Chapter 541 - 347: Ancient Water God

Chapter 541: Chapter 347: Ancient Water God

Even though he was hopelessly outnumbered, Han Ning could no longer suppress his rage. He strode forward and threw a heavy punch right at the large, dark-furred rat’s head.

But the large rat didn’t even budge. Instead, Han Ning stumbled back a step, his fist turning slightly red from the impact against the creature’s hard skull.

"You don’t even have a combat Soul Beast? You’re asking to die!"

A vicious glint flashed in the eyes of a nearby burly man. He clenched his fist and threw a heavy punch straight at Han Ning’s cheek.

In the nick of time, Han Ning ducked, narrowly dodging the punch. He then lunged forward, snatching the Gold-Picking Cat from the large rat’s mouth. Wrenching it free, he turned and ran for his life.

But his speed was no match for the agile rats. In an instant, two massive shadows shot past him, blocking the doorway.

Three large rats and three men had them surrounded.

"Meow..."

The body of the Gold-Picking Cat in his arms was rapidly growing cold. It lifted a paw, trying to gently touch Han Ning’s cheek.

Han Ning held its paw, his own hand trembling slightly. He glared at the burly man before him. "Why? Why would you do this to it?"

"There is no ’why.’ It stole our money, so we’ll take its life. It’s as simple as that. I’ll give you a choice: leave the Gold-Picking Cat, and I promise you can walk out of here without a scratch."

"Meow..."

The Gold-Picking Cat, its body growing ever colder, seemed to have heard the man’s words. On the verge of death, it used the last of its strength to struggle in Han Ning’s arms.

’It’s just a small cat. Am I really going to throw my own life away for it?’

Feeling the faint struggle in his arms, Han Ning took a deep breath. The hesitation in his eyes lasted only a few seconds before being replaced by firm resolve. The Gold-Picking Cat wasn’t just his pet. It was his companion, his friend, his family. It was a true friend who had brought him food when he was at his absolute lowest.

Han Ning didn’t answer. He lowered his head, trying to warm the Gold-Picking Cat with his own body heat. At the same time, he spotted a gap between the burly men and made a mad dash for it.

"Knew you’d try that..."

The burly man grinned and gave a casual wave of his hand.

The next moment.

Han Ning felt two foul gusts of wind rush toward him. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed sharp claws, gleaming coldly as they slashed toward his chest with lightning speed. ℴℴ𝘮

’There’s no escape... I must be the most pathetic transmigrator ever...’

He laughed at himself inwardly, clutched the Gold-Picking Cat tightly, and closed his eyes...

WHOOSH~

The familiar feeling of dizziness washed over him again.

Fragments of memory flooded into his mind like a tidal wave.

Gold-Picking Cat... Otherworld...

When Han Ning opened his eyes again, he found himself back at the bottom of the sea, surrounded by dark, swirling currents.

Before him floated the massive form of Wuzhiqi.

Han Ning recalled the scenes from his memory, lost in a daze.

After a long while, he finally asked, "Lord Wuzhiqi, this memory in my mind... was it real or fake?"

"If you believe it to be real, then it is real. If you believe it to be fake, then it is fake..."

Wuzhiqi’s emotionless voice echoed in his mind.

"I blocked all your memories concerning Soul Beasts and myself. Everything you experienced was an Illusion Realm I wove with my Spiritual Power."

’No wonder... While in the Illusion Realm, I had no memories of Soul Beasts. I didn’t recognize the Gold-Picking Cat or those ferocious Earth-Splitting Rats.’

Han Ning thought of the familiar streets, the indifferent crowds, and the little moments of his life with the Gold-Picking Cat within the Illusion Realm. It all felt like a distant memory from another life.

It was brief, but the memories were exceptionally vivid.

"Only by blocking all your memories of Soul Beasts and anything related to me could I observe two things of utmost importance: whether you truly love Soul Beasts, and whether you are responsible for your constant companion."

Wuzhiqi stared directly into Han Ning’s eyes.

"My test doesn’t require a strong physique, excellent training techniques, or expert breeding knowledge. There are only two things that matter: whether you are responsible, and whether you have love in your heart for Soul Beasts. And whether you have the courage to step forward and shield your companion when it is in danger."

Hearing Wuzhiqi’s words, Han Ning instantly recalled the clichéd bullying scenes. Thinking back on it now, their hostility had been completely baseless, yet his self within the Illusion Realm hadn’t sensed anything amiss.

He fell silent for a moment before cautiously asking, "So... did I pass?"

"For now, you can consider it so... But when observing a Beast Master, or indeed any living creature, one cannot judge them by their actions in a single moment. Only time reveals a person’s true heart."

As it spoke, a hint of reminiscence appeared in Wuzhiqi’s eyes.

"Did you know? I, too, once followed a Beast Master. We traveled to every corner of the world, leaving our footprints on every continent..."

’Someone as powerful as Wuzhiqi... actually had a Beast Master?!’

Han Ning was stunned. A mix of curiosity and awe filled him as he asked, "You’ve lived for hundreds of thousands of years. What was the world like back then?"

"The stars turn, and the ages pass. Civilizations have risen and fallen, time and time again. The past, present, and future are nothing more than a recurring cycle."

"My encounter with him was but a tiny ripple in the long river of this world’s history. But for the two of us, it was an experience etched into our very souls..."

After saying this, it fell into a long silence.

It remained silent for so long that a panel began to repeatedly warn that Ladar was breaking through layer after layer of the Spiritual Array. Only then did Wuzhiqi seem to return to its senses, speaking slowly: