Douluo Continent: The Underworld Emperor Halosa Lets Three Fly

Chapter 109 Conversation with Qian Renxue, Ten Thousand Years of Experience (Part 4)

Harosa's pupils contracted slightly, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold hilt of the Netherworld Chant. He understood Qian Renxue's meaning, of course. This was both a warning and a bargaining chip. His thoughts raced like lightning.

Qian Renxue's candid revelation of the crisis, even at the cost of exposing her own weakness (her divine body is decaying and she cannot suppress "Tong" for long), is probably ultimately for her own unique—the origin of rebirth!

Harosa quickly pieced together the clues:

"Tong's" insane desire for the origin of rebirth is an instinctive and extreme greed for the state of "life"! This shows that "Tong", or the negative mixture she represents, is in an extremely unstable state of existence, even "dead but not stiff" or "not fully alive"!

Qian Renxue, referred to as "A," shares a divine body with "Tong." Given the strange state of "Tong," it's likely that "A," as the opposite, is also in a precarious state! Her divine body is irreversibly decaying, and the demonic plane lacks any celestial energy—this former angelic goddess may very well be nearing the end of her life! Her divine consciousness, perhaps like a flickering candle in the wind, is showing signs of aging and is on the verge of dissipation!

Why didn't Qian Renxue forcefully seize it? Besides fearing that she might destroy the seal in a fight to the death, the most likely reason is that she dared not! Or rather, she couldn't! Forcibly mobilizing her remaining power for a divine battle would most likely accelerate the dissipation of her own divine consciousness, preventing her from waiting for the moment she could obtain the source of rebirth!

That's why she displayed such a powerful aura while speaking to me in a friendly manner. We're both cultivators, and when facing someone weaker than yourself who has something you need, how could you not try to snatch it?

The Origin of Rebirth! Harosa's mind suddenly cleared! This primordial power, containing the profound mysteries of life and death, was nothing short of the only light in the darkness for Qian Renxue and "Tong," beings in a strange state of "not completely dead, not completely alive"! It was their hope to break free from the shackles of fate, regain "complete life," and even glimpse a higher realm!

Qian Renxue presented the crisis and revealed her own predicament, with the ultimate goal of forcing Halosa to choose sides! He was to hand over the source of his past life to help her recover and completely eliminate "Tong"! Only in this way could the "catastrophic disaster" be averted for both sides.

But! Harosa sneered inwardly. This so-called "win-win" situation was a lifeline for Qian Renxue, but what about him? Once "Tong" was destroyed, Qian Renxue would recover to her full strength, perhaps even surpassing him. At that time, having lost "Tong" as an obstacle, how would this former angel goddess view him, an outsider who knew her secrets and possessed a strange origin? Would she keep her promise to let him leave? Or would she betray him, kill him to silence him, or even seize his position as a goddess of rebirth?

The risk is too great! At least for now, with the common and enormous threat of "Tong" hanging over her head, Qian Renxue is hesitant to act rashly, which has instead become an invisible shield for her!

Inside the temple, the golden holy light and the gray-brown aura of death silently confronted each other. Qian Renxue sat upright like a deity statue, patiently awaiting Harosa's choice, her composure masking an undisguised urgency.

Harosa remained silent for a moment, his greyish-white eyes like deep pools, undisturbed. Suddenly, he raised his head, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing straight at Qian Renxue:

"So—" his voice broke the silence, carrying a knowing bluntness, "you also need—the Source of Rebirth?"

This sudden, direct approach caused an extremely subtle, almost perplexing pause to appear on Qian Renxue's flawless face for the first time!

Her eyes, which held the essence of the ocean and gold, seemed to contract slightly, and the azure and golden light flowed faster.

But this mistake lasted less than a moment. Qian Renxue was, after all, a god who had experienced countless ups and downs. She quickly suppressed all her outward emotions, and her beautiful face returned to calm.

She neither denied nor immediately admitted it, but a complex, indescribable light flashed deep within her heterochromatic eyes—a mixture of longing, weariness, and even—a hint of urgency at being chased by time.

After a brief silence, Qian Renxue nodded slightly, her voice still ethereal, but carrying a subtle hint of frankness and heaviness: "—Yes."

She admitted it! And she admitted it so readily!

"I need it." Qian Renxue's gaze met Harosa's frankly, without any pretense. "The decay of the divine body—is merely a symptom. The deeper root lies in—the depletion of divine consciousness." Her voice carried a trace of ancient weariness. "The demon plane—lacks the celestial energy to sustain the lives of gods. Twenty thousand years—even I have reached—the end of my life."

She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, her gaze filled with only the cold reality: "I don't know if 'Tong' will also face its lifespan—but I know I won't live to see the day when I can slowly wear her down with the Holy Sword." She looked at the Holy Sword above the altar, her gaze filled with a trace of longing, but even more so with helplessness. "Before I completely dissipate—if I cannot resolve the issue of 'Tong'—then everything will be over. Your arrival, your power... is the only variable, the only remaining light in the darkness."

Harosa understood. Just as he suspected!

Qian Renxue was not surprised that Harosa could guess her situation (her divine body was decaying and her divine consciousness was exhausted).

The fact that the other party was able to deduce her identity from clues such as the Angelic Holy Sword shows that he was not completely ignorant of the Douluo God Realm, at least knowing the power of the Sea God Tang San.

Moreover, the undisguised killing intent and disdain the other party showed when mentioning Tang San undoubtedly gave her a strong signal—he and the Douluo God Realm, especially Tang San, were definitely not on the same path!

This is also one of the important reasons why he is willing to be honest and seek cooperation rather than directly control or silence people.

The atmosphere within the temple became delicate. Both sides had revealed some of their cards—Harossa possessed the "medicine" the other desperately needed, and Qian Renxue held information about the seal that determined Harossa's life or death, as well as information about the demon plane. The foundation for cooperation seemed to be in place, but the chasm of trust remained unfathomably deep.

Harosa watched Qian Renxue's demeanor—openly acknowledging her needs yet remaining silent, as if waiting for him to state his terms—and a thought flashed through his mind. He suddenly recalled the deal "Tong" had proposed in that chaotic state, and a playful smile curved his lips. He decided to add fuel to the fire:

"Speaking of which," Harosa leaned forward slightly, his greyish-white eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint as he stared directly at Qian Renxue, "your 'other half'—that 'Tong' lady—was quite enthusiastic in proposing—to 'exchange origins' with me." He deliberately emphasized the words "exchange origins," his tone laced with a hint of mockery, "Her price—sounds quite 'generous,' a mixture of four origins."

Upon hearing this, a noticeable fluctuation finally appeared on Qian Renxue's perfectly sculpted expression!

For the first time ever, her lips curved upwards in a tiny, almost imperceptible smile. It wasn't anger, nor mockery, but a smile that carried an air of insight, understanding, and even a hint of contempt! Like a goddess high in the clouds, looking down upon the childish games of mortal children.

The smile was beautiful, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

"Heh—" A very soft laugh, like melting snow, escaped from her lips. Qian Renxue shook her head slightly, her long golden hair flowing with a holy halo. She picked up the jade cup that had cooled down, and gently touched the cup with her fingertips. The tea in the cup instantly became warm again, and the aroma of tea wafted up.

"Mr. Ha—" Her voice remained ethereal, yet carried a tone of elder admonishing a junior, tinged with helplessness and warning, "Exchanging origins is a matter of utmost importance, involving the very foundation of one's godhood. A single misstep could lead to the shattering of one's divine status and utter annihilation—" She raised her eyes, her heterochromatic pupils, a blend of azure and gold, gleaming with wisdom and experience, "How could one—be so easily swayed by mere words?"

The implication is clear: how do you exchange your essence? Do you offer your essence simultaneously or do you exchange one portion each? If it's the former, the other person is stronger than you. When you offer your essence, they can directly counter it with their own essence. If you're weak, you'll be at their mercy.

If it's the latter, who gives first? If you give first, the other person can take it and won't give it back to you. But if she gives it to you first and then doesn't give it back, you've made a powerful enemy.

And most importantly, how do we extract the source of the Tong? There's a magic array there.

Her words were brief and to the point, without directly belittling Tong's proposal, but the disdain and potential danger in her tone were fully conveyed.

The subtext couldn't be clearer: You actually believe that madwoman? Making a deal with her is a death sentence you won't even know how you died!

Harosa couldn't help but roll his eyes at Qian Renxue's evasive and evasive manner, her attempts to dispel his thoughts on the "Tong" proposal with the "danger theory" while refusing to mention what substantial price she could offer!

"Trying to get something for nothing?" Harosa sneered inwardly. "Dream on!"

He decided to stop beating around the bush, leaned back, crossed his hands on his knees, and a shrewd glint flashed in his greyish-white eyes. His tone became direct and forceful:

"Lord Qian Renxue," he addressed her formally for the first time, his tone carrying an air of equal negotiation, "since we both know that you need my 'Origin of Rebirth' to prolong your life and turn the tide," he paused, his gaze sweeping over the floating angelic holy sword and the altar beneath his feet, flowing with divine runes, "then, as a fair exchange, shouldn't you also offer an equivalent price?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it struck the silent air of the temple like a heavy hammer:

"Tell me, what can you give me? Is it worth risking my divine status to part with my precious primordial power and give it to you?"

The atmosphere in the temple froze instantly. The sacred radiance seemed to dim slightly at this blatant, almost rude demand. For the first time, Qian Renxue's holy and noble smile stiffened noticeably. Her slender fingers, resting on her knees, curled slightly.

Harosa's ruthlessness completely disrupted the carefully maintained pace of the negotiations, revealing the naked nature of the transaction.

A barely perceptible glint of anger flashed deep within her azure and golden eyes, but more than that, it was a sense of being exposed and cornered—a feeling of urgency. Her opponent had seen through her weakness, seen through her desperation, and—would not yield an inch!

Her golden hair moved without wind. Qian Renxue took a deep breath. On her exquisite face, the pride of an angel clashed fiercely with the reality of having to bow her head. She spoke slowly, her voice still ethereal, but with a hint of barely perceptible tension:

"Then—Lord Harosa, what do you desire?"

Harosa narrowed his greyish-white eyes slightly, his sharp gaze seemingly piercing through to the heart. He slowly shook his head, the movement carrying an undeniable air of denial, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"No, no, no, Your Excellency Qian Renxue." His voice was deep and clear, carrying a calm control of the rhythm. "The question now is not what I need, but what you can offer."

He paused deliberately, letting his words carry weight, "The initiative has never been in my hands to make 'demands,' but in your demonstration of sincerity and value."

He leaned slightly forward, his elbows resting on the gleaming energy-filled coffee table, his fingers interlaced, a greyish-brown divine light flickering between them like a venomous snake poised to strike: "Asking for the moon, negotiating on the spot. But the prerequisite—you have to show us your 'goods' first."