Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 177 The Divine Eye Clan Submits

Within the sealed space, the three Allahs were also engaged in a heated debate.

The Seventh God advocates for a temporary compromise to save lives.

The Sixth God, however, was worried that making too many concessions would cause the Divine Eye Clan to lose face.

The Third God ultimately decided: "Report the facts first and let the divine eye decide. We must not give in first, otherwise humanity will only take advantage of us."

Within the miniature universe of the First True Lord of the Divine Eye Clan in the First Cycle Era.

The three captured Divine Eye Clan True Lords were nervously reporting the situation to the Divine Eye True Lord: "...Teacher, not only do humans want to publicly apologize and compensate us for the resources, but they also want us to hand over all our most powerful treasures and even demand that we not attack the Human Hong Alliance in the future."

Upon hearing this, the Divine Eye True Lord fell silent, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair as he rapidly calculated in his mind: If the three True Lords were captured and no negotiations were held, they would likely be permanently sealed away, and the Divine Eye Clan would lose three of the strongest beings in the universe, greatly reducing their strength; however, agreeing to the human conditions and publicly apologizing would be a disgrace to the Divine Eye Clan, and handing over all the supreme treasures would further weaken the clan's top combat power.

He slowly spoke: "The three of you couldn't defeat them. It seems that not only the Flame Emperor, but also that giant axe is hiding its true power."

"Could it be that humanity is about to give birth to another progenitor?" The Divine Eye True Lord asked solemnly.

He recalled the invincible prowess of his ancestor in the Cosmic Sea back then.

Not long after the start of a new era, the Primordial Ancestor swept away all rivals, and even the strongest beings in the universe who did not possess the ultimate treasure of the soul dared not show themselves before him.

Humans are inherently weak, yet they can give birth to such incredibly strong individuals, which is truly frightening.

"The original ancestor was suppressed for provoking the primordial universe. Now, humanity has produced Ling Xuan and the giant axe that broke through. If this is not stopped, the status of the Divine Eye Clan may be shaken."

Despite his fear, with the three true gods currently in human hands, he had no choice but to compromise.

"The Divine Eye?" Just as the Divine Eye True Lord was deep in thought, the Third True Lord couldn't help but remind him.

The Divine Eye True Lord came to his senses and said in a deep voice, "Tell the human giant axe and the Flame Emperor that I want to talk to them personally."

He decided to personally intervene, both to demonstrate his commitment to the matter and to leverage his status and influence to secure more favorable negotiating terms.

On the Ziyuan Star Palace side, Ling Xuan and the Giant Axe Founder exchanged a glance after hearing the reply relayed by the Third True Lord.

The creator of the giant axe spoke first: "The fact that the God-Eye True Lord personally came forward shows that they care about the lives of these three True Lords, and it also shows that they do not want to completely break ties with humanity. Now that I have created the fifteenth axe, my combat power has reached the level of the Skeleton Lord. Even if I am not a match for the God-Eye True Lord, I can protect myself; with your Purple Abyss Star Palace, we have the confidence to talk to him."

“The Purple Abyss Star Palace is of an extremely high level. Even if the Divine Eye Clan has set up an ambush beforehand, we are not afraid. Let’s go and meet this so-called number one expert of the Universe Flower?” Ling Xuan nodded and agreed to the suggestion.

The Purple Abyss Star Palace is at least an Eternal-level treasure. To suppress it, either a powerful expert of the same level or a treasure of the same level is needed.

In this cosmic sea, apart from the cosmic boat and the star tower, there is no other treasure of the same level as the Purple Abyss Star Palace.

Moreover, the Star Tower has not yet appeared, so there is absolutely no need to worry.

"Contact the Divine Eye and tell them we've agreed. But I warn you, don't try anything funny." Ling Xuan looked at the three True Lords, his tone icy. "You've all witnessed the power of my Heavenly Eye, and I also have the ability to create clones. Even if my main body is in danger, my clones can regenerate the original. At that point, your Divine Eye Clan will be doomed."

He deliberately exposed his "ability to create clones," both as a deterrent and to dispel the Divine Eye Clan's intention to kill him.

With his current strength, unless the original ancestor escapes, no one dares to say they are confident they can kill a universe's strongest being with their soul, prevent the opponent from self-destructing, and expose their clone, which would actually increase their bargaining power.

Upon hearing this, the three Divine Eye Clan True Lords couldn't help but tremble slightly.

They have personally experienced the terror of the Sky Eye.

Last time, when Ling Xuan opened his Heavenly Eye, their souls seemed to be burned, and even the defense of the Eternal True God could not withstand it; now, upon hearing that Ling Xuan had an avatar, they completely lost the will to resist and hurriedly nodded in agreement.

Time flies, and more than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The Divine Eye True Lord emerged from the inner domain of the Peak-Swept Realm.

His terrifying aura caused space to distort and collapse. With one step, he traversed an endless distance and headed towards the agreed-upon location.

In a certain part of the Qingfeng Realm waters, the water rippled gently in the breeze of the universe, and the distant nebula, like a pale purple veil, made the area appear exceptionally vast.

The Divine Eye True Lord arrived half an hour earlier than the agreed time. He was dressed in a dark gold robe, and although he did not deliberately release his aura, the surrounding space still rippled slightly.

He stood still in the middle of the water, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. After confirming there were no ambushes, he slowly closed his eyes, seemingly adjusting his state of mind, or perhaps contemplating a negotiation strategy.

Half an hour later, Ling Xuan and the founder of the giant axe appeared in the distance.

The two stopped about 100 meters away from the God of the Eye, maintaining a safe distance from each other and leaving room for negotiation.

The Divine Eye True Lord slowly opened his eyes, his gaze lingering on the two for a moment before finally settling on Ling Xuan. The fact that he could force three Divine Eye Clan True Lords to be captured was truly not to be underestimated.

He spoke first, his tone calm and revealing no emotion: "Giant Axe, I never expected our first meeting to be like this."

The Giant Axe Founder snorted coldly, his tone tinged with hostility: "Divine Eye, if it weren't for the three True Lords of your clan provoking us, none of this would have happened. Let's get straight to the point. You've come here in person; what exactly do you want to resolve this?"

He is straightforward and unwilling to beat around the bush, directly pointing out the root of the conflict and steering the conversation toward the core of the negotiation.

The Divine Eye True Lord was not angered by the giant axe's attitude. Instead, he smiled slightly and said, "I know that you have the three True Lords in your hands, and you hold the initiative. But the Divine Eye Clan is not one to be easily manipulated. I have come today for two reasons: first, to bring back three members of my clan, and second, to give an explanation to the Cosmic Sea. We cannot allow outsiders to see the Divine Eye Clan and humans as a laughingstock. Don't you agree?"

He cleverly described being "captured" as "bringing back his people," thus preserving the dignity of the Divine Eye Clan and implying that both sides had a need to "maintain their image," paving the way for subsequent negotiations.

Ling Xuan remained calm and continued, following the words of the Divine Eye True Lord: "The Divine Eye True Lord is right. The eyes of the Cosmic Sea are all on us. If war really breaks out, it will only benefit other forces. We don't want to exterminate them, but the Divine Eye Clan openly clamors for the extermination of our human race, which shows they have no respect for us. If there is no reasonable solution, I'm afraid the various forces in the Cosmic Sea will look down on us."

The Divine Eye True Lord nodded slightly, his expression unchanged: "I am aware of the provocation. Compensation can be discussed; it's an acknowledgment of your 'establishment of authority,' and also reflects the magnanimity of the Divine Eye Clan. However, your demand for a public apology—that the Divine Eye Clan admit to initiating the provocation and that the major powers of the Cosmic Sea be aware of it—is simply unacceptable. The Divine Eye Clan has stood firm in the Cosmic Sea for over two cycles of reincarnation. A public apology would cause our clan to lose face and become a laughingstock among other powers. This is our bottom line, and we cannot compromise on it."

He directly addressed the key conditions, no longer offering vague responses.

Ling Xuan, knowing the situation, calmly said, "God Eye True Lord, a public apology is not meant to humiliate the God Eye Clan, but to make it clear to all parties in the Cosmic Sea that 'provocation has consequences.' We can compromise on the wording, for example, instead of directly saying 'admitting our mistake,' we can say 'we regret the occurrence of this conflict,' but there must be a written commitment. This way, we can give humanity an explanation without making the God Eye Clan too embarrassed, which can be considered a compromise between the two sides."

He proposed a compromise solution that both preserved the core of "establishing authority" and saved face for the Divine Eye Clan.

After a moment of silence, the Divine Eye True Lord spoke coldly: "Regarding the resources needed to compensate for the burning divine power of the Flame Emperor, the number of Origin Divine Crystals you requested is too large. With the current reserves of the Divine Eye Clan, it is difficult to provide them all at once. Halving is the bottom line. As for other cosmic treasures, we can prepare them according to the list, and there will be no shortage."

The Primal Divine Crystal is a treasure used by the Lord of the Universe to restore divine power. Not all Lords of the Universe have a Nether Sea Avatar as a reserve of divine power like Ling Xuan or Luo Feng, and therefore do not need these resources.

If the Lord of Chaos City were to lose even one of his clones, it would be a tremendous loss for a top-tier race like humanity.

However, even the most powerful beings in the universe are reluctant to use such treasures to restore their strength.

It will only be used when absolutely necessary, such as when venturing into dangerous places and needing to be in good condition.

It is a strategic resource for the major superpowers.

Ling Xuan and Giant Axe exchanged a glance, and Giant Axe nodded slightly, indicating that Ling Xuan should make the decision.

Ling Xuan pondered for a moment before speaking, "Origin Divine Crystals are a scarce resource in the Cosmic Sea. The quantity we are demanding is a corresponding compensation for our 'provocative attitude.' However, considering the reserve pressure on the Divine Eye Clan, we can agree to 'deliver in three installments,' but the total amount cannot be reduced. This will alleviate your one-time burden while ensuring that our demands are met."

When discussing the supreme treasures, the Divine Eye True Lord no longer made up fabricated reasons, but directly addressed the core disagreement: "It is absolutely impossible for the three True Lords to hand over all the supreme treasures. The supreme treasures are so precious and rare. Without them, they are no different from the strongest beings in the ordinary universe, and the Divine Eye Clan will also lose three top combatants. Your demand is no different from annihilation."

Ling Xuan's expression was calm, but his tone carried an undeniable sense of oppression: "Exterminate them all? When your three True Lords uttered the words 'annihilate humanity,' did you not foresee this day would come? Taking all the supreme treasures is both punishment for their provocation and compensation for humanity. If the Divine Eye Clan is unwilling to pay even this price, then there is no need to talk today; let's start the war."

The founder of the giant axe added insult to injury: "We didn't make the entire Divine Eye Clan pay compensation, only these three troublemakers, which is already leaving room for maneuver. If you abandon them for a few treasures, all parties in the universe will see it, and the Divine Eye Clan's 'face' will probably be even more embarrassing than losing the treasures."

He precisely hit God's weak spot.

The Divine Eye True Lord remained silent for a long time, his aura fluctuating in strength, clearly indicating that he was making an intense decision.

He knew that refusing would mean that the three True Lords might be permanently sealed away or even perish, the Divine Eye Clan would be branded as "heartless and ungrateful," and they would also lose all their supreme treasures.

The Divine Eye True Lord remained silent for a long time, his aura fluctuating in strength, clearly indicating that he was making an intense decision.

Finally, he spoke slowly, his tone filled with resentment yet also with an unyielding resolve: "Only three treasures can be handed over, and Ice Cliff Fortress must not be touched. You should understand the value of palace-type supreme treasures; they are the foundation of their survival. This is the limit I can accept. If you push any further, it will only lead to a fight to the death."

Ling Xuan and Giant Axe exchanged a glance, and Giant Axe nodded slightly.

Ice Cliff Fortress is indeed a precious palace-type treasure. If you can't break through a palace-type treasure, you definitely can't harm the powerful people inside.

Possessing a palace of supreme power and treasures means absolute safety.

The remaining supreme treasures—Azure Eyes of Light (soul-type) and Star Kingdom and Star Hand (domain-type)—are sufficient.

The fact that the Divine Eye Clan has now agreed to a public apology and a ban on further attacks, and has only preserved Ice Cliff Fortress, is already beyond expectations.

Ling Xuan then stopped insisting and said in a deep voice, "Okay."

As soon as he finished speaking, a barely perceptible hint of hesitation flashed in the eyes of the Divine Eye True Lord. He then changed the subject, revealing his true purpose: "As for the condition of 'not attacking the human universe's ruler, that's easy enough. However, my Divine Eye Clan has a proposal. Not only will my clan refrain from attacking human powerhouses, but human powerhouses in the Primordial Universe will also refrain from attacking my Divine Eye Clan's powerhouses. Furthermore, our two clans can reach a 'mutual support' alliance. What do you think?"

This is God's plan.

The rise of Emperor Yan and the Giant Axe is a foregone conclusion. Since the Divine Eye Clan cannot suppress them, it is better to take the initiative to resolve the conflict.

After all, the Divine Eye Clan has already paid the price of compensation and apology. If they were to make enemies with the promising human race, wouldn't that be a waste of their efforts? It's not like I can't hit you, but you can hit me at will, right?
He ruled the Divine Eye Clan for two cycles of reincarnation and understood the principle of "assessing the situation and seizing opportunities" best.

Ling Xuan and Giant Axe exchanged a glance, a thought forming in their minds.

They never intended to destroy the Divine Eye Clan. The Human Alliance was still in its development stage, and it would be ideal if they could use the Divine Eye Clan's deterrent power in the Cosmic Sea to buy more time for their clan to develop.

As the de facto leader of the Human Alliance, Giant Axe was the first to speak, his tone somewhat solemn: "We humans are naturally more than happy to form an alliance with the Divine Eye Clan."

"Very well, the alliance is now formed!" The Divine Eye True Lord immediately set the tone, his voice softening somewhat. "I will personally restrain the other powerful members of the Divine Eye Clan, and I hope that humanity will also keep its word."

"Don't worry about that." The giant axe smiled, with a hint of confidence. "Although our human race is smaller than the Divine Eye Clan, we understand the meaning of 'unity' better than you. As long as the Divine Eye Clan keeps its promise, humans will never provoke conflict."

Ling Xuan looked at the Ice Cliff Fortress within the Ziyuan Star Palace's wind-swept space: "The three of you, you've heard about the Divine Eye True Lord's decision, haven't you?"

A moment later, the voice of the Third God came, tinged with helplessness yet decisive: "We heard you. Since the Divine Eye has made its decision, we have no objections."

As soon as he finished speaking, two streaks of light flew out from the Ice Cliff Fortress.

It was the Third God's "Star Hand" and "Star Kingdom," two supreme treasures, floating in the air, radiating intense energy fluctuations.

The Blue-Eyed True Lord stared at the two treasures, his face ashen, and glared at Ling Xuan with resentment.

"Azure Eyes!" Upon seeing this, the Star Lord shouted sternly, "Now is not the time to act rashly! Didn't you hear the orders of the Divine Eye?"

“Yes, Sixth Brother,” the Seventh True Lord also stepped forward to advise, his tone tinged with helplessness, “If you hand over the treasure, you can take it back from somewhere else in the future; this cycle of reincarnation has only just begun, there is no need to gamble your future for a treasure.”

"Damn it, it's not your most precious treasure that you're handing over, of course you're being generous!" the Blue-Eyed True Lord cursed under his breath, but he also knew that the Seventh True Lord was right.

"Blue-eyed, hand over the treasure." The Divine Eye True Lord also learned from the incarnation of divine power that Blue-eyed was somewhat resistant to handing over the treasure.

"Circumstances are beyond our control. All the humiliations we are suffering now are the driving force for our race to break through the cycle of reincarnation. Do not act impulsively. Everything we do is for the sake of breaking through the cycle of reincarnation," the Divine Eye True Lord advised.

"Yes, teacher." The Blue-Eyed God finally released his grip, and a stream of emerald light flew out from his hand.

It was his "Azure Eyes Divine Light" that caused the three supreme treasures to converge in the air, their light intertwining and dazzlingly bright.

Looking at the three supreme treasures before him, Ling Xuan could no longer contain his joy and burst into laughter: "Hahaha! The Divine Eye Clan is indeed generous! Very well, now that the supreme treasures have arrived, I will release the three True Lords!"

He raised his hand to control the Purple Abyss Star Palace, and a crack slowly appeared in the palace. Amidst the surging purple light, the Ice Cliff Fortress was slowly sent out and landed beside the Divine Eye True Lord.

"I think the Divine Eye Clan wouldn't break their promise for some Origin God Crystals, would they?" Ling Xuan said with a smile, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing, yet also showing his trust in the Divine Eye True Lord.

Without further ado, the Divine Eye True Lord raised his hand and waved, sending several pure white crystals flying toward Ling Xuan.

These are the Primal Divine Crystals, each containing extremely pure energy and exuding a profound aura.

(End of this chapter)