Yun Ze had absolutely no interest in those interviews. Right now, he was fully focused on forging on the tenth floor.
Gu Yuena sat nearby, resting her cheek on her hand as she watched. Before, she used to watch very intently, like a lovestruck girl, but now she seemed distracted.
Waiting was always long and torturous. She even started complaining in her heart — why hadn't Di Tian returned yet?
After successfully forging a piece of metal, Yun Ze would restore his soul power. To him, everything felt normal, nothing particularly worth anticipating.
Soon, night fell. The crowd gathered around the Dragon Phoenix Hall building gradually dispersed, leaving only a few media workers still waiting outside the door.
Outside the Tang Sect headquarters in Mingdu, Di Tian decided the time was right. He moved. Silently, without a sound, he infiltrated the Tang Sect headquarters.
In one of the rooms, Tang Wulin was sleeping deeply, completely unaware that someone had already arrived at his bedside.
The person responsible for looking after them at night had already left, and originally, Tang Wulin had been alone in the room. Now, there was Di Tian.
Di Tian reached out and pressed down on Tang Wulin's neck.His movements were fast. Tang Wulin felt a sudden pain, woke up in shock, but before he could even open his eyes, he lost consciousness.
Di Tian picked Tang Wulin up from the bed. Behind him, a spatial passage opened. He stepped back into it, carrying Tang Wulin, and they disappeared together.
From the moment Di Tian appeared to the moment he left with Tang Wulin, no more than thirty seconds had passed. The entire process had been absolutely silent.
On the tenth floor of the Dragon Phoenix Hall building, in the workshop, the unconscious Tang Wulin was laid flat on the workbench.
Yun Ze, Gu Yuena, and Di Tian all fixed their gazes on him — each with a different look in their eyes.
Gu Yuena's eyes burned with heat, her excitement impossible to hide. Di Tian was excited too, though not quite as much as her.
Yun Ze, however, remained calm. He pressed a hand on Tang Wulin's chest, carefully feeling the condition of his body.
"Yun Ze, have you figured out what's going on with him?" Gu Yuena looked at the man beside her.
She could sense the Golden Dragon King's bloodline in Tang Wulin, but in a short amount of time, she couldn't learn more. She could only turn to Yun Ze for help.
Yun Ze withdrew his hand, sorted through what he had sensed in his mind, and then said to Gu Yuena:
"The Golden Dragon King that once had flesh and blood should already be dead. What's hidden in his body is merely the Golden Dragon King's Dragon Core — in other words, the Golden Dragon King's energy core from before death."
"In your world, you have the concept of deities. You could even call this Dragon Core a Divine Core — it's just a title, nothing more."
"This Divine Core not only contains part of the Golden Dragon King's core power, but also a remnant of his soul."
"I don't know how exactly this Divine Core ended up in Tang Wulin's body, but one thing is certain — after entering his body, the core willingly fused with his bloodline. That's because the Golden Dragon King wants to seize this body."
"As soon as Tang Wulin's soul is wiped away, the Golden Dragon King will take over this body and successfully resurrect."
When she heard that the Golden Dragon King could be resurrected, Gu Yuena frowned. Though they were of the same race, she had no wish for the Golden Dragon King to come back.
She had inherited the Dragon God's elemental power and positive emotions, while the Golden Dragon King had inherited the Dragon God's physical power and negative emotions.
One didn't even need to think — a Golden Dragon King with the negative side would surely be violent and cruel. If he were revived, it would do her absolutely no good.
Even though their bloodlines shared a natural affinity and attraction, she had no desire to live alongside such a temperamental dragon.
What's more, with the Golden Dragon King's personality, he would surely try to absorb her bloodline. Letting such a disaster return to life was something she could never allow.
Of course, she didn't see absorbing his bloodline as a problem — after all, she also wanted to absorb the Golden Dragon King's bloodline.
Between the two of them, it was a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other. Neither was nobler than the other — it all depended on who was more capable.
Yun Ze paused, then continued:
"However, someone saved this Tang Wulin — they set several seals within him, preventing the Divine Core's energy from leaking all at once."
"If all the energy had overflowed at once, Tang Wulin would have been doomed. But now, with the energy sealed, it can only leak out little by little, giving Tang Wulin a chance at life."
"As it leaks bit by bit, he can absorb it bit by bit, using it to strengthen himself. Once he's strong enough, he'll be able to completely fuse with the Divine Core's energy."
"At that point, as long as the Golden Dragon King's remnant soul is dealt with, he will become the new Golden Dragon King — a Golden Dragon King with an entirely new soul."
"It should only be a God King from the Divine Realm capable of placing a seal powerful enough to restrain the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core," Gu Yuena mused.
Her gaze at Tang Wulin changed. From this seal alone, it was clear this person had ties to the Divine Realm — quite possibly, he had come from there.
Otherwise, how could he possibly have a Golden Dragon King Divine Core and such a powerful seal inside him?
"The one who set the seal also left a soul mark inside him. You can take a look and see if you recognize it," Yun Ze said.
"How do I check that?" Gu Yuena asked. She was truly curious about which God King had placed this seal.
"That soul mark was likely left to guide and protect this Tang Wulin. When you start absorbing the Golden Dragon King's essence inside him, the soul mark will naturally reveal itself," Yun Ze explained.
"I see. Then I'll start absorbing the Golden Dragon King's essence now," Gu Yuena said, sounding rather eager.
Naturally, what made her so impatient wasn't the God King's identity — it was the Golden Dragon King's essence itself.
As she spoke, she began activating her bloodline power, intending to use her Silver Dragon King bloodline to extract the Golden Dragon King's essence.
Yun Ze grabbed Gu Yuena's hand, looked up at her, and smiled. "Since when have you become so impatient?"
"I…" Gu Yuena's face flushed a little at Yun Ze's words. She stammered, not knowing what to say, and stopped activating her bloodline.
"Is there something else I need to pay attention to?" Gu Yuena asked softly, knowing that Yun Ze must have a good reason for stopping her.
Yun Ze released her hand and looked at Tang Wulin. "If you want to absorb the Golden Dragon King's bloodline from within him, there are three things you must pay attention to."
"What three things?" Gu Yuena quickly asked.
"The first — and most important — is the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core inside him."
"Right now, the Divine Core is sealed. Its energy is dormant, appearing controllable. But if the seal breaks, that energy will burst forth like a breached dam, surging uncontrollably. Will your body be able to withstand that?"
"And there's also the Golden Dragon King's lingering consciousness inside the core. Previously, wiping out that remnant wouldn't have been a problem for you. But now your spiritual power hasn't reached the Abyss level yet — do you think you can destroy a God-level Golden Dragon King's soul?"
Yun Ze spoke slowly. The two consecutive questions left Gu Yuena silent, her earlier excitement washed away by reality.
Even Di Tian, listening nearby, furrowed his brows.
(End of Chapter)