Chapter 4: The Ruler of Death
Although Ruona Wa could not physically manifest herself to clear obstacles from Silver Dust's path, her vast, god-level spiritual power—originating from a divine demon authority—spread silently across the surrounding region like an all-seeing radar.
Any potential danger, whether it was a disguised lethal venomous insect, a predatory plant waiting for prey, or powerful soul beasts whose mere aura could make one's soul tremble, could not escape her perception.
For the past few days, Silver Dust had been walking on the edge of a blade.
Only through Ruona Wa's guidance could she move like a ghost, narrowly passing through the borders of territories occupied by thousand-year-level soul beasts, sometimes even more terrifying existences, brushing past death again and again.
Each successful evasion tightened her nerves further, because she knew very well—luck would not always be on her side.
"I must leave this place as soon as possible."
Silver Dust murmured softly, her purple crystal-like eyes filled with urgency and unease.
Through her spiritual connection with her original body in the distance, she vaguely understood that she was currently within the territory of the Sun Moon Empire.
However, the empire was vast, and soul beast forests were scattered everywhere like stars. Aside from a few famous forbidden regions, countless mid- and small-scale beast territories existed.
She felt like a tiny point trapped inside a huge maze map, unable to determine her exact location, let alone find a way out.
Every shadow in this eerie and silent forest could hide a deadly threat, constantly testing her nerves.
Her current body—an "Ethereal Butterfly Golden-blooded form"—possessed extraordinary traits, naturally aligned with the law of death.
She clearly remembered how a reckless ten-year Bone-Eating Rat once lunged at her. In panic, she raised her hand to block it, and the moment her finger made contact, the ferocious beast didn't even manage to scream before its body disintegrated like sand blown by the wind, instantly losing all vitality and turning into ashes.
This power was overwhelmingly absolute—a touch of death itself, almost divine.
However, its limitations were equally fatal.
First, it did not distinguish between friend or foe. Silver Dust had to constantly restrain her desire to touch anything, walking and even breathing with extreme caution, or she might accidentally erase harmless creatures or plants and expose herself to greater danger.
Second—and most critically—it granted her no defensive or speed enhancement at all.
Against a century-old soul beast, she might still rely on Ruona Wa's warnings and her own agility to attempt a risky close-range strike.
But more often than not, she would be torn apart before even getting close.
As for thousand-year soul beasts, they often possessed ranged attacks or wide-area soul skills. She could not even approach them—the shockwaves alone would be enough to shatter her fragile body.
In the end, despite possessing extraordinary power and a special body, she had not even obtained a single soul ring.
Without a soul ring, her soul power could not grow, and powerful soul skills were simply out of reach.
Even though this golden-blooded body was stronger than an ordinary six-year-old human child, in terms of strength, speed, and defense, it was still as fragile as thin ice compared to soul beasts capable of shattering rocks and tearing the earth apart.
"Ruona Wa, which direction has the sparsest soul beast presence? Or which way leads toward human activity?"
Silver Dust asked again in her mind—this was her only hope.
After a brief silence in her consciousness, the cold and authoritative voice responded with a clear direction, but also a warning:
"North. At the edge of that direction, there are traces of human activity. However… their aura is somewhat strange, tainted with corruption and chaos. Whether it is fortune or disaster, you must decide yourself."
Silver Dust took a deep breath. The air of the forest—mixed with rotting leaves and a strange floral scent—filled her lungs with a faint chill.
She understood clearly: staying in this dangerous forest was no different from slow suicide.
Even with Ruona Wa's guidance, survival was not guaranteed.
Remaining here meant death. Heading north, at least, offered a chance.
She had to take the gamble.
"Let's go."
Silver Dust stood up decisively, brushing off the dirt and withered leaves from her clothes. Her gaze passed through the dense, twisted forest and locked firmly onto the north.
No matter what, those were humans.
As long as they were humans, communication and negotiation were possible—far better than facing mindless, savage soul beasts.
Moreover, her appearance—silver hair, purple eyes, doll-like beauty, and innocent fragility—could lower others' guard to some extent.
This might give her a precious opportunity, even if it required lies and performance.
"Even in the worst case…"
She encouraged herself inwardly with a faint, self-mocking thought.
"At worst, I die. Don't forget, Ruona Wa, you are the embodiment of death, and Ethereal Butterfly is also a semi-divine existence of death. I've already 'borrowed' your power—how easily could I really die?"
With that slightly helpless yet strangely calm thought, she stepped forward into the unknown, toward the human settlement filled with a strange and ominous aura.
Guided by Ruona Wa's voice in her mind, Silver Dust moved like a faint shadow through the deadly forest.
She avoided flowers that released sweet scents capable of dissolving flesh, bypassed swamp-dwelling beasts whose aura rivaled thousand-year soul beasts, and even slipped silently past the edge of a giant spider beast's nest while holding her breath.
After hours of dangerous travel, she finally pushed aside a hanging vine with metallic sheen—and the scene before her opened up.
In a cleared area stood several dark, eerie buildings dominated by black and deep red tones.
Human presence was indeed stronger here, but so was the corrupt, sinister aura Ruona Wa had warned her about—thick with blood, resentment, and nausea-inducing malice.
"Is this… the place?"
Silver Dust's heart sank slightly.
But what shocked her even more were the strange symbols engraved on the buildings and printed on the robes of patrolling figures…
(End of Chapter )