A Trip Through Time and Beyond (2)

A tree as tall as 800 meters and as thick as 300 meters survives yet another clap of lightning. The crown of the tree is already in flames. Its once lush canopy that supported a large family of Wolf-Faced Eagles is utterly burnt to ashes alongside the beasts nesting there. The small settlement of humans who raised the eagles for their own use and extracted various resources from the tree fled long ago.

After this final lightning strike, the dark clouds began to let a drizzle put out the fire on the tree. As the fire disperses, the drizzle continues to replenish the ground with newfound nutrients and heal the tree. Tribulation is followed with a blessing.

The stronger the tribulation, the stronger will be the blessing.

In search of a spirit bone, Ah Yin and Ja Sun had come across the Thunder Hell Prison Vine that looks like purple bamboo. This spirit plant was near its tribulation to break into the ranks of a 100000-year-old plant rank but another beast had initiated its own tribulation. Yet, Poseidon's actions turned this tribulation into one of the top ten tribulations initiated only by the Gods. This tribulation was too strong. But its blessing was too great, too. It formed Ah Yin's mental core and blessed her body with great strength not to mention greater cultivation. Even the Thunder Hell Prison Vine benefited and broke through indirectly. In this process, it mutated and formed into a Storm Ocean Prison Vine.

This is just another instance of how heaven acts in balance.

At this moment, in Ja Sun's view, this tree fully formed its consciousness. Its entire body revealed a metallic luster. The tips of its branches turned sharper and sturdier.

'This tree previously helped create a haven of life. But that's also the reason why its tribulation is somewhat stronger. It's a collective tribulation based on the factor that this tree houses a group of spirit beasts and even provides to humans. But now, its nature is mutated into metal attributes. It cannot grow leaves again and will adapt accordingly.'

In Ja Sun's time, only the beasts that have to reach the level of a 100000-year-old beast will need to go through tribulation but that's not the case in the times during the great war. Beasts will go through tribulations at 10, 100, 10000, and 100000-year-old marks.

But this spirit plant hasn't exactly lived for that long. It's been nurtured by all the humans that once settled here and boy Ja Sun has to admit that 'rare' materials are in an abundance during the ancient time!

This tree reached the rank of a 100000-year-old beast in a matter of 1800 years. Though, Ja Sun admits that time is fleeting in the river of time and the sensation of the passage of time is even quicker for him.

A few days go by and the humans return to the tree. But with its spirit consciousness built, the tree does not let others extract benefits from itself. Its entire nature has shifted after this tribulation and it catches some of them off guard. Sharp, spear-like roots instantly stab into hundreds of humans and drain everything from them before their shriveled husks litter the surroundings.

In a matter of months, this tree simply continues to viciously attack every beast or human, successively forming a dead zone around itself.

'Hmm?'

Ja Sun projects his senses near the stream the drop of Golden-Black Blood is traveling.

*Woom*

A formless pressure suddenly causes the river of time to splash as if an explosion went off under its layers. But this time the splash of droplets did not revert to its previous state.

'Another attack that successfully changed the flow of time,' Ja Sun muses. Strength is only one of the requirements to achieve this. Until now, he has observed 5 such situations and all of these, most likely, are caused due to the Bringer of Pain.

After all, all these otherworldy warlocks are not affected by the river of time of this world. Their very existence threatens to shift the river of time greatly and change the destiny of many.

And these members of the Bringer of Pain are most likely either battling what remains of the Dragon Gods or newly developing and strengthening human gods.

But... as the war continues to unfold, the situation started to become more and more chaotic.

In Ja Sun's observation, the tree he has been following attacks a 'human' once more, or at least, he tries to.

Before the tree could even complete its attack, a magnificent strength tumbles out from this Beast God and forces the tree to stay put.

"Hmm... a good seedling," the grey-haired old man hums and then points at the tree before a brown orb of energy flickers out and enters the tree.

"This will shroud you until you reach 800000-years worth of strength. I shall look forward to your growth with great interest."

The old man chuckles but Ja Sun watching all this silently lets his senses look toward the sky and indeed, another time stream intersects at this moment.

Although Ja Sun cannot predict the future, he has slowly started to get intuitions about it.

A cold cackle falls onto the tree and the beast god senses, "Old Spot, so it's really true that Dragon Gods and Beast Gods are joining hands, eh?"

The Beast God's expression changes. Only someone with equal strength can hide from his senses.

As the two gods begin their confrontation, the tree is destroyed in moments and Ja Sun moves on. The few attacks from the gods, however... left him unimpressed.

'Gods aren't supposed to stay in the mortal realm for more than 100 years but this situation hasn't come to a pass. Not only that, this world isn't mortal entirely. There are so many gods roaming around, it's clear that the world with Douluo Continent cannot hold so many gods. This and the fact that the norms of cultivation will change and the beasts will get a chance to be human means that things will eventually change. But... who caused these changes?'

Ja Sun's heart suddenly shudders and his senses within the River of Time become clearer and wider. The quality of his intent is the same but it's in more resonance with the River of Time.

Master.

Ja Sun did achieve the attainment of a master in the law of time but... he doesn't feel that proud. If he achieved this earlier, he would have. But it took too long.

'Hmm,' he chooses to observe the changes calmly instead. It would be a lie to say that the passage of time isn't infecting him mentally. Fully aware of it, Ja Sun planned to leave soon before he changes irreparably.

'But I want to see what's that...'

Not far down the stream, a giant wall of killing intent cuts the entire River of Time, and ahead, the River of Time loses its orderly nature and turns dangerously chaotic!

Meanwhile, the stream of time he is riding latches onto a young woman going through pregnancy.

---

*Crash*

*Crash*

Waves of Blood Sea crash against a large wooden ship manned by master sailors and occupied by well-known spirit masters. The strongest of which is above Rank 96 and in great number, too.

"I can't believe such a large formation is needed to capture a single spirit beast..."

A middle-aged man scowls and leans against the wooden railing of the ship. He, like many other spirit masters who moved freely, wasn't even the strongest. The Titled Douluos all kept to their private chambers and aside from the sailors, the weakest of the spirit masters on the ship were not lower than a Spirit Sage.

In an ordinary clan, a Spirit Sage would pass off as a Supreme elder who could even command the clan's patriarch!

The other one scoffs, "Divine Spirit God must have his own reasons. If it's so easy to understand his thought process, we all would already be gods! I'm more peeved at why he got so much attention..."

At this spirit master's words, many gazes land on a sole Spirit Douluo standing on the bow of the ship with his hands behind his back. His pitch-black eyes trail the vast blood sea as his short, trimmed black hair sways back and forth due to the gentle wind. This spirit master donned navy blue robes with a light green belt around his waist.

A few of these gazes held admiration. Some contained envy a tiny portion displayed outright hatred for this youth.

*Splash*

The ship rocks slightly and there are a few panicked shouts from the sailors as a blood-red, elephant-sized crab jumps out from the water. Before it can cause any destruction, an equally large head of a blue-scaled dragon emerges from the spirit master directly facing the crab. The dragon seemed to be lightning-given flesh and blood as it opens its bloody maws and chomped away half of the blood-red beast.

All the hateful gazes on this youth disperse instantly!

This youth is simply too strong!

Meanwhile, multiple mental senses communicated with each other.

"Yu Xiaogang is really a good seedling. A few words of advice from the Divine Lord has already allowed him to manipulate his unique martial soul better."

"Not only him, but the Prince of White Tiger is also in a similar situation, and even Tang Hao from the Clear Sky clan. Divine Lord is magnanimous and doesn't even take any offense with the Clear Sky Sect's involvement with the Renegade Beast God. What do you think, Elder Golden Crocodile?"

The Elder's Hall kept the identity of the elders a secret even if some high-tiered Spirit Masters knew of their existence but after Xunji took over, all the elders were made public.

Of them, directly underneath Xunji comes the former Second Priest– Golden Crocodile, when it comes to the current trend of power, at least.

Previously, Qian Daoliu had a strength far greater than Golden Crocodile despite the difference in their spirit ranks being only 1 but now, with the lack of such spirit masters, Golden Crocodile is considered the second-strongest powerhouse in the Douluo Continent.

The moment someone mentions Golden Crocodile, others begin to pile on, "Elder Crocodile, your disciple really is a great talent. But... does this beast really require all of our presence? 100000-year-old beasts, at best, requires 3 Titled Douluos."

'Watching' his disciple from his cabin, Crocodile merely sighs softly. "Divine Lord has his own means. We only need to follow them."

With that, he begins to cultivate once more.

He had received an immortal herb back when Bibi Dong had started to encourage the elders to bring more Titled Douluo-level powerhouses into the Spirit Hall and his cultivation that had long remained at rank 98 finally moved. Although the situation of the continent has shifted greatly, at the moment, Golden Crocodile only had his own cultivation in mind.

Qian Xunji's wisp of immortal qi as a blessing to all the elders also helped Golden Crocodile as he feels closer to the elusive rank of 99 more than ever before!

His compressed voice soon informs his disciple, too.

"The Divine Lord has specifically sent you out of the three great talents of the Continent to test you. Keep your heart steady and use every means to vanquish as many foes that get in your way during the journey. Us Titled Douluos will only move for beasts above the age of 50000 years in strength."

Yu Xiaogang's gaze lights up with excitement and he nods, "Yes, master!"

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Alternative Title: Xiaogang Making His Way to Another Ass Whooping!

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A/N: Sorry, at this point, I can't help but mess with Xiaogang even more XD!!

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