"Golden Dragon Lord, you have to be careful! This Galeclaw Eagle is on a whole different level compared to Blazewolf. If I ever ran into it, I’d have no choice but to run for my life—running is all I could do! You must be careful, truly careful!" The Savage Earth Dragon warned, its voice tense.
"So, does that mean Galeclaw Eagle already has the power of an Eighth-Layer Saint Martial Realm? Or is it just your natural nemesis—so deep down, you’re afraid of it? Which is it?" Evan Cross pressed, unwilling to let go of the question.
"Galeclaw Eagle is definitely one of the deadliest beasts in the Divine Battlefield. Its strength is terrifying, but its speed—that speed is impossible to describe. Its attacks are savage. And if its lightning hits you, believe me, it’s agony. Absolute agony!" The Savage Earth Dragon’s voice trembled, the memory of past pain clear in its eyes.
Galeclaw Eagle’s speed was a nightmare. Anyone facing it would have a headache. In the past, Evan Cross might have struggled too—but now, he felt no fear at all. Why? The Wind-Binding Pearl. With the artifact spirit’s power, he could freeze Galeclaw Eagle in place, then deal with it however he wanted. No need to rush. No need to worry.
"Speed? Hmph, speed isn’t everything! I’ve got my own ways to handle it. If Galeclaw Eagle ever bullied you, you’ll get your payback—every last bit! With me here, you can rest easy!" Evan Cross declared, confidence radiating from every word.
The Savage Earth Dragon believed Evan Cross without a shred of doubt. After everything they’d faced together, it now saw Evan as a true peerless powerhouse—his attack, his speed, both were beyond imagination. Unfathomable!
The two of them soared toward the Thunder Pool, the landscape rushing past beneath their wings. The artifact spirit was dazzled, staring wide-eyed, firing off question after question at Evan Cross. He answered every single one, not daring to offend this little spirit—he’d need her help against Galeclaw Eagle, no doubt about it.
As night fell, the two arrived at the place Savage Earth Dragon had mentioned—a massive valley, ancient trees towering everywhere. It was just like the Monster Beast Forest in the Azure Tide Ruins. Once you entered, you couldn’t see the sky at all. Not a glimpse.
Even flying high above, Evan Cross and the Savage Earth Dragon couldn’t see anything below. "Golden Dragon Lord, let’s find a place to rest and recover. It’s already dark—if we’re going to deal with Galeclaw Eagle, let’s do it in daylight. We don’t know this place well. If it escapes, tracking it down again will be a nightmare, an absolute nightmare," Savage Earth Dragon cautioned.
Evan Cross nodded—Savage Earth Dragon was right. Scanning the area, he quickly spotted a natural cave on a nearby cliff. "We’ll rest in that cave tonight. Tomorrow, we settle things with Galeclaw Eagle. Tomorrow, the score will be settled!"
Arriving at the cave entrance, Evan Cross instantly sensed something off. This cave wasn’t natural—at the entrance, marks left by sharp tools could still be seen, even though ages had passed and moss now covered everything. But with Evan’s eyesight, there was no hiding it. He could spot the truth at a glance.
Evan didn’t barge in recklessly. Instead, he swept the cave with his divine sense—what if this was a monster’s lair? That would be a real headache. He wasn’t afraid of any beast inside, but if he startled one and it alerted the Galeclaw Eagle, tracking that bird down would get a hundred times harder. He had to be careful.
After confirming there were no beasts hiding within, Evan finally entered. The cave wasn’t deep—just ten meters or so—but inside, it was unexpectedly spacious. What really caught his eye was a stone table, some stone stools, and pottery jars scattered about. All clear signs: someone had once lived here. Who? Why? The mystery thickened.
Could it be that someone who entered the Divine Battlefield long ago left all this behind? Where did they go? Why would they settle so close to the Thunder Pool? What were they after? One question after another flashed through Evan’s mind, refusing to let him rest.
Suddenly, Evan thought of the Demon Lord. Maybe the Demon Lord would know the truth. Without hesitation, Evan poured his divine sense into his storage ring and reached out to communicate.
“Demon Lord, did any humans ever stay behind in the Divine Battlefield after the ancient war? Why are there signs of people here? Do you know what happened?” Evan asked, not hiding his curiosity.
“You’ve come to the right person. Very few know about this—maybe even your Frostbane didn’t. Back in the War of Gods and Demons, lots of hidden-sect experts joined the fight. Some were so badly wounded, they had no choice but to stay behind.” The Demon Lord’s voice echoed in Evan’s mind.
“The Divine Battlefield is overflowing with Starstones, perfect for cultivation. If those survivors never left, by now they could be terrifyingly strong. If you ever meet one, don’t get involved—just run. They might be at the eighth or even ninth layer of the Saint Martial Realm.” The Demon Lord warned, his tone grave.
A chill ran down Evan’s spine. If he really ran into a ninth-layer Saint Martial Realm powerhouse, could he survive? Could he escape? Could his defenses hold? He didn’t dare bet his life on it.
“I bet those people are already dead. If they weren’t, they’d have left the Divine Battlefield ages ago. The Azure Tide Ruins haven’t seen any peerless experts show up, and anyone stuck in this barren realm for ten thousand years would go crazy. Demon Lord, I just don’t buy it.” Evan shook his head, unconvinced.
“There are no absolutes. If a peerless expert gets trapped somewhere with no way out, who’s to say they could ever return to the Azure Tide Ruins? Better safe than sorry—always keep your guard up.” The Demon Lord replied, voice calm but serious.
Evan had to admit, the Demon Lord made sense. He checked the cave again, inspecting every corner. Years had passed—maybe centuries. No sign of anyone living here. Only then did Evan finally relax, letting out a long breath.
He sat down at the stone table, closed his eyes, and began to meditate, waiting for dawn to break. The Savage Earth Dragon didn’t say a word, just settled down and meditated quietly beside him. The night passed in silence.
When morning came, Evan and the Savage Earth Dragon left the cave. "Earth Dragon, go scout the forest—see if the Galeclaw Eagle is here. Be careful. I’ll wait for you right here," Evan instructed, voice steady.
"Don’t worry, Golden Dragon Lord. I’ll find him soon. You just get ready to strike." The Savage Earth Dragon replied, then vanished in a flash before Evan’s eyes.
Evan didn’t just sit around. He carefully expanded his divine sense, every move cautious, every thought circling back to the Demon Lord’s warning. He couldn’t afford to be careless—not here.
Soon, the Savage Earth Dragon came rushing back, shock written all over its face. "Golden Dragon Lord, that bird is perched on a giant tree, doing something—maybe incubating eggs. I threw a black fireball to provoke it, then ran. It’s bound to chase us soon!"
"Incubating eggs? Is it male or female? Where’d it find a mate? Can any flying beast just breed with it?" Evan couldn’t help but wonder aloud, doubts swirling in his mind.
Right then, a piercing screech split the air. In the blink of an eye, a massive bird blazing with golden light appeared just dozens of meters away—the Galeclaw Eagle had arrived, its power flooding the valley...