Chapter 161 - Thread of Hope

Chang Yan's entire body was blazing fiercely with flames that emitted terrifying energy. Its body was like the core of the sun as it emitted terrifying flames while swooping down.

Its movements were too fast causing the winds to stir around and the temperature to rise. On top of that, its large claw descended down that was overflowing with flames. Cheng Yan turned into a piercing fire pillar as it was shooting down.

Yet Di Tian didn't even blink at this and simply sent out another fist towards the vermillion bird that was coming towards him. As soon as his fist and the claw made contact, a shockwave rang out from their clash.

The whole area began shaking and rumbling as both Spirit Beast began trying to overpower each other. However, the struggle didn't last too long as with a snort, Di Tian sent the vermillion bird flying back into the air.

Then with one step, he launched himself after it with his eyes flashing. With just his physical strength, he wanted to fully suppress his opponent. Cheng Yan was able to recover as it saw Di Tian approaching it fast.

With another screech, brilliant flames began to swirl around Cheng Yan before it hacks down with its wings. The flames that were pouring down like torrents seems as if they were from the heavens themselves as it burned furiously with an annihilating power.

The space around them began distorting as if it was caving in. It was one of Cheng Yan's deadliest moves that could transform a whole forest to ash and burn down a mountain range.

This was proof of how dangerous Di Tian was, as Cheng Yan knew it had to unleash all of its techniques against Di Tian. Di Tian didn't try to evade or block the raging flames that were coming at him.

In a matter of seconds, Di Tian's figure was enveloped by the terrifying flames that were starting to condense into a ball. Cheng Yan's eyes began to flash, as it started to control the flames to refine and destroyed Di Tian.

"Just hurry up and accept your defeat Di Tian!" Shouted Cheng Yan as it started to expand almost all of its energy into the refinement.

While this was happening, other Spirit Beast was observing the battle. Most of them were staring at the fight in shock and awe, while others maintained an indifferent look. Some of them were curious about whether Cheng Yan could dethrone the Beast God himself.

But the most notable figure was a silver and black hair human figures that were watching the battle from a mountain range.

"They really want to dethrone him." Said Na'er while staring at the swirling flames.

"You already know why." Said Gu Yue as she was standing beside Na'er while observing the battle with indifference.

Na'er sighed but didn't say anything back to Gu Yue. It was pretty evident to them and the other elders on why this Beast God event was different from the others.

'The Calamities.' Thought Na'er as she began recalling a meeting they had a few months back.

This was when she and Gu Yue had to attend one of the council meetings for the Spirit Beast after they came back from the Demon World. As they were attending on overlooking things, some of the Spirit Beast began acting out.

This started a trivial fight but was thankfully able to be resolved.

Some of them feel, that Di Tian was not leading them on the path of victory. Over the past thousands of years, humanity has gotten so strong that they were able to push all of the Spirit Beast back into the center of the Star Dou Forest.

To them, they felt Di Tian was a failure of a leader. He has yet to lead them on a successful path to victory and has done nothing to save their brethren who are being used experiments. Of course, they knew they couldn't do any better so before they didn't speak out.

But after the appearance of the Calamities and how they were able to overturn the whole world, within a day. Some of the Spirit Beast took this chance, to speak out and suggested that they all followed behind these creatures.

Di Tian rejected this idea, after being informed on who and what exactly these Spirit Beast were. As he knew from the words and teaching of his uncle and his Lords. That the Calamities were beast that would slaughter anything that angers it.

'In the end, this event is basically on whether the decision of joining the Calamities goes through or not.' Thought Na'er with a sigh.

Cheng Yan was staring down at the fire sphere but not in excitement. It felt something was strange as it didn't feel anything from the flames. As when it flames burn someone, it usually allowed it to absorb their life force.

It was then the sphere burst apart with it causing huge crevices extended as if the earth collapsed. With endless darkness expanding out with Di Tian figure slowly appearing and then his figure blurred.

Cheng Yan's eyes widen, as felt a fist being embedded into it before it was sent flying. Earsplitting sounds shook and rang through the skies over the forest.

Di Tian, whose whole body was giving off a terrifying aura was striking Cheng Yan with an onslaught of attacks. His fist was constantly being hammer into the vermillion bird, who tried to use its flames to resist.

But Di Tian simply ignored the overflowing flames that were swirling around him and blew them away with his blows. Cheng Yan began letting out a screech that could be heard throughout the middle region of the forest as it felt several of its bones getting broken.

This type of creature had cultivated until it had a cultivation level of over a hundred thousand years. This made it one of the most exceptional beings in the forest, let alone the world. Its power could easily wipe out a city and crush a whole mountain.

Yet it could do nothing to stop the overbearing and brutal aura of Di Tian. This wasn't solely because of Di Tian godlike strength but also because of the pureness of his bloodline. Di Tian's bloodline was the closest to being a True Dragon, allowing him to easily restrict most of Cheng Yan strength.

After several more clashes, Cheng Yan's body was sent crashing down into the forest. It was bleeding all over with its bone being broken, while some of its feathers were broken off.

Di Tian crouches down at Cheng Yan while looking at its eyes before saying.

"Are we done?"

#

Bang!

A surge of blood essence and soul power burst through the small lake. The golden-red light around the upper layer of the lake was like streaks of light as they were interweaving with each other.

Under the lake and the streaks of light was Tang Wulin who was still enduring the pain of the Destruction level. He was approaching the end of this level as he could feel his body was almost fully cleansed and remodeled by the primal forces.

It was only when an hour passed that finally, Tang Wulin had fully mastered the second level. He was feeling the last remnant of the Life Energy as it reconstructed his bones and organs one final time. The sound of a mighty dragon rang out as Tang Wulin could hear his blood essence rumbled.

Tang Wulin let out a sigh, as he opens his eyes and watched as his blood essence erupted outward. This caused all of the water around him to be pushed back as if an invisible force was controlling it.

Tang Wulin furrowed his brows as he began inspecting his inner body. He notices his bones and flesh seemed to have gained an even deeper color of gold around the edges. Other than that, it didn't show any noticeable changes but he knew better as he felt his strength had increased.

Not only that but he could feel his intuition for danger and his resistance to soul power attacks have increased. Even without his Slayer Art, it wasn't to wrong to say he could easily brush off most attacks from those weaker than him.

'I can still do better.' Thought Tang Wulin as his eyes flash before he began to move out of the lake. He wanted to start the next level of the Body Sect Revamp method before he began hunting down powerfull foes to fight.

#

"Why would you do something like this?" Questioned a charming woman who was emitting a warm aura, while healing Cheng Yan.

The woman had jade-green hair that was flowing down behind her back, and her eyes were jade-green. Her figure was slender, with a light-green dress outlined it perfectly and with her slender arms being exposed. She had a pair of wings behind her head that was jade-green.

"Bi Ji...Answer me honestly, do you think we have any more hope?"Questioned Cheng Yan with a bitter look on its face causing Bi Ji to slightly frown.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You know I'm talking about our future on this planet."Said Cheng Yan with a frustrated sigh.

"...DI Tian is doing is b-"

"It's not enough Bi Ji. At the moment, our people are being experimented and being thrown in the trash, once their use has been fulfilled. Hell, they're a fortress made outside of the very home that is being used to wall us off from the outside world."Said Cheng Yan as it started to grit its teeth, with its eyes pulsing with uncontrollable anger.

If it wasn't bad enough for humans to treat them as nothing more than objects. They began treating them as nothing more than animals on a farm. Where they could easily pick one of them up and use them for any use.

Even now, the amount of Spirit Beast in the forest has become a minority, when compared to the humans. The amount of them that could be considered over hundred of thousands of years, was under the twenties.

This was far, less than what it was twenty thousand years ago.

"What can we do? You know with the advancement of human technology. The chances of beating them seem nothing more like a pipe dream." Said Bi Ji with sorrowful eyes becoming downcast, while her hand began trembling uncontrollably.

Before the creation of the advance of human technology, it was possible to say that humanity could never take over Star Dou Forest. It could also be said, that they could never treat Spirit Beast the way they do now, in fear of incurring the terrible wrath of the forest.

But now? After the construction of Soul Guidance weapons? Battle Armors? Mechas? And even the Soul Ammunition?

The leaders of the Spirit Beast knew. They knew the harsh cold truth that they truly wish was nothing more than an illusion or a dream.

"We are nothing more than, a pest to them. The only reason we still exist is they still 'need' us. Don't tell me, you actually believe they wouldn't try to get rid of us if their recent experiments began working properly?"Questioned Chang Yan.

Bi Ji uttered nothing as she continued healing Cheng Yan. Yet she closed her eyes with her anxious frown growing even bigger from the brutal truth of Cheng Yan words.

His words were the undeniable truth. The Spirit Beast might all be exterminated in the very near future. Once the Spirit Souls invention becomes effective enough. From what their Lord has told them, the Spirit Pagoda has been trying recreating, even extinct spirit beasts.

"That is why we need their help. Those Spirit Beast or Calamities as you called them. They are our best bet if we want to continue existing in this world."Said Cheng Yan as his gaze began to lit up with unusual vigor.

To say the whole Star Dou Forest was inexpressibly shocked at the destruction of the top power of the Douluo Continent would be an understatement. Then to find out that the reason for their destruction was that of three spirit beast attacks.

How could they not be shocked? How could they not be awe? How could they not see even the tiny thread of genuine hope?

One has to understand. This was the first time that a Spirit Beast as ever won a major battle. This was the first time, over twenty thousand years that humanity has ever suffered such a terrible loss.

"They are our final hope."Said Cheng Yan.