The sudden arrival of Beast God Di Tian left Yu Yuanchen and his two companions, who had originally planned only a "bilateral talk" with the Evil Emperor, facing a far more complex situation.
Four earth-shattering auras collided and intertwined violently above the Evil Spirit Forest, distorting space itself. The gray-white mist below churned turbulently, as if the entire world were trembling at the standoff between these beings who stood at the pinnacle of the continent.
Thoughts raced through Yu Yuanchen's mind; Di Tian's appearance was truly unexpected. He had originally assumed that the Evil Emperor lived in isolation on the Sun Moon Continent and had little interaction with Di Tian of the Star Dou Great Forest, perhaps even harboring a hostile relationship.
It appeared now that some unknown connection existed between these two soul beast overlords, or at the very least, they were capable of reaching a tacit understanding or striking a deal when faced with a common, powerful external threat.
"These two... do they visit each other often?" Tang Chen grinned, tightening his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer. His battle intent surged, yet he remained calm despite the surprise. "Still, they came at the right time. I've heard you say how powerful this Beast God Di Tian is, Old Yu; now I'll finally get to see it for myself."
Qian Daoliu's expression was grave. The Angel Sacred Sword flickered with holy radiance as he whispered, "The situation has changed. Proceed with caution." He favored order, but he was never one to fear a fight.
With Di Tian's arrival, the Evil Eye Tyrant Lord, who had been hiding in the depths of the forest preparing for a desperate struggle, seemed to have found its backbone. Its massive spiritual body, shrouded in a sky full of gray mist, ascended to the air to stand alongside Di Tian.
Thousands of evil eyes of varying sizes flickered and drifted around it, emitting heart-palpitating spiritual fluctuations. Although its aura remained formidable, the massive vertical pupil lacked its former resolution, replaced by a sense of confidence—and perhaps a hint of undisguised embarrassment and irritation.
"Di Tian! You old loach, you finally arrived!" The Evil Emperor's mental roar rang out first, carrying a sense of relief and lingering fear. "If you had been a step later, I would have been surrounded and killed by these three detestable humans!"
While it spoke to Di Tian, it was effectively signaling its stance to Yu Yuanchen and his companions: I have reinforcements, so don't try anything!
However, Di Tian's molten-gold dragon eyes swept over the Evil Emperor with indifference. Instead of responding, he let out a low, mocking dragon roar. "Hmph! Evil Emperor, oh Evil Emperor, so this is what you've come to? Don't you usually boast that your spiritual power is the best on the continent, to the point where you don't even look at me? What's wrong? Are you so terrified by a mere three 'humans' that you're desperately begging me for help?"
This merciless mockery acted like an invisible whip, causing the Evil Emperor's massive eye to instantly bloodshot. Its spiritual fluctuations surged violently, clearly incensed. "Di Tian! You... stop with the sarcasm! If it weren't for the three of them joining forces, why would I fear them!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Di Tian's massive dragon head swayed slightly, his tone growing more playful. "But how do I remember someone once swearing that they didn't fear any existence in the world, even in a one-on-one fight? It seems that was nothing but hot air. Oh, right, and that Silver Dragon... hiding its information—were you trying to study my dragon bloodline to backstab me?"
The Evil Emperor's aura stalled, and its thousands of evil eyes dimmed slightly. It was indeed in the wrong regarding that matter and could not refute it; after all, it had truly harbored such intentions.
Thus, it could only force a change of subject: "Let's not speak of the past! With a great enemy currently at hand, now that you've arrived, are you just here to watch me make a fool of myself?!"
Listening to the two soul beast overlords "converse" without any restraint, Yu Yuanchen, Qian Daoliu, and Tang Chen exchanged glances. The expressions on their faces shifted from their initial gravity to something... rather wry.
Qian Daoliu shook his head slightly, transmitting his voice to Yu Yuanchen: "Brother Yuanchen, it seems... we have been misunderstood."
Tang Chen grinned even wider, transmitting back: "Good grief, after all that, this big eyeball thought we were here to kill it for its soul ring and soul bone? It thinks too highly of itself, though... since it's essentially a walking treasure trove, it wouldn't be impossible."
A flash of realization crossed Yu Yuanchen's eyes. He had been wondering why the Evil Emperor's reaction was so intense, even going so far as to seek help from his old rival, Di Tian. It turned out to be a massive misunderstanding.
However, Di Tian's seemingly "infighting" mockery was likely not just to humiliate the Evil Emperor; it was also a way of signaling his stance. Since he had arrived, he wouldn't watch the Evil Emperor be hunted down, but he also made it clear he didn't want a life-or-death confrontation with them.
"Lord Di Tian, it is not as the Evil Emperor claims." Yu Yuanchen stepped forward, his voice calm yet clearly reaching the ears of the two soul beast overlords. "We did not come today for slaughter, but for negotiation and cooperation."
As soon as these words were spoken, the Evil Emperor and Di Tian, who were preparing to continue their argument, both froze.
The Evil Emperor's massive vertical pupil was filled with disbelief: "Cooperation? You came with such a grand display just for... cooperation?" It found this absurd.
Di Tian's molten-gold dragon eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinizing Yu Yuanchen, his dragon whiskers moving without wind. "Yu Yuanchen, is this true? You have integrated the humans of the Sun Moon Continent to establish this so-called Federation, and your military might is at its peak—yet you come to seek cooperation with the Evil Emperor?"
Yu Yuanchen faced Di Tian's gaze candidly, his tone sincere. "It is the absolute truth. The Federation is newly established and everything is in need of development. We seek stability and progress, not senseless conquest. Lord Evil Emperor is a powerhouse of this era, ruling over the Evil Spirit Forest. If we could turn hostility into friendship and seek development together, would that not be better than clashing with blades?"
He paused, then continued: "Besides, if we truly intended to surround and kill you, why would we come so openly and give Lord Evil Emperor time to call for reinforcements?"
The logic was sound, and the scrutiny in Di Tian's eyes softened slightly. Indeed, with the strength of the three of them, a sneak attack would undoubtedly have a higher success rate if they truly wanted to kill the Evil Emperor. Coming with such fanfare suggested they were confident and that their goal might truly not be a fight to the death.
The Evil Emperor also fell silent, its massive eye rotating as if digesting this sudden turn of events. So... all its panic and humiliating pleas for help were just scaring itself? This was a massive loss of face! It could even feel Di Tian's faint, mocking gaze.
Sure enough, a low laugh from Di Tian sounded, carrying undisguised playfulness: "Evil Emperor, did you hear that? They came to 'cooperate' with you, not to kill you. You rushed to summon me here, and this favor you owe me, tsk tsk, can't be taken back."
The Evil Emperor was so angry that the mist around it churned, and its face (the eyeball) turned dark. Losing face in front of an old rival—the Evil Emperor felt it had no face left to show.
Yet, it was speechless and could only stiffen its neck (if it had one) to put on a brave front. "Hmph! Humans are cunning; who knows if what they say is true."
Damn it, this was embarrassing, but regret was useless now. It might as well take advantage of Di Tian's presence to negotiate with the three of them directly; with Di Tian nearby, its confidence was bolstered. It was both a way to force Di Tian into the mix and a way to find a graceful exit for itself.
The Evil Emperor snorted coldly and turned its gaze to Yu Yuanchen: "Yu Yuanchen, I will believe your words for now. However, cooperation is no small matter. How do you intend to cooperate? But let me say this first: I have my bottom line. Do not cross it."
Yu Yuanchen knew the real negotiation had begun. He glanced at the still-unpleasant-looking Evil Emperor and the unfathomable Di Tian, then spoke slowly: "The cooperation can be divided into the immediate and the long-term."
"The immediate cooperation concerns the order of the Sun Moon Continent." Yu Yuanchen's gaze swept over the Evil Emperor. "I hope Lord Evil Emperor can restrain the Evil Spirit Forest and other soul beast habitats on the Sun Moon Continent from initiating large-scale beast tides to invade human settlements. Of course, the Federation will also designate soul beast habitats and strictly prohibit the wanton hunting of high-level soul beasts."
The Evil Emperor's vertical pupil flickered upon hearing this. This condition was within its expectations; although it felt passive, it was a condition it had to accept under the current circumstances. With strength inferior to theirs, keeping its territory and life was already a stroke of luck. It snorted coldly, which counted as a tacit agreement.
"Furthermore, it concerns the 'Way of Beast Taming'." He looked at Di Tian. "This is a method of the Equal Coexistence Beast Taming Contract created by my wife, Ye Zhilan, and Miss Gu Yue of the Myriad Beast Sect. This method is not about enslavement, but a path where soul masters and soul beasts choose each other and grow together. Lord Beast God must be aware of this method."
"The Federation hopes to promote this method within the Evil Spirit Forest to a limited extent in the future, allowing soul beasts to voluntarily choose whether to form a contract with a suitable human soul master. Of course, this is not mandatory, and there will be a set of perfect rules to protect the rights and interests of the soul beasts."
"Beast Taming Contract?" The Evil Emperor looked thoughtful; its homeland seemed to have similar human professionals, and it turned to look at Di Tian for verification.
Di Tian nodded, confirming that Yu Yuanchen's words were not false, and explained briefly: "It seems you have also guessed the relationship between the fierce beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest and the Myriad Beast Sect, Yu Yuanchen. My soul beasts participated in the creation of this method; the contract between soul master and soul beast is indeed an equal relationship."
"Soul masters can borrow part of the soul beast's power and talent through the contract, while soul beasts can also use the contract to accelerate their cultivation, awaken their intelligence, and even share the soul master's insights into the laws of heaven and earth. It is also very beneficial for the development of the soul beast race."
After thinking for a while, the Evil Emperor replied: "This matter is feasible. For soul beasts interested in the contract method, I will send my subordinates to pass their information to you regularly, but you must try to satisfy their requirements for a contractor. At the same time, if these soul beasts run into trouble, I reserve the right to hold you accountable."
"That goes without saying; the specific details can be discussed in detail later." Yu Yuanchen nodded, then changed the subject. "As for the long-term cooperation... it concerns our, and even both of your, future Path to Godhood!"
"Path to Godhood?" Even Di Tian became interested.
Yu Yuanchen's gaze became deep. "I believe you both know that the Douluo Plane has an invisible barrier that restricts living beings from breaking through Level 100 on their own to achieve godhood. The so-called inheritance of godhood is merely grafting external power, not a breakthrough of one's own."
"I will not hide it from you two: I am a very ambitious and greedy person. Since I already have a godhood as a safety net, I also want to try and carve out a new path to godhood for my descendants. So I have been thinking: if the Douluo Plane cannot satisfy the need for self-achieved godhood, then... what if we change the plane?"
He looked at the Evil Emperor, his tone carrying a hint of temptation: "And Lord Evil Emperor, if my guess is correct, you are not a native of the Douluo Continent, are you? Your homeland seems to be... the Saint Demon Continent."
The Evil Emperor's massive vertical pupils suddenly contracted, staring fixedly at Yu Yuanchen: "You... how do you know about the Saint Demon Continent?! What else do you know?!"
Yu Yuanchen smiled slightly, not answering directly, but continuing: "I not only know about the Saint Demon Continent, but I also know that there... perhaps exists the true Path to Godhood! The long-term goal of our cooperation is this—to find a way to reach the Saint Demon Continent and, there, pursue the true God-level Realm!"
Boom!
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the hearts of the Evil Emperor and Di Tian!
The Evil Emperor's spiritual fluctuations became incredibly agitated in an instant, yet still carried a trace of suspicion: "You... you have a way to go back? Impossible! This Emperor ended up in this world only because I encountered a small Spatial Turbulence and was accidentally displaced from my homeland, the Saint Demon Continent, to the Douluo Continent. If not for my unique talent and innate control over the Power of Time and Space, I would have died in that turbulence long ago. For hundreds of thousands of years, I have tried countless methods, yet I still cannot find the way home."
Di Tian also looked at Yu Yuanchen with burning eyes, waiting for his explanation.
Becoming a god is the eternal pursuit of all peak powerhouses! He had been trapped at the 900,000-year bottleneck for far too long! If there truly were a path to a plane where one could become a god, the temptation would be unimaginable!
Yu Yuanchen had long anticipated their reaction and said calmly: "On our own, it is naturally difficult to traverse the endless void. However, I possess a Spatial Divine Artifact called the 'Hell Gate', which has the ability to locate and open an Otherworld Channel. However, to locate the Saint Demon Continent, one requires a trigger—a set of Planar Coordinates originating from the Saint Demon Continent!"
His gaze fell back upon the Evil Emperor: "Your Excellency Evil Emperor, you come from the Saint Demon Continent; deep within your Life Origin, there must be an imprint of your homeland! I possess a Spirit Domain with the ability to Return to Origin, which can attempt to trace and restore the imprint of the Saint Demon Continent. Using this as a 'Guide', and stimulating it with the Hell Gate, it is not impossible to forcibly construct a channel to the Saint Demon Continent. However, this is currently just a concept; there are still many difficulties in implementing it."
The Evil Emperor was completely shocked! Its massive body trembled slightly with excitement. To go home! To become a god! These two goals, which it had dreamed of for so long, suddenly showed a glimmer of hope!
"You... are these words true?! What does this Emperor need to do to cooperate?!" the Evil Emperor asked impatiently, even casting aside its guard against Yu Yuanchen and his companions.
Yu Yuanchen said candidly: "This method also has its difficulties. First, the Evil Emperor has been displaced to the Douluo Continent for hundreds of thousands of years, and my Spiritual Power is still somewhat insufficient; I fear I will need to advance further before I can trace and restore the complete imprint.
Second, according to our deductions, the grade of the Hell Gate is still somewhat lacking; it needs to be further strengthened before it can withstand the pressure of cross-plane teleportation.
But these are not unsolvable; they simply require time and resources."
He looked at Di Tian and the Evil Emperor, issuing a solemn invitation: "This is not a matter for one person or one beast, but a grand undertaking for us peak existences to transcend the shackles of this world together! I wonder if the two of you are willing to join?"
Silence.
The sky above the Evil Spirit Forest fell into a brief silence. Only the surging heartbeats of the four peak powerhouses of the current era pulsed in the stillness.
To go home, to become a god! These two temptations were too great! The Evil Emperor hesitated almost not at all, its massive vertical pupils erupting with unprecedented light: "This Emperor joins! Whatever this Emperor needs to do, just say it!" It had been trapped in the Douluo Continent for too long; its longing for its homeland and its thirst for a higher realm had long since seeped into its bone marrow.
Among those present, it could claim (in its own mind) that no one understood the Saint Demon Continent better than it did. Although native creatures on the Saint Demon Continent would be assimilated by the Plane Law upon becoming gods, having been away from its homeland for hundreds of thousands of years, it could probably only be considered half a native creature, and might not necessarily be assimilated after becoming a god.
Gleams of light also flickered in Di Tian's molten-gold dragon eyes. He glanced at the irrepressibly excited Evil Emperor, then looked at the composed and open-minded Yu Yuanchen, weighing things in his heart.
Yu Yuanchen's proposal, while bold, was not a castle in the air. A Spatial Divine Artifact, tracing the origin, otherworld coordinates... it sounded incredible, but theoretically, it was possible. Di Tian felt it was worth a try!
Furthermore, his master, Gu Yuena, seemed to hold Yu Yuanchen in high regard. If a channel to the Saint Demon Continent could truly be opened, it might also provide a Retreat Path or a new opportunity for the entire soul beast race.
"This matter... is of great consequence," Di Tian said slowly, his voice deep and full of majesty. "But in principle, the Star Dou Great Forest is willing to explore this path with you all."
Seeing this, the Evil Emperor quickly said: "This Emperor agrees as well! It is even better with Di Tian joining!" Although it was unhappy with Di Tian, it knew that Di Tian's strength was formidable. With him joining, the success rate would be higher, and he could also, to a certain extent, balance the three of them, preventing itself from being isolated and weak.
Yu Yuanchen exchanged a look with Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen, all of them seeing the smiles in each other's eyes. The development of events was even smoother than anticipated.
"Good!" Yu Yuanchen said loudly. "In that case, let us make a pact. For now, we shall first finalize the details of the peaceful coexistence between the soul beasts and the Human Race on the Sun Moon Continent. At the same time, we will exert our full strength to improve our cultivation and reinforce the divine artifact. When the timing is right, we shall explore the Saint Demon Path together!"
A potentially world-shaking battle had thus transformed into a pact of cooperation. The tense Atmosphere above the Evil Spirit Forest finally dissipated completely, replaced by a path ahead filled with anticipation and the unknown.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan