Deep beneath the Lake of Life in Star Dou Great Forest. This was not an ordinary underwater world, but a separate, strange space. At its center, a small lake flowed with rich silver-white light, condensed from the essence of life and the purest powers of heaven and earth.
On the shore, a mountain-sized black dragon lay with eyes closed, its breathing stirring the very energy of the space. This was the 800,000-year soul beast, the Black Dragon King with golden eyes—Beast God, Di Tian.
Suddenly, the slumbering Di Tian seemed to sense a quiet call. His massive form did not move, but his spiritual sense instantly appeared at the edge of the silver lake, bowing his head with utmost respect.
"Master."
After a long silence, a weak voice sounded from the lake's depths.
"In that group of humans who just left… there was a successor of the gods."
"What?"
Di Tian's spiritual thought shuddered.
A divine successor? In this age of miracles lost, was there truly another god choosing an inheritor?
"Who is it?"
The Silver Dragon King's voice was not dull but pointed directly. "That human youth. He was not deliberately hiding his divine aura. You should have noticed… if you pay attention."
After a slight pause, she uttered a legendary name that once shone brilliantly in ancient times.
"Thunder God."
"Thunder God?!"
Di Tian was stunned again. The name of the God of Thunder was well known—an existence from before the Dragon God fell, ruler of all beasts, bearer of thunder's might, who once rivaled the Dragon God in power. But even before Di Tian was born, Thunder God had already left the realm, falling beyond the stars. Yet, that ancient god had left a legacy, now reappearing in the world.
"The position of God of Thunder returns… Another giant will soon rise in the Divine Realm," Di Tian sighed, understanding what upheaval this would bring to the gods' balance.
"Furthermore," the Silver Dragon King's voice carried a subtle quiver, "within him, I sensed the auras of the Water Dragon King and Fire Dragon King. This youth has likely inherited part of their legacy as well."
"The legacies of the Water and Fire Dragon Kings?!"
Di Tian's thoughts froze. Those two were the most powerful among the nine Dragon Kings under the Dragon God, their power surpassing ordinary first-class gods. Their legacies, even faint traces, were of great temptation to the Silver Dragon King, especially now as she recovered from heavy injuries.
An uncontrollable urge surged in Di Tian's heart. "Master, should I send subordinates to 'invite' this human youth?"
With his strength, even with a human guardian at divine-level spiritual power, capturing the Thunder inheritor would not be difficult.
"No."
The Silver Dragon King's answer surprised Di Tian.
"The God of Thunder's aura is not hidden; it will surely draw the attention of many gods. Before my injuries recover, do not act rashly and draw unwanted attention from the Divine Realm."
"The wise do not act for small gains at the expense of the greater good."
Di Tian immediately suppressed his impulse, understanding the importance of the master's safety and the dragon clan's revival.
"Then, what do you wish to do…?"
The Silver Dragon King's voice softened, tinged with memories.
"Thunder God was once in the Divine Realm. Though he rivaled the Dragon God, he was upright and well regarded. Especially when the beast gods first entered the Divine Realm, he spoke up for us and offered secret aid."
"Now that his successor has appeared, perhaps… we should first make contact and observe his mindset and position."
"If he is worth investing in, when he ascends and reclaims Thunder's authority, he could be an ally in the Divine Realm, or at least not an enemy."
Di Tian instantly understood—the aim was to turn an enemy into an ally, or at least a neutral party, and plant a piece for the future.
"Understood."
Di Tian bowed deeply, already planning how to observe, not confront, this person.
To those so well hidden, there was much room for maneuver. The master, inheritor of the Dragon God's wisdom, strategized far across the stars. Now, as the continent gathered and the gods' attention was higher than ever, as long as the fiends acted cautiously and avoided powerful divine senses, who could see through their true forms?
"Very well."
The Silver Dragon King's voice was even weaker.
"Handle this as you see fit. Observation and temptation are key—do not reveal your roots or provoke hostility. Safety first."
"At your command."
Di Tian's spiritual avatar vanished, returning to his body. The massive black dragon still lay by the silver lake, but a deep wisdom flowed beneath his closed eyelids.
...
Balak Kingdom's capital, Balak City. One of the kingdom's most prosperous cities, the Balak Arena was synonymous with a frenzied audience. The huge circular building now resounded with tidal waves of cheers.
Boom!
On the soul battle stage, a slender, icy-blue figure stood in midair, a massive ice phoenix materializing behind her, scattering crystal fragments. Beneath her feet, her final opponent was blasted from the ring by a cold ice field, losing all ability to fight.
Shui Bing'er landed gracefully, her long icy-blue hair fluttering, a gentle coldness lingering on her beautiful face after the battle.
The host, almost too excited, shouted through the soul guide amplifier,
"It's over! No more suspense!"
"The winner of this seven-on-seven team battle is—Grand! Martial! Team!"
"Grand Martial! Grand Martial! Grand Martial!"
The crowd's cheers peaked, surging like a tidal wave. All eyes fixed on the seven young people on stage, filled with awe and worship. Who could have imagined that this "Grand Martial" team would become legendary in less than four months? From north to south, they swept every major Soul Arena, challenging veteran teams of full Soul Kings handpicked to fight them. In the Heaven Dou Empire's Silves and Haagen-Dazs Kingdom, the Balak and Suotuo—they were invincible! Every match was clean and crisp, overwhelming force and exquisite teamwork on display. All members could fight far above their levels, their soul ring configurations even more dazzling.
Today, at Balak Arena, they achieved 100 consecutive victories!
It took less than four months to set the record for fastest promotion to the Purple Gold Fighting Soul Badge since the founding of the Grand Soul Fighting Arena. Furthermore, all seven main team members were awarded the Purple Gold Medal—a testament to their strength, and a declaration to all young soul masters of the continent: this is the true pinnacle of the era.
...
High above, in a VIP room—
Chen Yi stood before a giant floor-to-ceiling crystal window, calmly overlooking the boiling arena below. The thunderous cheers barely registered on his face. Behind him stood the general manager of Balak Arena—a middle-aged Soul Master with beads of sweat on his brow.
"I understand." Chen Yi turned, nodding to the official. "Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation. Our journey in Balak City ends here; it's time to move on."
The official, long tense, finally relaxed, a flattering smile on his face. "Captain Chen, it was an honor to host you and Grand Martial Academy's Youth Heaven team. Your presence brought us glory!"
The words were beautiful, but only he knew how sincere he truly was.
Chen Yi smiled ambiguously, said nothing more, and left with Shui Bing'er, Dugu Yan and the other team members.
Only when Chen Yi's figure finally disappeared at the end of the corridor did the VIP room door close gently. The official, still smiling, suddenly collapsed into the sofa, exhaling heavily, as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted.
"That calamity of a team has finally left…"
He wiped the cold sweat from his brow, his face showing the joy of surviving a disaster. Only he knew the pressure he'd been under for the past ten days. Since Grand Martial Team arrived, almost every spectator—and gambler—had been betting crazily on their victories. But the team was so strong that even astronomical odds couldn't stem the tide of bets. In just a few days, the arena's losses at the gambling tables equaled almost a quarter's total revenue. Had they stayed any longer, the entire place might have gone bankrupt.
"Thank goodness, thank goodness…"
He sat back, staring at the ornate ceiling, still filled with lingering anxiety. All he could hope was that this group of "gods" would stay at their next destination and never grace another soul arena.
Though he knew, such hopes were slim.