"Sister Yunying, why are you awake already?" Yin Zhang looked at Qiangu Yunying, who was stretching lazily and seemed full of energy, and asked in surprise.
Qiangu Yunying blinked, a little puzzled herself.
"I just woke up naturally. Why—did I not sleep for very long?"
Yin Zhang gave a helpless smile.
"It's not just 'not very long.' You only fell asleep about half an hour ago and you're already awake. Your recovery speed is terrifying."
Qiangu Yunying circulated her soul power and carefully checked her condition. A delighted expression appeared on her face.
"Xiao Zhang, the Holy Light purification Grandpa Qian used on me worked wonders. I don't feel tired at all anymore!"
Yin Zhang nodded with a warm smile. He was genuinely happy for her.
After a brief pause, Qiangu Yunying suddenly grew serious. She placed her slender fingers lightly over her chest and looked straight at Yin Zhang.
"Xiao Zhang, before I left Spirit Hall, you gave me that item—the Overlord Reboot. I relied on it to survive Slaughter City and successfully obtain the Slaughter Domain. But now that I've already come out, there's no reason for me to keep holding onto it."
She met his gaze earnestly.
"Take it back."
Yin Zhang was stunned for a moment, then sighed in mild helplessness.
"Sister Yunying, since I gave it to you, you should keep it. I'm not dependent on it."
Qiangu Yunying shook her head firmly.
"Xiao Zhang, I know how important this item is. If you don't take it back, I—"
Seeing how serious she was, Yin Zhang had no choice. He reached out, pressed his palm lightly against her chest, and sent his soul power inward.
In the next instant, the Overlord Reboot responded.
The item reappeared in Yin Zhang's hand, solid and exquisitely heavy.
Under Qiangu Yunying's smiling gaze, Yin Zhang pressed the Overlord Reboot back into his own body.
A familiar surge of vitality instantly washed through him, dispelling all lingering lethargy. His blood seemed to heat up, and his aura sharpened in an instant.
Qiangu Yunying paused briefly—then smiled even more brightly.
She stood up, closed the doors and windows, then returned to the bed.
"Alright, Xiao Zhang," she said softly, her expression gentle and resolute. "Let's rest properly."
What followed was left unspoken—only quiet breaths, shared warmth, and the reassurance of closeness filling the room as the door remained firmly shut.
---
Meanwhile.
Deep within the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, at the Lake of Life.
Inside a sealed and exotic spatial domain, Di Tian was trembling with barely restrained excitement.
At last… he could leave.
"Di Tian," the majestic voice of the Silver Dragon King resounded through the space, "after you go out, conduct yourself properly. In recent decades, some gods in the God Realm have begun paying attention to the Douluo Continent. You must be cautious."
"If you find that child of yours, bring him back to the Star Dou Great Forest. And remember—avoid contact with human Soul Masters as much as possible."
Di Tian's massive form shifted, shrinking and transforming into a human figure. He bowed deeply.
"My Liege, please rest assured. Once I find my son, I will bring him back immediately. I will not interfere with humans."
The Silver Dragon King nodded faintly.
"Good. Prepare yourself. I will open the passage."
As the space stirred, several other Vicious Beasts who had been slumbering within the domain awakened.
Among them was Zi Ji.
Her gaze fixed on Di Tian, filled with unmistakable resentment.
Di Tian felt it instantly and could only sigh inwardly.
She had stayed by his side for countless years—yet he had sown the seeds of blood elsewhere, even leaving behind a child.
But even knowing Zi Ji's displeasure, Di Tian would still make the same choice.
True Dragon offspring were extraordinarily rare.
In the distant past, when the Dragon Clan flourished, they relied on countless Heaven-and-Earth treasures to increase the chances of reproduction. Now, with the Dragon Clan all but extinct, the birth of a single True Dragon was something that could not be ignored.
That was why the Silver Dragon King had agreed to let him leave.
If it had been any other Vicious Beast, even with offspring outside, such permission would never have been granted.
As the spatial seal opened, Di Tian stepped out in a flash of lightning, appearing at the edge of the Lake of Life.
The passage closed swiftly behind him.
He lifted his head and looked at the night sky—dark, starless, and vast.
After being confined for so long, constantly restrained by caution and vigilance, this freedom felt almost unreal.
"First," Di Tian muttered to himself, "I need to understand what the Douluo Continent has become…"
With that, his figure vanished into the darkness.