A fierce and violent aura began to spread from behind the metal door.
"Boom!" A dull thud echoed from the depths of the cavern.
"Boom! Boom! Boom—" With each thunderous sound, an enormous figure gradually emerged into Gu You's view.
Covered entirely in dark purple scales, the creature was over fifteen meters long and weighed at least ten thousand pounds. It moved on four limbs, its massive tail sweeping the floor, causing the metal ground to tremble with every step.
At first glance, it resembled an enormous lizard, but upon closer inspection, its head was far larger than an ordinary reptile's. Two curved horns extended upward from its forehead.
A Demon Lizard Dragon…
Gu You was shocked. He had encountered thousand-year-level Demon Lizard Dragons in previous trials, but those were not enough to surprise him. However, this was a ten-thousand-year Demon Lizard Dragon!
This type of soul beast was only recorded in ancient texts. In the age of the ancients, Demon Lizard Dragons were extremely powerful beasts of the earth dragon lineage—massive in size, incredibly fast, and adept at manipulating dark elemental energy. They were notoriously violent, known for slaughtering other soul beasts indiscriminately, not just for food but for sheer brutality. Much like the Man-Faced Demon Spider, they were outcasts even among soul beasts.
Legend has it that the Demon Lizard Dragons were almost expelled from the dragon race due to their savagery. Their cultivation was supposedly limited by the heavens, preventing them from surpassing the ten-thousand-year threshold. This was because a Demon Lizard Dragon that exceeded this limit would be capable of unimaginable destruction.
A ferocious aura filled the air as the Demon Lizard Dragon suddenly lifted its head and let out a piercing screech.
The sharp sound felt like a demonic force piercing into one's mind, causing those with weaker spiritual strength—like Xie Xie and Xu Lizhi—to pale instantly.
Gu You pondered for a moment. A ten-thousand-year Demon Lizard Dragon was nothing short of a miracle. It would be a perfect soul ring for an Assault or Agility-type Soul Master, but he decided against letting Yuanen Yehui absorb this soul ring. Instead, he would buy her a thousand-year-level Demon Lizard Dragon soul spirit once they left, or perhaps find a suitable ten-thousand-year soul spirit in the later trials.
Based on his observations, this Demon Lizard Dragon had likely awakened the attribute of Absolute Darkness and was starting to develop true dragon horns—a sign that it was evolving towards a real dragon form. If it continued to grow, it would break past its heavenly limit and become an existence capable of cataclysmic destruction.
Despite its brutality, Gu You was confident that he could tame it, turning it into a gentle dragon cub under his guidance.
Gu You gradually withdrew his Dragon God Soul-Shattering Domain. His domain allowed him to control who would be affected—those he permitted could enter without suffering any damage.
However, one flaw of his domain was that it obscured vision. Once activated, everything around him would be tinted in a deep violet, making it difficult for those with weaker eyesight to see clearly.
He took a step forward and charged at the Demon Lizard Dragon. His Purple Emperor Terror Claws extended and grew, the tips of his fingers transforming into terrifying ten-centimeter-long claws that radiated a chilling light, as if capable of piercing through any defense.
The Demon Lizard Dragon had a notoriously violent temperament. The moment Gu You charged, it immediately deemed him an enemy. Letting out a sharp screech, it slammed its massive tail against the ground and launched itself into the air, accelerating towards Gu You.
Despite its enormous size, its speed was absolutely shocking the moment it took flight.
Six gill-like wings unfurled from its back, allowing it to hover in the air. Its tail lashed out, stirring up a whirlwind of dark energy, plunging the surrounding space into complete darkness. In mere moments, the beast reached Gu You, jaws wide open to devour him.
"Aang—!"
At that moment, a deep dragon roar resounded. Yuanen Yehui and Yue Zhengyu, who had been watching intently, saw Gu You's entire body flash with a radiant purple-gold light. His body seemed to expand in mid-air, and a halo of purple-gold energy appeared around him.
The previously arrogant, untamed Demon Lizard Dragon froze in mid-air the moment it heard the dragon's roar. Its massive body stiffened, its six wings abruptly lost all strength, and under everyone's stunned gazes, it plummeted straight to the ground.
Boom! The colossal body crashed down, shaking the entire arena.
The expeller of the Dragon God… Now facing a new Dragon God, how could it not be afraid?
Everyone watching was completely dumbfounded.
Gu You, who had leapt high into the air, descended rapidly. His purple-gold terror claws gleamed with an eerie light as they pierced straight into the Demon Lizard Dragon's skull, sinking in up to the elbow.
The Demon Lizard Dragon convulsed violently for a moment before going completely still.
A dark soul emerged from its massive corpse, taking the shape of a smaller version of the Demon Lizard Dragon. It trembled uncontrollably.
Gu You looked down at it. "Why do you not dare meet my gaze?"
The Demon Lizard Dragon only let out a hoarse, barely audible sound.
Gu You closed his eyes slightly. "From today onwards, you will no longer be an outcast. The old Dragon God is dead, and I… shall establish a new order. The world changes, the rules shift—will you follow me and witness godhood?"
His voice grew quieter, until only the Demon Lizard Dragon could hear his final words.
Hiss—!
The Demon Lizard Dragon let out a deafening roar, dark energy erupting from its body. Its gaze no longer held fear—only madness and reverence.
It would follow Gu You.
Gu You absorbed it into his spiritual world, setting restrictions so that it could no longer slaughter other soul beasts indiscriminately. It was free to do anything else, but it would bear the duty of protecting the Tree of Life.
Even though soul beasts slain within Gu You's spiritual domain could be revived, the Demon Lizard Dragon's brutality was too extreme—it had even killed its own kind before. That kind of mindless slaughter was unacceptable. Resurrection consumed his power, and he couldn't afford to waste it on unnecessary killings. He would release it only when it was truly needed.
The fiftieth and sixtieth floors were part of the same trial—a direct leap in difficulty.
The metal door slowly opened.
This time, Gu You did not sense any ferocity.
Then, all of a sudden, a unique scent filled the air—a scent reminiscent of sunlight-warmed air—refreshing, yet carrying a peculiar dryness.
Gu You's expression changed.
In the next instant, a low thunderous hum rumbled.
A bolt of lightning suddenly struck down from above, enveloping not just Gu You, but the entire arena in an instant.
"Boom—!"
Electric light spread in all directions. In that moment, everything was consumed by a brilliant electric glow.
The sheer explosive force caused Gu You's body to flicker with a layer of energy, but even he let out a muffled grunt, his entire body briefly numbed.
Yet before the numbing sensation could spread—
Four blood-energy soul rings erupted around him!
A powerful life force surged through the air, resonating with everyone present.
The second ring shone.
Purple-Gold Dragon Armor!
Purple-gold scales covered Gu You's entire body, and in that instant—
The paralysis vanished.