Soon after, the fleeing silkworm stopped suddenly and turned its head to look in Lu Jingming's direction. "That Silvermoon Flood Dragon King was hunted by humans? Serves you right! Who told you to absorb my life energy all those years? Good riddance!" The silkworm first sensed the dragon's death, then recalled its years of imprisonment, causing a surge of uncontrollable anger and a torrent of curses.
But then it sensed Lu Jingming's presence.
"What powerful spirit power, and such terrifying vitality—what monster is this? Are humans nowadays all this outrageous? Too bad he's not a spiritual-type martial soul, I wonder if he can meet my requirements?" The silkworm was shocked and puzzled by Lu Jingming's power.
But just as curiosity grew and it tried to probe further, a sharp pain stabbed its mind.
In an instant, the tiny strand of spiritual power it sent out was severed by an overwhelmingly powerful force.
All that remained in its fading memory was a dazzling, terrifying sword light.
"Damn! This human is too scary! I'm a million-year spiritual-type soul beast— even Di Tian can't detect my spirit power! How did she notice me? Can't afford to mess with her! I'm outta here!" The silkworm was so frightened it turned deathly pale and fled for its life, not daring to linger.
It didn't care about the loss of its precious spirit power and fled madly in the opposite direction from Lu Jingming's group, terrified that Jingliu might chase it and strike it down.
Though it coveted Lu Jingming's immense spiritual power and terrifying talent, it wasn't sure a non-spiritual-type martial soul could satisfy its needs.
More importantly, with such a terrifying woman like Jingliu at his side, the silkworm gave up any thought of approaching and escaped in a panic.
"What's wrong, teacher?" Lu Jingming, deep in meditation, suddenly sensed a fleeting sword intent from Jingliu.
As her direct disciple, he was especially sensitive to her sword intent, so he opened his eyes in confusion and looked at her.
"Nothing, just a little bug," Jingliu replied calmly.
Although the bug's spirit power was strong enough to reach across hundreds of kilometers, it was still too weak to catch her attention.
"A bug?" Lu Jingming was puzzled, but he trusted Jingliu completely—if she said it was nothing, it was nothing.
So he closed his eyes again and immersed himself in cultivation.
…
In the silent, mist-shrouded heart of Star Dou Forest, ancient trees loomed.
"Di Tian, Ice Worm escaped," said a gentle voice, breaking the tranquility.
It was Bi Ji. She was tall, with long, flowing green hair, a gentle and refined face, and an air of intelligence and kindness.
She had found Di Tian to bring surprising news: the Ice Silkworm, imprisoned for thousands of years, had managed to hide its aura and escape right under the noses of the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts guarding it.
"Is that so? After ten thousand years, it's about time it learned a thing or two." Di Tian's voice was calm.
The Skydream Ice Silkworm's million-year life energy had been completely drained over those ten millennia by the soul beasts of Star Dou Forest.
The strong hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, and even the great savage beasts, all grew stronger by absorbing its life energy.
When Di Tian had first discovered the Skydream Ice Silkworm, he had been utterly shocked.
At that time, the Skydream Ice Silkworm's cultivation was almost a million years, its aura rivaling even the Deep Sea Demon Whale King of a millennium ago. But upon seeing its pitiful combat strength, Di Tian's excitement turned to disappointment.
His plan to make the Skydream Ice Silkworm a key force among soul beasts was abandoned.
From then on, Di Tian allowed the other savage beasts to imprison the Skydream Ice Silkworm, using it as a tool to increase their own strength.
For the future of the Soul Beast clan, they needed more high-level power, and such a useless creature was good for nothing but being used up for the tribe's sake.
So, Di Tian didn't care about the silkworm's escape.
In his eyes, after ten thousand years, the Skydream Ice Silkworm had already been used up. Even if it escaped, it made no difference.
"You let it go on purpose," Di Tian suddenly said to Bi Ji, his expression calm.
He clearly remembered that Bi Ji's territory was right next to where the Skydream Ice Silkworm had been held.
The hundred-thousand-year guards might not have noticed, but with Bi Ji's power and senses, it was impossible she hadn't known.
Bi Ji, ranked fourth among the Ten Savage Beasts, possessed a terrifying cultivation of 580,000 years.
Throughout Star Dou Forest, her power and intelligence were formidable, and her status was second only to Di Tian. Among soul beasts, she was highly respected—sometimes even Di Tian consulted her opinion.
With the silkworm's meager skills, fully hiding from Bi Ji was impossible.
So, Di Tian was sure—Bi Ji had let the Skydream Ice Silkworm go on purpose.
"You still saw through me," Bi Ji sighed softly, a helpless smile on her face.
She was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see the Skydream Ice Silkworm suffer further torment. For the sake of the whole forest, she'd always chosen to look away, and she was one of the few savage beasts who had not taken its life energy.
"I know you're softhearted, but even if you let it go, it won't survive," Di Tian said, his voice low and cold.
"Why?" Bi Ji asked, filled with doubt. She truly pitied the Skydream Ice Silkworm.
Over those long millennia, she had seen all it suffered.
But she couldn't understand why Di Tian was so sure the Skydream Ice Silkworm wouldn't make it.