"What are you doing?!" Di Tian's expression was grim and unsettled, his tone ice-cold.
"Aren't you the one who wanted proof? I'm showing you the evidence!" Zhu Ziyang responded helplessly, waving his hand. "Or do you not want it anymore?"
"…" Di Tian was momentarily speechless, forced into silence.
Zhu Ziyang didn't continue teasing him and directly summoned Xue Di. Strictly speaking, this was his first time calling Xue Di forth through her soul ring. Normally, his soul spirits lived in his Sea of Spiritual Consciousness and rarely returned to their soul rings. When Zhu Ziyang summoned them, they would usually appear directly from his mind.
Four red soul rings shimmered with white radiance as a peerlessly graceful figure appeared before Zhu Ziyang, Diwu Huan'er, and the five savage beasts—it was Xue Di.
"Xue Di?!" Di Tian froze in place. As a fellow member of the Ten Great Savage Beasts, he was very familiar with Xue Di's aura. He had never expected that the ruler of the Extreme North, a peerless savage beast with nearly 700,000 years of cultivation, would become a soul ring—no, a soul spirit—of a human!
Di Tian found it hard to believe. Though he had no deep relationship with Xue Di, he knew her temperament well. Proud beyond compare and filled with hatred for humans, how could she willingly become a soul spirit for one? No one could accept this so easily.
"Long time no see, Di Tian, Bi Ji, and the other three," Xue Di greeted them calmly. She already knew why Zhu Ziyang had summoned her, so she willingly restrained her usual aloofness to greet her former kin.
"Xue Di, you…?" Bi Ji clutched her chest, her lovely face filled with disbelief.
"Are you asking why I became a soul spirit?" Xue Di replied coolly. "Well, to put it simply—because 'Dad' showed me the hope of becoming a god."
"Dad?" Bi Ji's expression turned strange. Her gaze flickered between Zhu Ziyang and Xue Di, as if trying to figure out some unexpected twist in their story.
"Ahem." Zhu Ziyang coughed to draw their attention, then turned to Di Tian and said, "Lord Di Tian, as you've seen, Xue Di is the first soul spirit born in this world. And these four soul rings were all provided by her."
"Mm." Di Tian nodded slowly. Yet he still couldn't understand—why would Xue Di willingly abandon her 700,000 years of cultivation to become the subordinate of a human? Could it really be as she said—that Zhu Ziyang gave her hope of divinity? That seemed unlikely. Di Tian admitted that this world favored humans, but that didn't mean becoming a god was easy!
"Based on our research," Zhu Ziyang began, "soul spirits formed from hundred-thousand-year soul beasts can provide at least two soul rings, up to four. For ten-thousand-year soul beasts, they can always offer two. As for thousand-year, hundred-year, or ten-year soul beasts, there's not enough data yet to confirm whether they can offer more than one."
"That's acceptable… but not enough," Di Tian replied with a nod. He was clearly far more concerned with the second matter: Could soul spirits truly become gods? To the gods of the Divine Realm, did soul spirits count as soul rings or as soul beasts? He couldn't take Zhu Ziyang's word alone. He needed proof.
"Heh." Di Tian's reaction had been entirely within Zhu Ziyang's expectations. With a slight smile, Zhu Ziyang activated his martial soul. The Stillness Fate Ending Scythe appeared in his hand, and immediately afterward, the Death God's Mark emerged. The divine aura radiating from his body made Di Tian's eyes widen.
"A god's aura!" Di Tian stared at Zhu Ziyang, stunned. He couldn't be more familiar with this aura—memories of the Divine War ten thousand years ago still lingered in his mind.
"I was lucky," Zhu Ziyang said with a calm smile. "A god favored me and passed on his legacy."
He spoke lightly, without any pride or arrogance. But in the eyes of the five savage beasts, it was blatant bragging!
"…" Di Tian fell silent. After a long pause, he finally spoke, "You've surprised me. Though I'm reluctant to admit it, soul spirits do indeed offer our soul beast race a possible path forward."
"As it should be," Zhu Ziyang replied with a smile. "In fact, soul spirits can grow alongside their soul masters. For soul beasts stuck at bottlenecks, this might be a new path to advancement. For those nearing the end of their lives, becoming a soul spirit is a way to extend life. Who knows—maybe it'll lead to godhood."
"Heh, maybe," Di Tian said coolly. "In any case, since you've come to us, I assume Shrek Academy is already prepared to promote soul spirits among all human soul masters, am I right?"
"Correct." Zhu Ziyang nodded. "But relying solely on Shrek Academy and the willingness of human soul masters isn't enough. The soul spirit system requires agreement from both soul masters and soul beasts. Without that, the soul spirit contract is just empty words."
"So, you wish to cooperate with us soul beasts to establish the soul spirit system?" Di Tian asked.
"Of course. It's a win-win situation, isn't it?" Zhu Ziyang replied with a smile and a wave of his hand.
"I can agree to work with you," Di Tian said, his expression serious and his eyes cold, "but I need one guarantee."
"Please speak." Zhu Ziyang felt relieved—Di Tian was already agreeing in principle.
"I need your guarantee that once the soul spirit system is established, your humans will never again hunt a single soul beast!" Di Tian said firmly, his tone filled with killing intent. "If that can't be guaranteed, then our soul beast race would rather go down fighting than cooperate!"
"About that…" Now it was Zhu Ziyang's turn to fall silent. After thinking for a while, he said, "I can guarantee that once the soul spirit system is fully established, no soul master from within Shrek Academy will enter the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul beasts."
"Hmm? That's not enough!" Di Tian was clearly dissatisfied.
"Di Tian, I know what you're thinking, but you must understand," Zhu Ziyang said coldly, "First, humans are not a monolith. I can control the soul masters of Shrek Academy—but I can't control those from other forces."
"Second, you are only the leader of the soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. Whether soul beasts in other regions recognize your authority is another matter—you know this better than I do."
"Finally, building the soul spirit system will not happen overnight. To promote it across the continent and make it mainstream among soul masters takes time. I cannot guarantee that not a single soul beast will be harmed during that process."
"So what you mean is—you want us soul beasts to cooperate, while also tolerating your continued killing?" Di Tian's face turned cold again. "You humans are truly insatiable!"
"Then what do you want?" Zhu Ziyang was unmoved. Even as Diwu Huan'er tugged at his sleeve, he remained firm. "I won't promise something that requires time to resolve!"
"…Fine. Then we each take a step back," Di Tian surprisingly yielded. The four beasts behind him looked stunned, but they understood his decision.
The truth was: soul spirits were just an added strength for soul masters—but for soul beasts, they were salvation in the snowstorm. Even if that salvation wouldn't last forever, it could delay their extinction. And right now, time was what the soul beast race needed most.
"Alright," Zhu Ziyang said, no longer forceful. "I guarantee that as long as I live on Douluo Continent, I'll do everything I can to promote the soul spirit system and prevent soul masters from slaughtering soul beasts needlessly."
"I believe you," Di Tian said, giving Zhu Ziyang a deep look. "I will do my best to unite all soul beasts on the continent and have them join the soul spirit system. Also, as for Shrek Academy disciples entering the Star Dou Great Forest—so long as they do not provoke us, we will let them be."
"I believe you too." Zhu Ziyang smiled and extended his hand.
Di Tian likewise raised his hand.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Three hand claps echoed in the air—the symbol of a partnership formed.
(End of Chapter)
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