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The soul-guided train slowly pulled into the station. Gu Yue, half-asleep, sat up as the two exchanged a glance. Neither mentioned what had just happened, and they disembarked in silence.
Shrek City Soul-Guided Train Station.
Di Tian was already waiting at the exit in a luxurious soul-guided car. The moment he saw Gu Yue arrive, he hurriedly stepped out to greet her.
On the surface, his identity was nothing more than an insignificant figure in the human world.
"Di Tian, take him to the core area first. I still have some matters to attend to. Remember, aside from you, no one is to disturb Bai Xu," Gu Yue instructed.
"As you command, My Lord."
Di Tian studied the man whom the Spirit of the Plane had praised as "one who comprehends past and present" with curiosity but dared not speak too much. "Lord Bai Xu, please enter the vehicle."
"Very well." Bai Xu followed Gu Yue's arrangements and allowed Di Tian to escort him away.
Meanwhile, Gu Yue sensed something and spotted a silver-haired, purple-eyed figure under a tree across the street—Na'er.
Gu Yue strode forward confidently, a hint of arrogance in her tone. "What brings you here? Shouldn't you be staying with your master and mistress?"
Na'er didn't answer immediately. Her gaze lingered on the departing soul-guided car, a trace of worry in her voice. "Is he the one who understands past and present?"
The two stood side by side, their expressions unreadable.
"It's him. He knows many profound truths and has taught me much," Gu Yue replied.
"It seems I've lost the bet. Now, your feelings for Brother are merely friendship. He doesn't love you, and you don't love him either."
Na'er's voice carried sorrow, but then her tone shifted. "But Bai Xu is different. Why do you have feelings for such a mysterious man? Shouldn't he be a great enemy of the soul beasts' revival?
"Indeed, he possesses an ability to discern your intentions clearly—down to the smallest detail. As an enemy, that would be terrifying. Even if you tried to eliminate him, he'd foresee it. From what I know of him, had negotiations broken down that night, he would've escaped Di Tian's grasp without fail. Yet, he was also the only one who stood before me in my confusion and pointed the way forward. You wanted to trap me with love, to ensure I could never raise a hand against Tang Wulin. Had Bai Xu not awakened me with his words, I might've truly fallen into your snare. But it was he who stopped me and illuminated the path—for me, and for the soul beasts, a lost ship adrift in the storm of Douluo."
"It seems fate has decided this. Even I can no longer help Brother."
Na'er left, her heart heavy with grief. She knew Gu Yue had made her resolve. Tang Wulin, bearing the Golden Dragon King's bloodline, would undoubtedly be killed by Gu Yue.
Was all this truly destined to end in tragedy?
---
The soul-guided car gradually left Shrek City, heading toward the Star Dou Fortress—now under the control of the Spirit Pagoda.
The Star Dou Fortress of the Spirit Pagoda had stood for over three thousand years.
Ever since the great battle three millennia ago, where the powerful soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest's core suffered a crushing defeat, the Spirit Pagoda had seized the opportunity to establish this fortress. They struck an agreement with the soul beasts: humans would cease further deforestation, and the soul beasts would remain confined here.
They could only live here.
The soul beasts were corralled within, while the Spirit Pagoda sold exorbitantly priced entry permits. Visitors entered at their own risk, but only here could high-level soul beasts provide top-tier soul rings for spirit masters.
This arrangement had the Federation's approval for a simple reason: it ensured the soul beasts no longer posed a threat to humanity. Everything was under control.
"Quite laughable, isn't it, Lord Bai Xu?" Di Tian gazed at the solemn steel walls with self-mockery.
Bai Xu did not share Di Tian's sentiment. Instead, he analyzed coldly, "In the competition between races, such an outcome isn't unexpected. You should be grateful soul beasts still hold value for humans. Otherwise, whether you'd have survived until the Silver Dragon King's awakening would've been uncertain."
"You're right. They covet our soul rings and bones. What about you, Lord Bai Xu?"
"Me? I have no need for them. If not for an unavoidable reason to cultivate soul power, I wouldn't even be a spirit master."
"...Forgive my bluntness, but in the future you've seen... can the soul beasts endure?" Di Tian hesitated, unable to bring himself to ask outright whether they would win.
Bai Xu replied meaningfully, "One way or another, the soul beasts will endure. That is beyond doubt."
Then his tone shifted, his expression turning playful. "This is the first time I've seen such a twisted relationship between soul beasts and humans. Spirit masters rely on absorbing soul rings to break through each cultivation stage. It's absurd. Instead of seeking power within, they place their hopes on powerful soul beasts. Novel, but foolish. This warped cultivation system is the fault of the Plane's Spirit."
The two exited the vehicle and walked along the broad road outside the city.
"Is that so? You find it strange, while the rest of the world takes it for granted." Knowing the soul beasts wouldn't perish was enough for Di Tian. At least, whether he lived or died, they would survive.
"Now we are allies. Though I distrust humans, my lord's will is my own. I'll take you to the core area!"
Darkness element enveloped Bai Xu as space rippled around them. Their figures gradually faded from sight.
---
The towering trees were so dense that sunlight could not penetrate, leaving the forest shrouded in gloom.
Deep within lay a small lake. Its crystal-clear waters, pure as sapphire, had receded far from the shore, as if on the verge of drying up.
The aura of life pulsed weakly within the lake, frail and flickering.
Bai Xu breathed in the rich life energy of this treasured land, his mind at ease. It was indeed an excellent place for cultivation, whether for soul power or his own body.
"That wooden cabin was built for you. Forgive its simplicity. I'll deliver supplies regularly. However, aside from the Lake of Life, you may not venture outside. The soul beasts guarding the perimeter are restless—some may attack without warning," Di Tian explained, gesturing to a two-story cabin.
"No matter. I won't provoke trouble."
Bai Xu eagerly leaped into the lake. Water element formed a skin-tight barrier around him, allowing him to move freely underwater.
"Not just life energy—the Wood attribute is dense here. In these two years, I must at least reach Soul Ancestor and perfect my Wood and Water elements. The Five Elements cycle and clash. Even if I don't actively cultivate the remaining Fire element, it'll reach perfection within two years. Once all Five Elements are united, the organs will resonate, and the next step will be the Six Bowels."
Surfacing with a smile, Bai Xu turned to Di Tian.
"The Living Soul Gold lies at the bottom. Take as much as you need. I only hope... when the time comes, you'll lend the soul beasts your strength."
Di Tian clasped his fists and bowed deeply, lowering himself in deference.
Bai Xu returned the gesture. "The bond is formed. Within my power, I will aid you."