In a breathtaking valley embraced by lush forests and towering mountains, a tall, graceful woman stood alone. Her thick green hair rose in a bulbous crown atop her head, flowing into a ponytail that trailed behind her. She gazed down at the glowing insignia on her arm — the mark of the Dragon God.
"Is he really back?" she muttered, eyes narrowing.
This was Akari, daughter of the Space Dragon King and the wife of the Time Dragon King's son Liu Yang. Long ago, after the cataclysmic fall of the Dragon Kings, she had learned of her father's betrayal and her husband's tragic death in the great battle. The collapse of the dragon pantheon had shaken the realms — and fearing the chaos that would follow, Akari fled into a hidden subspace, a sanctuary she and her husband had crafted together. There, she had raised their daughter in secret, isolated from a shattered world.
Nine hundred thousand years had passed since then.
Until today.
The Dragon God's insignia pulsed against her skin — a divine signal long thought silenced. Akari's heart pounded. If the Dragon God still lives… then what truly happened back then?
Suddenly, the sky above shimmered.
A portal split the air, swirling with hues of teal and emerald. Ripples danced across the sky, and through them emerged a majestic Eastern Dragon. Its long body twisted with grace, hair like drifting mist streaming behind it. The dragon's teal scales glinted in the light, and its red, reptilian eyes scanned the land below. Antlers arched from its brow, whiskers fluttered in the wind, and each movement exuded ancient power.
Akari raised her voice. "Come down, Tomoe!"
The dragon swooped low, then dissolved into a cloud of red mist. From its heart stepped a striking young woman.
Tomoe stood with a confident stance, her waist-length turquoise hair misty and wavy, tied in a high ponytail with golden pins scattered throughout. A chest-length strand framed the left side of her face, while short bangs fell across her brow. Her red, slitted eyes gleamed with curiosity and concern. She wore a green kimono with purple accents, open at the front to reveal a white inner layer, and a bold red scarf wrapped around her neck. A gold-buckled belt cinched her waist, gold chains draped across her outfit, and her legs were wrapped in red-and-white guards above white sandals.
Her movements and voice carried a masculine confidence — a tomboyish edge that contrasted with her divine beauty.
"What's up, Mom? Why'd you call me?" Tomoe asked, raising an eyebrow.
Akari silently held up her arm, showing the glowing insignia. "The Dragon is calling. This is his mark — and no one can fake it."
Tomoe's playful expression faded, replaced by solemn dread. "You're thinking of going… aren't you?"
Akari nodded, her voice firm. "I want answers, and only the Dragon God can give them to me."
In the unforgiving desert region east of the Starlou Empire and bordering the treacherous Stardou Forest, lay a mysterious oasis hidden within a cradle of jagged mountains. This desert was feared across continents — a place no traveler had ever successfully crossed, second in danger only to the dreaded forest beside it.
Nestled in the heart of this barren wasteland stood a magnificent palace, its architecture both ancient and grand, fashioned from stone the color of sun-baked gold. The air shimmered with dry heat and subtle magic, and the halls within were alive with the rustling sounds of snake-people — elegant, formidable beings with human torsos and serpentine lower bodies.
At the heart of the palace, on an elevated jade throne wrapped in silk and shadow, sat a regal figure of both awe and beauty.
Medusa, Queen of all snake-type soul beasts.
Her skin was flawless and pale, her long arms adorned with gold bangles that clinked softly with every movement. Her eyes were a deep, glowing red — intense and sharp like twin blades. Red eye shadow accentuated her gaze, and her face was framed by cascades of inky black-blue hair that flowed like silk down her back. A golden headpiece, elaborate and crowned with crimson gemstones, adorned her head like a mark of divine right.
But her most striking feature — and her legacy — was her lower body: a massive, coiled tail of gleaming scales that shifted in gradients of deep purples and greys, coiled with power and grace beneath her throne. Her garments were rich and ornate, with flowing red fabrics edged in gold, and translucent layers that shimmered with a regal, almost otherworldly elegance. Her bodice, finely crafted, left her midriff bare — a symbol of strength, beauty, and dominance.
Medusa, a 700,000-year-old Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, was no ordinary beast. She had carved her own path, rejecting the traditional sacrifice of cultivation for evolution. She alone had discovered the method of partial transformation for snake-type soul beasts, preserving their strength and unlocking new power. She was queen — not by right, but by strength and legacy.
A sudden shift in the air brought the arrival of another presence.
Gliding across the marbled floor came Yue Mei, her most trusted subordinate. Her long, deep purple hair flowed around her fair shoulders, eyes glowing with a serene lavender light. She wore a two-toned halter top of black and violet trimmed with gold, revealing her toned midriff. A gold accessory curled around her ear, with tiny ornaments that jingled softly, and a faint purple marking adorned her left shoulder. Her snake tail bore hues of green and silver, coiling beside her with effortless grace.
Yue Mei, a 400,000-year-old snake soul beast, bowed low before her queen.
"My Lady," she spoke, voice calm but weighted with meaning, "a message has arrived. From Di Tian."
At that name, Medusa's eyes narrowed, her expression sharpening.
Di Tian — the legendary leader of the Savage Beasts. Not an enemy, but certainly not an ally. Medusa had long rejected his offers of allegiance. To her, his vision had always been flawed — shortsighted. She had no intention of placing her future under the banner of a movement led by a dragon's shadow. She held no love for the Silver Dragon King either — chosen merely because she was the Dragon God's other half, not through strength or merit.
Medusa's voice was smooth, yet cold. "What does he want?"
Yue Mei lifted her head slightly. "He claims it is urgent. He says… it may be something that could change the destiny of the entire soul beast race."
Silence hung for a moment.
Medusa's expression softened just slightly — her curiosity, piqued. A change in destiny? That was not a phrase to be used lightly.
Her tail shifted beneath her throne. "Interesting…"
On the opposite side of the Stardou Forest, beyond its tangled dread and silent menace, lay another forbidden realm — not feared for ferocity, but for mystery. A lush, verdant forest teeming with ancient flora, its beauty was unmatched, yet none dared enter.
Even the strongest of Titled Douluo found themselves succumbing to a dazed, dreamlike state here — minds clouded, wandering endlessly under the soft, hypnotic sway of the forest's power. Few returned. Fewer remembered what they saw.
And at the heart of this untouched paradise bloomed a vast field of radiant flowers, their colors shifting gently like light upon water. Here, nestled among petals and sunlight, stood a throne sculpted from twisted willow roots — alive, breathing, and elegant in its formation.
Upon this throne sat a woman who seemed woven from the very essence of nature and time.
Liu Shen, the ancient soul of the Golden Willow Tree, and guardian of all plant-type soul beasts.
Her presence was ethereal — divine in grace, yet grounded in wisdom. Long, flowing black hair spilled over her shoulders, streaked with glimmering teal highlights that shimmered faintly with every subtle motion. Braided within her locks were delicate, translucent strands — like the silk of spirit butterflies — lending a constant, drifting softness.
Her features were exquisitely refined, the kind only time and eternal calm could mold. Her expression was serene, holding a quiet smile — one that knew much, spoke little, and understood more. Her light teal eyes glowed faintly, like the soul of a lake untouched by wind — ancient, still, infinite.
She wore a flowing gown of radiant white fabric, light as mist. Intricate gold and teal patterns danced across it, the stitching alive with plant-like motifs — vines, blooming flowers, curling tendrils — as if the forest itself had kissed every thread. Wide, layered sleeves swayed with her every breath, giving her an almost spectral elegance. Her gown pooled around her like dew on petals, never still, always flowing.
Upon her brow rested a majestic golden headpiece, branching with natural elegance like the crown of a willow tree. Teal jewels shimmered like droplets upon its frame. Matching earrings and delicate bangles adorned her, their accents subtle but impossibly refined.
Liu Shen was old. Nine hundred thousand years of watching, guiding, and quietly preserving. She, alongside Yao Ling — the Myriad Demon King, a mutated Tree Monster of over 500,000 years — had long led the plant-type soul beasts. Where the world spiraled toward conflict, they had chosen caution, unity, and preservation.
And when Di Tian rallied the soul beasts under the banner of war, Liu Shen and Medusa were the few who refused.
They foresaw what others did not — that the Divine Realm would not remain idle, and that humanity would soon draw godly aid. A direct war would only lead to destruction. Thus, they prepared. Liu Shen, with her power over space, had forged a special realm — a sanctuary tied to the living world. So long as plant life existed beyond, her realm would endure, untouched.
It was their backup plan. Their last sanctuary.
And now, as she sat among blooming lilies and dancing pollen, Liu Shen paused her humming, her luminous eyes opening slowly.
A quiet murmur left her lips, calm yet filled with layered meaning."Did Di Tian… find a solution?"
Her gaze drifted toward the wind — sensing a change.
Far to the North, where the world turns white and silence reigns eternal, stood a castle forged from eternal ice. Its towers shimmered with a bluish hue beneath the pale northern sun, and its halls whispered with the breath of winter itself.
Within the heart of this frozen fortress, upon a throne of glacial crystal, sat a woman like no other — the sovereign of the cold.
Xue Nu, the Snow Empress.
Her long, flowing white-blue hair cascaded like frozen waterfalls down her back, partially pulled into an intricate style adorned with crystalline pins that sparkled like frost-kissed stars. An ornate crown of silver and ice, shaped in sharp, swirling points, rested upon her head, its elegance reflecting her icy majesty.
Her skin glowed with a faint bluish hue, smooth and flawless like carved snow, and her piercing light-violet eyes held a glimmer of ancient wisdom — and cold judgment. Icy markings framed her eyes like the delicate lines of snowflakes etched in moonlight.
She wore a gown woven from enchanted frost and shimmering fabric, its bodice sculpted like frozen water. Translucent sleeves draped over her arms, laced with frosty spikes and delicate chains. Her posture was still, regal, her hands clasped with icy grace, every inch the empress of winter.
She had just received a message — from Di Tian.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the cold breeze heralding another presence.
Ice Empress entered in a slow, floating glide — an embodiment of elegance, strength, and chilling danger.
Her humanoid upper half glowed with an ethereal blue aura. Elegant features, regal and sharp, defined her face, while long, pale blue hair trailed behind her like drifting snow. Upon her head rested a crown of jagged crystal and gold, its structure reminiscent of frost-bladed wings or scorpion horns.
Her upper body was clad in crystalline armor fused with divine gold, mimicking the symmetry of snowflakes and ancient runes. From the waist down, however, she was no human.
Instead, a massive, segmented scorpion tail coiled beneath her — sleek, armored, and deadly. Dark purplish-blue plates gleamed with frost and divine markings. At its end, a radiant stinger, forged from divine ice and etched in glowing gold, gleamed ominously.
She hovered forward, trailing snowflakes and cold mist in her wake, her presence commanding and silent — until it was broken by a splash of light and sea-colored motion.
Li Jia, Princess of the Sea, emerged in a shimmer of ocean breeze and salt-spray aura.
Her long turquoise hair flowed freely down her back, her yellow eyes shining with calm depth. A radiant golden mermaid tail replaced her legs, glimmering with divine scales and trailing sparkling mist as she swam through the air on conjured water currents. Her webbed hands adjusted the strand of hair behind her ear as she floated near the icy throne.
Her tone was mildly annoyed.
"Why did you summon me way out here, Xue?"
Xue Nu's eyes remained unmoving, her voice like a soft winter wind.
"Di Tian sent a message."
Li Jia's frown deepened.
"I have no interest in his madness. All that talk of waging war against the Divine Realm — I want no part of it. I only wish to be left in peace with my daughters."
But Xue Nu's eyes gleamed slightly as she continued."This time… it's different. He claims to have found a method — a way to surpass the tribulation without any effects."
That silenced them both.
Ice Empress tilted her head, her voice sharp and skeptical."That's impossible. No beast has ever bypassed the divine tribulation. It's the law… the rule set by gods."
For lower-level soul beasts, every hundred years represented a barrier they had to cross. This barrier continues to every thousand years, and slowly advance to ten thousand years before reaching a hundred thousand years. For every hundred thousand years, the difficulty of improving would escalate.
Li Jia crossed her arms, echoing the doubt."Agreed. Even I know such talk is fantasy."
Xue Nu, however, shook her head gently, the icy chains on her sleeves chiming like wind chimes in snow."No. There are a
other methods… rare and costly. If anyone could have uncovered them, it's Di Tian. I believe he would risk lying about this."
A heavy silence settled over the frozen hall. Snowflakes drifted lazily through the air.
Finally, Li Jia exhaled."Then… we're going?"
Xue Nu nodded once.
The Ice Empress moved forward, tail coiling protectively behind Xue Nu."If my sister is going… so am I."
The decision had been made.
And in the frozen halls of the North, ancient queens of power began to stir once more — not for war, but for something perhaps even greater:
Hope.
While deep in the shadowed veins of Stardou Forest, far from the light-dappled canopies and gentle streams, there existed a region where even the bravest soul beasts dared not tread. The very air here pulsed with malice — thick, heavy, corrupted.
At the heart of this forbidden abyss, hidden within a colossal, jagged cavern, was a sphere of living darkness, anchored by ancient runes and chains forged from pure soul power. It quivered with strain. Faint cracks now spiderwebbed its obsidian surface.
A faint hiss echoed from within.
Then a sudden shudder.
A piece of the seal splintered off and disintegrated into mist.
Inside, something monstrous stirred.
From the shadows, eight yellow eyes blinked open, glowing like hellish stars in a void. The two central eyes were massive, unblinking, filled with a cruel hunger. Sharp chittering echoed from within the sphere, as a low, guttural growl began to rise — not of pain, not of rage…
…but of insatiable hunger.
And then she moved.
The Black Spider of Calamity — a towering creature of purple-black carapace, with grotesquely sharp eight legs, each the size of an ancient tree trunk and gleaming like obsidian blades. They scraped and clawed at the seal from within, gouging cracks with terrifying strength.
Her massive body was covered in hard, unyielding plates. Four enormous, barbed mandibles clicked together, hiding the rows of teeth behind them — teeth that could rend through metal, bone, and soul energy alike.
What made her truly fearsome wasn't just her strength — it was her curse.
A passive skill awakened during her last tribulation —
Hunger / Gluttony.
She could devour anything — life, death, weapon, soul, even essence itself — and convert it into her own power. But nothing could satisfy it. Her mind had become a void, a relentless vortex of instinct and ravenous need. She no longer remembered who she had once been. She had no concept of mercy or memory. She was an apex predator with no self — only hunger.
When the curse took hold… entire regions of Stardou Forest vanished, consumed by her wild rampages. Defense-type soul beasts fell like brittle leaves, their tough shells torn like paper. Her hunger cared not what it devoured.
Di Tian, fearing the complete collapse of the balance, had personally intervened. With his darkness laws, he sealed her deep beneath the cursed cavern, far away from the other tribes.
But now… the seal was weakening.
With a sudden, deafening crack, another chain snapped.
The air trembled. The darkness howled.
Outside the cavern, low-level soul beasts began to flee en masse. Birds screamed into the air.
And from within, the Spider's hoarse, growling whisper rose — a voice that sounded like stone scraping against bone:
"HUNGRY…"
The Black Spider of Calamity was waking.
And this time… no one knew if even Di Tian could stop her.