Chapter 155
Chapter 155: Problem
"Dragon God…"
2 words, heavy as ten thousand jun.
Shadow's mind went completely blank.
Thud!
Luo Kun collapsed to the ground, both hands trembling as he clutched his head.
His eyes were wild with elation.
'I didn't let everyone down…'
'I…I summoned a god!'
Beside him, Liu Ruyan saw this and curled her lip in disdain, letting out a cold snort.
"Pathetic."
She sheathed her black ice swords back into the Frost Sword Case. Though her complexion was ashen, her eyes were resolute.
"The so-called divine are nothing more than pioneers who were born a few hundred…a few thousand years earlier than us!"
"People who simply mastered more power!"
"One day, I, Liu Ruyan, will inevitably cross that heavenly chasm and transcend them entirely!"
"After all…"
"I, Liu Ruyan, am a woman destined to become a god! A mere…"
She clenched her fist. The movement was too sharp—it pulled at her wound, and the pain made the corner of her mouth twitch.
Yet she maintained that cold, lofty composure all the same.
However, across the open wilderness there was only the sound of wind passing through. Not a single person responded to her declaration.
"Hey, did you two hear me…where did everyone go?"
Liu Ruyan froze, turning her head.
She found that those 2 idiots, Luo Kun and Shadow, hadn't listened to her declaration at all.
They had already scrambled to their feet and sprinted toward the Dragon God.
"Wait for me, you bastards!"
Liu Ruyan's cold and lofty image collapsed in an instant.
She furiously limped after them as fast as she could.
And at the center of the battlefield's ruins.
"Dragon God, is it…"
"I see…"
"Then it was I who overestimated myself."
The Watchful Scarecrow's soul let out a self-mocking low laugh from within the void.
If it had never provoked that man from the very beginning, would none of this have happened?
Yet beneath Divine Punishment, even regret was a luxury.
Its soul shattered completely, leaving behind only 1 【Watcher's Eye】.
And those 8 powerful fighters on the crosses—half-human, half-straw now, barely clinging to life.
It was at that moment that the Sky Screen's voice rang out across the wasteland.
【BOSS killed. Trial concluded!】
【Total clear time: 9 hours, 52 minutes, 07 seconds】
【Final Rankings】
1st Place: Iron Wall Squad (all members survived)—Champions of this trial!
Reward: Home base shelter granted a daily privilege of returning to Blue Star for 12 hours!
2nd Place: Blade Squad, White Eagle Squad (remaining members: 3 each)—Barely cleared.
Reward: Home base shelter granted a daily privilege of returning to Blue Star for 3 hours!
3rd Place: Black Shark Squad (all members deceased)—Trial failed!
【Penalty Executed】
The Sky Screen System has airdropped an S-Grade BOSS in Berserk State onto their home base, Eagle Nation's 11th Base.
A replica of the Watchful Scarecrow!
After the trial ends, it will transition from Berserk State to its normal state!
It will synchronize the memories the Watchful Scarecrow accumulated during this trial!
Please enjoy your despair to the fullest!
【Broadcast concluded. The trial map will collapse in 10 minutes.】
【All participants will automatically return to their home base upon collapse.】
The moment those words fell.
The wasteland shook violently, and the sky turned hazy and unreal.
"There isn't much time…"
The white-haired man.
The Dragon God, spoke mildly.
With a casual wave of his hand, a gentle force swept the 8 people from the crosses and brought them before him.
Yan Mo, drained of all energy, had already fallen completely unconscious.
The Dragon God's gaze swept across the members of Iron Wall Squad.
A smile rose to the corner of his mouth.
"Thin—almost to the point of severance…"
"But at the root of it, they still carry a trace of the Ancestral Dragon's bloodline."
"You few are quite fortunate. Today, you encountered This Sovereign."
"Otherwise…"
"You would have been left crippled for the rest of your lives."
He then turned, his gaze falling on the remaining 3 Eagle Nation members.
"Not of my kin. No Ancestral Dragon bloodline."
He mulled it over for half a second.
"Forget it. This Sovereign is in a decent mood today."
"Saving 5 is saving. Saving 8 costs no more effort."
"Given that you fought alongside This Sovereign's descendants just now."
"This Sovereign will make a reluctant exception for you today."
The Dragon God extended his right hand and pulled away the bandages wrapped around his arm.
In an instant, an arm covered in glowing golden runes was revealed to the open air!
That golden light blazed like a fierce sun!
With merely the radiance of that light shining upon them, the Straw Conversion afflicting all 8 people rapidly receded.
Life surged back through them vigorously.
Having done this, he reached out with one hand and drew the 【Watcher's Eye】 into his grip.
【Item】: Watcher's Eye
【Grade】: Special
【Type】: Cursed Object
【Function 1·Learn and Apply】: Rapidly deconstructs the techniques of others and uses elemental force to create high-fidelity copies or original variations.
【Function 2·Domain】: Consumes an immense amount of spiritual energy to forcibly deploy a suppressive domain with a 500-meter radius.
Note: The domain's nature is determined by the user.
【Information】: A self-aware Cursed Object born from the self-disintegration of a demigod-class being. Now that its soul has been completely annihilated by a divine entity, it has been reduced to a pure, inert vessel stripped of all self-awareness.
"Replicating techniques, creating domains…"
"A trinket condensed from a demigod's shell."
The Dragon God weighed it in his hand. "Somewhat interesting little object."
He pocketed it, then turned around.
He looked toward the 3 young people rushing over with anxious, reverent expressions.
He sat cross-legged on the ground, his bearing relaxed and unhurried.
In the countdown to the imminent collapse of the space.
He didn't ask where they were. He didn't ask about the current state of affairs.
Instead, he cut straight to the point and dropped a bombshell.
"Tell This Sovereign."
"When…did I die?"
Hearing the Dragon God's blunt opening question.
Luo Kun and Shadow, who had just run up to him.
And Liu Ruyan, who was still trailing behind—all 3 of them froze on the spot.
They looked at one another.
It was obvious. This divine being who had just awakened had already sensed it.
This world was nothing like the one he had inhabited all those years ago.
Luo Kun swallowed, and was the first to speak.
"That…Dragon God, sir."
"We junior generations don't know the exact year of your passing…"
"But based on estimates from surviving fragmentary ancient texts, the confirmed timeframe is at least a thousand years."
"It far predates the Savage Calendar we use today."
"Savage Calendar?"
The Dragon God was stunned. "You're from…the Savage Realm?!"
Shadow drew a deep breath and quickly followed up. "Yes, Dragon God, sir."
"The place we currently inhabit is the Savage Realm."
"However, we are currently inside a trial. The terrain beneath our feet is a virtual projection map."
"It originates from the Death Wheat Field on Eerie Island."
Boom!
The moment Shadow finished speaking!
A terrifying suppressive pressure swept through the already-collapsing space!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The 3 of them couldn't even muster any resistance—they were crushed down and driven to their knees in the mud!
Luo Kun's mind went completely blank.
Shadow nearly stopped breathing.
Even Liu Ruyan, always high and mighty.
Was now pressed so hard she couldn't lift her head.
Though her expression still refused to yield.
‘So…this is the wrath of a god?!’
‘A mere fluctuation of emotion alone is enough to crush us!’
Fortunately, the pressure came as fast as it left.
When the 3 of them raised their heads to look at the Dragon God, they found his eyes ablaze with towering fury.
"Eerie Island? You mean…"
"Those filthy abominations…have crossed into the Savage Realm?!"
Shadow suppressed the trembling of her soul and answered haltingly.
"Technically speaking…yes, Dragon God, sir."
"At the very least, when our human Savage Calendar first began recording history, the cursed creatures were already spread throughout this world."
The fury in the Dragon God's eyes surged violently. He stared hard at the 3 of them and pressed urgently.
"Then…where are This Sovereign's claws?! Where are my Dragon kin?!"
"That…well…"
Shadow and Luo Kun didn't dare answer.
How could they bring themselves to tell this furious divine being that his claws were all but extinct—slaughtered to the last?
Yet at this very moment.
Liu Ruyan lifted her chin without a trace of fear.
She met the Dragon God's gaze—the kind that looked ready to devour—and let out a cold snort.
Then she laid out the truth without hesitation.
"Your claws are almost all dead!"
"They were wiped out by the Arashin-Kai in one fell swoop!"
Liu Ruyan even rolled her eyes and kept right on pushing her luck.
"And another thing! You show up and immediately use your suppressive pressure to demand all these inexplicable answers."
"Don't you know that before asking someone questions, you should introduce yourself first?"
"Do you have any manners at all?"
‘What the—?!!’
Luo Kun and Shadow, kneeling right beside her, heard these words and had their last words practically ready.
“Sis!!”
“What the hell is wrong with you?!”
“Can't you open your eyes and see who's standing across from you?!”
“That's the Dragon God!!”
“Don't drag us down with you when you're trying to die!!”
But contrary to everyone's expectations.
Faced with Liu Ruyan's backtalk, the Dragon God didn't fly into a rage at all.
He was taken aback for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
The Dragon God looked at Liu Ruyan's cold and striking face.
"Interesting."
"In This Sovereign's long years of existence, you are one of the extremely rare few ants who dared to speak to This Sovereign this way."
"This arrogance of yours is precisely to This Sovereign's taste."
"Therefore…to commend your courage, This Sovereign has decided to bestow upon you a special reward."
The Dragon God smiled and extended his index finger. A beam of golden light shot from it!
Swoosh!
The golden light sank into Liu Ruyan's forehead and transformed into a blue lotus flower mark!
Liu Ruyan touched her forehead and raised an eyebrow smugly.
"Hmph. Now that's more like it. At least you know what's good for you."
She turned her head and shot a contemptuous glance at Luo Kun and Shadow. Her expression seemed to say:
‘See that?’
‘That's the charm of this young lady right here. Even a god has to obediently come bearing gifts!’
But at this moment, Luo Kun and Shadow felt absolutely no envy whatsoever.
Because they noticed…
Though the Dragon God was smiling, those Dragon Eyes of his had narrowed!
Their instincts warned them.
Something was very wrong!
Very, very wrong!
"What does this mark do?"
Liu Ruyan asked haughtily.
What happened next was a perfect vindication of their instincts.
The Dragon God clasped his hands behind his back.
"This is the Dragon-Suppression Seal, refined by This Sovereign's own hand."
"Once activated, you can instantly unleash Dragon Might—enough to cause brief soul paralysis in enemies of the same level or even above."
"Furthermore, this seal itself is equivalent to the bloodline standing of a Dragon King within This Sovereign's clan of claws."
"You will hold the authority to issue commands to Dragon General-rank Dragon kin and below."
The moment Liu Ruyan heard this, she immediately broke into a delighted grin!
‘This is practically a godlike support skill!’
‘In a clash between experts, even stunning your opponent for 1 second could determine the difference between life and death!’
In her peak state of smugness, Liu Ruyan immediately wanted to test the seal's power right then and there.
She looked toward Shadow and Luo Kun, and her will stirred!
"Roar!"
A dragon's roar erupted straight from the blue lotus seal on Liu Ruyan's forehead!
Luo Kun and Shadow were caught completely off guard. Their heads rang with a loud hum.
Their pupils went unfocused, and they froze in place, completely stunned!
A full 3 seconds passed before the 2 of them snapped back to their senses.
"Liu Ruyan! What the hell are you using that on your own people for?!"
Luo Kun erupted in furious cursing!
Liu Ruyan brushed a strand of hair back from her cheek and sneered.
"What are you shouting for? There was no actual physical damage. What is there to be afraid of?"
"Heh heh heh!"
Luo Kun and Shadow were so infuriated their scalps went numb. They wanted nothing more than to tear this brain-dead princess apart on the spot.
But right at that moment, the Dragon God's voice drifted over, laden with an extremely mischievous amusement.
"Don't celebrate too soon, you impudent little girl."
The Dragon God looked at Liu Ruyan, who had gotten completely carried away. "This Sovereign hasn't mentioned…the side effects yet."
"Side…side effects?!"
Liu Ruyan's laughter cut off abruptly. The smugness on her face froze solid in an instant.
"Of course there are."
The Dragon God shattered her illusions.
"There is no such thing as manna from heaven in this world, nor is there any power that can be used free of charge."
"Since you have accepted This Sovereign's gift, you must pay the corresponding price."
"Every time you activate this Dragon Might…"
"A contract is triggered. And that contract states…"
"Absolute obedience to one command issued by This Sovereign!"
The Dragon God extended his finger, pointing directly at Liu Ruyan, and bellowed.
"Now! Obey This Sovereign's command!"
"Strike yourself as hard as you can on the backside and run laps around us!"
"Until you collapse from exhaustion!!!"
"You!!!"
Liu Ruyan was just about to let loose a torrent of curses.
But her body had completely lost her control!
Smack!
Liu Ruyan raised her right hand and slapped herself on her own peach-shaped rear!
Then, still slapping away, she began running in circles on the spot!
Smack! Smack!
The sound of slapping echoed across the wasteland.
Liu Ruyan finally understood she had been played!
That proud, cold, striking face of hers flushed crimson with humiliation.
"You…you sick pervert!"
"What kind of god is this?! Undo it now!"
"Hmph."
The Dragon God let out a cold snort, folding his arms.
"This is the price of being a troublemaker in front of This Sovereign."
"If This Sovereign doesn't knock that arrogant spine out of you, you'll truly think the universe revolves around you."
Right beside him, Luo Kun and Shadow.
Watching Liu Ruyan's complete loss of dignity, they clamped their hands firmly over their mouths, bodies shaking violently as they suppressed their laughter.
They nearly imploded trying to hold it in!
‘This Dragon God senior truly is worldly and experienced!’
‘He knows exactly how to deal with someone like Liu Ruyan and her severe case of princess syndrome!’
‘Classic move—first slip a piece of chocolate into her mouth, wait for her to swallow it, then smile and tell her there was something foul inside, leaving her unable to spit it back out!’
"Ahem."
The Dragon God ignored Liu Ruyan and steered the conversation back on track.
"Very well. The unruly element has been dealt with."
"As she just said—since you answered This Sovereign's questions, This Sovereign has always been fair in dispensing reward and punishment."
"You may now ask This Sovereign your questions."
"3 in total."
"That girl's question allowance—hand it over to you two."
Shadow and Luo Kun exchanged a glance.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to question a true god!
Luo Kun chose the greater good.
He voiced the question burning in the hearts of all people across the Savage Realm.
"Dragon God, sir, regarding the Cursed Creatures…"
"Should they…never have appeared in the Savage Realm to begin with?"
"Correct."
The Dragon God gazed up into the void.
"Because back then, This Sovereign had already sealed shut the path of their invasion."
"You must remember—this universe is composed of the Three Realms and Six Domains!"
"The Divine Realm."
"The Blazing Flame Realm."
"The Savage Realm."
"And the Azure Star Domain."
"The Chaos Star Domain."
"The Filth Star Domain."
"The Soul-Summoning Star Domain."
"The Death Star Domain."
"The Ten Thousand Clans Star Domain!"
"What you call Cursed Creatures—abominations—they invaded from the Filth Star Domain."
"First they infiltrated the Divine Realm, corrupting those gods who fancied themselves above all others, and gave birth to Evil Gods!"
"Then these corrupted Evil God armies began their assault on the Blazing Flame Realm—the domain of my Dragon kin!"
"That battle shattered mountains and rivers."
"They were ultimately ambushed and cut down by This Sovereign and a handful of uncorrupted divine beings, and halted outside the realm gates!"
"The world knew temporary peace. But…"
"Even a god has a day when the end draws near."
"So, in the final moment before the Blazing Flame Realm was about to fall completely."
"This Sovereign personally sent countless seeds of living beings into this once-barren Savage Realm."
"And sealed the entrance shut completely—so that nothing from outside could ever force it open!"
At this, the Dragon God lowered his head.
"But as things stand now, it is apparent…"
"Among the living beings sent into the Savage Realm back then, spies from the Filth Star Domain were mixed in."
"The Arashin-Kai you spoke of just now—they must be the infiltration force built by those abominations!"
Luo Kun and Shadow listened to these ancient secrets and wore expressions of profound shock.
They etched this intelligence—enough to alter the fate of humanity—deep into their minds.
"Very well. Second question."
The Dragon God prompted.
Now it was Shadow's turn.
She turned her head. "I'm sorry."
"Forgive my selfishness…I want to live."
Luo Kun nodded with full understanding.
"It's alright."
"This was given to you by the Dragon God."
"And we still have Liu Ruyan's question allowance."
Shadow nodded, then laid out her situation to the Dragon God in full—the curse afflicting her body, and her limited remaining lifespan.
The Dragon God listened, then looked at the signs of corruption on Shadow's body.
He then thought of what he had just learned—that his claws were nearly all gone, and that high-concentration Dragon Blood no longer existed.
He let out a helpless sigh.
Though he himself was only a phantom and couldn't offer his own vital blood.
And yet…
The version of himself on this timeline.
Wasn't that a ready-made antidote right there?!
A smile rose to the Dragon God's lips.
"My phantom's bloodline power is far too overwhelming—it cannot be given to you directly."
"But…"
"This Sovereign has another method of detoxification…"
Bunny-Bunny