Chapter 355: The Traitor Who Tried to Turn the Enemy's Lord Against Them
Your laughter is truly awful. Do you have no self awareness at all?
Just as Han Li was about to make a move, the grating laughter suddenly stopped. At the same time, a massive soul power barrier emerged, separating him from Ye LingLing.
"Human, being able to withstand that last attack proves your strength. Are you interested in working together?"
With a puzzled expression, Han Li heard the unbearably unpleasant yet strangely persuasive voice rising from the depths of the sea. It made him pause for a moment instead of attacking immediately. He was curious what exactly was this Deep Sea Demon Whale King up to?
"Cooperate? How do you propose we cooperate?"
Han Li gazed at the sea with interest, then added, "If we're going to talk about cooperation, don't you think it's insincere to stay hidden like this?"
"Good, human. I admire you. You may be ignorant, but you are not foolish."
As the voice resonated, golden specks of light burst from the pitch black sea, and an unimaginably massive figure surfaced.
With just a rough estimate, Han Li judged the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's length it stretched a staggering two hundred meters, its entire body shimmering like sapphire.
Ordinarily, such a creature should have been a magnificent sight, but the presence of only a single remaining eye and the eerie aura surrounding it made for an unsettling, chilling image.
Han Li met its gaze calmly, even taking a moment to turn back and wave at Ye LingLing and Qian Daoliu, signaling that there was no need to worry.
Then, he turned back, only to find the Deep Sea Demon Whale King looking at him with amusement, as if seeing a student with great potential.
Huh? Han Li was even more confused. What exactly is this whale trying to do?
"You've made the right choice."
Now that it had surfaced, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's voice was slightly less grating at least it no longer assaulted the eardrums.
"You wish to follow the Sea God's path to create your own divine position?"
It suddenly asked.
Although Han Li had been concealing his aura well, when he had used Azure Plume to block the lightning attack earlier, he had indeed tapped into divine power something the Deep Sea Demon Whale King had naturally noticed.
"Hmm."
Han Li, curious about the creature's intentions, nodded along.
"I can help you."
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's deep voice echoed, making Han Li raise an eyebrow.
Before he could ask, the whale continued, "I am different from them."
Its giant, singular eye flicked toward Qian Daoliu and Ye LingLing, who had been isolated by its barrier. There was undisguised greed and killing intent in its gaze.
The Spirit Hall had once launched an assault on Sea God Island Qian Daoliu's identity was well known to it.
"I do not require faith. I can help you collect the faith of all the sea's soul beasts, allowing you to ascend to godhood faster. That is what you seek, isn't it?"
"Believe me, this is something the Sea God himself cannot accomplish."
Its tone carried absolute confidence, tinged with disdain.
Han Li blinked, quickly piecing together the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's true intent. However, he merely frowned slightly and remained silent.
The whale wasn't surprised by his lack of immediate response and pressed on, "Of course, you may not trust me yet. But I have another way."
"What way?"
Han Li decided to keep playing along.
"Since you've come here with the Sea God's successor, you must already be aware of my strength. I once challenged the Sea God himself and was only one step away from ascending. I want you to know I have broken through to a million years and have found my own path to godhood."
It paused deliberately, observing Han Li's reaction. Seeing the gleam in his eyes, it continued, "When one reaches the brink of divinity, all that is needed to ascend is to devour a divine successor and take their place. Compared to following the Sea God's designated path, this method is faster and more secure."
It spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.
At the same time, it carefully watched Han Li's every movement.
"Really?"
Han Li abruptly raised his head, his face flushed with excitement, his pupils burning red. In the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's eye, this was a clear sign of temptation.
"Of course, I am certain of it."
A strange glint flashed in the whale's eye as it spoke with unwavering conviction.
This human was undoubtedly tempted.
Of course, it was lying. It had no guarantee that this method would work. But its instincts told it that devouring the Sea God's successor would grant it tremendous benefits.
"You can devour her, but what about me?"
Han Li seemed to regain his composure, locking his gaze onto the whale.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King let out a strange, rasping chuckle, seemingly unfazed by Han Li's suspicions.
"We don't need to consume them in the literal sense. What we need is their divine energy, not their bodies..."
Realizing it was speaking to a human, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King deliberately adjusted its phrasing.
Meanwhile, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King mocked Han Li in its heart. As expected, ignorance. He's tempted, isn't he?
It wasn't afraid of Qian Daoliu, but it also knew it couldn't keep him there. Upon sensing that fleeting divine aura from Han Li one that didn't belong to either the Angel God or the Sea God it began scheming.
It had lived for a long time, once clashing directly with the Sea God himself. If it had been truly foolish, it wouldn't have survived this long, nor would it have become so powerful.
It wasn't sure if its plan would succeed, but it was better than doing nothing. Its strength had remained stagnant for too long. It was unwilling to accept that. It wanted to take that final step and ascend to godhood. Why? It wasn't any weaker than the Sea God.
And Han Li's arrival presented an opportunity.
If Han Li was willing to cooperate if he could just land a surprise attack on Qian Daoliu and create an opening then it was confident it could swallow the Sea God's successor in one bite, proving its theory right.
As for Han Li? What does he have to do with me?
The temptation of devouring Ye LingLing far outweighed the human before it. But if he made a move, the whale didn't mind treating him as an appetizer as well. After all, he was another human with the qualifications to become a god an ideal prey.
A look of hesitation appeared on Han Li's face, though inwardly, he was speechless. He had thought this creature was about to make a compelling offer, but it turned out it was just trying to trick him, assuming he was some kind of fool.
That said, if this were someone else someone actually on the slow path to godhood through faith collection this might have sounded incredibly tempting.
Seeing the struggle on Han Li's face, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's lone eye gleamed with joy.
As expected, this aligns perfectly with my understanding of human Soul Masters cunning, deceitful, and utterly untrustworthy.
Its experience fighting against that pathetic fish food excuse of a god had taught it some useful lessons. Now was the time to put them into action.
"You don't need to kill them," the whale continued. "You only need to knock them down. If they aren't prepared, this won't be difficult, will it?"
"A thousand years, and you still might not succeed. Are you certain you'll become the next Sea God? Why should that human woman get to become a god just by passing a test, while you must wait endlessly, uncertain of your fate? Does that sit well with you?"
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, isn't it?"
At this moment, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's words flowed effortlessly, spoken with complete sincerity, as if it had completely invested itself in this scheme.
Damn, even I'm getting fired up listening to this, Han Li thought.
His gaze gradually changed, his aura becoming unstable, rage seemingly ignited within him, giving off the impression that he had been swayed.
"So, it looks like you've agreed," the Deep Sea Demon Whale King said, its harsh laughter ringing out again, laced with undisguised excitement.
"Come, reveal your Martial Soul. I will hold back my strength and strike you toward them. You know what to do from there."
Afraid that Han Li would have second thoughts, the whale couldn't wait any longer. It even planned out the next steps of the act, ensuring that everything was seamless.
A flash of light appeared in Han Li's hand as he summoned his Ice Fire Divine Dragon Bow.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King felt an instinctive discomfort its skin tingled as if pricked by needles but rather than suspecting anything, it only became more convinced.
Without such talent, this human would never have made it this far.
Han Li's expression remained uncertain, as if he still hadn't fully made up his mind.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King pressed forward. "Attack me. If I take damage, they won't suspect a thing."
It had once commanded subordinates most of whom now resided in its stomach. It had also witnessed the Sea God dealing with similar situations before.
It knew that when someone hesitated, you shouldn't give them options just tell them exactly what to do. More often than not, they would follow through.
This was the wisdom of a whale that had endured countless years.
And sure enough, the moment it dispersed its soul power barrier, sending a controlled water attack at Han Li
It saw Han Li's eyes turn cold and sharp. Killing intent erupted from his gaze as he stepped back smoothly, right hand drawing his bowstring.
Yes, just like that. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's eye gleamed with satisfaction.
Then, it saw a pale red arrow lazily drifting toward it.
This human's acting skills are a bit weak not as good as the Sea God's.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King mentally critiqued Han Li's performance, comparing him to its old nemesis.
But ultimately, it didn't matter. As long as the plan succeeded, the details were insignificant.
With that thought, it launched a towering pillar of water, striking Han Li.
The water column was even larger than the previous lightning attack but it was all for show.
Eagerly, it turned to look at Han Li's position, expecting him to be thrown back.
Instead, he stood completely still.
Huh?
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's lone eye widened slightly, an uneasy feeling creeping up its spine.
Then, it saw that unremarkable pale red arrow suddenly accelerate piercing straight into its back.
Han Li had intentionally avoided its more sensitive head to keep suspicions low.
At the same time, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King heard his voice.
"Oh, I forgot to mention Sea God's successor is my girlfriend. And your old acquaintance, Poseidon, has already transferred all sea soul beast faith to me. And it was a full scale, public announcement."
"So, tell me, which pathetic clown, with no subordinates left, was the only one who didn't get the memo?"
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