In the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, beside the Life Lake, all was silent. Wang Nan sat cross-legged by the shore, quietly meditating.
Ten years had passed in the blink of an eye. Time had finally left traces on Wang Nan's face, lending his already handsome features a calmer, more composed air.
Not far away, Di Tian stood behind the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yue, occasionally glancing toward Wang Nan.
As he watched the aura surrounding Wang Nan grow increasingly ethereal and otherworldly, as though he might depart this world at any moment, Di Tian could not help but notice that Wang Nan's presence was becoming closer and closer to that of the Silver Dragon King herself.
"You said before that during this period, the God Realm would be very 'close' to us?"
A gentle breeze lifted Wang Nan's long hair. The Silver Dragon King turned toward him, only to realize that he had opened his eyes at some unknown moment.
"Yes," she replied softly. "Are you ready?"
A faint ripple passed through her eyes.
Wang Nan sensed the rich, unfamiliar power circulating within his body and lightly clenched his fist. "Almost."
"I have waited for countless years," the Silver Dragon King said calmly. "There is no need to rush. With your cultivation, your lifespan is also exceedingly long."
Wang Nan rose to his feet, took a few steps forward, and looked up at the clear blue sky.
"It's enough."
There were still unanswered questions in his heart. But if he remained here any longer, he would never find the answers he sought.
"This journey…" The Silver Dragon King paused before continuing, "Are you truly prepared?"
"Have you forgotten my Spirit?" Wang Nan smiled faintly. "The Coiling Dragon Staff advances through constant challenge."
The Silver Dragon King said no more. She closed her eyes gently and brought her hands together before her chest. A nine-colored crystal lit up between her palms, draping her figure in a faintly iridescent glow. After a long moment, she opened her eyes again.
"In half a year."
Wang Nan's gaze swept the sky, though nothing lay within his sight. "Here?"
"No." The Silver Dragon King shook her head. "We must find a place that was once connected to the God Realm. That place should not be unfamiliar to you."
She looked toward the northwest.
Beyond the dense forest canopy, on the vast plains northwest of the Star Dou Great Forest, Shrek City stood quietly.
"Perfect." Wang Nan nodded.
The Silver Dragon King looked at him, slightly puzzled.
"There are still matters to attend to," Wang Nan said. "I will speak with Shrek Academy."
Exhaling softly, Wang Nan looked around, his gaze passing over the Silver Dragon King, Di Tian, and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. He cupped his hands together in a respectful salute.
"Thank you all for accompanying me this far."
With that, he turned and left, not using any extraordinary power, simply walking step by step into the depths of the forest.
The Star Dou Great Forest teemed with Spirit Beasts. Wang Nan moved quietly through the grass, yet not a single Spirit Beast took notice of him.
From time to time, a Spirit Beast would raise its head warily and glance around, but to them, Wang Nan seemed to exist in another world altogether, as though the space he occupied were empty.
The terrain beneath his feet shifted constantly. Before long, Wang Nan reached the outer regions of the forest, where the air grew heavier with moisture.
Lush green trees lined the path, and Spirit Beasts dwelled among them. Occasionally, a tree snake extended its forked tongue from the foliage on either side.
Even ten-year and hundred-year Spirit Beasts with excellent camouflage were clearly visible within Wang Nan's perception.
As he continued onward, Spirit Beasts grew noticeably scarcer. A massive python lay coiled within its own domain, sound asleep. Judging by its aura, it was close to a thousand years old, more than enough to establish territory in the outer regions.
Wang Nan smiled faintly at the familiar sight. He did not disturb the slumbering Spirit Beast, merely watching for a moment before turning away.
Outside the Star Dou Great Forest, a winding path led inward, with tall trees growing along the roadside.
When Wang Nan emerged from the forest, he saw several Spirit Masters resting beneath the trees, preparing to enter in search of spirit rings.
He paused and looked back at the Star Dou Great Forest.
From afar, despite decades having passed, it appeared unchanged from this angle, just as it had when he first laid eyes on it.
"Hey, did you bring defensive Soul Guidance Devices this time?"
"Relax. I spent quite a bit of gold on several disposable defensive Soul Guidance Devices."
"Disposable ones? Those must be expensive."
"What's a few gold coins compared to our lives?"
"That's true. Still, these Soul Guidance Devices really make things easier. I feel much safer entering the forest now."
The group under the tree paid no attention to Wang Nan, casually discussing their preparations.
As their words reached his ears, Wang Nan's expression shifted subtly.
With the continued development of Soul Guidance Devices, the Star Dou Great Forest would one day cease to be a forbidden land for humans.
He noted the thought but did not slow his steps. With a single stride, his figure vanished, reappearing several kilometers away.
More than a decade had passed, and the people of Jialing Pass had gradually forgotten what once occurred there. Occasionally, Spirit Masters would speak of strange changes in the sky, from darkness to light, boasting to others that they had witnessed it firsthand.
Such stories faded quickly, much like the God War of ten thousand years ago.
Still, when locals introduced Jialing Pass to outsiders, they would sometimes mention that, aside from being a battlefield of gods, it was also a place where powerful masters once clashed.
Wang Nan arrived silently outside Jialing Pass, listening to the chatter around him.
Although the God Position fragments had long since been taken, the lingering divine power continued to influence the area, making it a holy land for Spirit Masters aligned with the Angel God or Rakshasa God.
Some visitors came merely out of curiosity, having heard that this was the site of a godly battle. As they walked, they would hold square Soul Guidance Devices aloft, recording the scenery. The faint golden dragon-line emblem on the devices marked them as products of Gengxin City.
Although Ye Xiaosheng could not break through to the ninth rank due to his talent, his name was far better known among commoners than Huo Yuhao's, despite the latter being a Ten-Rank Soul Engineer. Over the past decade, Gengxin City's Soul Guidance Devices had spread across most of the Douluo Continent.
Wang Nan did not enter Jialing Pass. Instead, he turned and headed toward the nearby Tianling Mountain Range.