Douluo Continent: The Underworld Emperor Halosa Lets Three Fly

Chapter 167, Step One

Upon hearing this, Di Tian's golden vertical pupils suddenly contracted, and the powerful aura of the Beast God around him unconsciously subsided, his expression becoming more solemn than ever before.

He sensed that the god who called himself Harosa was about to descend again, and that his intentions were far from trivial.

Harosa's voice continued through the skull figurine, cold and direct, dissecting the bloody reality with the precision of a scalpel: "You soul beasts, to put it nicely, are content with a corner of the world, guarding this last refuge. To put it bluntly..."

He paused, his tone undisguisedly sarcastic, "They're just barely surviving under the crushing weight of human civilization, suppressed to the point of having no power to fight back, unable to even muster a decent resistance."

"You so-called ferocious beasts can only threaten large cities with your brute force, making humans hesitant to act and barely managing to save your lives. But can you even see the speed at which human soul-guided technology is developing? Can you even count the number of their Limit Douluo?"

"And what about you? Trapped here, your strength has stagnated for millennia! In the end, you will only be defeated one by one when humanity is ready, your souls extracted and bones taken, turned into their soul rings and soul bones, or even imprisoned and made into more obedient spirits!"

Every word is piercing, every sentence draws blood!

Harosa's words were extremely blunt, nakedly tearing open the most unbearable and hopeless future of the Soul Beast race and laying it out in the sunlight.

Enraged, Xiong Jun's fur stood on end, his dark golden claws digging deep into the rocks, producing a teeth-grinding "crunch," and a low growl, suppressed to the extreme, escaped his throat, but he dared not truly erupt.

The King of Ten Thousand Demons' face was ashen, Zi Ji's alluring face was covered with frost, and Bi Ji's eyes were filled with sorrow and helplessness—all the ferocious beasts felt a huge sense of humiliation and anger simmering in their chests, almost bursting out!

But they were powerless to refute it. Because what Harosa said was the bloody truth they were facing, and which was becoming increasingly clear!

What's more, the one who said these words was a god that they simply could not contend with!

As the ruler of all soul beasts, Di Tian felt it most deeply; those words were like poisonous thorns, piercing his proud heart one by one.

But he forcibly suppressed his surging blood and killing intent, and the black dragon scales were faintly visible under his skin before slowly subsiding.

He took a deep breath, his voice slightly hoarse, and tried to remain calm: "Your Excellency is extremely powerful, and you have come here in person. I presume you did not come here specifically to ridicule us. Please speak freely about what you wish to teach us."

This composure he maintained under immense pressure is truly worthy of his title as the Beast God.

Of course, one should not be near the Silver Dragon King.

Harosa chuckled softly, seemingly satisfied with Di Tian's reaction. "Guidance? Not really. I'm just telling you a fact. You've lived long enough, and your senses aren't weak; you must have already noticed that the life essence of this Douluo Star beneath your feet is irreversibly decaying."

It's not a regional depletion, but rather—a holistic withering.

Di Tian remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Behind him, Brigitte (the strongest healing beast with the most acute sense of life) and the Demon King (who controls plants and feels the deepest sense of the passing of life on earth) also nodded solemnly.

"Roar!" Upon hearing this, Xiong Jun couldn't help but let out a low roar, venting his anger on the humans. "It's all those damned humans' fault! Endlessly exploiting resources, developing that damned soul-guided technology, polluting the spiritual energy of heaven and earth! We soul beasts have lived peacefully on this planet for countless millennia!"

"Fool." Harosa's voice was filled with merciless contempt. "Soul-guided technology? Resource mining? The losses are nothing but a drop in the ocean for a planet, they won't shake the foundation."

He abruptly changed the subject, revealing a shocking truth: "Twenty thousand years ago, Shrek Academy produced seven gods. Among them, a human named Tang San inherited two godhoods—the God-King level Asura God and the first-level main god Sea God."

Harosa's voice was calm, yet it seemed as if he were recounting a secret that could overturn common sense: "He is powerful and ambitious."

In order to completely transform the Douluo Continent into his Tang family's backyard and more efficiently harvest faith power, he used divine authority to elevate his father, Tang Hao, a good-for-nothing who only knew how to drink and smash hammers, to the position of the Continent's Lord.

Upon hearing this, the ferocious beasts' faces showed a mixture of astonishment and anger. A plane lord? No wonder they always felt an invisible pressure from above!

Harosa continued, "And its mother, the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin, who was fortunate enough to take human form, was plotted against by them, who attempted to replace the original life core of the Douluo plane! If I hadn't intervened, she would have successfully stolen the core position in another twenty or thirty years."

His tone was tinged with coldness, "You can imagine how frantically the life essence of the Douluo Continent would be extracted and overdrawn under the control of a selfish family of thieves! This is the root cause of Douluo Star's decline!"

These words were like a thunderclap in the minds of the ferocious beasts! They were no strangers to the name Tang San, and even held a certain complex awe in him, but they never expected that the root cause of the decline of the Douluo plane lay in this!

In an instant, grief, indignation, murderous intent, and an unnamed rage burned within them.

Even though Lian Yali had heard it once before, hearing it again still made her pale, as she found it hard to accept.

However, Harosa's next words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing their anger and leaving only a bone-chilling cold!

"But," Harosa's voice suddenly deepened, "that's not the whole reason. Another part of the root cause isn't that humans are mining any rare metals—"

He paused deliberately, as if admiring the sudden tension on the beasts' faces, before slowly and deliberately saying, "It is because, beneath your feet, in the deepest part of this Lake of Life—lies a dragon."

"A dragon that absorbed the gold of the vast majority of living beings on this planet to heal its own wounds!"

"How is the Gold of Life formed?" Harosar's voice, like a demonic whisper, struck the very soul of every ferocious beast. "It is a treasure formed from the purest life energy and spiritual energy of heaven and earth returning after the deaths of countless beings, condensing over countless years under specific conditions! It is a crucial component of the dimensional life cycle, a source that nourishes all things and stabilizes their origin!"

"What kind of impact would it have if such a massive amount of living gold were forcibly extracted and devoured—do I need to elaborate further?"

boom-!!!

At this moment, all the ferocious beasts, including Di Tian, ​​felt a chill rush from the tip of their tails straight to the top of their heads!

Their greatest secret, which they had guarded for countless millennia and which they considered their ultimate hope for the revival of the Soul Beast race, was so easily and thoroughly discovered and exposed by this mysterious and terrifying deity!

Di Tian's face turned deathly pale instantly, his immense fear even overshadowing his awe of Harosa.

The Lord is the foundation for the restoration of the Soul Beasts, but the Lord has not yet recovered—

He almost instinctively wanted to deny it, forcing himself to maintain his last shred of composure, his voice hoarse: "I—I didn't know that Your Excellency was—"

What are you saying—

"Hmph!" Harosa let out a cold sneer, directly interrupting his pale explanation. The jet-black and moon-white light on the skull figurine suddenly intensified!

"Should I wake her now?" His voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable authority that seemed to penetrate layers of space and seals, booming like thunder above the Lake of Life: "Silver—Dragon—King—!"

"Is your injury healed?"

"Are you ready to come out and face me directly?"

The three words "Silver Dragon King" were like a final verdict, and the wolf slammed them down fiercely!

Di Tian's tall body swayed suddenly, as if he had been struck by an invisible hammer!

His golden pupils shrank to dangerous pinpoints, and fine, cold beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead and neck, sliding down his resolute cheeks and taut neck lines, dripping silently onto the grass at his feet.

The other ferocious beasts felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave! The bear king's violent aura vanished completely, leaving only immense fear, and its massive body even began to tremble slightly.

The old man, who was actually the Demon King in disguise, seemed to have aged thousands of years in an instant, his face drained of all color. Bi Ji tightly covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with horror and despair. Zi Ji instinctively took a half-step back, her alluring face etched with disbelief and terror.

Our biggest trump card, our last hope, was not only seen through, but also laid bare on the table by the other side in a way that they could flip the table at any moment!

The air seemed to freeze completely at that moment. Above the Lake of Life, only the heavy, suppressed breathing of the ferocious beasts and the omnipresent, soul-chilling divine power remained.

Harosa's words, like a cold judgment, echoed on the shores of the Lake of Life, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

However, there was no response from the deep, tranquil space at the bottom of that lake, a space constructed from the gold of countless living beings.

The Silver Dragon King remained silent, as if he had fallen into a deeper slumber, or perhaps—was silently weighing his options.

The pressure, like a tangible mountain, weighed heavily on the hearts of every ferocious beast. A flicker of struggle flashed in Di Tian's golden vertical pupils, but it was quickly replaced by an unusual clarity.

He was, after all, a beast god who had ruled the stars for hundreds of thousands of years, and had weathered countless storms. After the initial shock, he quickly calmed down and began to analyze the situation.

This deity, who calls himself Harosa, possesses unfathomable power. He can easily see through their greatest secrets and even claims to be able to "awaken" the Lord.

If he truly harbored ill intentions, why waste his breath here? Wouldn't it be simpler to suppress them directly with swift and decisive action and forcibly achieve his goal? A deity patiently "talked" with them, even revealing the secrets of the Tang family—this in itself speaks volumes.

He suddenly took a deep breath, his tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and the look of fear and trepidation on his face slowly faded, replaced by an almost magnanimous, bittersweet understanding.

He raised his head, the light seemingly piercing through the skull figurine shimmering with inky black moonlight, looking directly at the being behind it. A complex, self-deprecating smile even appeared on his lips: "You've said so much, laying bare our greatest secret and deepest predicament—I'm actually somewhat relieved."

He paused, his voice becoming much calmer, and continued, "If you harbored ulterior motives, there would be no need for this. We—it seems—have a common enemy."

As he spoke, he raised a finger, not pointing to any specific location, but with a profound and enigmatic meaning, gently pointing upwards—a gesture that seemed to refer to the Tang family, who hung high above all living beings and controlled the planes and the realm of gods.

"Hehe—" From within the skull figurine, Harosa let out a soft, enigmatic laugh. The laugh revealed neither joy nor anger, but rather carried a lazy approval that seemed to say, "Dealing with the smart is so much easier."

For him, there was no need to talk about friendship with these soul beasts; it was enough to explain the advantages and disadvantages and point out the common interests.

"Let Yali enter the Lake of Life and meet the Silver Dragon King." Harossa's voice cut straight to the chase, stating his conditions concisely yet like a bombshell dropped into the hearts of the beasts!

"In exchange, I promise you a chance to step into the realm of the gods and attain godhood."

"Rebirth in the realm of gods? Becoming a god?!" These words, as if possessing magic, instantly shattered the psychological defenses of all the ferocious beasts!

Even the most ferocious and reckless Bear King stared wide-eyed, his massive maw slightly agape, revealing an expression of disbelief. The Demon King's withered hand clenched tightly, Bi Ji clutched her chest, and Zi Ji's breathing suddenly became rapid—

To become a god! This has been the ultimate dream of countless generations of powerful soul beasts for countless years. It is the only path to break the shackles of heaven and earth that prevent soul beasts from becoming gods and escape their fate of being hunted! This temptation is too great! Great enough to drive them mad!

Those two from the far north ten thousand years ago—

However, after the extreme euphoria came the cold reality. All eyes instantly focused on Di Tian. But this time, Di Tian did not respond immediately.

His expression became extremely solemn, even more so than when his secret had been exposed.

Because the core of this condition is not these ferocious beasts, but the lord sleeping at the bottom of the lake!

To let a complete stranger, or even one closely connected to Shrek Academy, fall into the slumber of their master? The risk was far too great! He, Di Tian, ​​had no right to make such a decision, and dared not gamble the master's safety on a seemingly beautiful promise!

Di Tian could feel the burning, expectant, and uneasy gazes of his brothers behind him.

He longed for it too.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil within him, his voice hoarse from extreme restraint: "The conditions you offered—are indeed impossible to refuse. But—"

He changed the subject, his tone respectful yet firm, "This matter concerns the Lord, and I apologize that I, Di Tian, ​​cannot make a decision alone. I need to personally consult the Lord."

The atmosphere froze once more. The fervor in the beasts' eyes cooled slightly, replaced by tension and trepidation. They held their breath, awaiting Di Tian's next move.

Harosa showed no impatience or displeasure; the light emanating from the skull figurine flowed smoothly, as if it had anticipated this moment.

Without further hesitation, Di Tian nodded slightly to the skull figurine and Ya Li, then turned around and walked step by step towards the calm and still Lake of Life.

As he approached the lakeshore, the water silently parted to reveal a passage leading to the deep lakebed. Di Tian's figure quickly disappeared into the dark waters.

On the lake shore, only Yali remained standing still, along with six ferocious beasts who were restless and dared not utter a sound.

The air seemed to freeze, with only the faint ripples from the wind across the lake and the subtle, almost imperceptible, aura of reincarnation emanating from the skull figurine.

At the bottom of the Lake of Life, there is a space filled with the gold of life.

This is a strange space that defies description. The life energy, so dense it has liquefied, flows gently like a verdant ocean, radiating a soft yet vibrant aura.

At the core of the space, there was a mountain of crystals, shimmering with a warm green light—that was the massive amount of living gold that could drive the outside world mad.

At the center of this "ocean" where the gold of life converges, a huge dragon head covered with shimmering silver scales lies silently.

Its eyes were tightly closed, and its breathing was long and slow. Each breath stirred up a tide of life energy in the entire space, but that powerful life force seemed to be suppressing and repairing something rather than showing vitality.

Di Tian appeared in this space. He concealed all his aura, walked heavily to the huge dragon head, knelt down on one knee without hesitation, and bowed his head deeply.

"My lord." His voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet space, filled with utmost respect and a hint of barely concealed nervousness.

He received no immediate response; the massive silver dragon head remained silent.

Di Tian remained kneeling and reported everything that had happened in the outside world, including the appearance of Harosa, his identity as a god, the revelation of the root cause of the decline of the Douluo plane, the revelation of the existence of the Silver Dragon King, and the earth-shattering "trade terms," ​​in the most concise and clear language.

After he finished speaking, he remained absolutely silent, even his breathing became soft, awaiting the final verdict. He knew that his lord would surely hear him.

Time seemed to have passed for a long time, yet it also seemed to have only been a moment.

Finally, those huge, tightly closed silver eyelids trembled slightly. Then, they slowly opened.

What dazzling eyes they were! As if the stars of ages past had been forged into them, deep, noble, containing endless wisdom and a trace of indelible weariness.

With each blink of his eyes, a sharp glint flashed, as if it could pierce through the void and see through the essence of all things.

A long, drawn-out breath, as if it had been slumbering for millennia, was slowly exhaled, causing ripples to spread across the surrounding liquid life energy.

Then, a single character, as if expending immense strength, or as if undergoing an incredibly difficult deliberation, slowly and clearly...

It resonated directly within the depths of Di Tian's soul, carrying an undeniable resolve and an unmistakable force deeply rooted in his soul and body—

Strength, intertwined with exhaustion.

"Can."