously facing tribulations and passing the tests of the Heavenly Tribulation, until they can push their cultivation to a million years like the Deep Sea Demon Whale King.
However, even if they reach such heights, whether they would be accepted by the world or the Divine Realm remains uncertain.
Small World of the Dragon Valley.
Six-year-old Su Cheng was unaware of all the changes happening in the outside world.
However, with his speculations about the dragon clan's response, he never ceased to improve himself.
Whether it was his own cultivation or organizing the tasks for this simulation, everything was progressing in an orderly manner.
He even considered the possibility of this world being discovered and what he should do if powerful beings like the Silver Dragon King truly descended upon it. He had already formulated some plans.
Su Cheng didn't know much about the Silver Dragon King.
Nor did he need to know much.
As the leader of a powerful clan and a former god-king level expert, after experiencing a downfall, she willingly secluded herself on the small planet of Douluo for hundreds of thousands of years, remaining quiet.
During her silence, neither human interference, past failures, nor the harsh conditions had swayed her decisions.
Regardless of her reasons for making such choices—whether it was due to unhealed old wounds or concerns about the Divine Realm—it all reflected a fundamental characteristic of her personality: caution.
To put it nicely, she was cautious, understanding how to weigh the pros and cons, preferring to plan thoroughly before taking action, and patiently waiting for the best opportunity to strike with overwhelming force.
To put it bluntly, she was hesitant and indecisive, preferring to endure a slow death rather than make a desperate gamble.
This kind of decision-making is neither entirely good nor bad.
Perhaps she missed out on opportunities due to hesitation, wasting excellent chances.
But she might also have avoided disaster, preventing the soul beast clan's already difficult situation from becoming even worse, safeguarding a place where they could still find peace.
Being the leader of a clan is not easy.
For those with a strong sense of responsibility, their very lives may no longer belong to themselves.
However, in Su Cheng's view, the choices made by this soul beast overlord were somewhat problematic.
You've spent so much time recovering and gathering resources, but have you considered how the Divine Realm, already stronger than you, might develop during this time?
Even those ordinary humans, who were initially weaker, could gradually surpass you due to access to more abundant resources and larger populations.
It's important to remember that reality isn't a game—there's no such thing as economic overflow, and it's not a 5v5 fair competition.
The idea that the weaker side can avoid fighting and drag out development until both sides reach their limits before engaging is unrealistic.
As you increase your strength, your opponents will only progress faster than you.
Even the number of top-tier combatants could surpass yours.
Unless you can gain the favor of the world, or destiny itself, allowing a child of fate to rise among the soul beasts and turn the tide in your favor, such a scenario is clearly a fantasy.
Therefore, Su Cheng believed that besides being "cautious," the Silver Dragon King also harbored hidden "arrogance."
It was not arrogance born from her power or status.
It was a blind, self-righteous arrogance.
However, this personality trait was worth exploiting.
To plot a scheme, you must first understand people.
A person's fundamental nature is often the easiest aspect to exploit.
Of course, Su Cheng knew his limits. All his planning depended on whether he could even get a chance to speak.
So, for now, his primary task was to improve his strength and cultivation.
Weaklings have neither the confidence nor the right to negotiate with the strong.
Additionally, it would be best to have other means of leverage or threats.
This is just the first step.
Strength can earn respect or fear.
But to achieve cooperation, you need sincerity and something beneficial to offer; otherwise, everything is just empty talk.
The Silver Dragon King's status is extraordinary, and her origins are even more so.
Using threats to seek cooperation and treating her as a mere tool is the worst strategy.
Offering her a visible future and striving for mutual benefits is the right path.
Regarding this, Su Cheng already had a rough idea.
In fact, in recent days, his primary focus had been on researching this very matter.
The Dragon Burial Ground before him was his testing ground, and also the best resource he could use.