บท 342: Chapter 322: White-Haired Queen
"The world's laws suppress soul beasts. When a soul beast reaches a cultivation level of one hundred thousand years, it will face a terrifying heavenly tribulation. If it fails to pass, the outcome is death and the disappearance of its existence.
"But in truth, a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast has another option. They can choose to shed their identity as a soul beast and start anew as a human."
"However, this opportunity only presents itself at the hundred-thousand-year mark. If a soul beast's cultivation surpasses two hundred thousand years, it can no longer truly take human form. At best, it can only alter its external appearance, but its essence remains that of a soul beast."
Su Cheng nodded and looked at the Silver Dragon King. "What about you?"
"Me?"
The Silver Dragon King seemed surprised by his question. After hesitating for a moment, she answered, "I can also transform into a human form."
"No, I don't mean your appearance. What I'm asking is if you can, like those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, transform into a human and start your cultivation anew. I know you're far beyond a hundred thousand years of cultivation, but as the source of bloodlines for soul beasts, your situation should be different from theirs."
"…Yes, I can."
The Silver Dragon King looked at Su Cheng with a hint of astonishment. "But… the method you're suggesting—are you implying that I should start cultivating again from the beginning?"
"Why not?"
"Why should I start over?!"
She couldn't comprehend Su Cheng's reasoning—such an idea seemed utterly ridiculous to her.
"Su Cheng, do you know what level my power is at now? If my injuries fully recover and I return to my peak, my strength would be at least at the limit of a first-level god. If I could grasp the power of the Dragon God, even becoming a God King wouldn't be impossible. And now you're telling me to abandon all this cultivation and start over?"
"You still don't understand."
Su Cheng sighed in frustration.
"You might recover from your external injuries, but restoring your essence—how could that be easy? Moreover, even if your essence could fully heal, what would it matter? First-level god? Didn't you mention earlier that the Divine Realm has five God Kings?"
The Silver Dragon King's gaze wavered, and she remained silent.
"You must let go to gain something. If you can't abandon your past glory and remain trapped in your memories, how can you hope to reach new heights? If your past accomplishments have become a shackle, then it's better to let them go altogether. Right now, being the 'Silver Dragon King' has become a chain that binds you—not just in strength, but even in your heart!"
"But—"
"Silver Dragon King, have you ever considered why soul beasts have the chance to 'transform and start over' at the hundred-thousand-year mark? As the source of their bloodlines, have you ever thought about the reason behind this?"
The Silver Dragon King was stunned.
It was clear that she had never deeply considered this question.
She had merely regarded it as a simple natural law.
In the universe, humans were not exclusive to Douluo Star. This species had existed in all corners of the world for a long time.
Even the gods of the Divine Realm often walked among mortals in human form.
Even the Dragon God, in addition to its dragon form, also had a human form.
Now, hearing Su Cheng's words, a sliver of doubt crept into her mind.
Why did the Dragon God, the king of gods and ruler of all races, have a human form?
"Earlier, you mentioned that the world's laws suppress your race and that humans are the favored species of this era, receiving all kinds of blessings. But that's not the main point. The main point is that your race lacks spirituality," Su Cheng criticized mercilessly.
"Your race's naturally powerful bodies and sharp claws could once dominate, but eventually, you will be surpassed by those who come after because you progress too slowly, relying solely on innate traits!
"Now, if you wish to catch up, you need to correct your path. If your direction is wrong, no matter how hard you work, the gap will only widen!"
"The gap will only widen…" The Silver Dragon King felt a deep sense of oppression in her heart.
It was the truth.
It was precisely the harsh reality that made her increasingly unable to see any hope, forcing her into a state of retreat.
"What does your past cultivation matter? Do you understand how much benefit a higher starting point can bring?"
Su Cheng sneered.
"Many people spend their entire lives struggling in the mud, fighting their whole lives just to see a glimpse of success. But some are born in the Divine Realm, naturally blessed by the heavens. In such cases, does it make sense to compare how long each has cultivated?
"I've seen too many mediocre people. Being born with ordinary talent is one thing, but not knowing how to adapt and being unwilling to give up small benefits at hand only results in missing out on much greater opportunities.
"This is a lack of vision, a deficiency in perspective. Their understanding of the world is still stuck at the stages of 'hard work' and 'resources,' unable to see the advantages of leveraging the situation.
"At a lower level, you rely on others; at a higher level, you leverage the trends. And right now, humanity is the trend! Do you still think that this world is the same as when the Dragon Clan ruled supreme?"
The Silver Dragon King's tail lightly flicked as her eyes flickered at Su Cheng's words.
"Is there really anything to doubt?" Su Cheng said calmly.
"The Dragon God is dead. You have no one to rely on but yourself. So what's the point of remaining the Silver Dragon King?
"Your current dragon body holds value mainly in the cultivation it represents and the power you have now.
"But what use is it?
"Even at your peak, you couldn't compare to a single hair of that Shura God you mentioned, could you?"
After saying this, he fell silent, quietly awaiting her response.
The Silver Dragon King also did not speak, lowering her eyes in contemplation.
After a long while, she raised her eyes to meet Su Cheng's. "If I start cultivating again as a human, will I really be able to go further?"
"Don't ask such naive questions. There are no certainties in this world—this is a choice you must make on your own." Su Cheng frowned and glanced at her. "If you're unwilling to take even a little risk, then I don't see any point in continuing this conversation."
He could make this guarantee, but he chose not to.
Taking responsibility for one's decisions is only natural. He had already laid out enough incentives for the Silver Dragon King; now it was up to her to decide.
To be honest, although she was the leader of her kind, Su Cheng had observed that her thinking was not particularly advanced.
Not to mention comparing her to the likes of Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong—even compared to Ah Yin, she fell short.
She was too cautious, overly concerned with the potential risks, which, frankly, made her seem cowardly.
This flaw needed to be corrected; otherwise, she would be of little use in the future.
Reaching the peak of a first-level god could still be achieved with her past accumulation, along with Su Cheng's resources and knowledge.
But the level of a God King was not something easily attained, and restoring the Dragon God's bloodline was not as simple as it sounded.
Moreover, first-level god strength didn't hold much value for Su Cheng.
He needed a much stronger Silver Dragon King.
After a long pause, the Silver Dragon King took a deep breath and said in a solemn tone, "Let's do it your way then."
"A wise choice. I'm impressed."
Su Cheng snapped his fingers, his expression finally softening.
This was the right decision.
The Dragon God's bloodline, the Dragon Clan's secret techniques, the potential he had shown, and his current strength…
With so many factors in her favor, if she still hesitated and tested his patience, Su Cheng would have to question whether this Silver Dragon King, who had lived for countless millennia, was still clinging to childish fears.
"You won't regret this. Knowledge, intellect, spirituality… In the long run, these things are far more important than the superficial cultivation levels. As long as you're not in a life-and-death situation where you need your power to survive, you should focus on the long term. Besides…"
He looked at the Silver Dragon King meaningfully. "With your current strength, can you even claim to be self-sufficient? What's there to hold on to?"
"In fact, I too was forced to abandon most of my cultivation recently and start over. But it was a blessing in disguise; I forged a better foundation, greatly expanding my future potential. You can do the same."
"I hope so." The Silver Dragon King's voice returned to its usual calm and deep tone, her eyes carrying a hint of self-mockery and bitterness. "To turn into a human and cultivate again..."
Originally, aside from the gods of the Divine Realm, the race she detested the most was humans.
Because of this, even though Di Tian and others had their human forms, she had always maintained her original dragon form, never transforming.
Yet now, she had to re-enter the world in the form of a human...
"You don't need to have any psychological burden because of this." Su Cheng noticed her thoughts and casually remarked, "Do you know what the gods of the Divine Realm are wrong about, or what humans are wrong about? And what are the dragons and your subordinate races wrong about?"
The Silver Dragon King's gaze turned cold. "The heavens are unjust, and humans are endlessly greedy. What wrong have the dragons and soul beasts committed?"
"No, you've got it wrong. The greatest fault lies with you." Su Cheng's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Weakness is the greatest sin!"
"..."
The Silver Dragon King was momentarily stunned.
She felt that this perspective was problematic, but she couldn't find a way to refute it immediately.
Because, in some ways, it was indeed the truth.
The strong make the rules, and the weak can only follow them.
"... I feel that your way of thinking is very dangerous."
"That's because you're currently in a weak position. When the situation reverses and your position changes, you won't think this way anymore."
"No, even if the dragons rise again, we won't bully the weak." The Silver Dragon King's gaze was very serious.
That's how the Dragon God acted back then.
"Alright, then I'll wait for you to prove it to me." Su Cheng shrugged, indifferent.
To him, such matters were irrelevant.
However, the Silver Dragon King was moved. She looked at him intently and said seriously, "I will prove it to you."
After saying this, she didn't wait for his response and instead asked, "Can you give me a drop of your blood?"
"Didn't I already give you some?"
"I don't mean the Dragon God's bloodline; I mean your own blood."
"I can, but why?" Su Cheng raised an eyebrow.
"Your body is quite unique, unlike that of an ordinary human. I want to use it as a reference."
"Do you want to start your transformation and cultivation again now?" Su Cheng looked surprised. "No need to rush. I still need to research a plan. Don't you need your subordinates and fellow dragons to protect you? Here, it's just the two of us. After you start over, your power will be reset to zero."
"You said we're friends, didn't you?" The Silver Dragon King gazed at him. "Although I still don't fully understand what friendship means, it should at least involve mutual trust, right?"
"..."
Su Cheng was at a loss for words.
Is this creature naive or just bold? She was so cautious before, and now she suddenly seems so daring.
"Don't take me for a fool." The Silver Dragon King's voice was calm. "Since I chose to follow your advice on this matter, I don't think I need to guard against you at this stage."
"You misunderstand; I don't think you're a fool."
Su Cheng awkwardly smiled and quickly explained.
"Hmm."
"..."
A small drop of blood fell in front of the Silver Dragon King.
The next moment, the drop of blood shattered, turning into a mist of blood.
The Silver Dragon King merely glanced at it briefly, and her eyes gleamed with interest. Immediately, a thick silvery mist enveloped her massive body.
The mist then began to shrink rapidly.
From hundreds of meters down to a hundred, and then down to just a few dozen...
Su Cheng instinctively activated his true vision, observing the energy transformation within.
It wasn't the power of space; it was filled with elemental energy of all attributes, which then branched out into endless variations.
Even he couldn't fully comprehend it.
A brief moment passed.
The enormous silver dragon had vanished.
In its place stood a stunningly beautiful woman in front of Su Cheng.
Her long silver hair cascaded down to her waist and hips, with a texture akin to silver crystals.
Her pale face featured deep, calm, and slightly confused purple eyes that were clear and alluring.
She wore a long dress that perfectly accentuated her soft, flawless figure.
Even though it was just a simple, plain white dress, it looked extraordinarily sensual on her.
How should one describe it? She was flawless, almost as if she were a character from fantasy.
Her beauty seemed unreal, like a two-dimensional character brought to life, so much so that it felt surreal to him.
Wait a minute...
Su Cheng's expression shifted, "Why do you look like this?"
The corners of the young woman's lips seemed to curl up slightly, but it was so fleeting that it was almost imperceptible.
She returned to her expressionless, emotionless face almost immediately.
That slight change in expression seemed like a mere illusion.
"Isn't this the form you wanted to see?"
"?" Su Cheng's eyes widened slightly. "Can you read my thoughts?"
"I can't." The Silver Dragon King shook her head. "Your power is far too advanced."
Su Cheng finally let out a sigh of relief.
As expected, such a thing couldn't possibly happen.
Given the uniqueness of his true strength, it was impossible for someone who had just crossed the third-level divine threshold to see through him.
No matter how strange her attributes were, she definitely couldn't do it.
As for her appearance...
It was probably just a coincidence.
After all, even Su Cheng didn't have a clear mental image beforehand.
The Silver Dragon King glanced at him indifferently, then lowered her gaze again without saying anything further.
She didn't tell him that, although her special mental ability couldn't penetrate Su Cheng's mind, she could still detect a faint trace through that drop of blood.
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