To most people, it seemed they had experienced a nightmare; it started out so beautifully with their lifespan changing alongside their contracted Beastmaster’s beasts, which seemed like a tremendous stroke of luck.
However, no one anticipated—well, perhaps many foresaw what was to come—but they were powerless to do anything about it afterward.
The changing world rules were like a sweeping force pushing everyone forward. Even if they realized something was amiss, they couldn’t stop it, as their power was insignificant compared to the grand force.
Watching the situation rapidly deteriorate, they were helpless. Although they felt it might just be an illusion, the illusion was realistic enough to make them doubt that this was some possible future.
Especially that prior darkness devouring the world exacerbated their doubts. Which Divine Beast was playing such a vile joke?!
Agunas glanced at Zheranick and Old Wei, sighed quietly. Although this time the other party didn’t cause substantial damage, the disruption they caused was significant.
Seeing one person and one Divine Beast looking forlorn, Agunas lost the desire to lecture them. He hoped that after this blow, they would settle down...
Agunas exchanged a glance with other Divine Beasts and directly left with the Recorder’s Pen; he intended to seal it away in his nest. There’s no choice; the ability displayed by this thing this time would inevitably tempt some shady individuals.
Ignoring it as before was impossible; he had to strive to prevent those individuals from obtaining it.
As Agunas led the way to leave, the other Divine Beasts also deserted the scene. The Recorder’s Pen was already handed over to Agunas, so they weren’t worried that Wade and Zheranick would pull off any crazy actions in the Realm of the World.
In the end, they were only striving for an unrealistic aspiration; as for the various sins committed along the way, they weren’t the ones to judge.
The Divine Beasts never considered themselves to be messengers of justice. Right or wrong, in their eyes, is meaningless since it never had a definite conclusion.
Lorraine Tower gave Feng Yuan a meaningful glance and turned to leave, unwilling to speak to Wade and the others. After all, he himself once had such ambitions, but ultimately gave up, understanding the consequences too well as the Divine Beast of Time.
"They all left, huh."
Veronia glanced at the now-empty Realm of the World, speaking to Feng Yuan, shrugged her shoulders, and Feng Yuan stepped up to Old Wei saying,
"How about it, I didn’t lie to you, right? Although there are other possibilities, that chance is too slim, and I believe you wouldn’t gamble on the odds of a miracle."
"Moreover, extending across the entire Time River, collective immortality is an impossibility; the world’s limits are set, even if internally there are no issues, the world will find ways to resolve the excess of people... and Spirit Beasts."
Looking at Feng Yuan, Wade smiled helplessly, surprised by this concluding outcome. Was he disappointed? Of course, but along with it came endless perplexity.
Chasing the beautiful world where Spirit Beasts and Beastmasters coexist harmoniously, that world without regrets was both his and Zheranick’s goal, a spiritual solace in their long journey.
Sadly, this self-deceptive magic dream had shattered, leaving them facing reality.
Feng Yuan patted Wade’s shoulder without saying anything and turned away with Xiao Ji and the others, leaving Wade and Zheranick alone in the Realm of the World.
The surrounding space constantly changed, diverse landscapes slipping by them, yet Old Wei and Zheranick felt none of it, standing quietly like vivid stone statues in this solitary space.
"I thought the Little Crocodile might settle scores with them."
On the way back, Veronia spoke with some confusion, Feng Yuan glanced speechlessly at Veronia and said,
"Settle what scores? Old Wei and the others hadn’t done anything to Agunas."
"Hmm, sounds about right; the Little Crocodile isn’t one of those justice-loving allies."
With a light chuckle, Veronia said, there are indeed Divine Beasts willing to act as substitutes for victims, but Agunas had no interest in doing so, as he didn’t feel qualified to make decisions for the victims.
Of course, this also related to his concern for the subjects; Wade and Zheranick hurt Beastmasters and their Tamed Beasts, and to Agunas these ranked low, generally treated with a casual helping hand rather than taking proactive actions.
"But for the days ahead, they might not have it easy, and... losing their sole objective, I have some doubts..."
Recalling the situation of Old Wei and Zheranick, Feng Yuan sighed, uncertain of their choices. Yet he didn’t want to persuade them; neither path could be described as good or bad.
"Perhaps they could rise above it? Even if everything halts now, it’s not such a big deal... After all, we Divine Beasts aren’t few in choosing to end our journey."
Veronia spoke softly looking skyward, sometimes contemplating this notion, although, for his sake, she couldn’t act selfishly...
"No matter the choice, it’s theirs to make."
Sighing, Feng Yuan shook his head, noting that while Divine Beasts possess immortality, not all can accept it; many transferred the position and chose eternal sleep. Hence, Feng Yuan was unsure of their eventual choice, though the answer wouldn’t take long.
Although Old Wei might not stir up more trouble, the preceding commotion and its impact wouldn’t fade quickly.
"Was that... a prophecy for the future?"
Dou Yanlan looked questioningly at Qi Chen, unsure of the situation spanning decades. Scratching her head, Qi Chen replied,
"Sort of like simulating the future? Could a Divine Beast be involved in this?"
"Don’t know, pursuing immortality... what a reckless pursuit, just dealing with Legendary Beastmasters is already a handful, now immortality..."
Reflecting on that dream scenario, Dou Yanlan chuckled in disbelief, curious which Divine Beast came up with such naive thoughts, but she was unsurprised by that future.
Unrestricted expansion surely brings numerous issues, whether in power, lifespan, or other factors; similar incidents have occurred more than once.
"What do we do now..."
Scratching his head, Qi Chen looked at Dou Yanlan, not wanting to return empty-handed, yet thinking through their previous plan...
"Let’s head back first; with the current situation, it’s likely impractical to begin a battle."
Glancing at the silent crowd, Dou Yanlan spoke helplessly; they lacked the ability to initiate a war. The prior plan was to seize the mixed battle’s opportunity.
However, given the circumstance, it’s infeasible for them to prompt immediate action from various forces.
Moreover, she wished to return and inquire Feng Yuan about the details surrounding this incident.
Ultimately, they could only reluctantly choose to temporarily abandon their prior plan, as Dou Yanlan predicted, major forces invading The Imperial Timeline shifted to defensive postures.
No choice, the sudden chaos and impact were overwhelming, unable to act rashly until understanding the situation fully.
Should another bout of darkness like the world-devouring occur again, it would spell disaster; although Ascension Stones are vital, survival precedes them.
Returning to the Main World, Dou Yanlan and the others directly sought out Feng Yuan, aware this involved Divine Beasts, and Feng Yuan was most knowledgeable about them.
After learning from Feng Yuan about Old Wei’s situation, they sighed incessantly; however, Old Wei didn’t seem like a bad person in their eyes. Yet considering the past deeds of the G Organization, they had no defense for him.
After all, those crimes occurred; they weren’t entitled to forgive on behalf of the victims, merely noting their favorable impression of Old Wei.
"So, what’s your plan? Return now, or wait until the battle situation clears up?"
After explaining Old Wei’s matter, Feng Yuan curiously asked the two. Given both sides in The Imperial Timeline were now in defensive stances, options were limited.
"For now, we won’t go over; the situation remains unclear, but the goal of taking over The Imperial Timeline should remain unchanged."
Dou Yanlan said, lightly pinching her chin.

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