Everyone watched Lin Feng's visibly impatient expression, and the corners of their mouths twitched in unison.
At the same time, a ridiculous yet unquestionable realization surfaced in everyone's mind.
This so-called "physical awakening therapy" was absolutely, unmistakably, a personal retaliation for Di Tian's repeated interruptions.
There was no doubt about it.
Yet, one had to admit—
The effect was outstanding.
As Di Tian's once-heroic face visibly swelled into a purplish-red pig head, the arrogant Beast God finally stirred. His eyelids trembled, and he slowly regained consciousness.
He shook his head groggily. After a brief moment of confusion, his golden dragon eyes abruptly snapped into focus.
And then—
He saw Lin Feng.
All memories came crashing back in an instant.
The humiliation of being knocked unconscious with a slap.
The sheer terror of being forcibly dragged back from thousands of miles away.
And the dignity, pride, and responsibility carved deep into his bones as the pillar of the Soul Beast Clan.
These emotions surged together, fermenting violently, transforming into boundless grief, indignation, and resolve!
Di Tian abruptly lifted his swollen head and roared with all his strength, his voice louder and more tragic than ever before!
"I, Di Tian, will never betray my clansmen!"
The roar echoed across the heavens, vibrating the very air.
It carried the heroic resolve of one who would rather die than yield.
A declaration worthy of epic ballads.
A moment that should have been solemn.
Heroic.
Tragic.
However—
What greeted this earth-shaking declaration was neither torture nor threats.
It was silence.
And Lin Feng's pitch-black expression.
"Damn it!"
A clear, unfiltered expletive—pure national essence—burst straight from Lin Feng's mouth.
The entire entrance of Feng Ran Pavilion fell into instant silence.
Qian Daoliu froze.
Posey froze.
Gold Crocodile Douluo froze.
Every Titled Douluo present froze as if struck by lightning.
The reverence and fanaticism that still lingered on their faces hadn't even fully faded before they stiffened into blank disbelief.
Se… Senior just now…
What did he say?
Everyone subconsciously looked at one another, seeing the same uncertainty reflected in each other's eyes.
This must be an illusion.
Yes.
Absolutely an illusion.
How could a being like the Senior—whose every movement seemed aligned with the Heavenly Dao—utter such… grounded words?
Impossible.
The Beast God's roar must have been too loud, shaking their ears into hallucinations.
Yes. That had to be it.
Just as everyone was desperately trying to hypnotize themselves—
Host, please pay attention to your language.
As the chosen one bound to this system, you should always maintain elegance and grace.
Randomly emitting "fragrance"… ahem, profanity, is an extremely uncivilized behavior.
The system's familiar, venomous reminder echoed in Lin Feng's mind.
Lin Feng's expression darkened even further.
He didn't bother arguing with the system this time.
"I just want to know one thing."
Lin Feng stared at Di Tian, his voice suppressed like magma under a volcano.
"Why were you chasing Dugu Bo?"
"Why are you acting like this is some epic tragedy?!"
This low growl shattered the heroic background music that had been playing in Di Tian's mind.
He froze.
His golden dragon eyes went blank for a moment, then slowly filled with deep, soul-level confusion.
"…Dugu Bo?"
Who?
Was that… the human he tried to capture earlier?
But—
No, this wasn't right!
Di Tian's mind descended into total chaos.
You!
You are a living Divinity!
After going through so much effort to suppress me, shouldn't you be interrogating me about the Soul Beast Clan's last hope?
Shouldn't you be asking about the Master's whereabouts?
Or scheming against the future of our entire race?
Why are you asking about such a trivial, boring, completely insignificant human?!
Looking at Di Tian's pig-headed face filled with the expression "Did you ask the wrong question?", Lin Feng's patience finally snapped.
He released his grip.
Di Tian collapsed onto the ground like a sack of mud.
Lin Feng had completely lost interest in reasoning with him.
"Tough guy, huh?"
"Fine."
Lin Feng smacked his lips irritably and casually flung Di Tian aside like discarded trash.
Then—
He raised his hand and waved it lazily toward the empty space in front of him.
"Buzz—"
Space rippled like a calm lake disturbed by a stone.
The next instant—
A door of pure light, radiating a soft white glow, appeared out of thin air!
It wasn't a dark void beyond the door.
Instead, it revealed a crystal-clear, living scene.
Di Tian was startled and instinctively looked inside.
With just one glance—
His golden dragon pupils contracted to their smallest point!
A chill far more terrifying than when he had been slapped unconscious surged from his tailbone straight to his scalp!
Because the scene within that door—
He knew it all too well.
That vast underground world, saturated with dense life energy.
The tranquil yet oppressive aura.
At the center of the lake—
A massive, pure-white Spirit Beast over ten meters long, resembling a colossal silkworm, bound tightly by countless invisible restraints, writhing unwillingly.
Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm!
And around it—
Several terrifying presences, each capable of shaking heaven and earth, slumbered deeply.
A gigantic bear covered in dark-golden fur snored thunderously, each breath causing the ground to tremble.
An elegant white swan, streaked with emerald feathers, slept peacefully with its head tucked beneath its wing.
A monstrous three-headed dog radiated pure destruction even in sleep.
And—
A massive dragon covered in crystal-like purple scales, exuding seductive charm and terrifying might.
Xiong Jun.
Bi Ji.
Myriad Demon King.
Zi Ji.
Every single one of them.
The core guardians.
The absolute foundation of the Soul Beast Clan.
The deepest, most secret inner circle of the Lake of Life.
Di Tian's mind exploded with a deafening boom.
His heart felt as though it was about to burst out of his chest.
This was the core zone of the Star Dou Great Forest!
And this man—
This being—
Had casually opened a door that connected directly to it?!
Didn't that mean…
From the very beginning, the Soul Beast Clan's greatest secret…
Their final refuge…
Their last hope…
Had never been a secret at all before this man?
At that moment, the future of the Soul Beasts—
Everything—
Felt like an enormous joke.
Cold despair flooded Di Tian's entire being.
But—
Just as this despair was about to swallow him completely—
Something strange happened.
After staring at the scene within the light door for several seconds, Di Tian's golden dragon eyes suddenly flared with an unfamiliar brilliance.
"No!"
A hoarse cry burst from his throat.
"This isn't right…!"
His breathing grew ragged as realization dawned, piece by piece.
"This door… it isn't an invasion!"
"It's not prying!"
"It's not stealing information!"
He stared at Lin Feng in disbelief.
"You're not spying on us…"
"You're not afraid of us…"
"You're not even treating us as enemies!"
Di Tian's voice trembled.
"You're… showing it to me."
As if demonstrating.
As if declaring—
Everything you rely on is already within my grasp.
And yet…
I haven't touched it.
Not because I can't—
But because I don't care.
This understanding struck Di Tian harder than any slap.
His body trembled violently.
For the first time since his birth—
The Beast God Emperor Tian felt something unfamiliar.
Not fear.
Not anger.
But an overwhelming sense of insignificance.
Compared to this man…
Their so-called struggles, conspiracies, sacrifices—
Were nothing more than noisy theatrics.
Lin Feng looked down at him calmly.
"Now," he said lazily,
"can we talk properly?"
"Why were you chasing Dugu Bo?"