Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Villain Life Simulator

Su Cheng's gaze first fell on Su Yue's perfectly sculpted nose, like a fine piece of artwork. Then, he instinctively lifted his arm and sniffed it, but he didn't detect any scent.

Noticing Su Yue's increasingly suspicious gaze, he quickly lowered his hand and scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? And can you stop using such vulgar language?"

Silver, having fused with his martial soul, wouldn't leak any aura. If there had been any, Bibi Dong wouldn't have been oblivious earlier.

"What exactly have you been doing these past two months? Did tracking those people and spirit beasts take this long?"

Su Yue, however, showed no signs of backing down. She continued to stare at him intently with her violet eyes.

Her sense of smell was far beyond ordinary. She had indeed picked up a faint, unfamiliar fragrance on Su Cheng.

"Of course, I've been cultivating. Didn't you notice that my strength has already reached the divine level?"

From the moment they met, Su Cheng had deliberately revealed his aura, but Su Yue had been too focused on other things to notice.

"Huh, this fast?" Su Yue's face showed a flash of surprise, and her attention was successfully diverted.

"It's not that I'm fast. It's that you're too slow." Su Cheng inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "From the brief records in ancient texts, there are several places on this continent where divine inheritance can be found. Spirit City, where we are now, is one of them. Others, like Sea God Island and Slaughter City, are likely similar. Now that I've reached this level of strength, I can start investigating and studying them."

"..."

Hearing this, Su Yue pondered for a moment before she was about to say something.

"Don't think about coming with me. You're still too weak to be of any use. You might even get discovered. The divine power in Spirit City is limited to the Douluo Hall, but the situation at other divine inheritance sites is far more uncertain." Before Su Yue could open her mouth, Su Cheng cut her off.

"Your task is to focus on cultivating over the next few years. You must at least recover your strength to that of a Title Douluo or higher. I think that shouldn't be too much to ask, right?" Su Cheng's expression was serious, his voice low. "We don't have much time. We can't afford to waste it."

"What do you mean by 'not much time'?"

"Haven't you noticed? Many people with the potential to become gods have emerged on this continent. People like Xue Qinghe from Tian Dou City, Bibi Dong who's already undergoing the inheritance trials, and Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, and others—they're all quite extraordinary. Ten thousand years ago, the Douluo Star saw the emergence of the Angel God and the Sea God, both at the first-tier divine level. Now, perhaps we're in another era of great competition."

"So what if they all become gods? They'll only be third-tier gods at best. Even if they train in the Divine Realm, the highest they can reach is the first-tier divine level. Our real enemies are the Divine Kings. These people don't matter in the grand scheme of things."

"How can you be sure that none of them are the successors to a Divine King? Besides, since we've already decided to make a move against the Rakshasa God, we must be fully prepared. Once this starts, there's no turning back. It will trigger a chain reaction. The fall of a true god won't go unnoticed by the Divine Realm."

"You're saying that within a few years, we'll be fighting the Divine Realm?" Su Yue looked at Su Cheng with a mixture of surprise and doubt. "Are you joking? Even if your plan to deal with the Rakshasa God works, you'll have to cover it up as much as possible. How can you provoke the Divine Realm like that? Do you even know how powerful the Divine Kings are?"

"You don't understand. The transfer of divine positions and the vacancy of certain thrones will be our best opportunity. If we don't act now, we'll be too late."

Su Cheng couldn't just sit back and watch Tang San ascend to godhood, waiting hundreds or thousands of years for the old Shura God to leave or for the Divine Realm to undergo some upheaval. He couldn't wait for a fail-safe opportunity.

He was tasked with altering the fates of key individuals. How could he let those events unfold?

"I don't understand? And you do?" Su Yue's emotions became more intense. In her eyes, Su Cheng was gambling with his life, and he wanted to drag her into it as well.

Even though Su Cheng's cultivation speed was incredibly fast and he had already reached the divine level, he was still only at a level comparable to a third-tier god, far from being a true powerhouse.

What's more, after reaching the divine level, cultivation would surely slow down. How much progress could he make in a few more years?

And as for herself, even if she could regain her divine level in a short time, even if she could truly awaken her full Dragon God bloodline, restoring her power in the Divine Realm's environment would require other methods. At best, she could only reach the pinnacle of the first-tier divine level or become a half-step Divine King.

"If you're unwilling to take the risk, I won't force you. But I will act."

"What do you mean by that?" Su Yue no longer cared about the scent issue. Compared to matters of life and death, those were trivial details.

"Calm down. I know what I'm doing."

Su Cheng patted her on the shoulder, pressing her back into her seat.

Then, he reached out, took a book, and opened it, placing it in front of her.

"I'll be gone for about three years this time. You should focus on cultivating here in Spirit City. When I return, my cultivation speed will definitely be faster than you imagine. The next time we meet, I might already be a second-tier god."

"What? How is that possible?" Su Yue looked up at him in disbelief.

"I have a unique method of cultivation," Su Cheng said casually. "By the way, can you lend me that Three-Eyed Golden Lion from the Star Dou Forest for a while?"

"What do you want with it?"

"I think its third eye might help me. Don't worry, I won't harm it."

"..."

Su Yue frowned, not saying a word.

Seeing this, Su Cheng waved his hand and didn't press further. He turned and left the library.

After he left, Su Yue's frown didn't relax, and her delicate, pale face remained clouded with worry and doubt.

She wasn't sure whether her concern stemmed from the fear of losing a powerful ally if Su Cheng failed or from something else entirely.

"Su Cheng, what exactly are you thinking...?"

A week later, on the shores of the Lake of Life, deep within the Star Dou Forest, the black-clad Di Tian looked at the young man before him with a cautious expression.

"You've become a god?"

"Yes, by your standards, I'm at the divine level. However, divine power exceeds the limits of Douluo Star's capacity. At this plane's energy level, it rejects divine beings. But I'm different. I'm self-contained and won't be affected by this plane."

"I can sense that your power is extraordinary." Di Tian nodded slightly and then asked, "What about the Lord? Why didn't she come with you?"

"She's still cultivating in Spirit City."

"Then why are you here alone today? What do you want?"

"I want to borrow your Three-Eyed Golden Lion for a while. I need to take it somewhere."

Upon hearing this, Di Tian's brow twitched violently, and he said in a deep voice, "Does the Lord know about this?"

"Of course she does."

"She approved?"

"She didn't say no."

"..."

Di Tian scrutinized Su Cheng, wondering what kind of spell this guy had cast on his Lord.

Even if Silver Dragon King had tacitly agreed, Di Tian still had to think carefully.

Although Di Tian respected Su Yue and referred to her as Lord, he had his own thoughts and wasn't a mindless subordinate.

"Do you know what the Three-Eyed Golden Lion means to us spirit beasts?"

"Of course I do. It's the Emperor Auspicious Beast, carrying the power of fate. Its aura can accelerate the cultivation of other spirit beasts. And if I'm not mistaken, it also has a trace of the Dragon God's bloodline."

"If you know that, do you still think it's appropriate to take it away?"

"What's inappropriate? I won't harm it."

"..."

After a long silence, Di Tian finally looked at Su Cheng and slowly said, "You're very strong now, much stronger than me."

Su Cheng could hear the underlying meaning in Di Tian's words and smiled. "Don't worry, we're allies, and you're Su Yue's kin. Naturally, I won't use forceful methods."

"Su Yue?"

"Oh, that's the human name the Silver Dragon King gave herself."

Di Tian raised an eyebrow in surprise but didn't comment further.

Continuing their previous conversation, Di Tian probed, "What if I refuse?"

"I think we could ask the Three-Eyed Golden Lion for its opinion. After all, it's a 5,000-year-old soul beast with intelligence no less than that of humans. Surely, it has its own thoughts on the matter, don't you think?"

"…"

Di Tian fell silent.

He understood that this was Su Cheng's bottom line. While Su Cheng wouldn't use coercive methods, this wasn't solely Di Tian's decision—it depended on what the Three-Eyed Golden Lion thought.

"Fine."

Half a day later, Di Tian brought the majestic soul beast, about two meters long with dragon-like claws and a lion-like appearance, to Su Cheng's side.

As Su Cheng assessed the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, it silently examined him as well.

As a rare emperor beast with innate talents, its senses were extremely sharp, able to detect subtle energies that others couldn't perceive.

However, with the human before it, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion could sense nothing at all.

Before this moment, it had never encountered anyone capable of completely masking their presence. In this regard, the human before it seemed even more mysterious than the powerful Silver Dragon King.

"Di Tian told me you want to trick me into leaving the Star Dou Forest and that I should be cautious around you," the Three-Eyed Golden Lion said, speaking in a clear, melodious female voice.

"Did he now?" Su Cheng glanced at Di Tian, who stood not far away, with a faint smile.

The stern and handsome middle-aged man couldn't help but reveal a trace of embarrassment.

He hadn't expected the little creature to be so outspoken, immediately selling him out.

"I have no intention of tricking you, but I will give you a little warning. Every power comes with a price. As the Emperor Auspicious Beast that carries the power of destiny, your talents, intelligence, strength, and luck far surpass ordinary soul beasts. However, that also means you will inevitably face calamities in the future—one that will be a life-or-death trial. This is the balance of the universe."

"Really? I don't believe it." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion rolled its eyes in disdain.

As destiny's favored child, it had lived a life of ease since birth, even bringing good fortune to those around it.

Even the immensely powerful soul beasts of the forest had benefited from its presence, experiencing accelerated growth in their cultivation.

A beast raised in such a sea of good fortune would hardly believe in a future calamity, no matter what Su Cheng said.

Su Cheng didn't mind the beast's reaction and continued, "It doesn't matter if you don't believe me. This is just a warning, not a bargaining chip to convince you to leave with me."

"Then tell me, what good would it do if I left with you?" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion asked slyly, its eyes glinting with mischief.

In truth, it had long entertained the idea of leaving the Star Dou Forest.

That thought had sprouted the moment it saw the Silver Dragon King transform and leave with Su Cheng.

With such a powerful senior as a "role model," it was only natural that a young creature like the Three-Eyed Golden Lion would feel restless.

So, even if Su Cheng didn't offer any immediate benefits, it was eager to leave with him. If not, it wouldn't have sold out Di Tian so readily upon meeting Su Cheng.

"I'll take you to see the relics left by the gods of this world, to prepare for slaying gods in the future. Does that interest you?"

Hearing this, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion froze, its eyes flickering with surprise, fear, and an undeniable excitement.

Slaying gods?

That sounded thrilling!

On the other side, Di Tian's reaction mirrored that of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, with his expression undergoing a drastic change.

"Su Cheng! You never mentioned this before!"

He quickly stepped forward, his face filled with anger as he demanded an explanation.

He couldn't care less if Su Cheng wanted to go on an adventure. In fact, part of him looked forward to it.

But taking the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, a creature of immense significance to the soul beast race, on such a dangerous journey was something he could never agree to.

"Calm down. I'm just making preparations. When it comes to actually slaying gods, of course, I won't bring along this little burden."

"Who are you calling a burden?" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion bared its teeth in displeasure but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

While the idea of slaying gods was exciting, it was also terrifying.

Though it trusted its luck would keep it from meeting a tragic end, it wasn't about to gamble with its life.

"Obviously, you. You're too weak," Su Cheng laughed. "But the human world is full of wonders. Even if it's just to broaden your horizons, it would be worth it. Besides, it's only for three years. Under my protection, you can play freely. My strength is enough to ensure that no one on this planet can harm you."

At this, Su Cheng glanced at Di Tian. "If you don't believe me, you can ask him if I'm exaggerating."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion turned its gaze to Di Tian.

Reluctantly, Di Tian admitted, "From a strength standpoint, yes, that's true. But—"

"But nothing, old brother Di Tian. You're too serious. I can tell this little lion doesn't enjoy playing with you."

Su Cheng casually interrupted Di Tian and looked back at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, his gaze softening. "Besides broadening your horizons, I have other benefits for you. But you'll have to give something in return as well."

His expression and tone were as though he were coaxing a child.