Douluo Continent: Twin Souls of the Underworld, Holding the Power of Life and Death

The dizzying sensation of spatial distortion gradually dissipated.

Qian Anci opened his eyes and was greeted by a dreamlike lake.

Lake of Life.

The core of the Starry Sky Forest.

"Kneel down."

Di Tian's voice came from behind.

Qian Anci did not move.

He simply watched the lake surface quietly, watching the figure slowly rise from the bottom of the lake.

Her long, silver hair cascaded down like a waterfall, gently swaying in the lake water.

Silver Dragon King, Gu Yuena.

Lord of all Soul Beasts, half-body of the Dragon God.

The true pinnacle of existence on this continent.

Qian Anci felt a surge of emotion, but remained outwardly calm.

As a time traveler, he naturally knew her identity and origins, as well as her attitude towards humanity.

But he knew even more clearly that the Death Dragon Martial Soul within him was his only protection at this moment.

"Human child."

Gu Yuena spoke, her voice clear and cold like moonlight, yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible doubt.

"Why do you possess the aura of a dragon?"

She walked slowly closer, her silver eyes fixed on Qian Anci, as if trying to see through him from his soul to his body.

Qian Anci felt that the Shadow of Polyces within his body was trembling violently, and the [Dragonfall Ring] appeared uncontrollably behind him, with grayish-white death energy swirling around it like a thin mist.

Gu Yuena's pupils contracted slightly.

"The Dragon God's Grudge..."

She murmured softly, a complex look flashing in her silver eyes.

"This is the power formed from the negative emotions scattered throughout the world when the Dragon God fell. It should have dissipated completely over countless years, so why has it reappeared in you?"

She raised her hand, her slender fingertips gently touching Qian Anci's brow.

In an instant, an irresistible force surged into his sea of ​​consciousness.

Qian Anci did not resist.

He knew that any resistance would be futile in the face of this person.

Moreover, he had already discussed a plan with Xia Die in his mind.

"An Ci, let her see." Xia Die's voice resounded deep within her soul, gentle and calm. "Let her see. I will conceal it with death energy; she won't notice."

Grayish-white mist churned in the sea of ​​consciousness.

Gu Yuena's consciousness probed into that wasteland and saw the enormous, dead dragon that blotted out the sky.

Her breath hitched slightly.

"This is... a dragon corpse?"

Her voice held a hint of disbelief, and her silver eyes flashed with doubt: "But this aura is unlike any dragon I know."

She stared at the dead dragon, as if trying to discern something from its body.

She was all too familiar with the dragon bloodline.

All dragon-type soul beasts on this continent, whether true dragons or sub-dragons, can trace their bloodline back to the Dragon God.

However, the aura emanating from this dead dragon, although also a dragon, was subtly different from that of the Dragon God lineage.

Gu Yuena withdrew her finger.

In ancient dragon legends, there were fragments mentioning that other dragon races exist in the vast universe beyond the stars.

They may have different forms and different power attributes, but what flows in their veins is ultimately the blood of the dragon.

Just as humans are divided into black, white, and yellow, yet all belong to the human race.

The same applies to dragons.

The dragon aura emanating from the child before them clearly indicated that he was not from this world.

"You are the reincarnation of a dragon from beyond the astral plane."

Gu Yuena said firmly.

A complex emotion flashed in her silver eyes.

Qian Anci's heart stirred.

He hadn't expected Gu Yuena to come to this conclusion.

"I have no memories of my childhood," he continued, following her words. "I only know that when I was still an infant, I was found in the ruins by Grandpa Qian Daoliu and brought back to the Spirit Hall. This Spirit only appeared on the day it awakened. As for why it is a dragon..."

He paused, then lowered his eyes: "I don't know myself."

Gu Yuena fell silent.

She gazed at Qian Anci.

This child, who possessed the bloodline of a dragon from beyond the astral plane, was reincarnated as a human and lost all memories of his previous life.

He didn't know his origins, what kind of existence he once was, or even what the blood flowing through his veins meant.

But that dragon aura doesn't lie.

"What's your name?" Her voice softened unconsciously.

"Qian An Ci".

Gu Yuena nodded slightly.

She raised her hand and gently stroked the top of Qian Anci's head.

The movements were clumsy and awkward, as if it had been a very long time since such a gentle gesture had been made.

"An Ci." She murmured the name softly, a hint of tenderness flashing in her silver eyes. "Although you come from beyond the Star Realm, the dragon bloodline within you is ultimately of the same origin as ours."

The dragon race will never abandon any member of its race.

Even if you have been reincarnated, even if you come from another star system.

Qian Anci felt a slight stirring in his heart.

He raised his head, his dark eyes meeting those silver eyes.

"But I don't know which side I belong to."

His voice was filled with confusion, like a child who couldn't find his way home.

"Grandpa Qian Daoliu treats me like his own grandson, and my sister Qian Renxue also regards me as her own brother. I don't know what to do."

Gu Yuena looked at Qian Anci and remained silent.

This child still retains human emotions.

This is both a good thing and a bad thing.

Fortunately, he has not been completely corrupted by human greed and desire.

The bad thing is that this bond might become an obstacle for him to return to the soul beast race in the future.

But at this moment, she didn't want to pressure him.

You don't have to make a choice now.

Gu Yuena's voice softened.

"All you need to know is that the Star Dou Great Forest will always be your home." She paused. "An Ci, are you aware of the current situation of the Soul Beast race?"

Qian Anci nodded.

Humans hunt soul beasts to obtain soul rings. The number of soul beasts is decreasing day by day, and the strong are dying out.

"Not bad." Gu Yuena's gaze looked into the distance, as if piercing through layers of forest and seeing her people being hunted by humans. "Humans regard soul beasts as resources for cultivation and hunt them indiscriminately."

And we can only hide in this forest, barely clinging to life.

"But this situation won't last long."

She turned her head, her silver eyes fixed on Qian Anci: "Anci, I need you."

Qian Anci felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew that the real test was coming.

"You are now in the human world, in the Spirit Hall," Gu Yuena's voice was deep. "That is one of the most powerful forces in humankind."

I need you to be my eyes, to be the eyes and ears of the Soul Beast race in the human world.

Inform me in advance if the Spirit Hall takes any actions detrimental to the spirit beasts.

Let me know when there's any disturbance in the human world.

Her gaze was gentle, yet carried an undeniable authority: "In exchange, I will give you a gift that only dragons can receive."

Qian Anci remained silent for a long time.

He frantically weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

Agreeing means he will become a double agent, caught between humans and soul beasts, where the slightest mistake could lead to utter destruction.

But I won't agree...

He glanced at Di Tian beside him, and then felt Gu Yuena's seemingly gentle but actually unyielding gaze.

"I agree." He raised his head, a resolute glint in his dark eyes. "But I have two conditions."

Di Tian frowned, about to speak, but Gu Yuena raised her hand to stop him.

"explain."

"First, I will not hurt Grandpa Qian Daoliu and Sister Qian Renxue. They are my family."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly: "Okay."

"Second," Qian Anci took a deep breath, looking directly into those silver eyes, "I need power. I need enough power to protect myself and my family."

"The gift you mentioned, I hope is a spirit ring."

Gu Yuena looked at him and suddenly smiled softly.

Her smile was gentle, like looking at an innocent child.

"You're quite clever."

She turned around and looked at the lake: "Di Tian, ​​go and bring that ten-thousand-year-old Dark Scaled Flood Dragon."

Di Tian was slightly taken aback: "My lord, that dragon was something we managed to..."

"go."

Gu Yuena's voice was beyond question.

Di Tian gritted his teeth, bowed, and stepped back.

A moment later, he returned carrying a dragon whose entire body was covered in dark black scales.

The dragon was about eight meters long, with a single horn on its head and four claws hidden under its belly, clearly a sign that it was about to transform into a dragon.

At this moment, it was being suppressed by Di Tian's oppressive aura, and its dark red dragon eyes were filled with fear.

"This Darkscale Flood Dragon possesses pure sub-dragon blood, only a step away from becoming a true dragon." Gu Yuena looked at Qian Anci. "Ten thousand years of cultivation—is that enough for your second soul ring?"

Qian Anci felt a jolt in his heart.

a thousand years!

A second spirit ring that takes ten thousand years to form is simply unbelievable in the outside world!

"That's enough." He took a deep breath and sat down cross-legged.

The Grim Reaper's Scythe coalesced in his palm, and a grayish-white aura of death slowly swirled around it.

Gu Yuena raised her hand, and a silver light enveloped the Dark Scaled Dragon.

The ferocious dragon didn't even have time to struggle before it transformed into the purest soul energy in the silver light, condensing into a black soul ring.

"Absorb it," Gu Yuena said softly. "With me here, it can't hurt you."

Qian Anci closed his eyes, channeled his soul power, and slowly guided the soul ring toward the Death Scythe.

And in the depths of that unseen consciousness, Xia Die's voice softly rang out.

"Absorb with peace of mind, An Ci. I will use the essence of the underworld to protect your heart meridian, allowing this soul ring to resonate with the Ring of Polyces. This time, you will become even stronger."

The grayish-white mist intertwined with the soul rings, slowly merging into one under the reflection of the Lake of Life.