Chapter 323: I'd Rather Betray the World!
Upon hearing this, Tang Chuan immediately feigned shock, even subconsciously taking a half-step back. His voice was filled with disbelief and anxiety as he said,
"Da Ming, Er Ming! What... what are you doing?!"
The next second, he strode forward as if to stop them, his tone slightly agitated.
"No! Absolutely not!"
"You are Xiao Wu's most cherished family, and the kings of this Star Dou Great Forest! How can I accept your sacrifice? There must be other ways, I'll go find better herbs..."
"Cough cough..."
Hearing this, the Azure Bull Python coughed violently a few times, shaking its head to interrupt him. Its eyes suddenly became incredibly clear, and it said, "Tang Chuan... don't lie to yourself. We... know our own bodies best. This body... has long been filled with death and poison. It's only... that we're clinging to this last breath because of a little bit of obsession... and your medicine."
The Titan Giant Ape also roared, its voice weak but firm, and said,
"Tang Chuan, we don't want... to... rot here like this! But our power... rather than dissipate along with this broken body, we'd rather... give it to you!"
As if making its final decision, or perhaps to cut off Tang Chuan's hesitation, a strange, blood-red flame simultaneously rose from the massive bodies of Da Ming and Er Ming!
This flame did not burn flesh and blood.
Instead, it directly ignited their remaining life force and soul essence.
The moment the flames erupted, the previously decaying atmosphere within the cave was instantly replaced by a tragic and vast energy.
"Finally, they've fallen for it."
Seeing this, Tang Chuan sneered inwardly, knowing his plan had succeeded.
Then, a look of pain and struggle timely appeared on his face, ultimately transforming into helplessness and pity. He then let out a long sigh, as if he had just made an extremely difficult decision, his voice low and somber.
"Very well, since you've made up your minds..."
He then walked up to the Azure Bull Python, looking at the massive bull's head that was gradually becoming transparent in the crimson flames, and said in a deep voice:
"Da Ming, your spirit rings are peaceful, you've lived in the lake for many years, containing immense life force and water attribute, which is quite compatible with my Blue Silver Emperor martial soul attribute. If you insist on sacrificing yourself... then give your power to my first martial soul, the Blue Silver Emperor."
After speaking, he turned to Er Ming and continued:
"Er Ming, your power is violent and fierce, containing the weight of the earth and mountains. Although my second martial soul is ice attribute, it also needs an extremely solid foundation and power to bear the extreme cold. Your spirit rings can become the most stable foundation for my second martial soul. You... are you willing?"
Hearing this, the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python exchanged a glance in the crimson flames, the last trace of hesitation in their eyes turning into pure determination. They nodded at the same time, a low and long resonance emanating from their throats, as if saying, "I am willing."
Without hesitation, the two 100,000-year soul beasts raised their heads towards the dark cave ceiling, unleashing their final, loudest, and most resolute roars!
"Roar—!!!"
"Moo—!!!"
The roars echoed through the cave, carrying both relief and boundless sorrow.
As the final roar faded, the crimson sacrificial fire burning on their bodies surged to its peak! The next second, two incredibly thick, solidified crimson beams of light shot into the sky above Da Ming and Er Ming's heads respectively!
Everything around them froze in that instant.
Then, one beam of light, a bluish-black hue, brimming with river-like vitality and boundless energy, poured straight into Tang Chuan's chest.
The other beam, a mix of earthy yellow and dark gold, carried a weight and power akin to an avalanche, also charging fiercely towards Tang Chuan's chest.
At this moment, Tang Chuan's body was unable to move. To allow the two 100,000-year soul beasts to depart in peace, he used his soul to speak to them:
"Da Ming, Er Ming, go in peace."
"I will definitely kill Tang San to avenge Xiao Wu!"
The bodies of the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape were gradually fading. After hearing Tang Chuan's words, their eyes revealed a look of satisfaction.
Inside the cave, blood-red light soared into the sky, and energy surged. The blood flames burned ever brighter, gradually changing from red to dark red. Meanwhile, Da Ming and Er Ming's bodies faded in this transformation, becoming like increasingly transparent red crystals.
Tang Chuan closed his eyes, focusing his mind. Blue-gold and ice-white light flickered around him as he fully absorbed and guided these two powerful and pure forces.
His aura began to rise and transform at an astonishing speed during this sacrificial ritual.
The massive bodies of Da Ming and Er Ming gradually became transparent and illusory within the blood-red flames, ultimately transforming into the purest energy and spirit rings, becoming part of Tang Chuan's power. The two 100,000-year soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest completed their final journey in this way, placing their hopes for revenge entirely on Tang Chuan.
The Azure Bull Python's body faded first, and finally, all the red expanded into a huge ring that slowly contracted, then coiled around Tang Chuan's body.
At the same time, deep within Tang Chuan's spiritual sea,
the Snow Empress and Ice Empress had already read all of Tang Chuan's memories from his time on the Douluo Continent.
Although these memories weren't entirely complete, the coldness, scheming, and near-obsessive pursuit of power within them were crystal clear.
"This human..." Ice Empress's cold voice echoed in Tang Chuan's mind, tinged with obvious astonishment and disdain, as she scoffed,
"So deep is his scheming, so ruthless. Is there even a trace of warmth in his heart?"
Hearing this, Snow Empress chimed in, "He seems capable of using any means to achieve his goals. Kindness, pretense, scheming, power, emotion... all can be turned into tools for him. This kind of mentality... is quite similar to some of the top predators in our soul beast world."
Although they were soul beasts, believing in the survival of the fittest,
Tang Chuan's ruthless methods, which included emotions and trust within his calculations, still made the two Northern Emperors, who had just formed a contract with him, feel uneasy.
"Oh dear, Ice Empress, Snow Empress, you can't say that!"
Suddenly, the fawning and argumentative voice of Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm immediately interjected; it was clearly Tang Chuan's number one confidant and defense attorney.
"You have no idea how miserable this kid's life was before!"
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm said with exaggerated sympathy, "He had a father who only knew how to drink and wallow in despair, and didn't care about anything. He had to find his own food when he was just a few years old, fought with wild dogs for food, and almost froze to death in the snow... It's a miracle he survived! Growing up in such an environment, you expect him to grow up to be an innocent and kind-hearted person? Isn't that just waiting to be devoured without leaving a bone?"
It paused, trying to persuade them with the logic of a soul beast.
"Besides, Bingbing, don't you always say you want to eat me? Isn't our Soul Beast World just a naked law of the jungle? If you're not strong enough, you don't even have the right to live! The human world may have a layer of civilization on its skin, but isn't the core the same?"
"Tang Chuan just understands these rules more clearly and executes them more thoroughly."
"When you're not strong enough, you have to use your brain and do everything you can to survive and become stronger. That's the wisdom of survival!"
In the end, it even imitated the cold and resolute tone that Tang Chuan occasionally revealed, summarizing: "Just like that old saying he often tells me—'I'd rather betray the world than let the world betray me!'"
"Look how domineering! How enlightened!"
"In this messed-up world, if you don't want to be eaten by others, you have to find a way to make things right for them first! That's the hard truth to survive, and to live well and live strongly!"
Hearing this, Ice Empress and Snow Empress were silent for a moment.
Ice Empress snorted coldly, offering no further rebuttal, but clearly not entirely convinced by Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's robber-like logic. Snow Empress shook her head helplessly, saying,
"Fine. Since we've already chosen him, this is the only way. I only hope he... won't use this wisdom on us."
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