The Azure Wave Dragon Emperor let out a deep, long dragon’s cry. The sound seemed not to emanate from its throat, but to resonate with the entirety of the surging Canglan River.

The command was given.

Behind it, the endless Water Beast Legion instantly erupted!

They let out earth-shattering roars and, like a flood bursting through a dam, charged furiously toward the oncoming Sea Beast Legion.

Two black tides clashed violently on the surface of the river, which spanned tens of thousands of meters.

There were no tactics, no schemes.

Only the most direct tearing, colliding, and devouring.

In an instant, the clear river water was stained a shocking, dark red.

The severed limbs of countless Magical Beasts were flung into the sky, only to fall back down like a rain of blood.

A Deepwater Giant Crocodile over a hundred meters long opened its massive maw and, in a single bite, crushed three or four giant sea crabs, shell and all, into pieces.

But the next second, dozens of sea serpents, like sharks that had scented blood, swarmed it. They coiled tightly around its body, their sharp Poison Fangs piercing its tough crocodilian hide.

The Giant Crocodile thrashed and struggled in agony, churning up hundred-meter-high waves. But soon, its movements slowed, and it eventually became a colossal corpse, sinking slowly to the riverbed.

Scenes like this were playing out simultaneously in every corner of the battlefield.

At this moment, life had become cheaper than dirt.

Raylo held his breath, his throat feeling a little dry.

’This is a Catastrophe Level war.’

The Azure Wave Dragon Emperor hadn’t even acted personally. Its legion alone was enough to unleash a destructive tide that could drown everything.

Yet, high above this cataclysmic battlefield, Astra merely gave the Purgatory-like scene below a detached glance. Not a single ripple of emotion stirred in its enormous eyes, which shone like two Suns.

It did not linger, nor did it have any intention of intervening.

The Lightning flared again.

Astra’s form instantly accelerated, transforming into a merciless bolt of blue Lightning that shot past the bloody battlefield, continuing its flight toward the distant north.

The great dragon cries and the roars of the Magical Beasts were left far behind, soon becoming inaudible.

After crossing the blood-stained Canglan River, the thick, metallic stench of iron in the wind gradually faded, replaced by the fresh, ancient scent of grass and trees.

Astra’s speed did not decrease. Enveloped in Lightning, they streaked across the vast land like a falling meteor, leaving a long trail in their wake.

The scenery below transformed into a green ocean that stretched to the horizon.

The Endless Forest Sea.

This was the territory of the Jade Dragon Emperor, the oldest and most massive primeval forest on the entire Continent.

Towering, ancient trees, hundreds of meters tall, rose from the ground. Their massive canopies intertwined, obscuring the sky and slicing the sunlight into countless mottled specks that dappled the forest depths.

Raylo stood on the dragon’s back, looking down at the magnificent yet primal and savage forest sea, but he couldn’t muster an ounce of appreciation.

His mind was on high alert, his gaze sharp as he scanned every potential threat below.

He knew they had entered the territory of another Catastrophe Level Giant Dragon: the Jade Dragon Emperor.

"SCREEE!"

A sharp, piercing screech came without warning from the clouds to their front left.

A cyan shadow tore through the mist, rapidly approaching them.

It was a massive Winged Dragon, over a hundred meters long. It had cyan Scale Armor, and its huge, membranous wings had a span of nearly a hundred meters. Its elongated crest, shaped like a sharp War Axe, glinted with a cold light.

A Wind God Winged Dragon.

The most elite aerial Scouts and guards under the command of the Jade Dragon Emperor.

This Wind God Winged Dragon had clearly mistaken the flash of Lightning that was Astra for some intruding Flying Magical Beast. From a distance, its massive body circled in the air, preparing to intercept the bolt of light.

However, the next second, its movements froze abruptly.

Astra didn’t even acknowledge it, maintaining its original speed and course, continuing straight ahead.

But the terrifying and domineering Dragon Mighty, unique to a Catastrophe Level Thunder Dragon, slammed into the Wind God Winged Dragon’s soul like an invisible Giant Hammer.

"Urk..."

The provocative screech from the Wind God Winged Dragon’s mouth instantly turned into a terrified whine.

In its ferocious eyes, all battle intent and vigilance were utterly crushed in an instant, replaced by the most primal fear and submission, originating from the very depths of its bloodline.

Its body began to tremble violently, uncontrollably.

Its massive, membranous wings, which had been beating powerfully just moments before, instantly went rigid and limp.

Like a chicken with its neck wrung, it went from high-speed flight to a powerless stone, plummeting headfirst toward the dense forest sea below.

"BOOM!"

A loud crash echoed from the distant forest sea, startling a flock of birds into the air.

Raylo watched all of this in silence.

’So this is the pressure of a Catastrophe Level being. Just by passing by, it scared a powerful Flying Magical Beast—one that was at least Domain Level—into falling straight out of the sky.’

"Lord Astra, perhaps we should conceal our aura a bit," Raylo suggested.

"If we continue like this, I’m afraid the Jade Dragon Emperor will be alerted before we even reach the Heaven-Reaching Divine Wood."

Astra’s impassive voice sounded in Raylo’s mind.

"It matters not."

"Since we’re here to take something, there’s no need to hide."

"Letting it know we’ve arrived is perfect. It will save us the time of having to find it."

Astra’s tone was calm, yet filled with absolute confidence.

It never intended to "steal"; it was here to "take."

Hearing this, Raylo said no more.

He knew this was the pride of a Catastrophe Level powerhouse.

In front of an opponent of the same level, any form of stealthy approach was a sign of weakness.

Since Astra chose a direct confrontation, all he had to do was trust it and prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

On the path ahead, they successively encountered several more patrols of Wind God Winged Dragons.

Sometimes one, sometimes two, or in small squads of three or four.

But without exception, after sensing Astra’s Catastrophe Level Dragon Mighty, these aerial guards of the Jade Dragon Emperor all had starkly different reactions.

Some, like the first one, froze in terror and plummeted directly from the sky.

Others, in extreme fear, flapped their wings desperately, letting out shrill wails as they fled frantically in the opposite direction of the Lightning.

Then there were those they encountered at a greater distance.

Upon detecting the invincible aura, they immediately chose to land. They folded their wings, prostrated their massive bodies beneath the canopies of the giant trees below, and buried their heads deep in the dense foliage, trembling, not even daring to look up.

They dared not face Astra’s might head-on.

Astra’s Lightning tore through the sky above the Endless Forest Sea, ripping through layers of clouds, its target clear: the deepest part of the forest.

The Natural Elements in the air began to grow denser and purer.

Raylo could feel a vast and majestic aura of life emanating from somewhere ahead, like a lighthouse in the dark, guiding their way.

He knew they were close.

The Heaven-Reaching Divine Wood, the lair where the Jade Dragon Emperor dwelled.

A Catastrophe Level collision was about to erupt.