After a while, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King slowly raised his lowered head, turned his single eye toward Chen Yi, and said in a hoarse voice, "So… specifically… what do you want?"
Hearing this, Chen Yi took a deep breath, and his expression became more solemn than ever.
He did not answer directly. Instead, he waved his left hand, and the Thunder God's Mace suddenly appeared in his palm.
Immediately after, Chen Yi raised his right index finger and gently touched the space between his eyebrows.
Buzz—
Between his eyebrows, a purplish-golden mark slowly emerged, as if drawn from countless tiny lightning runes. It emitted a pure, sacred glow.
Holding the Thunder God's Mace in one hand, with the sacred trial mark on his forehead shining brightly, he looked at the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King and said in a low voice, "This junior, Chen Yi, was once favored by His Majesty the Thunder God of the God Realm and recognized as his successor. If Senior is willing to lend me a hand today, then when I achieve complete success and ascend to the God Realm, I will definitely bring Senior with me, free you from the shackles of soul beasts, and guide you into the eternal God Realm."
Hearing this, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King showed a smile that seemed to say "as expected," with almost no surprise. Instead, there was a worldly, somewhat playful atmosphere about him.
He had naturally sensed long ago that Chen Yi harbored intentions against him. This youth's martial soul clearly possessed powerful lightning attributes, and he himself had terrifying talent in controlling sea lightning.
Having lived for many years, he was not entirely ignorant of ancient secrets.
"Therefore," the light in the Demonic Whale King's single eye made it impossible to read his true thoughts, "you want me… to follow you? To put it more clearly, you want me to submit to you and become your stepping stone to becoming a god?"
Chen Yi nodded, then shook his head. "This is not mere sacrifice. I would call it a cooperative relationship—a strategic alliance based on mutual benefit.
"Senior helps this junior achieve further growth and accelerates the process of the divine trials. In return, this junior promises to help Senior reach the eternal God Realm and attain true immortality in the future.
"This is a win-win situation!"
Chen Yi's words were full of temptation. The phrase "immortality" was an irresistible lure for any living being.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had cultivated for 300,000 years, dominated the vast ocean, and competed with gods. Wasn't his goal to transcend the mortal world and obtain eternal life?
He believed no soul beast could refuse such terms.
As expected, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King clearly showed interest, a complex light flickering in his single eye. "Immortality… that is indeed… an irresistible temptation for a whale…"
Seeing this, Chen Yi thought he had persuaded the other party and smiled inwardly.
However, the Demonic Whale King's next words hit him like a bucket of ice water. "However… I refuse."
"Why?!"
Chen Yi frowned. The conditions he offered already gave the other party exactly what he desired most.
Why refuse? That didn't make sense! In Douluo Continent, what could be more important than immortality or becoming a god?
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King saw through Chen Yi's thoughts. He snorted twice and said in a calm yet resolute voice, "Young man, immortality is indeed what I pursue, and becoming a god even more so.
"However, if my memory serves me correctly, when a soul beast submits to a human, even if they become a god in the future, they will be deeply bound to their host and must submit to the host's divine status. In a sense, they become something like a divine servant, no longer possessing absolute freedom, correct?"
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King stared at Chen Yi, waiting for his confirmation.
Chen Yi remained silent for a moment before finally nodding and admitting that it was as the Demonic Whale King said.
Even if the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King became a god thanks to him, he would be closely tied to Chen Yi's status as the Thunder God and would face certain restrictions and influences, making it difficult to possess complete autonomy like an independent god.
The description "serving as a slave" was harsh, but not entirely inaccurate.
Seeing Chen Yi nod in agreement, a proud serenity appeared on the Demonic Whale King's fierce and savage face. "It's very simple. Because…"
"I am a King."
"A King?"
A flash of understanding crossed Chen Yi's eyes. In that instant, he roughly understood what the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King meant.
"Because I am a King," the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King repeated in a calm tone, yet his voice was filled with pride and dignity that penetrated to the bone. "I am the undisputed ruler of this boundless sea, the King who once fought Poseidon head-on.
"My pride, my dignity, my will do not allow me to bow my head to any existence—even a future god!
"Is this just divine punishment? I can face it with my own power! I can fight for it! If I succeed, I will become the true Sea God! If I fail…"
A cold yet indifferent light appeared in the Demonic Whale King's eyes. "In the worst case, I will simply die. My soul and spirit will vanish and return to the sea that nurtured me!
"But… even if you are the successor of a god, I will never become a slave!"
Seeing the change in Chen Yi's expression, he realized the other party understood his stance.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's pride was not blind arrogance but the dignity of a King forged through countless battles against gods.
He did not harbor the deep reverence for gods that ordinary soul beasts did—because he himself had challenged true gods many times. He had the right to be proud and was prepared to sacrifice everything for it!
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King said nothing more. He reached out, grabbed the last piece of pastry, stuffed it into his mouth, brushed the crumbs off his hands, and stood up.
His majestic figure loomed over the seated Chen Yi like someone looking down at a tiny ant. "That's enough for now, young man. Actually… I have high expectations for you. And thank you for sharing this information. It saved me from many detours."
With that, he stopped looking at Chen Yi, turned around, and began walking toward the sea.
"Senior, you may be able to abandon the path to godhood, but can you abandon your wife and daughters? And… can they abandon you?"
The words "wife and daughters" struck the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's heart like a bolt from the blue.
He suddenly turned around. An intensely terrifying light burst from his single eye. His horrifying aura pressed down mercilessly on Chen Yi, causing the surrounding reefs to groan under the unbearable pressure.
"What do you mean?!"
The Demonic Whale King's voice was filled with killing intent. His wife and daughters were the most important existences in his long life. They were his Achilles' heel—the weakness in his heart that no one could touch.
Facing the terrifying aura that could crush even a Title Douluo, Chen Yi fixed his gaze on the other's single eye and spoke word by word:
"Senior's power has now reached a new level, approaching the divine. Given your current state, even without intentional cultivation, how much longer until you reach the legendary million-year limit?
"A hundred years? Or ten years?
"When you peacefully reach the end of your life, will your wife and daughters truly be able to protect the vast empire of the Demonic Whale Sea? Will they be able to protect everything you have left behind?"
In the original novel, after Tang San hunted down and killed the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, the Demon Empress and her daughter faced countless enemies with nowhere to run or hide.
With their strength, it would be almost impossible to hold onto that rich sea territory!
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's face instantly turned extremely ugly, and deep unease leaked out.
He loved his wife and daughters from the bottom of his heart and wished for them to remain safe and happy forever. Originally, he had a lifespan of ten thousand years and could slowly pave the way for them. With his wife's talent, she might one day be able to protect herself.
But now, after shattering the remnants of the Sea God and breaking through in his mental state, the sense of impending million-year calamity had become astonishingly clear. Time… might truly be running out!
Ten years? No, it might not even take ten years. There might not even be enough time to settle scores with all potential enemies.
As for enemies, they only needed to hide in the deep-sea trenches. Given the vastness of the ocean, it would be difficult for him to search every corner.
Observing the constant changes in the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's expression, Chen Yi continued, "Senior, you must have already considered this yourself. They… won't be able to hold on. Without your protection, in this world where the strong prey on the weak, what will become of them…"
The Demonic Whale King's breathing grew heavy, his chest heaving violently. He glared at Chen Yi, uncontrollable anger burning in his single eye. "Is this where your confidence comes from? Threatening me by using my wife and daughters?"
Chen Yi slowly shook his head and said seriously, "No, this is not a threat. It's just a transaction. Previously, I only mentioned the benefits to Senior. This time, I will add protection for your family."
As he spoke, Chen Yi's hand flashed again, and a golden trident emitting a dim light appeared in his grasp.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King could not understand why Chen Yi suddenly brought out Poseidon's broken trident again. He frowned and looked at Chen Yi in confusion.
Chen Yi narrowed his eyes and suddenly raised his voice. "The position of Thunder God that I inherited is at the God King level. Once I ascend to the God Realm, I will become a member of the God Realm Council—the highest authority in the God Realm—and gain the right to adjudicate matters of the God Realm and formulate or amend rules.
"More importantly, the younger generation has the support of multiple God Kings, including the Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction."
Chen Yi paused for a moment, then looked at the gradually brightening light in the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's single eye and played his final trump card. "If I can ascend to the God Realm and establish a foothold, I am confident that I can push for the amendment of the iron rule that 'soul beasts cannot become gods'!
"At the very least, for soul beasts like you, Senior—who possess sufficient power and qualifications—I can open the normal path to godhood."
Then, under the Demonic Whale King's slightly trembling gaze, Chen Yi raised the Sea God's Trident in his hand and pointed it forward. "Not only that, Senior—if you help me today, once I become a god and wield power, I promise that your daughter will become the new Sea Goddess!
"I will personally pave the way for her, help her wield this trident, and guide her to become the Sea God who rules all the oceans!
"And after you guide me to godhood, I promise to restore your freedom, allowing you to become a truly independent Sea God. Together with your wife and daughters, you will enjoy eternal life and glory in the realm of the gods."
Chen Yi's voice rang out powerfully. Each word struck like a heavy hammer, shattering the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's defenses! God King-level inheritance! God Realm Council! Rule amendment! Daughter becoming the Sea Goddess! Restoring his freedom!
Before the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's eyes, a series of promises and visions unfolded like a magnificent scroll. It was no longer simply "eternal life in exchange for slave status," but an entirely new future filled with hope and dignity—perhaps even surpassing his original dream!
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's eyes were fixed on the dull golden trident in Chen Yi's hand. Then they slowly moved to Chen Yi's serious face, which was filled with unprecedented fighting spirit.
On one side was a path of lonely death that might endanger his wife and daughters. On the other was a path that seemed submissive but could bring eternal glory and freedom to his entire family.
This choice was too heavy.
…
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